Senior edition 2022

THE GALLERY

400 N. Duke Street

Durham, NC 27701

STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sam Bartlett

ASSISTANT EDITOR Layla Niblock PHOTO EDITOR Violet DeWire

WEBSITE EDITOR

Srikar Kaligotla

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Xochitl Grande Vazquez

REPORTERS

Mayra Armenta Luna, Cormac Baxter, Ana Cruz Salvador, Stephanie Hughes, Liam Jones, Delphine Liu, Zochis Matute Martinez, Morgan Royster, Kamryn Stallings, Hau Tung, Iona Turkal

STAFF ADVISOR Patrick Ritchie

Dr. Tobias reflects on the school year

BY CORMAC BAXTER

The 2021 2022 school year at Durham School of the Arts is coming to an end This concludes Dr Tobias’ first year as principal of DSA.

At the beginning of Dr Tobias’ time at DSA, The Gallery featured an introductory interview with her to let the community get to know her This year was the first year in the building for both freshman and sophomores and featured a new learning style focused on chromebooks and Canvas. Dr. Tobias oversaw all of this, jumping in mid year to tackle the many obstacles, old and new, at DSA Now that the year is almost over, it only made sense to follow up with a look at the year in review, from Tobias’ perspective.

CB: How has your perspective of DSA changed throughout the school year, with it being your first year here?

JT: I have gotten to know some students, and most of the staff, so that has changed and has made me really appreciate DSA. I like that folks want to do the right thing. I am thoroughly impressed with the talent level of the students in the arts I am excited to continue my journey here and to complete an entire year

CB: What have the biggest challenges been as Principal during the 2021 2022 school year?

JT: COVID has definitely been a challenge. Building issues were unexpected and

challenging. I came from a very new building, so being in a very old building is a big adjustment for me I am not happy with some of the things in the building. Student skipping is a big issue for me education is important because I am an immigrant and it has opened doors for me I have to now focus on what I can do to ensure that students know that skipping or not attending school is unacceptable I would love to hear student voices as to why this is acceptable.

CB: What are some accomplishments that

are proud of at DSA?

JT: I am proud that I can address almost every staff member by name, which was a daunting challenge. I am also proud that I feel that

students are beginning to know me and understand that even though I have high standards, I am open to conversation and am approachable.

One of the primary ways Dr Tobias communicated with students was through the daily morning announcements This tradition was seemingly started by Mr. Key, who went as far as to change DSA's daily schedule to accomodate them Throughout the year students were able to rely on these daily announcments to keep them updated on school events and policies

CB: What do your plans for DSA for the rest of the year and the next school year entail?

LT: No big plans I want us to complete the year well with no issues, get to exams, and finish strong But, I am already planning for next year I want folks to know that we will be tightening up our procedures to ensure that students that attend DSA are here for excellence

CB: What do you have to say to the graduating class of 2022?

LT: This has been a very long journey for you all This road has had twists, and turns, uphill, and downhill, but seniors stand now at the gate to their future Take the lessons learned from the years at DSA with you and make the world a better place

COVER PHOTO: VIOLET DEWIRE FEATURING GABRIELLE HARGRAVE

PHOTO CREDIT: CORMAC BAXTER

"I am proud that I can address almost every staff member by name, which was a daunting challenge," - Dr. Tobias

"Seniors stand now at the gate to their future," - Dr. Tobias

you

Editor spotlight: Sam Bartlett

BY LAYLA NIBLOCK

Sam Bartlett entered the newsroom on his first day of freshman year and since then he has authored numerous articles, becoming a leader among the writing staff. Today, Sam is the editor in chief and he has used his position to revamp The Gallery after a year of COVID. Under his guidance, the newspaper’s look has been redefined and the articles have gotten the school talking like never before.

LN: Why did you choose to take journalism?

SB: I don’t know why I chose journalism, it just sounded like an interesting class that would be different from orchestra. Then when I got here I really just liked the independence, it almost felt like a job, like an actual news room And you kind of learned through experience, [Mr Ritchie] gave you a few lessons to get you started but really you just learned through the older journalists and by writing I also like interviewing people, finding stuff out, putting together a cohesive article and doing that all yourself; it's not like someone assigned it to you, it's like you got to pick that and that felt good to me

LN: What skills has this class taught you? What will you take from this class into the future?

