7 Things Dr. Stone’s AP Environmental Science class has taught us

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Dr. Raymond “Chip” Stone teaches three AP Environmental Science classes. He structures his classes with a 30-60 minute interactive lecture and ends the class with a study hall for students.

Before taking Dr. Stone’s AP Environmental Science class, I was very skeptical of the easy-going environment that my friends had told me about. Despite the rumors circulating about APES, students learn a lot about environmental science and life in general while taking the class:

Corrections are worth your time. APES is the only AP class at Leesville that consistently offers test corrections, no matter how low or how high the grade is. Dr. Stone has recognized that most students will not look over their test after receiving an F. However, he wants students to understand why they got each question wrong, and learn from mistakes.

Free time should be taken advantage of. Dr. Stone provides students with time at the end of (most) lessons. This free time is the perfect time to chat with friends, however, it is also the best time to complete work for APES or other classes. After taking 24 classes at Leesville, in no other class have I had a teacher consistently plan for free time at the end of class.

Nature walks are therapeutic. Once a week, APES students go on a nature walk to their “site.” The nature sites are in the dense forest surrounding the campus and feature a running creek and wildlife. It may seem lame, but walking through the woods on a busy school day while it’s 70 degrees outside is very peaceful.

Dr. Stone is goals. After a semester at Leesville, I’d say most students have heard about Dr. Stone. On the first day of class he told us, “I am teaching this class to entertain myself.” Every day, Dr. Stone informs his students of other weird factoids about his life. For example, he drinks a milkshake everyday and played three sports at UNC-CH.

Sometimes, a 67% on a test isn’t that bad. Students taking APES are primarily juniors, meaning, APES is one of their first AP classes. Students must understand that an AP class resembles a college level class. Don’t fret over a failing grade; the class should be a learning experience.

Old people have ruined our lives. During the first week of the semester, Dr. Stone told his students that old people, like himself and older, are ruining the environment. Due to the lack of knowledge, senior citizens did not prioritize the environment, resulting in irreversible effects.

We are in charge of our future. Relatively soon, Earth will not be able to sustainably support the lifestyle we demand. It is the younger generation’s job to discover environmentally friendly alternatives.

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