Shooting threat sparks community response
By Ela Jalil, Assistant News Editor
November 15, 2019
On Oct. 24, a rumor flew around social media about a school shooting threat, causing WCHS students and parents to fear for their safety. The original message was posted on Snapchat and soon students were posting their reactions on their Instagram and Snapchat stories, explaining how scared they we...
Students, teachers take side on later school start time debate
By Jeremy Fredricks and Ari Dimitoglou
November 15, 2019
For students in California public high schools, start time will be later beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. After Governor Gavin Newson signed a law for later start times, California will become the first state to legislative start times for public schools with high schools starting at 8:30 AM. ...
MCPS students to vote on next year’s calender
By Jasper Bernstein, Assistant Observations Editor
November 13, 2019
MCPS has given students a choice of the next school calendar after the change in Maryland policy. To effectively compare schedules across different years, The Observer has added up the amount of days off for each MCPS school year since 2013. Each day off counts as one point, and each half day counts as a half point...
Hack on Naviance terrifies the MOCO community
By Nur Yavuz, Assistant Observations Editor
November 13, 2019
The safety concerns of administration greatly increased after the news of two students in Montgomery County hacking into the Naviance college-prep database system came into light. The suspects were able to see the personal and school related data of 1,344 students at Wheaton High School and are now under p...
Administration & MCPS don’t see eye to eye on no zero policy
By Jeremy Fredricks, Assistant Opinions Editor
October 21, 2019
For a brief period in the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, WCHS had a policy where students could earn a minimum grade of 50%, not 0%. The policy would have applied to students who submitted nothing, had cheated or committed plagiarism (and still receive half credit). Aside from its intentions, it contradicted M...
Student protestors take on climate change
By Maya Bhattiprolu, Assistant Online Editor
October 19, 2019
The Global Youth Climate Strike inspired more than 4 million people worldwide to strike on Sept. 20 to advocate for stronger legislation and regulation. Northwood High School junior Sophia Geiger is the lead organizer in the DC-area climate change strike, inspired by other activists who worldwi...
Administration works to fight against vaping epidemic
By Miranda Chung and Ohio Meshanko
October 18, 2019
To date, more than ten teenagers have been confirmed dead as a direct result of e-cigarettes, or vapes. Last spring, some anonymous WCHS students were found intoxicated in a bathroom due to vaping. One student even had to be picked up by ambulance after another vaping related incident. E-cigs w...
WCHS drivers stressed by parking dilemma
By Austin Vinner, Photo Manager
October 17, 2019
With hundreds of cars, many of which being driven by inexperienced student drivers, the WCHS parking lot can be a dangerous place. The fewer car accidents are thanks to the security and police officers that help with the school’s pickup and drop off procedures, as well as overall parking procedures. ...
Lungs on fire: Amazon news encourage environmental action
By Hannah Zozobrado, Arts Editor
October 11, 2019
The ongoing fires in the Amazon are a prime example of an environmental crisis that has been fueled by a political and economic agenda. As the Amazon is the most biodiverse area on earth and additionally provides approximately six to nine percent of the world’s oxygen, its current undoing should be r...
Summer health program clears up space in schedules
By Ela Jalil, Assistant News Editor
June 10, 2019
Most WCHS students spend their summer vacationing, hanging out at the pool or going to camp. Going to three weeks of classes during the summer is not an ideal activity, but many rising 10th graders have to make the difficult decision between taking the required course Health over the summer or durin...
Women should have the right to chose what to do with their body
By Sapna David, Features Editor
June 5, 2019
Many WCHS students have heard about the new Alabama anti-abortion law that was signed this Wednesday, May 15th, by Governor Kay Ivey. It has sparked a worldwide conversation, causing many to speak up on social media about their opinions as well as starting conversations between friends, families, and ...
WCHS graduation festivities begin for the Class of 2019
By Cherri Tung, Arts Editor
June 4, 2019
It’s the time of year. seniors are finally ready to graduate and head into summer before embarking on their next chapter. But before they go, WCHS had planned many events for the seniors such as the senior banquet, senior breakfast and so much more. “Looking back though, WCHS provided as much...