Middle School students participated in the first Model UN conference of the school year on October 17 hosted by the Holton Arms School. Sixth grader, Zane Wood, and seventh grader David Brown, J.D. Miller, and Lailah Purnell-Snowden, attended the conference along with more than 100 students from the DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia areas. J.D. Miller served on the Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian committee and debated the topic of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy. J.D. spoke with much confidence and displayed strong leadership skills throughout the debate. David Brown served on the U.N. Environmental Program committee, and debated the topic : “Endangered Species and Their Protection”. J.D. displayed his knowledge of public policy and spoke with authority and passion on his topic. Other Model U.N. participants, Zane Wood and Lailah Purnell-Snowden, provided their support as teammates while observing the debates.
Washington Latin Middle School Students will be gathering in small cohorts for outdoor Field Days in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, fifth and sixth graders met in small groups for activities on the field, including socially distanced “speed dating” mini-conversations, soccer ball passing, and decorating pumpkins. On the 24th, 8th graders will be meeting to participate in Halloween-themed outdoor activities in small groups, IN COSTUME! For students who are unable to attend, there will also be a virtual component to the activities with a chance to chat, participate in a virtual scavenger hunt or escape room, and play other cooperative games together online.
School social worker Hope Foster, is the club advisor for Red Hearts, which focuses on helping those in need in the District of Columbia. The club is participating in a food drive for So Others Might Eat (SOME). For over 50 years, SOME has been one of DC’s leading organizations in our city’s fight against homelessness, hunger, and poverty. On Wednesday, October 21, members of Red Hearts Accept food donations.
The Washington Latin Class of 2028 will meet for the first time at field day on Wednesday, but this was hardly the first social gathering for Washington Latin’s newest class. In the summer, 5th grade parent Margot Hoerrner organized a Facebook page for parents in the grade, which allowed for a summertime virtual Talent Show, musical, videogame, and chess digital playdates, and some outdoor activities like masked soccer meet-ups in SE and NE and a painting playdate in the picnic table pavilion in Rock Creek Park to create a Welcome to Latin Banner, which Middle School Assistant Director Ms. Bradley picked up to bring to school. Kudos to all the parents for leaning in to help this new dynamic group of students form meaningful relationships that they will undoubtedly develop over the coming years.
The 8th graders are wrapping up an English unit on mystery stories right now. Friday students are turning in the final drafts of original mystery stories that are 3-19 pages long! These stories include a setting, characters, crime, motive, red herring, and surprise twist ending. Students are also finishing The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer and a choice mystery book by Agatha Christie, Varian Johnson, Caroline B. Cooney, Jason Lethcoe, or James Ponti. Next week students will come to class dressed as a character from the shared text, and take a test on the unit the following week. The unit helps students grasp the elements of mystery and how the authors weave together a complex plot and unravel an unexpected solution.
