Next year, Venice is planning to be one of 500 schools nationwide to offer AP African American Studies. The course is recommended for juniors and seniors. 

This year, it was piloted at 60 schools with plans to expand in the coming year. 

History teacher Peta Lindsay will be teaching the class next year. She currently teaches AP US History and Ethnic Studies. 

“I think that representation in the curriculum is really important for all students,” she said. “I also think that Black history has a particularly important role when understanding American society and our society today.” 

Lindsay is excited that College Board is recognizing African American studies, which is important to understanding the idea of community. 

“I think the primary thing that makes me excited about this class is that I’m getting to get to work with a group of students who are so interested in African American studies and want to pursue it on a high level,” she said. 

Assistant principal Yavonka Hariston-Truitt said that one goal for the class is to gain an understanding of African-American culture and history. 

“It’s really to gain a massive amount of knowledge about the culture that they may not receive from families,” she said. “Hopefully, it will be empowering to all students.

“It’s a student voice—they want these opportunities when possible, and so it’s our responsibility to create them.”

According to College Board, over 200 institutions have recognized AP African American Studies’ credit and placement within their schools.