A Day in the Life of an AP Student
Being in high school can be difficult for anyone, but when you add AP and Honors courses in the mix, you really have to be on top of your game to get the best grades. Brynn Taulton (11), an AP and Honors student definitely has some difficulties, but she manages to get A and B grades.
8:00-8:20
Brynn arrives at school around 8:10 and waits in the gym. Then she goes to homeroom to get her stuff ready for the day and to watch the morning announcements. She also uses this time to make sure that she didn’t forget anything. When the bell rings again, she starts her day.
“The night before, I make sure I have no assignments I haven’t done, said Taulton. “Then I go to school and in homeroom I get my folders and work ready.”
8:35-10:15
Brynn starts her day by going to gym class. Exercise can be beneficial to get the brain ready for the day. She then starts her academic classes by going to her first AP class, AP Language and Composition. The class teaches her about writing techniques and how to take the AP test, which she hopes to score a 3 or above on.
“My first AP class of the day is AP Lang and we are reading a book right now,” said Taulton, “so I make sure I read the book and did the journal that goes along with it.”
10:15-11:00
She continues her day to her next class, also an AP class, AP World History. She is also aiming to score a 3 on the test for this class. The class teaches her test taking skills that she hopes will be beneficial to her on test day. It’s one of her easier AP classes, but still not something to be taken lightly.
“We have a lot of projects in that class, but overall it’s an easy class,” said Taulton.
11:00-11:30
Next is activity period, a time that gives students a chance to ask their teachers questions and to get caught up on homework. Taulton likes to go to her teachers to ask questions so she can better understand the material she is working on.
“I use this time to study and do homework, especially reading the book for AP Lang. I also go to Mrs. Snyder’s a lot because Biology is a difficult class,” said Taulton.
12:15-1:00
She then moves on to her next AP class: AP Biology. For this class she isn’t aiming for a 3 on the test, but a C in the class. If she gets a C or above she will get college credits from Hagerstown Community College through the Essence program. Biology has many different concepts within it, but right now Taulton is focusing on one to finish her literature review paper.
“The paper is a behavioral analysis [of] serial killers and how Biology has made them into who they are and the way they think,” she said. “I’ve already spent multiple hours on the paper and still have a lot to go.”
1:00-1:40
Then she gets a break in the day for lunch. This break allows her brain time to cool down before more classes. She also gets to eat some food and chat with friends.
“I like having lunch at this time,” said Taulton, “It gives me a break before my afternoon classes.”
1:40-3:15
Her afternoon classes are next and it is an easy way to end her day. She has Spanish 3 and Algebra 2 to finish the day, and, to her, these are her easiest classes.
“Those are my easiest classes of the day, but I still have to work hard to get good grades in them just like any other class,” said Taulton.
3:15-8:00
With the school day over Brynn goes home. She doesn’t start her homework right away though, she usually gives herself some time to chill out and take a break from school work. Then she likes to start homework sometimes taking her 3 hours.
“When I get home from school I take an hour or 2 to chill and then I spend about 3 hours doing homework with a few breaks in between,” said Taulton.
AP classes aren’t for everyone, but for the people who do take them, it can be very helpful. Getting college credits early can save you time and money in the long run, and the classes can also teach you life skills. Taulton has gotten both from taking the classes and according to her it’s worth it.
“AP classes are really hard sometimes, but they’re worth it,” she said.
A Day In the Life of Mrs.Czuprynski
She is a common face if you go to the library during a study hall or spend a period in there for a class. You need copies, have a computer problem, or need a certain book for a class? Mrs. Joyce Czuprynski (Faculty) is the person to whom you visit. She spends her day working with all the people in the high school, and is always there to help. Czuprynski has been working at JBHS for nine years as the librarian. She attended college at Penn State Main Campus and received a degree in Child Development.
Even before students arrive, Czuprynski’s day has already started.
“Usually when I get in here there is either someone already copying or maybe they already had a problem with the copier that I need to fix; maybe like a copier jam,” says Czuprynski.
Issues like the one described are extremely common all throughout her day. Mrs. Czuprynski also deals with computer issues in the school. Students take their broken or damaged Chromebooks to her, where she then takes them to the technology department. She also assists and advises students with checking out books that they need for assignments.
The library is a very common place for students and teachers to work and collaborate with technology and knowledge. Although the library is known to be very technological, it was not always this way.
“Basically it was a reader’s advisory, then helping people find things on the shelf, and then just checking the resources out, tracking overdues,”Czuprynski said.
Her responsibilities have changed tremendously over the years. Now Czuprynski is responsible for almost all of the technology in the school. Often times when students come in for resources, they search for books and other resources online. Her day is packed full of technological problems and using it to assist students.
To help her with all of these things, she has two service learners who often perform many of the same tasks that she does. Elena McNulty (12) and Kamari Moser (12) devote part of their day to Czuprynski and the library.
“We always fill the copier, we take care of students if it’s busy, we also troubleshoot with computers,” says McNulty.
McNulty also notes how important Czuprynski is to students and teachers alike.
“Without Mrs. C, simple problems with computers would take longer to be resolved and during study halls, kids can come to the library in a quieter environment,” McNulty said.
Czuprynski is someone who will have the resources needed throughout a student’s or faculty member’s day. You can find her typing away on a computer or talking to a student in the library anytime you need her, and she is always willing to help.
