With the beginning of 2024, Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) hosted their annual Program Fair from Jan. 9 to Jan. 10, 2024. The Program Faire has piqued students’ interest with the chance to explore potential courses at Foothill Tech.

The faire occurred during the Foothill Intervention, Reinforcement and Enrichment (FIRE) period. Teachers opened their doors to share a glimpse into their programs with eager dragons. In some of the classes, presentations were prepared to show the students what their programs could bring to their academic journeys.

Art

At Foothill Tech, Art is led by Justin Frazier; the levels of the subject include Art 1, Art 2, Art 3 and Advanced Placement (AP) Art. Art 3 and AP Art are different from the other two, as the first two classes are about teaching art and the last two are about teaching creativity.

Frazier added, “I want people self motivated to be creative. It is not about being able to draw perfectly, but it’s about being a creative person and that translates into everything in life.”

To take any level of art all you have to do is register for the class.

Associated Student Body (ASB)

ASB is run by Melanie “Captain” Lindsey. The elective itself works towards supporting Foothill Tech in many different ways, such as planning dances, fundraisers, spirit days and Renaissance Rallies. The main idea of the elective is to build a stronger union among Foothill through memories of the events that they host for students of Foothill Tech.

To apply to ASB, there is a two part application process.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)

AVID is run by Heather Ferris, and the purpose of AVID is to prepare students for college. It focuses on teaching students how to get through all of the rigors of high school with learning a number of skills that they will need in the future.

To apply for this students can go through the Common Application, but they also need passing grades to be in AVID.

BioScience Academy (BioScience)

BioScience is a pathway for students who are interested in going into medical or laboratory science. It is a three year program with BioScience Survey, Medical Technology and Biotechnology. Mika Anderson is the Director of BioScience. Anderson mentions, “It is for students interested in areas of medicine and STEM or biotechnology, while looking for students who love science and math and who are willing to work hard for the gains.”

Drama

Drama is taught by Jennifer Kindred, it is an elective in which they produce plays and study dramatic literature. Kindred described her students, saying, “I just want students who are interested in talking to one another and having relationships with their friends.”

Registering for the class is all that is required to join Drama.

DTech

DTech is a program in which the goal is to help future students who want a future in design, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. They create student-run businesses with online shops selling products that they make in the DTech lab. It is a two year long program, with the potential option of becoming a paid intern. DTech is run by Brooke Johnson and Yiu Hung Li.

To get into DTech, there is a two-part application. You need to apply to the Common Application and the second part is to make a design assigned by the DTech application.

Johnson went on to discuss what their application process may be looking for. She mentioned, “We need a wide variety of students anywhere, from your more artsy student to a student who might want to focus on engineering.”

Ethnic Studies and Social Justice

Run by Claire Adams, this class focuses on the history of the United States of America, past and present day, and how marginalized groups of people were treated. To join, all you need to do is register, and it is open for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Adams described the class as something for, “Absolutely everybody, I would encourage everyone to take this class. I think it’s very important.”

Film

As a two year program, there is the option of Film 1 and Film 2. It is a class for everyone, but mainly for students who are interested in developing creative analytical skills towards movies and shows. The main teaching goal is to help students learn about analyzing and interpreting film.

Open to all Foothill Tech students, Film is a class that just needs registration to join.

Grafx

Grafx, run by Cameron Crouch, is a two year program. The first class is Con Commercial Digital Media and Design Honors (DMAD). The second class is Cap Advanced Digital Media Arts and Communications Honors (Adv. DMAC). This class focuses on the art of production and creative expression. Every student will create a digital portfolio of all their work at the end of the class.

Grafx is a class that can be registered for.

Journalism

Journalism is a student-led program with adviser Yiu Hung Li. Members will have the ability to post their work on the Foothill Dragon Press, the student-run publication of Foothill Tech. Applicants will have the opportunity to apply to join sections within the publication. News section reports on school and local events. Sports section writes about athletics at Foothill Tech, by covering games and featuring individual athletes. The writing section produces a variety of work, ranging from features, A&E as well as opinions. Photo, video and art sections all create media to accompany the articles.

Journalism requires a part two aside from the Common Application.

Makerspace

Makerspace is run by Conni Carr and Kristen Pelfrey. The class is based on learning how to code to create a variety of . Every grade is welcome to take Makerspace as an elective.

Makerspace can simply be registered for through the Common Application.

Mathematics AP

There are multiple options of what math you could take as an upperclassman: AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC and more. These classes are taught by Wayne Powers and William Huffman.

To take these courses, you have to qualify based on grades from previous math classes.

Powers described the rigor and expectations of the courses, “It’s pretty challenging and a student who wants to take these classes should be someone who enjoys doing math … someone who’s ready to buy a lot of erasers and someone who’s ready to put in a lot of time.”

Psychology: CP and AP

Psychology is taught by Heather Ferris, and the class is to help students understand human functionality and how the world is understood. The goal of the class is studying human behavior and how the brain works.

The course is available for upperclassmen, who can register for it.

Software Development

Software Development is instructed by Conni Carr, and it focuses on algorithm and program developing skills that are needed for web development. The class used this code to make exciting online content, and this academic year’s students made 2D and 3D creations. It is a two year program, with Structured or Honors Structured Programming, followed with Honors Object-Oriented Programming.

Software Development requires a part two aside from the Common Application.

Yearbook

Yearbook, run by Justin Fraizer, is split up into sections of people, from photography to writing, and they all work as a whole to make the yearbook that Foothill Tech receives every year.

The Common Application is required to register for the class.

Frazier noted, “My goal for the yearbook is that students who are going to be active make the yearbook what they want to see.”

Spanish

Foothill Tech offers many Spanish courses such as 1, 2, 3, 4 and AP Spanish 4. Most students start at Spanish 1, while others can go into native speaking as an option.

Spanish simply needs to be registered for.

Wellness Center

Led by Rebecca Wulff, this elective is to teach students on how to cope with mental issues and to make them aware of them. The class’s goal is to improve mental health all over the campus.

Interns of this program can participate in workshops and help share information. There are requirements in being in this program, such as being a sophomore or a junior, having to volunteer 4 hours a week and having solid communication skills.

To get into this program you have to apply. There are two parts the first being the Common App and the second being the Wellness Peer application.

This Program Fair has opened new potential pathways for students at Foothill Tech. As the first semester ends, the next steps were put in motion.