By Teresa Faasolo
Staff Writer
Students from Everest Public High School spent the last few weeks of school in their Expeditions classes, where they explored their interests on a personal and professional level. At the end of the year, students showcased their learning to parents and school staff at an event called Celebration of Learning. Here’s some insight from students who chose to work to further their education and their future.
Education Pathways
Education Pathways educates students about some particular flaws within the educational system, as seen through the eyes of an educator. Students visited schools, watched educational videos and sat through lectures about multiple subjects that could pop up as flaws within the educational system. They also learned teaching techniques.
For Celebration of Learning, students in the Education Pathways course presented about their experiences in the time they spent within the course.
College Readiness
In College Readiness Expeditions course, juniors study and research several colleges that fit into the following four categories: financial safety, likely, target and reach. These four categories help determine their chances for admission and their goals to improve either their grades or their half-built resumes for future college applications. Students are also educated about different financial strategies to pay for college. They learn about loans, grants, scholarships and work study.
Each student is encouraged to pursue higher education in order to better their chances of receiving higher pay and finding a fulfilling personal career. Therefore, they make their decisions about how many colleges they want to apply to and they adjust their choices to their preferences in areas such as student population, location and student services. Mainly, this Expeditions course provides a head start on college applications and essays that students must complete in their senior year.
During Celebration of Learning, students presented their selected colleges and all the information that they gathered over the course. Parents were able to see the colleges that their children are interested in, and students demonstrated that they will be able to create future plans to set them on a good path.
Sociology of Law
Students in the Sociology of Law Expeditions course are educated about current events that are associated with politics and social science. They dive deep into the subject of law and discuss how to handle certain situations with law enforcement, as well as educating themselves about their basic human rights. Furthermore, students learn more about other social issues.
For Celebration of Learning, students had a Socratic seminar where they discussed their experiences and debated social issues. Parents were able to join the discussion, as they could learn from the experience in a similar way to how students were educated about the subject over the school year.
Parents and students participate in a Socratic seminar for the Sociology of Law course. PHOTO CREDITS: Jesus Yepez
“You would think that law class is really boring, but Ms. Thiele makes it interactive. She makes us watch documentaries about a current topic that we are talking about and makes us discuss it as a group. She also makes sure that it is a full class participation and that no one is left out,” Everest sophomore Bella Gutierrez, who serves as a TA for the course, explained.
“Ms. Thiele teaches us how to protect ourselves in case of any interactions with law enforcement and also as young adults knowing the law and different social issues we need to know about. She also teaches us around basic human rights so we never have them taken away.”
Staff Writers Shawn Wilson and Jesus Yepez contributed to this report.
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