As the school year starts up again it’s time to choose classes for the next school year which is fast approaching. In this article we will share interviews with six teachers about why you should join their class and what makes that class so special as well as the class workload/difficulty. These classes include Dance which will officially begin next year, Marine Science, Anatomy, AP computer science, Multi Media Journalism and a comparison between World History and AP World History. All seven classes have something unique, interesting and engaging that we will illuminate in this article. Unfortunately, we are unable to go over every class, so we highly encourage you to check out all of the classes for yourself in the course catalog or even by talking to teachers yourself
Anatomy is a class that is exclusively for Junior and Seniors, to take this class you need your basic science requirements done which is Life Sciences and Physical Sciences. This class is taught by Mrs Portela. This class provides an introductory course into Anatomy while providing a snapshot on how the body systems work with Physiology. Mrs Portela describes this class by saying that “There are so many fun things I love to teach within this class.” In this class the workload is pretty easy being only workbook reading and questions. Aside from that they do many dissections which are in the words of Ms. Portela “pretty magical and awesome moments” and “It is just awesome, it is stuff like that where it makes the work all worth it.” The class also has an Anatomage table which can do digital dissections with digital cadavers. It starts by looking at a human body with skin and everything and you can slowly take away the layers of the human body until you are left with the human nervous system. On top of all of that the class also does labs almost every day. So if you are looking for a fun class with interesting work then Anatomy and Physiology is calling your name.
Multi Media Journalism is a class that anyone could take from freshmen to seniors and would get a lot out of. Another benefit of it is that it fills the VAPA requirement. The class is taught by Ms. Selfridge who also teaches English. The class has a multitude of roles ranging from being a member on the icebreaker podcast to working on the yearbook and of course there are other roles though. When asked about the workload Ms. Selfridge said that it would depend on your job but that there would not be much homework. Though she also said that at deadlines there would be more work. I also asked her what was her favorite thing about the class and she replied that it was when the newsbreaker went out and when the yearbook was released. Overall it is a fun way to fulfill the VAPA requirement and everyone would benefit from taking it.
AP Computer science is a class that anyone in integrated math two or beyond could take but Ms. Richmond recommended being a junior or senior and having completed normal computer science first. I
t is also only every other year currently so the next time it will be offered is in Senior year if you are currently a freshman. When asked about the homework amount she said that it would be pretty small for an AP and it would only be studying for tests and reading. If you are wondering the language she said that it would be Java and she also said that the second semester would be dual enrollment. Her thoughts on why people should take the class were that it is an AP class, it is a stem class, and it is a good way to decide if you should do com
puter science in college. Ms. Richmond’s favorite monument is in march when everyone codes programs to predict the marchmadness basketball bracket. This is a fun class as well as an AP so if you’re looking to gain some college credits and are interested in coding this class is a great one to take.
Marine science is a class that is exclusively for Juniors and Seniors, and is taught by Mrs.Mello. This class includes a mixture of experiments, labs, and other work as well as learning about the marine environment and its inhabitants. Throughout the school year the class also does a couple of paper dissections which lets you learn about their systems without needing a body in addition to a small amount of normal dissections. When asked what her favorite things to do each year in the class, Mrs. Mello said, “They get to learn more about the marine environment next to where we live and visit. We probably get to visit the marine ecosystem two to three times per year and we get to see many marine animals.” The class also includes visiting locations all around the Monterey bay. Some Including the Monterey bay Aquarium and the Western Flyer which is a boat which now acts as an educational facility in Moss Landing. The work load for this class is very
low averaging 20 to 40 minutes of out of class work per week. If you are looking for a light class and are interested in animals and the ocean, then this class is for you.
World history/AP is a fun history class taught by Mr. Gamble for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. It covers the entirety of human existence starting from the first civilizations
and ending with the covid pandemic. The AP class covers a lot more ground and goes significantly deeper and faster than the regular class. Mr. Gamble when asked the difference between AP and regular World history said, “AP has a lot more thought provoking things but you are MOVING.” The work load of this class is somewhere in the middle with most of the homework being reading chapters of your textbook weekly. As to be expected, the AP class due to its faster pace means you will have more homework and less time to do it. Both classes can be a blast but if you are looking for less of a workload and easier course we recommend World History. However, If you are looking for a more challenging class with a higher workload that offers more, then pick AP world history. Plus The AP class gives you AP credits.
Dance is a brand new class that will be making an appearance for the first time ever starting next school year. It’s available to sophomores and above and is taught by Mrs. O’Donnel. This class is great exercise and encourages self expression while promoting creativity. When we asked Mrs. O’Donnel what her favorite activity was she stated, “The small group dances that the students choreographed themselves.” Students get to make their own dances and share them with one another, allowing them to express themselves however they choose. The dance class also during the winter and spring gets to perform with the breaker girls. As mentioned before if you want an engaging and fun way to get exercise,
Our school also offers a lot of music classes that are challenging yet extremely fun. They are all taught by Dr. Warren and are offered to people of all grades. All of the music classes satisfy the VAPA requirement of our school. For those who love music, play an instrument, and are looking for constant action in a class, Band is for you! In the fall and entirety of the first semester, we play at the home football games, march in
a lot of parades, and travel for competitions. The band plays new music all the time, and they work really hard to present their best shows possible. In the spring, we transition to a concert band and play much more formal music. The band puts on two concerts, marches in the Good Old Days Parade, and travels for at least one competition. Most of all, there are a bunch of kids to be friends with, hang out with, and create a ton of fun memories with. Orchestra is for kids who love string music and want to become better musicians. They will work on their technique, tone, a variety of styles, and ensemble techniques, they have a focus on four concerts per year. We also do at least one trip for competition, and we support those who audition for all-state and regional honor orchestras which have had a bunch of people do in all the bands. Guitar requires no previous experience. If you enjoy music, but want a little less commitment than the other bands and orchestras take guitar class. They will learn the basic chords, a lot of songs, and then we turn our attention to a variety of experiences from learning bass and drums to even writing our own original songs. This class is never dull, and it pushes the creativity of the students as far as it can go. Jazz is for those students who want to extend their band skills. In jazz, the students improvise, play a lot of music for concerts and competitions, and work hard to play as a unit. Students must be skilled on their instrument (and they must play a jazz band instrument), and they must be willing to get outside their comfort zone as we push the boundaries of music.
These are just some of the great classes that will be offered next year. Though as we stated earlier we recommend that you look at the course catalog yourself because while all these classes might be fun and interesting ones to take ultimately you should pick what you think you will enjoy the most that will also fulfill your requirements to graduate from high school and eventually move on to college.
