“Without having some of these crucial electives, students may miss out on higher-quality learning and skillsets.”

  Gulf Breeze High School offers six classes a day. For some people, it can be that three or more of these classes are electives. This means that half of the day is intended to be more in the student’s palm. However, with such a short collection of electives, many students are left with a crossroad: should they take it online, or take a different and less interesting one? This results in lower satisfaction and engagement in school overall.

   On one side of the token, it should be noted that many students are more than happy with their choice of classes. GBHS does offer some classes that attract certajn niches and specific interests, such as computer science and psychology.

   However, GBHS is also missing many classes that cover many more specific niches and interests. For instance, Guitar I, Driver’s Education, Social Media I and Personal Financial Literacy are examples of such varied electives that are simply missing from the school’s curriculum. To take these classes, many students chose to go online instead, which could bring up a variety of problems.

   “When you’re online, you don’t have the same support,” stresses student Anthony Porcelli. “With Spanish I, for example, it felt like the teacher wasn’t completely there. They would reply, but it was never quick.”

   It goes further than that. Driver’s education typically sparks the most conversation among students, since many are frustrated with the absence of it. Many students are confused at why it doesn’t exist as an in-person class, because it is something that makes more sense to learn hands-on.

   Student Taylor Peters commented on this, saying “most people are better at in-person learning instead of over the internet, driving being an example of that. I feel like I can’t really learn how to drive that well by reading stuff online.”

   “I feel like if driver’s education was offered in GBHS, it would be at the top of my list,” says Erin Kane. “Driving is something you need to learn in-person. If the school offered the classes and had some demo cars to practice with as well, I feel like people would be safer drivers.”

   It does not make much sense that tactile and hands-on skills are being taught through text and video via an online class. However, what about the more niche and specific classes that call only for specific skills? Some instrumental classes are offered at GBHS to appeal to those who want to learn such a skill, but some other instruments and classes are left out, such as Guitar I.

   “If I were to fail senior year and become a super-senior, and if they offered Guitar I next year, I would definitely take it,” student Apollo Larson states. “I definitely wouldn’t want to learn it in person since I feel like I would be slow with it, but in school that would be nice.”

   While one could learn how an instrument works by reading about it, the practice is missing. Just like learning how to drive a car, not having the option to use your hands for something that requires it, you miss out on the full potential for learning the skill.

   Gulf Breeze High School needs to understand what students need to enrich their school experience, and at bare minimum, that means implementing some missing electives. Without having some of these crucial electives, students may miss out on higher-quality learning and skillsets.