Mr. Clausen’s Honors Humanities classes went to the National Gallery on Tuesday.  The class is starting with Barnett Newman’s “Stations of the Cross” in the East Tower and then spending the rest of the day looking at pieces in both the East and West buildings. The visit is the culmination of the class’s unit on beauty, for which students will have to write a paper on a particular object they see on the trip. Students have evaluated various classical interpretations of the idea of beauty, and will use these views as a critical lens to understand the art they see for this annual trip. Photo: Bjorn Shockey

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.

Next Wednesday the Latin Voices choir will be traveling to the National Cathedral to sing at the 14th Annual High School Choir Festival!  The choir will be joined by 10 other choirs from around the district to sing Movement II of Vivaldi’s Gloria: Et in Terra Pax and to sing Normal Luboff’s Wade in the Water.  They will also be singing Charles Gounod’s Ave Maria. The Latin voices choir will include students in grades nine through twelve who have performed together throughout the year. (Photo courtesy of the Cathedral Choir Society website)

Last Saturday, Latin’s Great Debaters participated in the fifth tournament of the year. The event, located at Alice Deal MS, featured several important wins for our team.  Amal Buba earned first place in the novice speaker prize. Belle Steinberg earned fourth place and Claire Campbell earned fifth in the novice speaker category. Brooke Roberson won tenth place in the novice division. Other participants included varsity debaters Jackson Lewis and D’Andrew Person, junior varsity debaters Ife and Dami Akinsanya and Maxwell Burton and Aaron Smith, and novice debaters Niamh O’Donovan, Greer McPhie, Aaron Gill, and Serenity Johnson, Wyatt Mitchell and Lena Webb, and Jonah Cohen and Ahmad West-Bey.  In February, varsity debaters Jackson Lewis and D’Andre Person will attend the Pennsbury Regional Tournament in Pennsylvania. The team is coached by Ms. Lee-Bey.

This past weekend the Indoor Track team traveled to Liberty University to compete at the VA Showcase Track Meet. Multiple national records were broken at this meet this past weekend. Runners Cecily Bufkin, Raven Berry, Chima Ukaegbu, and Immanuel Charles all ran personal bests in their events. Junior Luke Tewalt had a major personal best in the 2-mile, running a 9:20, which ranks him 6th nationally and also qualifies him for Nationals! Junior Oliver Spiva ran an exceptional race in the 1600m, with a time of 4:37 and is now currently 3rd in the city in the 1600m! The team is coached by Dean Callum.