“Even if you were not close friends with Mason, he still wanted to talk to you, [and] wanted to know how your day was. He just loved people so much, and everyone loved him back,” close friend senior…

At District 99’s latest Board of Education meeting on Oct. 18, the topic of discussion revolved around the proposed semi-block schedule for the 2022-23 school year. Those who spoke during the public…

Global acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is on the rise, and queer people are more visible in the media than ever before. It may be too early to tell what the long-term societal effects of COVID-19 will…

“Was this a big rivalry game?” the woman yelled at me over the pounding bass and mosh pit of students dancing to Love Sosa. It was 10:30 p.m. on a Friday night, as we both stood in line waiting for…

Junior Kate Southworth has played on the top doubles court for the girls’ varsity tennis team since she was a freshman, but this season she shares the court with her sister. 

Although they grew up…

The month of May is recognized as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. With the recent rise of hate and racism targeted towards the AAPI community, now, more than ever, we need to come together…

“My grandparents go to Chinatown a lot to go get food, and I heard that Chinatowns are a very prominent place where all the targeting happens,” junior Mia Chen said. “They have stopped going to the…

Ingram’s Busy Bee Bakery, a family-owned business located in the heart of downtown Downers Grove, has gathered generations of supportive customers through their famous pastries and service to the community….

In a time when people are feeling as isolated from the world as ever, teenagers are bound to find a new form of entertainment, so what will it be? The newest craze is Omegle. Omegle is an online video…

The 2020-2021 school year marks orchestra director Jennifer Mullen’s 14th and final year at DGN. An educator at both Downers Grove North and South, Mullen has been teaching for District 99 since April…

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, frontline workers have continued to go to work and risk their own lives for the wellbeing of others. Frontline workers have inspired numerous individuals…

Many people ponder the meaning of life. Though I don’t have an answer to this question, I do know one thing for certain—each and every day we are creating memories. Memories of people, of experiences,…

Through six weeks into the 2021 hybrid schedule, some in-person classes have been filled with students while others have been barren, at times consisting of only one to two students. With students having…

“Hello, I hope you are well. I am emailing you because I am not,” junior Alexa Hanson wrote in an email to one of her teachers Nov. 8.

With over a month having passed since she sent her email, Hanson…

This story was written by junior Gwen Casten and her father, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten IL(06). This narrative tells what happened on January 6, 2021 and is told from Gwen’s perspective in Downers…

“Whenever I’ve gone to a protest, I’ve always listened to the speakers. But when I went up to speak, I felt so passionate about it and I spoke really well, which really surprised me,” sophomore…

One month ago, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. in what has come to be known as “the insurrection.” Later that night, Principal Janice Schwarze began formulating…

Welding, twisting, and sculpting are just a few things sophomore Maddy Dvorak does in her free time. In November, she went one step further, turning this hobby into her own self-made small business, Silver…

When he read Principal Janice Schwarze’s Nov. 18 email informing the student body of “violent and racist” social media posts involving DGN students, PE chairperson and Black Student Union co-sponsor…

“I just think it’s kind of funny, like the stereotypical [teenager] is out driving fast cars, doing drugs, just being a delinquent, and we’re here whacking sticks against our legs,” senior Drew…

Staffers Madeline Schallmoser and Emma Cho share their thoughts on some of the biggest current news in sports. As hosts of The Omega’s Cubs podcast, The Ross Riot, Madeline and Emma are empowered by…

The implemented indoor dining ban has proved to not only have restaurants take a hit, but the teenage workers behind them as well. With some unemployed and others waiting for when they’ll be able to…

With classes being remote, a new opportunity has been presented which allows teachers to set their backgrounds on Zoom to any image they see fit. Here are some of DGN students’ favorite picks for teachers…

Well, that’s it. Biden has been elected president, according to the projections of most major news sources. Still, as amateur journalists and citizens of a democracy, we were frustrated with the rampant…

“I believe compared to many other colleges, UIUC is doing some of the best things regarding COVID-19,” DGN alum and UIUC freshman Maeve Cook said. “The development of the saliva test by students…

“I was always the type of student that needed to be in class to be able to interact,” physical education department chair Courtney White said. “[As] human beings, that’s what we crave, and to not…

“For me, one of the saddest things is that I don’t get to see all of you in person. I like to tell jokes and interact, and that gets lost in this setting,” science teacher Jeffrey Grant said, gesturing…

As schools around the country prepare to begin instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers face the added challenge of parenting, and in some cases, educating their own children while simultaneously…

As COVID-19 continues to ravage the globe, quick testing methods have become more readily available to the general public in efforts to stop the spread of the disease. But even with increased testing supply,…

Sitting in class, senior Rosa Flores* hears them talk.

“I can’t stand these illegal Mexicans taking American jobs!” one says.

“We need to deport all of them,” another argues.

“Everyone…

Last school year, Christopher Bronke, a DGN English chairperson led a self-guided classroom in hopes of gaining ideas for the future. He chose to continue it this year to help “empower students to own…

At the end of February, efforts to create safer crosswalks around DGN began after the death of junior Beth Dunlap. Beth, who was fatally struck by an imparied driver, obeyed the pedestrian laws and was…

Former DGN football player David Edwards is added to the Los Angeles Rams roster as the 169th pick during this year’s NFL draft, which took place April 25 through April 27.

“We had heard so many…

This summer, a popular activity frequented by students, friends and families will no longer be available to experience as the Cascade Drive-In officially closes down.

The drive-in has been operating…

It was a brisk and mellow night when senior John Landry bolted out of theater rehearsal to pursue senior Shea Pauley, his target. He drove to Pauley’s friend’s house and waited in his car. After…

This school year, 13 seniors chose to depart from high school ahead of their class as early graduates. Although a discouraged decision by District 99, students who have fulfilled their graduation requirements…

I am a coffee snob.

I exclusively buy whole coffee beans, grinding them myself as I go. I wouldn’t touch anything pre-ground with a ten-foot pole. I use a French press to craft my morning beverage,…

After spending three years with the Wisconsin Badgers, former DGN football player David Edwards will be forgoing his last year with Wisconsin in order to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Edwards was…

Seoul Taco is a Mexican-Korean fusion restaurant in Chicago that serves up tacos, gogi bowls, and diversity– something that drew senior Ciara Asonye to the restaurant right away. After all, a person’s…

A once routine act, crossing Main Street to enter DGN became eventful during the week of Wednesday, Dec. 5.

On the morning of Dec. 5, two male protesters stood on the sidewalk in front of DGN and held…