AProject provides resources to help students who struggle in advanced classes.

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BE THERE OR B²: Board member, Abishek Kallem, used the discriminant and quadratic formula to solve an Algebra 2 practice problem. Solving this basic problem showed the members of AProject how to navigate similar problems in more advanced math classes Photo courtesy of Shiffa Billoo.

By: Gabrielle Woodburn

Late April marks the start of Advanced Placement (AP) and AICE testing season. During these months, students demonstrate their knowledge of what they have learned during the year. It is one of the most stressful times for students, but there are many resources to help.

West Broward provides a variety of useful materials, including their newest club, AProject. AProject was established in the 2024-2025 school year by junior, Rishi Dhakshnamoorthy and is currently sponsored by AP Precalculus teacher, Lisa Brown. They hope to help students achieve high scores on AP exams by simplifying content and guiding their members through the course’s framework.

“We provide study guides and resources from past students for most AP classes. If they have any questions, we can answer them easily with knowledge from members of the club and past students,” said Dhakshnamoorthy.

In past years, Dhakshnamoorthy had noticed the struggle in college-level classes, especially in younger freshmen and sophomores. This motivated him to establish a sanctioned club that helps advanced students. Those that have had no prior experience learned how to navigate harder courses by distributing study guides and hosting helpful meetings.

“Last year, I saw that a lot of underclassmen did not know how to experience AP classes for the first time, so we decided to create a club to introduce them to the field and provide resources to help,” Dhakshnamoorthy said.

This club’s main aim is to help all students strengthen their understanding of AP coursework. To achieve this, they meet to review practice problems and break them down step-by-step to help increase comprehension. Typically, they meet every other Monday in room 210.

“AProject is not just for the class that I teach, AP Precalculus, it is for all the AP classes, so kids can have a group to study and help each other,” said Brown.

They also release study guides on their Instagram page for a variety of subjects including AICE International History, AP Chemistry, and AP Statistics. These study guides have been created using data from previous students who have passed the course. If no members within the club have taken a specific class, they reach out to students in other schools who have, so there is an opportunity for all students to learn.

“On the Instagram page, they post occasionally with resources and study guides from past students which helped my AP Calculus AB grade to improve significantly,” said active member and junior Gabriella Stockdale.

They also provide materials for the PSAT and SAT, two of the most influential tests in high school. The PSAT is taken to prepare for the SAT. Scoring well qualifies students for the National Merit Scholarship, giving them the chance to win $2,500 for college. In junior year, students take the SAT and their score determines their chance of college acceptance.

“During the PSAT prep, Rishi gave us math practice questions, and we solved them on the board as a challenge to see who did it quicker,” sophomore Eiden Siso.

Even though this club is mainly for academic gain, the board also manages to foster a strong sense of community. During each meeting, members bond with their shared interests and create beneficial and lasting friendships.

“I would rejoin because of the people you meet along the way. For me, it was very hard to find a community of people that are as serious as I am about education, and I found it in AProject,” Siso said.

Teachers are also starting to take notice of this club as they see their students utilizing the resources from each meeting. They are using the notes and practice problems in class to further their understanding. The materials, accompanied by a strong work ethic, time, and dedication are steps to achieving a 5 on AP exams.

“I have high confidence that this club will provide students who are motivated with the opportunity to perform even better than they would have without joining this club. This is a great opportunity for kids who want to push themselves even further,” said Nicholas White, AP Chemistry teacher.

In the future, AProject hopes to expand and share their club with all students in West Broward. They aspire to build a community where everyone can have equal chances at furthering their education and achieving exceptional scores on their end-of-year exams.

“Our goal for the club is to assure academic success is something that all students can achieve and that all students have access to the same opportunities and resources to handle tougher course loads,” said competition coordinator, Abishek Kallem.