![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.](https://www.wjpitch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/g82ehdhTRiNswrE8gfn0tL9VRz7fuAnaiIKPCaOI-1200x900.jpg)
Power outages sweep area
The wind storm the area encountered on Friday, with winds from 50-70 mph, wasn’t only dangerous because of flying objects and falling trees. The storm destroyed power lines, transformers and generators as well. Power companies are working hard to restore power to all affected, but it may be days before power is completely restored. On top of transformers and generators being knocked out, almost 70 traffic lights in Maryland were out of power, causing some panic at the scenes of these knocked out lights. Currently, 227 Maryland homes are without power according to Pepco, as well as 4,100 homes in northern Virginia according to Rappahanock and Dominion power companies. Among all the other dangers presented by wind, some roads in northern Virginia have been closed due to live power lines that have fallen and potential gas leaks.
Environmental Club wins SERT award
The WJ environmental club earned a SERT award for their efforts in creating more energy conservation around the WJ campus. The SERT award is awarded to schools that have the lowest energy bills compared to surrounding schools. The environmental club spearheaded efforts to make the WJ campus a more environmentally friendly place by encouraging light energy conservation and less heat and air conditioning usage.
WJ Symphonic Orchestra qualifies for state festival
The WJ Symphonic Orchestra earned an invitation to the Maryland State Orchestra Assessment Festival. The Symphonic Orchestra received four superior ratings performing Grade V and VI music, which is the highest level of graded literature. They also received a superior rating in sight-reading, which is graded on the whole orchestra’s ability to read a new piece of music for the first time.
WJ student places in the top 5 for Neuroscience Brain Bee
WJ student Sannidhi Shashiran placed in the top 5 for the regional Society for Neuroscience Brain Bee. The DC Chapter Brain Bee supports U.S. Regional and World Brain Bees and arranges scientific lab internships for the U.S. regional and world winners.
![Social studies teacher Timothy Rodman holds a production factory simulation in his AP Microeconomics class. "Students remember running for class president or the mock congress or the production factory much more so than learning topics like circular flow," Rodman said. "[The simulations make learning] very tangible and real and then students down the road are able to use it."](https://www.wjpitch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_4420-1200x675.jpg)
