With freshmen taking their first AP class, AP human geography teacher Tim Johannes starts the year with a project that helps to show the students what they can do to change their perspective on their work ethic.

“The project we do in the first few weeks of AP human geography class really introduces the kids to geography where things are, but it also adds an element that they don’t always have is getting things, working in groups, gettings things done on a certain deadline and it really makes them rethink what’s possible as a student like in middle school it would take them like  two weeks to make a video but now it takes them an hour,” Johannes said. “It really changes their perspective on how quickly it takes to do things.”

For freshman Kathryn Murphy, the group project is better than learning from a book.

“I feel like you get to communicate with your peers and the students around you and you get to have a fun time together finding out a country name for your group,” Murphy said.”And it’s really fun to do rather than reading just a book about it so like I knew some of the girls at my table from volleyball already but I feel I’ve just gotten to know them a little better. But being able to work with them in a group I get to find out who they are even though it’s a project you still have a connection with them.”

The current project involves each group drafting a country and creating a tourism video for that country.

It’s a great way to start for freshman Melisa Gulver.

“You get to see what the class is kinda about and you get to work together with others and like see where everyone is at and you don’t feel pressured that you’re worse than everyone else,” Gulver said. “I feel like reading can get boring if you read about something you’re not interested in, like when it’s more fun with other people and projects it’ll be more fun than reading and stuff.”