As the spring semester approaches, students are starting to consider their schedules for the upcoming year. Every student knows the basic class requirements to graduate, and many tend to stick to these courses and don’t venture out to add on to their schedules. However, this can leave many classes mostly unchosen, classes which are almost never talked about, even though they can offer unique opportunities to learn new skills or develop an interest.     

     One of these classes is Architectural Design. This course allows students to express their creativity while also offering hands-on experiences such as model building, pencil sketching, creating paper model houses, and many more. 

    Architectural Design teacher, Rodger Johnson, said, “The focus of the class is mastery of AutoCAD. The industry standard architectural design software.”

     These skills can be applied to future career plans or simply enjoyed as a way for creative students who have an interest in design. 

     Another lesser known class is Forensics. This course offers an insight into crime scene investigation and the field of forensic science. It teaches students  how to analyze crime scenes through various experiments such as fingerprinting, evidence analysis and several others.

     “It’s a super engaging course,” said Madison Albert, a junior who is currently taking this class. “It not only teaches you how a crime scene works but also the process behind the scenes, which plays a key role in solving each crime scene.”

     Whether students are looking to pursue a career in criminology, or simply looking to take a fun and interesting class, Forensics is a great way to develop analytical thinking skills as well as a deeper understanding of investigative processes.

     Exploring the lesser known classes here at Monte Vista, such as these, can lead to finding new interests, hobbies, or career paths that students may not have even thought of. Venturing outside of the usual, required courses also allows students to attain a more, well-rounded high school experience. So when the time comes to select your classes for next year, consider choosing something different – you may find a new interest or a new skill that could shape your future.