Courses for Rising 8th Graders
REGISTRATION for ALL GRADES is OPEN!
Please register your student in the grade they will enroll in for the 2026-27 school year.
**For Clarification: Current 7th Graders are called "Rising 8th Graders" as they approach their 8th grade academic year. Rising 9th Graders are current 8th Graders, Rising 10th Graders are current 9th Graders, and so on.
Registration Opening Dates
Full refunds will be granted up to May 8th at 8:00 pm - no refunds will be issued after that date and time.
Oral Interpretation (Debate)
Instructor: Michael Murray
Grades: 8-12
Fall Semester: June 8 to June 26, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
Oral Interpretation is a 4 hour, three week course which is a "beginner" guide to competitive argumentation. Students learn how to analyze a resolution, engage in critical thinking, prepare debate cases, learn the art of cross-examination, and more, in preparation for competition on the SMHS Debate Team.
Six weeks of Oral Interpretation is UC A-G approved and fulfills SMHS VAPA graduation requirement for students in grades 9-12. Prerequisites and Criteria: In order to complete 1 year of VAPA credit, students need to enroll in both semesters of Oral Interpretation. Each day of attendance represents one week of curriculum. Given the demanding nature of the curriculum, students are permitted only 1.5 days of absences per semester. Exceeding this limit may result in removal from the course without the possibility of a refund. A minimum grade of C is required to pass the course.
Additional Materials Fee: $15
Oral Interpretation (Speech)
Instructor: Michael Murray
Grades: 8-12
Spring Semester: June 29 to July 17, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
Oral Interpretation is a 4 hour "beginner" guide to competitive speech. Students learn public speaking skills, acting, research tools, persuasive writing, and more, in preparation for competition on the SMHS Speech Team.
Six weeks of Oral Interpretation is UC A-G approved and fulfills SMHS VAPA graduation requirement for students in grades 9-12. Prerequisites and Criteria: In order to complete 1 year of VAPA credit, students need to enroll in both semesters of Oral Interpretation. Each day of attendance represents one week of curriculum. Given the demanding nature of the curriculum, students are permitted only 1.5 days of absences per semester. Exceeding this limit may result in removal from the course without the possibility of a refund. A minimum grade of C is required to pass the course.
Additional Materials Fee: $15
Introduction to Media Arts
Instructor: David Basulto
Grades: 8-12
Fall Semester: June 8 to June 26, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
Are you ready to start your journey as a content creator? This class will teach you the basics of creating short-form video content with mobile devices. Students learn how to properly use their own devices such as an iPhone or iPad to create professional-looking videos for their YouTube channels, class presentations, and much more. You will learn the top 19 shoots that make your movies look like a Hollywood blockbuster, how to use accessories to make filming easier and more like the pros, and how to capture great sound. We also discuss social media and digital literacy to help you understand the importance of being an upright digital citizen. Students should bring their own iPhones and iPads.
UC Approved for 9-12th graders only. Credit for this course will be applied to the 5 credit CTE requirement. This course can receive VAPA credit after CTE credit is fulfilled and MUST be paired with Introduction to Graphic Design. In order to meet UC requirements VAPA credits must fall under the same discipline (visual arts). Each day of attendance represents one week of curriculum. Given the demanding nature of the curriculum, students are permitted only 1.5 days of absences per semester. Exceeding this limit may result in removal from the course without the possibility of a refund. A minimum grade of C is required to pass the course.
Additional Materials Fee: $15
Introduction to Graphic Design
Instructor: Robbin Rae McCulloch
Grades: 8-12
Fall Semester: June 8 to June 26, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
This class introduces students to the software and technologies used to create much of what constitutes two-dimensional design in the world around us: websites, marketing and branding (logos), on-screen motion graphics in films and on TV, promotional materials, posters, packaging and the like. This course is project-oriented. Students will learn the basic features of the two primary graphics applications: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Students will investigate these tools by way of research, exercises, projects and presentations that engage the fundamental vocabulary of art and design. By way of hands-on practice, students will learn the basics of inputting, creating and outputting digital media.
UC Approved for 9-12th graders only. Credit for this course will be applied to the 5 credit CTE requirement. This course can receive VAPA credit after CTE credit is fulfilled and MUST be paired with Introduction to Media Arts. In order to meet UC requirements VAPA credits must fall under the same discipline (visual arts). Each day of attendance represents one week of curriculum. Given the demanding nature of the curriculum, students are permitted only 1.5 days of absences per semester. Exceeding this limit may result in removal from the course without the possibility of a refund. A minimum grade of C is required to pass the course.
