East offers a wide variety of electives pertaining to English, film, public speaking, and video production -- elective courses that encourage creative thinking and promote collaborative classroom environments. Taught by wonderful teachers within the English and Video Production departments, Capstone (AP Seminar and AP Research), Film Studies, Creative Writing, Video Production (1, 2 & 3), Broadcast Journalism, Public Speaking, and Theatre are several electives that those wishing to exhibit their creativity would undoubtedly enjoy! These courses instill valuable life skills within students while also allowing for creative freedom. As high school classes can often feel overwhelming and taxing, these electives generate a creative, nonjudgemental environment in which students can enjoy themselves and create lasting relationships with their peers.

Although this unpredictable school year has looked a little different, the teachers of these courses have still managed to construct a virtual learning environment that stimulates imagination and creativity. As students plan for next school year and have started considering electives to partake in, this article explores the various electives listed above. Teacher overviews of what these courses entail, important information to know, as well as the testimonies of students enrolled in the class currently, are listed below!

AP Capstone (AP Seminar & AP Research) - taught by Mrs. Matjasic

“Unlike other AP courses, Capstone is not subject-specific, for students are free to deep-dive into issues important to them and significant to the broader community. In AP Seminar (year 1), students work individually and in teams to research topics from multiple perspectives, write academic papers, and present arguments and possible solutions to problems they investigate. Those students who decide to enroll in AP Research (year 2) will have the opportunity to pursue a personal passion while they independently conduct research (with help from expert advisers) that will add to the body of knowledge about their topic of choice. This work is basically equivalent to an undergraduate-level research project, therefore the scholarly experience is invaluable.” - Mrs. Matjasic

Mrs. Matjasic believes that “any student with an interest in researching and exploring issues from multiple perspectives” will benefit greatly from this class: “Previous AP Seminar students have shared that they learned how to properly research, how to evaluate the credibility of sources, how to think in terms of perspectives, and how to work in a team”.

Rigor: 6/10; the course is meant to be challenging and thought-provoking, but Mrs. Matjasic is extremely helpful and aids students in whatever ways she can!

Homework level: relatively light workload; papers to write and analysis of research, however, a lot of class time is given to work on assignments.

“Whenever someone asks me what my favorite class of this year has been, I instantly say AP Capstone Seminar. The class is super fun, and it also helps you prepare for college. In fact, there is even a question on the Common Application that asks if you are working towards or have achieved your Capstone Certificate, so it really helps you stand out when applying for colleges. The best part for me though is that you are able to research whatever you want. Any passion of yours that you want to explore more, you are able to do through this class.” - Ella Prieto, Junior

“My favorite part about AP Capstone is that you get to explore your own interest while working in a team environment.” - Abby Criscuolo, Junior

Film Studies - taught by Mr. Bonds

“In the Film Studies class, students will examine the components that go into making a great film or an extraordinary TV show: camera angles, camera shots, editing and lighting techniques, and a director’s use of sound. Additionally, students will examine how directors address complex societal issues that impact and plague humanity: child abuse, racial discrimination, genocides, and mental illnesses. To accomplish these goals, students will discuss the rationale behind a director’s techniques and write about how a director’s techniques exemplify societal issues. Here are some of the films that students will explore: Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and Jordan Peele’s Get Out.” - Mr. Bonds

Mr. Bonds states that Film Studies “provides students with a safe and relaxing environment to practice and to refine their public speaking, writing, and critical thinking skills”. He also encourages any student looking to pursue a career in film to take this course: “This course will provide students with a strong foundation of film knowledge that students can use to pursue a college major and/or a career in the filmmaking industry.”

Rigor: 5/10; active participation and effort is required, thought-provoking analyses and discussions

Homework level: little to none; some projects

“Mr. Bonds’ Film Studies course provided the best balance of learning and enjoyability of any class I have taken at East. I would unquestionably recommend the course, and my recommendation follows no boundaries. There is quite literally no student at East High School that couldn’t benefit from what Film Studies has to offer. Coming from someone who previously regarded movie-watching as a task, I could not recommend this course any more strongly to those either unfamiliar with film, or reluctant to indulge in film.” - Niko Levin, Senior

“I enjoy the in-class discussions because they offer an opportunity to hear different perspectives on the film being studied. Hearing how other people interpreted the film is really interesting and adds another layer of depth to an already intriguing class.” - Gavin Hefferan, Sophomore

“I have learned so much about film techniques through my time in the course that I can't help but point them out whenever I watch television now. I am a big fan of storytelling, whether on paper or on the screen, so being able to study the fundamentals helped me find more pleasure within televised entertainment.” - Brandi Maddrey, Senior

Creative Writing - taught by Ms. Flynn

“Creative Workshop is a two-part course where students create their own world and their own endings. Students write and collaborate with their peers on a daily basis.” - Ms. Flynn

Ms. Flynn recommends this course to “any student who is creative or has ever found themselves interested in stories, enjoys creating imaginative worlds where they are in control, enjoys writing or believes they will be in a career that will require refined writing skills, or just wants to have fun and enjoys writing as an outlet or as a stress reliever.”

