Day Times October 2021

The Day

Times

| Detroit Country Day School |

22305 West Thirteen Mile, Beverly Hills, MI 48025

A Breath of Fresh Air at DCDS

Homecoming and Field Day traditions return for the community The week of October 11th was historic on the relay. for DCDS. For the first time since 2019, the an“Since it was my senior year, it was really nual Field Day and Homecoming celebrations special and exhilarating to win the first event of were held with overwhelming enthusiasm from all field day. It was even more special because it was grades. These events were a breath of fresh air for the last 4x1 relay that I will get to run”, said Wilour school community and managed to provide liams. a return to normal for all students, especially our Interrupting the seniors’ path to victosenior class. ry were the sophomores during one of the most To lead up to field day, the student highly contentious events on field day, the dance council hosted many competitions throughout contest. Neel Namburar and Kamryn Wallace the week to engage the student body and bring ex- snatched the win in a field of intense competition citement to field day on Friday. Spirit week started with their simple, but extremely effective number. with a game of Powderpuff football, with the se“I actually have no experience in dancnior girls winning a nail-biting battle against the ing, but it worked out because Kamryn did realsophomores. The event was won with a last-min- ly well and I was happy to help,” said sophomore ute score executed by quarterback Ainsley Shilling Namburar. and receiver Zari Dixson.

On Thursday, during the Men’s volleyball game, the underclassmen proved they were not going to go down without a fight. In a shocking upset in the first round, the freshman beat the seniors in swift fashion with an 11-7 victory.

“Beating the seniors was a crazy feeling, especially with absolutely nobody expecting us to win. The atmosphere, with everyone going insane after every point, was incredible,” said freshman Lucas Kello.

Towards the end of Spirit week, the seniors’ spirit week score was low, sitting in second to last place. The sophomores claimed first place after sweeping the “dress-up days”, grabbing wins on Pajama Day, Pink-out Wednesday, and Winter Accessory Thursday.

The 2022 class board then orga- CLASS OF 2022 celebrates field day victory nized a “Senior Sunrise” tailgate in the parking lot Getting the seniors back on track was at 7am friday morning.. The event was a massive Ella Thompson, winner of the event termed the success all-around, and brought together a class “balloon stomp”. In the event, participants had a that needed a knockout showing on field day to balloon tied to their foot with string, and attemptclaim victory. Deaglan McGreevy, a senior class ed to pop the other contestant’s balloon, with the board representative, commented on the success goal to be the last one standing. of the event.

“During the Balloon Stomp I had the “It felt so nice to have a normal senior strategy to play defense until the final two. Once event, and it was definitely a good bonding event it got down to me and one other person I played for our whole grade. People were even practicing more offense and was able to win, which put us for their events, playing spikeball, and we [senior ahead. I was happy to contribute points to our Class Board] were organizing last-minute substi- grade,” said senior Thompson. tutions. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so close to my With the seniors only having a slight whole grade”, said senior McGreevy. lead over the sophomores, the quintessential field Fueled by the success of senior sunrise, day event, tug-of-war, mattered more than ever. the seniors started out strong, winning the first The seniors were ready to rush the field, having event of field day, the 4x100 relay. Vivian Wil- confidence in their extremely athletic tug-of-war liams, a member of the victorious team, reflected team. The seniors easily defeated the freshman,

with the juniors following suit in their win over the sophomores. In their final match-up against the juniors, the seniors’ overwhelming strength overpowered the fighting juniors, and after a hardfought day of the “Clash of the Classes”, the seniors rushed the field and claimed their trophy in a moment of unparalleled celebration.

While the seniors were able to grab the win on field day, the following day’s homecoming dance was able to make everyone feel like a winner in their own right. The dance was held from 7-10, outside on Centennial Field. The dance included a CoolJacks’ dessert and ice cream truck, as well as a host of other activities including cornhole and a photo booth!

“Besides following COVID protocols, the time restraints made it more difficult. We had tasks to finalize and work on every single day since we started the planning process, and it’s been difficult to get everything done on time. Since it’s the first major event we’ve had in two years, we’ve definitely felt the pressure at times.

But, I’m grateful to have such amazing people to work with on Class Board, and they’ve definitely made the process a lot less stressful. We worked really hard to make sure that it’s still just as much fun as it was before, and I’m really excited for everyone that saw how it turned out!” said junior Balusu.

The homecoming dance floor was buzzing with excitement and hope for a brighter future. While the cold weather certainly provided a challenge, people were able to adapt well.

“There was a sense of hope in the air, it seemed like students came earlier and stayed earlier, even despite the cold. It felt like everyone there had this collective excitement for it, and I think people gathered together to make sure it was a positive experience for everyone,” said Mrs. Emily Corwin.

The week was not only a needed return to normal, but exceeded the previous energy, fueled by the losses of the year before. It gave the student body a hope for more events like this in the future, taking into account COVID protocols when needed. A big thank you to the Student Council, the junior Class Board, and all of the faculty and administration that made this week possible. Here’s to a great rest of the year, Jackets!

3 Should Greek Life be canceled?

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Check out this year’s school play: I hate Hamlet

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See all the rave with the Netflix show “Outer Banks”

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8 Halloween is coming, peek inside the DCDS craziness

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Women’s Tennis wins states for the fifth year in a row!

Photos courtesy of Alex Matthews

Photos courtesy of Alex Matthews

By WILLIAM BEACHUM News Intern

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The Day Times | October 2021

Vol. 98 | Issue 2

2 Opinions The Day

Times

Editorial staff Editors-in-Chief: Clara Yuhn Nick Kalkanis

Content Editor: Mariya Khan Safia Siddiqui Vivek Santhapur Layout Editor: Aren Shah Anthony Ge Jonathan Abraham Senior Editor-at-large: Connor Adams Beren Akpinar Annika Chanaiyan Caden Kuang Tanmai Nimmigadda Senior Staff: Emir McGreevey Chiara Sessa Aayush Dagar Sara Qasim Zhilng Yang Photo and Graphics Editor: Kunwoo Kim Kennedy Tidjani Section Editors: Will Beachum Connor Kalkanis Arya Chalasani Sam Sampath Tanisha Khare Hiba Assadullah Kaitlyn Hopkins Ryan Ignatowsky Zach Rodger Grace Lui Josie-Marie Pachla S TA F F W R I T E R S : Andrew Brentano, Abigail Burdette, Armaan Dev, Alex Eby, Steven Fu Tess Harris, Kian Kiarash Miles Kohn, Riley McAlpine, Arvin Pandiyin, Raj Rao, Achyut Reddy, Ammar Siddiqui, Jiale Wang, Jui Won PHOTOGRAPHY

ADVISORS Heather Huhn Matthew Sadler

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.

Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown Award 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011,15-17, 19, 20 Michigan Inter-Scholastic Press Association Gold Award 2011,13, 18, 19 American Scholastic Press Association First Place 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-20 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.

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

The vaccine outlook

| The Day Times

Faculty Vaccinated in DCDS

Will we, the students, get the vaccine?

By CADEN KUANG Opinions Section Editor With cases in Michigan on the rise and more people getting vaccinated, DCDS must continually evolve when it comes to our vaccination and quarantine policies.

Companies such as Moderna, J&J, and Pfizer have produced millions of vaccines for the public since December 2020. The Pfizer vaccine has received full FDA approval, and the Moderna and J&J vaccines have been granted emergency use authorization. In addition, there are few known significant side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. As the pandemic progresses, we must encourage students to vaccinate to ensure the safety of others. As a result of new information from the CDC, DCDS has relaxed guidelines of contact tracing and separation.

An interview with John Williams, the Assistant Director, updates us on the reason for the new guidelines this school year. “We follow the CDC guidelines provided to us. The CDC guidelines allow masked people to be at least three feet apart, which is why we only allow two people at a table for lunch. For many events such as homecoming, we are trying to do that outside as we are trying to return to somewhat normal. I am happy that students can go outside and enjoy these events. In regards to vaccinations, vaccination is a personal decision, and I encourage students and faculty to look at the data themselves and make their own choices.”

