The typical student at Bowie has eight classes; four slots reserved for the quartet of core classes and four dedicated to a student’s pick of electives. To incoming freshmen, this could be interpreted as a breath of freedom. Others see it as a burden to choose from an array of electives that aren’t of interest to them.
One great thing about Bowie? This school offers a wide assortment of elective choices that could craft your high school experience to be more than just another four years of busy work: the trade classes.
For students who find greater interest in mastering hands-on skills than completing desk work, trade classes are the perfect opportunity to hone their abilities. From choices like welding and carpentry to even cosmetology, these classes, in partnership with neighboring high schools, give students a chance to incorporate something they are passionate about into an otherwise mundane school day.
While a minority of teenagers come into high school with a precise ending goal on their mind, this is widely not the case. There is an understated amount of students who aren’t sure what they want to do for the rest of their lives at the age of fourteen. Physical, skill-based programs can offer drive and direction.
Not only that, but trade classes lift up teenagers that have been taught their worth is based solely on their academic performance. It gives them an alternate route to be proud of something they excel at without ties to their scholarly achievement.
On a similar note, these programs provide a solid foundation for students who don’t want to go to college. They can spend their teenage years building the competence they’ll need to enter the workforce or move on to trade school once they graduate. These classes build steady, stable futures.
Some people may argue that Bowie is too highly achieving of an academic and fine art school to be putting resources into classes regarding non college-centered subjects, but I would disagree. Despite all the benefits that the trade classes offer, Bowie itself doesn’t offer them. These classes are hosted by other schools in AISD that students are driven to during the day.
These specific programs aren’t widely known throughout the school community. They’re barely advertised to incoming freshmen and are in a special section at the very bottom of the elective course description document. I wasn’t aware of their existence until well into my sophomore year.
In other words, if you’re looking for an assortment of classes to teach you hands-on skills, incorporate an alternative way of learning into your school life, and provide you with more options for after graduation, Bowie’s trade electives are the hidden gem you’re looking for.
