- Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.
- History
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The school opened in the fall of 1962 with 1,418 students. It was built on 17 levels, with a center courtyard and a geodesic dome for its gymnasium until renovation in 1992. 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 teacher Monica McMindes with her production of The Music Man, which was his creation. 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 taking his current post. 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.It is one of the highest esteemed high schools in the country, and was rated in the top fifty high schools in the nation as one of the few public schools included.
- The Black & White
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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 12 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 Mr. 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 (at a different URL) in 2001 and remade in 2008, and again in 2009. The Black & White has over 80 staff members (print and online positions included) and the Spectator has more than 30 members. Some staff positions, like photographers, graphic artists, business and advertising managers, are shared by both papers. Louise Reynolds is currently the adviser to the Black & White, succeeding Dr. Jan Bowman, who retired in 2007.
- Whitman Shorts
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Whitman Shorts is a student run television show that airs once a month and features local news and its effect on Whitman students. One notable segment 'shortscenter' covers school sports with highlights and in depth features. Whitman Shorts has covered notable stories like the Westboro Baptist Church protest, with segments featured on local news stations. It is also features skits ranging from Saturday Night Live remakes to original creations.
- Performing Arts
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The Choral Music department contains 5 regular ensembles and smaller chamber groups and is directed by Jeff Davidson. The Chamber Choir 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. The Walt Whitman Music department performs two annual concerts, a winter concert, and a spring concert held at Whitman's "Festival of the Arts." This winter, the Chamber Choir will be singing at Strathmore Performing Arts Center and at the Kennedy Center.
- The Instrumental department was directed by Chris Allen for 19 years until his departure in 2009. Throughout his tenure Whitman ensembles were recognized for their excellence, regularly receiving Superiors at county- and state-level festivals. He was succeeded in his position by Terry Alvey. Also staffing the instrumental music department are The Vincent LoRusso and Wayne Chadwick. Students regularly represent Whitman in honor ensembles and area youth orchestras including Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) and the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYP). The Whitman Jazz Ensemble also provides community outreach, presenting extra biannual concerts and performing at community events. The Music Department takes its large performing ensembles on an annual spring trip to a music festival around the US or Canada. Past trips include those to Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Orlando. Every year they travel to the Montgomery County Festival and the Maryland State Festival. In 2009, the Symphonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble earned straight ones in both festivals. The Instrumental Department also fields a pep band, marching band, and drum-line.
- This Spring the Walt Whitman Music Department will be performing at Carnegie Hall. Participating groups include Treble Chorale, Advanced Women's Chours, Men's Chorus, Chamber Choir, Advanced Strings, Symphonic Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Winds Ensamble, and Jazz Band.
- Whitman Drama is an award winning theater department directed by theater professional Christopher Gerken and produces a fall musical (with a student Pit orchestra), a winter play, and a student-directed talent show in the spring. The home of the theatre program, the Daryl Shaw Auditorium, holds 1,200 seated audience members. 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. In June 2008 Whitman was awarded the Cappie award "Best Musical" for its production of Aida and won one of the most competitive awards - Lead Actress in a Musical for graduating senior Andrea Carroll's performance in the title role of Aida. The same year, Whitman put on the production of The Nerd by Larry Shue, another success for Whitman drama.
- In 2007 Whitman Drama was recognized as one of the top 50 American high school drama programs by the American High School Theater festival and invited to perform at the International Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Scotland in August 2008. 17 Whitman students traveled to Scotland to perform their production of Jason Robert Brown's "Songs For a New World".
- Speech and Debate Team
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The Walt Whitman Speech and Debate Team was recognized as one of the top 5 in the nation by both the Catholic Forensics League and the National Forensics League in the spring of 2009. The nationally acclaimed team is composed of over 100 members and is coached by Anjan Choudhury. As the largest National Forensics League speech and debate chapter in the state of Maryland, the team strives to set a local and national precedent of top quality in performance, establishing a legacy of merit and distinction. The team attends around 3 local tournaments a month, coupled with around 30 travel tournaments spread all across the country throughout the year. This past year at the Catholic Forensics League National Championship, a Walt Whitman student/team was the runner-up in three different forensics categories.
- Shakespeare Club
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Shakespeare Festival
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 trebuchets. 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. - Productions
The Shakespeare Club began producing full, student run productions in the 2007-2008 school year. The first was The Taming of the Shrew, in March 2008. This was followed by Macbeth in October 2008. - In 2009, the Club will put on A Midsummer Night's Dream and the Shakespeare Festival 2009.
- Role in popular culture
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Walt Whitman High School was the subject of the 2006 best-selling book, The Overachievers. The non-fiction book concerns itself with several students who were members of Whitman's class of 2004, 2005 or 2006. From July 20, 2004 - December 9, 2004, the author, Alexandra Robbins, followed eight Whitman juniors and seniors through their daily lives. It uses the lives of the Whitman students to show pressure in academia and the negative effect in today's society. Robbins is a Whitman alum of the class of 1994.
- 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 received thousands of backpacks which were delivered to the New Orleans victims. To honor their deed, President Bush invited them to light the national Christmas tree.
- The school is also located just off of River Road in Bethesda Maryland, where in December 2008 a water main burst gained national attention. The burst cut off water to the school and community for the entire day, and flooded the road to such an extent that not only was traffic cut off for several blocks, but rescue teams were needed to help those stuck in their cars.
