Electives and How to Apply for Them

With the end of the year closing in, it’s almost time to pick electives to join. Though most of the time, the elective applying process is pretty straightforward, more advanced electives such as Spanish, ASB, Rio TV, Yearbook, Drama, and Advanced Band, require an application process. If any of these electives sound appealing, you may want to get started because the date is closing in. 

In order to apply  for these electives, you need to go to the Rio Norte Website, click on the students tab, then on the drop down menu click on electives. As you scroll down, you’ll be able to see the various application processes and details about the electives. ASB and Yearbook both have google forms on their respective websites, though ASB requires teacher recommendations on a separate form. Spanish also has a google form, but it does require a GPA of 3.5 or higher, As or Bs in 7th grade English, and it’s exclusively for incoming 8th grade. Rio TV has a website with the interview timeline that you can click here  to access. Both Drama, Choir, and Concert Band have you go through a audition process (dates listed on the website)

But why would you want to join an elective which is such a long and difficult process to get into? Well, these electives teach many valuable lessons to its students, and create an amazing sense of community in them. The teachers for these electives have all said that they love how close their students are, and how close they are to them. For example,  an interview with Mrs. Ng states “My favorite part about ASB is how close everybody is in the class. We have to do some not-so-fun stuff, but those experiences bring everybody closer.” 

Though some electives such as Spanish require actual academic standards to join, most electives are looking for certain qualities in students. For example, Ms. Ng, the ASB teacher states “ASB students are motivated, kind, and hard-working. They are able to solve problems independently and thoughtfully, but also know when to ask for help.” Furthermore, Mrs. Hubble from Drama states “ like to work with people who aren’t afraid to fail artistically once in a while.” If you feel that your personality fits what these people are looking for, it may be a good idea to fill out the forms and join! It never hurts to try something new, especially because it could teach you many good life skills later on.