Fall Edition 2019 by DSA Gallery

FALL EDITION 2019

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THE GALLERY DSA’s newspaper 400 N. Duke Street Durham, NC 27701 dsagallery.com

STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Oyinda Ajasa ASSISTANT EDITOR Oliver Weaver WEBSITE EDITOR Stephany Guzman LEAD REPORTERS Sam Bartlett Jess Foday N’Saun Gentry Emily Parker Srikar Kaligotla REPORTERS Stella Domec Violet DeWire Jonathan Eller Xochitl Grande-Vasquez Kelsy Martinez-Morgan Layla Niblock Ella Nunez Blake Ragsdale Daniel Romaine Samantha Schoppe Marion Schroder Hau Tung STAFF ADVISER Patrick Ritchie COVER ART Stephany Guzman

Remembering Kaffeinate BY STEPHANY GUZMAN On April 10th 2019, the foundation of DSA shook to its very core all throughout campus. While transitioning, students ran away from the catastrophe while teachers were met with an untimely sight: large clouds of smoke. Downtown Durham had been experiencing a surge of pipeline work days prior. It was not unusual to see people with heavy machinery alongside the sidewalk and roads. With the alert of a sudden gas leak, people from local businesses nearby were asked to leave for their safety. No one anticipated the worst was yet to come as a sudden, large scale explosion erupted not too long after. Many of DSA’s middle school students were the first to experience the intensity of the blast, so much so that it caused classroom windows to crack. With the ongoing panic of another possible outburst, everyone was evacuated and sent home to avoid further worries. As a result, the incident affected other buildings within the vicinity such as Toreros and Prescient

(a technology company). But, Kaffeinate Cafe took the most damage. The destruction of the establishment brought shock to DSA. People would go before classes to meet up with friends or grab a quick bite to eat at Kaffeinate. With a welcoming ambiance, friendly staff, fresh coffee and delicious food, Kaeffeinate was no stranger to providing great service to those who were just a few blocks away. Alas, shock soon turned into grief as students, staff, and even administrators were made aware once the news identified one out of two fatalities. Kong Lee, father, husband and Kaffeinate owner passed away just moments after arriving at Duke Regional Hospital. Lee was the embodiment of hard work; he had always wanted to have a place in which he could serve others. Kaffeinate was his home away from home, surrounded by endless love and admiration by all. Many will remember his caring personality upon greeting each and every customer that

walked through his doors. As time passed on, vigils were held in honor of his memory while the community paid their deepest condolences to the Lee family. Currently, Downtown Durham is still recovering from such a tragedy. Some are left without work but the determination to rebuild goes on. Whilst most of DSA tries to move on, it is undoubtedly difficult. Counselors were made available to fellow students soon after to talk and reflect upon any lingering sentiments. On the day students were allowed back to class, some ensured a balance between moving forward and never forgetting. Teachers and students took it upon themselves to make a separate reminder of how the ‘Bull City’ will continue in the midst of adversity. Whereas the impact will leave a long lasting impression to those who experienced the event firsthand, it will forever be a reminder to all of DSA that taking a step forward is necessary to restore what has been lost.

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Prescient, a technology company, still stands even with blown out windows. Many people from the company are still left without work but there are plans to rebuild in the near future. As a result of the explosion, there is still rubble and remnants of debris.

The Gallery is an open forum for the free expression of student thought that fairly represents the voice of the students. Our mission is to inform the student body by exposing issues to the majority, allowing the minority a voice to be heard, and helping to connect to DSA’s community through the paper. The Gallery staff will determine the stories and material to be covered in an issue and reserve the right to accept or decline material for each issue. The decision for advertising relies on the discretion of the editorial staff of The Gallery. The Gallery staff will hold itself to the highest professional journalistic standard of honesty and integrity as guided by the Student Press Law Center. It is not the policy of this newsmagazine to downgrade or tarnish the reputation of an individual or group. The Gallery is a student edited and managed publication. The school assumes no responsibility for the content of The Gallery. The news magazine editorial staff urges all journalists to recognize that with student editorial control comes responsibility to follow journalism standards and ethics each school year. As a forum of free expression, The Gallery will welcome all letters submitted to the editor, provided they contain the writer’s name and grade. The Gallery does not accept anonymous letters, but will print letters using “name withheld,” provided the editor knows the author’s identity.

