Welcome to Life Class by Reilly

Welcome to Life Class by Reilly - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

If I could add one subject to the American high school curriculum I would add the subject of Life. Let me clarify what I mean by that, the subject would include learning various "life skills" such as learning to do laundry or write out a professional email. The whole point being this subject would teach students various life lessons that they currently are supposed to learn outside of the classroom. The thought that parents are supposed to teach these vital life skills is not an invalid one, but I don't think all parents understand that as part of their duties or have the knowledge themselves to help students with some real world tasks. I know that some of these "life skills" are covered briefly in other classes, such as learning to balance a checkbook in Home Economics, but not all schools offer classes like that. Plus only covering these important skills and lessons briefly does not do their importance in life justice.

All students can benefit from a subject like this whether they already have some knowledge and practice in these skills and lessons or if they are completely foreign to them. Not every single high school graduate is going to need to know Calculus to get through their lives, but they certainly will need to know how to do their own laundry, balance a checkbook, fill out job and college applications, and do well in a job interview. Life class would cover all of those topics on top of; etiquette, basic car and home repair, credit, self defense, first aide, organizational skills, and time management to name a few.

In summation if I could add one class to the American high school I would add the subject of Life because it will benefit all students, and help them learn lessons and skills that they will need to utilize in their lives. Not all subjects will benefit every student down the road or will have the same level of importance to one student as it does to another, but this class will aid all students the same. This class will help students who may not learn these important life lessons otherwise because not all parents are as involved as others. Life Class would be a valuable addition to the American high school curriculum.