This course will introduce students to graphic design skills using both traditional and digital tools and materials employed in the visual communication industry. The focus will be on finding creative visual solutions to communication problems with emphasis on the elements and principles of design. Students will also be exposed to such topics as color theory, Gesalt principles, and the role of graphic design and the designer in the world today. Students will be utilizing graphics programs including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

This year-long, project-based course immerses student leaders in the full process of yearbook design and publication. Students work as a creative team to produce visual media that both reflects and shapes school culture. Through layout design, photography, and journalistic writing, students engage in the artistic process to build, refine, and publish the annual yearbook.

Leadership is at the core of this course. Students are expected to take initiative, manage responsibilities, and contribute to a collaborative editorial culture where each member plays a vital role. Designers must understand their target audience and make deliberate design, photographic, editorial, and writing decisions that demonstrate integrity and purpose. Students will lead and participate in structured critique sessions, evaluating peer work for content, design quality, originality, and ethical considerations. Through this leadership-focused creative process, students not only produce a polished publication but also build a professional portfolio that supports future college and career pathways.

As a leadership course, Yearbook requires a substantial commitment beyond regular class time. Students will earn 15 hours of non-profit community service through their editorial and production work.

Additional Expectations: Students must meet external production deadlines and invest one to two hours per week of lab time outside of class, especially during press week.

ASL I introduces students to the background and development of various signing methods, along with Deaf culture. Students will become proficient in basic communication through fingerspelling, non-manual markers, the five parameters of ASL, and a small introduction to glossing in ASL word order. The course encourages greater peer-to-peer interaction, benefiting students' learning through active collaboration. Students will explore how ASL integrates into their Biblical understanding and learn the value and necessity of using ASL to share their faith in Jesus. American Sign Language is recognized as a foreign language by many colleges and universities.

Additional Expectations: Students will engage in “voice off” classes occasionally, immersing themselves in Deaf culture by learning without using their voices.

Important Note: While ASL can be a rewarding language choice, it presents unique challenges for native English speakers, as it requires mastering a movement-based system of communication distinct from traditional spoken and written languages. Students with accommodations or difficulty processing new grammatical structures may find ASL more demanding than other language options at VCHS, such as Latin, Spanish, or French. Careful consideration and consultation with advisors are recommended before selecting this course.

ASL II builds on foundational skills with an increased focus on the distinction between facial expressions, body movements, classifiers, and non-manual markers. Students will learn body punctuation and expand their vocabulary with over 500 new words. The course emphasizes a greater understanding of grammatical structures and ASL word order translation. In addition to studying Deaf culture, Deaf art, and Deaf history, students will encapsulate their knowledge in a Deaf culture group project in the first semester. Semester Two includes guided conversations and a movie storytelling presentation that emphasizes the creativity and expressive nature of sign language.

Additional Expectations: Students will engage in “voice off” classes more often, immersing themselves in Deaf culture by learning without using their voices.

ASL III introduces over 600 new vocabulary words and focuses on navigating the world as an adult and a professional while advocating for the Deaf community. Students will learn to aid Deaf individuals in health emergency scenarios and explore how visual storytelling helps the Deaf community advocate for proper representation. The course also emphasizes using technology and a Biblical understanding of the Imago Dei in advocating for Deaf rights. Students will master classifiers and ensure their glossing in ASL word order is aligned with all variations of time, location, topic, verb, and comment/action. Key projects include telling a life story, creating a family tree, and presenting a passion project.

Additional Expectations: Students will engage in “voice off” classes as course standard, using English sparingly, immersing themselves in Deaf culture by learning without using their voices.

American Sign Language IV builds on the skills developed in ASL I-III, introducing over 500 new vocabulary words and focusing on refining clarity of signs, non-manual markers, classifiers, and ASL grammar, including glossing and word order. A significant emphasis is placed on naturalizing spontaneous conversations and public speaking through various prompts, such as Deaf advocacy, daily devotionals, sermons, interpreting ethics, and personal passion projects. Students will delve into the linguistic structures of ASL, including phonology, morphology, syntax, and sociolinguistics, while applying complex grammatical principles like temporal and distributional aspects. In addition to developing essential interpreting skills, students will practice both in class and in the field with experienced professionals. The course includes a final mastery evaluation similar to the National Interpreter Certification proctored by Center for the Assessment of Sign Language Interpretation (CASLI), does not result in a legal certification.

Additional Expectations: Students will engage in “voice off” classes as course standard, immersing themselves in Deaf culture by learning without using their voices.

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

Mandarin I introduces students to the language and culture of China. This course develops basic reading, speaking, listening and writing abilities in Mandarin Chinese. Students gain an understanding of the customs and culture of historical and modern China. They develop accurate pronunciation through the Pinyin system and through dialogues in which they discuss daily activities using a broad vocabulary base. Chinese I offers a solid foundation of Chinese characters. Students read selections with and without the use of Pinyin and write simplified Chinese characters in simple sentences. The five National Foreign Language Standards are incorporated throughout this course.

This course is taught and students are evaluated using simplified characters rather than traditional.

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

This course advances the work of the first year in all skills. Instruction is conducted in Mandarin approximately half of the time. The primary goal continues to be oral proficiency. More advanced reading and writing activities are integrated into the program, as well as further exploration of the culture and history of China. To ensure a smooth transition, some Pinyin is removed in Chinese II so that students read the Mandarin words directly. Topics for second-year learning include colors and clothing, weather and holidays, hobbies, a student’s daily routine, school subjects, and making telephone calls. The students learn to express themselves using more sophisticated language structures.

This course is taught and students are evaluated using simplified characters rather than traditional.

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

This course builds on all skills developed in Chinese II. Advanced listening comprehension exercises are more challenging. Reading comprehension exercises are presented in different forms such as advertisements, postcards, diary entries, name cards, letters, etc. Students at this level are exposed to authentic written forms. Regular and extended reading challenges students to further explore meanings of new words and phrases. In Mandarin III more emphasis is placed on students speaking with authentic pronunciation and tones. Topics for third-year learning cover terminology for the human body, hospital visits, dining in restaurants, food and health, shopping and living environments, and cultural traditions.

This course is taught and students are evaluated using simplified characters rather than traditional.

Note: Students who intend to take the AP Exam in May should enroll in AP Chinese the year they intend to take the exam. Due to space limitations, students enrolled in AP Chinese will be given priority when signing up for the AP Exam, and there may not be space for students who are not enrolled in AP Chinese.

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

AP Chinese Language and Culture is comparable to a fourth semester college course, deepening students’ immersion into the language and culture of the Chinese-speaking world. This course engages students in an exploration of contemporary and historical Chinese culture in the target language, including contemporary Chinese society, geography and population, ethnic and regional diversity, travel and transportation, climate and weather, holidays and food, sports and games, and current affairs. This course introduces students to significant people, products, and themes in Chinese history as well as Chinese contributions to philosophical thought, government institutions, and artistic pursuits like calligraphy, painting, literature, music, folk arts, and culture. Students develop an appreciation of China’s global importance in the areas of energy, the environment, economics, and politics. Students hone their language skills across communicative modes: pronunciation, vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, grammatical structures, and written characters. This course incorporates all of the National Standards for Foreign Language Instruction. This course is taught and students are evaluated using simplified characters rather than traditional.

Note: Students who intend to take the AP Exam in May should enroll in AP Chinese the year they intend to take the exam. Due to space limitations, students enrolled in AP Chinese will be given priority when signing up for the AP Exam, and there may not be space for students who are not enrolled in AP Chinese.