News Archive

Congratulations to the ten athletes, representing all four grades in the high school, who were named to the PVAC All-Conference Teams in soccer and volleyball:

From DNA to PCR
To wrap up the fall trimester, Advanced Research in Molecular Biology students hosted a poster presentation for peers and parents. While investigating the distribution of Wolbachia (common bacterium) in insect populations, students learned molecular biology techniques, including DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing. Pictured, center: research by Sam H. '25, Paul G. '25, and Sydney W. '25.

On Saturday, November 16, fifteen high school students represented Burke at the Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership Conference (BSDLC).

7th grade Life Science has been studying the effects of cosmic radiation on plant seeds.

Congratulations to Aaron H. '25, who was recently selected as one of just two Student Members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee for 2024-25, reflecting his longtime investment in civic action and local government.

To wrap up the trimester, students in Brent's Acting, Directing & Design 8 class performed excerpts from Alice in Wonderland for other 8th grade arts classes.

Your reigning conference champions made a remarkable case to repeat their title this season.

Monday, November 11, marked one of our favorite traditions: Grandparents & Grandfriends Day, when we welcomed 150 guests to campus, supported by a fabulous cadre of parent volunteers.

Where the Bones Lie by Nick Kolakowski '99 comes out in March 2025 from Datura Books (a British crime imprint distributed by Penguin Random House in the US). Nick describes the novel as a "twisty California detective thriller about a burned-out Hollywood fixer." He adds, that "I owe my love of detective fiction to the Film Noir class that my dad [past faculty Paul Kolakowski] taught when I was at Burke."

The Performing Arts Department will conjure up the Salem witch trials with two plays inspired by Arthur Miller's The Crucible (1953): John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower on November 7-9 and Abigail / 1702: A Twice-told Tale by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa on November 14-16.

Through Clean City DC's Adopt a Block program, Burke has adopted the 2800 and 2900 blocks of Upton Street NW. "Anyone can participate in the Adopt a Block program - individuals, families, churches, businesses, schools, and other groups and organizations," according to #TrashFreeDC.

Class on Conservation

In the Fall 2024 issue of NAIS' Independent School magazine, David (Director of Innovative Learning & Technology) tackles the question, "What’s Going on with Boys in Schools?"

Sofia Shore '20 graduated from Skidmore College last spring with a degree in business and has returned to DC to work for a strategic communications firm.

Morgan (HS Science) reports, "Students in Advanced Research in Molecular Biology are off to an excellent start on their research journey."

Squash & Stretch
First among the twelve basic principles of animation, "squash and stretch" gives objects flexibility and weight when in motion. In Kay's Animation 11/12 course, students have been exploring this principle in the context of computer animation. Throughout the trimester, they will build on previous digital media skills to create 2-dimensional animations and motion graphics in Procreate and Adobe Animate.

Pictured: Girls and Boys Varsity soccer team playing their homecoming games before a spirited Bengal fan section on Friday, September 27.

photo credits - Stacy B. P'24, '26

From September 19-20, our 6th-11th graders traveled around and beyond the DC region, enjoying quality time with classmates and advisors. Our middle schoolers, who all have overnight trips coming up this winter and spring, spent a day lakeside in Edgewater, MD, followed by an active day at The St. James for 6th-7th grade and a serious hike on the Billy Goat Trail for the 8th grade.

In progressive schools, we expect learning to be hands-on, active, and experiential. Thanks to our Metro-accessible location, DC's vast cultural and historical resources can support just such learning.

Highlighting students' creative and athletic pursuits outside the classroom.

We are excited to welcome two new faculty members for 2024-25 – plus welcome back one faculty member and belatedly welcome two staff members who joined us last spring.

On Wednesday, June 5, 6th-11th grade gathered for the year's final assembly. Middle school (in the Theater) and high school (in the Atrium) held their own recognitions of Pride Month, led by the Queer Student Alliance. High school leaders discussed the origins of Pride in the US, complemented by original poetry by students.

