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International Dateline
A view of the construction site of Le Centre Brown on May 1, 2024. (Lucy Randall/International Dateline)
Tregaron Construction: Everything You Should Know
TEDxWIS speakers from left to right: Sowmya Pelluru, Cristina Pombo, Dr. Afua Banful, Dr. Samuel H. Houston Jr., Desmond Dunham, Alaina Kupec and Pawel Swiatek. (Rebecca Matushek/International Dateline)
TEDx Debuts at WIS, Highlighting the Theme of “Catalysts of Change”
The completed foundation of Le Centre Brown, the science building in construction on the Tregaron campus. (Naomi Breuer/International Dateline)
Construction Chaos: Seniors Grapple With Distractions During IB Exams
WIS seniors partaking in the annual Valentines Day tradition. (Courtesy of Martina Tognato-Guaqueta/International Dateline)
WIS Traditions: Are They Still With Us?
Upper school students performing in “Macbeth.” (Courtesy of David Wade )
Students React to Upper School’s Production of Macbeth Following Classroom Study
A view of the construction site of Le Centre Brown on May 1, 2024. (Lucy Randall/International Dateline)
Tregaron Construction: Everything You Should Know
A view of the construction site of Le Centre Brown on May 1, 2024. (Lucy Randall/International Dateline)
Tregaron Construction: Everything You Should Know
The Dacha en route to its new home outside the Senior Lounge. Its relocation is part of the WIS plan for a new science building. (Tindra Jemsby/International Dateline)
In Photos: The Dacha’s Relocation
A graphic depicting the soccer field and new science building. The battle for the building has been ongoing for 12 years and construction will finally begin in June 2023. (Courtesy of Suzanna Jemsby)
Students React to Ongoing Science Building Construction
WIS’ 2017 science building proposal, depicting the plaza which would’ve replaced the sloped parking area. This plan was rejected by the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), primarily due to the building’s visibility from Macomb Street. (Michael Vergason/Landscape Architects, Ltd.)
Macomb Street Neighbors and WIS Clash Over New Science Building
Primary school students playing soccer at Tregaron on Homecoming on Sept. 16. The transition from primary school to middle school can cause changes in students' social lives. (Martina Tognato Guáqueta/International Dateline)
The Big Transition: How Social Dynamics Change in Sixth Grade
An image of an All Gender Restroom sign. The Middle School ISU is working on implementing more gender-neutral bathrooms. (Anna Orso/The Philadelphia Inquirer)
‘Gender Inclusive, Not Gender Exclusive’: Middle School ISU’s Fight for Gender-Neutral Bathrooms
(Isabel Robbins/International Dateline)
Reflecting on the Rally for Abortion Justice
WIS’ Middle School Bullying Protocol: Room For Improvement
WIS’ Middle School Bullying Protocol: Room For Improvement
Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Rally outside the White House following Trump's 2020 loss. The fight for the White House in 2024 has involved heavy campaigning on social media. (Ted Eytan/Flickr)
Redefining Strategies to Engage Gen Z: 2024 Presidential Candidates
U.S. voters going to the polls (Courtesy of Trong Khiem Nguyen)
First-Time Voters: WIS Seniors Speak Out on the 2024 Presidential Election
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, back to back. The two politicians are the main candidates in the 2024 election. (Getty Images)
Everything You Need to Know About the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate—and its Consequences
"Stop Project 2025" banner at a protest outside the Heritage Foundation. This policy proposal is receiving increased attention during the 2024 election. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)
Project 2025: The Blueprint of Conservative Policy and its Potential Impact on 2024 Elections
Leader of the Labour party and candidate for PM Keir Starmer (middle) along with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (left) and the new Labour Mayor for York and North Yorkshire David Skaith (right). Courtesy of the BBC
British Prime Minister calls surprise General Election after ruling Conservative Party suffered heavy defeat in local elections
Rally outside the White House following Trump's 2020 loss. The fight for the White House in 2024 has involved heavy campaigning on social media. (Ted Eytan/Flickr)
Redefining Strategies to Engage Gen Z: 2024 Presidential Candidates