SB: I think this class has definitely taught me some people skills, especially how to handle awkward situations where you have to knock on the door and ask a teacher to pull a student and how to do that in a polite way Writing is the biggest skill I've come away with. I think now I am much stronger and a much pickier writer than I was before I can definitely be picky when I'm editing other people's articles but I think my grammar has gotten a lot better through this Lastly, [this class has taught me] team building stuff, especially this year as editor We have a lot of important pieces to the editing team, it's not just one or two editors, it's not just one senior editor and one junior editor but we have a photo editor and a website editor We kind of just have a group of upperclassmen that work together to get stuff done. We come up with a plan as a unit and divide the work, bringing it all together at the end. I think I’ve gotten pretty good at helping to organize that

LN: What is your best memory from your time in journalism?

SB: What comes to mind when I think of journalism is just the little interactions on the everyday level, sort of the independence of the newsroom and just joking around with people but then more importantly, before COVID we had one writer who was very involved in local politics so she would get us to go out to protests. We went to a climate protest once where

Sam Bartlett has balanced his editorial responsibilities with school work and extracurriculars while still leaving time to have fun experiences with friends.

we skipped school or there was one we went to that was a protest to raise teacher’s wages. So [my best memories of journalism are] just like times where it felt like the class and the people in the class were getting us involved in local stuff that actually mattered

Through that I’d become inspired to write articles about different groups I met [at protests] or interview local politicians and stuff. I feel like going out and doing something in the community, as a group, inspired me to write a lot of good articles. Those are some of my best memories because it felt like I was actually out there and getting involved, it wasn't just for practice or for fun

LN: What do you think the paper brings to DSA and what do you hope it will continue to mean in the future?

SB: Well, earlier this year we had a student, my friend Quinn, who made a blog for one of his classes saying that he felt like the paper was bringing back a semblance of the culture of DSA, especially since a lot of the arts stuff has been canceled this year due to COVID; so I think what the student newspaper is

meant to do is to uplift the students I hope that it continues to do that[in the future] and I hope that it continues to get people involved in different things at DSA. Whether that's supporting other students, joining clubs, being out in the local community etc I hope that is what the paper continues to do, just amplify the voice of the students

LN: How do you hope to be remembered as editor?

SB: I think people will remember me as kind of a harsh editor. No article went unscathed, there were always at least a few grammar comments or changes I had to make. But I hope people also remember me for encouraging new and different stuff to happen I encouraged people who maybe had an idea for a podcast like “go for it” you know, go for a photo project. It's definitely necessary to have that foundation in article writing, but I want to be remembered as someone who really pushed people to go beyond that and be more ambitious with their articles, or think outside of the limitations of an article And, you know, really add some diversity to what we are putting in our paper.

PHOTO CREDIT (CLOCKWISE STARTING FROM TOP LEFT): JOHN ARMSTRONG, CORMAC BAXTER, ADDIE WHITACRE

Editor spotlight: Srikar Kaligotla

BY VIOLET DEWIRE

Srikar Kaligotla has been a part of The Gallery staff since his freshman year at DSA. During his four years in the pathway, Srikar has become the face of the paper literally and figuratively. His fun personality (and fun page appearances) have helped bring the newsroom together and allowed The Gallery to reach a broader audience As the website editor, he has spearheaded the effort to make the newspaper even more accessible to everyone at DSA Through his many articles and podcasts, he has shaped The Gallery into what it is today

VD: Why did you decide to take journalism? What got you interested?

SK: When I first started at DSA I was enrolled for dance, but I decided to switch it because dance wasn’t what I wanted to do and the instruments that were offered didn't peak my interest I wasn't going to do visual arts because I don’t like drawing, but then I saw writing and journalism I like to inform people about things and I’m not a very creative person, so journalism was the best choice for me

VD: Has journalism taught you anything that you can take into the future?

SK: Public outreach and public speaking definitely is what this class taught me You feel uncomfortable

when you first go and interview sources, but it just comes with practice… if you want to be a journalist you have to be comfortable with going up to random strangers and asking them questions, and your public outreach and public speaking have to increase if you want to take this course. And I think this course definitely helped me because I’m definitely an extroverted person so I could just go talk to anybody about anything, and I think this class really did take a big part of that.

VD: What is your best memory from your time in journalism?

