Jackson-Reed is home to seven academic academies. Wilson’s International Studies Program (WISP) is the only social studies academy.

The academy has faced and overcome several obstacles in recent years; long-time teacher lead Julie Caccamise left, COVID hit, and parent support diminished.

Social studies teacher Robert Geremia has led the pathway since 2018. Geremia is currently restructuring the academy to better attract and reflect the entirety of the Jackson-Reed student body. 

“WISP [students] were previously seen as Advanced Placement (AP) students. The academy was established in 1983 and disproportionately [held] a white student body. There was a lack of diversity and reflection of the entire student community.” Geremia is trying to fix this long-standing issue by altering the course load and broadening the subjects included in WISP. 

His first step in restructuring WISP was to change the course requirements and pathway: “[Previously] it was all AP courses and there were [around] seven requirements. Now there are different pathways,” which consist of diplomatic, political, economic, cultural, and linguistic. In addition, the number of required courses has been reduced. To complete the WISP pathway, four total WISP courses are now required. This includes a mix of required classes for each pathway and additional classes that fall under WISP. 

Geremia hopes these changes will make the academy more inclusive. For example, the English Language Learner program can be in the linguistic pathway; English as a Second Language students who might not have felt comfortable in a pathway before can now join. He also hopes reducing the number of APs will make the academy less daunting. “I think WISP has [historically] not done a good job at reaching students across the entire school community and this will hopefully appeal to different community members.”

Though changes are being made, publicity for the new adjustments has been a challenge and managing the entire academy is difficult for Geremia to do alone. Currently, another NAF academy director is expected to join Jackson-Reed next year to help WISP. 

Looking forward, Geremia has more goals to expand WISP. He would like to broaden the social studies-related clubs involved in WISP, including looking to connect with student unions and affinity groups. WISP currently has no student leadership positions, although creating them is another goal for the academy’s future. Sabrina Bergeron, a student member of the academy, adds, “It would be cool to have quarterly panels where people from the State Department, diplomats, and people in international affairs [come] talk to WISP students about their jobs and how to get into that field. I think as a WISP student it [could] be really interesting to take classes focused on learning about the world and then see it applied before you.”

Currently, core components of WISP include Model UN, the Italian student exchange program, and Cultural Night. There are between 65 and 100 students in the pathway.

Post Jackson-Reed’s name change, WISP still reflects the name Wilson High School. In the future, the name will be changed to reflect the new school name. Edna Jackson, one of the school’s namesakes, was a social studies teacher so the academy may be renamed Jackson International Pathway (JISP) in her honor or Jackson-Reed International Pathway (JRISP) to simply continue the pattern of following the school name.