The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
Eighth grade chorus students from North Bethesda Middle School took a field trip to WJ on Wednesday, Dec. 4 to listen to and sing with the WJ Choir. "It was a very fun experience visiting WJ and getting a glimpse of what going here will be like next year," eighth grader Erin Diamond said. (Courtesy AJ Moncada)
Photo Gallery: Middle schoolers visit WJ chorus
Dec 5, 2024
(Courtesy WJ Athletics)
Rieder returns to WJ coaching staff
Dec 5, 2024
Senior Victoria Merida sings La llorona, a cultural favorite song. She wore traditional makeup and clothing associated with the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos.
Photo Gallery: Students organize assembly to present Hispanic culture
Dec 4, 2024
Freshman Lal Agarwal asks a question during the mock press conference. The press conference was an opportunity to practice interviewing as a journalist.
Expert journalist visits WJ for career presentation
Dec 3, 2024
Junior Alessandro Marenco gets into the runner's starting stance as the sun sets over the track. Marenco was one of the four boy sprinters who earned a spot in Nike Nationals in Eugene, Oregon last year. (Courtesy Ariel Stone)
Winter Sports Previews
With fall sports cooling off, the winter sports season is heating up as teams go in search of state silverware. Here's a look at the upcoming sports season at WJ
Dec 5, 2024
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Latest in Print
Meet the Staff
Finn McArdle
Finn McArdle
Staff Writer

Junior Finn McArdle is participating in his first year with The Pitch as a Staff Writer. In addition to writing for The Pitch, Finn participates in debate and mock trial.

News
Trio of new Board members sworn in
Trio of new Board members sworn in
Seyun Park, Editor-in-Chief • Dec 3, 2024
The Board of Education meets for its Facilities and Boundaries Decisions meeting on Thursday, Nov. 21. The Board tabled a vote on approval of a contract for two upcoming boundary studies, citing the need for more detail about the proposal's plan for community engagement and deliverables. (Courtesy MCPS)
Board defers decision on boundary studies to early December
Seyun Park, Editor-in-Chief • Nov 29, 2024
ASL 2 students eat at Mozzeria, a deaf- owned restraunt. Students practiced their signing with the deaf employees to order their food and drinks.
Photo Gallery: ASL takes field trip to Gallaudet
Meher Parsinni, Photography Editor • Nov 22, 2024
Junior club treasurer Lily Bienfang unlocks the equipment collection bin. As of April 2024, the WJ LPF club became the bin ambassador for the Falls Road bin.
WJ LPF club levels the playing field
Ye'ela Zilberman, Special to The Pitch • Nov 21, 2024
WJ Food4All serves community
WJ Food4All serves community
Gianna Granados, Special to The Pitch • Nov 18, 2024
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Upcoming Games
WJ HS
Richard Montgomery HS
Dec 6 /7:15 PM / Boys Basketball
WJ HS
Richard Montgomery HS
Dec 6 /7:15 PM / Girls Basketball
WJ HS
Whitman HS
Dec 7 /5:15 PM / Swim & Dive
WJ HS
Kennedy High School
Dec 10 /7:15 PM / Boys Basketball
WJ HS
Kennedy High School
Dec 10 /7:15 PM / Girls Basketball
WJ Sports
Captains of winter sports share thoughts on upcoming season
WJ wrestling prepares for upcoming season
Junior Grant Levins sprints down the track. "I'm here to try out because I love the sport of track and field and I'm working on my 800 [meter] time. Just trying to get better," Levins said.
Junior WR Corey Dooren checks with the referee that he is on the line of scrimmage. Dooren helped step up throughout the Wildcat's season and will continue to step up as he matures into a senior next year.
Day in the life of a student-athlete
Captain Patrick Murphy skates past a defender on a race to the puck. Murphy's defense was a huge contributor in the 1-9 win against Blair.
The cheer squad struts to the floor to start their routine for regionals on Nov. 2 at Harford Community College. The team spent weeks working on their routine and were proud to get the chance to perform it at regionals. “Stepping on to the mat at regionals, I felt really nervous, but I was also very excited because I wanted to show the judges all the hard work we put into the routine,” junior Lyla Cho said. (Courtesy Candice Nsoga-Mahob)
Seniors Ellie Weinstein, Rhea Noumair, Naamiah Corke, and Natalie Annulis celebrate Weinstein's first touchdown of the game.
Junior quarterback Jake Forburger takes the snap from junior center Andrew Corrado during the game against Laurel. Forburger consistently drove the ball down the field, contributing to a 40-13 win.
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Multimedia
School cleanliness issues remain despite efforts
BSU members enjoy home cooked food with their friends. "I like coming here because it's a fun community," senior Lenny Yuhi said.
