Disclaimer: This article does not cover all of Franklin elective offerings.
Choosing an elective for the next year can be tricky. With constantly changing courses and a lack of information, the class selection process can become confusing. Franklin High School offers an incredibly diverse array of electives. Each department makes sure to provide unique and informative experiences. Courses range from law to industrial technology. It’s important to choose electives that are most suitable for you. Whether you’re looking for an elective to help your career or just to expand your hobbies. To spare you a breakdown, this article will break down different elective departments.
Video Production
Video production is a four-year program, which is rare to find in high school film education. Adam Souza, one of the video production teachers, says, “Students learn the basic skills needed to make a film, including directing, cinematography, field recording, acting, editing, and production organization.” This program is a great way to collaborate on projects with your classmates while creating something you’re proud to share.
Photography
If you’re looking for other options similar to video production, you might want to consider photography. The photography program is two years if you decide to take it again. The class provides you with working knowledge of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Students get to use advanced cameras and equipment to learn different photography techniques.
Art
If you have an interest in enhancing your artistic skills, classes in our art program might be the right choice. These classes can help you expand your knowledge and expertise in various art forms including drawing, painting, and printmaking. They give you the tools and abilities to create your own kind of art. One option, ceramics, is a primarily hands-on class, where students get familiar with a pottery wheel and hand-building techniques. The primary art class explores different types of media, applying the principles of design. Drawing, painting, and printmaking skills will grow throughout the course.
Industrial Technology
Like art, industrial technology is also incredibly hands-on. The first year of shop class includes a semester of both woodshop and metal shop. In their second year, students get to choose which shop — wood or metal — that they want to focus on for the whole year. In woodworking, skills learned involve hand and power tool operation, cutting and assembling, wood processing operations, and woodturning. Metal shop involves welding, foundry, programming, machining, and working with sheet metal. Metal shop teacher Christopher Engstrom says, “Often we have visitors come speak with [students in] our upper-level courses, [as a way of] seeking interns and employees to fill the gap of retirees.” Both classes are a great start toward a career in trades.
Culinary Arts
Culinary arts is a four-year program, directed by Steve O’Neill. In the kitchen, students learn different culinary skills and how to cook healthy meals. In addition to these skills, O’Neill wants students to understand that this course is also a business-oriented class. In the intro class, students learn about pricing food, and business management. O’Neill says, “It’s about using food to make money.” The advanced culinary classes bring guest chefs in to demo different specialty techniques they use in the kitchen.
Business
The business program offers various courses, ranging from a class employing students in Franklin’s student store, to classes in business, personal finance, accounting, and computer applications. Business program lead Jose Losoya says, “The business program was created to help kids identify what possibilities they [have] after high school.” The student store is one of the most engaging courses the business program offers, as it is almost entirely student run. It is a collaborative and modern work environment to share your ideas to keep the store running. All of the business classes aim to teach you life skills that are incredibly applicable in adulthood.
Physical Education
Along with Franklin’s impressive gym, we also have a great physical education (P.E.) program. Our school offers Weight Training, Personal Fitness, and Advanced P.E. Enrolling in a fitness class can be a stellar stress reliever. In Weight Training, you get to learn about using an array of workout equipment and you’ll also practice exercises to help you achieve your fitness goals. Personal Fitness focuses on developing your cardiovascular fitness, while also educating you on the importance of exercise. The Advanced P.E. class partakes in a variety of sports, and is best for those who enjoy an assortment of exercises and athletics.
Leadership
Leadership is one of the most school-involved electives. In this class, students develop their community-building abilities and apply them to projects that benefit the school. Students organize school-wide activities, including assemblies, dances, fundraisers, and community service projects. Participation and self-evaluation are key if you want to succeed in this class. Students also get the opportunity to run for different positions such as class president, and subsequently work to develop the student body’s sense of pride.
Franklin Law
Law and Your Rights studies the idea of justice. Students become educated in the Constitution, the legal system, and criminal justice. After Law and Your Rights, students take either Mock Trial or Advanced Law and Debate. In class, students prepare cases for mock trial competitions. After school, students have the opportunity to compete in Lincoln Douglas, policy, and parliamentary debate competitions that help develop critical thinking skills and promote youth discourse about important issues.
Performing Arts
The performing arts program offers much creative freedom, and is made up of dance, acting, music theory, choir, band, acapella, and stagecraft classes. Most of the courses are pretty self-explanatory. Almost all of the classes participate in performances to share what they’ve learned in class. If you’re not interested in the spotlight, stagecraft is a great alternative. Students take part in many Franklin performances, including the Winter Dance and annual musicals. “It gives students a behind the scenes look at how things are created,” says Josh Forsythe, the acting and stagecraft teacher. “One of the reasons why I like theater so much is that theater encompasses all art forms.”
As forecasting approaches, make sure you have an idea of what electives you want to choose. Luckily, Franklin has a forecasting fair on Jan. 31, which is an incredibly helpful opportunity to explore your interests. If you’re interested in the Franklin Post, make sure to visit room M-219 during the fair to see if it’s the right choice. Investing time in forecasting this year could lead you to a more engaging, helpful, and personalized schedule next year.
