When are we ever going to need to know this? This is a question that has been asked in almost every classroom. But a pilot class is being offered next semester that will help students apply what they are learning to the real world.

Social studies teacher Brian Williams will be adviser for Pay It Forward, a class for seniors wanting to make a difference in the community.

“Essentially, what I’m trying to get out of it is give students an opportunity to participate in kind of a real world situation, where we’ll have members of the community at United Way and some other organizations or groups are going to help us present data to us about issues that are happening within the community,” Williams said. “I want to give our students an opportunity to be able to react to and try to help solve some of the issues that might be happening in Grand Haven and the larger tri-cities area.”

Poverty, homelessness and gender stereotypes are some of the problems the students might tackle, however what they decide to study is chosen mostly by the seniors.

“They’re going to be the ones that are kind of driving the curriculum,” Williams said. “It is totally real world. Our curriculum is based upon what’s going on in the world around us and how we can help.”

The class is geared towards seniors because Williams would like for them to experience diversity before heading off to college, or the real world after high school.

He also believes that life is about impacting other people in a positive way, and hopes the class will start a wave of people wanting to make a difference in the community.

“I want to try to allow students to see the best in themselves and see what they can accomplish,” Williams said.