There are countless Starbucks spots in the city of Chicago, but none more popular than the recently opened Starbucks Reserve Roastery on the corner of Michigan and Erie billed “the largest Starbucks…

To read Colson Whitehead’s “The Nickel Boys” is to come face-to-face not with the Civil Rights Movement but to dip a toe in the pool of unknown horrors that everyday Americans — in this case, young…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on December 18, 2019.

The presence of vaping at DGS has drawn attention from students, teachers and other staff. What used to be a social trend has evolved into something extremely different, and teenage vaping rates and injuries…

After 13 years of practice, senior Cailyn Trant qualified for the 2020 Irish Dancing World Championships in Dublin. This achievement, a culmination of her years of training, was an honor for which she…

“Memory, all alone in the moonlight // I can smile at the old days.”

These words from “Memory,” a song in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s acclaimed Broadway musical “Cats,” is the lyric that encapsulates…

@40yearoldfood– an Instagram username that could mean many different things. Does this account belong to someone who hoards old food? Does it display fancy aged wines and cheeses? Or does the account…

Tattoos– a form of self expression that is regulated by many states, but this doesn’t stop minors from getting inked.

Illinois law requires that a person has to be 18 years or older [regardless of…

It all started with the eviction notice, a screaming hot pink piece of paper in a brown hallway, a brown door, brown stairs and a brown floor.

My family was unable to keep paying rent where we were…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on November 22, 2019.

When I was eight years old, I bought my first CD from the holy grail that was the Disc Replay on Butterfield. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, a whole 40 minutes of music put onto one single…

I had cancer. Stage four Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to be specific.

I feel like the best way to start this article is to tell you that I’m fine. I’m not going to die (yet), and I have a unique story…

“The Fault in our Stars,” “Midnight Sun” and “Five Feet Apart.” All of these romantic movies share at least one thing in common, that being, the romanticizing of illness. The common theme in…

Senior varsity softball players and identical twins Morgan and Sydney Rau have just fulfilled a dream they’ve had since first stepping onto a field 12 years ago: committing to play at the collegiate…

On Oct. 28, 2019, one of the world’s most sonically recognizable boy bands, Monsta X, released their third album of 2019 “Follow- Find You.” As one of my favorite groups of all time, I was over the…

Art students at DGS have been in a frenzy of activity creating a composition from scratch. DGS’s combined Drawing 3 and Studio Art classes have been drawing, binding and gluing together books for their…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on October 23, 2019.

The multi-needs program is beginning a daily morning-coffee delivery program for DGS teachers. Called Mustang Mugs, the service brings a medium-roast coffee during first and second periods to all the teachers…

On Sept. 14, 2018 I, Ariel Oh, asked a question that was never answered:

What is our district doing to recruit minority teachers and administrators to support our growing number of diverse students?

Well,…

Sophomore Olivia Seery: I make most of my own jewelry. I make my bracelets most of the time, and I make my own earrings. Most of the earrings I wear are made by me. I like wearing silly T-shirts with…

On Oct. 11, 2019, 88rising released their second compilation album titled “Head in the Clouds II.” The little known music company is suddenly on the rise thanks to the popularity of a select few of…

For most juniors and seniors, finding space in their schedule for every class they’d like to take is like doing a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, but for junior Chris Sapinski, the struggle is different….

The legal sale of cannabis products in Downers Grove is currently being discussed by the village council, a ruling will be made on Oct. 8, 2019. Mayor Bob Barnett said the expected decision will be that…

Grabbing his head, a student has an agonizing headache. He stands up and feels dizzy, barely remembering what occurred to make him feel this way. A medical professional diagnoses him with a severe concussion,…

From the massive piles of mini skirts flooding into the aisles to finding a potentially cute shirt only to turn it around and see “I don’t care. I’m getting tacos” printed on the back, shopping…

A competitive athlete’s career can change in a matter of seconds: anything from pivoting the wrong way on a turf field to landing awkwardly after a rebound can cause an agonizing injury and although…

The stadium lights glare down as DGS varsity cheer pushes their five flyers up in extensions and the crowd’s eyes widen with realization as they see something unfamiliar in the air among the petite girls:…

DGS held an intruder safety drill to practice ALICE procedures and test the BluePoint Alert Solutions system on Thursday Sept. 26, with students and staff under the impression an announcement would be…

On Sept. 23, 2019, international icons and record-breaking girl group Twice released their 13th studio record “Feel Special,” causing me to cry over a music video at 5 a.m. No, I’m serious, I actually…

On April 26, 2019, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Blackbear dropped his fifth studio album “ANONYMOUS” to his long-awaiting fans. Originally scheduled to come out on Valentine’s Day, the album…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on April 30, 2019.

Water polo has been a club at DGS for six years. The numbers have grown tremendously, and this year the club is hoping to be recognized by the administration and the IHSA.

Pool manager and swim coach…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on April 4, 2019.

During my junior year, I decided to join DGS speech.

I was searching for a place to tell my story openly. Speech taught me the art of writing, speaking and mostly the art of poetry. But even with the…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on March 19, 2019.

My name is Ariel Oh. I am Korean; my favorite subject is math; I like eating rice; I play the piano and have a black belt in karate; also, I aspire to be a doctor, and if that doesn’t work out, I would…

The Japanese House released her debut album on March 1, 2019, and it’s the story of all my relationships ever. Except it’s actually my favorite album of 2019 so far and isn’t about a 17-year-old…

When The Aces, four girls from rural Utah with a killer pop-rock sound, announced their first ever U.S. tour– I screamed. I immediately got VIP tickets, rounded up friends, watched the date get moved,…

On June 15, 2018, junior Joey Ermel stepped into a plane by himself for the first time. After one last hug from his 82-year-old grandpa, Ermel secured his headset and took flight in a one-of-a-kind 1946…

On Feb. 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and opened fire, killing 17 people and changing the conversation about gun violence. In the past year, DGS has made numerous…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on February 12, 2019.

The whistle blows and junior Addy Karmik tosses the volleyball into the air. She jumps up and serves it across the net for a perfect arc — a move she has been perfecting since the 5th grade. After six…

On Jan. 26, 2019, 25 participants of the DGS winter guard team quietly pitter-pattered barefoot onto a tarp together at Romeoville High School to execute their first performance in front of a panel of…

The cold air slices her skin as junior Dana Kozlowski glides effortlessly across the rink at the Downers Grove Ice Arena in the early hours of the morning. For the past 14 years of her life, Kozlowski…

Teen television is addicting. There, I said it. It’s true.

There are many TV dramas targeted to high school students that have gained immense popularity among the youth demographic, especially in…

The sun was out, but it was cold. The wind blew as sophomore varsity tennis player Gerda Jucys stared down her opponent at the other end of the court. She threw the ball up into the air, swung her racket…

In light of the national discussion on safety, DGS has made some changes, increasing the number of security personnel. However, instead of defending the school from external threats, these faculty members…

Wrestling was first introduced in 1905 in the St. Louis games as a freestyle sport, and for 89 years, it was considered a boys-only sport. Starting this school years, girls wrestling is considered an emerging…

Described by New York Times author Jon Caramanica as “the most vital and disruptive new movement in hip-hop thanks to rebellious music, volcanic energy and occasional acts of malevolence,” SoundCloud…

The Most Teens posters have come out and you know what that means: Watching middle-aged adults attempt to pick up the lingo of the #coolkids and everyone else cringing a little.

I mean, it’s not that…