Skip to Main Content
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

Claudia Bunea

Claudia Bunea, Editor-in-chief

Claudia Bunea, a senior at West Po, is looking forward to her last year on The Wire. As an editor-in-chief, she is excited to write all kinds of articles, from student life to government. She’s actively involved in her school’s community, as she is co-founder of Geography Club and a member of Debate Team. Outside of school, Claudia enjoys reading and spending time with her guinea pig. She plans to major in political science in college.

All content by Claudia Bunea
Made in ALX, a small business in Old Town, sells products made by local artists who are experiencing financial stress from President Trump's tariffs.

Local Businesses Face Impact of Trump’s Tarriffs

Claudia Bunea, Editor-in-Chief Mar 5, 2026

As a result of President Donald Trump's ongoing emergency tariffs, small businesses throughout Alexandria are facing immense financial uncertainty. However, on Friday, Feb. 20, the Supreme Court struck down these tariffs, giving businesses optimism for...

ChatGPT said that AI in education can benefit classrooms by supporting teachers and staff.

FCPS Partners with ChatGPT

Claudia Bunea, Editor-in-chief Feb 9, 2026

On Nov. 19, Superintendent Michelle Reid sent an email to teachers and staff stating that FCPS is partnering with Open Artificial Intelligence (AI). FCPS was one of the eight school districts first in line to participate in the pilot program of ChatGPT...

Students peruse the recommended book shelves for a great pick to read over the holidays.

English Department Recommends Books for Winter Break

Claudia Bunea, Editor-in-Chief Dec 19, 2025

West Po’s English Department has created a list of book suggestions for students to read over the winter break. Mrs. Wendy Rice, one of our school librarians, encourages students to choose one of the books off of the list to read.  “It’s so...

Students walk to their advisory classrooms during s3 a widely debated advisory policy at West Potomac.

Students Become Accustomed to New Rotation System

Claudia Bunea, Associate Editor Nov 13, 2025

West Po students are now over three months into the school year, and have become well accustomed to the new advisory S-Rotation system. This year, students now attend two return periods which cycle through students' schedules starting with period one...

Prom tickets being sold in the cafeteria.

Take a Gamble on Prom: Show up This Saturday

Claudia Bunea and Lucy Wilson Apr 24, 2025

This Saturday, hundreds of West Po students will make their way to the Torpedo Factory for an unforgettable night. From 8-11 pm, juniors and seniors will be dancing, socializing, and just having fun in general. The Torpedo Factory will be decorated head-to-toe...

When students arrive to school more than 15 minutes late, they are required to check in at the attendance desk before going to class.

West Po Students Late to the Party?

Claudia Bunea and Lucy Wilson Apr 11, 2025

The recent crackdown on attendance began with a series of messages issued during advisory by West Po Principal, Ms. Statz. The announcements, which replayed frequently throughout the day, reminded West Po students of the importance of timely attendance....

Climate Change and the California Fires

Claudia Bunea and Lucy Wilson Feb 13, 2025

Known for its role in pop culture, California is a state full of opportunities. It boasts Hollywood, The Walk of Fame, the Oscars, some of the best colleges of the nation, and Silicon Valley. However, California is also known for the devastating wildfires...

West Po faculty installs second set of doors in front of school to help keep the school safe.

The New Doors: What’s That All About?

Claudia Bunea and Lucy Wilson Feb 11, 2025

Any student of West Potomac has seen the windowless doors that have been a feature of the main entrance for the past few months. The addition of these doors to the average student’s routine environment has left many students with the same question:...

Not Down with the New S-Block

Not Down with the New S-Block

Claudia Bunea and Lucy Wilson Nov 7, 2024

Last year, West Po students were able to be requested by their teachers to go to their rooms during the second half of advisory, called Wolverine Student Support Time (WSST). This allowed many students to retake tests, get help with their homework, or...

Mr. Williams a beloved teacher here at West Potomac.

Teacher Feature: Dr. Williams

Claudia Bunea, Reporter Sep 17, 2024

Doctor George Williams teaches World History Honors for ninth and tenth graders. Although he’s been at West Potomac for only three years, Dr. Williams has been teaching since 1993.  Dr. Williams has always known that he’s wanted to go into education,...

Teacher Feature: Mr. Carlock

Teacher Feature: Mr. Carlock

Claudia Bunea Oct 4, 2022

With a love for history, Matthew Carlock has been in the education system since 2010 and is currently entering his ninth year in a classroom. Originally teaching US History 1 in small town Corpus Christi, Texas, Carlock decided to move to Virginia where...