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LIZ MYERS News Editor
The Courier
News
A Day in the Life of...
March 2012
Freshman Alexandra Barry
Freshman Alexandra Barry has battled illness her entire life. She is immune deficient meaning her immune system does not function properly. “The best way to describe her illness is she constantly has upper respiratory problems, her lungs are weak, and her sinuses do not drain on their own,” mother Meredith Barry said. According to Meredith, Alexandra was hospitalized for the first time at nine months old for pneumonia. Her first surgery, in which her tonsils and adenoids were removed and her sinuses drained, was at age four. “She had 10 sinus surgeries following her first because her infections were so chronic,” Meredith said. “She suffered from severe migraines from her infections and in one of the surgeries, they had to take out a piece of infected bone in her sinus.” When she was five years old, Alexandra was finally diagnosed as being immune deficient. Since then, she has had a port in her chest and has had four surgeries to replace her ports. Through this port, she can receive IV medication to keep her immune system boosted. “I first had a PICC line which was a tube, like an IV, which was inserted into my arm,” Alexandra said. “I had to change from that to a port because I was getting the tube too often because I was continually sick. I was too young and my veins were too
weak.” At 15, Alexandra has had 15 surgeries, the most recent one on February 1 to have her port removed. Alexandra became a MakeA-Wish child when she was six. “Her immunologist and her home health nurse requested a wish for her,” Meredith said. “They showed up at our door to surprise her.” Alexandra was told to make three possible wishes, and one would then be granted. “My three choices were a Minnie Mouse costume, a Barbie Jeep, and a Disney cruise,” Alexandra said. “My parents suggested the cruise but I said that I really wanted the costume. We ended up going on the cruise with my cousin Hunter, who is also a Make A Wish child, and his family.” Because she has been sick since she was so young, she has not always understood her illness. “I thought it happened to everyone at my age because I was so little,” Alexandra said. “I thought surgery was you just lie down, go to sleep, and then wake up.” At ten, Alexandra started to figure out what was going on. “Surgeries scare me more now and I cry before every one,” Alexandra said. “I now know it’s serious to go under anesthesia when before I thought it had no risks.” Despite her illness, Alexandra has danced for the past 13 years, spending her first five years at Ultimate Dance before going to Mrs. P’s Dance and Acrobatics Studio in Coral Springs. She has been on the competition team at
Mrs. P’s for the past six years practicing about three to four hours a day. “In the beginning, my mom forced me to dance and I cried when I went into class,” Alexandra said. “I used to hate it with a burning passion. But at age 10, I decided I really like it for some reason. Instead of focusing on the bad, it keeps me busy and is a good hobby.” When her best friend freshman Olivia Perron first found out, she thought something was seriously wrong with Alexandra. “I initially always thought that when she got sick she was going to die,” Perron said. “Even now, I’m always so nervous when she has surgeries or is sick but I treat her the same no matter what. No one would ever know she was sick if she didn’t tell them.” According to Meredith, it is hard for any parent to watch their child suffer. “I see a side of Alexandra that she has a hard time sharing with anyone, when she hurts and when she just doesn’t feel good,” Meredith said. “We have all adjusted to this and made sure that Alexandra is able to live as normal of a life as she can.” Alexandra’s main concern is not her illness, but that she just does not want to be treated differently or for others to feel bad for her. “She still battles her illness every day, but she has never once complained or fought anything they have had to do to her,” Meredith said. “She is a strong person. She always looks at the bright side of things and has never let any of this pull her down.”
Freshman Alexandra Barry competes her lyrical duet at Headliners dance competition on Saturday February 11 at the Omni at Broward College. Her duet won first place overall. Her next dance performance is at the Our Town Fair on March 10, and her next dance competition is OnStage America on April 14. Courtesy of Alexandra Barry
News Briefs
Douglas redesigns website
Douglas officially launched its redesigned website, douglashigh. browardschools.com on February 6. The website was created by media specialist Jan Pryczynski, along with the input from guidance, teachers, administration, and the tech staff. According to Pryczynski, the Broward Schools district wants to create more unified school websites as a part of their new school website initiative. Schools across the district, such as Douglas, have chosen to create completely new websites for students to use. According to this initiative, school websites are allowed to advertise. According to Pryczynski, the money that is made from the ads goes straight towards our school. Pryczynski will update the website almost everyday. The new website still contains the same info as the previous website, such as upcoming events, links to teacher websites, and latest school news. “I think our new website is easier to navigate, very clean looking, and easier to maintain,” Pryczynski said. The website no longer has links to teacher websites located on the side, but rather in the departments portal. Also the design is now blue instead of the school color, burgundy. There is also an option to translate the content of the website through Google Translate. A new feature is the email subscription, which allows students and parents to subscribe to receive important announcements. “I like the search term feature,” sophomore Robyn Ribotsky said. “But accessing teacher websites was originally a two step process and now you have to go through the department [button on top bar] and the teacher [after clicking on the subject department]. It’s so much more complicated.” --AMANDA GAINES, Staff Writer
Zero Hour no longer offered
After six years, Stoneman Douglas will no longer offer “zero hour” as an option for incoming juniors. Through zero hour, one class of seniors begins their school day at 6:30 a.m., in Advanced Placement Government and Economics with Jeff Foster. “It [zero hour] is no longer needed, and we no longer have the adequate staff to ensure proper safety that early in the morning,” Assistant Principle Ty Thompson said. “It was designed in order to eliminate traffic at dismissal when the school had over 4,000 students. It was a great way to meet the needs of the school.” With the recent news of the dissolving of the class, Douglas juniors who were looking forward to having the chance to take zero hour next year are disappointed with the change. “I was excited to take it, because I have a lot of things to do after school,” junior Elana Leibovitch said. “My sister took it four years ago, and she loved the class. I already wake up really early, so I might as well start my day early and have an extra hour to do my work.” After having taught the zero hour class for six years, Foster has enjoyed the experience, but understands its end. “I enjoyed getting the day started early and the freedom it allowed me at the day’s end to plan for classes and focus on basketball during the season,” Foster said. “But I am okay with it not being offered anymore. I liked having the opportunity, but I guess I’ll catch up on some reading in the a.m. now.” --ELYSSA RONIK, Staff Writer