DAY TIMES DECEMBER 2020

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The Day

Times

| Detroit Country Day School |

22305 West Thirteen Mile, Beverly Hills, MI 48025

Meet your new Head of School Get familiar with Rich Dempsey

Photos courtesy of Rich Dempsey

By CLARA YUHN and ZAIN RODGER Editors-In-Chief

The start of every new school year brings challenges and changes. This year is no exception. When the world was brought to a halt in the spring, the DCDS administration did not stop innovating and moving forward. A team was assembled to bring the best learning experience possible to the DCDS students for the upcoming school year. This process took both time and energy, including leadership from our new head of school. The DCDS community welcomed the new head of school, Mr. Rich Dempsey, in early July. Since 1914, when DCDS was founded, there have been a total of seven headmasters that have led the growing DCDS community. Every headmaster has left a legacy of accomplishments and impacted the lives of many amongst the DCDS community. In a simple sentence: they left their school better than they found it. Dempsey, the newest head of school, just started his journey and looks forward to what is to come. “I read about your [DCDS] values and they aligned really well with me not only as an educator but also as a person. Country Day really popped. I’d heard a lot about this school, but what really sold me was when I came to the campus and met people. I got a strong energy that people here really care about this place and care about each other,” said Dempsey. Dempsey has had a very decorated career in

What does pg. Country Day think of Savage Mode II?

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Check out Saborn Campbell’s Senior Spotlight! pg.

MEET our new Head of School, Mr. Rich Dempsey.

education. He started off in education as a math and science teacher for more than ten years at St. George’s School in Rhode Island, while also taking on the role as Associate Dean of Students for five years at St. George’s. !"#$%&"#&'(%&+

Bennie Fowler’s journey to becoming an all-star

Photos courtesy of Google Images

By ZAIN RODGER Editor-In-Chief

BENNIE FOWLER catches a two-point conversion in Superbowl 50.

The Day Times | December 2020

2 How do Country Day students feel about online learing?

How to succeed with a silver spoon 0.09 percent. Only nine in every 10,000 varsity high school football players make it to the big leagues. Meeting an NFL player is very rare, but I had the privilege of speaking with one from our very own school. Bennie Fowler graduated from Detroit Country Day in 2008 after dominating at the high school level, making the SuperPrep and PrepStar All-Midwest teams as well as the Detroit Free Press All-State Division 4 Team. He was a multi-sport athlete, winning a state championship with the basketball team his junior year as well as the Oakland County long jump and 100 meter dash titles his senior

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year. Fowler committed to the Michigan State football team as a wide receiver and never looked back. After going undrafted in 2014, the odds were stacked against Fowler. The average career for an NFL wide receiver is 2.81 years, so what’s his secret to playing for seven years and counting? “Finding a niche that I fit and finding something I’m really good at has been essential. When you’re trying to get into the NFL they have their main guys, but you have to find your specialty and understand what makes you stand out,” said Fowler. At the start of his career, Fowler had to persevere after getting assigned to the practice squad after the final round of cuts by the Denver Broncos. He was able to work his way up to the active roster for his second season in 2015. It would be a magical year. After going 12-4 in the regular season, the Peyton Manning and Von Miller led Broncos would win Superbowl 50. Fowler caught a crucial two-point conversion near the end of the 4th quarter to put the Broncos ahead by two touchdowns and seal the game. !"#$%&"#&'(%&)*

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Finish reading about Bennie Fowler!

FOWLER PUBLISHED a book, Silver Spoon, in 2020

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


2 Opinions The Day

Times

Editorial staff Editors-in-Chief: Clara Yuhn Zain Rodger

Managing Editor: Nicholas Kalkanis

Senior Editorial Board: Arnav Shah Vishal Sharma Evangelia Cardasis Senior Correspondent: Kate Shira Eva Niederhofer Senior Photo and Graphics Editor: Kunwoo Kim Section Editors: Aren Shah Beren Akpinar Anthony Ge Vishal Sharma Annika Chinnaiyan Mariya Khan Safia Siddiqui Evangelia Cardasis Caden Kuang Connor Adams Tanmai Nimmagadda Kennedy Tidjani

Check out the DCDS fight against COVID-19 By ANTHONY GE Opinions Section Editor In March of 2020, Detroit Country Day officially locked down all of its schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, switching to remote learning for the rest of the school year. At the beginning of the next school year, Country Day reopened and allowed students the opportunity to return in-person, but under new circumstances. To combat and reduce the spread of COVID-19, Country Day established several new policies and guidelines that have completely changed Country Day’s unique learning environment. Country Day must responsibly enforce these policies to ensure change and effect. The most notable and arguably significant change is the requirement to wear face masks and social distance at all times. Students are in addition required to follow predetermined paths to their classes, shown by indicated arrows and yellow tape placed on the floor. For art and science classes, special translucent barriers are also implemented to prevent contact. It is important to understand from a student’s perspective whether or not these policies are effective against COVID.

INTERNS Grace Liu, Tamisha Khare Hiba Assadulla, Arya Chalsani Nicole Pasto, Kendall Ptazsnik S TA F F W R I T E R S P H O T O G R A P H Y Alex Warson Alexis Clark Oliver Aaron Grace Liu Molly Karmo Jack Donigian Mara Sclabassi Eva Sclabassi

ADVISORS Michael Cappelletti Matthew Sadler The Day Times will serve the best interests of the Detroit Country Day School community by preserving the freedom of press through honest and accurate reporting. Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editors, guest articles and original comics regarding topics covered in the paper. The Day Times reserves the right to edit content for clarity and space.

Published six times a year, The Day Times is produced by the students and teachers of Detroit Country Day School. Contact The Day Times at: Detroit Country Day School 22305 West 13 Mile Road Beverly Hills, MI 48025-4435 (248) 646-7717

Printed through the assistance of School Paper Express

Junior Randy Bhattu notes that the masks are effective in combating COVID-19 and provide security, and Senior Jenny Tian adds on that “the policies are the best we can do in this situation because we don’t know who has COVID-19 until they complete a test, and the school is doing well to enforce them. The lunches, though, don’t make sense because, for some classes, we still have to sit in during lunch, and that just defeats the purpose of wearing a mask the entire time in the first place.” Students and teachers agreed that the school does a satisfactory job carrying out proper mask and social distancing policies. Science teacher and department chair Dr. Patricia Hanlan feels very satisfied with how students are responsibly wearing masks, stating that she did not have to do any enforcement in her classroom.

While she believes that social distancing is a problem, Hanlan thinks that the school is doing as well as they can. In addition to Dr. Hanlan, School Administrator Mr. Timothy Bearden believes that the school is doing an excellent job monitoring mask wearing and social distancing protocols, while occasionally overcoming a few obstacles. “Our faculty, staff, and administrative team are modeling appropriate mask wearing. Our students are mostly doing very well. There have been a few issues that have led us to remind faculty or students regarding mask policies, and we continue to look for ways to have collaborative learning environments while maintaining spacing, but overall, we’ve done extremely well,” said Bearden. As for the school’s implementation of the transparent barriers, or plexiglass, between seats in science and art classrooms, teachers and students have slightly differing views. “As barriers, the plexiglass is better than nothing. Especially at lunch, when masks are off, these barriers can stop large particles (that will act more like projectiles), much like masks do when they are on,” said physics teacher Dr. Patricia Hanlan. Another notable change is the new block schedule, which now simplifies every week into separate A and B days. Class orders never change now on A and B days, and occasionally each day includes a Flex or activity period. Blocks lengths are also longer than before. The new schedule ultimately aims to reduce student contact by reducing crossing periods between classes. “I personally do not like the new school schedule, as classes are way too long. I definitely prefer last year’s schedule, even though the flex period has helped reduce my workload,” Bhattu says. The new schedule also poses a few challeng-

DESKS ARE spread out six feet apart in all classrooms.

