Taking an elective at MHS should be a must for students who want to gain new and exciting experiences. Electives at MHS are a great way to gather more information and experience about subjects that can help you in the future like personal finance or economics, but there are also electives for almost every topic you could think of whether it’s math, social studies, English, or science.
English Department
In the English department, there are many different and unique elective classes like Journalism, Speech, and Creative Writing. “If students like to read and write we have a number of electives in the English department,” said English/EL Department Chair Diane Covert. “Students who like to write should take Creative Writing or Journalism.” Journalism is a class where students brainstorm and write stories to publish in the MHS newspaper. Students learn and practice skills such as interviewing, writing, and time management. For those who are more interested in reading, taking a class like Mythology, Latino Literature or Science Fiction and Fantasy are good options.
Math Department
The math department contains many electives and Advanced Placement classes that can strengthen your ability to do more complex math at a higher level. Math Department Chair Randall Learner said, “Math electives can help prepare students for college mathematics. Students can earn college credits by taking and passing one of our AP math electives (Precalculus, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, or Statistics).” He continued, “Other math electives such as Precalculus or Probability & Statistics give students a preview and foundation for future fields of study. Many fields need some level of critical thinking, problem-solving, or mathematical analysis. Any of our math electives can help prepare students for those future experiences.”
Social Studies and World Language department
In the social studies department, there are many classes and electives to choose from whether it’s an AP course or an elective like Civil Law or Criminal Law. These classes are important if you are looking for a job where you need to know specific laws and what is legal and illegal. “Now if you’re going to take an elective in social studies you’re going to work on critical thinking, problem-solving, and learning to collaborate with those in class,” said Social Studies and World Language Department Chair Christopher Lagioia.
Science Department
Science Department Chair Joey Phillip stated that in the science department, “different classes let you do things that are more specialized for the career field. If you wanna be a doctor you know human anatomy and physiology, if you’re interested in animals you might take zoology.”
When you do take an elective you open your mind to learning more on a topic of your interest. Taking electives are a great way to make new friends and get to know people who enjoy the same things as you.