SK: I don’t know about my best memory, but I ll go through my top three. Number three is when we went to J Day (Journalism Day at UNC) sophomore year Number two would definitely be just creating layout this year Like the six of us [editors] sitting and working on layout and talking that’s definitely been a fun time and I will never forget that experience (especially the first time we did it; it took us so long). I think my favorite moments [from journalism] have been passing out newspapers, showing the school the work we put into this piece of art and them giving us positive feedback and saying,” Oh my god this is so cool, oh my god Srikar look at your picture on the

back!”. It's just so good to see that our work has finally paid off

VD: How do you hope to be remembered, both in journalism and by the school as a whole?

SK: In journalism I would like to be remembered as the mascot of the team, but also someone who lifted everybody up when they were sad Even if I was stressed or I wasn t in the mood, I would always try my best to keep the mood lighthearted and make sure everybody was okay As for the whole school, [I want to be remembered as] a guy you can just talk to anytime, like I had no issues with anybody so just a guy who’s chill, everybody knew, and who talked to me once in a while

VD: What do you think this paper brings to DSA, and what do you hope it will mean in the future?

SK: I think that the DSA newspaper brings attention to topics that are outshined by others. [For example], one of our strongest writers, Morgan, focuses on topics that are not really talked about around school and she shines light on the problems that not many people talk about. I think that’s such a great thing to do in newspaper, because shining a light on problems that are not often talked about can bring change to a subject that not many of us know about, and I think that’s such a great thing. Another thing is just the enjoyment, like the fun page, doing the word search, doing crossword puzzles, doing the caption contest in our last newspaper, and reading articles they’re not these 1,000 word stories, just a very small essay on a topic that not many of us know about, and I think just reading that and gaining that information brings the light of newspaper to DSA

VD: Is there anything that you hope to see the newspaper do in the future?

SK: Me and Sam, you know, we ve been here since freshman year, we went to elementary school together and came back together in high school, and we took this newspaper class and transitioned it into something that we really loved to do and that itself is something that I want to see [in the future] We have so many strong writers that are coming in too, and keeping that editor relationship with the writers is something I definitely want to see. And I liked how me and Sam transitioned to updating the website, putting the online newspaper on the website, like keep doing that and I think that’s definitely going to give more outreach to the school.

VD: Are you hoping to do anything with journalism in the future?

SK: Yeah, so I have my own podcast that I have episodes on so I'm definitely going to continue that in college whenever I have free time I’m also hopefully doing a double major in journalism and computer science, so my ultimate goal is to do aerospace engineering as well as a podcast about the NASA scientific research that’s going on, bringing the “shining a light” aspect to these topics that not many people know about That’s what I want to do

PHOTO CREDIT: SAM BARTLETT

PHOTO CREDIT (CLOCKWISE STARTING FROM TOP LEFT): CARMEN PALENCIA, SRIKAR KALIGOTLA, LENNOX GOSLIN, ZACH BENSON, SUNEETHA KALIGOTLA, ADDIE WHITACRE

The year in review: DSA's highs and lows

BY DELPHINE LIU

The first in person school year since the start of the pandemic has brought memorable achievements, creative alternatives, celebrity drama, political turmoil and bizarre interruptions

Our first semester brought many days of online school Surprisingly, none of them were COVID 19 related. We had power outages, water problems, and AC repairs, but all in all, there was a successful transition back into in person school. With an interim principal, a new principal, and several new assistant principals, DSA has changed some rules, kept some old ones, and hopes to continue improving after it moves locations to the Durham Homestead

Pop Culture

The 2021 2022 school year brought shows like Squid Game and Euphoria sweeping through social media Both shows had extremely high viewership

ratings In addition, Marvel took the first four spots of the highest grossing North American movies of 2021 with Spider Man: No Way Home, Shang Chi and the Legend of the

Ten Rings, Venom: Let there be Carnage, and Black Widow Some other notable shows this year have been Bridgerton, The Crown, and Ted Lasso all shows set in Britain highlighting the rising popularity of shows from the UK.

From 'the slap' by Will Smith causing turmoil at the Oscars, to the disappointing MET gala looks, celebrity appearances have been nothing short of entertaining. The world has been surprised by a few shocking celebrity couples; Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, Zendaya and Tom Holland, Adele and Rich Paul, and Bennifer 2 0

Olivia Rodrigo's popularity soared, and Lil Nas X's

"Montero:

Call Me by Your Name" broke new records

As of May 13th, Kendrick Lamar's "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" became Lamar's first album release since the album "DAMN."; five years ago.

Politics

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has left the world tense, and Ukrainians needing support. With updates by the hour, many in the US are still watching the war closely.

