By Alex Pineda

The new school year has brought a large amount of incoming students that allowed the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School staff to add more members as well as a more diverse class selection.

“The new classes help keep the other (classes) less crowded which helps a lot of kids get more attention,” junior Alfonso Serrano said.

This school year, there are four new courses. All the classes available are considered as elective classes and are being taken by a majority of juniors and seniors.

Most of the classes that are provided this school year have been used to expand further education in the school’s field of journalism and communication.

The new photography and video production electives are taught by Mark Middlebrook, both of which last two periods. The video class is set around the idea that students will learn the technical and creative parts of filmmaking.

The photography class is set to teach the students the study of photography and further reference to the equipment and to connect them to other journalistic or communication opportunities.

“I think the two period class actually helps students get the complete education of the subject especially because it’s filled with a lot of information and practice,” video student Jocelyn Rivera said.

The new astronomy class which is being taught by Stephen Schaffter adds another science choice for students.

The class focuses on the study of space science but also revolves around the idea of rocket science much like his other science classes.

The keyboarding class offered by Jackie Gorski adds a new instrument available to students with all new musical equipment. The class offers another possibility for students to fulfill their performing arts credits that are necessary for graduation.

“I think the new classes help students get their credits for graduation and also open them up to opportunities that bigger schools have with their bigger campuses and staff,” said parent Flor Muñoz.