Eagle Era

By Lisa Shokoor

Every other year, the World Mythology course gets switched out for Modern Poetry, making it an exclusive course at AHS. According to Mr. Howard, World Mythology explores legends and folklore from diverse global cultures, delving into the subject of global tales and cultural significance. 

The course can be broken up into three parts. The first subject covered in the class is cultures and themes of mythology, which is succeeded by focusing on one specific structure of a myth—the Hero’s Journey. Then, they primarily study folktales and fairy tales. Lastly, they end their year with Arthurian legends, focusing on King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. 

Most of the feedback from students taking the course was fairly positive. Lara Reyes Terry (11), a student currently taking World Mythology, said, “A lot of the projects we’ve done so far are really interactive; right now, we’re doing a bestiary, where you can either write about a monster or make your own. It’s really fun.”

Mr. Howard, the instructor of the class, is passionate about mythology. He said, “It has its unique strengths, and for the students in the class, it’s tailored to their interests, so there are a lot of works of fiction like Percy Jackson and even Marvel.” About 10 years ago, there was a survey of the student population at AHS to ask what kind of English elective people would be interested in, and Mythology got the most votes. He said, “I don’t want to speak for everyone, but we’re having good conversations, and students have enjoyed it in the past.” 

Additionally, students can apply what they have learned in Mythology outside the classroom. He said, “[It] gives us the opportunity and the space to think about philosophical concepts, using narration as the vehicle.” On a more personal note, Mr. Howard said, “I have always found it an interesting subject, and I wanted to create an English elective that people wanted to take, because we are a very STEM-focused school.” 

Ashley Donn (11), a student enrolled in World Mythology, scrolled through her class bestiary, where they created or talked about an existing beast in mythology (Photo Credit: Lisa Shokoor (11)).

At AHS, many students fill their schedules with classes that are useful for college applications, making Mythology less popular. Mr. Howard said, “People tend to prioritize what is going to look good on college apps, and I think the conception, whether it’s true or not, is that filling your schedule with AP courses is going to be most useful for college apps.” He continued, “The demand at American High School isn’t there.” Mythology will not be taught at AHS every year “until we see that shift to seeing mythology become more popular.”