Student Spotlight: 2022-2023 Student of the Year Ryan Wyche

Dec 15, 2022

Woodlawn High senior Ryan Wyche has been accepted into Berklee College of Music. This prestigious opportunity is the latest addition to an already-impressive resume that includes a wide range of local and national engagements. Wyche has also applied to Harvard University and hopes to take advantage of the Dual Degree program between the two schools. Upon receiving his acceptance, Ryan will declare two majors: one in Music Business and Management at Berklee and another in Sociology and African American Studies at Harvard.

From this unique educational experience, Ryan hopes to gain the skills and exposure necessary to start his own record label. He aims to cultivate a philanthropic community centered on the production of art. Wyche has always considered himself to be both a musician and an activist. Although he does not wish to enact change by running for public office or directly shaping legislation, Ryan is prepared in the event that he inherits a public platform. He looks to one of his idols, Billie Holiday. Holiday created intense, profound commentary through her art, and never let herself be defined by a singular label. Ryan wishes to mimic this fluidity and boldness.

Throughout his high school career, Ryan has participated in a myriad of activities around campus and within the surrounding community. Ryan is the WHS Student of the Year, Drum Major of the Panther Marching Band, and Chief Justice of the Louisiana Youth Legislature’s Supreme Court. He wakes up before most of his peers so that he may arrive early to school each morning and appear as a co-anchor on the WHS Morning Announcements. Ryan’s involvement is not limited to his immediate surroundings. He has attended conventions with the “100 Black Men of America,” and completed a summer study program in Boston at Berklee College of Music.

This is not meant to be a regurgitation of Ryan’s extensive resume‒ my goal is to paint a more personal picture of Senior Class President and Mr. Woodlawn, Ryan Wyche.

Having spent most of his life as a resident of various Southern cultural hubs, Ryan is well-versed in the ups and downs of Southern living. He spent most of his early life with a single father. His dad grew up in New York in the 80s, encapsulated by the birth of hip-hop. Ryan recalls that the highlights of his childhood often took place in the car with his dad, listening to music. The pros of life in the South have made themselves abundantly clear to him: having a large family, enjoying traditional southern meals, and so much more.

However, throughout the years, the cons have creeped in and created a sense of separation between Ryan’s geographical region and his identity. When Ryan moved from Atlanta to Virginia, he saw himself as “one of few black faces in the classroom.” He never had trouble finding internal similarities between himself and his classmates, but external differences often found a way to enforce division. Since moving to Louisiana and attending Woodlawn, Ryan is pleased with the diverse, yet harmonic community that he has found a unique place within.

As a proud member of the Woodlawn community, Ryan views his success as a representation of what happens when young adults take advantage of every single small opportunity for advancement. As he reflects on his experience here and looks forward to a bright future, Ryan feels that the thing he is most proud of is his little sister, Adrienne. If you asked him, Ryan would swear that Adrienne (4 years old) is already a prodigy, sure to make a mark on history. He relishes the relationship that he has created with her and is excited to watch her follow her own path; he’s certainly set an incredible example.

The New Year Brings Excitement, Open House Set

Aug 15, 2022

Woodlawn High opened the new school year this month overflowing with a record number of students and palpable excitement.

Principal Scott Stevens and the faculty and staff welcomed an enrollment of approximately 1,500 to campus — an increase of almost 25% during a five-year span — with a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities.

“Hearing from the kids, they like the fact that they get to wear spirit shirts every day and not wear the polos,” Stevens said. “They’re excited about the return of pep rallies, but that’s something, too, that we have our pep rally committee working on, because there’s no way we can feasibly fit 1,500 kids into our gym at once.

“So having so many students presents some challenges with space. But we’re working on ways to combat that and make sure everybody has a good experience.”

Woodlawn’s enrollment was reported as just over 1,400 last year and just over 1,100 five years ago.

And while that sharp rise in numbers can lend itself to some complications, Stevens said the school has taken measures to still prioritize personalized and tailored instruction to help facilitate student success.

“Obviously there are a lot more bodies in the halls,” he said. “With so many students, every room is used at all times. There is no empty space. But we’ve hired more teachers, so that’s helped us out some to still cut down on the class sizes.”

And to continue to provide courses and programs to meet the diversity of students’ needs and help better prepare them for varied paths after graduation.

“Having all the classes that we do, all the different programs, such as Gifted, Magnet, Great Scholars, Talented — you name it, and we’ve got it,” Stevens said. “So we’ve focused on making sure we meet all the requirements for those, making sure we get the kids what they need for graduation requirements, but also still giving them the options that we have like journalism, athletic marketing and things that let them expand on areas that they’re interested in.”

Outside of class, several student organizations, including sports teams and other clubs, have already launched into regular practices and meetings in the first two weeks of class.

The football and volleyball teams have both already competed in scrimmages against other area schools and will participate in jamborees this week before opening regular-season play next week.

“Kind of getting past some of the impacts of COVID the past two years and being able to do a lot more to allow the kids to be able to get involved is a big deal,” Stevens said. “It should feel back a lot closer to normal — should being the operative word,

“But there’s a lot more stuff we’d like to do this year. For instance, there are some PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) and TSS (Therapeutic Staff Support) aspects we’re going to be implementing along with the Social Emotional Learning through the counseling office, some different activities during the lunch periods and all those things.”

As students and parents get back into the routine of the new school year, Woodlawn High is excited to once again have an in-person Open House. Open House will be held Monday, September 12th, beginning at 6 pm.