Many seniors have at least one, if not an abundance of, free blocks during their final year of high school. During the coveted second semester, those free blocks that may once have sparked delight could end up creating a feeling of emptiness. A solution to this problem: electives. The Cypress has compiled a few elective options for seniors (and others) looking to spend their free blocks in classes, whether it be creative, studious or purely joyful.
Choir
Choir is an elective that many people start in their freshman year. However, students can join at any time. According to senior Kianoush Rahimi, who serves as Camerata Choir’s bass section leader, the choir’s welcoming community makes it a great option for anyone interested in singing.
“[The community is] really tight-knit,” Rahimi said. “People really get to know each other, especially within your sections.”
In addition to gaining community, Rahimi has accumulated memorable experiences through choir, such as the moment when he conducted the Camerata choir at the high school’s Fenway Park football game, or when he performed with the group at Boston Symphony Hall as a sophomore.
“It gets you to be more comfortable in doing what you’re doing. Because you’re performing for people, you’re singing, you have to be at least a little vulnerable for that,” Rahimi said. “It really connects you with other people, which I like about choir in general,”
Ceramics
Though it requires a willingness to get your hands dirty, ceramics is another elective choice that any student can take at a beginner level.
Senior ceramics student Sylvie Kostant-Greeley has been taking various classes within the elective since her freshman year. She said she appreciates the flexibility of her ceramics class and looks forward to her daily time in the studio.
“It’s really creative, and it’s a good break from the rest of your day. Honestly, I’ll take that over a free block,” Kostant-Greeley said. “A lot of the time, I’ll just go in and work. Mr. M is really easy going, and [he] lets you do whatever feels right.”
Kostant-Greeley said she enjoys the relaxed pace of her class and recommended ceramics to anyone with an open free block.
“I [like] how you can just go at your own pace. Everyone there is doing their own thing. It’s a mix of [different levels],” Kostant-Greeley said. “It’s really nice being able to bounce ideas [off of students] at your level.”
Music Collective and Concert Band
Hundreds of freshmen drift warily into the quad at the start of the year. A band on stage serenades them, but suddenly, the beat shifts. Someone takes the mic, and “Stacy’s Mom” starts playing. Music Collective’s performance at the freshman year commencement ceremony was one of the most memorable performances for senior member and pianist Claude Carrick.
Music Collective is a jazz ensemble elective at the high school that requires an audition and enrollment in Concert Band. Carrick joined Music Collective for the first time this year after taking orchestra, and said he has enjoyed having the opportunity to experience an environment centered around jazz.
“I did it because I love playing piano. It’s helped me because, before, I hadn’t really done any jazz stuff. It had just been classical,” Carrick said. “Now, I learn how to play in ensembles more, and Music Collective is my favorite class.”
According to Carrick, there are many reasons why the class is his favorite, but the welcoming environment and the ability to express himself with music stand out.
“I love starting the day with music. We do blues, we do free jazz and we do arrangements. It’s a fun environment, and you can do what you want and be expressive,” Carrick said.
Although Carrick said he wished he had joined the Music Collective earlier, he has no regrets about starting the class in his final year of high school.
“It’s a great environment, and once you’re in, it’s super inclusive,” Carrick said. “ Everyone plays with each other, and it’s never too late to join.”
