For the last eight years, Addison Trail world languages teacher Judie Vitiritti-Lynch has taught Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level courses at the school and has seen firsthand the benefits students receive from enrolling in those classes.
Vitiritti-Lynch’s involvement with AP led her to apply to become an AP Advocate earlier this year. Through that position, she reaches out to and works with political leaders on legislation regarding AP. And from July 22 to 26, Vitiritti-Lynch will attend the College Board’s 2015 AP Annual Conference (APAC) in Texas to recruit members for that advocacy program, as well as to continue advancing her knowledge about AP.
She is one of 10 teachers who have been selected as recipients of an AP Advocate Conference Scholarship to attend the event. To earn that scholarship, Vitiritti-Lynch had to fill out an application and essay, as well as provide a log of her work as an AP advocate. This will be Vitiritti-Lynch’s first time attending the conference in this role, but she has participated in two previous conferences through scholarships provided by the Consolato Generale d’Italia a Chicago.
“I’m very humbled and excited at this opportunity,” Vitiritti-Lynch said. “I look forward to this year’s conference to make connections with people throughout the country to discuss how to work with legislators to continue to improve AP in Illinois.”
Vitiritti-Lynch has taught at Addison Trail for 22 years and helped implement the Italian program at the school. She said AP courses benefit students by allowing them to save money through earning college credit while in high school, as well as by helping students develop skills to successfully navigate a rigorous curriculum and assessment. The knowledge students gain from AP classes also helps them in other subject areas, which provides a well-rounded education.
District 88 provides open access to AP courses for students and offers supports and programs to guide them.