The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White
The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White
The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White
Child Development built upon my ability to read people’s emotions since every kid has unique qualities, such as expressing themselves through drawing instead of voicing their opinions. As my group taught our lessons, each with a new theme, I witnessed how preschoolers process information and use their cognitive thinking skills in real-time.

Child Development needs more recognition

By Macy Scharpf • January 22, 2025

I never understood how to talk to kids.  Most people could do it naturally, but it never came to me, and I had difficulty forging relationships with children. I figured my best bet was to avoid them...

The lack of federal maternity leave law continues to cause a multitude of issues across the country, notably, a decline in employed women wishing to have children.

MCPS: It’s time for better paid maternity leave

By Macy Scharpf • January 21, 2025

With the sound of a crying baby in the background, a teacher finally attempts to grade the stack of papers piled on her desk. Wishing she could ignore them and succumb to her crushing exhaustion, she knew...

As flag football’s popularity increases nationwide, offering the sport at the collegiate level is crucial.

Students deserve the opportunity to compete in flag football at the collegiate level

By Olivia Pizarro • January 21, 2025

When MCPS introduced flag football into the 2024-25 fall season, nearly 60 girls flooded the Whitman field for tryouts. The selective process cut a third of the girls. As flag football’s popularity...

“Kraven the Hunter” is an R-rated action film that follows the supernaturally strong protagonist, Kraven (Aaron Taylor Johnson), as he slaughters hordes of crime lords and mob bosses who illegally hunt animals.

“Kraven the Hunter”: The final Sony flop

By Simon Llanos • January 21, 2025

“Kraven the Hunter” is the latest film in what seems to be an unfortunate streak of box-office flops for Sony’s Spider-Man villain movies. On a budget of over $100 million, Kraven’s debut made...

Unquestionably, Bob Dylan is a mythic figure; his story is as rich, complex, and never-ending as America itself. That his life should be adapted again, updated and re-told to a new generation should come as a surprise to no one.

“A Complete Unknown”: Don’t think twice, Dylan’s all right

By Henry Dupree • January 21, 2025

Who is Bob Dylan? That’s the question still being asked after the countless albums, tours, accolades, interviews, assessments and even answers that fans and critics alike have provided over the many...

Women worldwide face sexual harassment and violence in public spaces every day. The constant fear of sexual victimization limits a woman’s ability to participate in school, work and common leisure activities, including things as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee.

Man vs. Bear: When violence against women becomes background noise

By Julia Cerione • January 16, 2025

A young woman gathers her keys and checks that she has pepper spray and a safety alarm on hand. After verifying that she turned her location on for her loved ones, she finally walks out the door. While...

This year had an abundance of iconic pop culture moments, with both upcoming artists and familiar favorites leading the way to create an array of pop albums that defined 2024. 

The year of the pop girl: 10 albums that defined the pop landscape in 2024

By Macy Scharpf and Elana Snyder • January 15, 2025

2024 was undeniably a game-changer for the music industry. Over the last 12 months, big-time artists, including Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, released highly successful albums, and emerging artists, such...

Ironically, the most efficient way to get in-game currency in all gacha games is by purchasing it with real money, and the amount of free in-game currency a player gets is never enough to keep up with the constant release of new items.

Gaming’s expensive evolution: The problem with microtransactions

By Gavin Herman • January 15, 2025

Bethesda Games released the fourth installment of its action role-playing series “Elder Scrolls” 18 years ago. The new game, “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” retailed at $59.99, and 17 years later,...

While generative AI is still in its toddler stage, there is no doubt that it will continue to play an increasingly large role in the day-to-day workings of the world. 

It’s time to rethink AI’s place in the classroom

By Lucas Duffy • January 15, 2025

In November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT, transforming countless aspects of modern-day life. Their release of a Large Language Model (LLM), a form of artificial intelligence that can generate content...

Our movie rating system is 'F'd' up

Our movie rating system is ‘F’d’ up

By Benjamin Levy • January 14, 2025

It’s the opening weekend of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Teens across the country flock to theaters to see the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But when they arrive, a theater clerk...

Summer learning loss disproportionately affects students in continuation classes, classes that build upon the information and skills acquired in a lower-level class. For example, AP Spanish Language and Culture is a continuation of Spanish 5 and AP Chemistry builds on the content learned in Honors Chemistry.

Mitigating summer learning loss: Why work over break is necessary for continuation classes

By Simon Llanos • January 14, 2025

It’s 7:45 a.m. on a Monday in September. The second week of school is just beginning, and classes are moving away from icebreakers to real content. As your Spanish teacher starts to lecture about the...

As my cousin swiped through photos on his phone, I noticed I was less interested in the screen and the pictures he had to show me. Apps that rely especially on engagement, such as mobile games or social media, use color to hook and keep users’ attention.

Color and the brain: Why I made my phone black-and-white

By Hannah Mullins • January 13, 2025

Last summer, my cousin visited me during his summer break from college. He showed me a picture of him with his roommates, but the photo was in black-and-white. I asked him what was wrong with his phone,...

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