For many young students, the fun of taking FACS courses typically isn’t taken seriously. FACS teacher Kendra Smith, who manages six different classes, shares her opinion over the importance of these classes.
Smith teaches Baking and Pastry, Fashion and Apparel, Interior Design, Child Development, Personal Development and Human Relationships. She believes there are valuable life skills taught in each of her classes.
“Baking and Pastry is learning how to cook and knowing how to do measurements,” Smith said.
Although the class is filled with fun dessert creations, Smith believes cooking and baking techniques are important for students’ future.
“I think everybody should take the Culinary Essentials course to at least [learn] the basics and how to cook,” Smith said.
She believes it’s vital for students who plan to live on their own after high school to learn the foundations of food and how to cook by themselves to be successful.
Even though culinary basics are crucial life skills, learning ho
w to take care of a child and a future family is just as essential.
“[In] Child Development, we learn about having a kid,” Smith said. “Probably 85% of people in this building will have a child at some point in their life.”
Students learn how to correctly take care of a baby and understand how children develop to continue to care for them.
For some students, trouble may arise after graduation if they lack financial aid, housing or support from parents or guardians. Smith’s personal development class helps with this.
“[You] learn about all the things that happened to you throughout your life,” Smith said. “It gives you an idea of things that may happen, ways you can make things easier on yourself and know where to get the information you need.”
Students can benefit from this class if they struggled throughout their childhood or just want to learn more about themselves.
While it may be difficult to require all lifestyle classes for graduation, Smith encourages students to enroll in lifestyle classes to prepare them for their futures.
“They are excellent courses to take so [students] can see how the future might be for them,” she said. “We talk about college experiences, living on yo
ur own and having a family — that’s important.”
