This is an Aerial Foundations class that focuses on the introduction & fundamentals of aerial movement, safety, rigging, and injury prevention. No strength or flexibility requirements, just an openness to learn and try something new and challenging.

Students can work on ANY art projects they are interested in, including watercolor painting. This exploratory will support other art-related classes and allow extra time to work on those projects. In addition, students can make books, do digital art, photography, figure drawing, origami, pen and ink drawing, painting, sew, create sculptures, and more. If you are wanting to create and there isn't a class for your idea, sign up!

A survey and hands-on dive into the various equipment utilized on campus to support our theater, music, video, and live address events on campus. The focus would be on installation, operation, theory, and support equipment like IT infrastructure.

Want to build a game controller… out of chocolate? Ever had a geode cake pop? Then this is the Exploratory for you! You can check out Rosanna Pansino’s “Nerdy Nummies” where we will be gathering inspiration and ideas! Learn or practice creating delicious nerd-themed desserts to eat and share! We’ll work with chocolate, sugar, and creative construction and decorating techniques.

Learn the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL)! Students will develop their skills through basic signs, vocabulary, grammatical structures, and cultural awareness.

We will start our own BookTok account on TikTok, then create videos with book recommendations and reviews, interviews, and other fun stuff. Students will learn how to create effective, visually appealing videos that share their love of books and authors.

This is your opportunity to use the tools in the Fabrication Studio to bring your project to life. It is recommended that you have basic knowledge of the tools present, maybe you took VisFab, maybe you gained some skills at another school, etc. Bring your project idea, and get help and time with the tools to make it happen!

In this small ensemble students will learn to collaboratively rehearse and perform repertoire of their own choosing! The group will be open to all string and wind instruments. Students should be intermediate-advanced players and should be proficient at reading sheet music.

This exploratory is for musicians performing in the fall musical "Chicago"! We will be learning and practicing the show's music together, eventually culminating in performing the show in November. Reach out to Daniel if you are interested in being part of the band! After school rehearsal/performance commitments will be required.

Juniors, during this time you will dive headfirst into your college process. This course is required for all juniors and is available M/W or T/T.

Student leaders who have applied and been notified should sign up for this exploratory. They will take the lead on all school events and planning that will keep DEI at the forefront of our consciousness. We will also do our own training and learning to be skilled facilitators and model engagement in meaningful yet challenging conversations.

Let's figure out how to make 3D objects in the digital world. Why would you want to? Maybe 3D print, carve with a CNC, laser cut, or just because it's cool. We'll learn Fusion 360 together through a combination of direct instruction from a novice, and a curated list of YouTube tutorials from experts. All experience levels are welcome.

Explore and create original music using the latest digital tools and techniques in Apple Logic Pro and Soundtrap. Combine voice, instrument performance, synthesis, loops and beats to produce new music for you and your friends. Learn how to mix and master your creations to sound like the music you enjoy most.

Come and learn the world's most popular made up language! Esperanto was designed to be easy to learn so that it could become a language spoken around the world! Esperantists (speakers of Esperanto) claim that it makes learning other languages much easier! Come see for yourself and "lerni esperanton"!

This exploratory will focus on understanding finances, and the role of money in your daily life and future. Topics will include spending, saving, budgeting, interest rates, loans, credit cards, renting an apartment and more. You will learn practical skills about managing money and engage in some interesting simulations designed to support financial decision-making.

This exploratory will introduce you to the fundamentals of woodworking so that you can cut, carve, bend, shape, and sand your way to beautiful, sustainable, expressions of wood. We will use traditional methods that date back centuries, as well as modern technology, materials, and design. Our crafts will begin their lives as drawings, then they will take form as we discuss wood species, methods of joinery and construction, and finishing. We will start with hand tools and small-scale projects, like spoons and boxes, then apply our skills to larger, more complex endeavors, like small cabinets and furniture. We will work individually and in groups, and heed all safety standards, We will definitely get dusty and have fun.

