Students await next year’s new classes

Kirsten Landsiedel, Editor in Chief

Looking forward to the 2016-2017 school year, students will see some new additions to the list of classes available on campus. Three teachers submitted proposals that were approved at a board meeting on Jan. 26.
Science teacher Jen Merritt proposed “Engineering Your World”; multimedia production teacher Scott Wittkop proposed a Rapid Prototyping class; and history teacher Heather Hanson proposed modifications to the existing AP European History class.
Merritt looks forward to starting up an engineering class on campus that will offer students practice with real engineering challenges.
“I like that it’s really hands on, and it goes through the Engineering process from start to finish,” said Merritt.
The class will cover topics in Multi-Disciplinary Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Software Engineering and Aerospace Engineering.
“One of the examples using chemical engineering is trying to brew the perfect cup of coffee cost effectively. Students will have to research what the majority of people want in terms of bitterness, acidity and brew strength. They will have to research that and then do tests concerning coffee granule size, brew length and initial and final temperature,” said Merritt.
The class is a corequisite of physics. You can take it along with physics your junior year or after physics your senior year. The class will count for 10 credits in the elective category.
“Students in the class will have to determine problems and decide what consumers want,” said Merritt.
In the art department, Wittkop will be integrating technology and creativity in his new class.
“Students will learn how to 3D print and rapid prototype,” said Wittkop.
Wittkop already teaches both Multimedia Design and Multimedia Production on campus.
“Multimedia Production, Multimedia Design and Rapid Production are all A-G approved and fine art approved,” said Wittkop.
Through Wittkop’s new ROP Rapid Prototyping class, students will make headway towards college and career readiness in the arts.
“My class is part of career technical education. After a student takes three of the courses, they will get a certificate for finishing,” said Wittkop.
The ROP program is designed to allow students to explore future career possibilities and pursue passions outside the limitations of the traditional school day.
“It creates a whole pathway. We have one in dance, and now we will have one in multimedia,” said Wittkop.
Hanson is adding a service learning component to AP European History, which will have students develop a local or national action plan and an international action plan.
“Service learning is often confused with volunteering, but it’s rooted in academic components,” said Hanson.
This change could help distinguish students regarding their transcripts and resumes.
“Hopefully it will be meaningful and give people an edge in an increasingly competitive admissions process,” said Hanson.
Hanson serves as a guide and keeps the service in check with AP standards, but the service learning aspect of the class is mainly student-driven.
“If they score at least a two on the three point scale, their AP score will say that they completed the ‘service component,’” said Hanson.
Hanson hopes that this modification to the class will prove valuable to the students and allow them to take the issues they feel are important, such as education and poverty, and do something to address them.
“The idea is to take what you’re learning and apply it to the real world and have a real impact,” said Hanson.
Students should be on the lookout for these new classes during registration for the 2016-2017 school year.