• The Pitch staff is on summer break and will resume publishing in September
  • The first day of school is Monday, August 26
  • Have a great summer!
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
Dr. Thomas Taylor, the Board of Educations pick for the next superintendent, stands with members of the Board at the announcement on Monday. Taylor is a graduate of MCPS but has never worked for the district. (Courtesy MCPS News)
Dr. Thomas Taylor to be appointed MCPS superintendent
Incoming SGA plans for successful school year
Incoming SGA plans for successful school year
From left: Junior Honorary officer Skylar Zheng, junior Secretary Alexis Batac, junior President Sareen Papangelou. The officers of the Southeast Asian Union pose in front of a mural in the school. The club will join the school roster for the 2024-2025 school year, and all are welcome.
Southeast Asian Union to bring region’s culture, food to WJ
Film Club members gather around a table at Cabin John Park before the Oscars begin. Months of meetings and film discussions culminate in this special occasion, where students can finally showcase their movie-making abilities. (Courtesy Delina Palma)
Making Scorsese proud: Film Club Oscars strike again
MCPS Board of Education members raise their hands in favor of delaying construction at Woodward and Crown High Schools. The plan specifically calls for delaying auditoriums at both schools until funds are appropriated for their construction.
Live updates: MCPS Board meeting 6/11
Chronicling GW’s pro-Palestine encampment
Chronicling GW’s pro-Palestine encampment
Columbia University is one of many schools across the United States where large groups of students have been protesting at.
Columbia protests escalate
Item bought online from Demons Basement.
What’s wrong with these new online clothing brands?
The human mind is complex and may be a daunting concept for students. (Courtesy Rawpixel)
Why everyone should take AP Psychology
Travis Hunter is one of the most valuable college football players in the country. He moved from Jackson State University to the University of Colorado to join his former coach Dion Sanders. Hunter has an NIL evaluation of $2.7M according to On3.
College sports are ruined
ASL 2 students on the Gallaudet field trip watch their tour guide explain the life of the university’s founder, Laurent Clerc, pictured in the statue to the guide’s left. The tour guide signed in ASL throughout the tour and an interpreter translated his signs into English.
High school field trips benefit students and learning alike
Students sit in rows for very extensive hours as they take exams. This is a common scene all across the US, however in MCPS this sight cannot be found. (Courtesy Pexels)
Point counterpoint: Should there be final exams?
The new movie poster for the upcoming film Inside Out 2. The poster features existing emotions from its past film, as well as new emotions such as Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Nostalgia and Ennui.
Inside Out 2: Preview into the realm of new emotions
Zendaya scowls into the lenses of paparazzi on the Met Gala carpet. 2024 was Zendaya’s first year co-chairing the Met as she hadn’t attended the red carpet spectacle in five years. (Courtesy Getty Images)
The Met Gala: rating 2024’s best and worst dressed
Twenty One Pilots Clancy review
Twenty One Pilots “Clancy” review
Billie Eilish released her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft, on May 17. All 10 songs on her brand new album were able to make their way up into the Billboard Hot 100. (Courtesy Glenn Francis via Wikimedia Commons)
Billie Eilish: “Hit Me Hard and Soft” most viral tracks
Drake performs on his Summer Sixteen tour in 2016. Along with many other rappers, he was accused of being an industry plant at the beginning of his career. (Courtesy The Come Up Show)
Are industry plants real?
Coming soon: movies coming out in 2024
Coming soon: movies coming out in 2024
Students hard at work during class. Many students struggle with balancing work with play. Students share how they overcome distractions and prioritize their work.
Balance between school life and extracurriculars and athletics
The Oreos have been a classic cookie for generations but which one is the best one? Out of all the different fillings, is there one that stands alone? (Courtesy nicoleleec via Wikimedia Commons)
How much stuf is too much stuff?
Special clubs at WJ to check out
Special clubs at WJ to check out
Sophomore Ahrin Letourneau looks through the College Board website attempting to get information about the SAT and ACT. “I’m feeling scared, petrified to be honest, to be a junior. Summer’s gonna be stressful … and I need to be really thinking about colleges and programs,” Letourneau said.
Previewing the summer by grade
A student reviews the rejection wall. The rejection wall was created to encourage students to know that even if theyre rejected, theyre not alone. Im scared Ill be rejected from the schools I will apply to, so its comforting to know I wouldnt be the only one, junior Cristina Simpson said.
What summer looks like for rising seniors
From left: Junior Honorary officer Skylar Zheng, junior Secretary Alexis Batac, junior President Sareen Papangelou. The officers of the Southeast Asian Union pose in front of a mural in the school. The club will join the school roster for the 2024-2025 school year, and all are welcome.
Southeast Asian Union to bring region’s culture, food to WJ
The WJ Crew team poses for a picture following the Metropolitan Championships. The team had many good races at the tournament, such as the Girls winning the Varsity 4. (Courtesy WJ Crew)
Crew in review: team paddles their way to success
ALL IN THE FOOTWORK: Participants practice their blocking footwork and learn flag football blocking techniques. During the drill, a coach held and moved the ball to one side which participants would have to shuffle over to.
Girls’ flag clinic brings excitement to MCPS
Jonny Venters is one of the only pitchers to ever receive Tommy Johns surgery three times. He had the operation performed in 2005, 2013 and lastly in 2014.
Pitchers look to surgery for success
After taking a hard foul, sophomore Norah Youssef takes her first free throw attempt. Youssef sank the shot and added a point to the scoreboard. Youssef had a stunning performance, helping the Wildcats secure the win against Sherwood.
Photo gallery: Summer league basketball
(Courtesy Seattle Parks and Recreation)
Pickleball volleys into WJ this fall
The 2024 EURO trophy in FC Koln’s stadium in Cologne, one of the 10 host stadiums at the tournament. (Courtesy Raimond Spekking)
Looking ahead at the 2024 Euros
Public Transportation Safety Podcast
Public Transportation Safety Podcast
Up at bat: Duolingo streaks
Up at bat: Duolingo streaks
What is your special talent?
After taking a hard foul, sophomore Norah Youssef takes her first free throw attempt. Youssef sank the shot and added a point to the scoreboard. Youssef had a stunning performance, helping the Wildcats secure the win against Sherwood.
Photo gallery: Summer league basketball
Physics classes visit Six Flags
Siblings Podcast
Siblings Podcast
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
Jalen Scott

