Senior Juliana Conyer is an Editor-in-Chief for the Blueprint Staff. This is her second year as a staff member, but she has been a part of the publication for three years. Besides journalism, Conyer is a part of book club, the varsity speech team, the PE Leading program, the service coordinator for the...

Senior Kate Dziewinski is an Editor-In-Chief for the DGS Blueprint. During her sophomore year, Dziewinski took Journalistic Expression, which sparked her interest in writing. Journalism quickly turned into one of her passions as she continued her writing as the Sports-Editor for the Blueprint last year. In...

Junior Liam Wells is in his first year on the Blueprint Staff as the Managing Editor. He is currently part of the DGS band program and competed in the Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival his sophomore year. Along with his studies in music, Wells is also involved in the Class of 2026 Leadership...

Senior Nia Ayala is a News Editor for the DGS Blueprint. In addition to journalism, Ayala is captain of the DGS varsity dance team and is a choreographer for the team as well. She is also an officer for the Orchesis dance club, part of Athletes Committed to Excellence, National Honors Society, PE Leading...

Senior Olivia Velazquez is a News Editor for the Blueprint staff and it is her second year on the staff. Besides journalism, Velazquez is also involved in Blue Crew, Mad Dash, Snowball, DECA and Key Club. She was on the DGS softball team her freshman year, as well as a travel softball league outside...

Junior Yoldi Villa is an Opinions Editor for the DGS Blueprint. In the 2023-24 school year she was an active member of the Journalism club by writing as a freelancer. Although journalistic writing is her first creative writing course at DGS, she’s enjoyed writing in her English classes in the past. Math...

Junior Abby Heavrin is an Opinions Editor in her first year on the Blueprint staff. Heavrin is heavily involved in the Masque & Gavel program as a social events chair for the club. Music and theater have always been a huge part of her life, but she looks forward to exploring journalism more. Outside...

Junior Ren Espinoza is a Features Editor in her first year on the DGS Blueprint Staff. As a peer leader in Asian Student Union, an active member of Key Club and English tutor in the literacy center, Espinoza is committed to fostering a positive environment and community for her peers. Inspired by...

Senior Sebastian Blanco is a Features Editor in his second year on the Blueprint staff. Here at DGS, Blanco is an ILMEA all-state and honors student, president of our Masque & Gavel club, a state journalism champion in radio news and a national speech champion in expository. When not at school...

Senior Mikella Majchrzak is a first year Entertainment Editor. While she did not begin her journalism career until this year, she has always taken an interest in writing. Through support from her teachers, Majchrzak made the decision to begin journalism as a senior. In the past, Majchrzak received...

Senior Ky’m Young is an Entertainment Editor entering her first year on the Blueprint staff. After taking Journalistic Expression in her junior year, she decided to continue exploring journalism. Young freelanced her first article with the Blueprint that same year. Young is the current Captain...

Junior Elsa Kramer is a Sports Editor for her first year on the Blueprint staff. Other than journalism, Kramer is in stage crew, and coaches a varsity Downers Grove Panthers cheerleading squad. She also won the Select 58 award in eighth grade. Kramer’s journalism journey started young, when she...

Junior Grace Lube is a Sports Editor for the DGS Blueprint. This is her first year on the Blueprint staff, as well as her first experience with journalism. She is looking forward to exploring all that journalism has to offer. After she graduates from high school, she plans on attending a four-year...

Senior Sophia Lodhi is a first year Photo Editor for the Blueprint. Her love of photography started from watching her mom take photos of everything as a child. To this day, Lodhi takes all of her photos with her mom’s Canon camera and collaborates with her on photo editing. Lodhi has received three...

Junior Adrian Herres is starting his first year with Blueprint as a Video Editor. He has previously freelanced articles for Blueprint but is officially becoming a member this year. He is also involved in sports, such as cross country, and he’s starting his first year of PE Leading. He has taken...

Kari Alore loves Downers Grove South.  In fact, her full 17 years of teaching have been spent right here at DGS.  This school year she is excited to be teaching English II, English II Honors and Journalistic Expression and Media Literacy at DGS. Alore has two children who she loves dearly but woul...

Mark Indreika has been an English teacher at DGS since 1996. He graduated from DGS in 1984, and he attended Northern Illinois University where he received degrees in English and journalism. He advised The Blueprint, teaching the advanced journalism class for eight years. He is now happy to assist Ms....

Mary Long teaches TV 1, TV 2, Writing for Broadcast, Creative Writing, Journalistic Expression, Advanced Journalistic Writing and Drawing and Painting 1 at DGS. Prior to working at DGS, she taught in Wisconsin for eight years and in Cicero, Il for one year. Her undergraduate degree is from the University...