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  • 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
All content by Josephine Meriot
The WJ girls lacrosse defense huddles and has a quick debriefing before entering the second half. In a joint effort they only allowed Clarksburg to score one goal.

Girls lacrosse honors late alum

Josephine Meriot and Sanir Byanjankar
April 26, 2022
Senior Alex Ghaffari supporting his fellow wildcat wrestler on the mat by calling out moves that could aid him in winning against the Churchill wrestler. The coaches kind of give us freedom as individual wrestlers cause if you want to succeed you have to want it yourself, Ghaffari said.

WJ Wrestling at the Battle of Bethesda meet edit

Josephine Meriot
March 28, 2022
Senior Andrew Schell swallowing his burritos with water to get to the running part of the race. The track star, Schell has a winning streak for the Pennies for Patients Burrito Mile event, and won this year with a 7:15 mile time.

The Burrito Mile concludes the last Pennies for Patients fundraiser in February

Josephine Meriot
March 2, 2022
Sophomore Olin Kimball has been elected to serve for the remainder of the year as Class of 2024 secretary. I hope to make the rest of the year great for my classmates, Kimball said.

Olin Kimball elected as new sophomore secretary

Jillian Ward, Managing Editor
February 22, 2022
Recently some WJ students left class to stage a walkout in support of virtual school, citing Covid safety. WJ students need a juice rejuvenation and pride to have the courage to come to school.

Covid walkout calls for “juice” rejuvenation

Alex Wolfson, Print Editor-in-Chief
February 16, 2022
From right to left: Madeline Chung, Erin Gardiner, Jillian Ward, and Sinead Longsworth are overcome with second semester senioritis in their 4th period Leadership class on Feb 2. Symptoms of senioritis typically include a lack of motivation and for Longsworth, sleeping in class.

Senioritis strikes again, snatching students’ spirits

Cora Flynn, Print Feature Editor
February 10, 2022
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MCPS students march to demand transition to virtual learning

Liann Keren, Staff Writer
January 26, 2022
From right to left: Adam Brodsky, Max Kaminski, Marissa Krantz, Julia Levine, Zeke Ross on their way out to G Square during lunch were all dressed up in their Holiday Sweaters. These seniors went all out for their last December spirit week.

Spirit week takes over WJ

Josephine Meriot, Photography Editor
January 10, 2022
English 10 students work on an assignment in room 194. Throughout MCPS a discussion about the diversity gap is being held, as the student body is more diverse than its staff counterpart.

Demographic discrepancies prompt concern

Yuval Shachar and Ila Gordon
December 20, 2021
Parker Koenig, 11

New WJSD captains poised to lead Aquacats

Jillian Ward, Managing Editor
December 20, 2021
Math teacher Erin Hall assists students with classwork. Hall is one of the more engaging teachers seen in school and tends to leave the promethean board to give 1-on-1 help.

What makes a good teacher bad?

Julia Garms, Print Opinion Editor
November 30, 2021
The WJ film club held its first meeting on Oct.1. The club is run by Nicole Weaver(President), Raquel Daly(Vice President), Josephine Meriot(treasurer) and officers Charlotte Brown, Janaiyah Inniss

Film Club directs new path for the school year

Ishaan Ramola, Special to the Pitch
November 30, 2021
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Lamb Club continues to make memorable connections

Josh Hananel, Special to the Pitch
November 22, 2021
English teacher Ashley Herdman inserts grades into the grade book as the quarter ends. Herdman had a lot of assignments to put in from previous weeks, in addition to new assignments.

Deadline rules should apply to everyone

Josephine Meriot, Photography Editor
November 17, 2021
I personally like Adele’s song the best because “No Time to Die” was too mellow while “Skyfall” had a strong and powerful part to it,” senior Noah McPhee said.

Last James Bond movie results in mixed reviews

Josephine Meriot, Photography Editor
November 16, 2021
Health teacher Lorraine Goldstein assists her students with an in-class assignment. While in-person assignments are fairly low-stress, the work level differs for online health class.

The disparities between online and in-person health

Ila Gordon and Yuval Shachar
November 12, 2021
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