David Hong put new skills into action in his AP® Environmental Science classroom. After attending an advocacy training workshop with the College Board, Hong translated what he'd learned to his 11th- and 12th-grade students, helping them to identify a common value and launch a campaign promote it.


Always searching for innovative teaching methods and real-life-to-classroom connections, this veteran teacher helped his forward-thinking, environmentally conscious students set out to devise a campaign advocating the introduction of reusable cups at Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and local merchants such as Koffee Klatch. Developing coalitions with members of the school board, PTA and even some local politicians, the students set about becoming true earth-friendly advocates for change. To generate interest and secure participation in their campaign, the class is currently coming up with catchy phrases and an arsenal of stats about polystyrene cups waste management: “Please don’t be a schmo, refill ten for free cup of joe.” and “You can save a tree with ten refills of tea.”


Last fall, Hong attended a Task Force on College Access for Students from Low-Income Backgrounds advocacy training session for CollegeKeys Compact™. The training session was developed by M&R Strategic Services, a company headquartered in Washington, D.C., that focuses on the importance of developing talking points and statements of belief for any new advocacy campaign. Ultimately, the training envisions the College Board’s educational dialogue on low-income students becoming a community-at-large discourse about college admissions and financial aid. Using what they call the “power prism,” backers of the CollegeKeys Compact would create a comprehensive advocacy plan including research and data collection, coalition building, fundraising, developing grassroots and political contacts and, finally, building an informed media and lobbying tactic. As Hong can tell you, these skills can be used to advocate for many issues.


Hong serves as the instructional dean of science and mathematics at Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, Calif. During Mr. Hong’s 18 years at DBHS, he has taught AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, physics and chemistry. David served as a member of the AP Environmental Science Development Committee (2003-2006) and the Steering Committee of the AP Annual Conference (2005-2007). Diamond Bar is a high-achieving and diverse school with more than 3,300 students located in Southern California’s Inland Empire. The high school recently joined the College Board at Forum 2007.