Mar 10, 2022
In the AP Human Geography class, Urban Planner Amanda Huron, a professor at UDC, shared an overview of her career with students. The class is taught by Sander Porcelli and Parag Bhuva for upper school students. Eighth grade teacher Maya Barlev introduced Ms. Huron to the teachers. Ms. Huron spoke about using data visualization to help further social justice causes. She highlighted how you could understand some of the changes in DC, see the importance of urban planning, and decide what to build or where to build it. This planning affects gentrification, urban renewal, and brown fields.
Mar 10, 2022
Children’s book author George O’Connor visited fifth and sixth graders on Tuesday, sharing highlights from his new graphic novel Dionysos. O’Connor is the author of the popular and hilarious series called “The Olympians,” including Hades, Hephaestus, Ares, Poseidon, Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, Hera, Athena, Artemus, and Aphrodite. He answered students’ questions about his upcoming series that will focus on Norse mythology. Students also asked about his motivation, his artistic process, and inspirations.
Mar 10, 2022
While Monday is the actual Pi Day, students celebrated early during Wellness Wednesday. After each math class held a competition to see who could memorize Pi the farthest, the winners and their classmates gathered in the MPR to celebrate the fruits of their victory on Wednesday. The Annual Middle School Pi Day pieing ceremony involved the winners and several contest entrants had the chance to throw a pie at the teacher of their choice. Mr. Kelly, Mr. Green, Mr. Birkenhead, Ms. Kolb, Mr. Starnes, Ms. Jones, Ms. Spence, Ms. Minera, Ms. Moore and Ms. Friedman bravely volunteered for a face full of whipped cream. The pi winners were fifth grader Evie Paisner, sixth grader Will Hocine, seventh grader Madelyn Zeller!and eighth grader Alice Lin.
Mar 3, 2022
It has been a long, cold winter, but students are ready for some rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation next Wednesday, as the school engages in the quarterly Wellness Workshops. This quarter middle students will take part in a variety of workshops and activities to boost their brains and bodies. Activities include dodgeball and field activities, a workshop on relationships called “Love is Respect, and student choice activities. Choice activities include yoga, neighborhood walks, nail painting, STEM activities, meditation, playing with dogs, storytime in America, creative writing, listening to music, discussion of LGBTQ issues, watching Encanto, Avatar the Last Airbender. Upper school activities include off-campus and Zoom options, like hiking, baking, and bicycling.
Mar 3, 2022
Friday students in Mr. Liu’s government class participated in the DC Circuit Court Historical Society’s Mock Court Program. They presented arguments before real federal judges on a First Amendment case. Besides teaching Chinese and Government at Washington Latin, Mr. Liu is a lawyer who previously advised senators on international policy. The annual event offers students a chance to engage in realistic dialogue with judges on policy and constitutional issues and gain personalized feedback on their performances. Latin’s history and social sciences departments prioritize public speaking, critical thinking, and the chance to engage in authentic and meaningful dialogue about history and the world around us. Students attending included seniors Lily Smeltzer, Benjamin Long, Dainius Antoine, Luca Camponovo Moya, Vivian Pittard, Janika Webb, Morgan Leary, and Jonah Spiva, and juniors Alyssa Wright, Immanuel Gebreyesus, Menkem Sium, Geovanna Diaz, and Maxwell Burton, and sophomores Akilah Jones, Jaden Davis, Jonathan Kuhn. The Government class focuses on all three branches of government and helps students understand civic engagement and America’s history.