Nowadays, students are mere inches from each other in the lunch line, no longer separated from dividers and positioned six feet apart in classrooms. With more than fourfifths of our school fully vaccinated, is it vital to encourage more students to take the vac-

cine?

Andy Bossert, a Senior, gives his perception of the vaccine: “The COVID-19 vaccine is very important and effective. I feel that everyone should take it so we can go back to a sense of normalcy.”

Arnav Enaganti, a Senior, shares his support on the vaccine: “The vaccine is very helpful for everyone. I recommend everyone to take it to protect others.”

The vaccine still raises some doubts among people. The long-term side effects of the vaccine are still unknown, and the rapid development of the vaccine still sparks skepticism. Everyone in the world could react differently to vaccines. Simply put, some people feel unsafe taking the vaccine.

As the pandemic progresses, we must encourage students to vaccinate to ensure the safety of others. Vaccines are vital to our community and can ensure those who have not taken the vaccine stay protected. Tina Donigian, the Upper School Nurse, has revealed interesting statistics regarding the vaccination rates in our school.

Students enjoy this newfound freedom at school, and thus, they must be fully vaccinated to continue in this healthy environment. As new variants of the Covid-19 virus emerge, vaccines are essential for protecting students by preventing people from contracting COVID-19. It will ensure that schools won’t have to go back to the dark ages of online learning. I believe that it is important for students and faculty to stay safe. Whatever your opinion on vaccination, we as a community should take every precaution to further stop the spread of COVID-19.

Student Vaccinated in DCDS

Spirit wear Friday needs to change

Should students be able to wear sweatpants/casual wear on Fridays?

By ARYA CHALASANI Opinions Section Editor

What used to be a regular uniform day, Fridays are now “School Spirit Wear” days at DCDS. Many students have since purchased and worn clothing promoting their sports teams, clubs, etc. However, this new Spirit Friday makes many students uncomfortable with wearing the same T-shirt each week. Students are also forced to wear their uniform pants or a pair of jeans with their spirit wear. Many students have been getting tired of this limited choice of wear on Fridays, while some students love representing their school.

Junior Alyssa Rahmani thinks we should be allowed to wear anything on Fridays. “We rarely get any Casual Days throughout the year… maybe five in total each year. I feel like when we are comfortable while learning, that can impact our learning experience.”

Senior Adam Boxwalla is frustrated with constantly wearing the same clothes over and over again. “Sometimes, it’s just boring. Especially with the pants. Four out of the seven days of the week, we are already wearing khakis. I feel like we, as students, also want a change. It’s annoying to get up every morning and put yourself in a pair of khaki pants when you know it’s Friday.”

From the lack of “creativity” it provides to how boring it is, many students are ready for a change in the dress code system for Fridays. However, there is also an equal number of students that disagree with casual days every Friday.

Junior Arnav Modi, thinks it would waste time for him in the morning to get up and choose what he has to wear: “I feel like it

would be pretty annoying to get up every day and just decide what you have to wear rather than just going in your closet and picking the generic DCD wear.”

Senior Sunny Challa also says, “I wear some of the DCD wear at home as well, so it doesn’t really matter whether we have a casual day or not. The merchandise also represents Country Day, and we have other days that we can wear our casual clothes.”

Although many students have gotten detentions for wearing casual clothes on these spirit days, the jury is still out on wearing our regular spirit wear attire on Fridays.

The rule states still that “On Fridays, students wearing a DCDS top (t-shirt, warm-up, hoodie, etc.) may wear jeans, khakis, skirts of appropriate length and casual shoes. This is a celebration of our team wear and school spirit and is intended to streamline the school spirit wear. Students who choose not to wear spirit wear must wear the school uniform.”

Despite these arguments from the students, I do believe; however, that students should be able to treat Fridays as a “casual day”. Having a casual day on Fridays allows students to show their creativity as well as serve as a “reward” for students that have had a tough week. In the future, this rule could possibly change; however, for now, it is assumed that all students will wear what is expected on Fridays.

Photo courtesy of Anthony Ge

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.

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SENIORS KRISTINE MA, Raha Zahman, and Marissa Malleck celebrate DCDS in spirit wear.

Printed through the assistance of School Paper Express

The Day Times | October 2021

Vol. 98 | Issue 2

The Day Times |

Senoir Coumn: Being overwhelmed might not be so bad

Mariya offers advice to fellow students

By Mariya Khan Managing Editor

“Overwhelmed” is definitely a commonly used word in the average DCDS student’s vocabulary. Recently my last Field Hockey season ended, and as I came home with the sun still shining, the first thing I could think of was which new activity would fill my time. I consider myself someone who enjoys their downtime, but it feels almost unnatural for me to be able to watch a movie on a Monday night. It is without a doubt that DCDS sets up their students for, what some might call, an “active” lifestyle. With the club and sports requirements, not to mention the piles of homework, it is inevitable for students to feel that every second must be accounted for and spent wisely. For years I took on these tasks begrudgingly, complaining about the workload and counting down the days to the weekend. As I reflect on my time as a student here, however, I realize how grateful I am for these stressful experiences. I agree that it is vital for students to make time to relax and unwind, but I think that students pushing themselves provide for the most satisfying and memorable moments.

As I write this I rifle through my memories for one that could best summarize my DCDS experience. Maybe it was the countless lunches I spent in the newsroom huddled around a computer with my fellow editors, formatting a single article until the group around me agreed it was perfect. Maybe it was the painful walks with my team back to our cars after an especially hard Field Hockey practice. Or it could have been during midterm season when I, along with half of Country Day, was milling around the library looking over each other’s study guides and quizzing each other. Regardless of which one is the brightest in my memory, it was the moments where we were all working, and struggling as a community that I feel the proudest of. In my freshman year of high school, my history teacher asked my class if any of us considered ourselves procrastinators. I, along with the majority of my class, raised my hand, and she told us that procrastinators were usually perfectionists that wanted to put off work because they had too high of expectations. Those words still ring in my head when I think about the opportunities I let slip by, because I was worried that I would not be able to perform them well enough. I think that it is tempting to hold onto that mindset and take what feels like the easiest path. However, I think this is a mistake that no one should make. As a student at DCDS, you will have to try very hard, and at some point you will feel overwhelmed. Trust

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Greek life pros and cons

Fraternities and sororities must adapt

By JONATHAN ABRAHAM Senior Layout Editor

The issues surrounding Greek Life have been the center of controversy for decades. Greek Life is a community of college and university students broken down into fraternities for men and sororities for women. Sororities and fraternities are designed primarily to help you meet friends and create a sense of community. Joining a Greek organization can give you long-lasting connections to your brothers and sisters, sometimes extending beyond your school’s chapter.

Networking through Greek life can give you access to opportunities during your college career.

However, to join a fraternity or sorority, one must rush; this process creates a lot of controversy. In the rushing process, existing members of fraternities and sororities have been known to create a very specific criteria for their potential members based on socio-economic background, physical appearance, popularity, and sexuality. Some sororities and fraternities across America have been

lie it happens more than you think and it needs to be addressed more, but I don’t think Greek life should be canceled i think school administrations are just as much of a the problem as the guys, they need to stop sweeping stuff under the rug when it happens because guys keep doing it because they know they can get away with it.” Students shouldn’t have to question their safety on a college campus. If certain individuals and Frat organizations are threatening the safety of students, universities need to put aside their image and bluntly address their misconduct. Prioritizing an image rather than the needs of students is extremely disgusting and only allows for predators to continue their actions.

Greek Life has its flaws, and it is essential to hold students accountable for all allegations, but the limelight in this nightmare is students have described Greek life as the foundation for lifelong friendships, giving students a

Courtesy to News Journal

Photos Courtesy of Mariya Khan

Opinions

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SIGMA ZETA FRATERNITY House at Wilmington College

KHAN finishes her last Field Hockey game

KHAN poses for a head shot

Safety vs. freedom Day Times editorial 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 Editor, the Senior Editors, and the Editors and Interns of each section.

