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The student voice of West Potomac High School

The Wire

The student voice of West Potomac High School

The Wire

The student voice of West Potomac High School

The Wire

All content by Andrea Lugo
Letters were sent to voice concerns on the ruling.

Northern Virginia Jehovah’s Witnesses React to Russian Supreme Court Ruling

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 18, 2017

A recent Russian Supreme Court ruling forbade Jehovah’s Witnesses from practicing their religion, as they were deemed to be an “extremist group.” Jehovah’s Witnesses across the world, including...

Mother's Day is May 14. Celebrate with the String's Mother's Day tips!

How to REALLY Make Your Mom’s Mother’s Day the Best Ever

Andrea Lugo, Editor
May 12, 2017

  Wait until the last minute to buy her a gift. You’re obviously waiting for the last-minute sales, so you’re applying her lessons about saving money in real time. You’re welcome, Mom....

TV Production Teacher Nancy Mantelli Returns to Classroom After Six Month Absence

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
April 24, 2017

  TV Production teacher Nancy Mantelli has made her comeback after being gone for six months of the school year after she took a hiatus in October after having been diagnosed with Stage 3 C...

(Courtesy @WestPoCI via Twitter) The 2016-2017 Combating Intolerance Class.

Combating Intolerance Students Honored with FCPS Student Peace Award

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
March 31, 2017

West Potomac’s elective Combatting Intolerance, taught by history teacher Robert Kerr, received a Peace Award at the Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County for the work the class has done. The aim...

Skinner-Richardson with her four siblings.

21st Century Reunion: Senior Amber Skinner-Richardson Reconnects With Biological Father She Never Met Via Facebook

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
February 27, 2017

Senior Amber Skinner-Richardson knew little to nothing about her biological father until this past weekend, when with the help of Facebook, she was able to speak to him for the first time in her life. “My...

(Courtesy BSU and Varsity Girls Basketball) Left: The Black Student Union with their Black History Month rock. Right: The Varsity Basketball Senior girls with their commemorative rock.

Lack of Organization For Rock Painting Causes Miscommunication

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
February 12, 2017

February is Black History Month, and the Black Student Union painted the rock in front of the school on January 31 as part of their celebration and demonstration of pride to the rest of the school. Members...

Aleixo and her family (Courtesy Margarita Aleixo)

Senior Margarita Aleixo Learns of Her True Background

Andrea Lugo and Cami Santa Anna
January 29, 2017

We’ve all been there. You’re in a group of people, and suddenly the topic of your cultural/ethnic origin comes up. Slowly but surely, everyone starts naming off the halves and quarters and eighths...

Humans of West Potomac, Volume 10

Humans of West Potomac, Volume 10

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
January 14, 2017

  https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQkpWohFJt/?taken-by=humansofwestpo https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQk3tPhqyf/?taken-by=humansofwestpo https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQllSiB4dX/?taken-by=humansofwestpo https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQmFOYhJII/?taken-by=humansofwestpo https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQmOuTB6w0/?taken-by=humansofwestpo https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQma5_hzEe/?taken-by=humansofwestpo

'Tis the Season, But Not for Everyone

‘Tis the Season, But Not for Everyone

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
December 18, 2016

The holiday season is in full swing with one of the year’s biggest holidays, Christmas, only days away. Stores are pushing predominantly Christmas themed items, yet a large portion of the nation and...

A Look Into the 2010 Haiti Earthquake: Haitian Earthquake Survivor Sebastien Jeanton

A Look Into the 2010 Haiti Earthquake: Haitian Earthquake Survivor Sebastien Jeanton

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
November 22, 2016

This January will mark the 7th anniversary of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake that killed thousands and left the country in chaos. Junior Sebastien Jeanton is a proud survivor. “None of us knew it was coming,...

(Courtesy Micha Streuli) Streuli visiting Gettysburg.

Q&A with Swiss Exchange Student Micha Streuli

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
November 9, 2016

This school year, West Potomac welcomed a number of foreign exchange students, one being junior Micha Streuli from Switzerland. Although difficult at times, he was quick to adapt himself to the school’s...

Muslim Students Fast for Ramadan Holy Month

Muslim Students Fast for Ramadan Holy Month

Andrea Lugo and Wingel Caburian
June 6, 2016

As Summer approaches and the weather gets hotter and hotter, most students would want to indulge in sweet and tasty treats. This isn’t the case, however, for many of the Muslim students at our school,...

