This year, Loflin Middle School and Nichols Middle School are offering a pair of new, exciting electives for eighth-graders! These fresh offerings, combined with current Plan Your Path courses, open the door for students to explore career tracks they might never have considered before.

The electives are Principles of Applied Engineering and Principles of Business, Marketing, and Finance, which offer students a glimpse into two dynamic career tracks and lay the groundwork for a variety of Career and Technical Education pathways.

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In the engineering course, students will explore the thrilling processes of planning, designing, testing, constructing and maintaining machines, structures, materials, systems and processes, and dive into math and science as they test hypotheses. Throughout the year, students will learn about VEX Robotics, CAD drawings and 3D printing. 

In the business, marketing, and finance course, students will dive deep into the core functions that drive successful and sustainable business management. From planning, managing and organizing to directing and evaluating critical aspects of business finance, operations, and marketing, students will get a taste of starting and running a business. The course has an entrepreneurship section where students identify a problem to solve, brainstorm a solution, iterate based on customer feedback, pitch their idea and launch their product. 

Each course offers engaged, hands-on learning experiences that connect students with the real world. Students can uncover new interests and investigate postsecondary options.