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer

Jalen is a second-year staff writer for The Pitch. As a three-sport athlete and member of clubs, he likes to stay busy and well-rounded.
All content by Jalen Scott

Senior pranks that didn’t make the cut

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
May 24, 2023
Northwest High Schools step team commands the stage. The detail-oriented routine involved several segments including one segment that used posters to spread progressive messages.

MSP Retreat features passionate performances, tackles heavy topics

Hannah Sollo Bissombi and Jalen Scott
May 2, 2023
(From left) Megan Raue, Mackenzie Raue, Carolyn Hultman, and Zuzana Huserova strike a pose stop the podium at the 2023 Nike Indoor Nationals. The girls not only finished top five, but set a new personal and school record in the 4x800 and were also dubbed, All-Americans.

4×800 teams blaze records at nationals

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
March 26, 2023
(From left) Koki Takizawa, Kendall Murphy, Calix McCormick and Liad Simhony grind out a 3rd place finish in a competitive 4x800 race at the MD 4A Indoor Track State Championship

State champion boys, girls 4×800 relay enter the final stretch

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
March 10, 2023
Govener of Florida Ron Desantis has been on a crusade to oppose critical race theory in the state of Florida. His latest action: the banning of AP African American Studies

DeSantis’ African American Studies ban is hypocritical, harmful

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
February 28, 2023

Embrace the journey, savor the moment: a poms documentary

Sanir Byanjankar, Jalen Scott and Blake Bailey
February 21, 2023
(From left) Brandon Moon, Christian Bird, Barrett Zheng , CJ Newman, makeup this years B team 4x200 meter relay. The lineup has seen changes, however this group was set to compete during the Last Track to Philly.

Track regular season ends in success

Jalen Scott
February 14, 2023
Across from the weight room, above the exit, sits a beautiful mosaic of the two WJ mascots of the past and present.

The Cat, The Cow, … and the Spartan

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
January 24, 2023
Tom Martin is one of the highest tenured teachers and coaches in WJ history

This “Cool Cat” is bidding good day, WJ!

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
December 15, 2022
Senior Cats getting fired up to take the field against Sherwood High School. After four years of green and black, the Cats were able to go out with a bang!

Field hockey senior night photo gallery

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
October 31, 2022
Class of 2022 Wildcats Kenneth Dempster (Top) and Emma Kothari (Bottom) excelling in their sports, then and now.

Where are these WJ student athletes now

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
September 22, 2022

WJ graduation captured by the Pitch

Sanir Byanjankar and Jalen Scott
June 16, 2022

What’s your song of the summer?

June 15, 2022

WJ Prom 2022 recap

Sanir Byanjankar, Jalen Scott and Zsuzsanna Juhasz
May 25, 2022
Juniors Victoria Rojas and Laura Silva put their handprint on the wall as one of the many activities at the retreat. The Minority Scholars Program wanted to convey the message of standing together as one and by doing that they asked all the participants to put their handprint on the wall.

Schools all over MoCo come to together celebrate the 11th annual Minorty Scholars Retreat

Raquel Daley, Jalen Scott and Summer Laird
April 8, 2022
The first of April is a day that most dread, but some look forward to.

Victimizer or Victim of April Fools?

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
April 1, 2022
Artists of the issue: The freshmen behind the sports flicks

Artists of the issue: The freshmen behind the sports flicks

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
March 30, 2022
Left: Head Coach Chad Beswick. “Im looking forward to a more normal season where we can just worry about competing.” Song(s): “Jumpman”- Drake Right: Girls head Coach Mitch Duke. “Im really looking forward to having a normal season, last year was an abbreviated and a young team. We didn’t have any seniors but we pretty much brought everyone back from last year, so Im really looking forward to everyone experiencing what a normal season actually feels like.” Song(s): “Don’t Stop Me Now”- Queen

Spring coaches reveal their music picks for this season

Jalen Scott, Staff Writer
March 25, 2022
Former WJ SRO Shate Jackson was temporarily placed back in school following the Magruder HS shooting. MCPS leaders are currently in talks about expanding the Community Engagement Officer program which would place police officers back in schools.

Point/Counterpoint: Should the SROs be reinstated?

Jalen Scott and Andrew Lansell
February 10, 2022

Teacher Spotlight: Get to know WJ teachers more

Abigail Kee, Hana Elster, Isabella Weintraub, Alison Razafimandimby, Luke DeZee, Jalen Scott and Allison Xu
October 26, 2021
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The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
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