Core Academics

Soap Box

As part of Participation in Government, seniors study the structure and purpose of government including both civic literacy and civic engagement.  Through Project Soapbox, students have the opportunity to identify an issue important to youth and/or their community, research that topic, and deliver a 2-3 minute speech, and then reflect upon that experience.

9th Grade ELA

9th Grade ELA at TAPCo is an inquiry‑driven English course that builds strong literacy skills through reading, writing, and discussion of diverse texts.

Allegory of the Cave

10th Grade English

Students read Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave” as part of Unit 3: The Power of Perception from HMH Into Literature.  Students were asked to a recreate a contemporary version of Plato's allegory through one of the following methods: Short story, Poem, Video, Song, or Dance.

The Cave

By: Ashanti Filmore

In the dark cave, we sit in a line,​

Staring at shadows, thinking they’re fine.​

Chained to the wall, we can’t look around,​

Only the shapes and sounds we’ve found.

The shadows move, they twist and they sway,​

But we don’t know that they’re fake anyway.​

We think that’s all there is to the world,​

A blur of images, in darkness unfurled.

Then one of us breaks free from the chain,​

Steps into the light, though it causes him pain.​

At first, he’s blinded, can barely see,​

But slowly, he learns, and he’s finally free.

He sees the sun, the trees, the sky,​

The truth of the world, it’s so much more than a lie.​

He runs back to the cave, ready to share,​

 But they laugh at him, and they just don’t care.

“Stay with us,” they say, “we’re safe in the dark.​

The shadows are all we need to start.”​

But he knows now, what’s real and true—​

The cave is a lie, and there’s more to view.

The TAPCo Times