Throughout high school, many of us take 32 different courses. Although some classes like English I or Math III are required for high school graduation by the state, we get the opportunity to take electives of our own choice. In this recurring feature, some of the different electives that are offered at Green Level will be discussed so that you can pick classes that you’ll enjoy! Please keep in mind that every course discussed in this series may not be offered and that there are no guarantees that you will get every elective you want or choose. 

First in this series is Leadership in Media. This is an English elective offered at the honors level. Leadership in Media, or LiM for short, is a year long course which means that if you sign up to take it, you will have to take it both semesters. There are very few cases in which you can take this course for only one semester.  

LiM is the class that covers stories for the Gator’s Eye, the website you’re reading this on! In the class you don’t just write articles, you also learn about journalism. You get to learn about what makes a good story, how to conduct an interview, how to take good photos, how to incorporate quotes into your articles and much more! You are also not limited to writing articles. You can take your story in any form of media, such as a photo essay, a social media post, a video and much more. 

As the course name suggests, there are different leadership positions available. There are Section Editors, Assistant Section Editors, the Managing Editor and the Editor in Chief. These are positions that you can apply for at the beginning of the class and if selected, you will have more responsibilities. These responsibilities include editing stories, communicating with writers, and facilitating section discussions among many other things. 

Taking Leadership in Media is a great way to connect with Green Level! You will get to interview teachers who you may not have a class with, talk to different students whom you may not know that well and go to different sporting events that you may not have attended otherwise. During virtual learning especially, it is important to stay connected with the school. Even though we aren’t at The Swamp right now, we’re still Gators!

If any aspect of this class interests you, consider selecting it as an elective for next year. If you need help with picking classes, set up a meeting with your counselor here. For more information on this or other courses, visit the official WCPSS high school planning guide.