The Day Times | October 2021

year. We believe that if the administration only allows the seniors to leave during lunch, we can control the spread of illness. The school could send out a form every week and allow fifty students to leave every day. After a week, we could monitor for any positive Covid cases.

In the past, students brought dates from outside of school if they were in relationships or could not find a date in the school. However, several students are disappointed that they were not able to bring a date from outside of school this year. Additionally, many students are left dateless and have to attend the dance alone. To remedy this situation, I believe that DCDS can allow students to bring guests from outside of school if their date brings a negative Covid-19 test, or a vaccination card. This allows students to remain safe and have a fun Homecoming experience.

We appreciate the school protecting our safety, but we also hope the administration can consider our concerns and reinstill our students’ sense of freedom.

sense of community. Going to college is a lot of people’s first time leaving home and the transition can be tough. Students go away to a place where they don’t have their parents and could lead to some feeling lonely or having mild anxiety. Participating in Greek Life alleviates these emotions because Greek organization strongly emphasizes loyalty, trust, and kindness. Alumni, member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sororety, and student at Michigan State Jill Shaman says, “From the moment I joined my sorority, I felt an instant connection with each and every one of the girls.

They were so welcoming and made me so comfortable which helped my transition into college much easier. I love my new family and am very excited to spend the next four years with them!”

Greek Life has given Jill and many other sorority/fraternity members a second family, but these organizations need to reform. The reformation of the classism,racism, and sexual assault cultures in Greek houses will allow for students to feel safer on campus and alleviate anxiousness and potential insecurities. Rather than being a family with just a Greek House, one would feel that the university is their family and result in pure happiness for all students.

Courtesy of University of Michgian

For the last several years, the upperclassmen have had the privilege of leaving school during lunch. However, since the pandemic, restrictions have been placed forbidding students from leaving during this time period. Additionally, in the past, students have been able to bring guests from outside of school to dances. As a preventative measure, the school has advised that students may not bring dates from outside of school.

Although students understand the importance of these precautionary measures, students can’t help but feel a lack of freedom.

One of DCDS’s main focuses is to prepare students for college. They achieve this by setting a vigorous course, instilling time management skills, and allowing students freedom. However, by taking away the privilege to leave during lunch takes away students’ sense of freedom. The school’s concern is that students may bring germs from outside of school when they leave for lunch. However, most students do not wear a mask outside of school. Despite this, the school has only had three cases since the beginning of the school

known to discriminate against enthic minorities, LGBTQ+ members, and low income students.

Built up frustration has spurred the Abolish Greek Life movement at universities such as Tufts and Vanderbilt and raises the question: should Greek life be cancelled?

Long controversial, the greek system on college campuses is under criticism again with the phrase #AbolishGreekLife trending on all social media platforms. This trend has spread awareness of the ruthless actions of greek organizations and many students believe their actions, especially hazing is driven by racism, hypermasculinity, homophobia, and misogyny. According to the Guardian Article and NBC news, Fraternity men are 3 times more likely to commit sexual assault.

These numbers continue to rise being the forefront reason why Greek life should be abolished.

Student at Rutgers University and Alumna Alyssa Underwood says, “I feel safe when I go to frat parties because I go with a good group of friends that I know will be there if anything happens and we try go to frats with good reputations but if we go to one that has a bad reputation we’re careful.

University of Michigan and Alumna Kathryn Lyngklip says “I would criticize greek life most on is the culture of sexual assault I am not gonna

DELTA DELTA DELTA is one University of Michgian’s famous sorority houses

Vol. 98 | Issue 2

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A Return to the Stage

I Hate Hamlet premieres from October 28th to the 31st

By WILLIAM BEACHUM News Intern

Are you ready for a return to the stage? The DCDS theatre program has been revving up for its brand new production of “I Hate Hamlet.” The play centers on Andrew Rally, an up-and-coming star in the television world after his TV show is canceled. He moves to New York City and is cast as one of the most challenging parts in all of theatre: Hamlet. The play’s tone is sharply comedic, with moments of drama sprinkled in. The play will have two casts, with neither outranking the other.

Playing John Barrymore, Andrew’s mentor, in one cast is Daniel Upton, a junior in the program. Upton has participated in the DCDS theatre program since the middle school, starting with his role as Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid” and being involved in almost every production since. When Upton talked about this new role in “I Hate Hamlet,” he expressed his excitement over the script. There are so many moments in the show that are just too good to be true. Little lines here and there are just so perfectly timed that memorizing these lines has been much easier than past productions I’ve been in,” Upton said.

After such strong, serious outings like “Working: A Musical” and “Les Miserables,” we were curious to see why the directors chose to do a comedy and how they adapted to its style.

“We purposely chose funny shows this year because we thought people needed a good laugh after what we’ve experienced these past two years. In terms of directing the show, it’s more about movement and gaining a grasp of what’s funny and what’s not.

What the cast thinks is funny might not be to the audience. The most important thing, though, is timing. The energy has to be loud, quick, and bold, or the audience is going to lose their attention”, says Director Phill Harmer.

As any experience inside of the theater can tell you, to have a successful comedy, you have to have a cast with good

chemistry. “The cast seems to be getting along great, and I think we are really finding our groove as a group. They are giving each other a good balance of critique and compliment, and I think they are really building this show into something great”, said Harmer.

When asked about how the cast handles having a range of ages, Harmer says it’s not a problem. “The cast really feels like more of an ensemble, and you don’t really notice the age difference. I am so proud of these underclassmen stepping into some roles that are played older than even the seniors are playing, and I know there will be great things to come.”

While the play is unfortunately currently unable to be seen live, the play will be live-streamed and tickets will be able to be bought online. Come watch this lively cast in action on the 28th,29th,30th, or the 31st!

THE CAST AND crew of I hate Hamlet rehearse scenes and build sets, getting ready for opening night.

Changes in Upper School leadership

Many faculty members hired to serve on school administration

By BEREN AKPINAR and STEVEN FU News Section Editor and News Staff Writer

Mr. John Williams

Mrs. Singleton

Mrs. Salamin

Mr. Cappelletti

Interim Upper School Director

Assistant Head of School

Sophomore Dean

Freshman Dean

As the school year progresses, teachers have taken up new responsibilities and positions to ensure the best environment for students. Here are four teachers that have received the opportunity to apply their ideas to the school for a better academic and social experience through their newly assigned positions.

With Mr. Bearden moving on to become a superintendent at West Ottawa Public Schools, Mr. Williams has filled in the position of interim Upper School Director. He hopes to allow for a smooth and fun transition back into the school year with this change. Among his top responsibilities is communication, as he now has more access to encourage ideas for the betterment of the school.

“The biggest aspect is now completely communicating with all the parents, students, and faculty in the building and making sure that communication is clearly disseminated,” said Mr. Williams.

One of Mr. Williams’ goals is to create an environment where students can genuinely thrive academically and socially. We look forward to having Mr. Williams as our new Upper School Director and look forward to seeing his ideas in action.

Additionally, Mr. Cappelletti is now the Freshman Dean at the upper school. As a dean, Mr. Cappelletti’s responsibilities range from dealing with academic affairs to advisory programming.

“I help manage the documentation of and communication about discipline or about other academic affairs that both students and parents are going to want to be mindful of. In addition to those, my bigger, more school-wide responsibilities are centered around advisory placement and programming, and

The Day Times | October 2021

then also new student orientation. It’s important to me that students see our office as another area of our building where they can go for help when they need it,” said Mr. Cappelletti.

Mr. Cappelletti hopes to be a resource to all students throughout the school year. He encourages a more centered approach in academics and facets of social and emotional learning.

Another teacher who has received a new position in the faculty is Mrs. Singleton, the new Assistant Head of School.

Through her role, Mrs. Singleton is tasked with leading student life and faculty support. As she maintains extracurricular activities and social support, Mrs. Singleton also administers the onboarding process of new teachers to the school faculty. In addition, Mrs. Singleton outlines her goals for her new role.

“My goal in this role is just to make sure that the lessons that we teach through athletics and the opportunities to develop and grow through clubs and co-curricular activities are aligned from the time a child is three years old and starts in our preschool all the way through high school,” said Mrs. Singleton.

