By Charlyne Nguyen
Summer is just around the corner and if students are looking for something productive to do during that time, they should consider taking a voluntary summer preparation class at the Huntington Beach Adult School (HBAS).
“The prep classes don’t fulfill graduation and/or college admission requirements. They are meant as enrichment courses,” College and Career Specialist Irene Yu said.
The classes require students to make a payment in order to attend, with prices ranging from $129 to $219 depending on which course students decide to take.
There are prep courses for many subjects, most of them being Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Students who plan to take these accelerated courses may benefit in long run from taking summer prep courses.
“Students who take a prep class feel much more prepared, score higher on the summer assignment and generally earn better grades, especially in the first quarter/semester,” Huntington Beach High School English teacher Josh Anderson said. “Students often say, ‘I am so glad I took that class’ or ‘that class really helped.’”
If students are just starting out high school or just don’t feel prepared enough to take their upcoming classes, the summer prep courses can also be a great way the confidence to undertake their classes during the school year.
“For incoming 8th graders, taking an English Honors Prep or Algebra Prep class is a great way to connect with their new school and meet students before the school year starts,” HBAS CTE Assistant Principal Jason Ross said. “Most importantly, the classes help students gain important skills that help them get off to a great start in the fall.”
Students will be immersed in the subjects they’re learning for about two weeks, and they will have the guidance of certified Huntington Beach Unified High School District (HBUHSD) teachers helping them every step of the way.
“Students gain confidence in their skills by learning the fundamentals of the subject area, practicing those skills in a supportive environment, and receiving feedback from teachers,” Anderson said.
With the current pandemic changing the tide of everyone’s situation, the format of summer school may differ from previous years.
“Almost all of our classes will be back in person this summer. We currently have one class that will run in a distance learning format, but all others are expected to be in classrooms at the high schools,” Ross said. “However, we have learned this past year that plans must be flexible so we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust as needed.”
If students qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, they are eligible to get a 50% discount on the classes they decided to take.
There are no summer prep classes held at Fountain Valley High School or Marina High School this summer, but students are allowed to take courses at different campuses. For more information on summer preparatory classes, visit check out the academic prep classes 2021 flyer.
