AP classes end earlier than most classes due to the AP exams being held in early May instead of right before summer break at the end of May. That then leaves a period of time between AP exams and the start of summer break when there aren’t any more lessons to be taught to AP students.

While the free time during this period could be used to review lessons from the class or learn things for next year, it wouldn’t be very beneficial with summer break just over the horizon. Instead, I propose that all AP students use the time to go on a field trip.

There aren’t many regular field trips in Chapman unless you play an instrument or are part of chorus; the few other field trips that happen usually require that you be part of a club or organization and most of them only occur once a school year. This makes it so there are few chances to go on field trips if you aren’t part of any Chapman extracurriculars.

Before COVID-19, however, all of the AP classes at Chapman would use the time between exams ending and summer break to take a field trip together. It was a reward to the students to celebrate finishing their AP exams but also acted as a way to relax between their AP exams and other non-AP exams.

Even if the main incentive for schools to take field trips is the learning opportunities that are presented, field trips with the goal of giving students downtime are arguably just as important as those with an educational focus. It lets students end their school year with happy memories as opposed to bad memories of exams.

Bringing back the AP trip would allow a greater number of students the opportunity to take a field trip to somewhere they normally would never be able to experience.