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
Ethan Schenker

Ethan Schenker, Online Editor-in-Chief

Grade 12

Why did you join The B&W?

I love writing and talking to new people with unique perspectives!

If you were a candle, what scent would you be?

Autumn Leaves

All content by Ethan Schenker
Senior Destinations 2023

Senior Destinations 2023

By Harper Barnowski and Ethan Schenker
August 7, 2023
Whitman parent Marc Hausman warns students of the consequences of drug abuse at an assembly on Thursday.

[Photo] “You honor Landen by honoring yourself”: IMPACT Week speakers promote student safety

By Ava Faghani
March 27, 2023
If convicted of distributing fentanyl that led to the death or serious injury of a minor victim, Mikiyas Maryie Kefyalew of Silver Spring faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Federal prosecutors charge 24-year-old man with selling fentanyl that led to overdose death of Whitman student

By Ethan Schenker
September 21, 2022
The Black & White interviewed seven of Maryland’s gubernatorial candidates in January and February of 2022, using the same set of questions to offer a side-by-side comparison of their policies, goals and experience.

Q&A with Maryland’s gubernatorial candidates

By Ethan Schenker
July 16, 2022
Police arrested a 23-year-old man on Thursday in connection with the fatal overdose of Whitman sophomore Landen Hausman. Mikiyas Maryie Kefyalew is accused of selling Hausman counterfeit Percocet pills that later tested positive for fentanyl.

Police arrest man in connection with fatal fentanyl overdose of Whitman student

By Ethan Schenker
April 17, 2022
The plan aims to decrease chronic absences by analyzing the cause of absenteeism, requiring each school to develop a customized plan with goals to decrease student absences and launching a system-wide campaign to raise awareness about consistent school attendance.

Student brings BB gun to Whitman, police respond

By Stephanie Solomon and Ethan Schenker
April 8, 2022
Prosecutors dropped charges against a former Whitman student in connection with the December 19 killing of a man in Bethesda, citing a lack of evidence to prosecute the 19-year-old.

Prosecutors drop murder charges against former Whitman student Blaise Uchemadu

By Ethan Schenker
March 20, 2022
The assessment will account for 20% of a student’s second-semester grade in Biology, Honors Biology, Government and Politics and Honors Government and Politics classes.

Prosecutors extend plea offer to former teacher Kirkland Shipley 

By Ethan Schenker
March 17, 2022
Tolsun Waddle now coaches the varsity women’s crew team, and Fabriana Velasquez leads the novice women’s team.

Whitman Crew hires Tolsun Waddle, Fabriana Velasquez to fill coaching vacancies 

By Ethan Schenker
March 14, 2022
Whitman's turf field will undergo repairs, which may interfere with the start of the spring sports season.

MCPS to replace turf infill after discovery of field drainage problems

By Ethan Schenker
February 24, 2022
Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight will serve as the next MCPS superintendent.

Dr. Monifa McKnight to serve as next MCPS superintendent

By Ethan Schenker and Zoe Cantor
February 8, 2022
Whitman crew's updated communications policy has taken effect. The parent board acknowledged that the previous policy was “not fully compliant” with regulatory standards.

Whitman crew updates “not fully compliant” communications policy

By Ethan Schenker
February 2, 2022
Principal Robert Dodd announced to staff on Sunday that educators may now livestream their classes.

“All hands on deck”: Administrators introduce livestream instruction option, address temporary staff shortage

By Ethan Schenker
January 3, 2022
The Tyson’s Corner Mall Santa has held the job for nearly 37 years. This year, this mall Santa and others across the nation have taken extra precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19, including regular rapid testing.

Mall Santas of MoCo and beyond

By Ethan Schenker
January 1, 2022
Police found a man dead in the shopping center at 6831 Wisconsin Avenue on Monday evening.

Three Whitman students charged with murder after Bethesda killing

By Ethan Schenker
December 23, 2021
The new rule, to go into effect in the second semester in MCPS, allows teachers to give students zeros for missing work provided that they contact the student’s guardians.

Campus attacks test MCPS’ safety protocols

By Ethan Schenker
December 7, 2021
Whitman’s artificial turf field has closed for the remainder of the fall sports season. Before the field's installation in 2018, many community members expressed concern over the field’s proposed infill material, Zeofill.

Safety concerns force closure of turf field

By Ethan Schenker
November 7, 2021
A recent MCPS report revealed that students experienced significant academic setbacks after a year of virtual learning.

MCPS students miss academic targets after year of virtual learning

By Ethan Schenker
October 26, 2021
Students dance to the music at Whitman's first outdoor homecoming celebration. The event drew the most students in at least five years, according to Principal Robert Dodd.

SGA holds first outdoor homecoming celebration, draws over 1,000 students

By Ethan Schenker
October 15, 2021
A Whitman student assaulted a female Churchill student at Churchill this morning. County police took the Whitman student into custody.

Whitman student taken into custody after assault of female Churchill student

By Ethan Schenker
October 13, 2021
This year, Whitman honored the most National Merit semifinalists that the school has seen since 2013.

Whitman honors most National Merit semifinalists in nearly a decade

By Ethan Schenker
September 29, 2021

Efforts to make River Road safer continue, yet slowly

By Ethan Schenker
September 14, 2021
The Whitman Crew Boosters Board of Directors cancelled fall programs after the arrest of former girls rowing coach Kirkland Shipley.

Whitman crew cancels fall programs

By Ethan Schenker
September 2, 2021
On the first day of school, many students' school buses were late, overcrowded or both. One bus also broke down.

Students endure school bus transportation issues on first day back at Whitman

By Ethan Schenker
August 31, 2021
Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight provides details on mask-wearing and other health protocols during a presentation to the county Board of Education July 27. Board members overwhelmingly supported the school district’s decision to require face coverings inside school buildings. 

MCPS to require masks inside school buildings in the fall

By Ethan Schenker
July 28, 2021
Senior Toby Goldberg, senior Josh Harkins and sophomore Kabir Broker answer trivia questions during the Washington, D.C. ‘It’s Academic’ semifinals. The team ended with a near-perfect score, but still finished second.

Quizbowl places second at ‘It’s Academic’ semifinals

By Ethan Schenker
June 8, 2021
A group of Whitman students encountered men with an anti-Israel poster in the school’s parking lot Tuesday evening. A photo of the sign circulated among Whitman students, many of whom condemned the poster’s rhetoric on Instagram.

Whitman students encounter anti-Israel protesters in school parking lot

By Ethan Schenker
May 12, 2021
MCPS is attempting to remedy pandemic-induced learning gaps through expanded summer school program offerings. Students will be able to take any course for free.

MCPS expands summer school offerings in push to reduce pandemic-induced learning gaps

By Ethan Schenker
April 30, 2021
Two students found an anti-Asian caricature and caption on a chair in the Whitman auditorium this morning. This is the third time in the past 14 months that the school has dealt with racist graffiti.

Racist graffiti in school auditorium targets Asian Americans

By Ethan Schenker and Samantha Wang
April 23, 2021
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