Fall Edition 2019

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The climate strike: global or generational? BY JESS FODAY

and see the value in learning Lesson plans lay inanything when I feel like I’ll complete as the sun beats never be able to use it because through windows of abanthere is literally an impending doned classrooms and atop apocalypse?” empty desks. Hundreds of The sentiments of those students around North Carlike Thunberg, Slentz-Kesolina skip school in solidarler, and Angrist are that if ity with the global climate the government doesn’t care strike. enough about the future of On September 20th, young people to take meaHalifax Mall in Raleigh, sures against climate change, North Carolina, swelled then why should they. On the with climate change procontrary, some schools have testers sporting homemade attempted to fill this gap of signs and determination for motivation and even used the change. Among those that Raleigh protest as a field trip clapped for activist speakopportunity to increase student ers and penned letters to participation and education. government officials, were “Well it’s good to be involved the young faces of nearly 50 in things when you’re still DSA students ready to take young so you have experience a stand for something they when you’re older… I want to believe in. be able to survive the next 12 “[I]t was an easy choice PHOTO BY JESS FODAY years without being in fear,” for me,” Jane Slentz-Kesler, Funmi Shabu, a 4th grada senior who participated in Students Katrina Schlekat, Jane Slentz-Kesler, and Emilia Gray (left to right) stand in the sea of er from Empowered Minds the rally, remarks. “I think protestors during a speech. The vibrant signs they sport were constructed during an event orgaAcademy commented on why my absence in school speaks nized the day before by junior, Isabelle Lee. she believes it was important so just as loudly as my presmany young people be present ence at the strike… the missat the march. ing of class was such a tiny The elementary and middle inconvenience in comparison schoolers present from Empowered to the overwhelming necessity Minds Academy got to experience of climate action,” Slentz-Kessomething quite literally universal ler commented. that afternoon. More than just overParental and educational sized handout rally shirts were taken obstacles remain a top fear home, but budding ideas about how and restraint from participatto improve the world they live in as ing in the civil disobedience well. In the words of Slentz-Kesler, at the risk of skipping school. “youth are the main voice of this However, as awareness and movement” and it is evident, comacceptance for this civil municating with youth that they’re disobedience is amplified by angry. They have a message to give to young activists around the the big corporations, “ignorant polworld, namely, Greta Thuniticians”, and the world, that they’re berg, who hasn’t attended willing to spread. school since 2018, discussion “[Adversaries of climate change] has been prompting about the are not needed in the world we are importance of education in trying to create. Your goals are not the first place. healthy or helpful to the safety of “If we don’t have a future, people and the environment we what is the point of educaall rely on. You are the root of this tion?” Lena Angrist comments problem… Step the [expletive] up or almost jokingly. “The global PHOTO BY JESS FODAY shut the [expletive] down. That’s it,” climate strike is important be- Fourth grader, Funmi Shabu smiles next to her homemade sign that reads “You think dinoAngrist concludes intensely. cause without the planet there saurs think they had time?” The mix-matched capitalized and lowercase letters highlights is no future… How can I enjoy her youth in a setting full of chanting teens and adults.

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Key Club: the key to giving back

The Gallery

BY MARION SCHRODER

It’s 8:40am on a Thursday morning. A group of students walk from their cars to the main building and laugh together as they move up the stairs. Key Club is a nationally recognized student-run association. There aren’t rigorous grade requirements or the limitations of National Honors Society , but there are many opportunities to give back to the community. “I would say volunteering for me has changed who I am in a lot of ways, and has changed my perspective. I think teenagers often go into volunteering with a negative attitude, with the only motivation being hour requirements and all that. Joining [Key] Club will not only look good on applications and fill your resume, but it will take a bigger part in your personal opinions and goals,” Ruby Ashman, president of Key Club, said. Ashman is a junior here at DSA. She started Key Club when she was a sophomore and is now the president. This year she hopes to provide a great space for students to grow and give back to the community they live in. “My goals for the group are to be as interactive as possible, and really have

a welcoming environment, at meetings I want everyone to have a say in who we volunteer for and the groups we help. Since we are student run I want everyone to feel like equals, and have a say in what we do,” Ashman added. Key Club is a good environment for students to be in. It’s a safe place where their goals and ideas are welcomed. The students in Key Club help others but are also positively impacted themselves by the volunteering that they engage in as a group. “I enjoy Key Club because it is a safe environment where I can help and give back to the community. The group and leaders are so welcoming and I love being a part of it. One project we have done that has impacted me, and I’m sure others, was at Urban Ministries. In this service we made dinner for those in need and served it. I loved every second of knowing we made an impact on those people’s lives that night,” Emma Humphreys, a student in Key Club, commented. Not only is it a great environment, it’s also a great option for those who don’t want to be in, or didn’t get into National