Junior Lyrica MacDonald Uses Social Media to Support Fellow Students

Junior Lyrica MacDonald Uses Social Media to Support Fellow Students

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 29, 2016

Junior Lyrica MacDonald started the Twitter account @wphs_help in March to provide students with mental health issues (or anyone who simply needs someone to talk to) advice or a helping hand via Direct...

Rose has volunteered for the hospital for half of her high school career.

Senior Rose Guglielmo Expresses Passion of Healthcare Through Volunteer Work

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 22, 2016

Senior Rose Guglielmo is using her SHOUT (Students Helping Others United Together) project to get the most hands-on experience for her future career in the medical field. For her project, Guglielmo...

Teacher Feature -- Becky Chill

Teacher Feature — Becky Chill

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 15, 2016

Where are you from?    Connecticut (Eastern half) Where did you go to college?                                  University of Connecticut What was your college...

Junior Doug Miller Reaches Important Milestone in Boy Scout Career

Junior Doug Miller Reaches Important Milestone in Boy Scout Career

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 8, 2016

Becoming an Eagle Scout is the highest rank a boy can be in the program Boy Scouts of America. To reach this achievement, the official website for Boy Scouts of America states that members must first be...

Kosmacki in his element while shooting some footage.

Senior Jackson Kosmacki Takes Love for Films One Step Further

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
May 1, 2016

When senior Jackson Kosmacki isn’t at baseball practice or doing his homework, he can be found writing, filming, and editing short films, which he produces frequently. He is currently enrolled in the...

HLC performance at the World Beats Dance.

World Beats Dance Spirit Week Comes to a Close

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
March 17, 2016

World Beats Dance Spirit Week came to a close last Friday with West Potomac’s first ever World Languages Dance. Unlike Homecoming or Prom, the music primarily played was in Spanish, as well as French...

February is Black History Month.

Black Student Union Activities for Black History Month

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
February 11, 2016

February is Black History Month, a month dedicated to recognizing and honoring the accomplishments and contribution African-Americans have made to the US over the course of our Nation’s history. Black...

English teacher Rachel Kaplan assists junior and AP Lang student Madeline Day.

Teacher Feature – Rachel Kaplan

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
February 8, 2016

This August, West Potomac welcomed over 30 new teachers this year. As students, it’s difficult to get a read on so many first-year teachers, so to take out the guess work, The Wire has decided to feature...

It's the Second Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s the Second Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
January 7, 2016

Fresh from winter break, students learned that they soon need to choose their classes for the 2016-2017 school year. The month of January at school is essentially dedicated to student’s course selection,...

Ms. Borghard's leadership class celebrating the last school day and spirit day of 2015.

West Potomac Concludes 2015 with New Year’s Spirit Day

Jonathan Milam and Andrea Lugo
December 18, 2015

As the end of the Year steadily approaches, members of the West Potomac community are preparing for 2016 in style with the New Year’s eve themed spirit day. This offers students and faculty the opportunity...

Liz in front of the Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C.

Junior Liz Brodie’s Love for Shakespeare Leads to Folger Library Fellowship

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
December 17, 2015

A typical Monday afternoon for Junior Liz Brodie between September and December started with her signing out of school at 2:20pm.  From school, her mother drove her to Huntington Metro Station, where...

What You Need to Know About West Potomac's Newest Club, Modern Moderates

What You Need to Know About West Potomac’s Newest Club, Modern Moderates

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
November 20, 2015

West Potomac’s newest club, Modern Moderates, held its first meeting on Monday, Nov. 16. Senior Jenny Sutton started the club as a way to provide a safe space for the student body to discuss current...

Mr. Case gets ready to cut the ribbon on the Clifford S. Hardison Governor's Health Sciences Academy

Homecoming Week’s Dedication to Former Principal Clifford Hardison

This past Saturday was the rededication ceremony of the West Potomac Academy to former principal, Cliff Hardison. Hardison was the principal from the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2013, before passing...

SIS: What You Need to Know About the New Grade System

SIS: What You Need to Know About the New Grade System

Andrea Lugo, Reporter
September 23, 2015

Along with the many changes West Potomac as well as Fairfax County faced this year, the new attendance and gradebook system, SIS, has sparked great opinion among parents, students, and staff.   According...

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