Are you looking for a new elective? Do you need a class to fill the slot for one you are dropping? Lucky for you, two new courses are being offered during the second semester.

One of these courses is Religion, Sport, and the Common Good taught by Dr. Smith. The main goal of the class is to tackle 3 things: how religions relate to sports, how and why sports make people feel religious, and what Christian fans should do with those religious feelings towards sports. It aims to approach questions like whether God picks who wins the Super Bowl, and if so, is He in control of each play?

Dr. Smith is a “deeply religious SEC fan” who has wrestled with these questions for years. He also researched the topic during grad school, so he has a lot of experience with it.

Dr. Smith is excited to teach the class, saying it will be a particularly good reflection for athletes at CCES. When asked about the class, he said “it [will force] you to ask a theological question in a different way”.

The class will be during 3rd period and is currently open to 10th-12th grade. However, if you are a freshman and interested in the course, email Dr. Smith to let him know.

The other new course is Modern American Issues taught by Mr. Miranda. The goal of this class is to examine current issues and questions affecting America through research and argumentative writing. 

The entirety of the course will follow a similar format. After the topic is announced, students will research it to expand their knowledge. Everyone will then discuss their research with the class, and finally, write a 5 paragraph persuasive essay based on the opinions they have formed. The topics are current and are often student suggestions. Mr. Miranda says, “whatever is happening is what we go for”. 

The course is based on an assignment that Mr. Miranda used to give at his previous school. It was an assignment that students found “super enjoyable,” so he is very excited to offer the course this coming semester. 

The class will be during 4th period and is currently open to all grade levels. 

If either of these classes sounds interesting, talk to Mrs. Beckrich about enrolling in them!