Washington Capitals captain and forward Alex Ovechkin tracks the puck while Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram skates behind him getting ready to defend. Both teams are competing for playoff spots this season. (Courtesy Brian Murphy via Wikimedia Commons)
Students give their thoughts on the fall play
ESOL hosts pumpkin carving event
Opening night's narrators, juniors Yuri Sternberg and Sasha Rotton, turn to watch as a wave of confetti is dropped onto the stage. The performance was unusually colorful, complementing its chaotic nature. "I’m really proud of the cast and the way we were able to come together and work towards putting on the show,” Rotton said.
Listen to the Change-up
Feature
The college and career center there are many pamphlets on college information and SAT/ACT prep. Within the center is Mrs. Evans' office, she can help answer some questions one may have about the next steps
The benefits of college visits
Gabby Davids, Layout and Design Editor • Nov 21, 2024
A group of Israelis in the community rally together on Montrose Bridge. They decided to gather together around 6:30 a.m., marking the exact one-year anniversary of the war. (Courtesy Liann Keren)
Oct. 7: the impacts one year later
Michal Shmaya and Maayan Keren • Nov 18, 2024
Two friends play video games together through their TVs. They met through social media, and have become best friends since thanks to the internet. Without it, their friendship wouldn't have been possible, as it is the case for many real life relationships.
How social media has changed relationships
Sabrina Solares, Online Feature Editor • Nov 15, 2024
AP Calculus teacher Rachel Zussman works on finishing up her grades prior to the end of the quarter. With many teachers wanting change in the MCPS pay system, a performance-based pay system is an intriguing idea.
Teachers reflect on performance-based pay system
Jonathan Bahat, Print Opinion Editor • Nov 15, 2024
Senior Mwape Sokoni (middle), junior Daniella Ngah (right) and senior Michelle Lett (left) practice a routine in the cafeteria. Step Team practices diligently, performing the routine until the entire group catches on.
A force for good: Mwape Sokoni’s social impact on WJ
Billie Lieber, Podcast Editor • Nov 15, 2024
Arts & Entertainment
Ariana Grande as Ghilda whispering in Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba's ear. A fan edit of this poster caused controversy with Cynthia Erivo. (Courtesy Universal Pictures reused via Fair Use)
Wicked movie promotion causes mixed reactions
Vania Charo, Online A&E Editor • Nov 20, 2024
A group of kindergarteners sit on the carpet listening to their teacher tell them about the months of the year. Teenagers feel nostalgia when remembering how they used to sit on the carpet in elementary school. (Courtesy woodleywonderworks via Wikimedia Commons)
What nostalgia means to teenagers
Olivia Stokes, Print A&E Editor • Nov 15, 2024
Vijay Kannen (11), Bertie Bennett (11), Theo Hansen (11) and Idan Tzioni (12) pose for a photo at the Junior's Homecoming Hallway. Their performance caused a traffic jam as students stopped to listen to the music. (Courtesy Paul Gomes)
Jazz quartet reaches for the high notes
Bea Roberts, Copy Editor • Nov 15, 2024
Pep Band plays a song at a home fall football game. "I think pep band is for people that want to go to football games a lot and maybe don't have people to go. It's a place to have fun with a lot of friends," pep band captain senior Theo Hansen said.
Putting the pep in WJ’s step: pep band rallies “juice,” builds community
Maya Panicker, Print Editor-in-Chief • Nov 15, 2024
Backstage with WJ STAGE
Backstage with WJ STAGE
Kaina Sy-Savane, Film Editor • Nov 6, 2024
Opinion
President-elect Donald Trump speaks to a crowd at a 2024 Arizona rally. Trump swept all seven swing states and won the popular vote en route to a victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. (Courtesy Gage Skidmore via Flickr)
Alienating Trump voters is counterproductive
Joshua Singer, Print Editor-in-Chief • Nov 19, 2024
The college application process is stressful for all seniors; many students work their way up the grades with stacked extracurriculars. However, student-athletes seem to be favored more than "regular" applicants. (Courtesy Empowerly)
Student-athlete or part-time worker; which weighs more?
Rhea Noumair, Online Editor-in-Chief and Illustrator • Nov 16, 2024
Senior Ginger Fishberg defends the ball against an opposing player during a varsity girls' soccer game against Blair. Despite her obvious athleticism, as well as that of other varsity athletes, she is still required to take a full year of Physical Education to earn the credit. (Courtesy Lifetouch)
Varsity athletics should count as a gym credit
Elizabeth Finn, Print Managing Editor • Nov 15, 2024
Almost every student takes the ACT or SAT and many take both. Preparation outside of school often correlates with high scores. (Courtesy Citrus County School District)
ACT/SAT prep should be accessible in class
Madeleine Simmons, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editor • Nov 15, 2024
The WJ Baby is held up for a photo by one of its fans during a football game in 2021. Unfortunately, the baby was only able to attend one football game this season before being incarcerated. (Courtesy WJ Baby)
Free the WJ Baby
Jay Resnik, Online Opinion Editor • Nov 15, 2024
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