Washington Latin students have busy days, complete with rigorous classes, electives, and clubs. Whether students choose to play sports, participate in the school musical, “The Music Man,” write for the newspaper Sumus Leones, or the literary magazine, “Open Mic,” or prepare an act for the middle school talent show, there are many creative outlets for students during lunch and after school. However, many students eagerly pursue outside endeavors, despite their heavy workloads.
Sophomore Miles Tiller is one of those students. Besides a full slate of honors and AP classes and his volunteer hours in the makerspace, Miles has indulged an interest in screenwriting and video production for several years, producing several movies of his own. As an eighth grader, a project that he worked on with his classmates Ketan and Lucien, called “99 cents,” won an award at the environmental film festival. Since then, he has worked on lengthier efforts, including the 48-minute movie “Green” – the product of his company “District Pictures” and featuring several other sophomore actors like Nick Mazza, Ketan Mampara, and Lucas Roemer as actors. You can view his movie here.
Many other students participate in creative writing activities outside of school and have won awards for their work. Junior MK Wilson and freshman Kayla Freedman were both honored by Writopia. High schoolers Chloe Cattaneo, Christina Spraggins and Micah Gans and sixth grader Clarke Oglesby all had original work published last year in an anthology of young writers.
While for some the arts awaken their passions, others pursue athletics in a variety of arenas outside the school. We will talk about some of these students in a future Legenda. I am awed and excited by the hard work of our students each day, but always amazed to find students who find the time and energy to continue to pursue and cultivate their passions outside of the classroom. If your child has a unique hobby or interest, feel free to drop me a note about it! Our diverse and talented student body help build the unique and rich culture of our school.
One of the exciting additions to our school last year was an area of the library called the Makerspace, which is a laboratory and technology center for constructing physical objects. This has been described as “DIY meets education.” It is a “workshop space” that provides students with a variety of different materials, which can act as “provocation for inquiry,” and various technological tools, with which they can invent. The space, curated by science teachers Ms. Dobler and Ms. Shapiro and librarian Ms. Hamm, features a variety of tools and kits, including Spheros, Arduino electronics kits, Legos, and a 3D Pinter.
Last year, the Makerspace was housed exclusively in the library. This year, students and teachers may access the supplies and tools from a mobile Makerspace cart. Students may use these items to design products for the science fair, explore concepts in the Robotics elective, or to complete projects in a variety of different disciplines. Before break, students used the Makerspace to decorate the hallways for the holiday season, using copper tape, lights, and art supplies to create cards and origami decorations.
The 3D printer has been an exciting addition for several students and is probably the highlight of the Makerspace. Students have used it to create plastic strands, called filament, and mold them into 3D designs.
A 10th grade student, Miles Tiller, was named earlier this year as an intern for the Makerspace program. Called a “Maketern,” he assists students in using the materials for their classes or to explore personal interests. He is also one of a small core team of students who has also helped repair broken supplies and order new parts to keep the materials and tools working well.
For the teachers and students who use the Makerspace, it is exciting not just to have this dynamic technology, but to be using our library as a place for creativity and production. The library in many ways is one of the most dynamic and actively used spaces in our school, and we are thrilled to have it as a space for great young minds to meet, discuss, analyze, build, and solve problems.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose life and legacy we celebrate a week from Monday, believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all. He encouraged all citizens to live up to the purpose and potential of America by applying the principles of nonviolence to make this country a better place in which to live. How do we create the beloved community of which Dr. King dreamed? We engage in community action that helps solve social problems. We set aside our needs and personal ambitions, even if only for a short period of time, so that we may serve. That service may meet a tangible need, or it may meet a need of the spirit. But we hope that January 21st will not just be a day to sleep in, binge watch or tune out. Rather, we trust that families will commit to participating in projects that will strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions.
As our partial government shutdown enters its third week, students in many of their classes have been discussing the stalemate in Washington and the direct impact this is having on their lives. Some of them have talked about an important lesson that they have learned from all of this: we need each other. And the more that we look out for each other, the better and stronger we are together. From cleaning up a street to reading to shut-in seniors to teaching kids at a soccer clinic, we can enhance our own lives by making things better where we work, live and play. A strong community with a high quality of life means safer, healthier lives for us and those around us.
There are practical payoffs to volunteering as well. Decreasing the risk of depression, instilling a sense of purpose, providing opportunities to learn valuable skills, allowing participants to be mentally and physically active, and reducing stress levels are all cited in the research as some of the benefits. Individuals who volunteer have lower mortality rates than those who do not, even when controlling for age, gender and physical health. Doing service with others is a great way to build trust and strengthen relationships. And those who engage in meaningful service activities enjoy a positive feeling sometimes referred to as “helper’s high.”
Whether you participate in one or more of the school-sponsored activities or you opt to do something else, we hope that each family will engage in meaningful community action during the upcoming Schoolwide Community Service Day. For ideas, please visit the National Service site. Also, see below for more information about what will be happening at Washington Latin on the 21st
Athletic training was essential to the Ancient Greek identity. Athletics were viewed as both a preparation for military service and athletic competition, and a way to show off physical prowess. At Washington Latin, we believe that athletics play an important role in developing a well-rounded person. Besides promoting physical fitness, participating in athletics can foster positive mental health, enhance social skills and nurture self-discipline, patience, persistence and resilience.
This year, our athletic department is capably managed by Mr. Bob Eleby-El and his brand new assistant director, Ms. JerBria Smith. Mr. Eleby-El has worn many hats at Washington Latin as a basketball coach, Assistant Principal for Student Life and business manager. In his new role, as Athletic Director, he is doing what he has long wanted to do: apply the skills learned while earning a BA in Sports Management and an MBA to help to build a program that is comprehensive, inclusive, competitive and sustainable. Drawing on his love of teaching, his rapport with students, strong relationships with parents and the respect he commands from the faculty and educators at peer institutions, he is working to establish a program marked by integrity, transparency, innovation and excellence.
We are delighted to welcome home Ms. Smith, who was a member of the second graduating class of Washington Latin onto our faculty this year. She graduated from Barton College in North Carolina. During her academic career, Ms. Smith was named to The National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Basketball All American Third Team, representing the top players in the country at the Division III level. She was also named to the First Team All-Region team and Second Team All-Conference. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion in 2017. Last year she was a physical education teacher at a middle school in Maryland and coached at that school and a DC high school.
Working together, Mr. Eleby-El and Ms. Smith have helped lead students to a strong fall season, featuring outstanding performances in soccer, volleyball, and cross country. This winter, they are working to further develop our newer sports options, including Ms. Kolb’s new swim team (see details below on the first meet). They are working to support our students, coaches, and athletic program by helping with skills, organization, and academic and social support. This twosome makes a powerful team, and, under their guidance, we have high hopes for the future of our athletic program.
Students in upper school Art I built three dimensional sculptures out of various sculptural materials. They were asked to research a two dimensional artist from a time period of their choice and take one two dimensional piece from that artist and make it three dimensional. Students designed, molded, and added layers to small buildings, faces, body parts, shoes, and other imaginative creations. The designs are currently on display in Ms. Stephens’ room. Using paint and various objects added to them help create three dimensions, students learned aspects of sculpture and layout. The upper school art classes are electives for students to learn aspects of design, creativity, color, and use of multiple media.
