UTAP & JATS: Going from 2:30 to 7:15!

Alexandra Kouropteva, Staff Writer

 

   Administration makes new additions to their curriculum, appearance, and faculty every school year. But what new changes will come in the fall? The JATS Sports Medicine Club and the UTAP Future Educators Club will be the make new additions to the course cards.

   Mr.Sanchez, one of Charter’s Government and Economics teachers, will now start to teach UTAP, a class dedicated to teaching students how to become an educator and what they do. Mr.Sanchez had the idea to transition the club into class, with administration all for it—since the school has been hoping to add more curriculum into the programs. He was really excited with the news, stating, “I have a passion for teaching and I want to instill it in the future generation.” He also plans on encouraging students to become educators due to the lack of involvement in recent years. 

   When asked if students were planning on joining the class, he expressed his confidence that the club members would join and hopefully new students will as well. He explains that although he enjoyed running the UTAP club, having a classroom will be easier to maintain. “It would be more balanced and I would get the opportunity to invest more time with the students.” Mr. Sanchez, already thrilled to begin this journey, states that if another teacher is willing to start a program of their own, they will definitely receive the same support that he did. 

   For a few years now, Ms. Alongi has been the AP U.S History (APUSH) and Aice Thinking Skills instructor, as well as the sponsor for the JATS Sports Medicine club. However, she will now be having students learning the ins-and-outs of sports medicine during school hours in her new class.

   Ms.Alongi’s idea to transform JATS into a class was influenced by the Athletic Trainer at the Everglades School who recommended it first to her. She wants the kids in the club to now be hands-on when they learn, “I would like them to learn how to tape ankles and assess different types of injuries.” Thinking that it would be difficult to convince Mr.Bayer to sign off on it, she created an in-depth presentation. Fortunately, Mr.Bayer was all for the idea and liked it right away, not needing to see the rest of her work. Of course, Ms.Alongi was ecstatic knowing she had the administration on board. 

   The APUSH teacher expects the class to be full of the students she’s helped out in her time at Charter, but there are only 70 spots to fill. She hopes having a classroom now will help the students gain experience in assisting athletes when they are injured during and after their games. “I think that kids will now know more about the stuff they need to do and know before going out to the games and helping out.”

   Overall the new additions seem to receive good feedback from students, but will this inspire club sponsors to join in and transform their clubs into classes as well?