Upgraded learning at DCDS

How are students adapting at home and at school? By ARYA CHALASANI Opinions Intern Ever since the start of COVID, DCDS has implemented Zoom, an online communication service, into their daily educational system in which students can learn remotely while retaining the “in-person experience.” However, students disagree with the effectiveness of the online learning experience as opposed to in-person learning. “It’s much harder to focus through a screen, so it’s not made for everyone. Online learning requires much more self-discipline and determination. It’s like paying attention to an 80 minute video where you can’t tell what they’re mumbling, and if you ask a question it’s not guaranteed that anyone will hear you,” says Sophomore Arthur Gayden. Senior Yiou Jiang in agreement states, “It is quite difficult in the remote setting to have classroom interaction with my peers, and teachers encourage it to wildly varying degrees. One of my teachers actively pushes us to work in groups that include both remote and in-person students, while another of my teachers has their camera set up in a way that I cannot see or even hear the rest of the class.” Online students most importantly miss fundamental interactions with their peers, causing them to not understand key concepts as they would in person as their pleas are often left unanswered. In contrast, in-person students also face several obstacles, including wearing masks in school. Many students experience discomfort with having almost half of their face covered while simultaneously participating in class or communicating with their peers. “Towards the beginning of the year I had a really difficult time wearing a mask. I would get migraines and could barely focus in my classes. I am slowly adjusting to the masks, but still having difficulty. However, I do understand that wearing a mask is the best way to remain safe,” states Junior Adam Boxwalla.

The Day Times | December 2020

Photo courtesy of Arthur Gayden

Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown Award 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011,15, 16, 17, 19 Michigan Inter-Scholastic Press Association Gold Award 2011,13, 18, 19 American Scholastic Press Association First Place 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18 American Scholastic Press Association First Place with Special Merit, and Most Outstanding Newspaper 2010-11; 2014-15 The Day Times is a member of the American Scholastic Press Association, Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, and the Quill & Scroll Society.

HALLWAYS NOW have yellow paths and arrow stickers.

PLEXIGLASS WALLS are now set up various rooms.

es for Hanlan, especially when it comes to arranging class meetings and covering material, but she believes that it serves its purpose well. “This is a tough schedule for me. Trying to cover the same amount of material that I would in a regular year is a continuing challenge. I do think that this schedule does what it was trying to do – limit the amount of time students are in the hallways each day and try to make sure that we know where people are at all times for contact tracing,” said Hanlan. On a positive note, Bearden states that many faculty and students have adjusted well to the schedules and are in fact thinking of creative ways of working with its new capabilities and benefits. “We are looking at some adjustments to the flex schedule for next semester, but our schedule has accomplished what we hoped it would - fewer passing times, less stress, and opportunities for deeper learning. At some point, we hope that lunch will return to the Student Center and we will no longer have to eat lunches in classrooms,” said Bearden. This year has agreeably been a major obstacle for both students and the administration of Country Day. Although opinions seem to mix on the effectiveness and enforcement of the new policies, it is conclusive that our school has taken the appropriate measures to provide safety and a fulfilling learning environment for us all. In reflection, Bearden, speaking for the Country Day administration, concludes, “We have learned how resilient our school community is, and so much appreciate the way everyone has been willing to do the things necessary for us to stay in school. We have found some silver linings as well - things that we are doing now that we will continue to do postCOVID.” Photo courtesy of Kunwoo Kim

Connor Kalkanis Emir McGreevy Chiara Sessa Ryan Ignitowsky Katelyn Hopkins Emir McGreevy Chiara Sessa Oliver Aren Raj Rao Sameeshka Sampath Zach Rodgers

| The Day Times

How to stop the spread and keep DCDS safe Photo courtesy of Kunwoo Kim

Editor-at-Large: Evangelia Cardasis

www.fearthesting.com

SOPHOMORE ARTHUR GAYDEN learned from his desk when remote.

In-person students are also unaware of who has COVID and whether or not they are properly sanitized and socially distanced from others. “Being in school during these times, you always have to be cautious. I have no way of knowing who could have COVID and that is really scary,” said Junior Sunny Challa. The 2020-2021 school year has definitely been quite challenging so far given the many struggles for students that are remote or in person. Going to school or even attending school through an online platform is already difficult for many students, and with the curriculum that DCDS offers, it can be stressful at times. It is ultimately up to the students and their feedback to encourage and suggest for themselves a better learning environment.

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


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Opinions 3

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Adversity at its finest

The Day Times Editorial Board emphasizes unity and perseverance in the face of adversity The editorial is included in every issue of The Day Times and is written on an important topic in the DCDS community. It represents the opinion of the majority of the Editorial Board, which is comprised of the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, Senior Editors, Section Editors, and the Interns of each section.

It’s for certain: 2020 will be remembered as a year like no other. Hundreds of thousands of deaths, social isolation, domestic civil unrest, and a divisive election season have taken a serious toll on us as a people. As of the most recent numbers, approximately the same number of people die from COVID in the United States every day as those that died from the attacks on Pearl Harbor (about 2,500). Even for those not directly affected by the disease, the harsh repercussions can be felt from coast to coast. Depression among adults has tripled since the pandemic started. Teenage suicide in the United States has also risen in the past year. The common factors contributing to this rise include social isolation, financial struggles, and uncertainty about the future. Due to the lack of human interaction, many people, especially young adults, spent much more time on social media. In 2020 especially, this rise in social media use combined with the election has caused extreme political polarization. Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube make users very prone to falling into echo chambers where they only hear reflections of their own views. When someone only looks at one side of the argument, it can be extremely hard for them to have a real conversation with someone who has conflicting views. The one thing everyone can agree on: with the election behind us and a vaccine on the horizon, we have nowhere to go but up in 2021. For DCDS specifically, this school year has been anything but normal. As a result of our protective measures against COVID, the challenges within the Day Times have been extensive. With the social distancing rules put in place, interacting with staffers has been nearly impossible. The leaders of the Day Times struggled to find a system of communication that worked for everyone and was compatible for both in-school and online school.

In addition to everything else, our editing platform, IN-Design had a new update which caused many technological problems. From the beginning this year, we had difficulty accessing files, saving edits, or placing articles into the drive. With this marriott of problems came the almost impossible task of creating deadlines and the ability to hold staffers accountable. Although redesigning our newspaper posed its unpredictable challenges, there were some positive moments along the way. Every person pulled through and revised their articles, designed their layout, and worked countless hours to publish the product you see before you today. An outcome, we have to admit, of which we are all very proud. Ultimately, we at the Day Times believe that our newspaper can be a metaphor for our larger community in 2020. While trying to publish our first issue of the year, at nearly every step of the way we were faced with unprecedented challenges and seemingly unfixable problems. Yet despite any complications that came our way, our team pulled together, we were understanding of each other’s problems, and we worked diligently to solve them. Similarly, at DCDS, we have learned to cherish the positives among the negatives this year. Our advisories still meet every week, our classes are still filled with the same fun teachers and classmates, and for almost an entire season we had the opportunity to play on the same fields and courts as our friends. This year -more than any year before- we have learned how to triumph in the face of adversity, and stick to our goals, no matter how dire the circumstances. So long as we have school -online or in-person- the Day Times will publish quality content to inform and uplift the DCDS community. We hope that in the next months and years, DCDS will be an example of how to unify and persevere.

The post-election blues

Teacher’s Corner

By NICHOLAS KALKANIS Managing Editor

In the hustle and bustle of the DCDS school year, we sometimes forget to talk about important things outside of the classroom. Teacher’s Corner give a DCDS teacher a voice in giving advice to the young people. This month, Mr. Matt Sadler, DCDS English Instructor, highlights the importance of mindful work.

