GWCS is small but mighty. We pride ourselves on offering a world-class education and extracurricular activities that allow students to connect with their school, their world, and themselves.
Spotlight on Community Service: Mapathon
On Saturday, March 23rd GWCS Coyotes participated in their first Mapathon. Using satellite imagery, students and parents “re-mapped” an area of Zimbabwe ravaged by an overflowing dam caused by cyclone Idai.
Honors Horror Literature and Film Adaptations
What makes a monster? Perhaps a better question is this: what makes us human?
Far from being sufficient unto themselves, one can only truly answer these questions by understanding their linkage: humanity and monstrosity, “normality” and “abnormality,” are reciprocally defined—reliant upon the other for meaning—and rest upon, not permanent foundations, but upon ever-evolving and shifting cultural beliefs that are spatially and historically situated.
It is the goal of this class to deconstruct these binary oppositions-- human/monster and normal/abnormal—to fully understand, and appreciate, the art of horror.
Robotics
Students can be found in “the shop” almost every day after school and on weekends as they design, build, and program robots to compete in FIRST Tech Challenge’s Skystone, this year’s robotics game.
Junior Trip to Gettysburg
GWCS Juniors abandoned the classroom for the battlefield to take a deep dive in history at Gettysburg this fall. From walking the path of Pickett’s charge to dinner at General Li’s Buffet, this proved to be a fun and edifying trip.
Spotlight on Clubs: E.S.T.A.
E.S.T.A. or Ending Stigma Through Art is a club created by GWCS’s own Lizzie W., class of 2020. E.S.T.A. strives to end stigma and the negative impacts it has on vulnerable populations though understanding, art, and service.
Our first quarter topic centered on poverty. We read poetry by Langston Hughes, Robert Flanagan, and Julie Dinsmore; examined plein air paintings of Marc Clamage; interpreted a variety of editorial cartoons and listened to and discussed TED Talks. We closed out the quarter with a visit to The National Building Museum’s exhibit “Evicted.”
Our second quarter topic is addiction. Stay tuned to hear more about our Martin Luther King Day service project dealing with this issue.
Anatomy and Physiology Students Witness Live Open-Heart Surgery
At GWCS we believe in authentic learning and take every opportunity to bring learning to life. One such example this year was The Dome Experience at Fairfax Inova Hospital, where our students witnessed a live four-hour-long open-heart surgery followed by an in-depth discussion with the surgical team.
Senior Essay Writing Retreat
The GWCS Senior Essay Writing Retreat was born out of necessity in 2004 when staff tired of chasing down seniors to check on the status of their college essays.
In true GWCS fashion, we addressed the issue head-on and unconventionally. We packed the kids into cars and headed out to “the wilderness” for three days to complete the essays away from the distractions and disruptions of home.
The retreat has become a favorite tradition of GWCS staff and seniors alike.
Spotlight on Service: Stream Cleanup
In conjunction with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, GWCS proudly sponsors Wakefield Run, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. On the last Wednesday of each month, you’ll find us in waders and boots, equipped with gloves and bags, ridding our waterways of rubbish.
