Students who are not particularly fond of taking art classes are often left wondering why there are required art credits. Right now, students must collect two art credits to graduate. Students have many different ways of making up these credits.

They can take drama, ceramics, painting, journalism, and many other classes. Some students want to replace art credits with another credit of their choice; for example, if a student is better at fitness, they would like to replace their art credit for more fitness credits, or something of that manner.

“Art is a Washington State requirement,” said Mrs. Sarah Warta, a counselor at Camas High School.

This means students cannot change the number of credits they want to take and also cannot replace certain credits for other credits.

“There is a mandate about what classes are required,” Warta added, which ties in with students not being able to pick what classes they can take if they want to graduate.

Some students are fine with the number of art credits needed to graduate, while others would like to replace their art credits with credits of their choice. This is because they think it will help them succeed if they already know what they want for their future.

The Washington State Board of Education requirement states that students need two art credits and can and replace one of those credits with a personalized pathway requirement.

A personalized pathway requirement gives some students the option of picking classes that coincide with the path of work they would like to go into after high school. CHS gives students a lot of options regarding what classes they can take and letting students pick which classes they would like to take based on what they want their future to look like. These classes are classified as art credits that allow students to meet the art credit requirement and still take classes that they would like.

Featured Image by Lily Dozier