In parallel, the US interim report deemed the US government's decision to withdraw US military support in Afghanistan, "the single most important factor" in triggering the collapse of Afghan defenses and government

COVID-19

With COVID 19 still raging at the beginning of the school year, DSA students consistently kept their masks on and their desks apart With large school assemblies shut down and most students sitting outside for lunch, COVID 19 cases at DSA remained relatively low. Two spikes in cases have occurred throughout the year One outbreak occurred after the winter break, and the other followed prom. This second COVID 19 outbreak caused many absences, and many students had to take make up AP exams.

Arts

DSA's performing arts groups have participated in many competitions DSA's High School Troupe 5765 put on three wonderful performances this year; Urinetown, a Wrinkle in Time, and Pride and Prejudice. Urinetown was recently nominated for the 2022 Triangle Rising Stars 'Best Musical, Best Set Design, Best Student Orchestra, Best Ensemble' and won 'Best Lighting Design' The DSA dance department came in first at the NC Scholastic State Dance Competition In addition, the large dance ensemble won 1st for jazz and student choreography, and 2nd for contemporary and hip hop All three of DSA’s high school orchestras received a superior rating at the MPA for the first time in the program’s history.

Athletics

Despite the absence of pep rallies and large sports celebrations, DSA athletics have remained vibrant throughout the year The DSA baseball team made it to conference for the first time in the schools century long history Track and Field won the Northern Lakes conference championship for men’s and women’s, and many other teams have had notable accomplishments

Overall, this year has been eventful and challenging We hope the positive things were memorable, and wish all the seniors the best in their new endeavors

DSA seniors exhibit their work

BY STEPHANIE HUGHES

A student rushes through the atrium to get to their class before the bell rings In the midst of their spree, they pause as bright and vibrant colors and patterns catch their attention from the display case

In celebration of senior students’ accomplishments in visual arts pathways, showcases consisting of their art work are being organized. The Photo and 3D showcases took place throughout April and early May in the DSA atrium. The 2D showcase was set from May 11th to May 25th but later cancelled For many seniors, these art shows serve as a launching point into the real world as they reflect on their progress in high school

“For all areas within Visual Arts (2D, Photo, and 3D), the seniors in the highest levels put on an exhibition of their artworks during the 4th quarter. They often include works from earlier in their DSA careers (sometimes from back in 7th grade),” Valerie Martinez, a visual arts teacher, explained

These showcases have been a tradition at DSA, creating a space for students to thoroughly look over their advancements during their middle and high school careers

“I ask seniors to reflect on their years at DSA and in the photo pathway through a written bio Then they are asked to select their most successful images to be displayed in the atrium,” Margaret Battle, the photography teacher, elaborated.

Seniors are given the opportunity to take part in the formation of the showcases, making them feel more connected to the event This increased responsibility also allows them to have a proper sense of conclusion as their high school art career comes to an end

“Students oversee every aspect of the show, from planning to promotion to installation It is important to me that they feel some ownership of the experience,” Jordan Watson, a visual arts teacher, commented

Not only do these showcases serve as a celebration but also as a final lesson as they are exposed to the process of setting up an art exhibit. Depending on what path they take in life, this may be something they will have to do in the future.

“Many of these students will be going on to art schools and careers in the arts, so it will be a good practical experience for them,” Watson commented

For teachers, these showcases are farewells to their senior students in some respect They are able to give them a send off by spotlighting their work and seeing what lessons stuck out to them

“The best advice I can give is to just keep shooting take any chances to take more photos that's the best way to keep learning, progressing, and advancing those skills,” Battle shared

PHOTO CREDIT: TOP DAWG ENTERTAINMENT

THE LAST WORD

FEATURING THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022

BY KAMRYN STALLINGS

For the first time in 2 years, DSA seniors are in the building for their last day of high school. Graduating high school is a monumental accomplishment that encourages many to look to their future with excitement At the same time, graduation is bittersweet and some students find themselves reflecting on their time here at DSA and the impact they have had The Gallery interviewed some of these seniors and gave them the chance to give advice, share a memory or simply leave a legacy.

Kaden Faye Johnson

“Always ask questions. There's probably someone else who has the same question,”

-Kaden Johnson

Adam Safi

“Criticism can bother you, but you should be more bothered if there’s no criticism. That means you’re too safe,”

-Kanye West

“Some stupidness made high school way funnier, take risks,”

- Michael Rivera.