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, back to back. The two politicians are the main candidates in the 2024 election. (Getty Images)
Everything You Need to Know About the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate—and its Consequences
"Stop Project 2025" banner at a protest outside the Heritage Foundation. This policy proposal is receiving increased attention during the 2024 election. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)
Project 2025: The Blueprint of Conservative Policy and its Potential Impact on 2024 Elections
An event held by Acton Children’s Business Fair on May 19 at Friendship Heights in Chevy Chase, MD allowed kids of all ages to introduce their businesses to the community. (Selena Said/International Dateline)
Local Children’s Business Fair Allows Future Entrepreneurs to Shine
Graffiti illustrating the Palestinian flag and “Free Gaza,” tagged on the William Howard Taft Bridge. This graffiti was later removed. (Sophia Jones/International Dateline)
In Photos: Graffiti Left on Connecticut Avenue After Pro-Palestinian Protest
From Deadlifts to Derivatives: The Bodybuilder Now Shaping Future Mathematicians
From Deadlifts to Derivatives: The Bodybuilder Now Shaping Future Mathematicians
Buck’s wedding in November 1993 (Courtesy of Colin Buck)
Grateful WIS Community Departs from Esteemed Math Teacher: Colin Buck
Upper school history teacher, subject coordinator, and EE coordinator Don Boehm is leaving WIS to teach at the French American International School in San Francisco. (Courtesy of Freed Photography)
Patient, supportive and EE connoisseur: A profile on Don Boehm
A view of the construction site of Le Centre Brown on May 1, 2024. (Lucy Randall/International Dateline)
Tregaron Construction: Everything You Should Know
The flags surrounding the WIS primary school gym, a welcoming symbol of WIS’ international mission. (Lucy Randall/International Dateline)
The Primary School Flags: A Nod to WIS’s Diverse Community
The WIS faculty in front of the Mansion on the Tregaron campus. Though the upper school faculty has diversity, there are still gaps present. (Courtesy of Cheryl Tanski)
A Look Into Diversity Disparities in the Upper School Faculty
The Tower of Faces at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. The middle school English department is using resources from the museum to educate students about the Holocaust in their new unit on "The Devil's Arithmetic." (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
‘We Shouldn’t Have Been Caught Off Guard’: School Responds to Lack of Holocaust Education
Scene from "The Diary of Anne Frank." The play that was removed from the middle school curriculum, eliminating all gradewide Holocaust education at WIS. (Wikimedia Commons)
Removal of “The Diary of Anne Frank” Ends WIS’s Last Element of Gradewide Holocaust Education
Demonstrators protesting at the 2017 Women's March in D.C. Among the crowd were WIS students, who are now advocating for sexual education reform. (Meg Kelly/NPR)
Upper School Students Push for Sexual Education Reform
Map by Beka Tatham. Photos courtesy of Camila Levey (Ward 1), Beka Tatham (2), David Allen (3), Naomi Breuer (4), Beka Tatham (5), Rose Boehm (6), Aniekan Udofia (7) and Austin Graff/Washingtion Post (8).
Senior Gift Divides Class of 2020 and Administration on Handling Racism at WIS
An American football on an open field. The sport is not offered at WIS despite its popularity around the rest of the country. (Eierschneider/Flickr)
WIS Weighs the Costs and Challenges of Adding American Football to its Sports Program
(Courtesy of Cheryl Tanski)
Spring Athletics Recap: Reflecting on a Season of Achievement and Community
Jake Drimmer playing for GrandSlam Baseball in 2023. Drimmer has committed to play baseball at Oberlin College, beginning in the fall of 2024. (Courtesy of Jake Drimmer)
Jake Drimmer: A Family Legacy Fuels Oberlin’s Newest Baseball Talent
From left to right: Sophomores Patrick Kaufmann, Abigail Dauchy, and Senior Henri Greamo participating in their respective sports
The Unseen Sports of WIS: Highlighting the Athletes Beyond the Red Devils
Eighth-grader Zaid Zamani after winning the Indoor Doubles Championship Hosted by Virginia Beach Tennis. (Courtesy of Zaid Zamani)
WIS’s Zaid Zamani: D.C.’s Top Youth Tennis Talent
JD Vance holding a speech at a political rally in Arizona. He is the author of the 2016 novel "Hillbilly Elegy" which inspired the Netflix movie by the same name. (Gage Skidmore/Openverse)
Hillbilly Elegy: A Glimpse into the Hollow American Dream
