“The graduates were very inspirational in delivering key messages about the diploma preparing them for college and how it empowered them,” Shirley Campbell IB Diploma coordinator said.

The IB candidates of 2012 and 2013 listened attentively to the 2011 graduates in order to receive advice about the IB program.

“The IB Diploma is worth it. It teaches you great skills like time management and it gives you lots of credits for college,” Gessica Azzam, freshman at George Mason University, said.

“The candidates saw how the benefits extended into college; they got to see the end results of their hard work and how it is all going to be worth it,” Campbell said.

Though many underclassmen are still debating about whether or not they should take the IB route, it is crucial that the decision is made early on so that they may choose their classes properly.

“It is difficult, but doable, and what you get out of it is more than what you could imagine right now,” Centellas said.

Although most of the returning recipients saw the IB program as valuable, some AHS students had contrasting feelings toward the IB program. The A-Blast conducted an activity where students were asked to write down the first word that came to mind on an index card when given the word “IB.” Students gave various replies including “challenging” and “overrated.”