Michael Rivera

“Si la vida te da la espalda, agarralo por las nalgas. Respectfully,”

- Emily Orellana Gomez.

Emily Orellana Gomez

“Your friends can’t hold your hand and walk across the stage with you. Be true to yourself, you can do anything if you put your mind to it,”

- Santiana Elliott

PHOTO CREDIT: KAMRYN STALLINGS

Jasmine Parker: A notable leader and DSA's 2022 Prom Queen

BY MORGAN ROYSTER

From student government President to Senior Class President, DSA’s 2022 Prom Queen, and more Jasmine Parker is no newbie to being involved in DSA culture

Jasmine Parker started her DSA journey in the 6th grade Over the course of her last 7 years at DSA, she has accomplished so many things. Parker was first inspired by her sister, Dionna Parker, who was also DSA’s Senior Class president for the class of 2021. Parker helped plan out a number of school events over the past few years. For example, almost every spirit week during her time in high school, Prom 2022, Royal Blue Court, morning announcements, the senior class meeting, and many other events Some may feel as if that is a lot for one student or they may feel pressured, but Parker does not let that affect her.

“Pressure comes with anything you take pride in doing,” Parker stated.

She feels as if she has a huge support system When asked who were her number one supporters,

she listed, “Dr Tobias, Ms Bullock, Coach Miller, Ms Belle, and Ibrahim Umer.”

Even though she is involved with so many events, Parker still found time to join numerous clubs including being a member of the Arts Honors Society and being a part of the Emily K program. Parker’s art pathway is 2D art She also finds joy in helping others

“I want to help others and see them succeed,” Parker said

Parker s positive attitude makes her an inspiration for many others while she also pushes for change within the school.

“Mental health assistance, readiness for college, and a period where there is a balance between work and recovery to finish the day out strong,” a list that Parker provided with ideas for change in the school.

She chose to be involved with DSA to reshape the environment and make it a safe space for everyone.

“I wanted to change things to make it better for everyone,” Parker explained.

Parker has also found much success in working with others. She got help from another student outside of DSA to be an ambassador for a non profit organization, the General Services Foundation.

Parker defines the organization as, “Youth supporting youth to build themselves up in order to support others ”

Her advice to students who want to make a change

“Stay consistent and network with anyone you can Just make sure to rest and take it a minute at a time.”

Interviews with featured fiction writers

BY LIAM JONES

As readers of The Gallery finish reading the journalism pieces, they inevitably reach the last few pages These last pages provide thought provoking writing pieces submitted by DSA students.

Being an art school, DSA has many opportunities for those interested in writing. Writers across DSA can seek to get published either in the Portraits in Ink magazine or The Gallery newspaper. Every edition of The Gallery in the 2021 2022 school year contains a section in which the work of writers from DSA is showcased The Gallery has interviewed some of these writers that have been included in the newspaper.

Chloe Martin is a junior at DSA Her submitted piece, The Fours Seasons of Winter, was chosen by The Gallery staff and featured in the 2022 Winter edition

LJ: What made you get into creative writing?

CM: In middle school we had a "Slam Poetry Unit" in our English class. This was really my first exposure to the world of creative writing, and I absolutely loved it The way the words flowed off the page, the way typing out the perfect poem line felt it was amazing When joining DSA, it was a no brainer for me to enter the creative writing pathway and get to explore my passion every single day.

LJ: Is there anything you would like readers of The Gallery to know about your writing?

CM: The prose piece of mine in The Gallery represents a dramatized view of how I think life is for many people Through the piece I explored this concept and represented the competitive nature of humans to want to win, no matter the context

Alexa Chambers is a senior at DSA. Her work has been included in The Gallery as well Her piece in the gallery is titled Creepy Little Bo Peep, and was published in the 2021 fall edition

LJ: Is there anything you would like readers of The Gallery to know about your writing?

AC: I find that, for myself at least, my writing isn't something that I can pick up in the classroom or be taught. I've learned new ways of writing in my various classes, but the writing and ideas alone don't come from learning in class. It comes from just me. So if you're not in creative writing but interested in writing, that's okay. You don't need a class to be a writer.

LJ: What is the favorite thing that you have written?

AC: I love all of what I write, but [my favorite thing is] probably my first real series that I started in 9th grade It was the first time that I really felt like I was a 'real writer' and I was super excited about the world I was creating and the characters I was shaping I'm still editing it to this day, and it always feels like coming home when I go back to it

PHOTO CREDIT: JASMINE PARKER

Parker’s senior class photo. She plans on attending UNCG while simultaneously being in the military.

