High School Electives

At The Smith School, we offer a wide variety of exciting elective courses that encourage creativity, exploration, and innovation across multiple disciplines. Whether you're interested in fine arts, technology, or writing, there's something to spark your imagination and help you grow your skills.

The Smith School Music Department provides a creative outlet for students to explore music through performance, production, and theory. Whether you’re learning guitar, drums, or voice, music classes encourage collaboration and self-expression, culminating in showcases and professional-level recording projects in our state-of-the-art facility.

For students with an interest in Art, we offer both studio art and advanced placement classes, focusing on a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media. From drawing and painting to sculpture and mixed media, students develop their artistic skills while exploring the world of art history. Our advanced students even have the opportunity to submit a portfolio for College Board’s AP Art and Design exams.

Our Computer Science elective invites students into the world of digital creation, combining artistic vision with technical know-how. From video editing to web design with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, students engage in project-based learning to create interactive digital portfolios, all while utilizing tools like Khan Academy and Replit to enhance their tech skills.

In Robotics, students explore the world of electronics and coding by working with Raspberry Pi and Python to create their own autonomous robots. This hands-on course focuses on technical skills like wiring, programming, and troubleshooting, culminating in a final project that demonstrates the knowledge gained throughout the course.

For those intrigued by Film, the "Foundations of Film Analysis" course allows students to dive deep into the art, culture, and technology of cinema. From early silent films to contemporary masterpieces, students will sharpen their analytical skills, gaining a greater appreciation of film's aesthetic and ideological impact while exploring a variety of film movements and styles.

In Exploring Graphic Novels, students dive into the unique world of comics, studying the interplay between text and images. Through critical reading and creative writing projects, students develop storytelling and visual communication skills, while engaging with works such as Maus, March, and Understanding Comics.

In Elective Writing, students with a passion for self-expression can hone their writing through a hands-on approach. Focusing on building writing habits and exploring different genres, students gain the tools they need to craft everything from fiction to college essays, all while strengthening their ability to write in multiple contexts.

At The Smith School, our electives empower students to explore their interests and talents in a dynamic, supportive environment, helping them develop both technical skills and creative self-expression.