A reflection on the election

Photo courtesy of CNN

Although we now know the results, the Day Times new leaf in American politics. I see this reality as one where feels that it is important for us to voice the sentiment of unity parties aren’t judged by their most extreme supporters but by and reconciliation, especially after an election. their most outreaching members; it takes both sides to make a Four years after Donald Trump was inaugurated, or compromise, to unify. One can’t want to do it alone, no matter five hundred fifty-seven days after Joe Biden announced he was how badly they tweet or riot. Joe Biden will have to represent running for president, the country had another opportunity to all Americans, and all Americans will have to want to be repvoice whom it wanted to lead for the next four years. It will be resented by him. I truly think that Americans want to be better an interesting next four years under Joe Biden, not necessarily than we have been recently because whether you voted for him because of how he will govern, but rather how he was elected. or not, he’s our president for the next four years, and we’re his The 2020 election cycle was perhaps the single most vicious, constituents. polarized, and unforgiving since the Civil War. Never in recent American politics have the two political parties held such negative views of each other, and never have the two candidates been so markedly different. But the election is behind us. The hard part of being president isn’t winning more votes; it’s leading fellow citizens: the ones that voted for him and the ones that didn’t. My greatest fear for our president, and perhaps the source of my greatest hope, is that no matter what he will say come inauguration day, a sizable part of the country will blindly disregard his offers of bipartisanship and reject his prayers for unity, solely because of his party. Not too long ago, Democrats could sit with Republicans, openly discuss whom they supported, and ultimately be respected, regardless of whether they agreed. Today, though, people either hide their beliefs from the world or shove them down your throat on social media; there is no more pleasant medium. Civil discourse is nearly lost. I call this the source of my greatest hope because it means there is massive room ABOVE: PRESIDENT ELECT Joe Biden gives a speech. Below: Biden and President Trump argue during their for improvement in our counfirst debate. try. Massive room for people to take a deep breath and turn over a

The Day Times | December 2020

I want to tell you all something that you’re not going to want to hear. Homework matters. Now, before you groan, rip this to shreds and use the scraps to start a fire (good work, very resourceful!), hear me out. Your work matters. Even when it seems hopeless and meaningless, the work you do matters. We use work to solve things, to express our place in our community. In other words, work is profoundly hopeful. In the face of anything, the work you do is the wish you have for the world. When you do homework, you are practicing for this. To do good work you need to know what’s expected of you, your responsibilities, you can learn the processes that lead from MR. SADLER teaches Rhetoric, Film and start to finish, you Lit, and Creative Writing at DCDS. can learn decisiveness, self analysis, and reflection, the skills of decision making at its wisest. It is equally true that rest is important. But it was the famous German philosopher Friederich Nietzsche that said times of rest should be short, and used in preparation for the important work of self development and improvement. If you understand your work is this important, you will also understand the value you hold. You will learn to practice self-respect. You might be thinking, what does this have to do with an algebra worksheet, or studying for my Psych test? But I say this is practice and habit. I think mindful attention and respecting your task are important skills towards your future success. The collective work of the individuals in this community often astounds me, especially when I think about all the things my former students have gone on to do in this world. I have taught actors, doctors, bankers, lawyers, professional athletes, teachers, and published authors. All learned the value of mindful work by practicing it in their daily lives. By respecting your work, you can do anything. We can do anything. Now go do your homework!

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


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Meet your new Head of School

DCDS Community welcomes school’s seventh headmaster to campus After St. George’s, Dempsey spent six years as the head of the Upper School at Rocky Hill School. More recently, he spent the last seven years as the assistant head of school at Pomfret School. As Dempsey further considered his future as an administrator, he looked for a school that he felt would be a good fit for his family. “My son is in the second grade here. So when searching for schools I was also thinking through the eyes of a parent. ‘Would I want my son to go to that school?’ … Community to me is most important at any school. People here are just genuine authentic people. They’re down to earth, well rounded, and don’t come in here already thinking about who they are,” said Dempsey. Stepping into any leadership position is often a difficult transition on its own, but this year brings even more challenges. Dempsey was involved with the COVID-19 task force for DCDS long before his “official” start date of July 1. “We really had to reinvent school. For example, what we’re doing with the lower schoolers won’t work with the upper school. We have the flexibility and the budget to change our dayto-day activities to make it as safe as possible. To personalize the plan for each division to make the safest possible return to campus, we needed the trust from the families of DCDS. Finally, we needed the support and trust from the faculty and staff,” said Dempsey. Today, consistent in-person learning is almost unheard of in most schools around the nation; however, DCDS is different from the rest of the country. Dempsey has worked hard at supporting our school’s push for in-person learning. Thus far, this objective has created many positive outcomes. “We’re doing a lot of things that other schools aren’t, such as temperature checks, but mainly we are testing. We tested

all of our fall sports athletes before their seasons and all students Having a forward thinking mindset is imperative to before school started. I’m glad we did, because we found asymp- the growth of the world-class education that DCDS offers to its tomatic cases within our community. If we didn’t identify these students. Dempsey looks to the future to create an even better people, then we might’ve still been alright because of the masks version of DCDS. He talks about the foundation he wants to build and distancing. But to me, “maybe” doesn’t work. My goal is to and the emphasis on STEM classes and funding for clubs involvcontinue to put steps in place and continue to lead the school in ing STEM. Mr. Dempsey wants to set up DCDS students for suca way to focus on the health and safety of our community” said cess-not just to go off to college and be successful-but to be able Dempsey. to thrive 30 years down the road in life. COVID-19 is not the only thing on Dempsey’s mind regarding the renovation of DCDS as an academic institution. One of the fastest growing fields in the job market today is technology, and in broader terms, STEM. There is a technological revolution happening right at our fingertips and Dempsey wants every DCDS student to be prepared to tackle any and all challenges coming their way. “Technology is advancing so fast that we as a school need to be nimble and think about technology as a positive, powerful tool that we should use to enhance teaching and learning, rather than seeing it as a distraction. We need to embrace it by promoting STEM. If you look at the companies that are thriving most right now and are really driving our economy, they are all based on technology. If our goal is to prepare kids for this world, we need to advance along with it. We need to integrate technology into our classes and really understand not only how to use it, but also how it works,” said Dempsey. MR. DEMPSEY spends Christmas with his family.

College admission during COVID-19

Seniors work diligently to submit their applications during the pandemic By ANNIKA CHINNAIYAN and NICOLE PASTO News Section Editor and News Staff Writer College application deadlines are approaching soon for the Class of 2021. From taking the ACT or SAT to submitting common application essays, seniors are getting ready to take the next big step of their lives. This year is unlike any other, though; COVID-19 has struck the world and subsequently complicated the college admissions process. Schools around the world, including DCDS, have worked vigorously to aid students in the college admission process during these unusual times. College applications have not changed much from previous years for the most part. Students are applying to their universities of choice and are working on submitting applications. November 1st and 15th are the Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) deadlines; many students have chosen their Early Action/Early Decision schools and are finalizing their application. DCDS senior Mackenzie Martin has chosen the University of Pennsylvania as her Early Decision university. Martin, similar to

STUDENTS USE the new MAIA Learning program to fill out the Common App.

The Day Times | December 2020

other DCDS seniors, is also applying to other colleges but still has an EA or ED university of choice. “I am applying ED to Penn, then to U of M, Williams College, Georgetown, and Duke,” said Martin. An important part of the college planning process is touring prospective universities. COVID-19 has caused tours that usually occur on campus to be held online. These virtual tours have been a challenge to many students because the tours lack many aspects of what would be discussed on a normal tour. DCDS senior Rayyan Hassan took the opportunity as a lesson and enjoyed the virtual tours for the most part. “The virtual college tours were interesting. Although some of them were hard to follow, I could tell that the universities try their best to incorporate all the info they can,” said Hassan. These virtual tours made many students anxious because they did not know when they would see the university in-person. Some questioned if they would even see the university before they got accepted. These online tours do not give students the real experience and excitement that would come with touring the actual campus. Although the virtual tours consisted of pictures and videos of the campus, many students were unable to know if the university was a fit. Touring colleges allow students to evaluate the location, campus, and student life, which are important determining factors for choosing a college. At the beginning of COVID-19, senior Sydney Holter was anxious about the future of her college tours. “I did not think I would ever be able to visit the colleges I would eventually be applying to. I still do not think I will be able to visit them until after I am accepted, which makes me super nervous, because I feel like I don’t have the most accurate idea of what the school is like before applying there,” said Holter. Another aspect of college applications is standardized testing. The ACT and SAT are standardized tests that allow universities to view a student’s ‘college readiness’ and future academic success. The tests cover subjects including Math, English, Reading, and Science (ACT only). The material on the tests helps examine a student’s success in their overall middle and high school learning experience. The ACT is scored out of 36, while the SAT is scored out of 1600. The tests are very similar, but they vary in their timing and structure. Normally, colleges require students to submit their scores; with COVID-19, many universities are not requiring test scores. Many students have reacted positively to this adjustment, while others disagree. Senior Cole Clark is one of the students

