4 minute read
New Electives to Explore
Article by Brookie Barker ’25
Being a college preparatory school, Paul VI prepares students for life after high school, helping students expand their minds, find their passions, and inspire them to explore future careers.
This year, Paul VI has grown its academic programming and is offering nine new electives, including Christian Discipleship, Digital Video Design and Production, Introduction to AI and Autonomous Mobile Robots, Debate, Marine Biology, Intro to ASL, Intro to Robotic Design, Sports Medicine, and International Trade and Business.
These classes provide opportunities for students to delve deeper into possible career options and gain in-depth and the All Male Choral Ensemble, which provide students with niche interests the ability to dive deeper into the arts, whether by building bird houses from scratch or unraveling conspiracy theories about classic movies.
Mr. Peter Troy, the founder of the American Dream on Film elective, created a class to study the various ways Hollywood has depicted The American Dream over the years in films ranging from “Casablanca” to “Hidden Figures.”
“Each movie we examine opens the class to discussions and reflections that often touch on history, philosophy, the arts, theology, and other academic fields,” Troy explains. Students
His elective closely follows a former graduate course he used to teach but covers a broader view of how economic growth is driven through regulating relations with foreign countries. The class has begun compiling research on different countries to see how their economies function and if they could be a potential trade partner with the United States.
In offering such a wide range of unique electives, Paul VI not only enriches the academic lives of its students, but also equips them with valuable skills and insights for their futures. These courses allow students to dive deep into their interests, whether they’re drawn to business, technology, or the arts, creating a more engaging and personalized high school experience. By nurturing curiosity and encouraging students to pursue their passions, PVI prepares students for college and beyond, setting them on paths toward fulfilling careers and lifelong learning.
Coding Meets Creativity in Robotics
Over the course of the semester in Intro to Robotic Design, Mr. Burkat’s students learned the basics of robot design, including mechanics, electronics, sensors, and programming. Students applied the engineering design process to the FIRST Tech Challenge competition robot and competed against other schools and clubs at the end of the semester.
Our robotics team, the VI Bots, had a strong showing in their first competition, the FTC Chesapeake Regional Qualifier held at the DC International School. Ranked in the top third of the teams, the VI Bots were drafted by a veteran alliance team after the qualifying matches to participate in double-elimination playoffs. Additionally, one of the top teams dropped off a trophy at PVI’s table that read, "Most Worthy Challenger." Students applied the same engineering design process and tools learned in PVI’s other engineering classes, specifically Intro to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering and Aerospace Engineering.
Eye on AI
Next stop... a world of possibilities! In Mr. Hargadon’s Introduction to AI & Applied Robotics elective, students’ views were challenged, expanded, and deepened as they explored this evolving technology. Students are pictured presenting “What is AI” and “How AI Works.”
“One interesting thing we have done to date is the Turing test of OpenAI’s Chat GPT. This is where you test if a response was generated by AI or a human. It was an epic fail for Chat!” shares Mr. Hargadon.
“The AI class utilized a project and presentation based approach that provided a fruitful learning experience,” shares Allen Riotto ’25. “Mr. Hargadon kept us engaged throughout the entire experience. Even our midterm was something I looked forward to: utilizing the concepts learned in class to create a mock company with the goals of using artificial intelligence to create change in the world.”
