‘Arrive at 25’ is the phrase coined by Springfield Public Schools in order to encourage students to get the 25 credits they need to graduate high school.
These credits are earned by taking the required number of classes of different subjects. For example, you have to take three core English classes and one of your choice in order to get the English Language Arts credits you need to graduate.
I often hear students complain that they already know what they want to study or do after high school, so why should they have to take a mandatory class over something that they won’t need? For example someone may ask: “If I know I want to be a journalist, then why do I have to take three science credits?”
I believe that having to take these core classes that you need to graduate offers you a base amount of knowledge which you need to succeed in life. Classes should be tailored to each student’s needs and interests but we should all have to have the same core requirements to graduate.
I think that our school does a pretty good job of this, by making us take seven and a half elective credits to graduate as well as allowing students to choose some of the classes they want to take in the different subjects. Although it can be tiresome, taking standard grade-level classes in high school is needed in most professions and required if you want to pursue higher education. Even if you want to have a job in a specific field you still have to study other areas of learning.
In high school you are still relatively early in your academic career, as well as life experiences, so it is good to explore all different subjects.
Our school offers different programs that help you plan out what classes you want to take throughout high school in order to earn your 25 credits.An example of this is Kickapoo University, where you can choose a career cluster that you are interested in after joining the program, but doesn’t offer much aid in making sure you are able to take these classes from the career cluster you chose.
In order to stay in Kickapoo U, you must complete their course requirements, which are meant to prepare you for your future. As a student who has interests and already knows what classes I want to take to prepare for college, these extra courses can sometimes feel like a chore. Another example of our school attempting to tailor our learning is the ICAP (Individual Career and Academic Plan) program.
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, “ICAP is a program that is a plan of study to guide students through the coursework and activities for achieving personal career goals, post-secondary planning and providing individual pathway options.”
Essentially, it’s a way for schools to help students plan what classes to take in order to graduate, as well as schedule what interests them. Students fill out a google sheet starting their freshman year where they start planning what classes to take based on their interests. Whether the student sticks to this plan or not is up to them, although counselors work to help students stay on track.
But as a freshman, your interests are not fully developed, and you may decide to follow a different path as you mature in high school.
Overall I think that our school does a good job by allowing students to study what they want while getting base level knowledge of each subject. Although it can feel daunting at times, our school offers resources and help in making sure you earn all your credits, like taking Summer Explore classes. So even if you feel that having to take certain classes is unnecessary, at least we are being prepared for our futures.
