Although students have experienced a challenging year filled with difficulties, many can still thrive and enjoy the classes they are taking. 

The quarantine procedures have offered students new outlooks on classes and possibly changed their minds on what their favorites are. 

Junior Aden Mattson had a lot to say about his new favorite class that he is taking for the first time this year.

“I am taking a lot of serious classes, and Graphic Design is really my only class where there is not a correct way of doing things per say. I get to do things that are more creative and let me design things that I think look cool,” Mattson said. “In Graphic Design, we are always doing something, but it is work that is unlike English or Math work, making it more entertaining for long periods of time. If you enjoy using photoshop and similar programs, it really is great.”

He also gave praise to Graphic Design’s teacher, Christina Levinson.

“Mrs. Levinson is a really energetic and fun teacher,” he said. “She is able to do a really good job as a teacher while also being able to make things fun and entertaining. She is one of those rare teachers that can feel like a friend and not just a person you must visit daily.”

Junior Carissa Hamman described her favorite class this year.

“My favorite class is psychology. This class is fun, the work we do is a lot of thinking and opinions but also some research and learning new things about humans. Learning about why we do the things we do interests me a lot,” said Hamman.

Psychology teacher Jeremy Kerr also received high marks from Hamman.

“Mr. Kerr is great,” she said. “He teaches psychology in such a fun way and it’s a class I look forward to & learn a lot from.”

Another student, Junior Jake Vogt, gave insight as to what their favorite class is this year.

“[My favorite class is] chemistry. The teacher [Mikayla Laymance] and the atmosphere have pretty homey and relaxed vibes and it makes a hard subject much easier to learn. It’s super hard but enjoyable,” said Vogt.

Vogt also took some time to describe the Chemistry Teacher, Ms. Laymance.

“She’s a student teacher but she’s understanding, kind and willing to help her students when they need it. She’s also able to connect with her students, making her teaching style slowly change in order to better help her students,” Vogt said.

A couple of teachers responded about why they thought their class was a favorite among students.

Jeremy Kerr was very descriptive in his reasonings.

“I think the class is a favorite because of the content.  Learning about behavior – why we do the things we do – is fascinating.  As the teacher/guide – I feel like I learn new things every week.  The students in the class do such a good job of presenting material and demonstrating understanding – I’m always impressed.  Our small little community sharpens each other as well.  They really are amazing students” Kerr said.

Ms. Laymance was extremely ecstatic about finding out.

“I believe that my class is one of the favorites because chemistry itself is interesting and fun. More importantly, I try to make the topics we discuss relevant to students’ lives and I also try to make learning about chemistry more fun by playing games and doing cool experiments,” said Laymance. “My goal as a teacher is to make chemistry as fun and enjoyable for students as possible. I love chemistry and I want my students to love it too! Beyond that, I want to do everything I can to help students prepare for the next steps in their lives, so my goal is to be a mentor that they can trust and depend on.”

Not only have students developed favorite classes, teachers have too.

English and Theatre Teacher Mrs. Noah had much to say on which was her favorite class to teach.

“I love teaching all of the Theater Arts courses (there are 3 levels) because Theater and Film are my passions.  I have been teaching Theater, Music, and Film to all ages for many years.  Both my degrees are in Theater Arts, so I love putting my degrees to good use.  I love the creativity involved,” said Noah.

Mrs. Noah gave a comprehensive description of what these classes are like.

“This year, Theater Arts class is quite different. Because we are not all together, we cannot do the typical drama course work such as Drama Games, Improv, Scenes and Monologues.  Instead, we are focusing on the art of film.  Learning film history, techniques, and styles.  For example, our fall production had to be cancelled, so we have created a Performing Arts Showcase called “Awakening Strength,” which is all filmed,” described Noah.

One of her favorite aspects of Theater Arts are her students.

“I love Theater Arts students because they are creative, fun, willing to take chances, and very accepting of each other,” Noah said. “This is also a wonderful way to end the day, as we have class 6th period and have a lot of fun!”