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.

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.

Consumer Mathematics improves math skills by focusing on real- world topics. This course is creatively designed to take students on a real-life journey beginning in their teenage years, then moving to life after high school and eventually retirement. Whether solving equations related to income or writing linear functions to better understand inflation, students use a variety of math skills to make informed consumer decisions. This course can be taken in a variety of circumstances including as a 4th- year mathematics course with or without taking Algebra II, to reinforce important concepts after taking Algebra I, for the benefit of understanding how mathematics relates to everyday life, or even as a part of a CTE Program of Study.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1

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.

Explore the political, cultural, and religious changes throughout history that are depicted within art! This course is an opportunity for students to reflect on how art is used as a vehicle to communicate, depict political and religious propaganda, and serve as evidence of cultural shifts and changes. Students are challenged to analyze art and its context through reflective writing assessments and projects. Lessons emphasize how art reflects and communicates cultural change and evolution. Modules foster critical skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation by asking students to analyze historical context, note artistic choices and features, and extract themes across art in various times and places.

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.

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.