Overall, Mrs. Singleton hopes to achieve a strong foundation for student life and the academic curriculum at Country Day.Lastly, Mrs. Salamin has also acquired the position of Sophomore Dean. As an English teacher, Mrs. Salamin loves to connect with students and help them reach their full potential. She has stated that this new position will allow her to interact with even more students as she now has a new responsibility of keeping track of community service hours.

“In addition to the traditional duties of a Dean, one of my new responsibilities is to keep track of and verify the

community service hours that our students complete. It is truly amazing to see the difference that our students make on a daily basis, not only in our school community, but also in the larger community,” said Mrs. Salamin.

Mrs. Salamin is grateful for this new opportunity she has to help students reach their goals. Overall, she is delighted to take on this new position, welcoming anyone to stop by her office and say hello.

These newly assigned positions display clear advancements in both Country Day’s communication and academic affairs. They will continue to help students achieve their goals through academic, social, and emotional developments. Mr. Williams, Mr. Cappelletti, Mrs. Singleton, and Mrs. Salamin

“It is truly amazing to see the difference our students make on a daily basis, not only in our school community, but also in the larger community” - Mrs. Salamin, Sophomore Dean Vol. 98 | Issue 2

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News

New club offerings: E-Sports and American Sign Language Exciting options added to Tuesday clubs

By AREN SHAH and CONNOR KALKANIS Senior Layout Editor and News Section Editor

Photos courtesy of Kunwoo Kim

“The American Sign Language Club is a place DCDS offers many clubs for students to explore their for a group of students to learn how to communicate interests. With designated club periods within the day, all upwith sign language and gain a better understanding of per-school students can participate without it interfering with the deaf community and culture. We have had a couple school or sports commitments. Recently, students have develof meetings so far and all the students in the club know a oped new clubs, including E-Sports and American Sign Lanlittle bit of sign language already. We spent time sharing guage. These brand new clubs are proving to be popular addiour experiences and what we each know. We also talked tions to Country Day’s selection, as many students have already about why it is that they are motivated to join the club. signed up.

During the first meeting, we reviewed the alphabet and The E-Sports club is one of the new additions, and it’s they practiced saying what their name was. During the all about competitive video gaming. It was designed by Andy second meeting, we practiced communicating numbers.

Bossert, Miles Laker, and Liam Hounsell. Some of the games American Sign Language is not a language offered at this the club members compete in include League of Legends, Valoschool, so this club provides a risk-free environment to rant, Counterstrike, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Rocket League, and learn something new,” says club advisor Mrs. Kenney.

Apex Legends. The club allows students to connect with others The American Sign Language (or ASL) club is who share a passion for gaming. On Tuesdays during school the first of its kind at DCDS. . It’s great to see that such an hours, players of all experience levels work together to improve important skill is finally being taught here. their gaming skills. As one could imagine, plenty of students These two new clubs have proven to be very are very excited about this one. Below is a further explanation popular, and the school is happy to have even more of the club from the club advisor, Ms. Luckins. options for students to choose from. For students that “The goal of the E-Sports club is to give students the would like to change their Tuesday clubs after the first opportunity to develop the social emotional skills of commusemester, consider the E-Sports club and American Sign nication, collaboration, problem-solving abilities, leadership, Language club. and teamwork. We want gamers to feel comfortable coming to us at whatever skill level they’re at and seeing this as a place where they can get help and become better players.

By holding ourselves to a higher standard, we are creating an environment where we can develop not only the in-game skills players need, but the out-of-game skills and support network that truly makes a team great,” said E-Sports club advisor Mrs. Luckins.

Those who share a passion for gaming can compete with other local schools.

The club’s games are played through the High School E-Sports League and the North America Scholastic E-Sports Federation.

“There is a Rocket League tournament coming up that we’re planning to participate in. We’ll also have the opportunity to participate in non-league tournaments like those at Youmacon or Lawrence Tech through Esports Michigan. In addition, there is a Valorant tournament at Lawrence Tech during the spring that we are looking forward to participating in, where we will be competing against other local schools, including U of D Jesuit, Catholic Central, Bloomfield High, Groves, etc.,” says Mrs. Luckins.

Another new club this year is the American Sign Language club. The goals of the club are to learn basic American Sign Language while developing a greater awareness of the deaf community. The club meets every Tuesday. The club’s advisor, Ms. Kenney, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: E-sports club gathers in Mrs. Luckins room; Cub member Hannah Redman demnstrates sign language; E-sports club watches League of told us a little bit more about the club.

Legends players.

Formerly remote students weigh in on coming back to school

All students return to in-person learning

By CONNOR KALKANIS and ARMAAN DEV News Section Editor and News Staff Writer

This year, Country Day is having all students come to school in-person, a shift from last year’s remote - F2F hybrid format. Some students are returning to school for the first time since the pandemic hit in the Spring of 2020. For those students, these past couple of months have been their first in-school experiences for a long time, and everyone has their own take on how it’s been.

Richard Shao is one of the students who spent the entirety of the 2020-2021 school year online, and like many others, he’s had to adjust to in-person learning.

“After being remote for 18 months, I kind of feel like an alien in a way now. Everybody has changed so much and looks so different with the masks definitely adding to that. It’s nice to see all of my friends in-person though,” said Shao.

Richard also talked about the pros and cons of both types of learning - remote and in-person - and also gave his personal preference on the type of learning he likes best.

“As a remote learner, I not only had more time to do

The The Day Day Times Times | October 2021

my homework and get extra sleep, but I had more time to pursue my fondest passions. I practiced more piano and violin than ever before, and also felt more connected to my family than I ever had been. Remote learning was amazing. Office hours allowed me to meet with teachers easily and I also enjoyed classes, as I still learned as much information there as I had during in-person classes before the pandemic. The only pro of being in-person is seeing friends,” said Shao.

Richard is only one of several students that were online for all of last year. Another, Charlie Chen, had a similar situation of learning through 28th, Zoom for the past school year. However, he February had a different outlook on the time he spent in online classes.

Pistons Juniorvs.

Charlie Chen “spent the entire year remote last year and only came back to pick up papers or textbooks that were Portland essential for the Blazers year.” Although he was able to keep in touch with Trail a lot of his friends while he was away, it was still such a “relieving feeling” for him to come back to school and see all his classmates after the long quarantine.

“I believe that in-person learning is more effective overall and helps keep students engaged and allows for more participation. Overall I’ve been having a lot of fun this year and I’m really glad to be back!” said Chen.

These two students voiced two very different opinions about remote learning. Shao was glad to have more time to spend on violin and piano (time that otherwise would have been spent commuting). However, Chen decidedly prefers in-person learning for the unmatched degree of focus that one can have when sitting in an actual classroom, in addition to the social aspects of being able to see one’s friends in the halls each day.

Every one of Country Day’s formerly online students, like Richard Shao and Charlie Chen, are finally back in the building. Despite having separate feelings about face to face learning, they are both optimistic that this school year will shape up to be one of the best in recent memory, or as Richard said, “the best of our lives.”

Vol. 95 | Issue 4Vol. | March 20202 98 | Issue

5

6 Entertainment

Expanding the MCU

By Kaitlyn Hopkins and Riley McAlpine Section Editor and Entertainment Intern

Photos and information courtesy of imdb.com

The Falcon and the Winter Woldier features Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes. Forced to confront their shared grief, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson must learn to

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T

he Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been on a roll this past year, releasing many new shows, movies, and trailers. Marvel is working hard to expand the universe with their summer and autumn releases and fans are excited to see what comes next. Here are some of the projects over the past year and some to get excited about.

a terrorist organization called the Flag smashers.

The duo must learn to get along to protect the legacy of Captain America.

Shang Chi reunites the ten rings (Iron Man 3) with the marvel cinematic universe, and is essential for any marvel fan to watch. Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) is a trained martial arts master forced to confront his past and his estranged father when his family and friends are threatened by the mysterious ten rings.

