Whether students plan on continuing their education or entering the workforce, high school is the perfect place to try new things as they learn what they are interested in pursuing in the future. Electives are a personalized time in a student’s schedule to focus on their interests. While there are only a selective number of unique electives at Madison, academy classes increase the scope of learning available to the student body.
“Especially as an upperclassman, it definitely makes my schedule more diverse and gives me more freedom,” Katerina Berger (’25) said regarding her experience taking the Medical Assistant course through the academy program with Falls Church High School.
During freshman and sophomore year, the majority of Madison students take less rigorous classes to prepare for the harder course loads of junior and senior year, keeping in mind that fine art credits and sequential electives are required to graduate. Once the graduation requirements and prerequisite courses are taken care of, specialty courses become more available for upperclassmen.
Across Fairfax County, many specialty courses are offered in the medical field. Medical Assistant gives students a broad view of the healthcare field by developing their administrative and clinical medical assisting skills. They are eligible for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam at the end of the year which qualifies them for jobs in hospitals and other medical facilities.
“The skills I’ve learned in this class and my previous class have helped me in my job I had over the summer as an office assistant at an internal medicine practice, and, in the future, the certification I receive will make me more attractive to future employers,” Berger said.
Students who are passionate about their electives have used their resources to access internships and different programs to gain hands-on experience.
“I did actually secure a position in the Future Agents in Training Program with the FBI, which took place at the Washington Field Office,” Ava Bartolone (’25) said about taking Criminal Justice at Marshall High School.
Criminal Justice prepares students for a law enforcement career by educating them on reviewing court cases and how the law works. Students take notes then watch documentaries to see the application of what they are learning in a real world setting.
Another fascinating elective is Fashion Careers, which can be taken through the academy program at Fairfax High School. Fashion Careers teaches students to design clothing article concepts as well as making their visions into reality by constructing the garment. Along with learning how to work with a design team, students have the opportunity to implement their designs by working with local businesses.
“I’d definitely recommend it for anyone who does have an interest in fashion, depending if you want to go through with it, continue it as a career or just if you’re more of a normal person who just enjoys the concept of it and doesn’t plan on taking it any further,” Kevin Arias-Paz (’25) said.