Electives

An introduction to elements of design, spatial relationships, typography and imagery as they apply to practical visual solutions for self-promotion, resumes, logo design, Web design, and sequential systems. This course instructs the student in graphic design skills employing traditional and digital tools, materials and procedures employed in the communication arts industry. The focus will be on finding creative visual solutions to communication problems using technical skills.

Students become familiar with the basic principles of a personal computer, including the internal hardware, operating system, and software applications. Students gain practice in using key applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software, as well as understand social and ethical issues around the Internet, information, and security. A focus is on the fundamentals: learning and using the applications and understanding the basic roles and responsibilities of the software, hardware, and operating system. Another focus is on gathering and analyzing data and using the right tools and methods to collect and present data.

Team building allows students to work together in social situations just as they would in the classroom, their daily lives, or down the road in the workplace. How often are they challenged with a task to do with others where they don’t know how to work in these situations? Team building challenges students to problem solve and execute working with others. It shows them how to be accountable.  As the groups progress through the day the activities are tailored to specifically help individuals achieve some goals with the group. Team building allows students to develop stronger relationships and trust among each other. Certain activities can be designed to improve communication and limit conflict in a group.  Team building often consists of two parts for each challenge or activity. There is the initial activity and then afterwards is time for reflection. This is a time where students truly show how much they’ve learned and how far they’ve grown.  Through many different games and activities, students are able to build and develop many different skills that they may not have been able to elsewhere. It is a great time for new experiences and new challenges.

Explaining global news to a global audience: This is the mission of CNN 10, a new, 10-minute news show that appears as a daily digital video on CNN.com. CNN 10 replaces CNN Student News, the network's longest-running show that first aired in 1989. CNN 10 more effectively serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show's priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they're making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society. Viewers will learn from every story on CNN 10. The show maintains a neutral position on controversial topics. It seeks to provide multiple viewpoints, clear illustrations, and general overviews instead of graphic descriptions.

Students are engaged with positive social behaviors with peers and staff.  They plan to participate in a variety of organized campus activities. All choices promote success, strength-based, collaborative interactions among the Clifford Academy community.