Walt Whitman High School (Bethesda, Maryland)

Walt Whitman High School
Location
7100 Whittier Boulevard Bethesda, Maryland
United States
Coordinates 38°58′53″N 77°07′33″W / 38.981447°N 77.12574°W / 38.981447; -77.12574Coordinates: 38°58′53″N 77°07′33″W / 38.981447°N 77.12574°W / 38.981447; -77.12574
Information
Type Public Secondary
Motto Pride + Determination = Success
Established 1962
School district Montgomery County Public Schools
Principal Dr. Alan Goodwin
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 1,902 (2014–2015)
Campus Suburban
Color(s) Black, White, and Columbia blue               
Mascot Viking
Nickname WWHS
Rivals Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Winston Churchill High School
Newspaper The Black & White
Yearbook Saga
Feeder schools Thomas W. Pyle Middle School
Information 301-320-6600
Website Walt Whitman Home Page

Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda—an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, D.C., in Montgomery County, in Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet, Walt Whitman. Thomas W. Pyle Middle School feeds into Walt Whitman High School.

History

The school opened in the fall of 1962 with 1,418 students. Designed by local architect Anthony Ferrara, it was built on 17 levels, with a center courtyard and a geodesic dome for its gymnasium. A Ford Foundation grant underwrote the design and construction of the dome. During the first school year, Broadway composer and lyricist Meredith Willson visited the school to assist with the production of The Music Man, which he had created. In 1981, a 1,176-seat auditorium was added to the school. In 1992, the geodesic dome and all other buildings except for the auditorium were demolished[1] and construction began on a new school building, which opened in fall 1993.[2]

Daryl Shaw served as the inaugural principal from 1962 until 1975. Jerome Marco was principal from 1975 until his retirement in 2004. Today, the Principal is Alan Goodwin, who was assistant principal for several years before taking his current post.

Five elementary schools feed Thomas W. Pyle Middle School, which in turn feeds Walt Whitman. The elementary schools are Wood Acres, Bannockburn, Burning Tree, Carderock Springs, and Bradley Hills. The Bethesda area is served by Whitman High School, Walter Johnson High School, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.

The Black & White

The Black & White is the student-run newspaper.[3] It was established in 1961 and produces nine issues each academic year. The newspaper was inducted into the National Scholastic Press Association Hall of Fame in 1991.

Awards/Rankings and Recognition

In 2008, Newsweek ranked Whitman at #69 on its "Best High Schools in America" list.[4]

In 2009, U.S. News & World Report ranked Whitman as the #44 best school nationwide on its list of "America's Best High Schools"[5]

In 2014, Whitman was ranked the best high school in Maryland and #61 nationwide.[6]

In 2015, Whitman remained ranked as the best high school in Maryland and #55 nationwide. [7]

In 2016, Whitman was once again ranked as the best high school in Maryland and #63 nationwide. [8]

Athletics

Students can choose from 16 varsity sports and several other club sports, such as ice hockey, rowing, and ultimate frisbee. The sports that Walt Whitman offers are:

Fall[9]

Winter[9]

Spring[9]

Year-round activities[9]

Athletic championships

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Bethesda magazine edition of September-October 2013
  2. ↑ Washington Post February 6, 1995
  3. ↑ "The Black & White". theblackandwhite.net. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ America's Top Public High Schools
  5. ↑ "Best High Schools Rankings - Top High Schools - US News". usnews.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ Whitman Named Best Public High School In Maryland | BethesdaNow
  7. ↑ http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/montgomery-county-public-schools/walt-whitman-high-school-9150
  8. ↑ "These Are the Best High Schools in Maryland". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Walt Whitman High School Vikings Bethesda MD - Home Page". whitmanathletics.org. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
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