This article was written by Lexi Pepper
Elective classes are essential to balancing out our student schedules. It is hard to do when we aren’t offered many options.
Northview Highschool is a school offering some of the best student choice in the area for AP classes, but something we lack in is electives. Electives are essential to learning because of their hands-on learning experience, and most importantly, the real life application of the knowledge learned in elective classes. For some perspective, Forest Hills High School offers over 20 more electives than Northview. Some include sports management classes and culinary arts. Similarly, Rockford High School has over 30 more electives than Northview that include four different languages and lifeguarding courses. There are reasons schools like these are offering so many courses. As a community, we would benefit from adding more electives to our course guide.
Electives are important for much more than just taking another class. They teach you lifelong skills to take with you, The 2025-2026 Forest Hills High School Course Description Guide states, “In partnership with our community, Forest Hills Public Schools will provide all learners with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to building meaningful and productive lives.” Electives offer a unique opportunity for students to choose courses that can help them uncover talents and skills they may be passionate about, but never would have known. Since Northview offers fewer electives, we therefore struggle compared to neighboring districts to give students more opportunities. For example, people simply won’t have the ability to take some classes which could result in developing lifelong skills.
Elective classes also help people find, try, and make decisions about their professions. Electives such as culinary arts, babysitting, and sports management, can help people decide what job they want to pursue whether it be behind the desk or interacting face-to-face with individuals. I personally would greatly benefit from electives beneficial to life outside school. I would like to do things I personally choose and enjoy as part of my schooling, but end up having to do these outside of school on my own. I’ve taken red cross babysitting certifications and taken a whole course through MVP for lifeguarding that I’ve used to earn money in my personal life. If I went to Rockford or Forest Hills where they offer courses like this, I would have saved money and time and would’ve been able to avoid taking random classes just to fill my schedule which don’t personally serve benefits.
I am not alone in my desire to take electives which Senior Jet Troyer has confirmed. He is highly interested in sports management, and would love if Northview offered a class associated with his passion.
“I wish Northview had a sports management program because it would set a foundation for me in a potential career in sports management,” Troyer said.
Junior Ava Venema would love it if Northview offered more electives that would provide real life situations connected to her future.
“I wish that we had a culinary one [elective], like baking and cooking, because I think that’s really helpful when you’re living on your own and stuff,” Venema said, “It would just help me with life skills, ’cause you need that in your future. You need to learn how to bake and use those life skills when you’re older.”
Feeling prepared for your future is important, and so having a large selection of elective options a necessity. Just like the butterfly effect, what we learn and do now affects everything in our future!
Leave a Reply