Health & Wellness is a one semester requirement that is part of the school's overall commitment to providing students with ongoing opportunities to learn about health-related topics and to reflect upon individual decision-making in the context of the BCP community and beyond. The emphasis of the program is to promote balance, safety, self-reflection, and the skills to navigate various situations and decisions that students may encounter throughout their teenage years. A major goal of the course is to build healthy communities where individuals look out for one another and feel empowered to make healthy decisions. Topics of the course include Adolescent Development, Identity, Physical Health, Relationships, Communication, Consent, Substance Use, Sexual Health, Technology & social media influences.

Bellarmine's Department of Fitness and Health is designed to help students become aware of living a healthy lifestyle. The program provides each student an opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities and to learn necessary skills, strategies, and other information important to lifetime wellness.

All students must complete two semesters of departmental coursework for graduation:

• Mandatory: 1 semester Health Class (to be taken sophomore year)
• Second semester can be completed with one of the following:
  • 1 Elective F&H course
  • Athletic Waiver: Complete 3 years of sports. If the athletic waiver is not completed by the start of senior year, students must be enrolled in an F&H elective class during senior year.

Requirements

This Fitness and Health requirement may be taken prior to senior year. It may be fulfilled by fully participating in three years of Bellarmine interscholastic (i.e., non-club) sports by the completion of the junior year and submission of an Athletic Waiver.

• 1 Semester Sophomore year (Health)
• 1 Semester Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year (one semester-long Fitness & Health elective) OR Athletic waiver

* Not all Fitness and Health course offerings fulfill this requirement, therefore it is important to review the comments included with the description of each elective to determine its applicability. This one semester-long elective may be waived by fully participating in three years of Bellarmine interscholastic (i.e. non-club) sports by the completion of the junior year.

Perhaps the most documented claim about Jesus of Nazareth is that He so closely associated with the marginalized and those considered "outcasts." However, so often the voices from oppressed ethnic communities are suppressed and unheard in terms of their struggles and how it has shaped their spiritual journeys. This course aims to build in students a sense of solidarity with these oppressed communities and build their responsibility to be allies of the oppressed in working for liberation and the building of the Kingdom of God. This course will attempt to draw students into an analysis of spiritualities/theologies arising from varying oppressed ethnic communities including the African American Experience, Latin American Experience, and Asian American Experience (includes Chinese American, Filipino American, Japanese American, Korean American, South East Asian, and Vietnamese American). The intent is to lift these voices from the underside creating a better understanding of faith in action. Envisioned are students who leave this course more truly committed to being for and with others (Pedro Arrupe, SJ).

Stars, Galaxies, and The Universe is an introductory semester-long course that focuses on stars, galaxies, and other phenomena located outside the solar system. Students will learn more about a wide variety of topics including light, telescopes, the Big Bang Theory, black holes, dark matter, and dark energy. Course material will be presented through lectures, classroom discussions, online simulations, telescope-based laboratory activities, and student projects.

Sky and Solar System is an introductory, semester-long science course that focuses on the solar system through study of the planets, moons, asteroids, and other planetary bodies. Students will learn about the history of astronomy from around the globe as well as complete projects to explore the current, cutting-edge science questions about the solar system. Course material will be presented through lectures, classroom discussions, online simulations, and student projects.

All Senior students will take either one year-long senior elective, or two semester-long senior electives.

AP Art History offers students the opportunity to discover anew the world in which they live. The course will cover the period of time beginning with the Paleolithic period and ending with Postmodernism. By examining works of art from diverse cultures and the relationships among these works, students develop an understanding of global artistic traditions. Students analyze works of art in their contexts, considering issues of patronage, gender, politics, religion, and ethnicity. The interpretation of the work of art is based upon its intended use, audience, and the role of the artist and the work of art in its particular society. Students will expand their knowledge of history, geography, politics, religion, languages, and literature, as they explore the story of people as told through the art they created.

Required course for all incoming Freshman students.

This course will introduce students to the diverse cultures of the United States and our local community. The impact of race and racism will be examined through the exploration and the understanding of systems of power and the struggles of peoples of color and other historically marginalized and disenfranchised communities. Students will learn about the contributions of various ethnic groups to our rich cultural history and society. They will be enriched with a better understanding of the world and be empowered to work toward a socially just society as aligned with our Ignatian principles.

This course guides students through creating a single year-long Sustained Investigation, or series of related works guided by an evolving inquiry question. Students develop 2-D skills through materials and processes of their choosing, such as graphic design, digital art, photography, drawing & painting, and others. At the beginning of the year, students will develop their own inquiry question relating to concept and/or process and spend the rest of the year producing pieces that visually respond to this question that may change over time. Students will use sketchbooks to document their creative process from ideation to final product as they produce 5-7 major artworks and 5-7 minor artworks. Students will be expected to adhere to a production schedule punctuated with work-in-progress critiques during the investigation as well as final critiques at the end of each investigation—the goal of critiques being self-reflection, revision, and experiencing the fruitful co-influencing that happens in artistic communities. Students will also receive guidance in selecting and preparing 15 images for their Sustained Investigation portion and five images for their Selected Works portion of the AP Portfolio submission.

This course guides students through the entire artistic process with an emphasis on developing personal style, expression, and artistic intention. Students will learn about relevant topics in art history—such as abstract art, printmaking, relief sculpture, and mixed media assemblage—and develop skill in selecting appropriate media to use in their artwork to create their intended message. Students will develop proficiency in the use of the elements of art and the principles of design to create effective compositions. They will also participate in critiques, reflecting on constructive feedback given by peers for the purpose of personal artistic growth. By the end of the course, students will have completed three culminating works that may contribute to their art portfolio.

Acting 3 students bring their experience from Acting 2 and their accumulated life experience to more challenging scenes and monologues, guiding the intermediate or advanced actor to a deeper knowledge and experience of drama and performance techniques. Students will learn the Meisner Technique to achieve a more naturalistic style of acting. In addition to a monologue performance and various scene work, the course will culminate in a performance of a full play. Students will also continue to develop their improvisation skills by playing theater games.