PLATINUM STANDARD: HOW AP CLASSES SHAPE THE MPCS EXPERIENCE
The recent MPCS AP Honor Roll distinction - from the student perspective.
By Maddie Cuppia, Class of 2026
Recently, Mount Pisgah Christian School earned the AP 2025 School Honor Roll
Platinum recognition. As the highest honor the College Board awards, Platinum reflects Mount Pisgah’s deep commitment to fostering a college-going culture, expanding students' opportunities to earn college credit, and maximizing academic readiness across a broad range of AP subjects.
But what does this recognition look like from inside the classroom? At Mount Pisgah
Christian School, the AP environment combines high expectations, strong teacher support and faith-based learning to create an experience that challenges students to think deeply. Through discussion-based learning, critical thinking, and independence, students taking these college-level courses build skills they will use well beyond high school.
Patrick Mulrennan has experience teaching every AP history course at Mount Pisgah.
Throughout the years, he’s noticed one defining element of AP classes: they prioritize how students think, not just what they know.
“AP students are expected to engage with counterarguments, complexity and historical
nuance, which pushes them beyond summary into genuine analysis. While this environment is more demanding, it builds powerful skills in critical thinking, writing and reasoning that transfer directly to college and beyond,” he explained.
Students quickly discover that AP classes challenge them in more ways than one. Along
with advanced writing, analytical reading, and problem-solving, students learn how to manage their time, stay disciplined, and take responsibility for their learning. AP classes affect students personally as well, helping them grow in areas such as confidence in tackling difficult material and learning how to ask more thoughtful questions. In this way, AP courses at Mount Pisgah aren’t just preparing students for college, but for independent thinking beyond the classroom.
For senior Sanhita Panse, AP courses have played a significant role in shaping how she approaches learning. Having taken a variety of AP classes throughout her time at Mount Pisgah, she credits them with helping her grow both academically and personally.
“Taking AP classes has elevated my analytical thinking skills, which I find myself using
across all disciplines. Being able to view ideas from different perspectives is important both inside and outside the classroom, so taking rigorous challenges has grown that side of me,” she said.
Behind every successful AP classroom is a teacher who is deeply invested in student
growth. At Mount Pisgah, teachers consistently provide extra help and review sessions during tutorials and offer consistent encouragement throughout the year, making challenging coursework both manageable and rewarding.
Jody Johnson is an AP mathematics teacher at Mount Pisgah, and her classes reflect
the balance of challenge and care found throughout the school.
“I foster success in my classroom by setting expectations high and creating an
environment where they enjoy the challenge. Also, I hope my students know that I am their strongest supporter,” she explained.
What sets the Mount Pisgah community apart is how intentionally its members pour into
one another. Through a Christian education, students learn new skills while collaborating with teachers in ways that reflect God’s love and care. Everyone at Mount Pisgah is committed to helping one another excel and grow year after year, a commitment felt throughout the school community.
As a whole, AP courses enrich the Mount Pisgah experience. The classroom
environment shapes friendships, promotes engaging discussions and creates meaningful
collaboration. With this, AP classes provide exposure to subjects at a deeper, college-level intensity, preparing students for the next step after high school.
“Before taking APs, I was used to thinking and relying on my own thoughts and ideas,
but AP classes are structured so that collaboration is encouraged, which helps create a small community in the classroom,” explained Panse. “APs are also important for learning about how to study smart, not hard, which will be really useful for college. The more rigorous the class, the better prepared I feel for classes that are inevitably going to be hard in the future.”
Ultimately, the AP 2025 School Honor Roll Platinum recognition is more than a title. It
is a celebration of students’ hard work, teachers’ dedication, and a school culture that values growth and excellence. As Mount Pisgah Christian School continues to move forward, it remains committed to challenging students academically while nurturing faith, character, and a love of learning.