CMHS course fair offers opportunities for students

By Adelaide Breier

Editorial Assistant

Crete-Monee High School held its first-ever course/elective fair on Jan. 9, where incoming students and current lower-classmen could explore the unique classes CMHS offers that might interest them.

Students Terrell Henderson and Victoria Santiago pose for a picture in front of their AP Language and Composition setup during the Elective Course Fair on Jan. 9. Photo by Amiyah Rice.

Students and staff set up booths around the school with signs, posters, and information on certain classes. Presenters gave a rundown of the courses for students and guardians to learn more about the classes.

“I’m currently a freshman, and my elective this year is Spanish 1. I like Spanish; it’s just a lot of paper/computer work. I would, however, recommend any incoming freshmen to take Spanish because it will count towards your two to three years of a foreign language required for lots of colleges, and that way you can get it out of the way to take more courses that interest you later in high school,” freshman Loryn Collins said.

Many colleges require students to have two to three years of a foreign language when applying. CMHS offers multiple Spanish classes, sign language courses, and other foreign languages for students to take to earn those years for college applications.

“I really want to take AP computer science next year. I’ve heard it involves lots of math, which is my best subject. It is also an AP class that will count towards college credit. I also have a career interest in math for my future,” freshman Malia Morgen said.

Students are offered AP-level (Advanced Placement) classes that count toward college credit. For each AP class taken and passed, students earn three to eight credits based on exam scores and GPA (Grade Point Average). AP classes are recommended to push students to their full potential and are a huge plus for students who are thinking about attending college. If enough credits are earned, students can reduce the cost of college and possibly graduate early.

“I took Food and Agriculture Studies this year as my elective. I enjoyed this class a lot. It is the perfect class to start with, and it isn’t overwhelming. If you're a big hands-on student who likes to create things and do projects, I highly recommend this class,” freshman Courtney Smith said.