In the final week of May, 62 student musicians from five Burke bands performed 21 pieces from myriad musical genres – including songs by Dizzy Gillespie, Etta James, the Beatles, Joan Jett, and Bruno Mars.

Speaking of numbers, six musicians performed on three or more instruments, including a modular synthesizer!

Our vocal music classes concluded their performance season on May 23, singing for a capacity crowd in the theater. Opening with the 7th/8th Combined Chorus, the concert also featured High School Chorus, Taylor S. '26 (representing the new Songwriting class), and the debut of "Diving In," the 6th grade performing arts survey class.

On May 29, Burke welcomed Matt Scott for the Grace Mann '12 Speaker Series. Honoring the memory of a Burke alum who was passionate about social justice and advocacy, this annual speaker series reflects those same passions.

Global Dimensions
In Earth Systems Science and Advanced ESS, students built two and three-dimensional models that defined the main spheres of the earth (atmosphere, hydrospheres, biosphere, and geosphere) and how these major subsystems connect. Their creative approaches now adorn every surface in the ESS lab, including an "Edible Earth" model, a spinning globe, a multi-player board game, and a graphic book (pictured).

On Tuesday, May 28, the Class of 2024 and members of the faculty gathered in the theatre to recognize students who achieved academic distinction in one or more departments. Awards are based on consistently high performance and advanced coursework in the subject.

(*) department-selected student speaker for the ceremony

The 7th grade has returned from their annual overnight in Philadelphia, centered around sustainability and conservation. Following an early departure, they spent the morning at the Philadelphia Zoo, explored Bartram’s Garden and searched for microplastics in the Schuylkill River, and visited the Magic Gardens before spending the night at Temple University.

On May 16-18, the Middle School performed an uplifting, sold-out run of Annie Jr., the Broadway staple about a resourceful young orphan (Leona K. '28) and a guarded, but benevolent billionaire (Jessica B. '29) amid the Great Depression in New York City.

• Eoin S. '24 - 1st in the 800 meters (repeat champion!), plus 2nd in the 1600
• William T. '25 - 1st in the 300m hurdles
• Elsa H. '27 - 1st in the 400 meters
• David G. '25 - 2nd in both the 100 and 200 meters
• Hana Y. '25 - 2nd in the triple jump
• Full results here

This past April, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Mid-Atlantic Region) recognized Eliza G. '25 and Olivia M. '25 for their work with Student Visionaries of the Year, a seven-week philanthropic leadership program supporting LLS' mission to cure blood cancers. The team representing Burke collectively raised over $46,266 for the cause. Congratulations!

For Assembly on May 1, Burke hosted Hurunnessa Fariad, Outreach Director at Multi-Faith Neighbors Network, and Rabbi Alexandra Stein from Temple Rodef Shalom. In conversation with Sharielle, they discussed how their different faith traditions inform how they navigate differences and find common ground when possible.

Congratulations and cheers to Dana Brozost-Kelleher '12, who has earned her second Pulitzer Prize!

Dreamed up in 1999, and revamped in 2008, Founders' Day remains an anticipated tradition during the spring months. Led by a team of 11th and 12th graders, this year's event boasted a board game theme, with inter-grade teams named for Ticket to Ride, Chess, Connect 4, and Monopoly, among others.

On April 20, Team DC, a nonprofit that promotes participation in sports among the LGBTQ+ community in greater Washington, hosted their Night of Champions Gala – where Burke's own Stacy received the 2024 Clark Ray Horizon Award, which honors DC educators and coaches who support LGBTQ students in athletics. "I will continue to work towards Clark Ray’s mission to make a difference in the lives of our young people. I also know that they envision a future I cannot see, but one we must help them reach," Stacy writes.

Last month, Faith in Focus hosted a joint Passover and Ramadan program (beautifully led by Elena M. '26), with help from the Jewish Affinity Group – culminating in a Friday afternoon gathering, where students and adults sampled an array of foods, including dates (used to break the fast during Ramadan) and charoset (served during the Passover seder).