Honors Society. Key Club doesn’t have a grade requirement, only hour requirements. “It’s amazing that there aren’t grade requirements or that you can still join if you’ve had ASD or ISS!” Ava Clark, a student in Key Club, exclaimed. The students leading and participating in Key Club get to help others and give back to the community withPHOTO COURTESY OF KEY CLUB’S INSTAGRAM out restrictions. Key Club has standing relationships with organizations Students also feel such as Urban Ministries. They volunteer by picking up welcome and excittrash, serving food to the elderly, and gardening. ed to participate. can give back to your community, I Key Club has a lot definitely recommend Key Club to you. of opportunities and welcomes student participation in every way. They meet at It’s not only about the service hours, but 8:45 in Ms. Reeves room every Thursday. about how you can impact others in great ways,” Humphreys stated. “If you want a friendly, welcoming, committed group of people where you

Jesus Club has three co-leaders, Katie Hervey and Henry Lilly, both juniors at DSA, and Zach Benson, who is a sophomore. “I like having time in the week where I can be stress-free, and I also like meeting people,” Lilly explained, “I like the games and I like how the club has just a nice atmosphere when you’re there.” Club meetings are 4:30 to 5 every Thursday afternoon in Mr. Ervin’s room, D209, and they meet in the breezeway for a prayer circle Wednesdays at 8:55. “It’s a fun, wholesome way to spend an afternoon once a week,” Benson said. In addition to creating a community of fellow Christians, Jesus Club leaders are planning fun events for their club members. “We definitely are planning to have three movie nights, where we all get together and watch a movie,” Katie Hervey, junior at DSA and co-leader of the Jesus Club said. This year, two Jesus Club members

left DSA for Riverside and Jordan, but they were determined to continue having meetings, so they started their own Jesus clubs at their schools. “There are Jesus clubs at Jordan and Riverside so hopefully we can do a movie night with them!” Hervey said. Members of the Jesus Club also hope to be more active in their community and work with the school and others. “We want more guest speakers this year, and to get involved in more around the school activities like the Fall Arts Festival or pep rallies etc,” Hervey explained. The club is student-run but has two teacher advisors, Mr. Downing and Mr. Ervin. “I have really enjoyed watching the students discuss some really deep stuff about Christianity and hearing about what God is doing in their lives on a weekly basis,” Ervin said. “I enjoy getting to pray with students and seeing them emboldened to share their faith

They Have Risen: DSA’s Jesus Club BY STELLA DOMEC Games, lessons, prayer circles, guest speakers, and movie nights are just a few examples of what DSA’s Jesus Club is planning for this coming school year. Jesus Club is a club for students who are devoted to Jesus and who want a safe space to interact with other Christians and to have fun while learning more about their religion. During club meetings, members have discussions about Christianity and play games that relate to their discussion topics. “We rotate the desks in the room and go around in a circle and share the joy, junk, and Jesus of our week,” Zach Benson, sophomore and Jesus Club co-leader, explained. After activities, members have lessons that connect to God, Jesus, or the Bible, and end the meeting with prayers. “Club meetings can be full of funny stories and interesting activities and everyone has fun during the meetings,” Benson continued.

with others.” As of now, about 10 people are in Jesus Club, and the leaders have hung posters around the school to recruit new members. “One unique thing about Jesus C lub is knowing that other people just like me love God and the friendly members of the club,” Benson added. “All of the Jesus club attendees keep a sense of community and love within the stressful days of high school.” The Jesus Club also has an Instagram account (@dsajesusclub) run by the three leaders, where they post updates about club meetings. Overall, students in the club have an accepting environment and group of people that are passionate about the same topic. “I like how we kind of have a community, and how fun it is! No one is considered an outsider and everyone is welcome and welcoming to others!” Hervey concluded.

