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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

Ethan Brodie, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Co-Editor-in-Chief Ethan Brodie is a senior at West Po in his third year of journalism. He enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures, writing, and hanging out with his friends. His visit to Copenhagen is the best trip he has taken so far. Ethan loves learning about history and plans to study the subject in college. He is a kind-hearted soul and motivated journalist who steadfastly works towards his goals and follows through with everything he shoulders.

All content by Ethan Brodie
Alum Reports from 1st Semester at College

Alum Reports from 1st Semester at College

Ethan Brodie, Former Editor-in-Chief of West Po '22
November 7, 2022

The overwhelming, yet exciting feeling of being in a completely new environment, the stress of another paper, the rush of joy as the class canceled email hits my inbox. These are just some of the feelings...

From SLES to the Graduation Stage

From SLES to the Graduation Stage

Ethan Brodie, Editor-In-Chief
May 27, 2022

I remember my first time stepping into Stratford Landing Elementary School as a student in the public education system back in September of 2009. I walked into the classroom and sat down at a table with...

Photo: Screenshot from the official Rocket League website

Esports Takes Shape at West Po

Ethan Brodie, Writer
April 13, 2022

Tryouts for West Po’s first esports team in school history will begin next Monday, April 18th and continue on Wednesday, April 20th. The tryouts will fill a total of 12 spots for two teams, one varsity...

Seniors Elizabeth Hardin and Aaron Kopp will compete in the Tounament of Champions later this month. They are the first debate team from West Po to be invited to the event.

Photo Credit: Sean Da Ros

The Great Debate: West Po Against the World

Ethan Brodie, Co-Editor-In-Chief
April 13, 2022

Senior debaters Elizabeth Hardin and Aaron Kopp made West Po history by becoming the first ever debate team from the school to qualify for the prestigious Tournament of Champions. The tournament, hosted...

Virginia Law Ending Public School Mask Mandates Takes Effect

Virginia Law Ending Public School Mask Mandates Takes Effect

Ethan Brodie, Writer
March 1, 2022

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a bill into law allowing parents to opt their children out of mask mandates in public schools. The legislation took effect March 1st. The law requires schools...

Fairfax County Public Schools Ends Mask Mandate for Students and Staff

Fairfax County Public Schools Ends Mask Mandate for Students and Staff

Ethan Brodie, Writer
March 1, 2022

Fairfax County Public Schools announced it will no longer require students, staff, and visitors to wear masks beginning March 1st. The change allows FCPS to comply with a new state law signed by Virginia...

Graph shows student case rates at each of the 25 public high schools in Fairfax County.

Data Reveals West Po Among Top 10 FCPS High Schools with Lowest COVID-19 Student Case Rates

Ethan Brodie, Writer
December 9, 2021

COVID-19 data through December 6th shows West Po has a lower Covid case rate than about two-thirds of Fairfax County Public Schools high schools, according to FCPS’s Covid Dashboard data. West Po ranks...

Virginia to Hold Elections in First Taste of Midterms Under President Biden

Virginia to Hold Elections in First Taste of Midterms Under President Biden

Ethan Brodie, Writer
October 27, 2021

For the first time since the tumultuous 2020 race, Virginia voters will take to the polls for a general election on November 2 to elect leaders and representatives for a variety of state and local offices....

Teacher Feature: Mr. Rogers

Teacher Feature: Mr. Rogers

Ethan Brodie, Writer
October 12, 2021

Mr. Kip Rogers is a science teacher at West Po. He teaches freshman Environmental Science and Biology, as well as AP Environmental Science. This is his 5th year teaching at West Po after being a long-term...

Student Sends Email to Every West Po Student, Creating an Inbox Nightmare

Student Sends Email to Every West Po Student, Creating an Inbox Nightmare

Ethan Brodie, Writer
August 27, 2021

Chaos struck West Po students’ inboxes this past Thursday night as one West Po student sent an email about YouTube restrictions to the email address, [email protected], which delivered...

