Between the African-American civil rights movement, the birth of rock and roll, and the introduction of counterculture, the 1960s were the birthplace of much of the America we know today. Given the opportunity to teach a new elective class this year, Ryan Silvester created “History of the 1960s.” with the help of his college professor, Stephen Berrey.

“[The class] is about the American identity during this time and how we can see ourselves in that” Silvester said

But creating an elective class is no easy feat, it requires being “drilled” with questions before the Curriculum Senate about how the course will be worthwhile to AAPS students.

But why the 1960s? Well, for starters, there are many similarities between the 1960s and the last 10 years. For instance, the election of 2016 looks a lot like the election of 1960. The class also gives students a chance to see what a higher-level history class looks like and gives them a taste of what they may experience while in college.