Skip to Main Content
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

Though Greentree houses a large population with diverse needs, the largest sector of the shelter is dedicated to families experiencing homelessness.

Inside the homes at NCCF’s Greentree Shelter

By Hannah Mullins May 17, 2025

Some names have been changed to protect privacy. Children’s chatter echoes through the Greentree Shelter complex as volunteers filter in and out through the homes, each built with identical wooden...

Boys lacrosse surpasses Blair 12–6 to win state quarterfinal

Boys lacrosse surpasses Blair 12–6 to win state quarterfinal

By Lucas Bloomberg May 16, 2025

The Vikings (14–2) beat the Blair Blazers (8–7) 12–6 on Wednesday night, moving on to the state semifinals for just the second time in Whitman history. For the first time in over 15 years, the...

Sephora —a multinational chain of cosmetic stores and beauty retailers—operates over 2,700 stores across 35 countries, offering around 340 exclusive brands.

Sephora to open in Bethesda Row 2026

By Seva Gandhi May 16, 2025

A Sephora store is opening in Bethesda Row, replacing Chef José Andrés’ Spanish Diner. The 6,700-square-foot is expected to open sometime in 2026, marking Sephora’s third location in Bethesda.  Andrés...

"Sinners": Where Blues Meet Blood

“Sinners”: Where Blues Meet Blood

By Marta Marques May 15, 2025

Love, music and resilience hit the big screen in Ryan Coogler’s new movie “Sinners.” This thrilling tale features bloodthirsty vampires while detailing the struggles of African Americans during segregation.  The...

Oberdorfer structured the class around a semester-long project in which students develop policy and action plans to address social justice issues in the community or the country.

Social Justice Through Public Policy: The newest addition to the LASJ program

By Benjamin Levy May 15, 2025

When Whitman launched the Leadership Academy for Social Justice (LASJ) in 2021, the program featured five classes: Introduction to Social Justice (LENS), African American Studies, LGBTQ+ Studies, Women’s...

Girls make up roughly 50% of the U.S. high school population, yet only 42% of athletes on high school sports teams.

Title IX at Whitman: an Investigation

By Benjamin Levy May 14, 2025

In the past two years, MCPS added two varsity sports to its roster — girls wrestling and flag football. The expansion of girls’ sports in the county and nation has led to a rapid and sustained rise...

While female jazz vocalists have grown more popular in recent years, there are still far fewer female instrumentalists than their male counterparts. 

Women in jazz: At Whitman and beyond

By Stella Bleiweis May 14, 2025

John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington are some of the most well-known and influential names in jazz. Yet, names like Alice Coltrane, Mary Lou Williams and Esperanza Spalding are often forgotten...

Boys lacrosse surpasses B-CC 14–9 to win regional championship

Boys lacrosse surpasses B-CC 14–9 to win regional championship

By Lucas Bloomberg May 13, 2025

The boys’ lacrosse team (13–2) beat the B-CC Barons (9–5) 14–9 on Monday night, defeating their rivals and winning their first regional championship in over 15 years. The Vikes started early...

Paul, a Workforce Development Specialist, meets with a client.

Jubilee Jobs: From prison to paycheck

By Cassidy Lewin May 13, 2025

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that between 2021 and 2024, the workforce has fallen by around a million Americans. As a result, many employers cannot find sufficient staff, leading to ramifications...

The pressure to play on elite teams is high, especially in competitive communities like Whitman and at neighboring schools.

The price of play: How rising costs are impacting youth sports

By Kavya Rajani May 13, 2025

The cost of youth sports is skyrocketing, with families spending anywhere from five hundred dollars to five figures just to keep their children in the game. In affluent areas such as Bethesda, the pressure...

To become National Board Certified in MCPS, teachers must demonstrate efforts to improve student achievement.

Five Whitman teachers achieve National Board Certification

By Noah Bloom May 13, 2025

This school year, five Whitman teachers earned MCPS’ National Board Certification (NBC) for the first time: Matthew Bruneel, Ryan Derenberger, Dan August Erfe, Abbie Lamb and Elon Walter. A total of...

However, the promises of ‘environmentally-friendly’ reusable shopping bags and water bottles aren’t always as true as they seem. 

The false promise of eco-friendly items

By Hannah Mullins May 13, 2025

In 2023, the global reusable packaging market hit $125.2 billion, signaling the success of a push for reusable products. Most of this growth was in plastic reusable packaging, followed by metal items and...

Load More Stories