Amid the spring weather, 7th grade enjoyed an outdoor school day at Rock Creek Park on April 16. For Life Science class, they collected data about microplastics in our local waterways; Amy C. adds, "I am sad to report that we did find some, but it was a small amount." After lunch, Kay walked down from campus for a watercolors lesson, followed by frisbee instruction from Alan.

Track & Field

This winter, ten 10th graders (selected by their peers) represented Burke at the DC Project Soapbox speech competition.

At the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Conference, held this year in St. Louis, David P. (Director of Innovative Learning & Technology / History) led a sold-out workshop entitled, "What's Going On With Boys?"

Ursinus College's The Grizzly recently profiled sophomore Jay Sims '22, who has gone from track and field walk-on to the 2024 Centennial Conference Indoor Champion in the high jump, with a PR of 1.92 meters.

• In the 4x200 relay, the boys won their heat (with a great third leg from William T. '25) and took 12th in the final, complemented by 6th in the 4x400.
• Hana Y. '25 set a Personal Record in the girls' long jump with a jump of 13' 7.5," placing 8th in the finals.
• Nathan K. '24 also set a PR in the boys' triple jump, taking 8th both there and in the long jump.

March was Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM), which seeks to "raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music." In celebration, Teisha's vocal music classes held a series of pop-up performances around campus:

On April 3 and 5, the 9th grade (in two groups) volunteered at Capital Area Food Bank as part of their social justice framework, which focuses on food insecurity in DC. First, students worked in the warehouse and packed boxes of food for senior citizens, a demographic who particularly suffers from food insecurity. Together, both groups packed an impressive 1,641 boxes.

Burning Strings Returns
Following a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Burning Strings returned to assembly in March. A tradition begun in 2003, Burning Strings united 15 faculty, staff, an alumnus, and students for a set of Irish music on or near St. Patrick's Day – including violins, violas, guitars , clarinet, recorder, melodica, and percussion.

In Studio Art this past winter, 8th graders drew inspiration from Bisa Butler, a textile artist known for portraying unsung heroes using fabric pieces in vibrant colors.

Thursday, March 14 ("3.14"), marked the annual celebration of a transcendental mathematical constant.

This coming spring, the Middle School will mount Annie Jr., featuring a high-energy, captivating cast of 30 performers. Set in New York City amid the Great Depression, this Broadway standard follows the optimistic Annie (Leona K. '28) as she escapes swindling from the spiteful Miss Hannigan (Izzy M. '28) and con artists Rooster (Robert D. '28) and Lily (Natalie W. '28), and discovers an opulent new world with Olivia Warbucks (Jessica B. '29) and Grace Farrell (Jayla Z. '28).

Varsity Baseball
Pictured: the Bengals kick off their season against DC International on Monday, March 11.

Morgan's Medical Microbiology elective delves into the immune system, structure of viruses, viral replication and transmission, and epidemiology. To close out the winter trimester, small groups studied a group of pathogenic bacteria with similar transmission patterns, with each group member specializing in a specific bacterium.

As the spring approaches, the walls and display cases around campus grow fuller and more vibrant. Be sure to peruse work from Héctor's Drawing & Painting 9/10 elective, displayed along the 2nd and 3rd floor stairwell in Hobbes.

On February 22, our Black Student Union, Black Girls Meet, and Young Black Men affinity groups mounted a powerful celebration of Black History Month at assembly, encompassing poetry, film, trivia, and performance. The assembly concluded with a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," bringing together singers from across all grades.

11th and 12th graders in Ginger's Constitutional Law class attended an oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court on February 27.

In celebration of Black History Month, the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, MD, showcased young artistic talents in Seeds to Roots. Featured at the event was "Whoa, I'm Glowing: a Celebration of Black Girl Joy and Ancestral Harmony" by Ella B. '30. Watch the animated short right here.

On February 12, the 8th grade embarked on their annual, four-day civil rights tour through Alabama, as part of their social justice framework. The trip begins in Birmingham, then moves among Montgomery, Selma, and Lowndes County.

Each winter, students from all grades gather to showcase their musical and artistic talents in the Atrium (while enjoying snacks and a chill atmosphere). As hosts of the event, Student Government Association bestows a unique awards on each act, plus names their top three picks.

On February 20, Burke welcomed renowned investigative journalist Bob Woodward for a conversation on media and journalism. With Carl Bernstein, Woodward conducted the initial reporting on the Watergate scandal, which ultimately led to President Nixon's resignation in 1974. He has worked for the Washington Post for more than 50 years, where he currently holds an associate editor title and has contributed to two Pulitzer Prizes.

The Bengals had a fabulous run this winter, going 10-1 in the regular season, securing the top seed in the conference, and making it all the way to the PVAC Championships, hosted in a packed Burke Gym on February 9. (Seriously, seats were at a premium!)

On February 8, high school swim teams from across the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) competed at the University of Maryland's Eppley Recreation Center. At the meet's conclusion, the Girls Swim Team was victorious, taking the conference championship over rival Field School (301-282). The Bengals just missed a sweep of both PVAC titles, with the Boys Team taking 2nd behind St. Anselm's (331-305).

On February 6, 11th and 12th graders in Ginger's Constitutional Law class observed oral arguments in a 6th amendment case before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Judge Catharine F. Easterly P'24 and her law clerks met with the class before proceedings to share their journeys to the DCCA and explain the nature of the case.

According to Judge Easterly, "the legal questions on appeal are constitutional (6th Amendment right to confrontation) and evidentiary (hearsay): they revolve around whether the complainant's call to 911 reporting the crime could be admitted into evidence at trial when she didn't appear as a witness." Students found the oral argument fascinating: is a 911 call by a now-deceased individual "admissible" as evidence? What is an "excited utterance?" Was this an "ongoing emergency?" A judgment in Austin v. U.S. is expected sometime in summer 2024.

Reacting in Science Club
Bob K. reports that the Science Club recently did a version of the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction, an oscillating chemical reaction, where the indicator colors appear to flip from yellow to blue as the mixture moves toward equilibrium.

On Monday, January 26, faculty and staff launched our winter in-service day with Learning and the Brain 2.0, presented by Rasha El-Haggan.

Max Streitwieser '20 recently visited Advanced Band to discuss his experiences in the NYU music business program, where he is now a senior. He also shared his own music, which he composes and performs under the artist name Nicknames. His music can be found on all streaming platforms.

Congratulations and cheers to Carrie J. '24, who has been named to the 2024 Arts and Social Justice Fellowship (ASJF) cohort.

Mixed Media 9/10 recently designed and printed their own reusable grocery bags, all using nature-inspired repeat patterns – now on display in the Atrium. This past fall, Digital Media 11/12 designed 3-D models of a living space and then used Google Earth to place their designs around the globe.

Each fall, 10th graders research and write a "Soapbox Speech," addressing the question, "What is one issue that I care about in my community?" This past December, students delivered their final speeches in advisory and to the full grade. Ten student speakers, chosen by their peers, represented Burke at Mikva Challenge DC's Project Soapbox: Ayla M. '26, Carson A. '26, Elena M. '26, Ethan F. '26, Johnny V. '26, Matilda P. '26, Maya D. '26, Sydney J. '26, Taylor S. '26, and Tony C. '26.

Queries and Curiosities

Civil engineer Bassirou Gaye (brother to Fatou, World Language Department Chair) visited DC for a professional conference this past December – and joined Fatou's classes!

We are thrilled to share that Black Girls Film Camp has selected senior Daria S. '24 as a Teen Director for the BGFC 2024 Cohort.

Washington, DC USA Gap Year Fair 2024
hosted at Edmund Burke School
on Saturday, February 4 from 1-4 PM