Two student’s sit in front of their computers three nights a week studying the challenging IB curriculum from an online program called Pamoja. For many years at AHS, students have taken online classes to ensure they have all the credits they need to graduate or want to learn a subject that the school does not offer, but for the first time this year, AHS is allowing IB classes to be taken online.

Sophomore Ricky Wojcik is taking ‘IB Mandarin’ online. He is taking it because the school does not offer this class and he has a great interest in the subject. Wojcik lived in Shanghai for two years and found the language and culture fascinating. He learned Mandarin while living there, and has taken Mandarin classes via Skype since moving to Aspen. Because of this, he felt that this class would best suit his level of knowledge in the language. To take the course, Wojcik got approval from his counselor as well as the principal.

“I have enjoyed the class because I can work whenever and wherever I please. Sometimes I find it a little less effective as there is little face to face communication, especially with a language,” Wojcik said.

Junior Juliette Woodrow is also taking an IB class on Pamoja. She is taking ‘IB Information Technology in a Global Society’ online because without it, she would be unable to complete the IB Diploma. With a limited number of class periods in the day, Woodrow would not be able to take all six IB classes as well as other classes she is interested in, such as aeronautics. Woodrow said signing up for the online class was quite a challenge, but with the help of IB coordinator Tamara Wilson, she was able to make it work. The class started the second week of school and lasts as long as the AHS school year with relatively similar breaks.

“The material is actually really interesting. It’s about how computers work and the ethics of technology, but the online aspect of it is a little more difficult. It requires a lot more responsibility because it lacks structure,” Woodrow said. “ I wouldn’t take another class online; one is enough.”