Learn about different forensic sciences: blood analysis, chromatography, fingerprinting, toxicology, forensic anthropology, DNA evidence, hair and fiber evidence, and more. This class will include labs, case studies, and expert visitors.

Students will learn basic cooking skills, with a focus on quick, healthy-ish snacks. No previous cooking experience is necessary, but lots of enthusiasm for eating is required.

If you like to be outside or hike around then this Exploratory is for you! We will start the day with a hike around Taylor Mountain, we will explore different trails and enjoy the park in the mornings before it heats up!

If you are interested in Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering, then this class is for you! The human genome is responsible for instructing the production of millions of different proteins, whose 3 dimensional "folded" shape determine their function. Change the shape of a protein, change the function of the protein! During this exploratory, students will work with an online simulator called "Foldit" to learn about, alter, and authentically fold a myriad of different proteins. The simulator is online, and results will be shared with a global database, giving students the potential to develop new medical solutions to complex problems in genetics and biochemistry. Top proteins have the opportunity to be synthesized and tested in a lab for their effectiveness. Examples include new COVID antiviral treatments, treatments for Sickle Cell Anemia,  Hemophilia, and many many more diseases caused by errors in protein folding.

SA Music needs more drummers! In this exploratory, we will be learning and practicing essential techniques of keeping rhythm and performing music on a full drum set. Learn classic drum rhythms and grooves, how to perform in a group of musicians, maybe even learn and perform your favorite beat! Come jam with us!

Can a virtual reality simulation make you more empathetic? Can playing a violent VR game give you post-traumatic stress disorder? What are the political, social and psychological ramifications of "deep fake" algorithms that fabricate videos so convincing you can no longer trust your own eyes? We will explore these questions and more as we try to make sense of the world of VR and even try our hand at creating immersive content ourselves.

We live in a world inundated with brand messaging and imagery. We are all deeply conversant in the language of brands, but we often aren't aware that we are. Currently, even personalities have become brands. If you are interested in the mechanics of marketing and branding, if you'd like to learn more about how the influencers influence us, if you are interested in business or entrepreneurship, if you're a social media maven, a podcaster, writer, videographer or filmmaker, photographer, or anyone else interested in the creative arts, take this intro course! We'll learn what a brand is, the 4 P's of marketing, and explore topics like the psychology of color and font, how brands are influencing us, and how we can use these techniques to become more savvy consumers... or to build our own brands! We'll also look at the Sonoma Academy brand and the work of the Marketing & Communications internship at SA. ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP NEXT YEAR SHOULD TAKE THIS EXPLORATORY FIRST!

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”  –Maya Angelou 
Do you have a story inside of you that you would love to see on the SA stage?  Come and work on developing your one-act playwriting skills as we explore this unique form of storytelling through idea sharing, dramatic structure, character and plot development, feedback, in-class readings as well as planning time for future realized productions and design elements. These plays can be written for fun, and can be used as a S.A.S.S. productions or can be entered in playwriting competitions. Let's tell stories and create together!

Have you ever wondered how your favorite podcasts are created? Do you have an idea for a podcast of your own? Learn the necessary steps, tools, and techniques for producing a high-quality podcast, from storytelling to current events to discussions about your favorite topics that impact your family, friends, and the community at large.

Are you semicolon curious? Have you ever thought, What is a dangling participle? Have you noticed that hyphens and dashes are not the same length? Have you ever used or considered using the word “whom”? In this exploratory, we’ll learn about some of the wonders of grammar and punctuation. When that gets too crazy, we’ll settle into game mode. We’ll play games that encourage creative writing without overthinking and censoring. For example, we’ll each write one line of a story, pass it on to another student who will add a line and then to another student who will add a line and we’ll do this until we have a roomful of stories each compellingly punctuated and grammatically robust.

