On Tuesday the English and Theatre Departments met in the Theatre room after school to work with American University theatre professor Caleen Jennings. She spoke to teachers about bringing theatricality into the classroom, using the body, vocal tones, collaborative performances, and choral readings to bring text alive. Teachers practiced acting out lines from several Shakespeare plays, using pantomime, tone, and humor to give meaning to words. Many of the teachers will be using these skills when they approach various dramatic and comedic texts in the second semester, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet. Jennings received American University’s Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award and is a faculty member of the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Teaching Shakespeare Institute. She is also a playwright and a two-time Helen Hayes Award nominee.
Elayna Birch-Smith had an unofficial “Signing” in the College Counseling office with Delaware State University, staged by director of athletics Neil Berment. The senior basketball player is excited to join the Hornets next year. As an art student at Latin she has had her work exhibited at the Flying Fish coffeehouse in Mt. Pleasant. She also attended the Global Issues Network Conference at George Washington as a sophomore to learn about International Policy.
Senior Isaiah Smith is the 2017 winner of the DC Public Charter School Board’s Student Excellence award, recognizing his dedication, excellence, and care demonstrated in his work at Washington Latin. This is the inaugural year for the award, and Isaiah was selected from many students nominated across the District. When he spoke at the award ceremony on Monday, Smith noted that he appreciated Latin’s “Socratic seminar style of learning, where I can hear opinions and ideas from my classmates instead of just being talked at by a teacher.” He said it “has made it easier to learn and also has allowed me to develop my own ideas while still being able to listen to others. Overall, this environment has made high school an enjoyable experience.” You can see what led Latin to nominate Isaiah in this DCPCSB video.
It’s been an exciting fall for Smith, who just nabbed a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Rochester. Smith has been a star at Latin since his first year. After joining the school in his freshman year, and was selected to speak on The National School Choice Week panel with congressional leaders at the Cannon House Office building that year. Washington Latin has previously had four students gain scholarships to Bucknell, one to Pepperdine, two to Lafayette, and one to the University of Wisconsin through the Posse Scholarship. The program brings together a “posse” of students from specific cities to provide a support system for college students who are traveling far from home. You can find more information at www.possefoundation.org.
Eighth graders took part in the annual Advisory Buzz Competition. The math game asks students to use multiples to BUZZ out certain numbers as they count rapidly in a circle. It requires focus, memory, and quick wits. The winner was Vivian Claire, who earned points for Ms. Stephens’ advisory while runners up Molly Parker and Abu Bockarie both earned points for Ms. Haywood’s advisory, pushing them from the bottom to the second place in the year-long advisory competition. Students earn points throughout the year by participating in various events, culminating in the spring with the advisory Olympics. Ms. Coppola-Klein’s advisory garnered extra spirit points Friday by creating a wave of bright yellow by blanketing themselves in the color for their attire.
Students in the middle and upper schools are participating in the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project Toy Drive. The charity event is organized by Ms. Foster, who coordinates community service opportunities for the school. Students donated toys of all size to homeless children for the holidays.
