Walt Whitman High School

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This article is about the public secondary school in Bethesda, MD. For information about the South Huntington, NY school, please see Walt Whitman High School, South Huntington

Walt Whitman High School
Address 7100 Whittier Blvd.
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
Contact Information Phone: 301-320-6600
Fax: 301-320-6594
Established 1962
Community Suburban
Type Public Secondary
Student Body Co-Educational
Student to Teacher Ratio 33
Grades 9 to 12
Enrollment 1897 (2005-2006)
District Montgomery County Public Schools
Nickname WWHS
Mascot Viking
Colors Black, White, and Columbia blue
Motto Pride + Determination = Success
Newspaper Black & White Online
School Website Walt Whitman Home Page
Administration

Principal- Dr. Alan Goodwin
Assistant Principal- Kathlyn Carroll
Assistant Principal- Benjamin Ouyang
Assistant Principal- Jennifer Baker

Walt Whitman High School located in Bethesda, Maryland, is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in the affluent Montgomery County, Maryland.

The school, which takes its name after the American poet, is closed; that is, students must have residency within the school's territorial boundary to attend.

Contents

[edit] History

The school opened in the fall of 1962 with 1,418 students and had a geodesic dome until renovation in 1992. In 1981, a 1,200 seat auditorium was added to the school. Dr. Jerome Marco was Principal from 1975 until his retirement in 2004. Currently, the principal is Dr. Alan Goodwin, who was Assistant Principal for several years before becoming principal. Six elementary schools feed Thomas W. Pyle Middle School, which in turn feeds to Walt Whitman. The elementary schools are Wood Acres, Bannockburn, Burning Tree, Carderock Springs, Bradley Hills, and Bethesda. Students from Whitman were profiled, some under pseudonyms, in Alexandra Robbins' 2006 book 'The Overachievers.' She interviewed these students about the stress and level of work involved graduating from high school before moving on to a top college or university, often perceived as the goal of most Whitman students. In 2005, in wake of Hurricane Katrina, a Whitman student and her two younger sisters started Project Backpack, an organization which donated backpacks filled with toys to displaced children. The project exceeded all expectations and got thousands of backpacks. To honor their deed, President Bush invited them to light the national Christmas tree.

[edit] The Black & White

The Black & White is a national, regional and state award-winning newspaper that is student-financed and student-run. In addition to informing students, teachers, parents and community members of relevant issues and events, it also provides an open forum for an exchange of student ideas. It was established in 1961 and produces 13 issues each academic year. The newspaper was inducted into the National Scholastic Press Association Hall of Fame in 1991, during the tenure of longtime adviser Robert Atwood. In 2001, the staff of the Black & White collaborated to launch the Spectator, a supplementary paper covering [[sports] features and recreation. The newspaper has gathered numerous national awards for its print edition as well as its website, Black & White Online, established in 2001. The Black & White has approximately 70 staff members (print and online positions included) and the Spectator has 19 members. Some staff positions, like photographers, graphic artists, business and advertising managers, are shared by both papers. Dr. Jan Bowman is the newspaper's adviser.

[edit] Performing arts

WWHS is known for its successes in the performing arts. The Instrumental Music department oversees 6 standard ensembles and is directed by Chris Allen and Terry Alvey. The 19-member Jazz Ensemble has won the Chantilly Jazz Invitational for the past 6 years, and appears at many concerts around the DC area during the year (results and audio clips). The Symphonic Band has received a 1 (highest rating) at the county and state levels in grade VI literature for the past six years, and was the only school to perform grade VI music at State last year. The school has hosted various master classes, including the Air Force jazz band the Airmen of Note, the Shenandoah University Faculty Quintet and renowned conductor Anthony Maiello. Mr. Allen is the conductor of the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras Sinfonia and has conducted several honor groups including the 2006 Junior All-State Band.

The Choral Music department contains 5 regular ensembles and smaller chamber groups and is directed by Jeff Davidson. The Chamber Choir (formerly Chamber Singers) has been regularly recognized as one of the top groups on the East Coast for many years. Like the Instrumental Music department, the Choral Music department regularly wins straight 1's ("Superior"--highest rating) for Level VI (most advanced) choral arrangements in county, state, and national competitions. Combined, the Choral and Instrumental Music programs regularly place graduating students in top U.S. music schools and conservatories.

Whitman produces a fall musical (with a student pit orchestra), a student-directed talent show, and a spring play. The home of the theatre program, the Daryl Shaw Auditorium, holds 1,200 seated audience members and continues to see full houses despite extremely outdated electrical, sound, lighting, and rigging systems. The school is a member of the Critics and Awards Program for High School Students (Cappies) National Capital Area and has been nominated for and won several awards at the annual Gala. Last year, Whitman's production of West Side Story was nominated for Pit Orchestra, Tech Crew, Featured Actor in a Musical and Featured Actress in a Musical. This year Whitman will perform Funny Girl in the Fall and a version of Dracula written for Whitman's production. The Talent Show will be in April followed by a weekend of one-act student produced plays.

Whitman's visual arts program was also strong under the guidance of former Advanced Placement teacher [1]Walt Bartman Sr. who led countless students to excel and over the years receive 10 presidential scholar awards in Visual Arts, scholastic awards, and other recognition.

Every other year, Whitman holds a schoolwide Shakespeare Festival for one day in April. It is based in student projects, which encompass posters, food, live performances, videos, demonstrations, costumes, and often a trebuchet. Everything is linked to some aspect of Shakespeare, his work, or the Renaissance. The festival is organized and run by students, with the aid of the English department.

[edit] The Overachievers

The 2006 book entitled The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids profiles the lives of several students from WWHS. The author, Alexandra Robbins, is a graduate of Whitman and Yale. Students from Whitman were profiled about the stress and level of work involved in graduating from high school. She explores how our high-stakes educational culture has spiraled out of control, following seven main students.

[edit] Athletics

  • Boys Basketball Division 4A State Champions '06
  • Girls Field Hockey Regional Champions '06
  • Eren Pars Civan - Wrestling State Champion '04-'06
  • Will Sharbaugh - Wrestling State Champion '06
  • Wrestling State Champions '05
  • Girls Soccer State Finalists '05
  • Girls Soccer State Champions '04
  • Girls Field Hockey State Finalists '04
  • Boys Volleyball Regional Champions '03
  • Boys Soccer State Champions '00
  • Girls Volleyball State Champions '98
  • Girls Basketball Division 4A State Champions '95
  • Greco-Roman Wrestling '68-69

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] External links

[edit] Alumni Blogs

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