Lit by Design's "The New Design Times" / Feb. 2023

Lit by Design presents The New Design Times

February Issue / Vol. 1.3

The Lit Interview:

Michael

Casiano,

former NDHS student… Who is he now? By

Maya Gomez

MG: How did your experience as a student make you want to work at NDHS?

Cas Quote: “But to live doesn't mean you're alive”- Nicki Minaj

Cas: My experience as a student was one of the best, I was a super senior when I graduated. I started off at a different school. My parents wanted to move to Florida. They were like “let’s do suburban life.” I learned about different social groups in high school. I wasn't successful in high school over there but I made some friends for life. I felt like I didn’t trust anyone in the other schools, especially the adults because they were super traditional. At New Design though, connecting with the adults, being exposed to different programs, the amount of people that were vibey and just super chill and super creative made me love this place. Made me think, “Yo, when I graduate I want to work here in some capacity.”

MG: What is your role at NDHS?

INSIDE STORIES!

Snacks: Snacks For Next Valentine’s Day / p. 2

LitxDesign Gallery: Art & Poetry / p. 3-4

Rant of the Month

“We’re the smallest school in the damn campus. Why is it so hard for people to move at the middle of the hallway? Is walking too hard or what?”

Cas: I’m part of the restorative team, which is me, Jessy, Edwin, Jacky, and Eric, whom I love. Our roles are like the deans. I've been here for 12 years so in those 12 years I've been a teacher, guidance counselor, basketball coach, and director of student success, which is like an administrator. I used to process kids’ working papers, getting them internships, exposure to internships, and I got kids to have fundraisers here. That role was as a director of events. When we had fundraisers here like with Rico Nasty or American Eagle or Little Wayne or those things, I would work with these companies and make sure they would have a spot for kids.

MG: What do you enjoy most from working at NDHS?

Cas: There’s many things that I enjoy so I feel like when I get that question I want to get cheesy and say everything! But I will narrow it down to one thing, I really enjoy speaking with youth. I like hearing them, hearing their story, whether it’s like they’re having a bad day or what they experienced or what they want to experience years from now. So many ALL FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN OF Y’ALL! I feel bad sometimes because I don’t get to hear everyone’s story. There’s only so many times and minutes of the day. But sometimes you gotta let that happen organically. I wish I had more time to do that with everyone.

MG: What would you like for NDHS students to know about you?

Cas: I want New Design High School students to know I am here for them! Even if we’ve never chatted or have, I’m always an ear to listen!

(Bonus question on back page!)

Valentines: Refill Your Snack Stocks

By:XinPingChen

Tired of giving or getting the same chocolate or toys and want variety? Who am I kidding, of course you want variety. Everyone does! I have a lot of snacks that are perfect for your Valentine’s, even if that’s yourself. You can find most of these snacks in Asian supermarkets like the one at 109 E. Broadway. Let me introduce you to them. I know you and your Valentine’s will enjoy!

Want Want Rice Crackers are savory, crunchy, and a great treat to relieve any stress! A pack consist of 2 crackers, so why not share with each other?

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡ ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡ ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡ ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Milk candy is for those who dislike drinking milk. It’s sweet, chewy, and can help sweeten your breath!

Pei Tian 99 are crunchy sticks with a variety of flavors! They have egg yolk, taro, black beans, pumpkin, and more!

Fruit Fun Fruity Biscuits are basically fruit-flavored Oreos, but the chocolate cookie is replaced with a biscuit and the filling is sticky and sweet!

Cream Wafers are sweet, flaky, and crunchy! A pack includes 6 wafers, which should be enough to pose for a photo!

Lit x Design Art of the Month

Artist: Aviana Hemsley

Lit by Design Gallery

Poems & art chosen by Sherlynn Flores Guevara previously published in Lit by Design magazine

UNFAIR FAIRYTALE by J.

How did you end up here?

You used to wrap yourself up in stories like a blanket but it was the cold you were always left with. Sweet goosebumps as he slipped the glass slipper over your tiny toes.

A perfect fit. An imagination. The real princesses across the hall laughing, doing nothing but being absolute perfection.

You saw the clear imbalances between you and them and swore to never believe you were worthy of a perfect fit again.

But we’re human and we crave.

The need and want to be the princess were sewn into you. If he was real, if he could save you from the unfairness of the world, when would he come? How longer would you have to wait?

The answer was a backstab in a hundred fleeting memories. The smirk on Jaylen G.’s face as he grabbed your ass on your way home.

Your step dad’s aggression making you fear him. The drunk guy running his hand on your 14-year-old body at Coney Island. Your father’s words as he threw everything he owned into a suitcase and left without a warning that that’d be the last of him. After every late night cry because you let yourself be swept by another boy, whether they were smart, patient or rude. After every attachment you soon realized you didn’t have whatever magic turns a beast into a prince and you never would.

Because you were certainly not a princess, just a girl.

VALUES by J.

My algebra teacher taught us that a function is a dependent relation. Each output depends on the input. Just like I depended on you. Just like we all depended on you. We were supposed to be the function family and as much as I'm happy that you have a new function, with new values, I miss our function, our family. You were so unfair to your other values as if you just forgot about them. Now because of you, our function is broken. our function values are nothing, they mean nothing, I value nothing and will remain at zero.

I doze off quite often… Obviously!

Not yet, but I’m tired.

Sleep is for the weak!!

The Lit Interview with Michael Casiano:

(Bonus question from front page)

MG: What challenges do students have now that with your experience helps you help them?

Cas: I felt as a kid at New Design that people listened to me. The challenge that I see kids face now aside from the violence that happens with guns and gangs, dealing with body dysmorphia and stressing about that stuff is never getting a chance to be heard. People don't take the time to listen. I feel like during the pandemic we all were scared, we all had experiences. For teens their outlets that were there for them to listen, got taken away. But then also they spent a lot of lonely time feeling like no one was hearing or listening. My challenge now is regaining that notion or idea for kids. There’s people that care and are listening. It's tough because some teenagers had to be parents for themselves and parents of others like you had a little sibling or you had to be that person to do the homework. I really am faced with a challenge of being that person that listens and reminds kids that you have adults that really care and we’re trying to just get you back on this track and understand what success looks and how it feels like and just doing your thing and that's the challenge. I'm in the business of making people feel good and valued not because I get paid for it but because it's what I believe.

Xin Ping Chen / Nain Chiriboga / Maya Gomez / Sherlynn Flores Guevara / Taylor Feliciano / Roo Sookoo / Lexy Yanos