With success comes great determination and I Am AP has continuously supported students’ efforts toward achieving a higher education. MHHS is home to this program that has therefore given students the chance to excel in their rigorous courses and to familiarize themselves with a space that welcomes and encourages challenges.
“I love that tutoring is accessible to everyone and that tutors are always excited to help us,” senior Alyssa Mandell said.
AP Seminar and AP Lang teacher, Alecia Markgraf, created I Am AP in 2016 and has continued to evolve the program as more AP support has grown. Markgraf’s main motivation for creating this program was her desire to get rid of the idea that in order to be in AP classes, students should have been enrolled in Honors and AP Courses since the very beginning.
“I hope that every student recognizes that they don’t have to struggle alone because there is an abundance of students who are willing to support each other. I hope that in coordinating I Am Am AP students realize that getting tutoring is not a sign of weakness but of determination. I am most proud of the peer tutoring program and I enjoy that I have been able to hang out with amazon students; I love seeing how supportive they are of each other” said Mrs. Markgraf, I Am AP Advisor.
She works alongside the AP Coordinators, Ambassadors, and tutors who help her keep this program running. AP Coordinators are the students who are in charge of delegating work to Ambassadors and certified tutors. This includes: advertising, class visits, and setting up tutoring sessions. They also take on the additional role of ensuring tutoring is made available in their subject area.
Markgraf has been coordinating this project for six years now and she wholeheartedly believes that the students make the program. She is forever thankful for their help in providing students with academic support. Coordinators are thankful for the continuous involvement all club members contribute to the club; together they create a program that is unique to Mission Hills and that has contributed to the creation of an inclusive school environment.
Markgrafs efforts to support students academically don’t go unnoticed. By creating this club, she has opened up a multitude of opportunities for all students.
“I love that I Am AP has given me opportunities to succeed in school on both sides of the spectrum. First I was getting tutoring and assistance, now I’m the one offering tutoring. This club is so much more than just tutoring. It has helped me build good study habits and now I’m proud to be a coordinator; I have the opportunity to spread my experiences to other students and teach them what this club is all about,” said senior Melina Eftekhari , I Am AP History Coordinator.
Students in need of tutoring can visit the MHHS AP/H website to find the forms to request a tutor or to become a tutor themselves. They can also join the Google Classroom: zmenrs2 or follow the I Am AP Instagram: @mhhs.iamap where Markgraf and the Social Media coordinator post AP resources and opportunities. Students are always welcome to stop by room 540 to talk to Markgraf directly or to connect with a tutor. This club is here to support the entirety of the student body and signing up to take a rigorous course is the first step.