This course will primarily focus on learning to cook quick, classic Asian dishes; however, we will also touch upon the reasons that specific ingredients and cooking techniques have evolved in different parts of Asia. While we will still work on the "classics" like fried rice, contrary to past editions of this course, we will also delve deeper into Southeast and Central Asia as well as India. Even if you've taken this course before, there will be plenty of new dishes and techniques to learn.

Rappers and comedians are some of our country’s greatest story tellers…and also the most controversial. From rap's inception, artists like NWA and Public Enemy used it to hold a mirror up to America, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about race and class. Rap has also been dismissed as vulgar, and criticized for the violence and misogyny frequently embedded in its lyrics and videos. Like rappers, comedians have also been lauded as society’s truth tellers, as they tackle sensitive and taboo subjects by inviting us to laugh at ourselves. In the last few years, however, comedy has undergone a reckoning, as comedians have been accused of using their art as violence against women and the trans community.
Join Rodney for a journey through the worlds of rap and comedy as we examine the impact of Tupac, the brilliance of Robin Williams, the importance of Mary J, and the controversy of Dave Chappelle to understand how these entertainment genres shape ideas about race, gender, and class in America.

In this class we will explore the tradition of Taiko drumming in Japan, and Balinese dance and gamelan from Indonesia. No prior experience is necessary. The aim, of course, will be to put on some performances at Community Meeting. While the key musical components of this class will be led by Irma, Brandon will provide cultural context, which will include tellings of Japanese and Indonesian legends.

In this exploratory we will be practicing, learning and performing Rock music! If you ever wanted to learn more about the genre of Rock n Roll, learn a new instrument, learn to improvise, jam, and more, this is the band for you! All instruments and all skill levels are welcome.

Sonoma Academy Student Show (SASS)

Join a fun active exploratory in the form of Spike Ball. After we discuss the rules and basic strategies, we will quickly form teams and start a tournament. During the tournament, will also implement some of the alternative rules that add a twist to the game

Do you like soccer? How about basketball? What about ultimate frisbee? Volleyball anyone? Spikeball? In this Exploratory, we will have access to all of the athletics facilities and permission to raid the athletics closet. Students will give input into what sports we will play, and then we will just have fun playing lots and lots of sports.

Schools for Climate Action is SA's climate justice advocacy program. Join the youth climate movement and advocate for climate education, teen mental health/climate anxiety, and intersectionality in climate solutions. No experience necessary but you should be ready to  follow-through on tasks and interact with students from across the US.  Learn more at schoolsforclimateaction.org.

Easily create fun, compelling animations using shapes, pictures and/or original artwork in Google Slides. Tell a story, explain a concept, or just entertain your audience using the time-tested technique of stop motion. We will also explore the history of stop-motion animation from the earliest days through modern applications through examples by and interviews with some of the pioneers of the art form, many of whom are right here in the Bay Area.

Sustainability Student Leaders work to make the world a more sustainable place. Currently we are working as the leadership team for Schools for Climate Action- a nonpartisan, national volunteer group that calls for common sense solutions to climate change on a federal level. In addition, we tackle school and community wide sustainability projects each quarter. Open to selected students

The Living Room is an organization that services homeless women and their children in Santa Rosa. We will be partnering with the Living Room and pack snack packs and hygiene packs to be delivered to the homeless. In addition, right now they are critically low on donations, so we will focus on creative ways to find more donations for hygiene products. The Living Room is a much needed resource for women and their children so I hope you will help support them!

All your favorite snack foods veganized! If you're looking for protein replacement, food for a long hike, tasty cookies without eggs or dairy, we'll explore all kinds of tasty foods that can be made without any animal products.

Find your creative side while having fun! The class will begin with basic watercolor techniques before embarking on complete works; each project will build the previous. Students are encouraged to depart from projects to further explore the medium, and advanced students may work independently with a check-in during each class. Collaboration is encouraged!

Come help us create this year's yearbook! In this course you will learn about photography and journalism as you play an integral part in designing and editing pages in the yearbook. Come see Pam or Florence if you are interested in joining the yearbook team and would like to know more about the day to day happenings in the yearbook classroom.