AP Seminar for ELA – Hilary Minich

This session: AP Seminar for ELA – with Hilary Minich is offered ONLINE during Week 1: June 15-18, 2026 and again IN-PERSON during Week 2: June 22-25, 2026 at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia.

Hilary Minich is an experienced English educator and instructional leader with over 20 years in the classroom and a deep commitment to advancing literacy and student achievement. In addition to teaching AP Literature and AP Seminar at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia, she works with the College Board as an AP Seminar Consultant and AP Live content creator. She has spent the past nine years on the AP Reading leadership team, serving as Table Leader and, more recently, as Question Leader and Exam Leader where she helps facilitate the scoring of multiple parts of the AP Exam.

Beyond her work with the College Board, Hilary is an active educational leader in the state of Georgia, leading AP Seminar and ELA professional development for the Georgia Department of Education and Cobb County School District through regional workshops, New Teacher Academy, and gifted certification instruction. She serves as English Department Chair and has been recognized for her contributions to education, earning accolades such as Cobb County School District’s High School Teacher of the Year (2019-2020) and STAR Teacher (2024). Her teacher-focused website, CapstoneWithMinich, has provided AP Capstone teachers and students with free resources and instructional strategies for over a decade. Additionally, her self-authored resource book, Teacher’s Guide to AP Seminar, has been purchased by over 850 teachers.

Hilary holds both a Master’s degree and Ed.S. in Secondary English Education from Kennesaw State University and the University of West Georgia, respectively. She remains dedicated to supporting both students and fellow educators through her expertise in curriculum development and teacher training.

APSI Course Description

This four-day AP Seminar ELA training invites educators to dive into the heart of the AP Capstone Program through the QUEST framework: Question and Explore, Understand and Analyze, Evaluate Multiple Perspectives, Synthesize Ideas, and Team, Transform, and Transmit. Participants will experience how each stage strengthens students’ critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills while learning practical ways to connect inquiry and research with their existing state English Language Arts standards.

Throughout the week, educators will explore how to align novel studies, poetry, and other literary units with the AP Seminar curricular framework to deepen analytical reading, argumentation, and synthesis. Each day blends interactive model lessons, collaborative discussions, and guided planning focused on pacing, syllabus development, and lesson design. Participants will also gain hands-on experience using College Board resources, including AP Classroom, the Digital Portfolio, and the teacher community, to support effective instruction.

The APSI session provides full preparation for all AP Seminar assessments: Performance Tasks 1 and 2 and the End-of-Course Exam. Teachers will unpack student samples, explore scoring rubrics, and practice scaffolding strategies for research, writing, and presentation. By the end of the week, participants leave inspired and equipped with classroom-tested approaches and adaptable materials that bridge ELA content and AP Seminar skills.

2026 WaltonAPSI / AP Seminar ELA / Hilary Minich