Semester elective International Relations has been a class at Potomac Falls for eight years, however not many know about what it has to offer. 

Potomac Falls High School is home to a wide variety of electives and classes that not many know about. Ranging from history to math, there are always new classes available. International Relations (IR) class has been around for eight years, and has been taught by AP Comparative Government and AP Psychology teacher Kira Hoilman. 

International Relations is the study of global events, relations between countries, and the immediate challenges facing our contemporary world including human rights, climate change, trade, education, and natural disasters. “I think international relations is important for students because it helps expand students’ knowledge of the world. It is an opportunity to learn about regions, cultures, and people around the world and make sense of the struggles the global community faces,” said Hoilman. “It also gives students an opportunity to perhaps learn about a region of the world that is culturally or historically important to their family or friends.”

 The class’s main goal is to learn about international problems because as Americans, we are bombarded with news about the United States and we don’t have as much exposure to worldwide events and sometimes lack the ability to empathize, assist, or to celebrate with others. 

“I come from a sheltered house so I didn’t know countries, I didn’t know certain religions, I didn’t understand politics; I didn’t know anything,” said junior Jaqueline Ramirez, a student enrolled in the class. “I understood that I have to be knowledgeable and it is my responsibility to know this stuff. This class has definitely helped me with that so much and I feel smarter and more connected and involved with the issues around me,” said Aguirre.

The class itself is an interactive based class where students get to not only learn about current events, but also analyze scenarios that are similar to those that are happening in the world, along with learning about geography and international organizations that contribute to the current events. “I love the activities we do, sometimes they will be interactive and we’re in groups and everyone is trying to decide whether we go to war, or what is the best course of action to take, and it really puts everything in perspective,” said Aguirre. The class is a way to express your opinion on current events and become more educated about your surroundings.