The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

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The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
Nour Faragallah

Nour Faragallah, Online Editor-in-Chief

Nour Faragallah is very enthusiastic for her third year on The Pitch. She is a senior who loves reading, keeping up with trends and bashing politicians.
All content by Nour Faragallah
Nour Faragallah's senior reflection

Nour Faragallah’s senior reflection

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
May 24, 2023
Athletic Standout: Alex Chang Varsity hockey player Alex Chang performed notably throughout his high school career as a four year varsity athlete, playing a crucial role in the Icecats’ journey to winning the state championship this year. Chang has been skating for 16 years—almost his entire life—and playing hockey for 13. Now, he looks to play Division I Hockey at the University of Maine. “Being on any team really forces you to learn how to work with others, help resolve conflicts, and build relationships. There’s a lot more to sports than just going out and playing and that’s what’s so beautiful about the game,” Chang said.

Senior Standouts: Class of 2023 picks six seniors who stand out

Katie Campbell, Nour Faragallah and Raquel Daley
May 24, 2023
French teacher Farah Kinani wearing a shirt supporting the women's movement in Iran. “I have learned that what matters the most in teaching is the relationship with the student. You are able to personalize the teaching and in a language class that’s important because you have to make them vulnerable in class and be able to make mistakes,” Kinani said.

Farah Kinani prepares students to be global citizens

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Mar 28, 2023
Lorraine Goldstein's Health A class learns about mental health. One of the reasons that Health B isn't being offered at WJ currently is that Health A has a new curriculum this year, and the teachers would be unable to teach two new courses simultaneously.

Health B to be implemented upcoming school year, creates conflict in class scheduling

Katie Campbell and Nour Faragallah
Feb 28, 2023
For many seniors who have poor attendance in Honors English 12, admin will overturn the teacher's decision to fail them because the student is "ready to graduate."

WJ should reinforce the Loss of Credit policy

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Feb 28, 2023
Students in Adam Zeitlin's class watch the movie version of "Their Eyes Were Watching God." The book is prominently featured in the AP Exam and teaches students important life lessons and writing styles.

AP Literature curriculum prepares students to be lifetime readers

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Feb 1, 2023
Enjoy the warm holidays with the Pitch's Winter Playlist!

Pitch Picks: Winter playlist

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Dec 21, 2022
Students in Jaime Grimes' anatomy class use Wednesday Wellness time to catch up on work. Wildcat Wellness is a great idea but needs to be expanded to all classes like last year because not everyone takes all classes in the wellness rotation.

Wildcat Wednesdays need to change

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Dec 14, 2022
Early decision is known as a controversial option when applying to colleges. It helped some students get in, whereas many have felt it was not their path to take.

Point/Counterpoint: Is Early Decision worth it?

Zsuzsanna Juhasz and Nour Faragallah
Nov 2, 2022
During the class transition, hallway traffic is a huge problem. Yet, lockers are taking up half the hallways.

Overcrowding soulution: Remove the lockers

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Nov 2, 2022
This is a visual presentation of all the college mail I have received over the last year. This is one of three stacks I have, that will all be recycled very soon.

Stop sending me college mail

Nour Faragallah, Online EIC
Sep 20, 2022
MCPS lunch costs many students and families to collect debt. They have cancelled it this year but that is just putting a band aid on a problem, we need a permanent solution.

MCPS should end school lunch debt for good

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Jun 14, 2022
High schoolers would benefit from recess

High schoolers would benefit from recess

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Jun 2, 2022
Executive Board members of MCR-SGA at their latest meeting. MCR-SGA seeks to represent and amplify the students' voices and opinions but many WJ students are unfamiliar with the organization.

WJ Students need to get involved in county advocacy

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Apr 20, 2022
The facts and myths about self-love

The facts and myths about self-love

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Apr 2, 2022
Ukrainians evacuate and seek to find refuge in neighboring European countries. Many point out how European countries did not offer the same treatment to others such as Syrian or Afghani refugees

Media coverage of Ukraine highlights bigotry

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Mar 28, 2022
When students returned to school for the second semester, many of them had to deal with brand new schedules. These new schedules included both new class times and new teachers, and students disagree on whether these schedule switches are actually beneficial.

