This story was originally published on Blueprint on February 24, 2021.

This story was originally published on Blueprint on February 26, 2021.

“Stop being a girl,” “stop being gay” and other sayings like “be a man” all come from the same umbrella term — toxic masculinity. What some may pass as a joke can hurt an individual’s psyche,…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on February 9, 2021.

While the focus of virtual learning has primarily been on students, there has been one presence in the classroom that has been largely ignored — teachers. Among the varied hurdles educators have had to…

Senior Domani Sharkey slowly moved her mouse to hover over the status update button. She held her breath and clicked. “Congratulations, you matched! You have been selected for admission to the California…

Merriam-Webster defines code-switching as “the switching from the linguistic system of one language or dialect to that of another.” For those from minority communities, this may come in the form of…

Last month, my health care insurance, provided to me by my mom’s job, refused to cover the costs of my prescribed medication and I was left without a way to fill my prescription. Even a letter from my…

The events of Jan. 6 strike many with a frightening familiarity of this past summer. On the front steps of our country’s democracy, a frightening insurrection took place in an attempt to “maintain…

Well, Taylor Swift has done it again.

A mere five months after the surprise drop of her eighth studio album Folklore in late July, Swift announced to her 141 million Instagram followers on Dec. 10 that…

Time and time again, we get the same response from District 99 that addresses an instance of racism that occured at DGS or DGN. The response has the three basics: the explanation that yet another student…

With around 2,800 students that attend DGS, there are 2,800 stories to be told. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is something that people, especially in the suburbs, tend to hide from. They are too…

Senior Lestin Kandakudy sets down his pencil and closes the cover of the AP biology textbook on his desk. He looks at the clock — it’s time. He puts on his scrubs, clips on his nursing ID tag and is…

Science class chaos, hell’s itch and Animal Crossing—senior Derek Hoffman’s creative world bubbles with honest, eccentric depictions of his personal passions and experiences. Fusing charismatic intelligence…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic first began in the U.S., DGS has been forced to remain almost exclusively remote, drastically changing how the school year has looked for students and teachers thus far. The…

Since the switch to remote learning began at the start of the school year, many students have begun to feel a new type of weariness—Zoom fatigue. Zoom fatigue refers to the tiredness one may feel because…

With the 2020 election results approaching, stress is high among thousands of citizens in the United States. For the past four years, president Donald Trump has not only made a controversial mark on Twitter,…

Since COVID-19 has started, there has been a drastic change in the education system–teachers have had to alter the ways they instruct their classes, not to mention some teachers have had to raise their…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on October 15, 2020.

In this podcast we talk about women in the rap industry, the content of they’re songs and how they affect women and young girls. Interviewees: freshman Maija Flannery, Mother Jessica Flannery and senior…

All other modern romance novelists bow down, Casey McQuiston’s “Red, White and Royal Blue” has come to sweep us all off our feet. With POC characters, LGBTQ+ representation and a picture of what…

“Mulan” — one of the most anticipated Disney live action films that quickly and rightfully went down the drain was released on Sept. 4, 2020 and streaming on Disney+. “Mulan” costs viewers a questionable…

Since the beginning of the semester on Aug. 17, instances have occurred where unauthorized individuals entered scheduled Zoom calls and engaged in inappropriate behavior. The offense, coined “Zoom bombing”…

Stepping into Research Club, there’s a sense of controlled chaos. In one corner, students laugh with each other while pouring and mixing different liquids in beakers while in another, a student sits…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on May 8, 2020.

There’s no denying how much COVID-19 has altered the world we live in– from working and learning online to being unable to see loved ones, this is an unprecedented time. In District 99, the majority…

With DGS seniors unable to celebrate their future plans in the classroom due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent school closures, senior Samantha Simmons has made an Instagram account with the username…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on May 6, 2020.

In the era of remote learning, where many students are finding it difficult to focus on school work, much less teach themselves new material, many are now struggling to understand what exactly learning…

As of April 23, 41 days have passed since the student body has attended class within the walls of the DGS building. While the hallways may appear deserted without thousands of students to fill them, the…

Remote learning will continue throughout the remainder of the semester as all in-person instruction in Illinois has been suspended due to COVID-19, according to Governor JB Pritzker’s state-wide mandate.
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A teen sits in bed wearing the same pajamas they’ve had on for the past week, mindlessly flicking their finger and scrolling through their social media feeds. The next moment, they’re on the floor doing…

This story was originally published on Blueprint on March 25, 2020.

The horse begins at a trot, approaching the first jump before clearing it with ease, as senior rider Tatum Mitchell is confidently in control — making it clear to the judges and spectators why she is…

A tennis ball tapped the head of junior Matthew Leinart as he flew through the pool, executing a flip turn before speeding toward the end of his lane — he was about to shatter the IHSA and pool records…

On March 13, DGS took precautionary measures against the spread of COVID-19 by implementing e-learning days in place of scheduled school attendance. The tentative plan is to return to school on April 6,…

On Wednesday, March 12, the varsity baseball team’s spring break trip to California was canceled due to the COVID-19 virus. This cancellation was announced to the entire student body via an email from…

“American Dirt,” written by Jeanine Cummins proves that writing about experiences you can only imagine is never the foundation for good writing. The novel tells the story of Lydia and Luca, the wife…

The day-to-day life of a DGS teacher usually consists of lesson-planning, meetings and, of course, teaching, but there are times when irregular events occur and leave a mark on teachers in various ways.
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The past decade in the US has been one of great change, with social media becoming a defining force in the lives of most Americans and the polarization of American politics through the presidencies of…

This podcast is about aspiring DGS SoundCloud rappers. Three senior rappers Nelson Burke, Trent Phifer and Johnny Werthman, share their experiences as well as interest with music.

This story was originally…

As high school students undergo the extensive college admissions process, universities make it very clear what they want to see from their applicant pool. Required SAT and ACT scores, average admitted…

More popular than the game itself, the 2020 halftime show featuring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira sparked major controversy among viewers about whether their dance moves and outfits were appropriate and kid-friendly….

DGS is rich in culture and diversity. The student population in 2019/2020 consists of 57.1% white students, 20.5% Hispanic students, 11.7% black students, 7.4% Asian students and .01% Pacific Islander…

Skates glide across the ice as senior Lauren Gee moves through her long program, a feeling she’s been familiar with since the age of five. Her mother had skated as a child and felt it was a fun thing…

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…