Electives at HHS

Hackettstown High School offers many electives every year, giving students the chance to explore new interests beyond math, science, English, and history. But many students say the current selection doesn’t fully meet their desires. From wanting more hands-on learning options to a wider variety of language courses, students say it is time to expand elective options at HHS. 

Several students expressed an interest in classes that teach practical but enjoyable life skills, such as sewing or cooking. Right now, a majority of the electives have a digital or academic focus, but students say they want access to more hands-on options. When Student Council Secretary Jordana Hill was asked about Hackettstown’s current elective selection, she expressed her concern that the high school has a lot of classes that are centered around a computer. Another student, Erin Lefeber, said, “[she] would love to take a class like cooking or sewing. A class that would be both useful and enjoyable.” Classes like home economics, which combine creativity with everyday life skills, would offer a welcome change of pace and help prepare students for life beyond high school. 

Foreign language options are another area where students are looking for improvement. Currently, Hackettstown High School only offers one language program, while many other schools provide a wider variety. Students had heard of other schools offering French, Italian, German, Mandarin, and other languages in addition to Spanish. Students felt that they should be given a choice in what foreign language they take to fulfill their graduation requirements. Expanding language electives could help students gain cultural and communication skills that can be extremely useful in a globalized world. 

Overall, students at Hackettstown High School appreciate the electives that are currently offered but believe there is room to grow. More hands-on classes and additional foreign language options are just the beginning of changes that could be made to the elective program to make learning more engaging to students. Electives are meant to help students discover what they are passionate about, and expanding these choices could help make that goal a reality.