who has chosen to submit his ACT score. “I took the ACT back in my sophomore year and even though most of the colleges that I am applying to do not require the submission of a standardized test, I will submit my score because I feel it will impress colleges,” said Clark. The ACT and SAT are still administered throughout the country, even with COVID-19, and students have shared their opinions of their past experiences. “I felt great about taking the ACT. I took it in Grosse Pointe near my old middle school and was comfortable while taking it. I paced myself very well so that I would be able to breathe and not be stressed throughout the test,” said Clark. The DCDS college counseling team has worked hard this year to help students navigate through their admissions process. Regarding the biggest modifications to the admissions process, the ACT and SAT changed the most. Mr. Greenwald, Director of College Counseling, has given advice to this year’s seniors regarding the ACT and SAT. “Students should read application instructions carefully for each school they apply to, and consult with their counselors to discuss their strategy moving forward,” said Mr. Greenwald. Another concern has been about college interviews. In normal circumstances, interviews are held with a certain representative of the university at their office, coffee shop, or the college campus. This year, the interviews will be conducted online. “For schools that still plan on interviewing, these will now be held via Zoom. It is important for students to prepare for these in advance and speak with their college counselor to go over last-minute details,” said Mr. Greenwald. The last immediate concern is about Advanced Placement (AP) testing. Last spring, the AP tests were administered online, which has never occurred before. Instead of the usual three hour test, students were given shorter versions that were free response and open note. Ms. Penkala, the Assistant Director of College Counseling, explains that last spring’s testing style will not happen again. “There will be no shortcut exams this year. If we go remote again and students cannot physically sit for exams at DCDS, then there will be an at-home exam option. However, the format will likely be what we have witnessed all of the years before 2020. If we test in-school, which we anticipate, then students will be assigned seats and spaced appropriately for each exam,” said Ms. Penkala. Overall, seniors have worked diligently over the course of their high school careers and are close to the finish line.

Vol. 96 | Issue 1

Photos courtesy of Richard Dempsey

By CLARA YUHN and ZAIN RODGER Editors-In-Chief


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Student entrepreneurship is helping other students Senior Michael Jonna works on creating his business, Ruru. By AREN SHAH and BEREN AKPINAR News Section Editors

ent because all my meetings were on Zoom. Usually, I am going around to different places meeting people in person but now that is unfortunately not the case,” said Jonna. Even though COVID-19 impacted Jonna, he was able to overcome the obstacles and adapt his business since the education of students around the world has been disrupted. “For us, COVID has luckily brought our business more opportunities. Education has shifted to the online format in many schools and learning online has become a normality. Also, our tutoring is all contactless, so we have no issues running it in the midst of the pandemic. My ultimate goal of Ruru is just to simply help students. Those who focus on downloads and money over what their business hopes to help the consumer with are the ones who eventu-

ally fail,” said Jonna. Even though the pandemic poses an obstacle for many people, Jonna sees the opportunities he has during the pandemic. Ruru’s goal is to acquire many tutors to help benefit students seeking help on school work. Its overall foundation is to ensure that students meet their educational needs with the guidance of tutors. As Ruru continues to grow, students can gain access to academic support, where both tutors and students benefit from the service’s quality.

Photo courtesy of RURU Tutoring

Every year, DCDS students participate in internships and enrichment activities in order to further their knowledge into a particular field outside the classroom. Despite the impacts of COVID-19, senior Michael Jonna worked diligently during the summer to build his business, Ruru. Ruru is an application that offers online tutoring via video calls. The online application allows students to reach tutors 24/7 on demand. After students sign up in the app, they can choose a subject and will be connected right away to a certified tutor. Behind the scenes, Jonna has put in a lot of hard work into making this application a success. “I worked on creating my business, Ruru. The experience was amazing. I believe the best way to learn the business is through experience and creating my own company was definitely something that will help me in future business aspirations. I chose to pursue this because entrepreneurship is a passion of mine. I liked the fulfillment of seeing something you have worked on come to life as a business. I learned that business is much harder than I thought it would be. Going into it, I knew owning a business took a lot of work; however, I did not truly understand how much work it took. So, a big thing I have learned overall is the importance of a good work ethic. COVID-19 affected my experience because I worked all from home. I have worked on Ruru for two years and this year was differ-

RURU CONNECTS students with tutors on demand from a mobile device.

How COVID-19 has changed the learning experience The new way of learning during the pandemic The 2020-2021 school year at DCDS has changed in significant ways to allow in-person and online virtual options for all students. Many measures have taken place around the school to keep students and faculty safe, such as required COVID-19 tests, less transition periods, and increased cleaning procedures between each class. In addition, all students and faculty are required to scan their temperature each morning. These measures are taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Some students have also chosen remote learning via Zoom to participate in real time with their classes. “The new measures at school this year have been good. Nothing has really changed with the amount of homework or the curriculum. Certain activities like labs were different this year, but otherwise everything else has not changed. I feel like the transitions during passing times have been great with the extra time. The boxed lunches have been good for what they are,” says junior Andrew Bossert. “My experience this year has been different. Coming into the year knowing we have COVID-19 and the precautions we have to take, my experiences have been good even though this year has been so different. There is not much we can do about it other than taking abundant precautions. I think the precautions are vital this year to limit the spread of the virus. I like being at school with my friends rather than being at home. Even though there are more restrictions, I am happy to be back in school,” says senior Hasan Alsharifi. Remote learners engage daily in each of their classes via Zoom. In each classroom, an iPad is carefully positioned for students to be able to view the teacher and the whiteboard. DCDS has adapted with remote students using new technology to better improve the remote learning experience. Remote learners can still participate in activities like assemblies, academic enrichment, and sports. Remote learners share their opinions regarding this new online environment. “Remote learning has been great for me. I am self-dependent on doing my work and I force myself to pay as much attention as possible because I am not in class. However, I do feel lonely because I am not with my friends and do not get a lot of people time. I have noticed that before class teachers love to ask us how we are doing. History, math, science, and Spanish class have given me loads of opportunities to interact as much as possible. Mr. Sidle has been really great with it because he engages in a conversation with me and I really appreciate it. The best thing is being so dependent and proving to myself I can do things without an entire system around me. I like how I have freetime and how I end class early. I am incredibly impressed with not only myself but the teachers for trying and doing such an amazing job with the online and in-person classes,” says junior remote learner Tulia Henderson. Although some students are remote, teachers try to engage both students at home and in- person. One benefit of the new learning environment is that whenever stu-

The Day Times | December 2020

dents are out of town or sick, they can log in to their Zoom class and participate wherever they may be. This can be especially advantageous to students who cannot attend school for any reason. In addition, many classes are recorded using Zoom, which can be beneficial for students wanting to rewatch lectures in preparing for assessments.

TEMPERATURE CHECKS are located throughout the four entrances of the Upper School campus.

The Upper School staff and faculty have been working diligently to safely bring back students this year. The faculty is also feeling the effects of these changes that have been made to our everyday lives. Some of the new procedures of in-person-learning are new, such as teachers cleaning their rooms after each class meets, and the interaction with the remote students through iPads. But there are also lots of experiences that our faculty have had this year that are unique. “One of the biggest challenges in adapting to our current situation is planning for contingencies that we know may never occur. Behind the scenes, there are hours and hours of planning meetings involving possible scenarios that we know may never play out. Another significant challenge is that we often think in terms of how we might do what we’ve formerly done, but in a new environment. Our goal has been to not only determine how we can have the same rigorous and relevant educational experience, but what opportunities might exist in looking at what we do and finding new and better ways to approach achieving the same outcomes while under some different conditions. Fi-

nally, running a concurrent remote learning platform was a real challenge to build, but it has gone very well. Overall, we have been really encouraged by how well our students and teachers have adapted to our “new normal”, and there have been things we’ve found that we will likely keep when we don’t have the same COVID related constraints we have now. Our community has pulled together, and I think we have done as well as we could in responding to these challenges,” said Mr. Bearden, Director of the Upper School. “In speaking of non-obvious ways this year’s experience is different is the lack of time teachers get to see each other and talk. We spend so much time at school that many of my colleagues are like my ‘work family.’ Lunch was such a great time for teachers to socialize and chat about life outside of school. Although all of the new rules and policies are in place for safety reasons, it has been very isolating. We miss our friends, too! Due to new rules and policies, I have had to rethink group activities or scratch them all together. Students will still get a chance to work together from six feet apart or on Zoom, but it is not the same. I love letting students sit together to work in pairs, so this has been especially tough,” said math teacher Mrs. Sova. “I know teachers are happy to be back and seeing students in the hall. At the same time, everyone feels stressed about COVID itself. It is a challenge to think about how to accommodate and genuinely include remote learners- especially as anyone could be sent remote at any time. These new rules and policies definitely affect my ability to teach. I have always had a pretty mobile classroom. The need to have seating charts and spacing is limiting. I have had to remove or dramatically change activities in class. Teachers, like students, enjoy the social time in school and we miss it, too. Overall, I think DCDS is doing as well as any school could and I am appreciative of our efforts. I am so impressed by my colleagues,” said history teacher Mrs. Mahabir. DCDS students have been fortunate to have in-person and online learning experiences that will allow them to keep pace with material without missing valuable class time. Although the in-person school experience has changed, students and faculty are glad to be back in school and return to a state of normalcy.

