Latin American Studies For Social Justice: This course is an exploration of the Spanish-speaking world through its history. Students will develop the skills to understand main ideas and some supporting details from authentic readings written in Spanish regarding politics and government issues and how these two compare to the U.S. The course is project-based, emphasizing communication. Taking this course gave me the opportunity to dive deeper into the intersection between history and current happenings, which has allowed me to understand how to utilize a global lens. We have explored different countries histories and cultures and have also been further exposed to music and traditions of latin cultures.

AP Psychology: This course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental process. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatments of psychological disorders, and social psychology. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, evaluate claims and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas. AP Psychology has truly been eye opening for me. I have been able to learn about cognitive processes and other things that people throughout the world face. It truly has expanded my global lens in that I have been able to learn about how people interact and how some things we do such as facial expressions is understood and completed globally.

Intro to Business: This introductory course explores the dynamic world of business. Students will develop an understanding of a variety of business functions and of the importance of ethics and corporate social responsibility. This course builds a foundation for further studies in business and helps students develop the business knowledge and skills they will need in their everyday lives. This class has helped me to understand the field I am hoping to enter. Business is multifaceted and can be taken on a local or global route. I have been able to learn further about sales and marketing and how ethics of business compare on a global scale.

Hispanic Language & Culture: Language proficiency is developed through content-based instruction in this intensive intermediate course conducted entirely in Spanish. Historical and cultural readings enhance the appreciation of the diversity found in the Spanish-speaking world and its contributions to our historical development and our contemporary culture. Students will be introduced to authentic short stories by Spanish and Hispanic authors. Composition assignments will continue to develop students’ writing proficiency, while oral reports on cultural topics will hone students’ oral proficiency. Instruction in advanced grammatical structures, as well as continued vocabulary building, will enable students to engage in the cultural content. This was taken during the pandemic and was particularly difficult for me. It was a higher level and difficult to complete while being remote. However I feel I excelled in this class and loved being exposed to Latin American literature, music, and traditions.

AP Biology: The Advanced Placement Biology Course is designed to cover the equivalent of a first year college course for Biology majors. Prospective students should be aware that this course will require students to work on a conceptual level beyond that of the introductory biology course. Only students who are reading at the college level and motivated to do college work that requires self-advocacy and independent motivation should consider this course. Biological principles are studied in depth within biochemical, molecular, evolutionary, botanical and systemic themes. Twelve open-ended AP laboratory experiments are performed, as well as other supplementary lab work. Additional required readings from scientific publications are an essential part of the course and are used as enrichment, discussion and assessment tools. In order to cover the scope of this course, additional work is done during the summer, on weekends and during vacations. AP Biology was truly my favorite class I have ever taken in high school. I have had a love of biology for the longest time and being able to explore this topic further was enlightening. I was able to learn about components that make up every person globally and was able to explain natural processes in our world that everyone is able to see.

Spanish III: This is an intermediate course intended to continue students’ development of communication skills. The content provides for a comprehensive review of basic grammatical structures and the introduction of more complex grammatical concepts. There is intense thematic vocabulary building, as well as cultural reading and general development of writing skills. This class was where I felt I began to excel in Spanish. We were exposed to more types of Latin American culture and explored it through movies, food, and by completing various projects. One of my favorite things we did was bake desserts from a specific Latin American culture and share it with the class.

Java Programming: This course is a mathematically oriented introduction to the Java programming language. There is an emphasis on algorithm development and programming style using an object-oriented paradigm. Topics included are data types, variables, math operations, methods, strings, arrays, decision-making, loops, file I/O, arrays, classes, interfaces, and graphics. Although this is not your typical language it is one that is used globally. Java is a universal language that most programmers can understand and by being able to speak, write, and understand it is just an extension of any other language and has helped to broaden my perspective.

Spanish II: This course is designed to reinforce and further develop oral competency through active student participation. Reading and writing are gradually expanded in length and depth as the course progresses. Readings dealing with Hispanic culture are incorporated into each unit. Audio-visual materials will be used to enrich these discussions. This was my first advanced spanish club entering high school. I felt that I was able to gain more confidence in my skills of writing in spanish and I feel I was exposed briefly to spanish culture, which was developed further in later courses.

World Studies: This course utilizes an interdisciplinary, team-taught approach to studying the cultures, history, and literature from the time period of early modern world history. Using small group collaborative activities, oral presentations, process writing, debates, discussions, and individual assignments, the class engages students in a broad spectrum of educational experiences preparing them to participate responsibly in school and civic life. Combining English 9 and World History together enabled me gain a greater understanding of how the world connects through history and literature and how ideas connect throughout the world.