At Parkway West, English courses for upperclassmen don’t look the way they used to. When English IV was removed as a senior course option in 2023, the English department needed a way to maintain high academic expectations. To support students in fulfilling the requirement of completing four years of English credits, the English department built a lineup of engaging classes that blend literature with common interests such as sports, music and film. 

Film Studies is an unconventional option for students. It deviates from a typical English class because, rather than reading books, the class allows students to analyze films. Students observe the impact of cinema on culture and society. Data shows that 80% of students become more engaged in learning after watching films related to their classwork, showing the benefit of taking this course.

“Film has always felt important to me. That version of storytelling, to me, is awesome,” English teacher Cara Borgsmiller said. “[Students will] come back and they’ll point out things about films we watched when they took the class that they hadn’t noticed before. It’s like they still want to talk more about it.” 

With unique offerings that extend beyond AP or honors classes, many students have taken advantage of these courses. The number of students enrolling in these classes has nearly doubled since their introduction in 2023.  Last year, the most popular classes were Comparative Mythology with 88 students, Debate with 79 students and Creative Writing with 78 students enrolled. This year, Words on Fire: Books that Challenge Society and Reading for Personal Enrichment are experiencing growing enrollment. Many of these course offerings are just semester-long, so students can explore multiple options throughout their senior year. 

“[The] growth came from kids saying to other kids, ‘You have to take this.’ We hand the choices to students, and the numbers decide the rest,” English Department Chair Shannan Cremeens said. “If you want a class to happen, [talk about it.]. That’s really how these courses come to life.” 

Sports Literature and Composition is also a popular course, relating to common student experiences. Taught by English teacher Kaleb Schumer, the class involves exploring literary themes through a sports mindset. Students also develop presentational skills, write essays and pick from a selection of books to read: “Friday Night Lights: A Town, a team, and a dream”, “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” and “The Blind Side: The Evolution of a Game.”  

“I [aimed for] the class to not only be about sports, but also [using] sports as a lens to look at the larger world. By using sports as a lens, we’re able to kind of better understand the world around us,” Schumer said.

For students involved in sports, this class has piqued their interest. Senior Drew Bauman joined the class after hearing good things from friends who had taken it in the past. Bauman has been on the boys’ varsity soccer team for two years and has played soccer since the age of five.

“I’ve been involved with sports my whole life. I’m not usually one to like English, but with [the class] being sports-related, it’s been [more up my alley]. It’s been my favorite English class I’ve taken in high school so far,” Bauman said.

While classes like Sports Literature connect English to students’ personal interests, other electives, such as Creative Writing, give students the chance to explore their own ideas and stories more freely through writing. In Creative Writing, students discover professional writing techniques, which they can apply to personal narratives, short stories and poetry. Like many students, senior Kenzie Hagen chose to take Creative Writing to fulfill her credit requirements, yet she ended up discovering a newfound interest in writing.  

“In Creative Writing, I’ve been able to find myself a lot more than [in] other classes,” Hagen said. “I didn’t realize how deep and how much passion [I] could have for writing, and I love every bit of it. English has always been one of my favorite subjects, and with creative writing, that just boosted it above all the other classes I’ve taken.”

These electives offer students a unique opportunity: the chance to stretch beyond their comfort zones and engage deeply with material that sparks their specific interests.

Parkway West adjusts which electives are on the schedule each year based on student enrollment for the courses. When English IV was canceled, many of the current electives grew; the addition of options like Words on Fire: Books that Challenge Society, Comparative Mythology and Reading for Personal Enrichment has shifted student demand and caused a small decline in Creative Writing as students redistributed into the new classes. 

The growth of these electives shows just how much students shape the classes around them. When a course starts filling up, it isn’t just numbers on a roster – it’s a sign that students are genuinely excited about what they’re learning.

“Get curious. Find your people, sign up together, and [be willing to try something new]. That is how we keep building [up these classes].” Cremeens said.

For more information about these unique courses, visit the Curriculum Guide on the Parkway West homepage.