From World Language to the X-Lab, Upper Perk has a variety of elective courses for students to take. These courses give students a feel of a variety of possible career paths. These pathways give students both interesting and career-related experiences.
Courses directed at helping a student reach their future goals are beneficial choices. They can help show colleges and employers that the student is interested and learning about the career they are trying to enter. Mrs. Traub, our college and career counselor, told the WSJ, “A student who’s curious and has no idea of what they want to do later on in life is healthy.”
Students who select a vast majority of different classes can get different experiences that can be useful for their future. If a student takes an X-Lab class and learns how to use power tools safely, they can use this skill both in their career and their personal life.
Mrs. Traub also says, “A student interested in journalism and film production would be a great student to take the UPTV courses” or if a “student with the goal of being a CPA one day, a Certified Public Accountant, we have three accounting courses here.” These courses allow students to explore many different possible careers as well as strengthen skills in the career they are currently pursuing. Students should sample different career possibilities to help them make sure they are going into a career they will enjoy.
Students taking journalism get real experience in the full creation process of a newspaper in both physical and digital format. A student who takes computer science or AP computer science could get a foothold in IT jobs. Taking courses like digital photography and digital design can set a student up for being a photographer or photojournalist. All of our electives can help lead to one or many career pathways.
These electives can be a nice break from the core classes, giving the students time to have fun and try new things. Students can find the information for these courses on the high school website under academics, by talking to their teachers and guidance counselors, the program of studies, and some courses have advertisements on the school’s YouTube channel.
Students should be sure to take courses that interest them, and as Mrs. Traub said, “Try things out, take healthy risks.”
