Music production, baking and hospitality, and an exercise dance are some of the courses seventh and eighth grade students at Huston Middle School in Lower Burrell may be able to take next year.

The school will be rolling out its new “studio” model of elective courses next year, said Principal Travis Welch.

“It is a lot of the things that they’re already doing, but the idea of studio learning is a little bit different,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for the student to really explore something that interests them.

“It centers around allowing kids to explore self-interests, giving them meaning behind what they’re doing and then, ultimately, allowing the kids to take it and run with it.”

Instead of traditional arts and humanities electives, seventh and eighth grade students at Huston will explore different “studios” in five career pathways: arts and communications; business finance and information technology; engineering and industrial technology; human services; and science and health.

Students are to take at least two classes in each of the pathways during their time in middle school, Welch said.

Fifth and sixth graders will continue with the traditional arts and humanities courses.

Ultimately, the studio model aims to give students a real-world look into different career options, Welch said.

“This is not us telling your children what they should pick as a career when they’re in seventh and eighth grade,” he said. “All we want to do is expose them to these different opportunities that are out there, and we want to light the lightbulb. We want to try to give an opportunity for these kids to get to experience a little bit of what is out there.”

Autumn Turk, Burrell’s director of curriculum and engagement, said the district first learned of the studio idea from the Northern Cass School District in North Dakota.

“The studios are really about connecting students to relevant, engaging and personalized learning experiences to help instill a passion and love of learning,” she said.

“We are excited about connecting our teachers and students with project-based learning opportunities, ambassadors in the field to help students connect what they are learning to different career pathways, and consider ways to connect with and help our local community.”

Turk said the studios give students a voice and some choice in what they learn about, whether it’s something they have some knowledge in or a completely new concept.

“It is trying to put kids in classes they want to be in, and giving teachers students that want to be in their class,” Welch said.

“It’s trying to create an overall better environment so that, yes, they’re exploring different careers, they’re exploring different interests; but we’re hoping it’s giving kids a reason to be here.”

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