Scientific minds and music lovers alike can take interest in these TJ AP additions.
Physics Teacher Nelson Vore mesmerizes students with his electric personality. photo by Rebecca Holt
For many years TJ students have excelled in Advanced Placement classes, taught at a college level to students with vast enthusiasm for the subject. With classes ranging from AP Calculus to AP Psychology, TJ provides numerous options for Spartans with fervor for a particular subject. This year, TJ is further expanding its list of courses to include AP Physics and AP Music Theory. These additions have been met with great enthusiasm from TJ staff & students alike.
“Kids will now be able to take a much larger range of classes,” said Assistant Principal Scott Lessard. “It’s really a big story. We use what we call AP potential to determine who gets into what AP class based on PSAT scores. Last year, we were able to determine that there was enough interest in physics and music theory to get those into AP classes. Mr. Vore did most of the work to get AP Physics going.” With college-level material and accomplished teachers, AP courses are designed to show grand potential to all students who crave a challenge.
With the recent addition of AP Physics, students now have the opportunity to show off their math and science skills, along with a likely zest for Einstein. For all students who anticipate a career in engineering or manufacturing, AP Physics is an ideal choice. “It really gets you ready for Colorado School of Mines. Of course it’s a very tough course; really gets you tuned up for spectacular things when you get out of high school,” raves Nelson Vore, founder of the class and enthusiastic teacher of AP Physics. “It’s an awesome subject. It’s got awesome students. It’s quite refreshing to work at a higher mental level.”
With advanced math and intricate equations, Vore believes that Physics undoubtedly attracts the students with both valor and vast intelligence. One of these students is Senior Alex Kaufhold. “AP Physics is super hard, but so worth it if you love the topic,” said Kaufhold. “I wouldn’t be taking the class without Vore’s enthusiasm for the subject.” To the students of AP Physics, the class displays obvious advantages to their ambition towards a successful future.
Many students, such as Senior Alex Palmer, consider an additional new AP class, AP Music Theory, to be a palpable choice. “Music is awesome,” said Palmer. “Taking it and understanding it is so complex, but I like it.”
This exhilarating class includes a wide arrangement of writing, analyzing, and discussing music. “If you want to be a music major, AP Music Theory gets you out of mandatory freshman music theory. If you have different plans, a lot of colleges will accept a year or above and give you a year of humanities credits,” said Music Teacher Edwina Hebert. The combination of examining and analyzing classic pieces of music makes this class as invigorating as it is challenging.
The additional AP courses now available to TJ students provide more opportunities, new subjects, and greater challenges for sharp students. With a great deal of effort put into these new courses from both students and teachers, these innovative classes show grand potential to becoming meaningful additions to TJ’s array of renowned classes.