U.S. Olympic swim team practicing in Omaha before the Olympics. The Paris 2024 Olympics involved contention around the doping of swimmers. (Shelby Bell/Flickr)
Controversy and Politics Overshadow Team China’s Historic Olympic Victories
Pride flag on a television screen (Courtesy of Shutterstock)
Queer on Screen: The Struggle for Visibility in Television
Conan Gray (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Conan Gray Ventures into Synth-Pop Sound With Album “Found Heaven”
Class of 2024 Isabella Duchovny (left) and Elektra Gea-Sereti (right). (Courtesy of Francesca Recanatini)
Dear future WIS seniors…
JD Vance holding a speech at a political rally in Arizona. He is the author of the 2016 novel "Hillbilly Elegy" which inspired the Netflix movie by the same name. (Gage Skidmore/Openverse)
Hillbilly Elegy: A Glimpse into the Hollow American Dream
Pride flag on a television screen (Courtesy of Shutterstock)
Queer on Screen: The Struggle for Visibility in Television
Conan Gray (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Conan Gray Ventures into Synth-Pop Sound With Album “Found Heaven”
Class of 2024 Isabella Duchovny (left) and Elektra Gea-Sereti (right). (Courtesy of Francesca Recanatini)
Dear future WIS seniors…
Uncompiled code from Chromium Open-source Project. (Anthony Zhuang/International Dateline)
Google Chrome is Spying on You
(Courtesy of True Value Metrics)
Dissecting the WIS Dress Code
WIS Juniors Studying in Davies Hall (Image Courtesy of Zachary Roberts)
How Safe is Hybrid Learning?
Dateline's Response to Washington Post Column
Dateline’s Response to Washington Post Column
A protestor holding a sign with the words "White Privilege" at an event protesting police brutality in Spain. WIS seventh graders recently discussed the notion of white privilege in an English class activity called "privilege math." (Josep Lago/AFP)
Letter: Politics and Privilege in the Middle School Classroom
Letter: WIS Fails to Uphold Its Inclusive Values
Letter: WIS Fails to Uphold Its Inclusive Values
Letter: In Response to "Trump: The Modern-Day Hitler"
Letter: In Response to “Trump: The Modern-Day Hitler”
(Celeste Bloom/International Dateline)
Letter: In response to “High School Spaces: Detrimental and Dividing?”
Upper school students performing in “Macbeth.” (Courtesy of David Wade )
Students React to Upper School’s Production of Macbeth Following Classroom Study
The cast after a fight scene. Macbeth, played by junior Cayetana Hamilton-Garcia, stands at the center of the stage, holding a sword. The three witches, played by junior Philip Miller, junior Elia Rigolini and freshman Chiara Venturi, from left to right, circle Macbeth. (Courtesy of Cheryl Tanski)
“Macbeth” Review: Sinister, Dark, Thought-Provoking
A person animating on a computer. In recent years, animation has taken a new turn. (Courtesy of Unsplash)
A New Generation in Animation
Blank Alice by Heart poster.
Wither of the Arts: Declining Interest in the WIS Theater Program
“The Menu”: Haunting Yet Slightly Over Seasoned
“The Menu”: Haunting Yet Slightly Over Seasoned
Fresh Baguette's selection of pastries (Oliver Dashwood/International Dateline)
Review of Fresh Baguette’s Newest Location in Cleveland Park
The macarons on display at Olivia Macaron, located in Georgetown. The patisserie has a wide range of flavors to explore, from standard chocolate to lychee rose raspberry. (Tindra Jemsby/International Dateline)
Pastry Review: WIS Parent Masters the Art of Macarons
The Braccialarghe family enjoying their first family Thanksgiving celebration and their first time making the turkey themselves. (Courtesy of Sofia Braccialarghe)
Thanksgiving: WIS Edition
The entrance to Rose Ave Bakery on Connecticut Avenue in Woodley Park. The bakery recently moved from downtown D.C. to this new location. (Naomi Breuer/International Dateline)
Review: Rose Ave Bakery Brings Asian American Flavors to Woodley Park
Fettuccine al Ragù Bolognese from Sfoglina Van Ness. (Courtesy of Sfoglina Restaurant)
Spreading Italian Cuisine in D.C.
October 2024 Online Crossword
October 2024 Online Crossword
The Stark Contrast of the Debates...
The Stark Contrast of the Debates…
(Courtesy of Cheryl Tanski)
Class of 2024: By the Numbers
Posters of raccoons pinned to the metal construction site fence. The raccoons are a school mystery with few answers to be found. (Tindra Jemsby/International Dateline)
The Mystery of Archibald Kingsley Fernsby III, WIS Raccoon
The Class of 2024 at their graduation on May 24. (Courtesy of Tindra Jemsby)
Class of 2024 Senior Superlatives
The Student News Site of Washington International School

