Electives are an important part of school, it gives colleges an insight as to what you want to pursue in the future and can help a student learn more about their passions and interests. Choosing these electives are something that many students stress out about, especially when it comes to AP classes.
Electives like journalism introduce students to a variety of subjects, from politics and culture to science and business, the choice is up to the individual. Students not only gain a broader understanding of the world, but each student gets a chance to explore diverse topics of their own interest. While other classes usually have students focus on specific topics that might not interest them, students can create articles and stories about subjects of their own choice.
In journalism students will/can make podcasts, news stories, option pieces, school and sport related articles, feature stories, and reviews about different topics of their liking that the student feels the school would enjoy reading.
The stories students wright will be shown in the on the Briar Woods Falcon Flyers school newspaper (yes there is a school newspaper)
I myself have taken journalism for 2 years now, my sophomore and junior year. I have written about AI, Marvel, Disney, Upcoming movies, Streaming services, and other topics usually related to media.
When I took this class I did not expect to have so much freedom and enjoyment in the things I write. The class honestly feels like a place where I can write out my thoughts about the latest movie I saw, and be rewarded for my efforts.
An advantage to electives like journalism, is that students have the opportunity to create a variety of mediums from podcasts, social media, news stories, opinion pieces, school and sport related articles, feature stories, videos, and reviews about different topics of their liking that the student feels the school would enjoy reading. The best part is that student work gets published out into the Briar Woods community and beyond.
There are actually many benefits to taking journalism and other electives. Not only do students really improve their writing skills, which is important when going to college, but it also benefits critical thinking, listening, and speaking skills like no other class.
When I found out that I would need to take interviews for my stories I was nervous considering I am a very introverted person, but I took it slowly and have really benefited from the experience. I feel that I am getting better at talking to people little by little.
I interviewed our Journalism teacher herself to get some insight as to what this class is really about. Jessica Shoemaker, Journalism adviser, states that “ I think journalism and electives in general allow students to participate in more creative thinking more than a curriculum class would, so whether it is art music or whatever, it allows more of a creative thinking for students.” Another advantage to classes like Journalism, is that it allows more freedom of form “Stories come in a lot of shapes, they can be podcasts, videos, social media posts, and or you can even venture into the realm of photojournalism by participating in yearbooks,” Shoemaker said.
Students should consider, what it is that colleges and universities want to see? I would challenge my peers to choose an elective to develop skills they truly love or to consider pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, an important life skill.
