Potomac Stories

This week in eighth grade history, students stepped into the role of 1920s advertising teams, working to sell new inventions in a decade marked by booming business, emerging technologies, and a rapidly growing consumer culture. Their challenge was to convince wealthy investors to fund a new consumer product—something everyday Americans would want, need, and buy because of a persuasive advertising campaign.

Working in partners and small groups, students developed pitches for 1920s inventions such as the television, frozen food, and the electric washing machine. Then they presented their ideas to a panel of “sharks,” who decided whether to invest. 

Potomac Hosts Frostbyte Tournament
Potomac hosted 24 VEX Robotics Competition teams from across Northern Virginia and Maryland in our first state qualification tournament of the year. Teams 13A ACE (Erik Eggers ‘30, Veer Mathur ‘30, and James Schweitzer, ‘30), 13B 3 Big Guys (Will Cillizza ‘30, Ben Levin ‘30, and Jeevan Payeur ‘30), 13C Crossfire (Libby Campbell ‘30, Sofia Genter ‘30, Diya Iyer ‘30, Audrey Vorndran ‘30), and 13D 3 of Diamonds (Henry Feder ‘30, Drew Gudenberg ‘30, and Sina Mirali ‘30) all competed on Saturday. Each team secured a spot in the qualifying rounds, with team 13A earning a place in the State Tournament based on their Skills score. Many thanks to all of the US Robotics students who helped with setup on Friday evening and the many roles required to pull off a successful tournament. Enjoy photos! 

On Tuesday, IS French students welcomed the winter season, singing Vive le Vent (Jingle Bells) and spreading holiday cheer as they caroled throughout the halls and into the MS Village, where they entertained Middle School students. Then, they enjoyed a special French luncheon – a feast of crêpes, quiches, bûches de Noël, and other traditional fare – prepared by parents and teachers. Bonne Année et Merci à tous! Enjoy photos and check out Instagram for the video soon. 

IS Musical students attended a scene-writing workshop and a question-and-answer session with Deborah Stein. Ms. Stein is a professional playwright, director, screenwriter, and teacher based in LA. She teaches playwriting at UC San Diego. She led our IS students through a scene-writing exercise that first asked them to create a character. Expertly leading students through a series of character-refining questions, Ms. Stein helped students craft monologues that centered on a core belief. Once the IS Musical is over, students will transform these monologues into scenes and perform them for each other. 

Our seventh grade Spanish Advanced class saw a matinee performance for Colores de Flamenco  at  the GALA  Hispanic Theatre on Thursday, November 13. GALA Hispanic Theatre is a leading national center for Latino performing arts based in Washington, D.C. Since its founding in 1976, GALA has been dedicated to sharing the vibrant cultures and artistic expressions of the Latino community. Through innovative productions, educational programs, and community engagement, GALA aims to inspire and connect audiences, nurture emerging talent, and preserve the rich heritage of Latino arts for future generations. After the performance, they enjoyed an authentic Mexican lunch at Taquería al lado. 

Last Friday, eleven IS students represented Potomac and attended the SSSAS Middle School Diversity Conference. Students attended workshops focused on identity and on creating a culture of belonging. They heard from Amber Robles-Gordon, an accomplished mixed-media visual artist, who shared how her art is a reflection of her community, therefore a reflection of herself. Our group enjoyed meeting students from different schools, engaging in reflective art projects, and developing ideas that can be applied in life at the Intermediate School. We are grateful for their leadership and generosity of spirit!