Students Lizbeth Garcia, left, and Emma Drake share a slide presentation highlighting standout electives at LAHS at the Feb. 8 meeting of the Los Alamos School Board. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
When School Board Student Liaison Lizbeth Garcia was asked to make a presentation highlighting some of the electives available at Los Alamos High School (LAHS), she quickly thought of the perfect person to help, her friend and classmate Emma Drake.
“I met Emma in our Student Leadership class and I know she has a good work ethic,” Garcia said.
There are 88 electives available to students at LAHS, so picking out the ones to highlight was the tough part, Garcia and Drake said. They relied on their own experience and reached out to other students to learn which electives others thought deserved to be profiled.
The two juniors gave their presentation Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the Los Alamos School Board Meeting.
In the end, they highlighted nine in different areas:
Marketing and Social Media
In this class, students learn to use basic marketing tools and techniques, with a focus on how businesses develop a strategic social media presence.
Drake and Garcia chose this course for its relevance and career applications.
Student leadership
Both presenters took this course and they raved about it. Leadership and problem-solving skills as well as effective interactions with others help, the students become better leaders, Garcia and Drake said. Garcia uses things she learned in the class in her role as a Student Liaison, she said.
Auto Shop and Intro to Metalworking
This course is for students who want to learn about the basic requirements necessary to care for their cars.
Students can even work on their own cars if they wish. Students can use the course to maintain their own car, or as an introduction to a career in auto mechanics.
The Intro to Metalworking course is designed to teach students sheet metal fabrication and entry-level welding skills. These classes not only prepare people for future careers, students told the presenters they were really rewarding and fun.
Oceanography
Who doesn’t love the ocean? This course teaches oceanography, geology of the seafloor and plate tectonics, properties of seawater, ocean circulation (wind and waves), life in the ocean, freedom of navigation, economical benefits and the effect of humans on the ocean environment. This is a course that gets rave reviews from a number of students, Drake said.
Stagecraft, Lighting, Set & Sound Design
Where would any production be without its techies? Students learn to use the tools and instruments associated with lighting sound and sets. Through projects and practical work on productions, students get to exercise their skills. Students like this class because it’s creative and hands-on, Garcia and Drake explained.
Peer Tutoring
This class provides students the opportunity to offer tutorial help to other students, both peers and younger students. After an initial training students begin tutoring. Students enjoy sharing their skills and learning how to teach, the presenters said.
Computer Graphics and Modeling
From aspiring graphic artists to future game designers, students in this class can prepare for a number of careers. But it’s also a fun, creative experience, other students told Garcia and Drake. In Computer Graphics and Modeling, students learn to use Blender, a powerful, free, open-source 3D creation software for modeling, simulation, animation, game design, and more.
Pro Start
This is one of Garcia’s favorite classes. In this class, students build on what they learned in Culinary Arts 2. They learn skills like working with knives and understanding complex recipes. Garcia’s family were treated to gourmet meals during the pandemic, she said.
Ceramics
Ceramics is a studio art class where students can really get their hands dirty as well as create beautiful things. It’s a popular class with students who love learning a new skill.
Every member of the School Board praised the presentation. When asked about favorites, both students named Student Leadership and Desktop Publishing as well as those they had previously mentioned.
“I loved the way you did this,” Board Member Ellen Specter said. “You didn’t just read the slides, you added way more content.”
When asked what electives they’d like to see added to the curriculum, Garcia wanted to see more electives about different cultures and Drake said she’d like to see an agriculture class added.
“The variety of electives speaks to the talents of our staff and the interest level of our students,” LAHS Principal Carter Payne said.
Innovation isn’t confined to electives at LAHS. Members of the English Dept., Margo Batha, Suzanne Montoya and Lori Thompson gave a presentation on two innovative English core classes, Thompson’s brand-new Literature & Composition in Sports joins the line-up this fall. Southwest Narratives taught by both Batha and Montoya is bursting at the seams, though so far, they’ve avoided turning students away. Look for more about their ideas on expanding core curricula in a future article.
