PRESQUE ISLE, ME — Interested in computer science? Are you a film buff? Or maybe you’re destined to write for your friendly neighborhood newspaper?
Presque Isle High School is adding more to their menu of electives for students starting next year.
“We’re just trying to give our students more options, help them find things they might be interested in and want to learn more about,” principal Ben Greenlaw said.
The high school is introducing Introduction to Computer Science, Film, Games and Financial Math, Introduction to Journalism and Mental Health Matters, as well as expanding its forensics elective to a yearlong span.
“We were getting low on electives and we needed more choices for our students because students are more engaged in their education when they’re learning about things they’re interested in,” Greenlaw said.
Students have already signed up for classes and the numbers are high enough to give the five new electives a good start.
The high school didn’t hire new teachers to take on the electives; rather, it looked at some of the smaller classes already offered and made room for the new electives, which will be taught by teachers with whom the students are already familiar.
Introduction to Computer Science will give students the opportunity to learn how a computer functions as well as how to write code.
“We just kind of felt like there would be a lot of jobs available for students in technology, in the computer field, it’s the responsibility of us as a school to be providing more knowledge to these students,” Greenlaw said.
Students interested in film will be able to analyze a movie from script to cinematography and direction. Mental Health Matters will focus on the impact of anxiety and how to cope. Game and Financial Math will help improve financial literacy and explore probability and games.
The Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center is also introducing a new course, a cosmetology program for students.
“It’s pretty in depth,” he said. “It’s three periods a day and there’s a lot of interest.”
The coming electives are open to all high school students, and those leaving grade 8 with upper-level classes on their transcript have the opportunity to jump into certain classes their freshman year.