- In May 2009, the school was the site for a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church. The student organized counter protest, in which over 500 Whitman students participated was covered by national media including the Washington Post. The protest is notable for being one of the few successful counter protests to the Westboro Church.
- Statistics
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94% of the seniors attend 4-year colleges.
9% attend 2-year colleges.
18% attend 3-year intermediate colleges.
More than 72% attend college out-of-state.
Less than 100% attend college in-state.
Students come from more than 40 countries.
Native students make up 80% of student body.
Whitman's average SAT score for the 2006-07 school year was 1880, highest in the Montgomery county public school system
In 2008, Newsweek ranked Whitman at number 69 on its "Best High Schools in America" list.
In 2009, US News & World Report ranked Whitman as the #44 best school nationwide on its list of "America's Best High Schools"
The class of 2008 included 12 National Merit Semi-Finalists and 13 Maryland Distinguished Scholar Finalists.
Nearly 90% of minority students consider themselves "over-privileged". - Athletics
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Whitman boasts a strong athletic program, in which more than 70% of the student body will participate in at some point. Students can choose from 16 different varsity sports and several other club sports, such as ice hockey, rowing, cricket, and ultimate frisbee.
- Athletic Championships
- Basketball Division 4A State Champions (Boys)- '06
- Basketball Division 4A State Champions (Girls)- '95
- Basketball 4A West Region Champs (Girls)- '07
- Curling State Champions (Co-Ed)- '87
- Crew City Champions (Freshman Girls)- '08
- Crew City Champions (Varsity Boys)- '98, '06
- Cricket State Champions (Boys)- '07
- Cross Country 4A State Champions (Boys)- '95
- Cross Country Class AA State Champions (Boys)- '70
- Field Hockey Regional Champions (Girls)- '06
- Washington Area Frisbee Club Champions- '08
- Golf State Champions- '99, '07 (new state record)
- Soccer State Champions (Girls)- '86, '89, '92, '04
- Soccer State Champions (Boys)- '79, '81, '89, '93, '96, '97, '00
- Tennis County Champions (Boys)- '07, '08
- Tennis Division I 1st Place (Boys)- '05, '08
- Tennis Division I 1st Place (Girls)-'08
- Volleyball State Champions (Girls)- '98
- Volleyball Regional Champions (Boys)- '03
- Wrestling State Champions- '05
- Will Sharbaugh- Wrestling State Champion- '06
- Eren Civan- Wrestling State Champion- '04, '05, '06
- Notable alumni
- Eric Pierpoint, '69, actor, " Enterprise".
- Steven Rales, '69, entrepreneur and billionaire, Danaher Corporation. Brother of Mitchell Rales.
- Gordon Smith, '70, U.S. Senator, Oregon.
- Ken Navarro, '71, jazz guitarist, "Smooth Sensation" and "Love Coloured Soul".
- Lisa Pelikan, '72, actress, "Julia" and "Return to the Blue Lagoon".
- Bob Raba, '73, football player (tight end, New York Jets, Washington Redskins.)
- Mitchell Rales, '74, entrepreneur and billionaire, Danaher Corporation.
- Rodney Alan Greenblat, '78, artist.
- Chris Anderson, '79, editor of Wired Magazine and author of Free and The Long Tail.
- Kate Seelye, '80, Middle-east reporter for National Public Radio.
- Mark Pryor, '81, U.S. Senator, Arkansas.
- Patrick Byrne, '81, founder of overstock.com.
- Mia Chung, '82, orchestral Pianist.
- Mark Halperin, '83, political analyst, ABC News, Time Magazine, Time.com; former Political Director, ABC News
- Anthony Dilweg, '84, football player (1988 ACC player of the year, Duke University; former NFL quarterback)
- Susan Dynner, '84, movie producer/director, "Punk's Not Dead", producer, "Brick".
- Michael Eisen, '85, noted proponent of open source scientific research
- Jeff Tremaine, '85, co-writer, director, creator, " The Movie" (2002) and the MTV show by the same name.
- Spike Jonze, '87, movie director, "Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation.," and "Where the Wild Things Are."
- David Dobkin, '87, movie director, "Wedding Crashers", "Shanghai Knights", and "Fred Claus".
- Eric Steinberg, '87, actor, "The Young and the Restless", "Stargate SG-1"
- Matt Oppenheim, '89, enforcer for the RIAA
- Ryan Kuehl, '90, football player (defensive tackle, New York Giants.)
- Erin Smith, '90, guitarist, Bratmobile.
- Giuliana Rancic, '92, celebrity news personality, E! News and co-star of "Giuliana and Bill" on the Style Network.
- Dan Shanoff, '92, sports columnist.
- Alexandra Robbins, '94, published author.
- Andy Corno, '01, lacrosse player (midfielder, New Jersey Pride)
- External links
- Walt Whitman Website
- Whitman's Award Winning Newspaper Online
- Montgomery County Public Schools Home Page
- Whitman Athletics
- Walt Whitman Crew Website
- Walt Whitman Alumni Tracking Website
- Walt Whitman Alumni Class of 1969 REUNION Web site
- Walt Whitman Alumni Class of 1973 Website
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
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