Wantagh Middle Schoolers Show Off Elective Classes With Showcase

WANTAGH, NY. — Wantagh Middle School held its first ever elective showcase Dec. 22 and 23, giving eight graders the chance to show younger students what they could learn in some hand-picked eighth grade classes.

The elective showcase divided seventh graders into teams, giving each team two periods to attend the showcase and spend seven minutes viewing a presentation from each of the 12 elective courses offered. The presentations featured discussion of course requirements and projects, while the course list includes classes in art, business, family and consumer sciences, physical education, science, social studies, technology and theater. After each presentation, seventh graders had the chance to ask questions to the teachers and students in each class.

According to Wantagh assistant principal Rachel Quattrocchi, seventh graders will begin choosing which electives they want to take in eight grade in January.

“This is a nice way to quite literally showcase all of the amazing electives we have to
offer,” Quattrocchi said. “Once they hear about a class and see what it has to offer, it might pique their interest.”

Quattrocchi also said that middle school electives help students find out which fields of study are available to them in high school, giving them an introduction to subjects they might want to study at a higher level in high school and beyond.