The movie completely changes the direction of the marvel cinematic universe.

Loki is a six episode series that explores a new and key part of Phase 4: The Multiverse. This show answers all the questions about what happened to Loki after he went missing during Endgame. Fans will be introduced to Variants of Loki, and a multitude of new characters, as the show takes them through exciting new territory for the MCU as a whole.

The Eternals will introduce a new group of superheroes. As the Phase 4 of MCU progresses, the MCU will expand tremendously with the introduction of 10 new heroes. The Eternas, a race of immortal’s with mystical powers who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, join forces to battle the evil Deviants threatening the human race.

Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff was one of the most anticipated movies released by the MCU. The story reveals where Natasha Romanoff disappeared to after Captain America: The Winter Soldier and introduces her estranged family members. Yelena Boleva (Florence Pugh), Romanoff’s sister, is set to be in many future projects and has quickly won the hearts of marvel fans.

Hawkeye will be a six episode special, and will explore the aftermath of the endgame for Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner). Fans have expressed their excitement as it will take place during the holiday season, and it will introduce a new character, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Barton will be forced to confront his enemies in in this action packed TV show, out in November.

Outer Banks Season Two Review

Photos and information courtesy of www.refinery29.com, abcnews4.com and Tvline.com

By Josie Pachla Entertainment Intern

gave people a huge distraction from the pandemic. The show takes place in Outer Banks, North Carolina, where there is a clear divide between the rich (pogues) and the poor (kooks). The main characters are a group of teenage pogues and the story revolves around John B (Chase Stokes).

He is led into a crazy treasure hunt that his dad was involved in before his disappearance. Throughout season one John B and his group Season one left viewers with an exciting cliffhanger, where John B, and his girlfriend, Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline) venture out to sea, still in search of the gold.

Season two starts off in the Bahamas, then transitions back to the outer banks, with one episode in Charleston during that transition.

Viewers enjoyed the episodes in the Bahamas in Charleston, but once the show transitioned into the Outer Banks, it became very sloppy, beturned towards solving a completely different treasure hunt. This shift confused viewers and made the show less enjoyable. Season two also ends with a cliffhanger that changed the direction of the show entirely.

of a pandemic. Overall there were many highlights to the season, like the highs and lows of Sarah and John B’s relationship. In addition, many viewers agree that Drew Starkey succeeded in playing the role of Rafe Cameron, making his character another highlight to the show. Although fans were critical of season two, overall they still enjoyed watching it and are excited to see what happens in season three.

October 2021 | The Day Times

Issue 2 | Volume 98

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Entertainment 7

Donda vs Certified Lover Boy

By Vivek Santhapur Senior Editor

Information courtesy of complex.com. Pictures taken from genius.com.

Kanye West and Drake are two of the most well-known names in hip-hop. While these two are notorious, they both have been “beefing,” or have been in conflict with each other. This “beef ” mainly stems from social media and in songs where the two artists throw shots at each other. Drake’s shots at Kanye have been more subtle, mainly through indirect references in songs. Kanye’s shots, however, are much more obvious, since he’s mentioned Drake directly multiple times, mainly in tweets. Because of this beef, the fans of the two artists have even formed a rivalry. Whenever these artists release new music, their fans have a tendency to compare their work. On August 29, 2021, Kanye released his new album, Donda, after not releasing a hip-hop album in 3 years. The album was also named after Kanye’s recently deceased mother and has been delayed multiple times, so fans have been anticipating the release. Drake released his new album, Certified Lover Boy (Clb) on September 3, 2021. This was also Drake’s first album in three years and it was heavily promoted as having many features from artists such as Future, Lil Baby, Jay-Z, and more. Since these albums were released so closely together, fans have been comparing them left and right. We decided to ask students at Detroit Country Day about which album they prefer and why.

Arnav Modi (‘23): Arnav Modi is a junior and avid rap enthusiast. Arnav listens to nearly every popular hip-hop album on the release date, so he was looking forward to both albums. “I prefer Donda ‘cause I’m a huge fan of Kanye and I think it’s some of his best work. I think CLB is way too repetitive with only three good songs. My favorite song off Donda was ‘Praise God.’ I would rate Donda an 8/10 and CLB a 3/10. Donda was more hyped because there were so many listening parties and delays that kept his fans on the edge of their seats.”

Randy Bhattu (‘22): Randy Bhattu is a Senior who enjoys both rap and RnB music, so he was looking forward to both albums because they incorporated elements of the two genres. “I personally liked Donda way more than CLB. Donda in my opinion is an 8.5/10 while CLB is a 6/10.

My favorite song is most definitely ‘Off The Grid,’ as it features one of my most loved artists, Playboi Carti. I think Donda was way more hyped and actually lived up to it. Through all the announcements and postponed release dates, it definitely came through on top.”

Marc Meltser (‘22): Marc Meltser is a senior who’s been listening to rap music ever since middle school.

Marc even owns sneakers from Kanye West’s popular brand, Yeezy. “I prefer Donda. Although both albums are absolutely wonderful, I believe Donda to be significantly better. The fine sound of Kanye’s voice brings a tear to my eye. My favorite song on the album is ‘Believe What I Say’ because of its splendid ratio of singing to rapping. The quality of Kanye’s productions has decreased tremendously over the last decade, but it still far outweighs the quality of Certified Lover Boy. Donda rating: 6.87; CLB rating: 4.12.”

Most popular video games of 2021

By Miles Kohn and Zhilling Yang Staff Writers

Information courtesy of ign.com. Pictures taken from games pot.com.

Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, gamers faced a hit as next generation gaming consoles (Ps5, Xbox Series x and s) became very limited in stock. Due to this many gamers were forced to play on their last generation consoles (Ps4 and Xbox one) and Pc. This year, despite next generation consoles still being limited, was a much more positive year for gaming and game developers really worked hard to push out quality games.

NBA 2K22 was released on September 10th and is available for $60 on last generation consoles, new generation consoles, and on Pc. This is the 23rd title in the NBA2K franchise and it came with some mixed reviews. Some players felt that the game felt too repetitive and was too similar to the last game. Despite the mixed reviews, the game added many new features such as updated game systems, a new city to explore, and a new Mycareer mode story. Senior, Arman Madani (‘22) stated, “After playing 2k22 for a few weeks now, I really enjoy the game. Although it is a bit similar to the last 2k game, there are new features that makes the game worthwhile”.

Call of Duty: Vanguard will be released on November 5th on last generation consoles, new generation consoles, and on Pc for $60. From what we’ve seen, this will be very different from other games in the franchise despite it being the 5th Call of Duty game set in World War Two. A newly anticipated feature in the game is the “blind fire” mechanic, which will allow players to fire around corners rather than moving around to do so. Another new feature is the introduction of the “Caliber System”. This will make certain objects in the multiplayer game modes destructible and give players more customizable options. These mechanics will surely make even the smallest encounters different from earlier games. The game follows three fronts of the Cold War with a diverse set of main characters. These characters are spread across the fronts and some loosely take after real life. The game is also giving the spotlight to female fighters in the Cold War as one of the main characters, Lt. Polina Petrova, is loosely based off of the real life Soviet sniper, Lyudmila Pavlichenko.

Released alongside the second season of the popular Anime Demon Slayer is the new game based on the show, Demon Slayer: The Hikonami Chronicles. This game is a fighting game that contains over 18 beloved characters from the show. The game’s single player story mode follows Tanjiro Kamado, the series’ protagonist, as he fights various demons. The story mode also features cut scenes and battles that are recreated from the show. If the story mode isn’t for you, though, there is also a battle mode. In this mode there are two opponents and each picks two characters from the roster to fight it out in a best of three rounds battle. You can play the battle mode locally with two controllers or play against opponents online. This game was released on October 13th on last generation consoles, new generation consoles, and Pc for $60.