Collin Davis freestyles his way to gold

BY SRIKAR KALIGOTLA

Collin Davis has been swimming since he was 11 so representing the USA in the 2022 Deaflympics is a dream come true.

Over the past few weeks, the Deaflympics have been taking place in Brazil. Swimmers from all around the world compete against the best of the best Each swimmer qualifies in a specific swimming stroke, and they have to be on top of their game For Collin Davis, this is nothing new for him.

SK: What was your first interaction with the sport of swimming?

CD: My first interaction with the sport of swimming started when I was younger. I was doing swim lessons with the instructor and they noticed I had talent for the sport. Then they recommended I join a summer league team and see how I do Within that summer of swimming I had gotten faster than a lot of the year round simmers on the team Later on the coach of my old training came up to me and asked me to join his team and I did The rest from there is history for me

SK: Who was your mentor in swimming?

CD: I think my biggest mentors for swimming are my parents because they have supported me with every decision I made and helped me get places I never thought I would achieve before. They pretty much have been at all of my meets and have been there to watch and support me no matter what. I would reasonably say they are my biggest mentors

SK: Who motivated you and why?

CD: Honestly I think the main person that motivated me was myself just because I’m a very competitive person and hold myself to pretty high

standards. Which allowed me to physically train harder and longer because I always wanted to win and get better. Then I would also say my teammates motivated me because we helped each other get faster and stronger no matter what.

SK: Will you go professional in this sport?

CD: Personally for me it depends on how well I do in college because the sport of swimming to go professionals in the USA is very tough and requires a lot of time and you need to be very quick I will definitely go pro in some way.

SK: How was your experience in the Deaflympics?

CD: My experience at the Deaflympics was amazing. I personally can not put into words how much fun and joy I had seeing other deaf people and getting to meet them It was probably a blessing to be able to go and represent our country at an international level. Like you have to come and experience it yourself because it is not something you can put into words.

SK: What do you hope to accomplish from the sport?

CD: Personally for me My biggest goal is hopefully bring up a future with deaf swimming because deaf swimming used to be bigger than the Paralympics but due to political reasons we kinda thrown under the dirt I personally just want to help younger deaf kids know that there are other deaf people out there playing there sport and that they can hopefully achieve the ability to come to the deaflympics with the rest of us and represent our country on a higher level In the end I just wanna help younger deaf kids know they can do anything

Mr Dickerson stands tall and smiling He is outside his new office, as he has just been officially hired.

Collin Davis (second from left) gets ready to swim in a freestyle swim race Collin competed in the Freestyle and Butterfly events. He won 2 gold, 1 silver, and 6 bronze medals

Changing lenses: Mr. Dickerson's journey to assistant principal

BY HAU TUNG

A bright smile, a kind face, and footsteps are heard coming down the hall The newest assistant principal is really just a familiar face. Broc Dickerson started as an intern at the beginning of this school year, and has now been promoted to an administrator Now the assistant principal for 8th and 9th graders, he is developing an approachable and proactive persona. Mr. Dickerson's co director at the administrative training program is to thank for his presence at DSA.

“She said that this would be a good fit for me and would be a good learning opporunity,"

Mr. Dickerson stated.

Formerly a middle and highschool teacher, Mr. Dickerson felt that he would increase his influence by becoming an assistant principal His social and administrative capabilities have proven a good fit for DSA

“I was a teacher for 12 years. [I worked] a couple of years at Carrington Middle School and the last 10 years were at Riverside highschool,” Mr Dickerson explained DSA is a big campus in the middle of downtown Durham Mr Dickerson alluded that at first this was intimidating.

PHOTO CREDIT: COLLIN DAVIS

Collin Davis (right) and another olympian posing with their hard earned olympic medals. Over the course of the Dealympics Collin Davis won 9 medals

PHOTO CREDIT: COLLIN DAVIS

PHOTO CREDIT: HAU TUNG

“The responsibilities at DSA are vast, as it's a big school with a lot of students and teachers,” Mr Dickerson observed

Teachers are often focused on what goes on in their classroom and department Administrators, on the other hand, have to tackle a whole grade or even two, and take on the tasks of coordinating teachers, parents, and students

“The lens changes a little bit. Now you're not worried about just a single classroom ” Mr Dickerson said.