Additional Materials Fee: $15
Introduction to Graphic Design
Instructor: Robbin Rae McCulloch
Grades: 8-12
Spring Semester: June 29 to July 17, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
This class introduces students to the software and technologies used to create much of what constitutes two-dimensional design in the world around us: websites, marketing and branding (logos), on-screen motion graphics in films and on TV, promotional materials, posters, packaging and the like. This course is project-oriented. Students will learn the basic features of the two primary graphics applications: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Students will investigate these tools by way of research, exercises, projects and presentations that engage the fundamental vocabulary of art and design. By way of hands-on practice, students will learn the basics of inputting, creating and outputting digital media.
UC Approved for 9-12th graders only. Credit for this course will be applied to the 5 credit CTE requirement. This course can receive VAPA credit after CTE credit is fulfilled and MUST be paired with Introduction to Media Arts. In order to meet UC requirements VAPA credits must fall under the same discipline (visual arts). Each day of attendance represents one week of curriculum. Given the demanding nature of the curriculum, students are permitted only 1.5 days of absences per semester. Exceeding this limit may result in removal from the course without the possibility of a refund. A minimum grade of C is required to pass the course.
Additional Materials Fee: $15
*NEW COURSE OFFERING*
Write Your Own Book: From Idea to Outline
Instructor: Spring Hempsey
Grades: 8-12
Fall and Spring Semester: June 8 to July 17, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM-12:20 PM
This is a creative summer writing course for high school students with big ideas who aren't sure how to turn them into a book. In this hands-on elective, students choose to work in fiction or nonfiction and learn how real authors plan long-form writing. Through guided activities, discussion, and workshop time, students develop their author voice, clarify purpose and audience, and build a complete, chapter-by-chapter outline. By the end of this six-week course, students leave with a finished book outline and the confidence to continue writing on their own.
This course provides no credit.
Additional Materials Fee: $30
*NEW COURSE OFFERING*
Designing Your World
Instructor: Dave Cameron
Grades: 8-12
Fall Semester: June 8 to June 26, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM-12:20 PM
This hands-on elective provides a unique space for those eager to imagine and build a more sustainable future. By focusing on local challenges, students will design bold, actionable ideas to foster a thriving and resilient community. The course utilizes a truly interdisciplinary approach, weaving together environmental literacy, civics, and the history-social sciences to provide a deep context for modern urban planning. Through design-based learning, participants will not only strengthen their public speaking and leadership skills, but will also apply practical math and engineering principles to bring their architectural and environmental models to life.
This course provides no credit.
Additional Materials Fee: $25
*NEW COURSE OFFERING*
Designing Your World
Instructor: Dave Cameron
Grades: 8-12
Spring Semester: June 29 to July 17, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM-12:20 PM
This hands-on elective provides a unique space for those eager to imagine and build a more sustainable future. By focusing on local challenges, students will design bold, actionable ideas to foster a thriving and resilient community. The course utilizes a truly interdisciplinary approach, weaving together environmental literacy, civics, and the history-social sciences to provide a deep context for modern urban planning. Through design-based learning, participants will not only strengthen their public speaking and leadership skills, but will also apply practical math and engineering principles to bring their architectural and environmental models to life.
This course provides no credit.
Additional Materials Fee: $25
Creative Writing
Instructor: Sergio Cervantes
Grades: 8-12
Fall Semester: June 8 to June 26, 2026
Daily: 8:00 AM to 12:20 PM
If you aspire to write creatively and don’t know how to get started, or if you already write creatively but want to expand your know-how, this Creative Writing course is for you. This class will provide many fundamental techniques geared to motivate and cultivate a student’s creative writing ability. As young writers, you will learn to spark story ideas via observation, personal experience, writing prompts and freewriting. Topics will include an introduction to traditional story structure, writing from different points of view, the creation of dynamic characters, poetic voice, and the art of creating engaging dialogue. Students will write regularly in journals, read and examine the published works of contemporary YA authors, and other professional writers. They will also engage with different forms of narrative craft, including short stories, flash fiction, novels, and writing for stage and screen. The goal is for our class to become a supportive community of writers, as we experiment, craft, revise, and tinker with our work.
This course is for enrichment only and offers no high school credit.
Additional Materials Fee: $15