At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, there are only a limited number of classes offered to students where they are able to learn basic living skills. It is important to have a class that teaches these real world skills in order to ensure that every student is as prepared as they can be for their lives outside of high school.

Some basic living skills that each child should know before graduating high school include the basics of economics and taxes, how to change tires, how to use tools safely and how to sew.These simple skills can be combined into one key class for the success of students and their lives later on.

Having basic living skills classes is essential to students and their lives past high school. These classes could even include how to stay on top of your work and give you tips on how to stay organized. A lot of children grow up without a parental figure in their life and aren’t taught how to function as an adult in college where they will be on their own.

Lifestyle classes at MSD are finance classes like Deca, a class that prepares students in marketing, hospitality, and management, Money Matters, and cooking classes like Culinary. These classes teach finance and cooking, however they don’t teach you how to change a tire or how to use a hammer. This can also help with saving money because they wont need to pay for assistance. These skills are essential for students’ futures.

The class would include skills like building objects out of wood and even how to use a lawnmower. Students could learn how to use a saw safely and learn how to build cabinets. Students can even learn how to sew a button onto their shirt. They would be able to solve basic house issues and be creative in the way they solve these problems.

16 years ago, MSD had a woodworking class where students were able to build creations and learn how to use tools successfully and safely. Students learned about plumbing and even how to use a lawn mower. Since then its been removed due to funding, I believe however with the growth of this school this can be achieved. Classes like this also open children up to thinking outside the box and learning how to solve out of school problems.

MSD removed this program due to a lack of funding. In order to fund the program, we can create a fundraiser and have parents pitch in for their children. If parents knew how much this can shape their child’s future they would maybe pitch in. It was once a class at MSD, and it can be one now.

Every child goes to school and learns how to solve word problems and how to take a test. However, not every child is taught how to use tools or how to change a tire at home. This new elective can change the lives of students and help to shape their lives past highschool. Basic living skills classes would be a great addition to the classes at MSD.