Photo credit to Aaron Kopp

Juniors Elizabeth Hardin and Aaron Kopp Take 12th Place in National Debate Tournament

Ethan Brodie, Writer
June 8, 2021

Over Memorial Day weekend, West Po juniors Elizabeth Hardin and Aaron Kopp placed 12th in the virtual NCFL Grand National Debate Tournament out of 257 teams.  The tournament, originally planned for...

Virginia General Assembly Legalizes Marijuana, Abolishes Death Penalty, Declares Racism a Public Health Emergency in Prolific Legislative Session

Virginia General Assembly Legalizes Marijuana, Abolishes Death Penalty, Declares Racism a Public Health Emergency in Prolific Legislative Session

Ethan Brodie, Writer
May 6, 2021

Virginia's General Assembly wrapped up its first legislative session of the year in March having passed hundreds of bills, some of which will bring fundamental change to the state.  Lawmakers tackled...

Early Data Shows Negative Impact of Virtual Learning on Virginia Students

Early Data Shows Negative Impact of Virtual Learning on Virginia Students

Ethan Brodie, Writer
March 4, 2021

Early data from the Virginia Department of Education shows students are struggling academically as virtual learning continues across many of Virginia's school districts, including Fairfax County. Failing...

Map shows the US Senate composition for the first two years of Joe Bidens presidency. (Map made with yapms.com)

Democrats Win in Georgia, Will Take Senate Majority Under Biden Administration

Ethan Brodie, Writer
January 20, 2021

After two of the most expensive Senate races in United States history, Democrats will take control of the Senate after Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both won their runoff Senate elections in Georgia in...

Photo Credit to Mr. Coe.

Teacher Feature: Mr. Coe

Ethan Brodie, Writer
January 19, 2021

Mr. George Coe teaches AP World History and freshman World History. He has previously taught a Current Events and World Religions class, but he is not teaching that this year. When asked about why he enjoys...

Virginia Becomes 3rd State to Ban No-Knock Warrants

Virginia Becomes 3rd State to Ban No-Knock Warrants

Ethan Brodie, Writer
December 19, 2020

With ever-growing calls for police reform across the United States, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed a bill in fall banning no-knock search warrants in the state. The bill makes Virginia the...

GSA Emily Murphy, official portrait obtained from https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/office-of-the-administrator/administrator-bio

General Services Administration Administrator Delays Start of Presidential Transition Process

Ethan Brodie, Writer
November 20, 2020

Despite major media outlets declaring Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential election, the current General Services Administrator, Emily Murphy, refuses to say Biden is the winner of the election,...

Survey Finds Only One in Four Eligible West Po Seniors are Registered to Vote

Survey Finds Only One in Four Eligible West Po Seniors are Registered to Vote

Ethan Brodie, Writer
October 30, 2020

With the upcoming election just days away, a recent survey conducted among seniors at West Po found just 23.1% of eligible seniors have registered to vote, a result consistent with historical turnout trends...

Early Voting in the 2020 Election Surges Locally and Nationwide

Early Voting in the 2020 Election Surges Locally and Nationwide

Ethan Brodie, Writer
October 23, 2020

Early voting in Virginia and across the country is surging amid the coronavirus pandemic and expanded early voting options in many states, evidenced by the long lines seen at the local polling location...

Lack of Sleep Causes Problems for Students

Lack of Sleep Causes Problems for Students

Ethan Brodie, Writer
February 14, 2020

Across the country, getting enough sleep is a problem for most high school students, and West Po is no exception. A study about American high schoolers’ sleep published in the Journal of Adolescent Health...

Teacher Feature: Ms. Pendleton

Teacher Feature: Ms. Pendleton

Ethan Brodie, Writer
December 9, 2019

Ms. Laura Pendleton teaches freshman biology as well as human anatomy and physiology. She has been teaching full-time for eight years, all of those years being at West Po. Before teaching at West Po, Ms....

My my, how could you resist it? Come see Mamma Mia! this weekend

Ethan Brodie, Writer
October 29, 2019

The first show of the year for West Potomac’s Beyond The Page Theatre Company kicks off with the musical version of the blockbuster movie, Mamma Mia!. The performances will take place in the Springbank...

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