*Sahil Ansari*

Wondering who those new faces around the school are? The Black & White sits down with some of this year’s new teachers who share their deepest, darkest secrets with Whitman.

Music Teacher Vince LoRusso

Black & White: What did you do before teaching at Whitman?

Vince LoRusso: I was the band and orchestra director at Silver Spring International Middle School.

BW: What hobbies do you have outside of school?

VL: Sports. I was a softball coach, although I’ve pretty much given up on that because of time restraints. I love football, baseball and basketball though.

BW: What’s your favorite part about Whitman so far?

VL: The fact that it’s not middle school.

BW: What were you like in high school?

VL: I was a nerd, a band nerd, but I was also pretty good in school. I wasn’t a clown by any stretch of the imagination; that came later.

Spanish Teacher Rebecca Leef

BW: What did you do before teaching at Whitman?

Rebecca Leef: I went to the University of Maryland. I just graduated and I student-taught at Blair High School last year.

BW: What hobbies do you have outside of school?

RL: I like to travel, go to the movies and read.

BW: What’s your favorite part about Whitman so far?

RL: I love the variety of students at Whitman, including all the different personalities.

BW: What is it like being a young teacher here?

RL: At first, it’s a little weird because we’re so close in age, but it’s fun that I can relate to all the students.

BW: Where are your favorite places?

RL: I lived in Barcelona, so it’s probably my favorite place.

BW: What are your favorite movies?

RL: I have two: “Wedding Crashers” and “Finding Nemo”.

Tech-ed Teacher Rachel Stender

BW: What did you do before teaching at Whitman?

Rachel Stender: I taught a year at BCC and I taught math in Texas. Before that, I was a civil engineer for eight years in Texas.

BW: What hobbies do you have outside of school?

RS: I’m a parent of five kids, so I do a lot of parenting, but I also run. I basically take care of my kids and run whenever I have a chance.

BW: What’s your favorite part about Whitman so far?

RS: It’s really close to my house, so that’s a bonus, but everyone’s also really nice. The kids are respectful, the staff members are nice too and it’s a really easy commute.

BW: What were you like in high school?

RS: I was a nerd. Still am. I was a cheerleader, and I also played basketball. I was salutatorian of my class, so one of the smarties. I was fairly self-motivated.