One of the best things about Benet is the variety of courses offered to students. Whether a paintbrush, pottery wheel, camera, or essay is how you prefer to express yourself, Benet has an elective offering for you. Most students are already familiar with the electives offered in the math and science departments, but have you ever considered the range of courses in the art and history fields?

Once students complete World History during freshman year, the history department gives students many choices for their future years at Benet. Sophomores have the opportunity to choose from AP European History and AP Government, which both offer unique opportunities to take a college level course. AP European History is a class that grants students the opportunity to learn from the time period of 1450 to the present, getting to learn about events from the Renaissance to the Age of Exploration all the way to the Cold War and beyond. AP Government provides students with the opportunity to examine government cases and papers from the Supreme Court and the Federalist Papers, and even goes as far as current events in the curriculum. Sophomore Henry Stratton, an AP Government student, describes his experience in the classroom and beyond: “AP Gov is one of my favorite classes at Benet. Despite being an AP class, it is low stress and easy to understand concepts. Specifically, anyone who is interested in government or law should take this class, but I believe everyone should become more informed on how our government and politics work in America. I liked how every day at the start of class we would go over current events and what happened on that day in history because it helped me stay informed and learn things I might not otherwise know.” Additionally, students can choose to take Honors Geography or CP Modern World, two great options for learning about the current world and the events that have shaped our world today.

For students who enjoy a more artistic class, Benet’s art electives offer a break from routine while still challenging them in a different way. From photography to ceramics, and dance to theater, Benet has something for everyone. These art electives offer space to experiment, design, and create, and are very popular with students in all grades. The selections range from applied art options: from electronic music creation to music theory and all the way to music history. Additionally, classes in the performing arts like introduction to theater, band, strings instruments, and orchestra grant students the chance to explore instrumental music in a classroom setting. Finally, choices in the visual arts, like multi-media art, web design and marketing, and drawing and painting help students to add to the world around them in both 2D and 3D art forms. Freshman Clare Hruby mentioned that her Ceramics I class is a favorite, because “I really enjoy having time during a busy school day to have a creative outlet, where I can use a different part of my brain, and can experiment with artistic techniques and mediums.” With the end of this academic year in sight, consider one of these electives for your next school year!