Karina Elwood

Washington, D.C.

Local reporter covering schools in Virginia

Education: University of Florida, BS in journalism

Karina Elwood joined the Post in 2021 on the local politics and government team. She previously reported at the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun Sentinel and Orlando Sentinel.
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Latest from Karina Elwood

Jeers, cheers as D.C. watches Trump-Harris debate

D.C. residents took to bars, cafes and campus centers to watch and fend off nerves with a drink or two in hand and sympathetic ears nearby.

September 11, 2024
Attendees with D.C. Young Republicans watch the presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at the Dirty Water in Washington on Tuesday.

Security alerts at Apalachee helped save lives, officials say

But many questions still remain about whether more could have been done to prevent the shooting.

September 6, 2024
People embrace at a makeshift memorial after a shooting at Apalachee High Schoo in Winder, Ga.

Loudoun considering letting students carry Narcan to reverse overdoses

The Loudoun district has implemented a number of efforts to address student opioid use after a string of overdoses last year put a spotlight on the issue.

August 31, 2024
Loudoun County schools is considering a proposal that would allow some students to carry medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Cellphone bans spread in schools amid growing mental health worries

More states and school districts are forbidding or restricting students’ access to cellphones.

August 27, 2024

Arlington school district will pilot cellphone storage for students

Arlington Public Schools is launching a pilot program to use magnetic poches to lock away cell phones during the school day, the latest Northern Virginia district to announce such an effort.

August 24, 2024
Students use their phones after unlocking the pouches that secure them during the school day at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif.

Virginia students made nominal gains on spring state assessments

Virginia students saw slight gains in state assessments but still lag behind pre-pandemic levels.

August 20, 2024
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) speaks to members of the media after signing an executive order at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford in September 2022. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post)

Judge: Va. district can’t block transgender student from girls’ tennis team

A federal judge ruled in favor of the transgender student who sued the Hanover County school board, allowing her to try out for the girls’ tennis team this year.

August 19, 2024

Excitement, nerves as Alexandria and Fairfax students return to school

Students in Alexandria and Fairfax, Va., returned to school with excitement and new changes.

August 19, 2024
Students line up at Patrick Henry K-8 School in Alexandria on the first day of school Monday.

FBI arrests D.C. Council member Trayon White

The nature of the allegations against White, a Democrat representing Ward 8, were not immediately clear. The FBI declined to comment.

August 18, 2024
Ward 8 council member Trayon White.

Fresh starts, new year: Here’s how the DMV is getting ready for school

Back-to-school preparations are underway in the D.C. region as students and teachers get ready for the new academic year.

August 17, 2024
Families were invited to pick up school supplies at the community-sponsored Mount Vernon Pyramid Resource Fair on Aug. 8, 2024, at Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria.