“…One educator in the nation’s capital wants to curb the tech deluge.
“Diana Smith, principal at Washington Latin Public Charter School, pledged to pay her [7th & 8th grade] students $100 each out of her own pocket if they forgo electronics and video screens each Tuesday until school resumes at the end of August.”
Who says Latin is a dead language? Thanks to the The Wall Street Journal and Nina Sovich for featuring Washington Latin in an article examining the resurgence of Latin instruction in US public schools. Ms. Sovich visited our school this spring and spoke with school leaders, Latin teachers, and our students to hear why we teach this ancient language, what makes it important for all students, and how our students themselves feel about their Latin classes.
The photo featured with this story deserves explanation. Each spring, Bill Clausen’s Honors Humanities class selects a of classical scene, as depicted in a famous work of art, to study and recreate. This year, one section of students (along with Mr. Clausen and Principal Diana Smith) recreated Jean-Léon Gérôme’s “The Death of Caesar”. It is a familiar historical reference to our students and is displayed in at least one of our Latin teachers’ classrooms, and it is also a historical reference that students know from Latin class.
On Thursday, the middle school ended the semester with a valediction, or farewell celebration for each grade. Fifth and sixth graders met to share in the successes of the year. Students were commended for attendance, honor roll, or specific achievements in the arts, Latin, or across all classes. In the fifth grade Kai McFadgion and Alex Kelley were awarded the Civitas prize. Daisy Lipton and Chris Murray-Davis were named Most Improved, and Tillie Freed and Dylan Park were named Most Academic. In sixth grade Samantha Martinez and Diego Rodriguez were Most Improved, and Genaba Diallo and Brandon Souverain won Civitas. Meerabela Kempf and Sebastian Richardson were lauded for the Academic Achievement prize. In the seventh grade, Jayden Brooks and Sabrina Nadler won Most Improved, and Will Mader and Nina Gomez won the Civitas. Luca Camponovo and Juliette Warga won Academic Achievement. In the eighth grade Jerin Bracey and Evelyn Hanson won Most Improved. Miles Kramer and Rebekka Stewart won the Civitas Award, and Theo Greiff and Celia Doherty won the Academic Achievement award. After the valediction, seventh grade parents honored the “graduating” eighth graders with a reception after Valediction.
Upper Schoolers had the chance to say a bittersweet final goodbye to each other and to their teachers at the Valediction Ceremony on Friday. Under Arts Department Chair Ms. Nevola’s tutelage, the Jazz Band prepared a rendition of “At Last.” Teachers recited their “special moment” memories from their classes this year. Students recited work in foreign languages, English, and Latin, and also spoke about their teachers, while others were lauded for their hard work this year. Senior Carmaya Humble recited from the Aeneid, and Alex Davis recited from the Illiad. Senior Elias Demian recited from “This is Damascus” in Arabic, and senior Sarah Wu recited an excerpt from Harry Potter in Mandarin. Senior Clare Hall recited from Le Cancre in French. Seniors Serena Jones and Alex Hagan received their Posse Scholarship award. Senior Aaron Figueroa was honored by the Air Force with a scholarship for a year of training in Colorado Springs. Senior Lou McDonough was honored for his excellence in Foreign Language. Senior Sabrina Payano earned an award for her hard work and innovation in the Cooking Club. Senior Sam Mader earned a sports award for his enduring kindness, consistent leadership and positive spirit in soccer and track. Seniors Serena Jones and Sam Mader won Civitas awards. Allegra Hatem and Elias Demian won Academic Achievement Awards. Senior Abby Abraham won Most Improved. Juniors Layla Stewart and Noah Logan won Most Improved, and Mika Robinson and Isaiah Smith won Civitas. Annelise Claire and Eric Wright won Academic Achievement. In tenth grade, Grace Bruty and Anthony David won Most Improved, Khiya Derricott and Sebastian Smith won Civitas, and Jasper Ferncrombie and Ava Tiller won Academic Achievement. In ninth grade, Marcia McIntosh and Will Geist won Most Improved and Shelby Ferncrombie and Owen Fox-Whelpton won Civitas. Harry Hirsch and Kim Montpelier won Academic Achievement awards. This was also a time for students to say goodbye to departing staff and laud them for their hard work and the commitment they had made to their students. Students bid a sad farewell to departing teachers Ms. Rapoport, Mme. Spittler, Mr. Leonard, and Mr. Vanterpool. The day concluded with a slide show and closing remarks from Head of School Mr. Anderson.
Proving that a teacher’s work is never done, Director of College Counseling Ms. Latham will be attending a Financial Education Summit for Teachers in MD later this month and will present at the NACAC conference in Delaware on the subject of “Building a College Going Culture. Ninth grade English teacher Ms. Hamd will be going to Beirut to volunteer in the preschool for Syrian refugee, migrant, and underserved Lebanese children. Twelfth grade English teacher Ms. Seid will attend a conference for AP English teachers at Oxford University in England and will also visit the homes of the Brontes and Wordsworth. Special Education teacher Mr. Hotchkiss will spend weeks studying at the International Baccalaureate Center in The Hague. Chinese teacher Ms. Stouder will be going to Japan for three weeks to visit the school and teachers from her high school year abroad.