The Day Times | October 2021

Vol. 98 | Issue 2

8 Features

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| The Day Times

Senior Spotlight: Nick Kalkanis

Kalkanis leads in academics, athletics, and philanthropy

By TANISHA KHARE and AAYUSH DAGAR Features Section Editor and Features Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Nick Kalkanis

NICK KALKANIS PLAYS tennis at DCDS. Making the community around us stronger is something that we all strive to do, but no one quite realizes this goal like Nick Kalkanis. Whether it’s the DCDS family or the metro Detroit community, Kalkanis has defined his four years in the Upper School by his unwavering commitment to help those around him.

“Some of the greatest lessons I learned at DCDS - and my favorite memory here - came when my brother and I started our charity, Masks for Meals. I was moved by how passionate everyone was to help combat food insecurity in our area. Our teachers and peers supported us in ways we never could have imagined, and with the help of the DCDS community, we were able to make a significant impact in countless lives,” said senior Nick Kalkanis.

Kalkanis also serves as the President of the Student Council, where he has been able to catalyze growing school spirit and renewing school events. Serving on the council for all four years, Kalkanis is determined to make the 2021-2022 school year an unforgettable one for all students and faculty.

“Student council has always had a special place in my

NICK KALKANIS POSES with friends for homecoming. heart, and I knew that it was something I wanted to put my personal twist on in my senior year. When Covid hit and we lost all of our social events, however, the role took on a new meaning for me. I found that I have a new responsibility to work to restore the school spirit that I remember from my underclassmen years. It’s so encouraging that we’ve already had a tremendously successful Spirit Week, Field Day, and Homecoming. I’m looking forward to keeping the momentum going this year and putting our schedule back on track,” said Kalkanis.

In addition to Student Council and Masks for Meals, Kalkanis also competes on the Varsity Baseball and Varsity Tennis teams, and serves as the Co-Captain of the tennis team this year.

“Some of my all-time favorite DCDS memories have come from the tennis courts and the baseball field. I have met some of my closest friends playing sports, and going through the process of preparing for playoffs as a team has taught me countless invaluable lessons that I will always carry with me. Above all, I am so grateful to my coaches for all their guidance, as well as for my teammates and all of our incredible memories,” said Kalkanis.

NICK KALKANIS POSES with friends after a football game.

Furthermore, Kalkanis was inducted into the DCDS Cum Laude Society his junior year. This year, he received the 1st Place Grand Award in the Michigan Science and Engineering Fair for the research he did with Raman Spectroscopy at Wayne State University. He also received 1st Place in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association’s end-of-year tournament, in the extemporaneous speaking category. Kalkanis received the Harvard Book Award his junior year.

Finally, Kalkanis serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Day Times and has participated in the newspaper-making process since his freshman year.

“My foremost advice that I would give to all students is to embrace the rapid changes of high school! Take it from a senior: in the past four years I have changed more than in any other period of my life. We are so incredibly lucky to go to a school that offers as wide of a variety of choices as DCDS. My greatest successes - and largest personal growth - have come from jumping headfirst into the opportunities that I’ve had over these four years,” said Kalkanis.

Carving out Halloween fun at DCDS

Several members of the DCDS community pride themselves on dedication to Halloween

By TANISHA KHARE and SAMEEKSHA SAMPATH Features Section Editors

October 2021 | Issue 2 | Vol. 98

Team carries out a unique tradition of dressing up as a team to participate in the Halloween Parade. Every year, the swim team captains choose a costume idea, keeping it a secret from the rest of the team until the day of the parade.

“Dressing up for the Halloween Parade as a team has been part of the swim team tradition since the start of Women’s Swimming at Country Day,” says Lily Higgins, who is one of the current captains of the swim team.

The tradition of dressing up not only matches the spirit of Halloween, but is also a great opportunity for team bonding and team spirit.

Two current juniors who have found Halloween to truly be a bonding experience as well as an exciting time of the year are Avanni Bedi and Hannah Hourani. These two juniors put on quite a show last year at the Halloween parade with their matching farm animal costumes, and are beyond ready to show what they have planned for this year. Having been friends for a very long time, they have had a tradition of celebrating Halloween together for several years.

“Since we met in 5th grade, we have worn matching costumes. Some examples of these include Nerds, Beanie Boos, and SpongeBob and Patrick,” says Bedi.

Both Bedi and Hourani enjoy laughing at their silly costumes and going out on Halloween night to enjoy the holiday with each other. Even though this holiday may be a small part of the year, Bedi and Hourani truly treasure these memories that they have made that have taught them numerous things surrounding friendship.

Bedi says, “It’s a rare thing to find your person at such a young age. Despite this, there hasn’t been a moment in our friendship where one of us has hesitated … ever.”

Through Bedi and Hourani’s friendship the magic of holidays like Halloween is apparent; they bring people together to let them celebrate some of the most exciting parts of the year.

Bedi and Hourani will surely dress to impress at the Halloween parade this year, as will many other Country Day students eager to celebrate.

With Halloween being the first major holiday that students can celebrate in the school year, there is an optimistic and lively energy in the Country Day atmosphere. The Halloween parade always attracts healthy competition between different advisories as well as between students to be the best dressed and spook those around them. With Halloween right around the corner, students and teachers alike are making plans to get into the Halloween spirit.

For all of those Halloween enthusiasts, Mr. Arseneau thinks that he may have found a location for a small haunt for the upcoming Halloween! With this in mind, this year, Halloween at Country Day will surely be an unforgettable experience.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Ross Arseneau

The start of October brings excitement to the DCDS community as students and faculty alike anticipate the holiday that is to come at the end of the month: Halloween. Halloween is a time to enjoy haunted houses, spooky decorations, trick-ortreating, and more. Specifically every year at the Upper School, there are several traditions that the community continues practice in order to bring this holiday to life at school, including decorating the school and dressing up for the annual Halloween Parade. The new 2021-2022 school year brings more excitement in the community, and several students and faculty have already started to plan for the end of the month.

Mr. Arseneau at the Upper School has a deep appreciation for Halloween, which dates back to his childhood.

“It [Halloween] is something we grew up celebrating.

In my neighborhood in Warren, people would set up haunted houses, trick-or-treat up and down the neighborhood, and it’s something I continued to do,” said Mr. Arseneau.

In the Country Day community, Mr. Arseneau’s contribution to awakening the Halloween spirit has been monumental.

Over his 35 years of teaching at the Upper School, he has come up with interesting ways to showcase this spirit.

One year, “teachers carried a coffin into the lunchroom, and I burst out of it like a zombie,” Mr. Arseneau states.

Perhaps the most incredible way through which Mr. Arseneau has shown his love and dedication to this holiday was by creating a haunted trail in the forest behind the school, where Mr. Arseneau set up bonfires and told scary stories with other teachers and friends. In addition to this, he used his creativity to try and scare some students and faculty members.

“Mr. Bowbeer and I hung a student up in a tree, and we did this by using climbing material so that it looked like they were hanging,” Mr. Arseneau recalls.

His contribution has been so great that an award has been named after him, called the “Arseneau Award,” for the best dressed individual or group participating in the Halloween parade.

Similar to Mr. Arseneau’s passion for Halloween is the student body’s enthusiasm for the holiday. The Women’s Swim

MR. ROSS ARSENEAU poses during the Halloween of 1985.

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9

“Bring the boys, bring the noise”

The Barnyard: raising school spirit and building unity

By TANISHA KHARE, SAMEEKSHA SAMPATH, HIBA ASADULLA and AAYUSH DAGAR Features Section Editors and Features Staff Writer

Sia Pradhan, Class of 2022 Barnyard Leader

Favorite Theme: USA

Favorite Theme: USA

Chiara’s Message: “I hope to teach the underclassmen that it’s not about how loud you cheer but about showing up and supporting your classmates to continue the Yellowjacket spirit.”

Sia’s Message: “After two years of not having a Barnyard, I am excited to see everyone show their school spirit. I love the environment and seeing a big turn-up of students always makes me happy.”

STUDENTS POSE FOR the USA Barnyard Theme

Jack Freeman, Class of 2022 Barnyard Leader Favorite Theme: Western Jack’s Message: A true fan is supportive, loud, and energetic. Most importantly, they make sure the focus is on the team and their successes.”

