In today’s age, being tech savvy is not a skill but a requirement. Technology is everywhere, and being left in the dark isn’t an option. As new students roll in, the school is taking a different approach on what is required for graduation. Incoming freshmen and beyond are now required to take one computer class as a graduation requirement. 

Business department head Jeff Gustafson is in charge of deciding what computer class, or even classes, the incoming students have to take.

 “The decision [on required computer classes] was made at the district level. They just passed a state law that requires all high school students to take a high school [computer] class,” Gustafson said. 

This new law in place also adds new opportunities for students. It allows students to be more aware of how to use technology. Most students are unaware of how to use technology in a positive light, when the world revolves around posts about their lives online.

Assistant principal Mary Bayne is in charge of requiring students to take the new, in place classes. Though most students say they have the ability to use technology, it is different when applying it in the real world with jobs. Knowing how to text doesn’t make one “tech-savvy.”

“In the classes, it’s [safety] embedded. Though this probably starts in elementary school– I don’t want to say you learn how to be cautionary– but [it] helps teach you good skills on putting yourself out there on social media and what to do and not do,” Bayne said.  

Technology is the new face of businesses. With many jobs focused on using technology to be known, students need the skills of typing, cybersecurity, and how to move around on the Internet safely. In past years, students had to learn typing skills, but the required classes allow them to explore in different ways what they are interested in. 

“It’s not just keyboarding [as an option]– some kids, they want to go into graphic art more. Some want to do the business side of it. So then we have a lot of choices to fulfill that requirement. It’ll appeal to the different passions of kids,” Bayne said. 

Some students have a different take on the new requirements. Junior Amelia Wheeler disagrees with bringing these classes back.

“I personally think that it shouldn’t be a requirement. Because we have been taking computer classes since the sixth grade,” Wheeler said. 

Freshman Peyton Kragskow also believes that this new requirement isn’t needed.

“I think that most students coming up already know how to use technology properly,” Kragskow said. 

Having this all in mind, upgrading and updating is something that is inevitable. So, keeping up with technology and the times is what is not only important for the present generation, but also technology of the future– shaping our world in ways we didn’t know possible.