THE DAY TIMES
GIVING TO THE COMMUNI-TREE
HOW DCDS STUDENTS GIVE BACK TO THE CASS COMMUNITY CENTER
by SHARON CHANG SeCtiON editOR ANd JeNNy
STANDING IN THE front lobby looking at the gift tags hanging on the tree, eighth grader Dylan Fitzgerald was stuck. He could not decide between donating the Lego set or the warm sweater to the Cass Community Center.
As weather starts to get cold and leaves start to fall, Detroit Country Day begins its holiday celebration and its spirit of giving. Every year, the Community Service Club in the lower, middle, and upper school hosts the “One Country Day Holiday Delivery” to make sure everyone can enjoy the holiday gift-giving spirit.
On November 18, all campuses started collecting gift donations. In the upper school, Christmas trees with gift tags on the branches were located in the front lobby and the library. These gifts were distributed to Cass Community Social Services on December 12. Cass then brought those gifts to families the following Monday.
Last year, together with its 100 employees,
the Cass Community Social Services provided gifts and clothing items to 1,500 people.
“The One Country Day Holiday Giving Delivery gives students the opportunity of giving back to the city of Detroit and building empathy during the holiday times,” said Laura Beachum, organizer of the middle school event. Beachum believes that it is important for our community to share with those who are less fortunate and connect together.
Upper school community service member and event organizer Ty Rosenberg also agrees with the community connection and gift-giving culture of the holidays. “Whether it is watching a Christmas movie, or singing a holiday song, the holidays should be a time free of stress and filled with jubilation. The ‘One Country Day Holiday Delivery’ is a way to provide experiences to those who aren’t as privileged as a lot of us at DCDS,” said Rosenberg.
The Community Service Club in the upper school worked hard to collaborate with the middle
and lower school campuses to make sure this event was a success.
Alexa Keramidas, president of the Community Service Club, believes that there is an evident benefit when working with the middle school campus. “When the drive is over, the community service clubs bring all the donations down to the middle school during one of the club meeting times. It’s really nice to be physically connected to the middle school campus because it’s easy to transfer the gifts. We don’t have to rent anything or spend extra money,” said Keramidas.
Since the start of this tradition nine years ago, students have enjoyed their experience of giving back. This holiday giving drive has helped teach two important lessons during the holiday season: giving back and coming together. Laura Beachum added, “Each DCDS campus may have different drives and activities to support the event, but we all work together as one community to give back to Cass.”
The Science behind the sweet
A new look INto how hot Chocolate works
ON A COLD winter night, the perfect drink to sip on by the fire is hot chocolate. Sweet, rich chocolate blended with a healthy amount of marshmallows. It is simple, yet delicious, and there are many reasons why people love it.
“Hot chocolate makes me feel happy and reminds me of Christmas,” junior Katie Lin said. For most, science is the last thing that comes to mind when drinking hot chocolate, but it is surprising how much chemistry and physics is involved in making this winter favorite.
The process used to make many chocolate products starts out the same: the cocoa beans are cleansed and roasted. When making powdered hot chocolate, however, the beans are soaked in the chemical Alkali to raise the pH before roasting. Raising the basic level of the powder makes it more soluble in water.
According to Sheryl Barringer, professor of food science and technology at The Ohio State University, this process also aids in reducing the tart and fruity flavors of the cocoa beans, transforming them into the familiar rich and chocolatey flavor.
When dumping a packet of store-bought hot chocolate into milk or water, it only takes a couple stirs to completely transform it into a rich and creamy liquid. If you have ever wondered why the powder can take two relatively thin liq-
by OLiViA GOLdSteiN eNteRtAiNmeNt SeCtiON editOR
uids and make them thick, the answer is simple.
The reaction is produced thanks to emulsifiers, like mono- and diglycerides. When these substances are added to foods, they distribute the fats throughout the food and make it easier for the two ingredients to blend. These seemingly magical materials can also be found in various baked goods, salad dressings, and many other foods!
Did you know that hot chocolate can change sound? The “Hot Chocolate Effect,” named by Frank Crawford, is a physics phenomenon that was discovered in the 1980’s. The effect occurs when you add a powdered substance to hot water.