Photos courtesy of the Instagram page disposnotdispos222 and The Barnyard

Chiara Sessa, Class of 2022 Barnyard Leader

Photo Courtesy of Amanda Sherrill

STUDENTS SHOW SCHOOL spirit by dressing in Hawaiian attire

DCDS SENIORS SHOW their support by dressing in neon

“Game, set, match!”

Two freshmen chronicle their friendship through tennis

By TANISHA KHARE and AAYUSH DAGAR Features Section Editor and Features Staff Writer

evolve, they soon realized in 6th grade that they both shared another common interest: tennis.

Dan started playing tennis at a young age, while Saahi recently picked up the sport, having something of a natural talent and thus learning quickly. Soon, Dan and Saahi were training together, hitting thousands of tennis balls and testing their skills on the court. This further increased their bond as they learned how to healthily challenge one another while still staying playful.

“Of course we are going to try and beat each other at tennis and play competitively. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t still friends with each other,” Saahi said.

Dan and Saahith are now able to reflect upon their memories of friendship and tennis together as they persevere and increase their skill level while staying side by side and encouraging each other to excel in the sport that they love. Dan can recall a memory of him and Saahi pretending to be famous tennis players.

“When we were younger, I would call myself Rafa Nad- SAAHITH REDDY HITTING a tennis ball al and Saahith would call himself Roger Federer,” says Dan. This analogy is surely spot on as Dan and Saahith are easily comparable to these great tenni players with their immense talent at such young ages.

With this bond that they have nurtured from such a young age, Dan and Saahith have something that most individuals lack, especially in a high school setting. Coming into Country Day as a young freshman can oftentimes be overwhelming when trying to adjust to the new environment.

Aside from the apparent daunting task of having a successful academic career at school, a struggle for many is meeting new people and trying to build friendships. Dan and Saahith, however, already have a comfortable support system to rely on when they feel stressed. To describe this friendship as lucky would be an understatement.

DAN MARIN PLAYING tennis.

The Day Times |

Vol. 98 | Issue 2 | October 2021

Photos courtesy of the DCDS Men’s Tennis Team

Detroit Country Day is known for encouraging students to join various sports throughout their career at the school, but especially during their high school years. Through joining a sport, students can not only gain physical benefits, but can also learn meaningful lessons about leadership and what it means to be a part of a team. Usually, sports teams are also a place to build strong bonds with the rest of the team. In this way, two freshmen, Dan Marin and Saahith Reddy, have nurtured their friendship through playing tennis together.

From the first moment that Dan and Saahith went to varsity tennis tryouts, it became apparent that they would not only make the team, but bring their talent as a positive addition to the team. Both of these players are highly skilled and have had a bright tennis career this season, and they have been constantly praised by their team for their ability. However, what made them special was the closeness of their friendship.

Dan and Saahith first met in elementary school when they were placed in the same classroom. Upon meeting each other, the two grew comfortable with one another quickly. They had a playful relationship; one would make a sarcastic or snide remark about the other and they would burst out laughing in the middle of class. Whether it be in school with a project or class assignments or outside of academics in sports, the two were inseparable.

“It was like we created our own little bubble that we could always be happy in,” Saahith says.

Even while battling hardships that come with growing up and entering middle and high school - like experiencing a lack of confidence when entering a larger environment - Dan and Saahi could always rely on one another. They felt that they could fall back on each other to talk about their issues in their safe bubble.

“To me, it felt like I saw Saahi more than I saw my own parents during the school year,” recalled Dan. Thus, through one another, Dan and Saahi found a family in school, which they continued to embrace throughout all the ups and downs of life. As their friendship continued to

10 Sports

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Senior Spotlight: Ryan Lyngklip

An interview with one of the most versatile atheltes at DCDS

By ANDREW BRENTANO AND ALEX EBY Sports Section Staffers

With its challenging curriculum and required participation in two sporting activities, DCDS demands well-rounded, versatile students. Ryan Lyngklip, co-Captain of the Men’s Varsity Soccer team as well as the Men’s Varsity Lacrosse team, exemplifies these ideals. As a key defensive player in both sports, Lyngklip terrorizes attacking players with his physical style of play. For his efforts, Lyngklip earned a deserved offer from the University of Michigan to play Lacrosse. Lyngklip reflected on his training regimen during the school year for both sports.

“Although lacrosse is my main sport most of the year, soccer becomes my main sport during the fall. That being said, I try to lift either in the morning or after soccer when we don’t have games. I also go to my old club team’s practices on Sundays. Also, I think soccer naturally helps improve my lacrosse skills as I believe playing multiple sports is more beneficial than specializing in a single sport,” said Lyngklip.

During a time of year when most high school seniors enjoy the last moments with their friends before college, Lyngklip remains focused on his goal: a state championship. Lyngklip described his process to stay in shape during the offseason.

“I do strength and conditioning with our school’s athletic trainer. I also try not to miss any offseason practices or team runs. Playing lacrosse year-round also helps me stay in playing shape,” said Lyngklip.

mates, Men’s Varsity Soccer co-Captain Jordan Dong, described Lyngklip’s dedication to team success.

“Ryan always shows up ready to play. He doesn’t cut any corners and gives his everything to the team,” said Dong.

Dong further described Lyngklip’s competitive nature and his reliability as a key piece of DCDS Men’s Varsity Soccer formidable defense. “Ryan brings a real intensity everytime he plays...even in practice! He really encourages the younger guys to participate and raises the level of play. His relentless work ethic elevates the team and pushes us to improve every single day,” said Dong.

Finally, Lyngklip detailed his process to balance his school work with the demands of sports. “Keeping up with school is very difficult as a multi-sport athlete. I try to manage my time and maintain a schedule to stay productive. It’s tough, but not impossible,” said Lyngklip.

With his dedication to perfection, dominant playstyle, and intense desire for victory, Lyngklip will have no issue finding success in the future. Good luck, Ryan!

Photos Courtesy of Ryan Lyngklip

RYAN LYNGKLIP CARRIES the ball uo the field.

Despite the academic pressures of senior year and the time demands of playing on a fall sports team, Lyngklip remains steadfast in his commitment to excellence. One of Ryan’s team-

RYAN LYNGKLIP CELEBRATES with his team-

RYAN LYNGKLIP RUNS on the field.

Back to back to back to back to back

An inside look at the Varsity Women’s Tennis state championship

By CONNOR ADAMS Senior Sports Section Editor

very valuable players the year before, so some people playing doubles had to start playing singles and some playing singles had to switch to doubles. It was a big adjustment for people, especially since our line up wasn’t solidified until right before regionals,” said Haddad.

Yoo expressed a different challenge: covid quarantines.

“At one point we weren’t even sure if we would qualify for states because a few players had to be quarantined right before regionals, which messed up the lineup,” said Yoo. No titles can be achieved without hard work. Haddad described the team’s offseason conditioning by claiming, “We would have team captain practices every Sunday morning starting in the winter to prepare for the season. Everyone also had their individual practices scheduled during the weekdays.”

Next spring, Haddad and Yoo have their sight set on a sixth straight state championship. “After losing six seniors, I hope that the team works even harder during the off-season to prepare for the upcoming season. During the season, I hope that each practice is taken advantage of and we give each match all our effort,” said Haddad.

“The expectation for this coming season is that it will definitely be a challenge to win because we lost six seniors, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible. I think if all the players work hard in the offseason, we definitely have a shot at winning,” said Yoo.

Haddad and Yoo vow to use their experience winning a state championship in the future. “I think that especially since we went into the state championship as the underdogs, we continue to have the resilience and determination that we need to win.

Even when things don’t look like they’re going right, I want to use my experiences from this state championship win to remember that with hard work, anything is possible,” said Haddad.

Next season, Haddad and Yoo, along with the rest of Varsity Women’s Tennis, will compete in Division 3 for a sixth consecutive title.

Photo Courtesy of Jacquelyn Yoo

DCDS has the pleasure of cheering for multiple illustrious sports teams. Programs like the Varsity Men’s Soccer team and the Varsity Women’s Basketball squad have dominated competition with consecutive district, regional, and state championships. Now with their unprecedented run of five consecutive state championships, Varsity Women’s Tennis can join this prestigious circle.

