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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

Photo courtesy of Mike Lenkin

I never cared about winning until I played for Whitman’s field hockey team

By Allegra Bai May 21, 2025

My teammates were hugging and crying on the turf. I wanted to cry, too — we had just lost the state semifinal. I would never get to play with the same team again; our season was over.  I’d been...

After receiving my permit, it took me four months to work up the courage to drive. When my friends discussed how eager they were to get their licenses, I could never relate because of how badly I wanted to procrastinate driving in the first place. 

Driving anxiety made me a better driver

By Allegra Bai April 4, 2025

I pull into my carport with blurry vision, tears streaming down my cheeks. My dad suddenly yelled that I was getting too close to the basketball hoop in our driveway. I panic, hitting the gas instead of...

Even if a person fails, they gain invaluable knowledge and have an opportunity to learn more about success. With the right people by your side, there is little doubt that you will succeed in your goals.

Beyond the bunny hills: Why pushing your limits makes you a better skier

By Jose Urzua March 13, 2025

One year ago, I embarked on a ski trip with a group of friends to Whitetail, a ski resort outside of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. During the hour-long car ride, we discussed our expectations for the trip....

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...

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,...

On the first day of school, I never knew what to say when my teachers asked what I did over the summer. I didn’t have anything worth sharing. My summers were all the same: I would witness my peers galavanting off to all ends of the world while I was stuck at home.

The importance of traveling in your teenage years: My experience leaving the country

By Macy Scharpf October 31, 2024

On the first day of school, I never knew what to say when my teachers asked what I did over the summer. I didn’t have anything worth sharing. My summers were all the same: I would witness my peers galavanting...

In early 2019, partway through fourth grade, I went out with my family for sushi, which was not an unusual occurrence. Unbeknownst to me, my parents were figuring out how to break some news.

How growing up abroad changed my perspective on life

By Fiona Graham October 30, 2024

In early 2019, partway through fourth grade, I went out with my family for sushi, which was not an unusual occurrence. Unbeknownst to me, my parents were figuring out how to break some news. That day,...

Staying on top of assignments can be overwhelming, especially for students who need help completing them to begin with.

Redefining fluency: the value of language classes for everyone

By Simon Llanos June 17, 2024

Growing up, I thought there was no way a high school Spanish class could ever challenge me. As a Colombian with parents from Bogotá and Spanish as my household language, I was confident in my language...

piano

How playing the piano helped me find myself

By Asha Tallapragada June 13, 2024

As soon as I heard the ring of the school bell on a Wednesday afternoon, I raced to the cubby corner of my classroom, snagged my backpack and waited impatiently at the door for my teacher to dismiss me....

While I understand that not having a day off listed on the MCPS calendar can contribute to the lack of knowledge about Eid and Ramadan, being surrounded by people who don’t understand such an important celebration in my life is alienating.

My experience celebrating an ignored holiday

By Cate Cirivello May 1, 2024

As dawn spreads across the sky, a dim room awakens with the sweet aroma of freshly baked treats and the laughter of families gathered around cramped dining tables. Eid al-Fitr, “the feast of breaking...

My goal for the week was to connect with as many people as possible: no one was too big or small to converse with.

My experience as a high school sports writer at the Senior Bowl

By Ben Belford-Peltzman April 2, 2024

It’s 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, and I’m wide awake. Not because I can’t sleep or because I’m worried about an upcoming test, it’s because I have my computer and notepad beside me as I watch college...

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.

Real friends in a virtual world: My experience with video games

By Ichi Bai March 19, 2024

In first grade, I loaded into a “Minecraft” world for the first time on my mom’s computer. I’d already spent countless hours on YouTube watching other people play the game, and I was bursting with...

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