A Blast From the Past Elective Class – Literally! by Presley

A Blast From the Past Elective Class – Literally! by Presley - February 2022 Scholarship Essay

The opportunity to design a new elective class isn’t one a Junior in high school like me gets on a daily basis; in fact, I don’t believe I have ever, personally, heard of a classmate having the privilege of offering their opinion in the selection of classes we get to choose from in high school. After reviewing this prompt, and as I’ve attempted to think outside the box, I’ve concluded that, if I had the power to design a new elective class, one of which is influential to a person’s education as well as unique to a school’s curriculum, I would choose an interactive, social history elective class.
Of course, you’re probably thinking, “That’s pointless! History is one of my core classes I’m required to take; why would I be interested in doing it again?” To respond to your confusion, you’re absolutely right! However, I’d like to explain the purpose in having a history class that not only teaches the history of the world, but also demonstrates the struggle, and beauty, of our earth’s past through hands-on activities. I’m not talking about the counting cubes we had growing up in math, or the aggressive dodgeballs used in gym. No, I’m referring to the delicate dresses of the Victorian Era (the 1800’s), Thomas Edison’s first working lightbulb, the crown Napoleon used when he was crowned king, and many other priceless moments in our past that have shaped our world today. The primary objective of this class would be for students to be able to walk in the shoes of our ancestors; people who shaped our world (whether it be for the better or for the worse) that have become topics of discussion today.
Not only would this elective class be accessible to everyone, but a class for everyone. With scripts and props designed to mimic the history behind us, students would have the opportunity and responsibility to gain a knowledge of the past through experiencing the complexities of past societies. Through incorporating different eras of dance, literature, art, and social climates, students would get an insight, even if small, into the societies that thrived many years ago.
Nonetheless, this class, unfortunately, would not be all fun and games. It is crucial to a student’s education that the opportunity to study the struggle of the world is presented. With the integration of the study of the environment and equality, the purpose of this class would offer the chance for students to learn from the past whilst studying it. Topics of slavery, war, murder, etc. would be taught thoroughly and empathetically; but most certainly not celebrated or incorporated into the hands-on activities, which would be inappropriate. The heavier burdened lessons would include deeper, calmer discussions without cosplays, (such as the Civil War), to emphasize the tragic experiences of communities of the past. These types of sit-down lessons are nothing new to schools and would be the perfect balance to the exciting combination of historical props and foods introduced in other lessons. I believe that with this balance, anyone and everyone taking the class has the chance to grow and learn from peoples’ and societies’ previous mistakes.
In the end, this class would incorporate social interaction and global acknowledgement; especially in the more uplifting lessons, such as revolutionary scientific discoveries, Italy’s famous pastas that have developed over time, or America’s race to land on the moon. When taking this class, students would get the opportunity to work with their peers, moving around the classroom doing activities that incorporate costumes, scripts, literature, and foods aimed to recreate history’s richest, most honorable moments. These instances in history deserve to be celebrated and oftentimes get overlooked; that’s why, with this elective class, students would have the opportunity to learn through experience rather than sitting in a desk all day, trying their best to stay awake. As a student who loves history but wishes history classes were more interactive, I think this class would be the perfect balance of social interaction and the opportunity to gain historical knowledge with a deeper perspective and understanding of the eras that the world, and the people of the past, have experienced.