Despite the challenges and closures associated with COVID-19, the Varsity Women’s Tennis team managed to preserve their winning streak. Lana Haddad and Jaquelyn Yoo, the captains of the 2021-2022 Women’s Varsity Tennis team, reflected on their unbelievable accomplishment.

According to Haddad, the most memorable moment of the season occurred after practice. “ We would all stay on the courts after our coach left practice and play some more. We would help each other with certain shots if one of us was struggling, and it was really nice to see how dedicated all of us were; my freshman year, we never practiced together this much, so it felt like we were a much closer team,” said Haddad.

Yoo echoed Haddad’s statement. “The most memorable moments I have of the season were when the players would stay after practice to hit more. It was cool seeing how dedicated every single player was even if it meant staying an hour later,” said Yoo. Despite these uplifting moments, the championship winning team had its challenges. “The most challenging aspect this season was trying to figure out our line-up. We had lost some

YOO RETURNS A powerful volley

Photo Courtesy of DCDS

Photo Courtesy of Lana Haddad

LANA HADDAD ATTACKS her opponent’s serve THE VARSITY WOMEN’S tennis team celbrates after winnning the state championship

October 2021 | Issue 2 | Vol. 98

| The Day Times

The Day Times |

Sports

www.fearthesting.com

Introducing Mr. Cliff

11

An inside look into the daily tasks of our new Sports Equipment Manager

By CONNOR ADAMS Sports Senior Section Editor

NUMEROUS DCDS UNIFORMS hang in the equipment center .

season. I had always said I would but haven’t been able to find the time,” said Cliff.

Mr. Cliff also described his journey of arriving at DCDS. “After working within collegiate athletics since 2010, I decided it was best to move back to Michigan to be around family.

Quite honestly I didn’t know what I was going to do for a job once I made the move but knew this year was the year...With being born and raised in Metropolitan Detroit, I had heard tremendous things about Detroit Country Day. I applied for the position, had multiple interviews, and ultimately was offered the position. I’m truly grateful to be at Detroit Country Day and look forward to the future of working here. Ultimately I’m in a profession that I love and at a school that has the resources to help the students succeed not only on the field but also in the classroom!” said Cliff.

Cliff provided some more insight into his daily duties.

“My responsibilities include assisting with athletic events that happen for both the middle school and upper school. This includes the fitting of protective equipment that some teams need to participate in their sport, inventory management to ensure we have enough equipment and apparel at the start of the year for each sport, purchasing of new equipment/supplies needed for various sports across the school, as well as ensuring that we receive uniforms and equipment back at the conclusion of every sport each season. Throughout the week I will do laundry for all upper school teams and make sure game uniforms are put back into the locker room prior to each athletic event (home or on the road). In regards to games hosted on school grounds, my responsibilities include gameday setup/teardown,” said Cliff.

However, these duties come with their challenges. “So far the most challenging aspect of working at DCDS is remembering everyone’s names. I went from knowing roughly 350 people (students/coaches/staff) within the sports I supervised while at Sacramento State to now eventually knowing both middle and

upper school teachers, students, and staff members...” said Cliff.

Despite this difficulty, Mr. Cliff elaborated about his favorite aspect of DCDS. “There is no doubt that my favorite thing about DCDS is the close knit community feel [the school] offers,” said Cliff.

Mr. Cliff can be found in the cage after school, sorting jerseys, organizing equipment, and taking inventory. Welcome to DCDS!

Photo courtesy of Mr. Cliff

Photo courtesy of Scott Shen

Every year at DCDS, fresh faces arrive on campus as freshmen, transfer students, and new faculty members integrate into the close-knit community. These new members of the DCDS community add new dimensions and skills to the diverse highschool setting. One of these new faces, Mr. Cliff, has the arduous, overlooked responsibility of organizing the athletic equipment.

Mr. Cliff ’s interest in sports management began in college: “During college while attending Grand Valley State University, part of my degree included multiple internships throughout the program. I interned at a local high school for a season and absolutely loved working with all sports. Ever since that experience I’ve contemplated going back to school and getting a master’s degree to potentially become an Athletic Director at the high school level some day. Specifically working within collegiate athletics, there isn’t much time since work weeks can be upwards of 7 days a week and 70-80 hours per week, especially during football

MR. CLIFF POSES for a photo.

Sports Spotlight: Clara Yuhn

We sit down with Clara Yuhn to get the inside scoop on Women’s Hockey

By THE DAY TIMES SPORTS STAFF

Photos courtesy of Clara Yuhn

National Champion. State Champion. League Champion. Clara Yuhn has done it all. She fell in love with sports at a very young age.

“My parents were adamant that I play all different sports growing up. They wanted me to learn new sports and use different muscles in my body. I learned a lot by swimming, playing baseball, and playing soccer. Being a part of different teams taught me how to be a good teammate. I believe that playing different sports helped shape me into the human being I am today,” said senior Yuhn.

Although Clara played many sports as a kid, she fell in love with one sport in particular: Ice Hockey. Her love for Ice Hockey began at the age of 4 years old.

“I started skating when I was four. It was a learn to

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Clara and her team after they won the National Tournament skate program at Birmingham Ice Arena. I could not stand up for more than three seconds at a time. It was funny because for some reason the fact that I was so bad at skating intrigued me even more. I eventually started wearing gear and playing ice hockey on an all boys team at the age of six and I haven’t looked back since,” said Yuhn.

Playing sports has always been a big part of Clara’s life.

Being part of a team is something that she cherishes greatly. She has been on over ten hockey teams in her life. Each team has brought a new dynamic and a new set of challenges.

The Day Times | October 2021

“Every year you have to hit the reset button. It is not all butterflies and rainbows. There are always challenges with a new group. New personalities, new coaches, new competition. That’s one thing I love so much about hockey. Learning to come together as a team and get the job done,” said Yuhn.

Clara knows a lot about getting the job done. In May of 2021, her AAA Little Caesars 16u team won the National Championship, which is the highest honor given in youth hockey and the goal of over 50 teams nationwide at the start of each season.

Clara not only won, but she captained her team to the championship.

“Wearing the ‘C’ and leading my team throughout last season was one of the biggest honors of my life. It was not easy but I accepted the challenge. I wanted to win a national championship so badly. I was willing to do whatever it took. Being the captain taught me a lot about leadership. Leading a team doesn’t always mean talking. It can be leading by example, giving someone a hug when needed, or maybe even a kick in the butt. Part of being a leader of a group like I was is gauging the room and making the best call for that specific time. There is no perfect formula to leading a team. It’s all about the people in the room that year,” said Yuhn.

Since the age of four when Clara started playing hockey, she had the goal of becoming a division one athlete. That dream became a reality when she verbally committed to Boston University in July of 2020. Boston University has been ranked in the top-10 consistently in women’s ice hockey throughout the past few years. Only about three percent of a grad class of girls each year ends up going division one. Clara will attend BU starting in the fall of 2022.

“Committing to BU was a dream come true. The city of Boston is amazing and the hockey atmosphere is so special. The history of BU’s hockey program is outstanding and Coach Durocher is a class act. I can’t wait to get started on campus and soak it all in. College hockey is special and at BU the women’s team gets their own rink. I am especially excited about having the BU Band at every game playing live music. I am most excited about Beanpot. It is a special tournament that all the Boston teams participate in,” said Yuhn.

Clara has accomplished a lot in her life so far but she is only getting started. She has lofty goals of making it to the Olympics and representing the United States on the women’s national team one day.

“My ultimate goal since I can remember is to make it to the Olympics and win a gold medal for the United States of America. I work every day with that goal in mind.”

Clara Yuhn is an amazing athlete and person and the DCDS community wishes her luck in her senior year and beyond!

CLARA YUHN ON the ice, valuably contributing to her team

CLARA YUHN POSES for a photo

Vol. 98 | Issue 2

October 2021 | Issue 2 | Vol. 98

| The Day Times