A Pathway to the Future

Senior students will no longer have two free periods next year because the school will introduce new elective classes called Pathways. Administration will select fields to incorporate into the program based on student need. The following school year of 2021-2022 will not have free periods. 

While this may seem a drastic change, students should accept the new classes and loss of free periods because they give students interested in college a head start.

Seniors can choose Pathway classes based on their interests or their future major. If students have already chosen a major, classes would benefit them more than required core classes because the Pathway classes would allow them to delve into their careers. These classes give seniors a pathway into their future.

Colleges look for students with lots of endorsements to admit to their schools; therefore, the extra classes would give students the opportunity to earn them. Learning the basics of a field gives seniors a head start towards their college careers. A Pathway course will help students stand out and look better when applying to a college.

Seniors uninterested in college could argue that they do not need the extra classes. That classes should be optional based on what the student’s future plans are. Pathways would also be beneficial for students not enrolling for college because the topics of those classes can apply to careers that do not need a college degree. These classes are career classes, specifically to teach them about what they want to do, so it applies to them as well.

Students misinterpret and are unaware that the administration is only trying to further prepare students for college. Administration is trying to help prepare seniors for their future in the best way they can. Even if the students do not agree, the Pathways will benefit them.