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Durham’s Pride celebration inspires students to get involved BY VIOLET DEWIRE Music plays through the speakers as colorful floats drive down the street. People gathered on the sidewalks cheer as groups adorned with every color of the rainbow pass them by. The Durham Pride Festival is a time to celebrate, and this year, students participated in record numbers. On the last Saturday in September, Durham hosted its 33rd annual Pride March on Duke University’s East Campus. Organizations and schools from all over North Carolina came together to march for their community and celebrate inclusion. This year, the students that attended were an important part of the community effort that brings activism and inclusion to all of Durham. For teachers like Taylor Schmidt, seeing students involve themselves in Pride is inspiring. “Pride gives students freedom and connection, students give the community a future with possibilities unthinkable to previous generations,” Taylor Schmidt, social studies teacher, stated. Schmidt is an eighth grade social studies teacher at Central Park School for Children. Last year, he organized a Pride and Liberation event for the school that

made national news due to parental outreach. He is an active participant in the annual Durham Pride celebrations and works to spread awareness and understanding to his students and the community alike. Carina Feierman, a ninth grader at DSA and a former student of Schmidt’s, attended the Pride parade this year along with some of her close friends. She believes in the value of student involvement in Pride.. “ ...Experiencing it at least once [is important],” Feierman explained. Feierman has attended many annual Pride celebrations in past years. Like other students, she enjoys participating in the festivities by watching, enjoying the energy that is abundant all throughout the day. Schmidt is an active participant in the parade. He believes that it is important for everyone to be involved

PHOTO BY VIOLET DEWIRE A large float makes its way down the street during the annual Pride parade in downtown Durham. Organizations, schools, and local volunteers create these colorful floats so that people can celebrate the energy and inclusion that Pride brings to all of Durham.

with Pride, but for students, it is an opportunity to experience something that is much bigger than themselves. “I’m not sure who benefited more from student participation in Pride 2019, the students or the wider community. What I know is that the movements contained within Pride always has been, is, and always will be dependent on students,” Schmidt reflected. During this year’s Pride parade, Schmidt marched alongside many of his students from both past and present classes. He believes that students give a future to their communities, and allowing them to march alongside their peers is a beneficial experience for not only the student, but for everyone that they choose to surround themselves with. Feierman has similar goals in mind when it comes to school involvement in Pride. She wants schools to take action in making sure that students can experience PHOTO BY VIOLET DEWIRE these kinds of events in the future and enA group of drummers walk in steady lines as they march down the street. courage the younger generation to make Marching bands and musicians from many schools in the Raleigh-Durham their voices heard. area participate in the parade. “I hope that schools will be more in-

volved with Pride and give students more opportunities to be involved in Pride events,” Feierman said. Schmidt sees the impact that activism has on his students, and believes in the importance of empowering young people’s voices. “There is no magic age, no prescribed moment when someone pops up in front of you, hands you a golden key and informs you that yes, you do have the right to participate in the creation of change. You have it, right now - and your capacity to create change, to participate, is onlygoing to grow,” Schmidt concluded.

For more information about Durham Pride, visit https://www.pridedurhamnc.org/

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The Gallery

MEET THE “NEW” T

BY OYIND

Haley Rossi: Creative Dramatics and Theatre Fundamentals

Charity Freeman: EC Resource

How would you describe your teaching style? How do you think your teaching style fits in at DSA? I think my teaching style is friendly but stern. I like to get a lot done and I want all the work that I create to be excellent. I really do want my students to be the best they can possibly be.

How would you describe your teaching style? How do you think your teaching style fits in at DSA? Student Centered. In a student-centered approach to learning, teachers and students share the focus and interact equally while the teacher still maintains authority. This teaching style is beneficial because group work is encouraged, communication, and collaboration are encouraged.

Did you always want to be a teacher, if so why? If you did not want to be a teacher, what did you want to be and why? I always wanted to be a teacher, but not a theatre teacher. I thought of being an elementary school teacher or a music teacher. I’ve always wanted to be a performer and I get to do that through my teaching. What is one interesting fact you would like to share about yourself? I’m going to have a baby in December, and my due date is Christmas Day.

Did you always want to be a teacher, if so why? If you did not want to be a teacher, what did you want to be and why? I come from a family of educators (my mother, aunt, most of my great aunts, cousins) and teaching was not my preferred career of choice. I always wanted to be a Missionary, traveling countries and serving others. I always wanted to explore this great world and feel a sense of purpose in life.