Administrators have many responsibilities The job doesn't speak for itself. In addition to keeping and maintaining peace on campus, assistant principals are constantly tasked with odd but necessary jobs; everyday looks different for them. Despite the unexpected turbulence that sometimes ensues, administrators continue their jobs with strength and professionalism

“People are always most important to me,'' Mr Dickerson included

DSA employs roughly 130 staff members who manage, teach, and help nearly 1800 students. With this many people, it can be a challenge to remember everybody, learn about them, and create social connections. Despite this, Mr Dickerson continues to make students feel accepted, and makes a conscious effort to improve other people's lives

A word from the valedictorian, Alex Gaye

BY SAM BARTLETT

Valedictorian comes from the latin word valedicere, meaning “to bid farewell” Now, the role of valedictorian has evolved to mean so much more than giving the goodbye speech at graduation. It now represents hard work and is a monument to a student’s accomplishments

Alex Gayer is the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2022 at Durham School of the Arts. As an A honor roll student who is a member of the National Honors Society and also the president of the Tri M Music Honors Society, Gayer balances challenging academics with several extracurriculars. She will be attending Princeton University in the fall At the end of her high school career, I asked Gayer to reflect on her time at DSA through an interview

SB: What was your biggest priority throughout high school?

AG: Everyone says that junio is the most challenging, but for has been senior year, especially first half. I really enjoyed the fre and independence that the virtu schedule allowed last year beca was able to productively manag free time throughout the day to my course load more manageab found the transition back to sev classes a day in person along w demanding course load and col applications to be overwhelmin times. "Senioritis" is also very m real, and I have found it much h to stay motivated after getting college than I have ever experie in my four years.

SB: What was your favorite aspect of high school?

- Broc Dickerson

They are placed in whatever position the school district sees fit, and their professional line of work is never guaranteed This year, Mr. Dickerson found hope and stability waiting for him at DSA

“There was a whole lot of relief, there was a big relief to know that I was going to have a paycheck.” Mr. Dickerson remarked.

The scale and focus of being a teacher is much smaller than the scale of being an administrator, and the school level can be scary. When asked what advice he would offer to interns or new assistant principals, Mr Dickerson found a metaphorical but impactful answer

“You eat the elephant one bite at a time,” Mr Dickerson concluded

AG: I have always prioritized doing well in school, but as high school has progressed, my family has become more of a priority I am competitive with myself in terms of academic achievement, so I was always pushing to maintain a high GPA, but I was able to discover other passions and qualities that I value more outside of grades on paper This shift occurred during the pandemic since I started to realize how much I value my time with my family, and we all had to step up to help each other out

SB: What was the biggest challenge for you in your 4 years as a DSA high school student?

AG: My biggest challenge was time management. Balancing school, work, extracurriculars, family responsibilities, and social activities was a challenge that only became more present as the years progressed. It's still an area for growth since I can be prone to procrastination.

SB: Which year was most challenging, why?

AG: I have met so many amazing people throughout high school, and I will carry the memories I have made with them the most as I leave DSA DSA has such a vibrant, talented community that I feel lucky to have been a part of for four years The fact that everyone here is involved in the arts makes DSA so unique, and I have really enjoyed learning alongside such creative people

SB: Do you have any regrets, what would you go back and change?

AG: For the most part, I don't have many regrets, but I do think I carried a lot of unnecessary stress throughout high school that would be nice to go back and remove I was always looking forward to the future what classes to take next year, testing, getting into college and I'm not sure how often I grounded myself in the present. In the end, it all worked out, so I've found that it's best not to stress about things you can't control in the moment

SB: If you could go back and talk to your freshman self, what would you say? What would you say to all younger students?

AG: The main thing I would tell

Through her impressive academics and involvement in countless activities outside of school, Alex Gayer was admitted to Princeton University. She will take a gap year before starting her four years at Princeton.

myself is that it is okay to think in a different way from other people, including your teachers. I think that I could get so caught up in having the "right" answer that I didn't always share what I was thinking and what could have been a valuable contribution to the class There is more to learning than having the correct answer on paper, and if everyone already thought the same, we wouldn't be able to learn from each other. I have learned just as much from listening to how people approach things differently than from what we have been taught in class To all younger students, don't stress too much about grades and GPA They do not define your character or intelligence, and your mental health and well being is way more important The more important takeaways from high school that will serve you in life are a genuine interest in learning and your personal growth.

