Experiences at Urbana High School

After an extremely exhausting second semester filled with finals, AP tests, and projects, I can attest to the fact that Senioritis does indeed exist.
And while I have loved my four years at Urbana High School, I’ve spent much of my senior year realizing which particular classes I learned the most from, and how my education could have been improved.
I’ve found that my journalism class benefited my writing more than any English class I’ve ever taken–as it has taught me proper grammar and formatting, as well as how to be a good editor. In our newsrooms, I’ve learned how to lead the class without talking down to my peers, and basic skills of public speaking. I’ve also learned a lot of computer skills from creating the printed-paper using InDesign.
My AP Studio Art class will also leave me with a lot of positive memories of high school, and has helped me to develop my creative side. I’ve learned everything from how to make prints in a dark room, to capturing movement in photos, to critiquing my classmates’ work, and even how to be a helpful aid for my teacher, Susan Gleason.
I think that if more core classes were as creative and hands-on as these two electives, a lot more seniors would be less vulnerable to skipping class and feeling bored during school. It’s understandable how an 18-year-old student can feel disinterested when they’re handed endless worksheets and seemingly demeaning group projects.
I believe that public high schools should cater to students’ interests so teenagers can progress in their studies of choice, not regress in the classes that are boring to them. I think Freshman and Sophomore years should be labeled the “Exploratory Years”–a time when young teens can take many electives and decide which field they are most interested in.
Then, in the first week of junior year, students picks their field of study, but are offered two electives of other interests. For example, I might chose “English” as my field, so I could take Journalism, AP Lit & Comp, and any number of other English classes that could be created, such as Creative Writing. I would then choose my two electives to be Photography and French.
UHS could also benefit from “AB Days”–a system in which each student has only three classes a day, lasting two hours each. That way, students can spend a lot of time in the classroom, really delving into their field of study. I could have benefitted from “AB Days” by completing an article in two hours, collecting interviews, and giving more concrete feedback to my classmates.
A lot of art students would also like this system, as it’s hard to get in the zone and create a piece, then put your work away in the supply closet and go to your math class. I often feel that my creativity is rushed in my electives, and I wish I could develop my ideas with a longer class period.
With the systems of “AB Days” or “Field of Study,” many teenagers could develop their career choices early on, thus becoming more prepared for college. I also think that attending classes that fulfill students’ interests would develop stronger connections with students in the same classes, since they would be around one another for two hours at a time. This strategy could also diminish fights and poor attendance.
Senior Cate Hummel says, “It takes me a while to get settled in and focused in class, so I think “AB Days” would have been a more effective way to learn at UHS. That way you’re spending more time in the classroom focused on three subjects instead of just touching on six.”
She also agrees that a particular field to study would be useful for students who are driven and want to get ahead in their career plans. She explains, “I think it’s important for students to pursue the things they are truly interested in.”
Having “AB Days” or “Fields of Interest” would encourage students to be more productive in the classroom, to show up to school more often, and to consult their teachers and peers on projects and assignments. UHS getting a new principal next year is a prime opportunity to discuss the idea of specializing our high school to suit the needs of academically inclined students.