International Dateline
The Student News Site of Washington International School

International Dateline
All content by Maia Nehme
Scene from "The Diary of Anne Frank." The play that was removed from the middle school curriculum, eliminating all gradewide Holocaust education at WIS. (Wikimedia Commons)

Removal of “The Diary of Anne Frank” Ends WIS’s Last Element of Gradewide Holocaust Education

Naomi Breuer and Maia Nehme
May 4, 2023
Upper School Math teacher Gary Piligian teaching his 11th grade Math Analysis and Approaches Higher Level (HL) class. Most students who take IB math HL were previously in the advanced math program from seventh to 10th grade. (Martina Tognato Guáqueta/International Dateline)

Middle School Administration Eliminates Math Tracking Program

Maia Nehme
March 2, 2023
Top left to bottom right: Sophomore Margot Stavropoulos, freshman Hannah McVean, junior Klara Young, freshman Tamila Akkache, junior Sophia Jemsby and junior Jenna Loescher-Clark. Stavropoulos, Akkache and Jemsby have type 3B hair, while McVean has type 2A hair and Young and Loescher-Clark have type 2C hair. (Martina Tognato Gúaqueta/International Dateline)

Rein in the Mane: The Stigmatization of Curly Hair

Maia Nehme
March 1, 2023
Students at Palo Alto High School gaze at the Wall of Rejection, a tradition where seniors publicly display their rejection letters from various universities. The WIS Class of 2022 had a similar wall throughout their college application process. (Hallie Faust/The Paly Voice)

‘The Hunger Games Between Students’: College Counselors Implement Honor Code to Curb Competition

Maia Nehme
November 11, 2022
Shattered windows surrounding the Edmund Burke School's glass bridge. On April 22, a shooter fired hundreds of rounds at this walkway from his apartment building, pictured on the left. (Courtesy of D.C. Metropolitan Police Department)

‘It’s Not Safe’: WIS Students Reflect on Recent Shooting at Burke

Maia Nehme
June 22, 2022
Women handing each other tampons by the sustainable brand August. Some WIS students hope to switch the current free period products in the girls' bathrooms to August's products. (Courtesy of August)

The Fight for Period Products at WIS

Maia Nehme
April 19, 2022
Demonstrators protesting at the 2017 Women's March in D.C. Among the crowd were WIS students, who are now advocating for sexual education reform. (Meg Kelly/NPR)

Upper School Students Push for Sexual Education Reform

Abigail Bown and Maia Nehme
April 18, 2022
A Little Free Library (LFL) stocked with paperback books. For my Community, Equity & Justice Award project, I will be constructing a LFL for Moten Elementary School. (Courtesy of Little Free Library)

Community, Equity & Justice Award: Tackling D.C.’s Literacy Crisis

Maia Nehme
April 4, 2022
WIS’ 2017 science building proposal, depicting the plaza which would’ve replaced the sloped parking area. This plan was rejected by the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), primarily due to the building’s visibility from Macomb Street. (Michael Vergason/Landscape Architects, Ltd.)

Macomb Street Neighbors and WIS Clash Over New Science Building

Maia Nehme
December 10, 2021
The outside of Jane Austen’s House, a museum in Chawton, England dedicated to all things Austen related. The museum recently came under fire for including Austen’s personal ties to slavery in their exhibits. (Courtesy of Jane Austen’s House)

Mansfield Park: Why Art Can’t Exist in a Vacuum

Maia Nehme
September 22, 2021
The Lantern Bookshop, located at 3241 P St in Georgetown. The Lantern is completely volunteer-run with its proceeds supporting women’s education at Bryn Mawr College (BMC). (Abigail Bown/International Dateline)

The Lantern Bookshop: A Beacon of Light Amid the Pandemic

Maia Nehme
September 8, 2021
Dr. David Fakunle (left) and Dr. Edward Carson (right). Both Fakunle and Carson were invited to speak at WIS assemblies by 9/10 Assistant Principal Allison Ewing. (Graphic by Maia Nehme)

“What’s Your Story?”