"You eat the elephant one bite at a time."

“I'm dealing with people. That’s a big deal, and it really matters,” Mr Dickerson confirmed Many interns come and go from job to job

PHOTO CREDIT: ALEX GAYER

Short Story Spotlight

Love from Battle to Books

BY ALEXA CHAMBERS

Twelve chairs Six By Six Twelve people Six By Six Breathe In Breathe Out

Fingers intertwining Backs straightening Tilt

“In Which Book…”

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies

I want only to live this one This life of 8 am practices, of monuts and cookies and laughter

Of the Conference Room of Requirement Of Wilborn Burroughs Coward V A language of flicking eyes, a small smile, a nod, a cross and a cat, twenty seconds, Done

I cannot live without these books that come Alive

When my team argues about them Roma and Juliette are Alive

I insist, holding out my hand for five dollars but Layla disagrees I tell her that I will be right one day and she will owe me, But then it hits me, stomach dropping, eyes smarting

Come September they will be meeting without me and I will not be here to be with them

With their sarcastic comments Their Psychology test cramming at 9 am

Their charades

Their cookies

Their laughter

I cannot live without these people, these Beautiful Energetic Amazing Dedicated Caring People who make this group of hollows who love to read a team

I cannot live without this anchor, without my team and my books and my competitions. The planet, the gravity, that I revolve around My team that I Live and breathe for My team that I read for My team that I have to leave behind

How can I possibly tell them that I am so proud of them So very proud of all the work they’ve put into this, all the mornings and questions, reading and re reading and tilting and nodding along to whatever new idea I have

That they are going to do amazing things without me because I know that I can trust This team

This club This cult This lifestyle All of the above

Dear Detroit,

Dear Detroit,

BY CHLOE MARTIN

You are the city that beats with the tunes and exotic rhythms of young mothers, careful policies, sizzling hot dogs, busy business, and long piano thrumming fingers

I wonder if next time, I’ll truly grow old within your boundaries?

Instead of pretending like you’re mine when you really aren’t I remember, from the futuristic embryo, when I left you.

I was scared, but you weren’t, yelping out exclamations of prosperity

When I read your streets I see history and lived storybook tales, not always the good ones

You are the city that my mother cries over, yet now you cry over her You were dead my whole childhood, but just now an aware dream

I wish that the perfect college, with the perfect 3 bedroom, double bed, apartment was nearby

I wish that I was born in a different time Wearing swinging dress s that twirl with the imperfections of my 45 disc Wearing slitted sunglasses that suggest maturity And distinguished immaturity A mature identity

There would be proms with long white gloves and slim fitting silk dresses That years from now we would pull out and watch our grandchildren dance in

I want to scratch my back with your skyline Ride on fireworks

Wear old shirts that skill have ovaltine powder on them

I want to steal the key to the city

And keep it curled in my fist, attached to a noose Your skyline is the final straw

It starts and ends with you Skyline chili, skyline chilly, skyline chill me

I wish my youth wasn’t spent filling the rain cluttered sewers with clarity And peeling at the paint, hoping somebody would notice I remember living in cities as a tourist But those tall, cities, just like you Were sweet on my eyes, blind on my tongue, and mindless. I wish that I could have you back But only if I can have my childhood back too

Gallery Fun Page

CAPTION CONTEST WINNER "Shrieker" - Anonymous

A FINAL WORD FROM

EDITOR

Dear Readers, Thank you for your constant support and enthusiasm for The Gallery newspaper. Without the positive feedback we got from all of you, there would not have been four editions of the newspaper this year. Thank you to everyone who read our articles, played our games on the fun page, and visited our website. I would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the newspaper in some way, especially our creative writers. Although our writers create the articles, the stories they cover are created by you, the students and staff of DSA. Without the constant achievements and innovation of DSA's student body and faculty, there could be no DSA news. The Gallery exists to celebrate the vibrant culture and success of DSA, so thank you to all who contributed to this, the newspaper exists thanks to you. From a freshman writer to head editor, my experience with the newspaper has been very special and shaped my time at DSA as a whole. To Mr. Ritchie and all the other students in Journalism, thank you for making the class what it is.

- Sam Bartlett, head editor of The Gallery

OUR

Thank you to everyone who participated in our caption contest! There were a lot of great submissions but The Gallery staff appreciated the simplicity of this play on words. We hope to do more contests like this one next year, so be on the look out. Have a great summer!