Figuring out travel plans, running a restaurant, and planning meetings sounds complicated, right? That’s exactly what students partaking in the newest pathway at North Atlanta High School explore. Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management blends creative projects, management activities, and hands-on challenges, giving students a taste of the fast-paced hospitality industry. In this class, students learn about the action behind the scenes that makes events happen.
Led by first-year teacher Linecia Williams, the pathway begins with Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism Essentials. Here, students explore five parts of the hospitality industry: Food and Beverage, Lodging, Recreation, Travel, and Tourism. At the same time, they also learn marketing and business skills that bring events to life. Students gain an understanding of how these industries operate and the skills needed to succeed. “At first, we mainly talk about the parts of the hospitality industry,” Williams said. “Students start learning the basics of each part before we go in depth.”
For some students, the pathway has sparked a genuine interest in the industries it covers. Sophomore Grace Peterson is already excited for the Food and Beverage side of hospitality. From learning how a restaurant operates to gaining a deeper understanding of dining management, Peterson is ready to dive in. “I’m excited to start learning about restaurants and how they work,” she said, “My family is in the restaurant industry, so I’m curious how restaurants function and market themselves.”
Although students will participate in a variety of fun activities this year, the future of the pathway looks bright. Despite this being the first year of the course, Williams is already looking ahead with new ideas in mind. From taking students on interactive field trips to helping plan school events, she hopes to make the class more hands-on. “I want to get students out of the classroom as much as possible,” Williams said. “The more students apply the skills they learn in the classroom to real life, the better.”
Every student’s worst nightmare is taking a class they feel won’t be useful later on. Lucky for students, the skills they learn here can apply to nearly every aspect of their lives. Although much of the curriculum relates to hospitality, many aspects involve problem-solving and creative solutions. Caroline Saxon is a sophomore at NAHS and is in the first year of the pathway. “I feel like I’m learning things that will actually help me with a job or college, not just get me a good grade on a test,” she said.
The pathway is just getting started, and students are buzzing with curiosity about what the year has in store. One thing’s for sure, by the time the year winds down, students will be walking out with more than notes. They’ll have stories to tell, brand new skills, and a taste of what it really takes to make things happen. Here’s to a year full of surprises, laughter, and a few “how did we even do that?” moments.
