[Jach]

I'd see them moving to something like C# before Python or Ruby, or even perhaps back to C++. (I think the formerly used Pascal is safely dead as an option.) For an indication of what they are most likely to prefer, I'd say look at what the most popular first-language-taught to beginner CS students in college is. There's also a bit more to the basic AP CS (I'm still sad they killed the AB program, which is the one I took) like sorting algorithms and the difference between a static array and an ArrayList...

I think it's the responsibility of the professor and the district to offer a programming class separate from the APCS one, ideally in some other language(s) than Java, rather than trying to make the APCS class into a more "fun" class that's more about programming applications than about CS and understanding how programming actually works. An alternative course also makes for an interesting and knowledge-packed 9th- or 10th-grade computer course that can double as slight preparation for later; having passed Algebra 2 is typically required for APCS and hence most students won't even be allowed to take it until 11th or 12th. (My school had a C++ class, though when I was a senior and TAing I insisted on showing the students Python and PyGame near the end of the year. To my knowledge the professor has continued showing other languages/applications besides the one the class focuses on, once I even did a talk about Clojure to the AP kids while I was in the area visiting family.)