This was Homecoming and Spirit Week in the upper school. Students had various dress down days, including Pajamas Day on Monday, Generation Day on Tuesday, and Country vs. Country Club Day on Thursday. Friday is the Homecoming Dance. The hallways were filled with upper schoolers wearing sweater vests, cowboy hats and overalls, grandma sweaters and young child beanies. The mIddle schoolers will have their chance to dress up and show spirit the week of October 31st.
Middle school students attended the first Model UN conference of the school year at Holton Arms School on the 14th along with 200 students from the DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia area schools. At the Closing Awards Ceremony, seventh grader Mila Appelbaum captured the top award for her committee as the ” Best Delegate” for her work on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) committee representing the country of Ethiopia. She received a certificate and an engraved gavel as her award. Overall, it was a very successful outing for Latin’s Middle School Model UN team. Seventh grader Francisco Blanco served on the committee called DISEC (Disarmament and International Security), representing the country of Ecuador moving toward gender equality in sports. Seventh grader Adrian Barbin served on UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), representing the country of Somalia on the topic of malnutrition in children. Seventh grader Campbell Hall was part of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) committee representing Spain and debating the topic of: Education for Girls.
Washington Latin class of 2017 graduate Allegra Hatem and 2016 graduate Jordan Coscia performed this week as Nina in Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, performed by the St. Mark’s Players at St. Mark’s Church in Capitol Hill. After Latin, Hatem graduated from the University of Chicago, and Coscia from Franklin and Marshall. The students have continued their camaraderie and love the spoken word on the stage. Order Tickets
Mr. Clausen attended the NEH Jefferson Lecture, featuring Andrew Delbanco this week with senior Elisha Adams, Ethan Williams, Ella Kramer, Cooper Davenport, and Charlie Fox-Whelpton, and juniors Elias Baldwin, Kiran Mampara, Cecilia DeStefano, Angie Sturr, Fatima Jinkatoro, and Adrian Hoke, sophomores Maggie Southworth and Dean Herst and freshman Aaron Gill. Delbanco teaches American Literature, focusing on the 1700 and 1800s at Columbia University. The Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, established by the National Endowment for the Humanities, is an honor for writers and intellectuals for their achievements. Delbanco has written books about American history and literature, including The War Before the War: Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for America’s Soul from the Revolution to the Civil War.
Wednesday was the first half day devoted to Wellness. Administrators brought their canine friends to visit! Activities helped build community and strengthen mental health. Students took part in reading, calligraphy, coloring, and other artistic expression, along with field games, basketball, walking, running, and other athletic pursuits. Advisories hosted extended teamwork activities, music, and breakfast to celebrate our time together. These quarterly events help students take a break to reset, turn their energy inward, and celebrate their freedom with their friends. Some workshops were run by students and clubs, including Mythology Club and Fun Club.
The middle school cross country team had a phenomenal meet on Wednesday! The team is coached by Mr. Green and Mr. O’Brien. As a result of that hard work, the girls tied as a team in the 3K race and the boys won the 3K! Sixth grader Alice Day-Biehler took 3 minutes off her previous time to WIN the girls 3K! She jumped from 20th in the first race to 1st in this race. Sixth grader Tori Starace ran in the 3K for the first race, but she ran the 4K in this meet and finished 5th overall. Sixth grader John Turner won the boys 3K by 25 seconds. Sixth grader Devin Raj finished 4th in the 3K.