Maia Nehme
June 21, 2021
Ana Andura smiling and holding a flower in her hair. Andura, who taught IB Spanish at WIS for 23 years, passed away in May 2021. (Courtesy of @anaandura)

Ana Andura: 1955-2021

Maia Nehme
June 18, 2021
A map demonstrating the locations of the colleges that the Class of 2021 is heading to next year. (Graphic by Maia Nehme)

The Pandemic Process: The Class of 2021 Reflects on their College Applications

Maia Nehme
June 17, 2021
An image of several vials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Neil MacDonald, Karin Tooze, Bill Canham, Allison Ewing, as well as many other WIS faculty members, received the Pfizer vaccine. (Dado Ruvic/Reuter)

COVID Vaccine Rollout Underway at WIS

Maia Nehme
April 7, 2021
An image of the current design for the new science building, which will replace the Dacha. Construction on the building, which will take up to two years, is not expected to begin for several years. (Courtesy of Suzanna Jemsby)

Science Building Plan Gains Key Approval, Will Face Board of Zoning Adjustments in May

Maia Nehme
April 5, 2021
Nora Brennan teaching a 10th-grade History class in hybrid learning, with half of the class on Zoom. Brennan recently returned from several months of family leave and is adjusting her teaching style for this new form of learning. (Maia Nehme/International Dateline)

Podcast with Nora Brennan: Adjusting to Hybrid Learning

Maia Nehme
February 11, 2021
A screenshot from Slack, the platform Sophia Nehme and other campaign interns used to communicate with the field organizers and one another. Nehme, a WIS student, worked as an intern on Sara Gideon's Senate Campaign this fall. (Courtesy of Sophia Nehme)

From Postcards to Phone Banking, Students Participate in the 2020 Election

Maia Nehme
December 2, 2020
The tented area outside of the carriage house building, where seniors will be eating lunch. Many Tregaron buildings have been repurposed by the campus workers to facilitate the transition into the hybrid learning model. (Courtesy of Rose Boehm)

What Did WIS’s Closure Mean For Campus Workers?

Maia Nehme
October 12, 2020
Pau Anta’s molecular modeling, displaying the N and C termini of the spider silk protein. So far, Anta has been unable to produce a physical prototype for his 10th Grade Project due to COVID-19. (Courtesy of Pau Anta)

Then and Now: Students Adapt Independent Research During COVID-19

Maia Nehme
September 12, 2020
A beach in the Outer Banks that Emilia Kudela visited this summer. Kudela's family traveled there instead of Poland due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Courtesy of Emilia Kudela)

Coronacation: How The Upper School Spent The Summer

Maia Nehme
August 27, 2020
The entrance to this year's IB Art class' virtual art exhibition. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than the usual in-person exhibit, the art will be viewed digitally. (Ye'Amlak Zegeye/International Dateline)

IB Art students move to virtual exhibit due to COVID-19 pandemic

Abigail Bown and Maia Nehme
June 8, 2020
The unique set design for the school play “Metamorphoses” includes a pool. The pool is central to the production as several actors interact with it. (Nicolas Greamo/International Dateline)

Upper Schoolers Set to Make a Splash in “Metamorphoses”

Maia Nehme
March 11, 2020
The Design Lab: A Year Later

The Design Lab: A Year Later

Abigail Bown and Maia Nehme
February 5, 2020
Drew Struzan/Disney

‘Hocus Pocus’: Cult Classic Yet Box-Office Flop

Maia Nehme
November 6, 2019
Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Maia Nehme
February 19, 2019
2019 House Representatives: You Could Be One!

2019 House Representatives: You Could Be One!

Maia Nehme
June 6, 2018
Hairspray Live! aired on December 7, on NBC.

Hairspray Live! Review

Maia Nehme
January 19, 2017
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