With AP Exams Beginning, Hoboken Dual Language Charter Middle School Students and Teachers Share Excitement of Taking Their First AP Exams

Hoboken Dual Language Charter School is the First Middle School in New Jersey to Receive College Board Accreditation for their Middle School Spanish Curriculum

HOBOKEN, NJ – APRIL, 29, 2022 – As students around the country are preparing for the start of AP exams, Hoboken Dual Language Charter School’s (HoLa) seventh and eighth graders are getting ready to take their first exams since their school received AP accreditation for its middle school Spanish curriculum.

“Our students have proven they already have college-level Spanish language skills in middle school,” said Jen Sargent, Executive Director of Hoboken Dual Language Charter School. “I am confident in their skills and look forward to hearing about their experience once the exam has concluded.”

Historically, AP exams are administered to high school students taking AP-level courses. Hoboken Dual Language Charter School received accreditation for their faculty-developed Spanish curriculum earlier this spring, with the College Board saying Hoboken Dual Language Charter School is a Model Dual Language Program. Uniquely, every eighth grade student at the school will be taking an AP level curriculum. At HoLa, every student, regardless of income level or race, will take challenging AP level coursework in Middle School, giving them a rigorous background to prepare them for high school success.

“Our faculty and staff at Hoboken Dual Language Charter School have been dedicated dual language leaders and it has been amazing to see the seventh and eighth graders prepare for these exams,” said Nicole Cammarota, Board President of Hoboken Dual Language Charter School. “I hope these students are as proud of their accomplishments in getting to this point as we all are of them. Their proficiency at a second language as middle schoolers and receiving a college-level education at such a young age will set them on a path to reach their dreams.”

Seventh and eighth grade students at HoLa have engaged in discussion and analysis of books this trimester, including the novels Cuando Era Puertorriqueña by Esmeralda Santiago and Quien Cuenta Las Estrellas by Lois Lowry. The students read the books and engaged in discussions on the cultural analysis of the literature, followed by writing an essay discussing their findings, all in Spanish.

Sasha Mechaley, an 8th grade student at HoLa expressed her excitement and nerves about taking her first AP exam.

“Taking the AP test in the 8th grade is exciting and makes me a little nervous.” Sasha said. Sasha also said she is excited by the prospect of passing this exam so she, “can practice Spanish at a higher level without needing to take basic classes.” This will help her in her career path and allow her to learn other languages as well as she studies to become a doctor.

Eighth grader Brendan Waldron is also excited about the test, saying, “we know Spanish and it’s great that we can use our communication skills to interact with people from other countries. This is a great way to show what we have learned since coming to HoLa.”

Jeffrey Maccoux, the 8th grade Spanish Language Arts teacher, also expressed his excitement leading up to the exam.

“My Spanish Language Arts students are bright, talented, and enthusiastic about learning Spanish. I believe this curriculum, designed by Hoboken Dual Language Charter School’s teachers and faculty specifically to meet our students’ interests and needs, will lead them to success, and this is a really great chance for our students to show what they know,” said Sr. Jeffrey Maccoux, teacher at Hoboken Dual Language Charter School.

Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch have their AP exam fees waived. Along with students from across the country, HoLa students will be taking the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam on May 11.

“I am always excited when I see a New Jersey public charter school providing new options to offer high-quality educational options that will help prepare their students for the workforce of the future whether their path is through college, technical school or directly into a career,” said Harry Lee, President and CEO of the New Jersey Public Charter School Association. “HoLa’s effort to design and implement an AP Spanish course and offer it to middle schoolers is a great example of how public charter schools are making good on this promise

HoLa is a public charter school dedicated to providing excellent education of both English and Spanish to students in grades K–8. For more information, visit www.holahoboken.org.