This is an advanced- level elective that specifically tailors to student interests. Students will create a Statement of Purpose for their proposed inquiry which will be reviewed by the Head of School. While all USPA courses are inherently flexible with respect to when/how students complete their assignments, this course’s flexibility extends to its design. Once a student’s Statement of Purpose is accepted, the student will work closely with a member of the Faculty to co-create modules and assessments based on the course’s essential questions.
Acceptance into this course is highly selective.

This is a course for student-athletes who are ready to learn, adapt, and capitalize on Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities. The course covers each of the important elements of NIL, including: Understanding NIL Deals, NIL Brand Partnerships, NIL Professional Development, Student-Athlete Influencer Marketing, and NIL Finances. If you’re a student-athlete with short-term income goals or long-term career aspirations, this course will help you understand and take action safely and confidently.

This course will teach students that engagement in Social Media revolves around their actions, decisions, and interests. They will examine how Social Media has evolved and find authenticity and truth within an online world where people can “be” anyone. They will also learn how their digital footprint makes a bigger impression than their physical one. Students will also discover that their voice is important. They are not only a reader–they are a writer. They don’t just follow the news– they report it as a citizen journalist. And they don’t just gather information–they crowdsource it.
Please note: Students will open social media accounts in this course.

In this course, students are required to participate in weekly cardiovascular, flexibility, strength, and endurance activities. Aimed at lifelong fitness, this course guides you in strategies and techniques to make continual improvements in all areas of wellness. With the guidance of an instructor, you’ll set personal goals in four areas of wellness: physical, emotional, social, and academic. This course uses videos, graphics, and interactive learning opportunities to encourage you to get out and be active. By following personalized training principles, you can gain confidence from personal success while developing healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

We all know money is important in life. But how important? In fact, the financial decisions you make today may have a lasting effect on your future. Rather than feeling anxious about money, feel empowered by learning how to make smart decisions. Personal Finance will begin the conversation around how to spend and save your money wisely, investing in safe opportunities and the days ahead. Learning key financial concepts around taxes, credit, and money management will provide both understanding and confidence as you begin to navigate your own route to future security. Discover how education, career choices, and financial planning can lead you in the right direction to making your life simpler, steadier, and more enjoyable.

With a focus on health and fitness, this course guides students to be active and healthy. Effective strategies and techniques are a foundation of the course so, students can continually make improvements in all areas of wellness. Students set personal goals in four areas of wellness: physical, emotional, social, and academic. Fitness assessments enable students to establish baseline levels of fitness and work toward improvement in specific areas. At the end of each module, students submit a wellness plan documenting their daily physical activity, progress toward goals, changes in fitness assessment results, and reflections on personal progress. By following individualized training principles, students can achieve personal success and gain confidence, while developing healthy lifestyle habits. The course uses videos, graphics, and interactive learning opportunities to encourage students to eat well, get up, and be active.

Within AP U.S. Government and Politics, students develop and use disciplinary practices and reasoning processes to explore political concepts, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students examine core principles, theories, and processes through direct study of U.S. foundational documents and Supreme Court opinions. They also participate in a civic project in which they research, study, and compile data on a political science topic and create a presentation that exhibits their findings and experiences. The AP U.S. Government and Politics course is structured around five big ideas outlined within the College Board Advanced Placement Course Framework. Each big idea is aligned to enduring understanding statements and learning objectives that focus on key concepts and essential knowledge about the foundations of American democracy, civil liberties and civil rights, interactions among branches of government, American political participation, ideologies, and beliefs.
Prerequisite: A or B in prior Social Science courses.

Understanding the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of self and others is critical to developing and maintaining interpersonal relationships. In Psychology, students learn theories of historically significant psychologists who laid the foundation for scientific research and gain a clearer understanding of the human mind. This course explores how psychological perspectives influence personality and play a role in human development across the lifespan. Students examine how behaviors are developed, memories are stored and language is acquired. Students also learn about the symptoms and classifications of psychological disorders, along with the various forms of treatments available. After completing this course, students will be equipped with problem- solving strategies and even learn methods to cope with stress. Practical, everyday application of the content is a focus of this course.

Economic decisions affect us every day of our lives. Understanding economics means thinking about how scarcity requires us to make choices and evaluate one option against others. In this course, students will recognize examples of economics in their daily lives. Students will examine how the economic choices of larger groups, like businesses and governments, affect students and others. As students progress through the course, they will recognize that the costs and benefits of choices connect individuals and groups around the world. The purpose of this course is to help students become a more conscientious consumer who understands the flow of an economy between individuals, businesses, governments, and the rest of the world.

Responsible citizenship, including civil and political participation, is essential to maintain a representative government that truly represents the people of the United States. In this course, students learn about the structure of government and how it shares power at the local, state, and federal levels. This course also explores the founding principles that inspired the Constitution and Bill of Rights, preserving the freedoms that students experience daily. Students will examine the processes of each branch of government, the election process, and how citizens can impact public policy. The media, interest groups, and influential citizens provide examples of how the government can be affected by informed and active participants. Students will examine the U.S. Court system, and become a part of the process by participating in the judicial decision- making process. They will also discover ways the United States interacts with countries around the world, through domestic policy, foreign policy, and human rights policy.

This introductory course covers the basics of United States Law; Civil and Criminal Law; Consumer and Family Law; Immigration Law; Internet and Intellectual Property Law; Juvenile Law; Public Health Law; and Labor Law.

Digital creativity shapes the world—now it’s your turn to add your voice and create it! In this course, you’ll explore the fundamentals of digital imaging while learning to use the elements and principles of art to produce meaningful digital artwork. You’ll take and edit expressive digital photographs, experiment with lighting and perspective, practice photo manipulation, and explore digital drawing and animation. You’ll also learn the basics of typography and create a symbolic typographic artwork of your own. Throughout the course, you’ll analyze art for meaning, write reflective artist statements, and use critique to grow your skills. You’ll even discover careers in the digital arts. This course provides elective credit that partly fulfills the high school performing/fine arts requirement.

Art is all around us. In Visual Art II, you will explore it in creative and meaningful ways through a variety of hands-on and digital materials! You’ll use the elements and principles of art and design to create expressive works such as self-portraits, earth art, paper art, Pop Art, digital art, and pieces inspired by cultures around the world. As you experiment with found objects, paper, digital imaging, and a wide choice of 2D media such as drawing or painting, you’ll learn to analyze art, set artistic goals, and clearly communicate your ideas. Whether you’re new to art or building upon past experience, this course helps you grow your skills and creative confidence. You’ll need some art supplies, but you’ll have plenty of choices in what you use.