BBN Editor in Chief Anngelie Gomez-Muñoz recounts her experiences in the AICE Program
Anngelie Gomez-Muñoz
January 13, 2022
Before Piper High School, I had never heard of the AICE program. It had always been AP and dual enrollment. That’s why when I came to Piper mid-sophomore year and heard about AICE, I was curious and wanted to learn more about the program. After talking with my counselor and finding out that joining and completing the AICE program can pay for your college, I was shocked. As an upcoming junior I was starting to worry how I was going to pay for college without going into debt, I had good grades but that wasn’t enough to cover for college, at least in my old school. That’s why when I found out about the benefits of AICE, I made sure to enter the program for junior year right away.
"After talking with my counselor and finding out that joining and completing the AICE program can pay for your college, I was shocked."
I started the AICE program this year knowing almost no one in my classes and just hoping for the best. I’ll admit, I signed up for the AICE program without really looking into teachers and how complex some of the exams could be. Not only that, but I had started to hear talk from my friends on how hard the AICE program is and how it can take up some of your electives. This of course scared me and even made me consider leaving the program. That was until I had a talk with one of my teachers. He told me that although the AICE program could be challenging at times, it was not something that should be thrown away before even trying it. It was a very down to earth conversation that not many teachers can have with their students. Not only that, but I was able to talk with the AICE Coordinator Ms. Sterling who switched my schedule to help me get the elective class period I wanted while still following the AICE route.
"The teachers will work with you and give you guidance on how to improve."
As the months in AICE pass by, I realized just how passionate and helpful these teachers are. Not only are they knowledgeable about what they teach, but they show a clear indication of being invested in the classroom and the well-being of their students. There’s nothing better than a teacher who has a passion for what they teach. I’ve had some of the most positive experiences being in the AICE program, most of them going around how understanding teachers are.
"Being an AICE student means being responsible and having good time management and your teachers will help you get used to the new journey because they want you to get your scholarship and wish the best for you."
I expected the AICE program to be super strict and the teachers to have zero exception type of rules, but they are not. The teachers will work with you and give you guidance on how to improve. Now, this doesn’t mean you will get away with slacking off. If there is one thing about the AICE program, it’s that the more you fall behind, the harder it gets to catch up. Being an AICE student means being responsible and having good time management and your teachers will help you get used to the new journey because they want you to get your scholarship and wish the best for you.
AICE may seem scary going into it, but after you get used to your classes and adapt into the routine, you realize that the classes are not as difficult as they are made out to be. Yes, there are challenges but with the help of staff and determination these obstacles can be overcome. You’ll realize that confidence is built up as more time passes and how amazing the program really is.