From ceramics to weight training, Camas High School (CHS) offers a variety of elective classes that allow students to take a break from their academic courses throughout the school day. While these classes may seem like an easy A, students can be surprised by the standards these classes are graded by, as they are comparative to the standards applied to all academic classes and can still affect their grade-point average (GPA).

Senior Natalie Ge is currently taking AP Studio Art because she already took other art classes and was looking for a more advanced art course. “My grade in this class is not currently up to my own standards, but I’m able to raise my grade before the end of the semester and maintain my GPA,” Ge said. 

One reason students may see a grade drop in their elective classes is because they are heavily graded on participation. 

“I think that although putting late [participation-based assignments] into the grade book as zeros can make students feel pressured to rush their work, it is still necessary to run a class efficiently,” Ge said. 

Similar to art, the majority of a fitness class grade is also determined by the level of the student’s participation. At CHS, 60 percent of a fitness class grade is based on participation.

Fitness teacher Valerie Parbon said, “CHS fitness classes are graded based on a combination of national, state, and school standards; in which we have a hard time getting to all of them. Fitness testing, based on the pre-set standards, only accounts for 20 percent of a student’s overall fitness grade, while written assessments and quizzes account for the remaining 20 percent.” 

CHS Senior Lil Walsh is currently taking Bodyworks because she wanted to incorporate yoga and cardio-based exercises into their routine. “I like how the class is mostly based on participation, although I do believe that it’s sometimes unfair that PE classes are graded on how ‘fit’ you are rather than how hard you try,” Walsh said. 

Students should not feel discouraged when they see a drop in their elective class grades, especially since teachers provide them with several opportunities to do their best work and maximize their potential. 

“​Our department believes all students deserve the opportunity to be fit and healthy. Students should come ready to work and try new things in their elective classes and have the ability to work with different kinds of people. They should be prepared to engage,” Parbon said.