The International Baccalaureate or IB program is designed to give students the chance to gain college credits and prepare each individual with skills aiding in their future.

The program gives a voice to the grey areas of the world. It emphasizes that everything is not only black or white through discussions and Socratic based lesson plans.  IB offers individual classes or an IB diploma in which each person is required to take six IB courses.

“I like the diploma a lot because you can explain yourself, and you get to talk about global and controversial issues, and in other classes, you don’t get to do that,” junior Kendall Johntson said.

Participants are expected to take a final exam at the end of each course, scoring an individual point total dependent on the class. The score will then be used to grant college credit to students who met or exceeded the requirements.

“The test we have to take at the end of the year, I feel prepared for because I have great teachers and they help me a lot,” junior JP Ellwanger said.

One can apply for the IB program when they are a junior. Students thinking about joining are encouraged to take as many advanced and AP classes possible. This enables each high schooler to have the proper skill set needed to excel in the International Baccalaureate program.

“I am blessed and humbled to have the chance to impact students in our advanced academic programs,” IB coordinator Jeremy Day said. “Watching them grow as students and individuals inspire me daily. Working with an amazing group of teachers makes my job the best in the world.”