How would you describe your teaching style? How do you think your teaching style fits in at DSA? I, like the other teachers in the math department, work hard to have students learn by thinking through the mathematical concepts and strategies, while also being available for support. What is one interesting fact you would like to share about yourself? I have a love for music although I am not musically talented, I have been a “DJ” on a radio show and I love working on cars (older cars) and would love to race on a track just once. What had you heard about DSA before you came to teach here? I have had many friends whose students have attended and graduated from DSA and always only had good things to say, but what really brought me to DSA was the strength of the Math department.

Christine Betts: Mathematics

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TEACHERS OF DSA

DA AJASA

Sabrina Monserate: Mathematics What is one interesting fact you would like to share about yourself? I am a huge gamer! I play a variety of games, but I am currently playing Fire Emblem: Three Houses on the Nintendo Switch. Did you always want to be a teacher, if so why? If you did not want to be a teacher, what did you want to be and why? I actually went to college at NC State to be a computer scientist because I love technology, but I found that it wasn’t a good fit for me as I thought. When I was deciding on what major to switch to, I knew two things: (1) I loved helping people in any way I could, and (2) there needed to be a variety of tasks/challenges. I didn’t want to get stuck doing the same thing every single day!

David Hance: Spanish Where did you teach before you came to DSA? I was at Southern School of Energy and Sustainability. How would you describe your teaching style? How do you think your teaching style fits in at DSA? I try to be engaging and I try not to do a lot of any one thing. I try to reach different students that might respond differently to different teaching methods. When you’re learning a new language, it helps to have something in front of you. I try to use a lot of visuals and be animated. What is one interesting fact you would like to share about yourself? I also speak German, and I lived in Germany for a year when I was in college. I’ve traveled to many countries.

How would you describe your teaching style? How do you think your teaching style fits in at DSA? I like to think of my teaching style as interactive but somewhat traditional. I really try to build a classroom community where people share a lot, and get the content that they need. Did you always want to be a teacher, if so why? If you did not want to be a teacher, what did you want to be and why? For a while I thought that I wanted to do some type of political work. I thought I wanted to work for an advocacy organization or a non profit. Then I decided that I wanted to become a college professor of Philosophy, but when I got there I realized that you get to teach sometimes but you’re also doing a lot of research.

Sean Wilson: World History and English I

What is one interesting fact you would like to share about yourself? I love playing basketball. So if anyone ever wants to play, just let me now.

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The Gallery

An Infusion of cultures: Jose Galvez makes an impact BY N’SAUN GENTRY From the constant knocking of neighborhood doorbells for treats to celebrating the dead, the month of October is a month filled with tradition. Every year students and faculty gather around to celebrate LatinX heritage, most importantly known as Dia de los Muertos. Where in the last week of October, the downtown area is closed and reserved for those celebrating and participating in the many festivities. “Día De Los Muertos to me is a way to get reminisce and get back in touch with people close to me and my family who have passed away. It’s a way to celebrate their lives and make sure they’re doing okay where they’ve past on to,” Giselle Santos, senior, clarified. Pulitzer Prize winning artist Jose Galvez is a part of this movement, showcasing the Latinx community’s contributions to society. His most recent work on Hispanic heritage has been put on display in the Durham School of the Arts atrium. This is a place where everyone can view the masterpiece. Every idea starts from somewhere, for Mr. Galvez his journey from coming to North Carolina and studying the different aspects of Latinx life has provided a new perspec-

tive for audiences. “When we first moved to North Carolina, now a little over 15 years ago, we were struck by the wide presence of the Latino community, especially in small towns. They were working in the fields of tobacco, strawberries, Christmas trees and in construction and landscaping. We did a little digging around and realized that they had a tremendous economic impact in these small towns and to some extent in the bigger cities of NC,” Jose Galvez, artist, said. The potraits in the atrium display the hardships and accomPHOTO BY N’SAUN GENTRY plishments of their various communities Galvez’s line of work has spanned over a decade. The importance of Latinx life along with their along with statistics of impact on society doesn’t get the attention that it deserves, but this exhibit will raise awareness their population growth about Latinx culture. over the years since Mr.

