The New Design Times / January 2023

Lit by Design presents The New Design Times

January Issue / Vol. 1.2

The Lit Interview:

Danillo Martinez spills early school secrets! By Lexi Yanos

LY: Any interesting stories from your early days at New Design?

INSIDE STORIES!

Play Time: A guide to kicking back in the neighborhood / p. 2

Civil Rights Recommendations: In honor of MLK Day / p. 3

Just a Drill: Scott talks to our reporter about school threats / p. 4

Rant of the Month

“

IF UR NOT USING THE GIRLS BATHROOM GET OUT … also idk why ppl look at someone when they enter a stall like they’re a crazy person… like that’s what a bathroom is for.”

Danilo: Our first year, we took students to a sleepaway camp in Ramapo, New Jersey. I’m one of the co-founders of New Design–Scott and I opened the school in 2003. So we were all brand new, and the students decided to tie up one of my teachers. He had a good relationship with the students in his cabin. But they tied him up outside so when I went to do rounds, I yelled, “Tad! What happened to you?” He was like, “I don’t know! The kids just tied me up! ” It wasn’t done maliciously or anything. The kids were just inside the cabin and he was tied up with duct tape all around his body. So it was funny and we were like “oh my god that is hilarious,” but I also had to be kind of mean like “Why are you guys tying up your teacher!?”

LY: What was your high school experience like?

Danilo: I went to a big high school in East L.A. in California. I was involved with a lot of athletics: I was on the football team, I participated in wrestling, and that was able to help me get involved and think about what I was going to do after high school. So I took all the classes I needed to go to college. I had a really good time in high school.

LY: Is there anything you really want to do at New Design this year?

Danilo: Oh wow… I want to help students be exposed to a college experience. So they can visit different colleges in the City, but outside of the City too. I want them to have more opportunities to see what college life is like.

LY: Would you consider adding a nap time to New Design’s schedule?

Danilo: Nap time…? That would be really hard, but I would consider it. I don’t know what that would look like, but naps are healthy, especially for teenagers. Like a power nap, y’know?

LY: If you were a musical style/genre, which one would you be?

Danilo: Jazz, I’m jazz. I’m really cool, hip, I like that.

Play Time! Two Relaxing Parks

ByXinPingChen

Sometimes people are in the mood to chill out and be amused. Luckily for you, there are a few parks near New Design High School to explore and entertain yourself in! Let’s walk on over to these parks while enjoying the scenery. You won’t regret it!

Seward Park is a name we’re all familiar with as our school is in the Seward Park Campus. The large area gives us a volleyball court, basketball court, workout arena, playgrounds, resting space, and a ton of greenery for you to take pictures! Fun fact: Seward Park has a library for all your bookworms to explore! The library offers varieties of genres such as arts,

anime, non-fiction, history, and more! As a matter of fact, Seward Park is also near the F train East Broadway station, so it’ll be easy to go home! Personally, I find Seward Park popular for its swing set. Why? Because the larger swing with the handle over your shoulder is used by people of all ages! Despite it being limited to kids below 5, many teens use it as a reminder of their childhood.

Sara D. Roosevelt Park is known for having a soccer field, basketball court,

CanalSt.andEssexSt.

ChrystieSt.andForsythSt.

Teacher Recommendations

MLK/FBI [Film]

“This shines a light on how threatened the United States was by the radical change Martin Luther King represented.”

-Rachel

Judas and the Black Messiah [Film]

“A biopic about Fred Hampton and the conflict between the Black Panthers and the US government.”

-Ranisha

All American Boys [Novel]

“A narrative about what it means to be a young man in America across lines of racism.”

-Melissa

Why We Can’t Wait

[Novel]

“This shows how fierce and powerful MLK was in what he was willing to do for equal rights from his point of view.”

-Katherine Selma [Film]

"You get a glimpse of MLK’s life and his campaign to secure equal voting rights for African Americans.”

-Samir

Staff Recommendations

Malcolm X [Autobiography]

“Kill your idols. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to reinvent yourself.”

-Neena

Kindred [Book & TV Series]

“A modern day Black female writer unravels family secrets as she’s pulled back in time, giving her a bigger story than she could’ve imagined.”

-Tiana

Student Recommendations

Dear Martin [Novel]

“A book where Justyce learns his position to navigate his identity as a person of color and to embrace and be proud of himself by writing letters to MLK.”

-Robert S. (junior)

13TH [Documentary]

“The Thirteenth Amendment and how it affects African-Americans.”

-Terha H. (junior)

My Personal Recommendation:

Eyes on the Prize [Documentary]

“This documentary tells the story of America’s Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of ordinary people who experienced the movement’s most significant moments.”

-Maya

MLK/Civil Rights Media Recommendations by Maya Gomez

The NDHS community recommends the best books and films in honor of MLK Day and upcoming Black History month in February.

Are We Safe? School Shooting Threat Shakes Up Seward Park

A Special Report by Nain Chiriboga

On Friday, January 6, students of the Seward campus were shaken by an Instagram post by “loma_tea2” that confessed: “I've had enough. This school's bullying has been getting to me. On Monday January 9th I’m shooting the school up. If you value your life, don't come to school on Monday” (punctuation corrected). The post was shared to all students who attend school in the building. On Monday, Jan. 9, students were greeted by police and metal detectors at the main entrance. All Seward Campus students had to be checked for any potential weapons.

The hallways of New Design were almost empty. Many students stayed home because they felt scared or worried. One teacher reported, “I had 10 fewer students than normal.” A troublesome situation left our building quiet. At the end of the day, students left peacefully and calmly. The threat was a false alarm.

Dr. Scott Conti, who prefers first names, spoke to New Design Times about the safety concerns that many New Designers had. “Safety is a number one priority no matter the situation you are in,” said Scott. He listed the 3 key priorities that should be considered when coming to the building, “Physical, emotional, and intellectual safety.”

Attending a school in the city comes with its pros and cons. Scott addressed the current “increase of homelessness and attacks on people” within the neighborhood and admits it has made the environment outside of the school “concerning.” There have been calls to have more “security.” Being able to invite everyone to an emotionally safe and secure school is crucial for Scott, “If a student can't show up as who they are at New Design that’s also unsafe.”

Throughout 2020-21 there was a record high number of school shootings reported in the United States. Some have called for teachers to be armed to protect the students in their classrooms.

Scott does not agree. He replied firmly, “No! Do you want 130 armed people in the building?” He believes that weaponizing teachers creates another concern as someone might “grab a gun, discharge it, or steal it.” He was sure that “a lot of the staff are willing to do anything for the kids” and that if anything were to occur “ERT and other personnel” are ready and present at all times.

Having “active shooter drills often creates more fear than anything,” he said. Drills that target fire and or imminent danger are protocols that students have to go through as instructed by the Department of Education. “Only school safety should be able to carry a gun.” Scott added that he “has been working with the school safety council” on the situation of “possible outsiders entering” the building.

“Those who are not part of the Campus are informed to leave. Security cameras placed across the building help to identify anyone entering and leaving the building,” he said. Lastly, Scott hopes to implement “school IDs and sign-in sheets” as a way of improving the current difficulty of securing the entrance of the building.

Insta threat: “I’m shooting the school up.”