Originally, the pitch of hot water is low, and by adding the powder, it changes and gets even lower. This happens because the bubbles in the mixture slow down the speed of sounds. As time goes on, the air bubbles will gradually escape, and the speed of sound and pitch will begin to rise again.
The blend of physics and chemistry reveals a lot about this popular winter beverage. From how the two compounds mix to the sound the beverage makes, there is more to hot chocolate than meets the eye.
Like many others, AP physics teacher Daniel Berger said he is a “big fan” of hot chocolate. He added, “It’s a great substitute for coffee since it still has some caffeine!”
SUN NewS StAff wRiteR
of stephanie fradnecK and nathan maiBach
Editors in Chief: Achyut reddy, Ella jeup
Art Director: Abigail burdette
Managing Editors: Alex Eby, Naomi zakalik, nell stover
Advisors: BRITTANY WASHINGTON, Kai Mills, Tracy Bilen
WINTER ACTIVITIES
FUN Things TO do THIS WINTER
by ISHANA PAtEL ANd LILA SALAmIN
skAtINg
GET OUTSIDE AND GET ACTIVE
Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and sledding are perfect for filling up a fun weekend. Local parks like Campus Martius or Pine Knob are fun options for this activity.
DO SOME HOLIDAY DECORATING
Whether you choose to decorate a tree, light a Menorah, or simply hang up some snowflakes, holiday decorating is an activty everyone can participate in and enjoy.
FESTIVE LIGHT WALKS
Walking around a picturesque town with hot chocolate and admiring the sights is fun for everyone. The Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo are perfect for this!
GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen or giving gifts to those less fortunate, community service brings joy and light to the people giving and receiving.
GET BAKING
By yourself or with friends, baking holiday desserts, like cookies, pies and cakes, is fun to do ... and to eat.
EXCHANGE GIFTS
Gift exchanges can be done with friends and families. Examples: white elephant, secret Santa, pass the parcel.
BUILD A SNOWMAN
Making snowmen is a fun thing to do for all ages, and it is a great way to bring families together. Just make sure to wear your hat and gloves.
HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT
Whether it’s watching “Frosty the Snowman” or “Elf”, holiday movies are sure to delight. Grab some popcorn and a friend and watch your favorite holiday classics.
Digital Director: Nathan maibach
Content Editor: Maddy rocchi
Senior Editorial Board: Alex Eby, Maddy rocchi, Naomi zakalik, NAthan Maibach, nell stover
Section Editors: Rick nie, arjun atwal, mathew metrose, adam meslemani, olivia goldstein, ishana patel, campbell linder
A Leap into LEadership
Claire Hourani's Journey at dcds
by GRACE KALKANIS fEAtuRES StAff wRItER
SENIOR YEAR HAS al-
ways been a very special time for students to reflect on past goals and future achievements. With the new school year upon us, seniors are given the opportunity to look back on their years spent at the upper school. President of the Student Council and captain of the Detroit Country Day dance team, Claire Hourani has proven herself to be a leader.
Through her involvement in Student Council, Hourani stated, “I have cultivated connections with both students and faculty I would not have collaborated with otherwise.”
Student Government has allowed Hourani to branch out into other inner circles.
“Whether it be having some friendly faces to reach out to as an underclassman or new friends as a senior, I am eternally grateful for the relationships this student organization has brought my way. I am confident they will last beyond my time here at DCDS,” Hourani noted.
Hourani is also involved in her own non-profit organization, The Kindness Kits Organization. “The foundation, which centers around providing supply kits for the less fortunate, has only urged me to increase my involvement in our community from here on
out. Through the connections I have fostered, I am constantly reminded that we all have the ability to make a difference, big or small,” Hourani expressed.
Hourani happily takes on the task of organizing weekly assemblies for the entire upper school.
“Each week is an opportunity to improve upon something from the last. Whether or not that week’s assembly goes smoothly or roughly, I know I am constantly gaining something while simultaneously engaging our community,” Hourani said.
