This year, a new Advanced Placement (AP) science class was offered by the science department. AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is brand new to Woodside, and almost 25 students are currently taking the class. This class is closely related to the already offered AP Physics C: Mechanics, but focuses on electricity instead of physical objects.
The class was brought to Woodside by the students of the previous year’s AP Physics C: Mechanics class. Senior Alexis Kolotouros was one of the first students to push for the addition, under the guidance of Stephanie Finander, the AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C: Mechanics teacher.
“Ms. Finander told us … if we talked to our guidance counselor, we could get [the science department] to add [the class],” Kolotouros said.
Many students, such as senior Diego Comfort, first heard and signed up for the class through the petition that Kolotouros started.
“I signed the sheet with other students,” Comfort said. “That’s how I first heard about [the class].”
The students have been enjoying the class, especially because of how the teacher, Matthew Sahagún, teaches the class.
“On the first week of class, [Mr. Sahagún] got out this Van de Graaff generator,” Comfort said. “He let us touch it, to shock ourselves. [It was] very fun.”
While it isn’t a requirement, Sahagún recommended having taken the proper courses before enrolling in AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism.
“You have to take AP Mechanics as a requirement,” Sahagún said. “I’m not sure the school [enforces] requirements, but it is highly, highly, suggested.”
Students enrolling in this course could be vital to its continuation in future years.
“It’s a numbers game,” Sahagún said. “If there’s sufficient numbers to start a course, the school can [offer] that course.”