Galvez has began working on his studies for his artwork. Even though North Carolina is the main state being targeted due to Galvez’s personal experiences, he showcases their impact that translates to the country as a whole. “I want people to come away from the exhibit recognizing that we are all more similar than we are different. Latinx people are workers, students, store owners, they go to church, buy homes, have their children play in the parks. We all want the same things for our children, for our communities. And we all want to be treated with respect,” Galvez, artist, commented. PHOTO BY N’SAUN GENTRY Many teachers around the Jose Galvez’s lifetime of work is on display in the atrium, leaving his art for everyone school are also in favor of the to see. Galvez is the first ever Hispanic Pulitzer Prize winner, which puts extra emphasis movement as they are head and meaning to his work. facilitators of clubs or pro-

grams that give students of color a voice to speak out about a cause that is bigger than themselves. “I think that as a social studies teacher I have been looking for many ways to be more inclusive about people of North Carolina and from our indigeneous population and to like African American voices to LatinX voices. They are often just missing from the curriculum so to me [the exhibit] symbolizes a whole population that is not only a growing part of our media community, this missing piece to who we are in North Carolina state history,” Mrs. Mace, 8th grade teacher, concluded.

Answers to the riddles a. starting b. footsteps c. piano

Fall Edition 2019

Reagan McGuinn, the hole-in-one

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BY SAM BARTLETT Twenty feet away from the hole, Reagan McGuinn lines up her shot. She grasps the handle of the club, feeling its familiar grooves. Reagan winds back then swings the club, sending the tiny white ball straight into the hole. Reagan McGuinn has been the only member of the underappreciated DSA golf team for several years. However this year the golf team has several new members, meaning that Reagan and Coach McGuinn, her father, will be able to compete for team scores and not just individual. “I’m so grateful that our team is bigger this year. Every one of my sports teams have been a family to me, and this one is no different,” McGuinn expressed. As a one woman team Reagan has excelled. Although she was not able to participate in team play, the DSA golf team still competed against Orange, Northwood, Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NCSSM, and Cedar Ridge. As an individual, Reagan shot an average of 57 last year. Unfortunately that was not enough to get her to regionals, she missed the cut by two shots. This year

the DSA golf team hopes to have more success. “Most of the teams have more members as well as experience. That presented a bit of a challenge last year but this year we have a full team with consistent improvement every week,” Coach Steve McGuinn, Reagan’s father, commented. Reagan has been playing golf since she was twelve years old. Originally introduced to the sport by her dad, she has had a special bond with him PHOTO COURTESY OF DSA GOLF ever since. They formed Reagan McGuinn lines up for a photo with the new the DSA golf team last year so that Reagan could DSA golf team. With two new members the team will now be able to compete in non-individual compete against other play. schools and not just in tournaments. Part of their McGuinn becoming an exceptional team. golf experience, has been “Since I’ve been playing golf a long trying to find time to practice at the drivtime, I decided to help [Reagan] start ing range whenever they can. All of these this team. I have gone through an edufactors have led to Reagan and Coach cational and athletic coaching process to

become the coach,” Coach McGuinn said. Reagan had to adapt to being a one person team. She says that the golf team is often underrepresented, and she hears people say, ‘Wait, we have a golf team?’, quite often. To supplement this, being a solo team can be stressful knowing that DSA’s sole representative in golf is her. This means that her mistakes can decide the outcome of the team’s season. “I love that golf is such a mental gameit requires so much discipline, and you have to be able to bounce back from any bad shots you make,” McGuinn continued. This year Reagan will not be driving alone, she will have teammates around her to carry the DSA golf team to success. Reagan and her father are grateful for the opportunity to form a golf team, and hope to expand on their success this coming year. “I think we’re a unique team this year because it’s not always about winning for us, as it might be for other schools. Our mindset is that golf is a game about improvement, so we make that our goal,” McGuinn concluded.

