“Every ending has a new beginning. ” Many RV students believe this quote only applies to seniors because they are graduating from RV and taking steps into their life that they have always dreamt of. However, this quote can actually relate to all grade levels of RV as each and every student is starting a new grade level in early September with different teachers and harder classes. Now that we are halfway through the year, many students are starting to schedule classes that they think they would love or want to try out next year. To help students make some tough decisions, we interviewed senior Aleksandra Kimbal, has taken a number of different classes and electives during her time here at RV, to see what advice she has for underclassmen.

Holly Spirit: Throughout your years at RV, what were your favorite electives?

Alek: One of my favorite electives that I took was construction tech, which I took my sophomore year. It was one of my favorites because it was more hands-on and learning about the basic skills of construction. Another favorite elective of mine was audio production because I learned how to use basic audio programs to their fullest potential.

HS: How do you think these electives help prepare students for the future, whether they intend on going to college or straight into the workforce?

Alek: I think these electives help a lot with my future because they gave me a basic understanding of information that may be needed for certain majors. One example is how I’m majoring in engineering. Construction tech gave me a basic understanding of engineering which will help me excel in the future. 

HS: Most students take these classes for the credits. Do you feel that you took these classes for the credits or take classes for the fun of it?

Alek: I think that I took classes that seemed appealing to me because I knew that I wouldn’t get so easily bored and still be interested.

HS: Since you are a prospective engineering major, do you have any tips for students selecting electives?

Alek: I think students should pick electives that they can learn the best in. If students learn better in a more hands-on environment then they should take classes that are more hands-on.

HS: Since students learn in many different ways, do you think RV provides classes that can cater to each student?

Alek: I think RV provides electives that can cater to each student as some electives are hands-on which can really benefit visual learners.

HS: In high school, many students are experiencing growth in many aspects of their life. Do you think that electives can help students across their other classes?

Alek: I think that certain electives can help students improve their academic skills.  One elective that can help students is creative writing. Creative writing can expose students to different techniques being used in their writings which then makes students able to apply these techniques to English causing them to improve and move up the difficulty of the courses in the future.

HS: How can teachers improve the elective experience for students?

Alek: I think teachers should understand their students more to know how to make courses more enjoyable for their students and also learn the best way to teach students where they still learn and have a fun time.

Picking classes should be a time where you discover or continue electives during your high school career. As you get further into high school you will discover ways that information needs to be taught for you to understand it to the fullest extent. One major thing to take away is how to try new electives to know what you enjoy the most to see if it would be something you would like to pursue in the future.