CHAIRS ARE spaced apart six feet apart in all the Upper School classrooms to enforce the six-feet social distancing protocols.

Vol. 96 | Issue 1

Photos courtesy of Kunwoo Kim

By AREN SHAH and CONNOR KALKANIS News Section Editors


6 Entertainment

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| The Day Times

Savage Mode II: good or bad? By ARNAV SHAH and RYAN IGNATOWSKI Senior Editor and ENTERTAINMENT Staff Writer

On October 2nd, 2020, Atlanta rapper, 21 Savage, and St. Louis producer, Metro Boomin, released a hip-hop album titled Savage Mode II. The recent album has been surrounded by hype since it was announced in September as it pays homage to the artists’ last collaboration in 2016: Savage Mode. This album makes a stellar sequel, paying homage to the Halloween-themed, macabre tones of the original through its horror movie-like promotional video narrated by famous actor Morgan Freeman. The album’s 15 songs quickly rose to the top of the Billboard Chart, hitting the number one within a week of being released. According to the New York Times, by the time the album hit the top spot, it had already reached 171 thousand sales: including 200 million streams and 22 thousand sold copies. Savage Mode II marks the second number one debut for both artists. On account of its apparent success, we asked a few of our own Detroit Country Day students about their favorite parts of the album: Neil Desai (‘21): Senior Neil Desai, as an avid fan of Metro Boomin, said that he had been looking forward to this album since its announcement and held high expectations. He mentioned that his expectations were met for the most part, his favorite songs being “Said N Done” and ‘Runnin.” When asked why he liked these songs so much, he claimed that he ‘liked the beat and the meaning behind the lyrics,” emphasizing that they “made [him] feel like a genius.” Although he was satisfied with the quality of the album, he felt that the 2016 original was “much better, the album production was lackluster in comparison to some of Metro’s other works.” Nevertheless, he felt that the “background music and the beats” were very “grim” resembling Savage Mode I. Arnav Modi (‘23): Sophomore Arnav Modi, a long time rap fan, had high hopes for the album. Upon listening, he concluded that it was a solid album with a good beat, however, it was not one of 21 Savage’s best projects. He stated that he enjoyed “Mr Right Now” and “Glock In My Lap,” both reaching the top 100 of the Billboard charts. When questioned why he enjoys these songs, Arnav said he “liked them because the beats were catchy and bass heavy.” Elliott Shaw (‘23): Sophomore Elliott Shaw said, “the album was bad.” He mentioned that the beats were all “heat,” but all the songs sounded the same. Although he gave a poor review of the album, he said he did enjoy “Brand New Draco.” When asked how he thought the album lived up to its predecessor, Elliott said it was “much worse than Savage Mode 1. In Savage Mode 1, he had a point to prove, but now he is already successful, so there isn’t any effort into the album.” He closes his thoughts with, “it’s just trash.”

Information courtesy of npr.org and complex.com. Photo taken from genius.com.

The Emmys

A silver lining ceremony By KATHRYN SCHIRA Senior Editor at Large

Information courtesy of Kathryn Schira. Photo taken from abc7news.com.

On Sunday, September 20, the 72nd annual Emmy Award ceremony aired at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. The award show is a famed favorite for all T.V. actors, producers, and directors. However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the show went on with a few twists. Jimmy Kimmel opened the ceremony calling it the “pand-emmys,” and the screen cut to the crowd cheering and laughing. Little did viewers know that the people in the crowd were merely clips from past award shows. Kimmel revealed that the auditorium was, in fact, empty. The audience was actually only three rows of cardboard cutouts, and the real nominees were streamed in from their homes and displayed on a big-screen. Despite not having an in-person audience, Kimmel remained entertaining and delivered his opening speech as normal. In response to seeing nominees at their houses instead of on the red carpet, “It is entertaining in a different way because you see them in their homes. It brings them back into reality and out of the pedestal and limelight we put them in,” Senior Pratha Rattan said.

Along with the atypical 2020 Emmys, “Schitt’s Creek” made history within the comedy section. It is the first show to win all five of the major comedy categories. Eugene Levy won Outstanding Actor, Catherine O’Hara won Outstanding Lead Actress, Dan Levy won Outstanding Supporting Actor, Annie Murphy won Outstanding Supporting Actress, and the show itself won Outstanding Comedy Series overall. The feat was well deserved considering the shows it was up against: “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Dead to Me,” “The Good Place,” “Insecure,” “The Kominsky Method,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “What We Do in the Shadows.” When asked about “Schitt’s Creek” success, Senior Gogo Chadalavada said, “I was sad to see Schitt’s Creek win over The Good Place. I love The Good Place because it is heartfelt and funny. I do not need to fully pay attention, and it is nice to put on when I am doing other work.” No matter which show won the award, every nominee deserved a chance to be recognized. Each series brings their own comedic twists to keep people laughing through the pandemic.

Issue 1 | Vol. 96

History was also made in the drama category when “Euphoria” star Zendaya became the youngest actress at 24 to win Outstanding Actor. Zendaya is also only the second African American actor to win in this category; the first being Viola Davis in 2015 for “How to Get Away with Murder.” Zendaya’s work in “Euphoria” launched the show to become one of HBO Max’s most popular dramas. The television series is known for its storylines not typically represented in teen dramas. However, the diverse cast and controversial topics are what made and keep the show popular. When asked about her opinion on diversity in the media, “As a person who is not white, it is nice to see a person who looks like me on a screen. So often, people of color, especially women, but also men, are not represented enough. We think ‘that is what beauty is supposed to be’, and it makes us think that we are not as pretty, or as worthy, but we are. We are beautiful in different ways,” Chadalavada said. Diversity in Hollywood has been an ongoing issue. Whether it is with creating more multicultural stories or casting diverse actors, the film industry needs to continue building on their start towards a more holistic representation of their viewers. Through the Emmys recognizing and rewarding more diversity, the culture of Hollywood can change for the better.

The opportunity to see one’s favorite Hollywood star win an award for their work is the relaxation people need during these hectic times. When asked why award shows are entertaining, “My mom and I have a tradition to watch the red carpets and rate the dresses. We have been doing that for years. It is also cool to see actors get recognition for the movies you love,” Rattan said. Despite the show not proceeding as usual, the Emmys remained as an exciting and much needed break for many people.

