17 NJ Students Earn AP Capstone Diplomas at Governor Livingston

Seventeen students at Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights just achieved something remarkable: earning AP Capstone Diplomas by mastering college-level research and critical thinking before even graduating high school.

The achievement required each student to complete a demanding two-year program that goes far beyond typical classroom learning. During their junior year, students dove into AP Seminar, where they learned to analyze complex studies, evaluate sources, and present their findings. Senior year brought AP Research, where each student designed and conducted their own yearlong independent study on a topic of their choosing.

But earning the diploma didn't stop there. These students also had to score 3 or higher on four additional AP exams, demonstrating academic excellence across multiple subjects. One additional student completed both Capstone courses with high scores but didn't meet the extra AP requirement, still earning an AP Seminar and Research Certificate.

The program, led by teachers Sharon Leahy and Lindsey Gismonde since 2017, focuses on something often missing from traditional education: teaching students how to think, not just what to think. "We want them to be curious, to ask good questions, to consider different perspectives, to evaluate evidence carefully, and to develop their own ideas rather than simply looking for the 'right' answer," Gismonde explained.

Students move from being passive consumers of information to active researchers tackling real-world problems. They choose their own topics, conduct genuine academic investigations, and present findings through both written papers and oral presentations.

Why This Inspires

What makes this story special isn't just the impressive achievement. It's watching teenagers discover they're capable of more than they imagined. As one student reflected in their course evaluation, "You are going to be amazed at how much you can actually accomplish this year."

Principal Meg Berry celebrated not just the diplomas, but what they represent. "The critical thinking and research skills they have built here are going to take them far," she said. These aren't skills that fade after graduation. They're tools these students will carry into college classrooms, future careers, and every challenge they face.

This year, 51 more students are already enrolled in the program, ready to discover what they can accomplish when given the chance to explore ideas that genuinely excite them.