As seniors peek at their transcripts and realize they have all their credits accounted for, they begin to wonder, “What classes will I take now?”
From art to child development to guitar, there is a wide variety of classes seniors, as well as other students, can take. These more specific and niche classes allow students to sculpt their futures and practice their crafts. A musician, a writer and a nutritionist are among the jobs the school allows students to preview. Students can be a teacher’s aid or an intern, allowing for growth of communication and leadership skills.
Senior Danielle Rubin has been in guitar class since last year. “I chose guitar because I wanted to learn how to play some of my favorite songs,” Rubin said.
Students can take classes in the art department, such as AP photography or 2D Art. If chosen, students may be able to be in the Student Leader class, which is all Student Government Association members, but taught by social studies teacher Amy Buckingham. SGA president and senior Charlie Rollins has a large role in the class. “The SGA class is important to ensure we have adequate time to plan events, advocate on behalf of the student body, and work towards a more unified community,” Rollins said.
Electives can also allow students to set up financial habits or business opportunities. Marketing and personal finance apply to students going to college, where they may need to put money aside for debts and/or to pay for college.
Social studies teacher Christopher Thompson teaches both law and personal finance class. “It is basic information on how people need to live and how to manage their finances, which a lot of people have difficulty with – opening bank accounts, differences between debit and credit card. It gives kids a chance to express knowledge and compete amongst peers,” Thompson said.
Students also can be involved in writing, in classes such as newspaper or yearbook, where students can showcase their talents and deliver news to the community. Yearbooks showcase the school year, whether it is events or games like “Guess the Baby!”
Another class that appeals to students is nutrition: The mix of learning about dieting and your body, as well as making meals, opens the students’ eyes. The class interested football wide receiver and senior Jonas Klein. “I love the opportunity to make meals and learn about what I am putting into my body,” Klein said.
An internship offered at the school is the DNA lab. Senior Kai Schmelzer is in the class. “DNA Lab provided me with an opportunity to learn from Dr. Offutt and experience a college lab like environment. The main plan in the class is first to learn and get accustomed to all of the materials, resources, and pieces of equipment that are a part of the class. Then, we would gain experience through provided labs and experiments in the first semester, leading to us planning our own experiments based on our interests during the second semester,” Schmelzer said