December 2020 | The Day Times


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Entertainment 7

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The fall of cable television

How online streaming services have taken over our entertainment

By VIVEK SANTHAPUR and KAITLYN HOPKINS ENTERTAINMENT Staff Writers Cable TV has been around for decades now. Nearly every person in America has an experience of turning on their TV to watch sports, cartoons, shows, or pretty much anything! Unfortunately, what was once revolutionary technology has been succeeded by online streaming services. This happened because online streaming services meet consumer desires better and more cost-efficient than cable TV. With the rise of online streaming services, more people have stopped using cable, but is that the case for students at Detroit Country Day? To answer this question, we conducted a survey and asked people what their favorite streaming services are. “I used to like watching Cable, but now I watch Netflix because it is more convenient,” said Junior Thamim Hussein. As the results show, Netflix is in the lead with 95.2% of participants choosing it as their favorite streaming service. Cable TV came in 4th place, with 38.8% of the students choosing it over the streaming services listed. Over the years, the use of Cable TV has become more and more lacking, being replaced by paid streaming services. The preference towards streaming has to do with how much more efficient it is than cable. Cable TV lacks many of the benefits that the customer can get through streaming services. With streaming, the buyer can add captions, stream on their portable devices, download

their favorite shows or movies, and rewatch them whenever they please. It makes it much easier to travel with entertainment, and get the very best experience possible. Cable comes with many restrictions: the customer is limited to live entertainment, and in some cases is only available during certain hours of the day, so the buyer may not have access to a movie or a show and may

even miss it because the scheduled air time might interfere with other plans. Streaming services allow the customer to be entertained anytime and anywhere, which is why streaming services prove to be favored amongst people. “When you use Netflix you can watch whatever show you want whenever you want. Plus there

are no commercials,” said Sophmore Molly Prokop. Another reason why people prefer online streaming services more is online streaming services are often more cost-efficient than Cable TV. One example of this is through devices. To watch Cable TV, you’ll of course need a television. A television can cost upwards of hundreds to even thousands of dollars depending on quality. This isn’t very cost-efficient to many consumers as buying an extra expensive device just to watch television isn’t a decision many consumers want to make. On the other hand, with online streaming services, you can stream on nearly any device. Many people have a laptop or phone which can be used to stream so being able to stream without buying a separate device would be very beneficial to consumers. Along with that, many cable providers offer subscription services which are quite expensive. Looking at one of the most popular Cable providers, Spectrum charges $44.99 per month for 125 channels which would be $539.88 per year. In contrast, Netflix, one of the most popular online streaming services, charges anywhere from $8.99- $15.99 per month. Going off the highest prices, that would be $191.88 per year. If a consumer decides to go for Netflix, he or she is saving $348 per year! With the benefits of online streaming combined with the lower costs, picking online streaming services is the smartest and most cost-effective choice.

Photos courtesy of Vivek Santhapur and Kaitlyn Hopkins. Information courtesy of Detroit Country Day Students, cabletv.com, and reviews.org.

A silver lining screening

A look into how the Silver Point Film is handling this pandemic By VISHAL SHARMA Senior Editor Lights, Camera, Action. We hear these words and immediately visualize actors and actresses displaying their talent in front of the camera. Behind the scenes, the crew works hard to perfect all other aspects of the film, including lights, sound, costumes, and more. As one could imagine, the environment in which a film is made is rather different this year. The DCDS School of Film students working on the Silver Point Film project this year face unique challenges, from masking to full on quarantine protocalls. To get some insight, we sat down with Alyssa Underwood, co-director of the series of short films being produced this year. “As seniors, we have a responsibility in setting a good example to the younger students. Gigi, Jack, and I work very hard in being good role models and we guide them. It is harder to do shoots with masks and social distance guidelines, but we do manage to make each and every film really productive and fun. We get to add our creativity to everything we do, and the pandemic hasn’t stopped us from this. As a team, we don’t take the time we have together for granted, so we are grateful for everyone always being so cooperative and focused,” said Underwood. As the interview was wrapping up, Alyssa gave us a sneak peek of the films being produced this year. “The movie is a compilation of short films, all no longer than ten minutes. They’re all based around how Covid-19 and the pandemic have affected our lives. It resonates greatly with all of us, and we are striving to create the best content we can, something that both the creators and the audience can be very proud of,” said Underwood. When we think of films, we often think of the stars in the spotlight. However, the producer plays such a powerful role, from coordinating financing, writing, and so much more. We sat down with producer and film production teacher Mr. Brett Salamin to understand what it truly means to be a producer, and how the role has changed in the course of being in a pandemic. “Doing the films the way in which we’re doing them is very different from usual. We invest a lot of energy per usual, but we have made sure that all seven films we plan to present will be low-maintenance enough that if need be, we can do it from home. Our incredibly talented cast and crew have made it such that our product is very quality. I am thankful for being blessed with wonderful students who are so cooperative and able to adapt in times like these,” said Mr. Salamin. The hard work of the entire cast and crew will surely lead to a spectacular film, which will be screened live in January in the PAC. Photos courtesy of wallpaperflare.com

The Day Times | December 2020

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


8 Features

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Senior spotlight: Saborn Campbell Campbell excels in baseball, academics, and leadership By MARIYA KHAN Features Section Editor

CAMPBELL POSES in the hallway

Photos courtesy of Saborn Campbell

With each coming year, Seniors represent the school motto mens sana en corpore sano, otherwise known as a student with a sound mind and a sound body. They show the rest of the school how to be a model student and manage their time effectively. These standards, along with college applications and difficult courses can result in a hard to live up to ideal. However, Saborn Campbell manages to live up to these standards and more. Saborn plays baseball and is a captain on the team. The pressure of leading a team along with being a great player is difficult for most, but Saborn excels in this. He is able to balance being a dedicated teammate along with pushing the rest of the team to be as cohesive and motivated as they can be. “I have learned how to lead a team and motivate my teammates to work hard.” said Campbell. Baseball is not only an athletic outlet for Saborn, but it is a way to travel and play with people from all over the world. This allows him to connect with different people and understand different baseball players. In the team itself Saborn has created a close group that he will miss as he transitions to college. Some of his best memories from High School were with his teammates working towards the common goal of being the best team they can be. However, he is excited for fuCAMPBELL UP to bat at a baseball game ture opportunities and is looking forward to playing baseball at Stanford University. His goal is to one day play in the MLB and playing in college is an exciting step towards that. Along with excelling in athletics, in school he has the leadership position of Class Board Reporting Secretary. Despite his baseball time constraints he has managed to find time to hold this position for the past 4 years. This has allowed for him to be Saborn’s Favorites: an even stronger leader and work with his peer to make the best Food: Sweet Potato Pie and Steak decisions and plans for the school. “I would recommend trying for a leadership position, Book: Relentless because you learn a lot and it opens a lot of opportunities,” said Movie: Fast and Furious Campbell. TV Show: Gossip Girl Through his many responsibilities in and out of DCDS he has learned to stay focused on his goals despite whatever may Artist: Alicia Keys be going on. He says that playing baseball and being a part of the Varsity team has provided some of the best times he has at DCDS. He does not regret anything about his Country Day experience and he hopes to be remembered as a great student-athlete. His advice to underclassmen: “Work hard and set out to get whatever you desire.”

YOUNG SABORN shows off his game

Tips to guide you through your college applications New groups allow students to feel at home during school

By EVA NIEDERHOFER Senior Correspondent As a senior, I am currently living what every Country Day junior and underclassman is dreading: college applications. Although I am no proven expert on this topic, I believe that my experience has taught me a lot that I wish I knew earlier in my process. I hope my advice will help guide prospective applicants.

Photos courtesy of dcds.edu

1) Research colleges that appeal to your interests. As the college counseling office’s mantra states, “College is not a prize to be won, but a match to be made.” I urge all of you to take these words to heart when conducting your research on schools. Expand your horizons to find a place that nurtures your distinct passions. Your standard is the only one you should aim to meet when choosing which colleges you will apply to; you’re

COLLEGE COUNSELING holding a seminar

The Day Times | December 2020

the one who’s going to be living and studying there for the next four years. 2) Get personal in your common application essay. Writing the notorious common application essay is probably the most difficult task you’ll face during this process. When brainstorming ideas for your common app essay, there are no bad ideas. Jot down anything that makes you unique. What’s your obsession, and how does that tie to your identity? What’s your favorite story, and what did you take away from it? Write about a topic that intrigues you. Your passion will come through in your writing and create an engaging read for college admissions. Once you have your idea, it’s time to start writing. When drafting both your common application and possible supplemental essays, I suggest these steps: - Draft until you get stuck/feel finished. - Have a friend or sibling peer-review what you have and answer any questions. - Consider friend or sibling’s comments and draft until you get stuck/feel finished. - Have a teacher peer-review what you have and answer any questions. - Trust your gut from here: any piece of writing can be endlessly reworked. If you are proud of your essay, stick with it. 3) Get specific in your “Why [university or college]” supplemental essays. Don’t just stop at “I know that the University of Michigan has a prestigious business school, and I want to be a businessperson, which is why U of M is perfect for me.” Specify the curriculum you’re attracted to and explain why. For instance, “The Ross School of Business’s Advanced Business French course particular-

THE COLLEGE Counselors at DCDS pose at graduation ly appeals to me, as it combines my interest in mastering foreign languages with my goal of working in international trade.” This last example segways into my next suggestion: name-drop. Write the official titles of the schools, courses, professors, internship programs, clubs, etc. that you are writing about. This small detail proves to admissions that you’ve really done your research. It is also super important to participate in any get-toknow-our-university activities: go on tours, attend information sessions, follow the university’s social media accounts, sign up for an alumni interview, enroll in pre-college summer programs, etc. You can then touch on the extra steps you’ve taken to get to know the university in your essay, which demonstrates your interest and can set you apart from other applicants.

