The struggle is real: college applications
By Sapna David, Features Editor
November 13, 2019
As soon as AP exams are over, students flood their teachers rooms asking just one question: “Is there any chance you would be willing to write my teacher recommendation?” Teachers are used to this; many teachers have their own system to pick students and some have their own forms for students ...
NCAA athletes should be paid like the pros
By David Malament, Promotions Manager
November 13, 2019
Since the dawn of time college athletes being able to make money was forbidden by the NCAA. The debate has roared on and college athletes finally may be on the verge of compensation. The NCAA rules state that athletes are not allowed to be paid by their schools, make money off endorsements or have agents...
New updates diminish the value of ACT
By Anna Kronthal, Opinions Editor
November 13, 2019
Every year, we seem to be catering to an increasingly apathetic student body. First was the elimination of high school exams. Then, a localized failed but notable attempt at a “no zero grading policy.” Now, an ACT that allows students to complete their test in multiple sittings-- because it is simply...
ACT’s new updates are beneficial students
By Emma Chen, Observations Editor
November 13, 2019
On any given Saturday from 8-12 AM, certain high schools are packed with students taking standardized tests. However, soon this entirely too long process can become a lot shorter for many students. The new change to the ACT, which will allow students to take sections of the test individually starting...
A little larger than usual: overcrowding at WCHS
By Allison Jacobs, News Editor
October 21, 2019
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, students noticed that classes felt a little bigger than usual. In fact, classes are a lot bigger than usual. WCHS now suffers from an overcrowding problem in some classes, a huge issue that must be dealt with for the sake of the quality of education tha...
Yearly concussion tests should be mandatory
By Ally Salzberg, Assistant Online Editor
October 21, 2019
Safety has always been a priority in athletics, especially for those who participate in high school sports. As a result, it is normal to ask, why is it that the WCHS faculty does not consider a yearly baseline concussion test as mandatory? Every year in high schools around the country, a “concussion t...
Watch out binge watchers: Netflix is changing its pace
By Nur Yavuz, Assistant Observations Editor
October 21, 2019
Will Netflix be changing your binging habits for you? Netflix’s new pacing schedule is going to keep binging habits to a minimum. Binge watching devalues shows and gets rid of the concept of suspense, so not only will this be healthier for the younger audiences who have too much time on their hands, b...
Writing out traditions of cursive for the future
By Anna Kronthal, Opinions Editor
October 21, 2019
All of us remember the infamous kindergarten worksheets where students are asked to trace along a dotted line or continuously pencil out ten curly versions of the letter “Q” in a row to learn the cursive alphabet. What do not remember? Ever using it again. For many years, there have been ongoing deba...
WCHS should offer self-defense classes for protection
By Jasper Bernstein, Assistant Observations Editor
October 21, 2019
September 16 was a normal day at Walt Whitman High School until a student unexpectedly physically attacked another student with a kitchen appliance: a frying pan. Although the incident was promptly taken care of by school security, many WCHS students were worried for their own safety after the fight. Thi...
JoJo Siwa dances over haters to build successful brand
By Trevor Gardemal, Staff Writer
April 4, 2019
Jojo Siwa doesn’t care what the haters say. “I'mma come back like a boomerang,” she says in her song, “Boomerang.” And she does. Jojo Siwa, born Joelle Joanie, made her television debut in 2013 on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition. In 2015, she joined Dance Moms for seasons 5 and 6. From ...
Celebrities should not publicly endorse political nominees
By Anna Kronthal, Assistant Opinions Editor
November 26, 2018
Pop singer Taylor Swift shared her views on political candidates in a lengthy caption that she posted to her instagram. Swift’s picture was liked by over 2 million people. Meanwhile, our president’s inauguration was attended by only 900,000. Recently, celebrities have been impacting politics by promoting ...
By Nora Holland, Opinions Editor
November 20, 2018
In America, a “rubber” is slang for a condom. In Australia, it serves as slang for an eraser. Either way, it seems as if MCPS is soon going to have both of these important tools roaming the hallways. Due to recent reports on the drastic increase of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the U....