Point/Counterpoint: Is changing teachers every semester beneficial or convenient?

Nour Faragallah and Annabella Opipari
Feb 15, 2022
MCPS's official Twitter account announces the closing of schools at 6:13 in the morning. MCPS needs to start finalizing matters like these the night before, and not wait until the last minute.

MCPS should announce delays, closures earlier

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Feb 4, 2022
Participants in the Study Circles Program reconvene to move into deeper conversations about race and equity. "The work is heavy and draining at times, but the students are what make the efforts worthwhile. The WJ students were unique in their ability to think critically and deeply; their ability to form connections with each other in such a short span of time, and the coalition and friendship that took place," program facilitator Darwin Wong said.

Study Circles Program returns to WJ with bigger plans

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Dec 22, 2021
The National Honors society is considered to be the most popular and prestigious among other high school honor societies. But when you look behind the mission and vision statements, you start seeing them as aimless organizations.

Honor societies are pointless

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Dec 20, 2021
Many gatekeepers tend to ask newer fans to name three songs in order to show how much they actually listen to an artist. This causes mild annoyance to casual fans.

Point/counterpoint: Is Gatekeeping reasonable?

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Nov 30, 2021
Daylight Saving: Is it worthwhile?

Daylight Saving: Is it worthwhile?

Katie Campbell and Nour Faragallah
Nov 11, 2021
12 apps every student should have

12 apps every student should have

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Oct 20, 2021
Walter Johnson was found vandalized the morning of Sunday, October 3. The graffiti included hate speech and references to white supremacy.

WJ community needs to address hatred graffiti

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Oct 7, 2021
"It's a rendition of my coat of arms that someone made for me, and I thought it was cool so I had it printed on a mask." -Ziyi Liu, 11

The evolution of mask trends at WJ

Maeve Sanford-Kelly and Nour Faragallah
Sep 20, 2021
We're not ready for AP Exams

We’re not ready for AP Exams

Nour Faragallah, Online Managing Editor
Jun 15, 2021
SMOB overrepresentation from Richard Montgomery

SMOB overrepresentation from Richard Montgomery

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Jun 8, 2021
Let’s talk about your digital footprint

Let’s talk about your digital footprint

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
May 27, 2021
SMOB’s power should not be limited

SMOB’s power should not be limited

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Mar 30, 2021
Never been in a pandemic? Here´s our manuscript

Never been in a pandemic? Here´s our manuscript

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Mar 15, 2021
COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory

COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Feb 17, 2021
The difference of responses from the police to white supremacy vs. systemic racism became evident on Jan. 6. On the top, some police appeared to help rioters get into the Capitol, while on the bottom they tear-gassed BLM protesters.

The distinct difference of police responses between BLM and Jan 6

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Feb 12, 2021
Elections shouldn't be this stressful

Elections shouldn’t be this stressful

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Jan 4, 2021
Whether schools should continue to have school resource officers (SROs) has become a hot button issue in MCPS.

Should MCPS continue to have SROs?

Alex Wolfson and Nour Faragallah
Jan 4, 2021
The MCPS Boundary Analysis has been met with fierce debate throughout the county.

Should MCPS be conducting the boundary analysis?

Nour Faragallah and Alex Wolfson
Jan 2, 2021
Are you an in-person or online school person?

Are you an in-person or online school person?

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Dec 4, 2020
Let’s not overlook insensitivity on Social Media

Let’s not overlook insensitivity on Social Media

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Nov 2, 2020
The page @blackatwj is amassing a huge following on Instagram. The page has also caused many conversations among WJ students.

Q & A with the creators of @blackatwj

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Oct 27, 2020
Illustration by Nora Talbott

Dear Gen Z, let’s not take this pandemic with a grain of salt

Nour Faragallah, Online Opinion Editor
Oct 21, 2020
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