New Graduation requirements are going into effect for the class of 2028. 

“The new graduation requirement is a communication class, which includes speech, business communications, and adds public speaking,” counselor Boyd Teemant said. 

Some classes that will now start counting for a speech credit include Professional Communications, Public Speaking and Competitive Debate among others.

“I love that they’re incorporating this in, because I feel like communication is a skill that you need for every job. I think it’s something students will be able to benefit no matter what career they’re going into,” debate teacher Kayla Benson said.  

This change will also require a STEM credit (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Possible STEM credits include a math or science elective, or a full credit of any application-level Career and Technical Education (CTE) class. Along With these new requirements, students will also now need to complete two post-secondary assets such as internships and certifications. Many of these changes were made in hopes of helping students become more open to the idea of public speaking and presenting in front of people. 

Nathan Christner teaches journalism at Southeast. Some of his classes will now count as a speech credit. 

“From my understanding, they’re going to try and expand that beyond speech and debate and so I believe my 21st century journalism class and some of my other classes will count towards a communication credit for graduation,” Christner said. “I’m fine with more people being exposed to this, because I think there are a lot of benefits to learning some of the basics journalism skills, media literacy things like that.” 

These requirements will likely increase the number of people enrolling in some of these classes and Christner is concerned about how this could impact his advanced classes.

“What I’m hoping is that I don’t have a lot of people just taking my class just to get that requirement out of the way,” Christner said. “I have to recruit newspaper, yearbook and BTV students from those intro classes, and if they just stick a bunch of people who are hoping to be able to graduate to use that as a credit then that will hurt and have a negative impact on the newspapers and yearbook program.”

With more students coming into these classrooms, it will also bring more opportunity for people to experience and learn something they might have not previously thought they would be interested in. These changes won’t impact any students currently enrolled at Southeast, however taking a speech class would be extremely helpful in preparing to for college or the workforce regardless of it being required or not.