DSA Soccer: A Season of Memories BY SRIKAR KALIGOTLA Whistles blowing, crowds cheer on the team, players sweat and hype up the crowd for the next kick. These reactions are typical when people come to a DSA Varsity soccer game. DSA Varsity soccer has been one of the best teams in the state this athletic year. They have beaten many great teams like the Clinton Dark Horses and the Durham Academy Cavaliers. A difference in the team’s mentality to win has been the core of the DSA Soccer team’s success. “The team this year has been different because we have a winning mentality for the season,” Noah Lawless, center midfielder, stated. This year’s roster is similar to last year’s team but with the addition of new freshmen. With this advantage, the team has been able to better understand everyone and work as a team. “The players from last year and this year were the same so because of that we were able to learn from each other more

and play better soccer,” Evan McIntyre, captain, said. The DSA Bulldogs are trying to gain motivation from their losses last season. The team was scored on at the last second and lost a deep run into states. The team’s new way of thinking seems to be working based on their record so far this season. “Last year our team lost to a last-second goal after a deep run to states, but this year we take that as motivation and we put that behind us and look at a new season ahead,” McIntyre explained. The members of the team have grown up and matured. They are now expected to have more responsibility and leadership. One of the greatest responsibilities of the returning varsity players is to make the new members feel welcome. “The freshman this year bring great talent to the team, guys like Frankie and such are phenomenal on the field and the guys on the team really enjoy that,”

but we still needed to bring all of the talents together to function as a team,” McIntyre commented. All the seniors on the team have worked to make on impact, and lead the team to success. “The team is made up of guys who are graduating this year and we want the freshmen and everybody else to learn what to do and what not to do from our experiences and I think that helps especially PHOTO BY SRIKAR KALIGOTLA when we play teams that are really good,” McIntyre explained. DSA soccer team poses for a picture after At the end of the day, the team a fabulous win against Granville Central. has one goal which is to win as The team is undefeated with a record of many games as possible this seven wins and zero losses. season, win the conference, make McIntyre commented. states, and hopefully win states. The team is flourishing through the “Our goal this year is to win the conseason, but there are still things that ference and make a deep run into states need to be done to win games. and hopefully also win it because our “We had many talents on the team and team always has a winning mentality,” the freshmen bought some new talent, Lawless concluded.

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The Gallery

The Fall Play: It's A Hard Knock Life BY EMILY PARKER As the crowd settles the curtain comes up, and the play roars to life. Smile, songs and laughter fill the stage as the first song starts up. The fall play this year is Annie and the theater department couldn't be more excited. They have four show dates November 20th through the 23rd. It’s not only the theater department but also the chorus department and the dance company working on the play. “The casting process takes a week on a large musical such as Annie. I scheduled one day for middle school students to audition (Annie, Orphans, Orphan Ensemble, and Middle School Ensemble) and two days of high school auditions (high school students are eligible for all roles in Annie). Mr. Nabors and I then narrow our choices for the leads and we “callback” 3-4 actors to sing/read/dance for specific characters – this is called a callback audition. Those who are not called back are still on our list for the ensemble parts – which we need A LOT of! We then cast the show,” Douglas Graves, Theater teacher, stated. Mr. Graves is just one of the directors

of the musical and he is very excited for Annie this year. The theatre department is not only having auditions for the human parts but also for the part of Sandy, Annie's dog. They have 11 dogs signed up and the dogs have to be well trained/ behaved. They do this audition after they cast the role of Annie so the actor can come to the audition. “The dance company is performing as servants in the play. Patten’s vision is to have the dance have high energy and movement with lots of partner work,” Haleigh Champagne commented. Champagne is a sophomore here at DSA and she is apart of the dance company. They just started rehearsals for Annie on Thursday, September 12th. They have practice almost every night during the week after school. “We rehearse Monday-Friday, from 4:30-6:30/7:00 pm and Saturdays from 10a-1p. As we get closer to the final performances, we tend to go a little longer with rehearsals – our Tech Week rePHOTO BY EMILY PARKER hearsals (the week before opening we add ALL the technical elements) run from 4:30-9:00. Our Booster Parents provide Haleigh Champagne leaps into the air just like she is leaps into rehearsals for Annie. The dance company are servants in a dance in Annie but they have no lines.

dinner for everyone in the cast/crew/orchestra and we take a break to eat and get notes. After dinner we go back and run a few things that need ironing out for Annie. We will have only one Dress Rehearsal before opening,” Graves asserted. They are gonna put out all the stops for the play and practice a lot to make sure everything is ready for opening night. On November 19th they will perform the play for all the DPS elementary school in the Weaver auditorium. It is enjoyable for everyone there and also gives the cast a chance to perform in front of a live audience. “This is the third time that I have directed this iconic American Musical Theatre piece – and have discovered something new each time! When I direct a musical in Weaver Auditorium, I love finding a PHOTO BY EMILY PARKER piece that incorporates both middle and high school students – and Annie does The DSA Theater Department is proud to present their Fall production of exactly that! It also has a ton of wonderAnnie. They have over 50 rehearsals from now until opening night. The hours ful females characters and we just happen and hours of practice put in by the actors, actresses, and the directors, will to have a ton of wonderful female actors,” allow for the play to be the best it can possibly be. Graves proclaimed.

