Fresno's Edison High honors AP students with certificates, cupcakes

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- If you found yourself getting a certificate and a cupcake at Edison High School on Monday, you had a reason to be proud.

"It's definitely an amazing accomplishment, and just a good feeling for our campus," said AP English teacher and Advanced Courses Coordinator Janina Schulz.

With the help of some of her AP Ambassadors, the Tigers celebrated 340 students who passed their AP exams this past school year.

"Really the students act as our ambassadors to promote our program to our feeder schools, our parents, and to our community," Schulz said.

Edison's AP program offers a staggering 23 total courses.

Schulz said that's the most in Fresno Unified - and the entire Central Valley.

"They're learning critical thinking," Schulz said. "And really high level writing skills that will aid them when they get to college."

One of those ambassadors getting AP experience is student body President Yosef Aklilu, who's already taken his fair share of exams.

"I took 5 last year," Aklilu said.

Aklulu passed all of them, and is now on pace to take a dozen in his time at Edison.

Something he knows will help him as he prepares for the next level.

"Edison has a lot of AP support," Aklilu said. "So now that I know I'm taking harder classes, when I get to college I won't be so surprised to see hard classes, hard professors."

Another student taking advantage of that support is senior Lucine La Porta.

She passed four exams this past year, and is more than happy to get a head start for college.

"College credits is a huge thing," La Porta said. "But I also think just taking these courses and preparing us for college, and college class rigor. I think the APs do a good job of getting us ready beyond the credits."

As the two start their final year at Edison, they're full of high hopes for what lies ahead.

"I hope to get into Stanford University," Aklilu said.

They're lofty goals that La Porta shares.

"Either in a UC, Barnard College, or Georgetown," La Porta said. "I'm really excited for what the future has to bring for me."