Atlanta Adventist Academy: The lack of advance placement classes

Atlanta Adventist Academy: The lack of advance placement classes

By: Ronal Sorto

Seniors of Atlanta Adventist Academy may be surprised with a skimpy college application because the school does not offer Advanced Placement classes and only has a few dual credit options. This may be devastating for some as it can jeopardize a students their acceptance into a competitive school. Students lose money for classes that could have been completed in high school.

 

Atlanta Adventist Academy student Amber Durand filling out her College application in Duluth, Georgia on Friday. November, 21, 2014. (Ronal Sorto) 

The academy bringing together students from afar into a single classroom with innovative video technology. AAA stand out as one the top educational institutions of the Southern Union conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The school offer the basic english, math, science and history courses required by the state of Georgia. Each student is required four credits in those subjects and four Bible credits to graduate. Electives such as choir, bells, yearbook, journalism, art, debate and music production are offered alongside a few dual college credit options, such as Teachings of Jesus and Comp 101.

While the school is a pioneer in distance learning. Those who decided to attend a non Seventh-day Adventist institution might find acceptance into their dream school intricating. The lack of AP classes has caused senior Cristal Pizarro to feel embarrasses about her school transcripts.

 “It’s just been a disadvantage”  she said adding that when she was asked by colleges about her AP credits she felt that AAA, “makes us look like stupid seniors.”

Senior Jayvon McKinley agreed and said that when ever he is asked about AP credits he feels kind of, “dumb when I haven’t taken any.” McKinley said that he believes that he is at a disadvantage when applying to colleges since, “we are just stuck with our basic classes.”

Atlanta Adventist Academy student Calies Van Philips fills out her college application for Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia. Friday. November, 14, 2014. (Ronal Sorto) 

The lack of AP and dual credit classes are due to shortages of qualified instructors to teach these classes. However, the last year the school welcomed new staff who meet the qualification to teach college credits. This shows that the school is acting on the situation. But are school members doing all that they can to provide the best education?

The biggest investment for a school whose “education connects” is spent on  the technology to connect schools to each other. But the amount of money and time experience sometimes seems to be more important than the education itself. Senior, Evan Davidson regards that AAA spends too much time on technology that fails to works half the time, while more could have been used to provide better instruction. Could this play a role on why AAA struggles when it comes to offering accelerated programs?

The addition of these classes would not only benefit students but would give AAA a higher enrollment rating at a top college. All they need is to greater invest on accelerated programs that would achieve tremendous results.

Atlanta Adventist Academy student Amber Durand filling out her college application checking to make sure she has all her information. Duluth, Georgia on Friday. November, 21, 2014. (Ronal Sorto) 

Journalism Class Trip

The journalism class of Atlanta Adventist Academy got the opportunity to take a field trip and visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia last Monday. November 17, 2014. This was great opportunity for the students as they got me too speak to Mark Waligore a managing Editor and Jamila Robinson the Entertainment/Digital Editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  CNN offered a tour on which students take a look at CNN’s news desks and domestic, international and HLN studios. 

            The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is a 24/7 Newspaper based off here in he city of Atlanta, Georgia. According to the managing editor Mark Waligor the AJC is one of the best paper in the country and one of the news outlet that offers free site. The students had the opportunity to ask Mark and Jamila Robinson a couple of questions. One of the question that was asked by senior Jayvon McKinley does a persons religious belief affect their work in the journalism world, to this mark explained that it all balance out that if a person isn’t able to work because of a religious observation they can simply rotate with other employees that don’t share the same problem. Among other questions that were asked by students were, how long does it take to edit a story, to this we were told that it could take anywhere form 3-15 minutes to 6moths to one year. The AJC has a deadline every night at 10pm, the press starts printing the paper out at 10:20 and by midnight the paper is on trucks on its way to your doorstep.

Mark Waligore a managing Editor of the Atlanta Journal Constitution on the left behind Duy Nguyen a student from Atlanta Adventist Academy's journalism class reading a press copy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution while on a fieldtrip to the AJC in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, November. 17, 2014. (Ronal Sorto)

            Mark shared that at the AJC “we don’t just put on a Newspaper, we tell a

story.” At the AJC their main goal according to Mark Waligor is to tell “stories that read like a mini book. Jamila Robsinon shared with us that” Everything has a story to tell.” At the AJC the things they sell is he expertise. They seek the truth and get the News out because there will always be people ready to receive the news.  Mark shared that since day one he always wanted to be a journalist and majored in it and hopscotch across the country until he landed a job in a big paper like the AJC.

           

            He encouraged the students who were interested in journalism to pursue their dream, he shared how the AJC is a “Incredibly fun place” “everyone loves it here.” Not many jobs out there were you’re excited about work everyday. The adrenalines rush that only journalism can produce when working under pressure.

Field Trip Photos and Quotes

Firefighter hat from the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, autographed by first responders on scene the morning of Wednesday, April. 19, 1995. Found on display at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, November. 17, 2014.  (Ronal sorto)

A press copy of The Atlanta Journal Constitution for Monday, November. 17, 2014. Handed out to the journalism students of Atlanta Adventist Academy on their visit to the AJC  (Ronal sorto) 

Duy Nguyen a student from Atlanta Adventist Academy's journalism class  reading a press copy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution while on a fieldtrip to the AJC for Monday, November. 17, 2014. (Ronal Sorto)

Hansley Joseph searching through the Atlanta Journal Constitution while on his Journalism field trip to the AJC. Where students from Atlanta Adventist Academy got the Opportunity to as the editors some questions about their Newspaper on Monday. November, 17, 2014. (Ronal Sorto) 

A satellite telephone used used by CNN reporter's in Baghdad,Iraq during the Gulf war to communicate with journalist all over the world. On display at the CNN headquarters Atlanta, Georgia Monday. November, 17, 2014 (Ronal sorto)

Photographed alongside Jayvon Mckinley in front of the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday. November, 17, 2014. (Cristal Pizarro)






"We don't just put on a newspaper, we tell a story" - Mark Waligore a managing Editor at the Atlanta Journal Constitution

"Everything has a story to tell" -Jamila Robinson the Entertainment/Digital Editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Incredibly fun place""everyone loves it here....." not many jobs that you can get excited about work, very noble career. Explained Mark Waligore a managing Editor at the Atlanta Journal Constitution to the journalism students of Atlanta Adventist Academy