When: November 20th through the 23rd Where: Weaver Auditorium Time: 7:30pm Come out and support the Theater Department!

Fall Edition 2019

A Dark Cloud: Vaping’s Controversy

page 11

BY OLIVER WEAVER Cotton candy smell fills the air, the school bathroom becomes a haze of scented vapor. As other students enter the bathroom the vape gets passed around, affecting even more lungs. Vaping has become a serious problem among teens in highschool, and the dangers of it are beginning to appear. Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette or other vaping device. Most vaping devices have cartridges filled with nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. This combination of flavors, nicotine, and satisfaction is a perfect recipe for addiction. This constant consumption of substances into the

body is nothing but unhealthy. “You’re sucking foreign substances into some of the most delicate tissue in the human body. I’m not an expert, but all the recent immediate deaths seem to indicate something is bad about it. I’m not really down with any type of smoking,” Jacson Lowe, History teacher, explained. In recent years, teenagers have become the main consumer of vape products. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, some 4.9 million high school and middle school students used tobacco products in the past 30

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRUTH INITIATIVE The most popular vape product, Juuls, have taken over the lives of teen vape addicts. The small buzz given by these vapes along with the different flavorings usually results in serious addiction from the user. days. E-cigarettes have become the most popular product among children and adolescents. “I have caught students vaping in the bathrooms at school. I don’t like any type of foreign substance being used to alter your state of mind. I’ve never really gotten behind the idea of doing something that will have devastating longterm effects in exchange for a short-term buzz,” Lowe recalled. In recent weeks, vaping-linked illnesses have put an unusual amount of healthy people into the hospital with serious lung diseases. According to federal officials, there has been at least 1,299 cases and at least 28 deaths in every state except for Alaska connected to e-cigarettes. “I don’t get pissed off when other people vape. I wouldn’t ever vape, especially PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK TIMES since I have asthma, but when other people vape I sometimes ask them if they’re sure they know what they’re putting in The mysterious vaping illness is becoming more intense as millions of people their body. Why would you do something are hooked to vapes. Now that the dangers are revealed to the public, conif you know it’s harmful? I read an article troversy over vaping has erupted on an enormous scale. that second-hand vaping is a problem and it can harm other people too, not just yourself,” Emilia Gray, senior, com-

mented. One of the most popular vape companies, JUUL, has agreed to stop selling its e-cigarettes in the U.S. and announced that its chief executive officer is stepping down as state and federal regulators examine hundreds of cases of people who are sick from what appears to be a vaping-related lung disease. Following the extreme backlash from citizens, several other companies also retreated in fear of getting in big trouble. “I think vape companies should get in trouble because they target teenagers with their products. I also think teenagers should have better judgement and not vape; it’s not a secret that vaping is unhealthy,” Evan McIntyre, senior, explained. The new epidemic needs to come to an end. Who knows what other health risks might arise in the near future due to vaping. This generation will soon become the role models for younger people, and a better example needs to be set. “I’m not down for any type of smoking, and I think a larger majority should feel the same,” Lowe concluded.

FUN PAGE Newspaper Word Scramble

Please unscramble the words below, all words come from article in the paper.

Created on TheTeachersCorner.net Scramble Maker

innteioc

nnaie

elosimoarustedd

citesyo

etanesmor

trblicaeneo

ystviar

trezellsknes

niaeeftfka

Read articles in the edition to find more information on terms, names, and events found in the word scramble. Go see Mr. Ritchie for the answer key to the word scramble.

10. cinityathsir

RIDDLES a. What 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a Have an event at DSA you feel passionate- word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. ly about? Think a remarkable individual should be featured?

Want to share an insightful opinion piece? Go to dsagallery.com or email dsagallery@gmail.com

b. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? c. What has many keys, but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even open a single door? Answers to the riddles can be found on page 8!