Pleasant Valley High School has several beneficial classes that help prepare for a student’s future. However, many students have found there are some classes not only preparing them for the future but also impacting their present lives. These high school classes are valuable ways to help get a decent job while in high school.

One class that gives students different advantages in their lives is the Lifeguarding class taught by Eric Royer. In the class, you have the opportunity to get a lifeguarding certification. This gives students the training they need to get a job at water parks, swimming pools, aquatic therapy programs, and teaching swimming lessons.

One of the advantages of taking the lifeguard class, instead of completing the certification elsewhere, is the class only costs 50 dollars, and you are not paying 180 dollars at the Red Cross class in Rock Island. Another reason to take the class to become a lifeguard, is it happens during the school day. This is especially convenient for those students that have extracurricular activities. The final benefit for taking the class is lifeguarding class counts as a P.E. credit for the semester.

Despite the benefit of P.E. credit, there are reasons for some people to not to take the lifeguarding class. Shveta Kalathur, a sophomore who is taking the lifeguarding class right now advised, “Anyone who is not a strong swimmer should not sign up for the class. Anyone lacking an interest in actually using the skills should also not sign up as an alternative for gym class.”

Kalathur is taking the lifeguarding class, so that she can help out with an aquatics therapy program at the Children’s Therapy Center for her service learning. Students do not have to use the lifeguarding certification for only lifeguarding, there are other opportunities that make the lifeguarding class worth it.

Lifeguarding is not the only class with the opportunity to get a job while in high school. Debbie Claussen teaches the Child Development class, and supervises the PVHS Preschool program. After taking this class, many of the students end up getting a job at preschools and daycares. Taking the class is beneficial for getting a job at these places because the experience gives a more professional look to student’s resumes.

The experience that students gain in the class are guidance techniques, and being able to brighten the days of children who are feeling down. These skills are very helpful to connect with the kids and to make sure the children are enjoying themselves. Claussen said that the most challenging concepts for the students to learn in the class are understanding the students are the ones in charge of the kids, time management is important, and there is a big difference between three year olds, and five year olds.

Students who enjoy kids should look into this class. Claussen said that one of the highlights of teaching this class is, “Many students visit me the next year saying that they would love to take the class again.”

As students are trying to figure out what they want to do in future classes and are still struggling to find a job, considering these two classes will be worth your while.