Avery Stuckey – J-Term falls short

In theory, J-Term is a great idea, however, the course options unfortunately fall short this year. 

J-Term is a two week term where students have the opportunity to take fun classes outside the regular curriculum. This year the first week is from Tuesday, January 9th to Friday, January 12th and the second week is from Tuesday, January 16th to Friday, January 19th. This could be a long time if the classes you are in are not what you want to be taking…

Being able to pick your own classes can be very appealing, but many of the options are not the best—I won’t name names. The interesting classes are expensive and many are not willing to pay for these classes, so instead they are stuck in a class they do not care much about because they cannot pay for a better class. 

It is also hard to be sure you get into a class you want. I know many people that when the link with class options opened they went to click the classes they wanted just to find out they were full.

Senior Leila James was not able to get her first choice class because of the capacity. She said “I was shocked that there were already full J-Term classes before the link was sent out to all the seniors.” This was super devastating for them because all their friends are in this class and now they stuck picking another class they don’t necessarily want to take with people that they don’t know.

I think the teachers are working hard to provide a class for everyone but maybe send out an email where students can submit ideas that they wanted to take. Since some of the J-Term options are very expensive, maybe there could be something implemented to find a cheaper alternative. I also think that there should not be caps on students in certain J-Term classes so if a student is interested in taking a certain class they are not denied from that opportunity.

Celia Miles – Yes to J-Term

What is J-Term? To some it’s a free two weeks off of school but in reality it’s a benefit to students and teachers.

J-Term offers a unique opportunity for experiential learning. Students can use the short 2 weeks for immersive experiences, such as study abroad programs, internships, or field trips. These experiences wouldn’t be able to be accomplished without J-term. These experiences expose students to real-world use of stuff they use in school and give them a deeper understanding of their passion.

For example, if a student is very passionate about golf they can sign up for the golf J-Term to learn more about the sport and play with other people that have the same interests. Experiencing new cultures or professional environments during J-Term can allow students to learn more about the real world.

The regular school year is packed with a big amount of assignments, exams, and extracurricular commitments that can lead to student burnout. J-Term offers a break from the usual demands, allowing students to recharge. This break can have a positive impact on mental health and overall well-being. J-Term classes are also a break from the regular activities in the classroom. They are fun and fuel students’ passions such as France, adventures in Indy where students can do unique things around the city, Lord of the Rings watching the movies with Br. Matt, Fashion week which is shopping with Mrs.Neale, New Orleans where students can immerse themselves in the city and farm life.

These experiences give students opportunities they might not have had otherwise.

Senior Noah Monroe said “I think J-Term is a great idea because it lets students experience something new like for example I’m going to Florida.”

Overall J-term is an immersive experience that gives students opportunities to have unique and memorable experiences.