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


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What is online school like for remote students?

DCDS students share what school is like at home By SAFIA SIDDIQUI AND SAMEEKSHA SAMPATH Features Section Editor and Staff Writer

of how easy it is to multitask,” Karthikeyan said. Zhang, on the other hand, finds online learning exhausting. “My eyes and body get really tired at the end of the day due to sitting in the same position showing my face in front of my computer. During zoom, email notifications pop up, and I sometimes get distracted and start to read emails”, Zhang said. Although remote learning has come with its challenges, students enjoy being able to sleep in as well as saving time by not having to worry about transportation or other preparations for school. “I’ve never gotten more sleep while going to school before since I’m able to wake up right before school starts. Also, the lack of commuting time to and from school allows me to dedicate a lot more of my time to homework and other activities,” Zheng said.

DCDS STUDENTS do their best Brady Bunch impression on Zoom Zhang also enjoys the extra sleep remote learners are able to get. “I definitely enjoy the advantage of having more time to sleep, and not needing to pack my backpack for next day’s class nor forgetting to bring homework to classes,” Zhang said. Nicholas Frieler, a current sophomore, also agrees. “I

enjoy getting to sleep more by doing school remotely,” Frieler said. Despite the inherent challenges of remote learning, students believe that DCDS has organized an effective online learning platform, but they agree that it is not as effective as in person learning. “Detroit Country Day has done a great job putting together a remote learning platform. As this school year has progressed, the teachers have done an outstanding job of accommodating to the difficult circumstances and including the remote learners more in the flow of the class. Although remote learning cannot beat in-person learning in terms of efficiency, Country Day has done a great job making the remote learning process as efficient as can be,” Karthikeyan said. Frieler expresses a similar viewpoint, however the effectiveness of in person learning in comparison to online learning, has not affected him. “I think DCD has done a fairly good job setting up a remote learning platform. Most of the problems with the system have been fixed or at least lessened within the first month of school. Remote learning is not as effective as in-person learning, but I am usually able to learn well enough on my own so this hasn’t been much of an issue for me,” Frieler said. Detroit Country Day’s remote learning program has come with challenges; however, students, faculty, and the administration have worked together to improve and refine the program as the school year continues. Despite the restrictions placed on sports and activities for remote learners, Detroit Country Day has still provided them with opportunities to participate in most of the clubs the school has to offer. As a whole, the remote learning program has transformed Detroit Country Day for the better and will continue to provide students with a new system of helping students achieve the high standards of Detroit Country Day School.

Photo courtesy of Safia Siddiqui

This fall, the new school year at DCDS marks the beginning of the most unique year in DCDS history. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the school has had to make modifications to several components of daily life at school. These modifications span from scheduling changes to new mask requirements to changes in classroom seating as well as changes in lunch. However, perhaps the most unusual aspect of this year is that not all students are learning together at school. To accommodate every family’s comfortability and personal preferences with the ongoing pandemic, DCDS has provided students with an option of learning remotely in addition to an in person learning option. While in-person learning has been very different for students, online learning has also required adjustments on behalf of both students and faculty. As remote learners, one of the biggest challenges students face is the difficulty of being involved in classes. “It’s harder to be involved in the class, especially during the chemistry labs. Lack of involvement in class in some cases leads to a lack of understanding of the material, which has been the case for some of my classes,” said junior Arvind Karthikeyan. Han Zhang, a current sophomore, expresses a similar viewpoint.“I dislike how it is harder to participate in class discussions when being online,” said Zhang. Additionally, a day of learning on Zoom can often make it harder for students to focus due to having more distractions at home as well as the amount of time sitting in front of a screen. “It is very easy to get distracted because I can use my phone freely without question. It’s also very tempting to multitask; I can open another tab and work on other homework while my teacher is teaching a lesson using the split-screen feature. Sometimes, I miss out on important lesson information because

The quarantine shopping bug

Students describe how the internet played a role in their quarantine

By EMIR MCGREEVY AND CHIARA SESSA Features Staff Writers

In March, when Governor Gretchen Whitmer put the state on mandatory lockdown, the big topic of conversation was how people would be getting groceries and other essentials for everyday life. One solution to this problem was Instacart. Instacart is a company that has personal shoppers pick up and deliver groceries to the customer’s doorstep. This company became very popular during lockdown when people were unable to leave their houses or did not feel comfortable going out during the pandemic. Some students at Detroit Country Day Upper School have strong opinions on services similar to Instacart and how they used online shopping during the pandemic.

Photos courtesy of Google Images

“During quarantine, my family’s preferred shopping method is going to the store in person and picking up the groceries with a mask,” freshman Natalie Pataq said. “Honestly, I don’t trust Grubhub or Doordash because I’ve heard of celebrities getting COVID from ordering food online, so I feel that online food services are a risky option during quarantine and are a way to contract the ‘rona,” junior Katarina Amman said. “During quarantine, I bought everything that I needed off of Amazon. Even now I still usually buy things online just because it’s easier and less time-consuming,” senior Alex Bono said. “To be honest, I actually preferred online shopping before COVID. I always found myself too lazy to actually go to the mall or some store to buy new things. Besides groceries, I liked online shopping. My favorite place to get clothes would either be Pacsun or Urban Outfitters. For everyday essentials, I would usually get stuff from Amazon,” junior Sunny Challa said.

The Day Times | December 2020

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


10 Sports

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(cont. from pg 1) Silver spoons, and superbowls

Photos courtesy of Google Images

Take a look at the wisdom DCDS grad Bennie Fowler has to offer

“Winning the superbowl was an awesome, unique experience. I loved every minute of it. It’s whatever you imagine in your mind times 100,000, that’s how incredible it is. Especially when you win it. Having your family there and it being the last of the year makes it even more special,” said Fowler. Through the highs of his career, Superbowl and Rose Bowl wins, and the lows, getting waived and injured, Fowler has kept the same mindset. His relentless work ethic is obvious to his teammates and he is always one of the most motivated players in the locker room. “My family and friends are my overall purpose and are the motivating factor. Understanding that tough times don’t last, but tough people do has been crucial to my success. Knowing the end goal is always important in your life. Adversity is going to hit hard; it’s not about falling down 7 times, it’s about getting up 8,” said Fowler. Although we are all very privileged to be in the environment that we are at our school, we all have faced some adversity and undoubtedly will in the future. Finding motivation and a purpose like Fowler will be crucial to any DCDS student’s future success. Further details about Fowler’s journey and what Country Day students can learn from it are found in his book “Silver Spoon: The Imperfect Guide to Success.” “Country Day students can relate to my book. When you go to Country Day, people think that everything is given to you, but at the end of the day you have to still work hard. There are a lot of distractions at Country Day and in the suburbs. But when it comes down to it you’re going to have to work hard, you’re going to have to handle adversity, you’re going to have to handle success. In your life you have to try and win each day and live in the moment. “There’s a lot of things Country Day people can get out of the book just because I went to that school and I’ve learned so much since,” said Fowler. Even if you don’t plan on becoming an NFL player, Fowler’s advice can apply to all careers and a variety of situations. There are many lessons to be learned from someone who has already succeeded and met their goals. I highly recommend buying “Silver Spoon: The Imperfect Guide to Success” if you want to learn more about his journey, get motivation for success, and learn about yourself along the way.

