This previously ran in our December 2021 print issue.

New courses like Lifeguarding and Positive Well-Being will land on next year’s program of studies and join the current plethora of electives offered. Such classes are intended to offer students a more fulfilling and diverse high school experience. 

When asked what other new classes they would like to see, the Emmaus community shared many novel ideas.

Astronomy teacher Andrew McConville hopes to see classes that directly prepare students for their future, such as a college registration class.

“I think that would be useful maybe like sophomore or junior year,” McConville said. “Not like, mandatory, because not everyone’s gonna be going to college, but something that would help that process because I know guidance counselors do a lot of that, [so] maybe even taught by guidance counselors.”

Additionally, McConville recommends a class that focuses on “adulting.”

“There are a lot of electives [but] just an adulting class would definitely benefit students because there are some who don’t know how to turn on an oven, or don’t know how to change a tire; just basic skills that could prepare them [for the future],” he said. 

McConville also notes that existing departments could be expanded, particularly to become more interdisciplinary and blend unexpected subjects to gain students’ interest.

“I would love to blend photography and astronomy, even offer it [just] as a tiny section, like a marking period just to get students that are interested,” McConville said. “ I think it would be really cool, because I’m really into photography, and I’m into science.”

Senior Jacob Lynds agrees that existing departments at EHS could be expanded, particularly the history department, to be more inclusive and representative of the real world.

 “There’s so much history that we could be learning about at the high school level, like historically we get one month of Black History a year,” Lynds said. “History makes up a huge part of who we are and like where we’re going to go, and the fact that we don’t learn it kinda sucks.”

Lynds thinks that the diversification of education is crucial to young minds, stating that a lack of knowledge can only breed ignorance and hate. 

“I think a lot of prejudice we have as a society comes from lack of knowledge and if we make it accessible then maybe it wouldn’t be as big of a problem,” Lynds said. 

Both junior Sammie Gimbel and senior Delvis Martinez wish to see more lighthearted classes added.

“There should be a class where you can pet Branch [the therapy dog] the whole time,” Gimbel said.

Adding on to that idea, Martinez believes that there should be a class that instructs animal care, and where students can “play with all the animals.”