Rigor: 2/10; basically just writing whatever you please

Homework level: little to none; in-class writing assignments, peer-reviews, and occasional discussions

“My favorite thing about this class is the very open, non-judgemental environment. You meet so many different people from different grades that you probably wouldn't meet otherwise, and everyone has a different genre that they like to write, so you really get a taste of a lot of different things. As a senior, I look forward to this class as a way to relax and just have some fun. You don't have to be the best writer, and it's not the type of essay writing that you do in English. All skill levels are welcome!” - Jess Gomez, Senior

Public Speaking 1 and 2 - taught by Mr. Swiggett

“The public speaking courses are designed for the timid learner wanting an opportunity to feel comfortable in his or her own skin in a public atmosphere. We use a little bit of psychology and study of human behavior to understand our own fears and reservations about public speaking. I designed the course to revolve around public speaking scenarios that are realistic and may be experiences students will actually have in the future. These include: wedding toasts, school group work scenarios, commercial/television speaking, teacher appreciation speeches, argument and debate speeches on controversial topics, graduation speeches, etc. Surprisingly, this course has much opportunity for students to speak freely with one another, have some laughs, and feel comfortable when presenting in front of their peers. I make it as stress-free as possible!” - Mr. Swiggett

Rigor: 5/10; not a difficult course work-wise, but challenges students to step outside their comfort zones

Homework level: little to none; told to practice speeches for future classes

“What I enjoyed most about public speaking was the amount of class activity. We are always talking and learning from each other.” - Gavin Lill, Junior

Theatre - taught by Mr. Swiggett

“I am strongly passionate about this course because I had teachers in the past who inspired me to become a theatre director and theatre course teacher. This course revolves around 3 different types of students. Those with absolutely no prior theatre skills wanting to create a foundation of knowledge. Those who are already involved with theatre and want to hone in on specific acting skill sets or improve stage and technical abilities. Lastly, those who have always been interested as to what goes on with theatre and who are just curious! In this course we learn about the foundations of theatre; acting, pantomime, tech crew, stage directions, light/sound, scenery, props, etc. students also get an opportunity to write their own mini plays (similar to one-acts, but less involved), a chance to direct on stage, play around with lights and sound equipment, and break out of their normal shells and interact with people all interested in having fun while learning something new.” - Mr. Swiggett

Rigor: 3/10

Homework level: little to none; light and not stressful

“I enjoy all the people in the class. Since this is a theatre class, a lot of people are outspoken and talkative. Their comments always make the class feel light-hearted and fun.” - Dominique Dillard, Freshman

Video Production 1, 2, and 3 - taught by Mrs. Dieckmann

“[These] courses provide students the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of

video production using current industry standard equipment and software. Skills taught will include camera operation, audio recording, video editing, and digital age team collaboration and interpersonal skills. Increasing sophistication towards professionalization to match current industry practices builds throughout the levels. Each student is supported in articulating his/her individual film-making voice. Students will learn organizational competence through project management techniques related to pre-production, production, post production, marketing, and stakeholder relations.” - Mrs. Dieckmann

Mrs. Dieckmann states that all three levels of video production will provide students with “actual real-world video productions/broadcasting skills”, as well as experience within a course that “that includes fun, being creative, telling their stories, taking risks in a safe and respectful setting, and having a teacher who truly enjoys working with high school students”.

When asked what kind of student she would most recommend this class to, Mrs. Dieckmann said, “I recommend this class to ALL who are interested. Each student is welcome! Students will be met at their level of proficiency. Each student will be encouraged to create at their individual highest level possible. Students’ voices are so important. It is also important to have some fun during the day while learning something very cool. Stop by anytime to see our studios and equipment!”.

Rigor: 4/10; Mrs. Dieckmann helps her students whenever needed; some film editing aspects take time to master

Homework level: not overwhelming, students can ask for extensions when needed and more than enough time to create is given

“I really enjoy the freedom and flexibility of video production. If an assignment has guidelines and a rubric, you still have so much room for creativity to really make your work your own. It is interesting to learn what goes into the creation of videos, tv shows, and movies and actually get the experience of filming and editing, yourself.” - Jenny Rafter, Junior

Broadcasting Journalism and Social Media Production Honors - taught by Mrs. Dieckmann

“This course will develop the effective use of spoken and written communication for different

media purposes and contexts. Students will demonstrate proficiency by creating multimedia products for our social media-centric world. Students will produce a daily broadcast for school, and produce content for a school appropriate social media channel. Students will explore many topics such as: newsroom production, scriptwriting, journalism ethics, news and social media judgment, interview, studio and remote shooting, production staging, directing, and editing.”

- Mrs. Dieckmann