BENNIE FOWLER avoids the Chicago Bears defender

“Knowing the end goal is always important in your life. Adversity is going to hit hard; it’s not about falling down 7 times, it’s about getting up 8.” - Bennie Fowler

Conditioning tips and from the Soccer squad How athletes stay in shape and prepare to dominate in their sports

Photos Courtesy of Men’s Football Team & Men’s Soccer Team

By TANMAI NIMMAGADDA Sports Staff Writer COVID-19 has been a significant problem this year as contact sports overwhelm non-contact sports. Since the virus is transmitted via contact or while in close proximity, the sports which have players close to each other are affected the most. Sports teams in the upper school such as Football, Soccer, and Volleyball have had to deal with the disadvantages of virus protection and prevention. Conditioning before and during the season, a vital part of improving as a team and as individuals, has been affected to an extent as sports are still going on. The Soccer team has adapted to this change in a multitude of ways since the players themselves are not as in contact with each other than in sports like football; however, all fall sports for the MHSAA have been delayed in their first few games. “We had socially distanced skill-based training sessions instead of scrimmaging during captains’ practices. The running sessions were socially distanced. The weight training sessions were held over zoom. This made it a more rigid and probably less fun atmosphere for the players. The players, however, coming out of lockdown attended sessions throughout the summer with the implied promise of playing soccer together for DCDS in the fall. We began our season officially on 8/12/20,” said Coach Steven Bossert. The men’s varsity soccer team had a very unusal preseason conditioning as expected with COVID-19. However, these restrictions did not stop them from performing well in the season thus far. The soccer team went on to a game record

The Day Times | December 2020

of 8-3 on the season. “Our conditioning during the season added an extra thrust to our performance in the playoff especially,” said Junior Aaron Li. “Players are remaining hopeful and positive despite many of the setbacks they currently are experiencing. Captains Josh Gust, Tyler Foulk, Justin Guo, and Ryan Tang are strong players and quality leaders that the younger players can look up to and rely upon” said Coach Bossert.

I think it is safe to say that sports teams are coping with the several obstacles that they have to overcome and performing at their best before and during the season. The soccer team proved that dedication and committemnt can overcome any obstacle. This season, and maybe the next season (depending on the COVID status next year), will be a learning experience and a true season to remember.

SOCCER TEAM Members Pose for a Photo

FOOTBALL TEAM members at Camp Happy

Vol. 96 | Issue 1


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The new normal for high school athletes

Sports 11

How are DCDS athletes dealing with wearing a face covering? By CONNOR ADAMS Sports Section Editor

As many have previously stated, this year is unprecedented for the sports world. COVID-19 has halted and even cancelled numerous sport seasons. To ensure everyone can enjoy their sport, Governor Whitmer and the MHSAA have set forth new regulations that encourage social distancing and prevent the spread of the virus. However, the regulations regarding mask-wearing and social distance vary by the sport. In Football, a sport deemed high risk by the MHSAA, participants are required to exercise social distancing guidelines and wear protective face coverings to limit the spread of COVID-19. Brandon Mann, a Junior quarterback on the varsity men’s Football team spoke about his experience with this new protocol. “[Wearing masks] is a difficult adjustment to make and pretty inconvenient”. Despite these difficulties with masks, Mann stated “It’s worth [wearing masks] to be able to play every week”. For Soccer, a medium risk sport, players must wear protective face coverings at all times. Joshua Gust, an All-State Senior captain, provided his opinion on the mask-wearing situation. “Obviously nobody likes wearing masks since your breathing is restricted and it often distracts you from completely

focusing on the game. But if we have to wear masks in order to protect each other and to compete for anoter state championship, I have no problem wearing masks,” said Gust. The MHSAA also requires Field hockey players to don masks when they play. Tayma Tayeb, a Junior on the Varsity field hockey team, described the team’s experience with masks. “It’s definitely more difficult during long games but overall I think that the team is willing to work through this to keep playing safely” said Tayeb. Tayeb also expanded on the uncomfortable nature of masks. “During the game, my mask often obscures my vision and just gets in my way as I try to move on the field. It really is kind of frustrating to wear” said Tayeb. Like Football, Soccer, and Field hockey, Volleyball, the only indoor sport for the fall season, requires all participants to wear masks. Serena Nyambio, an All-State Junior, described her experience with wearing a mask as she played. “At times, I feel suffocated like I’m gasping for fresh air and I can’t get it. But the weirdest part is not being able to high-

THE VARSITY Tennis team poses for a team photo in masks

Freshmen playing on the varsity team A profile of freshman athletes competing at the varsity level

Photo courtesy of Chengyun Guo

By ZACHARY ROGER Sports Staff Writer

It has always been a difficult task to play a varsity sport. However, it’s especially tough for freshmen. There are three key pieces to freshmen playing varsity sports that make it challenging: playing with bigger and older teammates, the pressure that comes with it, and the difficulty of trying your best to stand out in tryouts. The first challenge that freshmen Andrew Brentano and Macy Riutta spoke about was playing with and against the larger upperclassmen competition. Andrew Brentano, a varsity soccer player, has been playing against older players ever since he started playing soccer in Connecticut. “I like playing against people older and bigger than me. I like feeling like the underdog. It gives me motivation,” said Brentano. As a right-back for the varsity Soccer team, Brentano consistenly faces strong, racy wingers who try to use their body to gain an advantage. While some FRESHMAN ANDREW Brentano in action on the varsity soccer pitch. people may be intimidated by playing against older competition, son. “Of course there is pressure to play well in front of upAndrew embraces it and uses it as fuel to perform better. Head Varsity soccer coach, Mr. Steven Bossert, also had some insight perclassmen, but all of my teammates are super nice and welcoming. They taught me so far that mistakes aren’t what you should into how the freshman performed against upperclassmen. “We had 2 freshman players [the Brentano twins] that worry about. It’s the recovery,” said freshman Riutta. It is obvious that there is pressure as a freshman. Howcould physically compete with older and stronger players and they did see consistent minutes at the varsity level,” said Bossert. ever, Riutta’s teammates have helped relieve the stress and taught As for the element of pressure, freshman varsity field Macy how to not let the pressure get to her. Having stress can imhockey player Macy Riutta shared her experience so far this sea- pact the outcome of any game scenario as it mentally affects the player. Being a Freshman, players such as Riutta have an expecta-

The Day Times | December 2020

tion and a set of standards that are put on them by both teammates and themselves, so anything that compromises those expectations is a real challenge to the athlete. Another challenge of being a freshman playing a varsity sport is standing out from older players and earning a spot on the team at tryouts. Freshmen putting in the extra work over the summer ahead of tryouts is crucial since it helps to solidify their commitment to the team, to build their body to play against older competition, and to introduce them to their new potential teammates. Statistically, the older an athlete is, the more experienced and adept they are at their sport. If freshmen athletes want to stand out in a crowd with older athletes and potentially gain a spot on the Varsity team, then they would have to prioritize improvement, consistency, and overall mindset. “I’m sure that everyone worked super hard to make the best team they could. I think that what got me ahead was the work that I did during the summertime,” said Riutta. Playing on a varsity team of any kind is no easy feat. Some people are fortunate enough to begin on varsity, but others have to climb the ladder from JV. Either way, any varsity team comes with its challenges and commitments. However, the right mindset, supportive teammates, and proper preparation during the offseason can be the difference between earning a highly regarded varsity spot and playing on JV.

Vol. 96 | Issue 1

Photos courtesy of DCDS Athletic Dept.

THE VARSITY Volleyball team after practice

THE VARSITY Field hockey team prepares for an oppositon attack

five or hug your teammates. We all go in to cheer for a point and then we realize we have to elbow each other” said Nyambio. Yet despite her dislike of the masks and lack of contact with her teammates, Nyambio views the positive side of wearing masks. “Regardless of the mask wearing situation, it’s honestly a blessing just to be playing under these different circumstances. The sport is different this year, but the fun we have is the same!” said Nyambio. Unlike its fall sports counterparts, cross country runners are not required to wear masks. Randy Bhattu, a junior on the cross country team, elaborated on the significance of masks during cross country meets. “Our team was required to run the first meet with masks, which was definitely tough for them. But after Governor Whitmer passed the order, the rules have been way more lenient for race days” said Bhattu. Although these masks may be uncomfortable and may restrict the usual camaraderie with teammates, DCDS athletes look on the bright side of their situation; they recognize the essential role of masks in maintaining their safety and the continuation of their sports season.


THE FACES BEHIND THE MASKS Thanks to all who shared their photos!

October 2018 || December Issue 2 | Vol. The Day Times 202094

| Vol. The 96 Day | Issue Times 1


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