In addition to Student Council, Hourani is also an active dancer in and out of school. On the varsity dance team at DCDS, she has served as a captain her junior and senior years. She even described her most memorable moments at school being spent with her teammates.
“All of the times I have spent alongside the dance team, whether that be through long practices, Friday nights under the stadium lights, or team bonding, have stood out to me,” Hourani stated.
Balancing Country Day dance practices, Student Council meetings, and an after-school dance commitment at Noretta Dunworth School of
Dance is not easy.
Most days after school, her dance practices for her competitive team will go from 4:30-9:30pm. Her grueling schedule for dance competitions doesn’t get much easier. However, Hourani embraces the challenge with enthusiasm and perseverance.
“I began to tackle this challenge through meticulous planning in my calendars and communication with my coaches as well as my teachers,” Hourani said.
Her time management skills have allowed her to become a successful student.
“Adding the commitment of StuCo (Student Council) president this year was a bit overwhelming initially, but like most things, after some practice throughout the first couple of weeks, I have gotten the hang of things,” Hourani said.
When Hourani completes her studies here at Country Day, she will embark on a new journey after graduation. Hourani adds, “Despite where this track takes me, I am confident my time here at Detroit Country Day has prepared me to tackle whatever obstacles I may conquer, and I am looking forward to the future of my academics/career.”
Sharpening The Skates
a look at the DCDS Ice Skating Team
WITH THE WINTER season of Detroit Country Day sports starting up, many student-athletes are ready to commit to their sports and give them their all. The girls of the DCDS Ice Skating Team, one of our school’s most underrated sports, are no exception.
The team, unlike others at Country Day, is composed of skaters from not just our school, but Cranbrook and Marian High School as well. Together, these three schools make up a team of close-knit skaters. Senior Addison Kunnath and sophomore Ella Henderson are the DCDS captains of the team, and alongside the Marian and Cranbrook captains, they are ready to lead the season with high expectations and renewed enthusiasm in the rink.
Last season held great accomplishments for the team, including the C-Team making it all the way to states. This was a remarkable feat, considering that the team consisted of several freshmen who were brand new to the ice.
Ella Henderson commented that “there were so many new people, and as a whole, we definitely all had a great time getting to know each other and making a lot of progress.” For Henderson, one of the greatest aspects of the team is its supportive environment. While the sport requires girls to compete individually, the DCDS team has cultivated a strong sense of family. “We all supported each other during
by ISHANA PAtEL oPINIoNS SECtIoN EdItoR
our competitions; we all talked together. We always cheer each other on,” she says, describing a bond that has become special and unique to the team.
The upcoming season is promising for this team. Along with a more experienced team, there were some rule changes that are sorting skaters into divisions on a different scale. In Henderson’s words, “We’re hopeful this will make the divisions more fair and level the playing field, and our teams will be able to score and rank higher overall.” This optimism will serve the team well as they prepare for their upcoming competitions after winter break.
For those who aren’t as familiar with the sport, each level, either A, B, or C, has certain skills, and members of the team have to demonstrate them to get scored. The scores are then added together to create a team score, which is ranked against other teams. Because of this, each skater plays a unique role in competitions. Henderson explains how she specializes in ice dance, so while her jumps may not contribute to the team score, her spins and other skills will surely gain points for the tri-school team.
One area where the team anticipates a challenge is in the B-Team’s jumping skills. “We all do really well with skills and spins, but a lot of us aren’t jumpers, which is why we’re on B-Team,” Henderson explains. “That will definitely be a challenge we can hope to quickly overcome.”
With teamwork and dedication, however, the skaters are confident they’ll rise to the occasion and improve their technique as they prepare for the competition season.
As the winter season unfolds, the team is ready to hit the ice with determination, unity, and resilience. As these skaters continue to refine their skills, support one another, and embrace the season’s new opportunities, the DCDS ice skating team is set to make its mark in the rink and beyond.
ICE skAtINg tEAm mEmbERs AddIsON kUNNAtH, ELLA HENdERsON, skyE dUkAs, ANd AHvI CARtER pOsEs fOR A pICtURE pHOtO CREdIt: RObERt wIddIs
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