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The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

The School Newspaper of Winston Churchill High School.

The Observer

Observer Opinion: less APs, less stress

Observer Opinion: less APs, less stress

By Violet Wilner, Staff writer June 5, 2026

From freshmen to seniors, millions of students across the country have put in months of effort to pass the AP exam. But, how is it normal to expect so many high school students to take on a college level...

WCHS senior Alexandra Hall scrolls through Instagram before going to her first period. However, children under 16 would never be able to access Instagram due to the ban that they started in 2024.

Observer Opinion: a minor change?

By Ava Van Vuren, News Editor February 8, 2026

One of the most prevalent terms of the 21st century is “doom scrolling,” which describes the excessive swiping through videos online, causing a “dooming” effect on the habits of social media users....

Students at WCHS check their grades during the school day find GradeMelon’s color-coded, detailed semester view makes tracking progress easier, in comparison to StudentVue’s outdated grey interface with only basic grades.

Observer Opinion: The battle of the grades

By Aryana Ali, Assistant News Editor & Promotions Manager December 4, 2025

For years, students have logged into StudentVUE hoping to quickly check their grades, only to be burdened with slow loading, an outdated interface and confusing menus. Meet Grade Melon, a third-party app...

Lea Hong uses her social time to work on her college applications on the Common App. WCHS seniors are struggling to balance the demands of college applications on top of their schoolwork, but there is a way for WCHS to help the seniors out: days off.

Observer Opinion: Seniors need time off

By Ava Van Vuren, News Editor November 11, 2025

As seniors prepare to leave high school and plan for their future, college application deadlines become yet another source of stress. Applications and financial aid forms not only add pressure, but pile...

You can find Labubu styled trinkets everywhere, though mostly dupes. The beloved Pop Mart collectible has become a feature of stores and gift shops.

Observer Opinion: All for showboating?

By Anne Ma, Online Managing Editor October 7, 2025

Labubus, matcha lattes, feminist literature and so on. All under the umbrella of “performative culture”. For anyone who has managed to duck the skits all over Gen Z’s for-you pages, a “performative...

Observer Opinion: Seniors spirited away

Observer Opinion: Seniors spirited away

By Isabel Vorabhanda, Observations Editor May 16, 2025

Spirit weeks, pep rallies, senior shirts, prom, senior day; these are just a few of the last events that seniors will participate in before graduating and moving on. WCHS students are notorious for a lack...

There is no better representation of the fickle nature of New Year's resolutions than National Quitter's Day, January 10th. Most people are said to give up or have already given up by then.

Observer Opinion: What resolution?

By Maximus Wang, Opinions Editor February 3, 2025

For many, the turn of a new year is seen not just as an indication of the passage of time, but also as a fresh start. The belief that a new year could symbolize an annual opportunity is most evident in...

MCPS´s new color coded system for inclement weather includes ¨Code Purple,¨ which indicates a virtual school day.

Observer Opinion: Snow day dilemma

By Julia Levi, Observations Editor March 5, 2024

To set the scene: the clock strikes 6:30 a.m. as a blaring alarm signals yet another monotonous school day. That is – until a surprise phone notification buzzes – signaling a county-wide school closure...

In an attempt to increase club attendance, flyers with QR codes to track club participation are being put around WCHS.

Observer Opinion: Club Overkill

By Caroline Harless, News Editor February 1, 2024

Juvenile Arthritis Club. Feminist Literature Club. Aeronautical Club. It is no secret that WCHS has hundreds of clubs covering all topics — 172 to be exact. With the option to create a new club for the...

This seemingly harmless speaker plays music that is universally disliked among the WCHS community.

Observer Opinion: revamp the hallway music

By Nate Levine, Social Media Manager November 17, 2023

Have you ever found yourself wanting to listen to the same song four times a day, five days a week? Maybe if it’s your favorite song, right? Well, at WCHS, you can listen to a song you don’t want to...

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