With the new school year in full swing, a new bunch of sophomores have stepped into their new Advanced Placement classes, and taking on the heavy responsibility that comes with it. Teachers try their hardest to thoroughly prepare their students for the AP exam at the end of the year, but sometimes it takes the experience of a former student to be able to guide them through. This is what Micheal Robinson, the World History AP teacher has been working on for almost seven years now, the Writers Workshop program.

The World History AP exam consists of a bulk of writing, and it requires the students to have intensive knowledge of how to do what is required. The program is designed to have past students, who did very well on the exam previously, mentor the current students.

“I hope that the tenth graders become better writers and learn how to perform well on the DBQ,” Robinson said. “And that the mentors get a sense of satisfaction in being able to help somebody else succeed as somebody helped them succeed when they were in 10th grade.” 

The program allows students to get the rare opportunity to work one-on-one with someone who wants to help them be the best that they can. It provides them with unique chances to ask questions, and the mentors get the experience of teaching someone.

“This experience will benefit me because I find it easier to learn individually or in small groups than with a whole class,” sophomore Addison Thompson said. “I like when we have chances to work one-on-one because it allows me to get personal feedback on my work.”

Students that are now mentors get to look back on their success on the exam and find joy in how they can now help other students succeed on such a difficult test.

“I think that if I hadn’t of done the program, my score would have been around a two or three,” junior Victoria Medina said. “The program helped to enhance the skills I already had, and allowed me to get a 4 on the exam, and now I am able to help others do the same.”