2020-2021 Staff
Luc Alvarez
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Luc Alvarez is an Editor-in-Chief in his second year on the Blueprint staff. At DGS Alvarez runs varsity on the cross country and track teams where he has received All-Conference honors. In addition to running, he is an honor roll student, a math and English tutor and a member of ACE, NHS and...
Jacqueline Barba
Editor-in-Chief
Jackie Barba is a senior at DGS and is in her second year on staff as Editor-In-Chief for the Blueprint. Barba is also a state competitor for the DGS speech team, a member of the Read-Aloud club, a Mad Dash director and a Girl Scout since Kindergarten. In her free time, Barba finds continued motivation...
Alex Miranda
Editor-in-Chief
Alex Miranda is a senior at DGS and an Editor-in-Chief for the Blueprint. He began his journalism endeavors as one of only two sophomores on the 2018-19 staff, competing at IHSA sectionals and state for editorial writing and bringing home a first place prize for the former. As a junior, he was the Video...
Lauren Wilmore
News Editor
Lauren Wilmore is a senior at DGS and is going on her second year as a part of the blueprint staff. She is involved in Class Board and National Honors Society. After being a DGS cheerleader for two years, Wilmore decided to focus mainly on the competitive side of cheer to match her passion for the...
Greyson Martinescu
News Editor
Greyson Martinescu is a Senior at DGS and a News Editor in his second year on the Blueprint. At DGS Martinescu has played on the football team and has participated in Operation Snowball twice. Since his freshman year, he has run sprints for the track and field team. Martinescu attended the 2019 SkillsUSA...
Gwendolynne Royle
Opinions Editor
Junior Gwendolynne Royle is an opinions editor for her first year on the Blueprint staff. When she is not writing in journalism, she is a speech competitor, a singer in the DGS Choirs and an active member of the Masque and Gavel club. She is also an honor roll student, a member of the International Thespian...
Ariel Oh
Opinions Editor
Ariel Oh is a senior at DGS and is an Opinions Editor for the Blueprint. This is Oh’s third year on staff; she joined as a sophomore to develop her writing skills. Oh placed first in the 2019 Journalism Sectionals for video news and later went on to the state competition. In addition to participating in the Blueprin...
Andrew Calek
Features Editor
Andrew Calek is a senior at DGS and a Features Editor for the Blueprint. This is Calek’s first year on staff, but he was awarded a Best of SNO for a student documentary and had three freelance articles published before joining the staff. Calek is a three-year varsity golfer and one of three senior...
Teagan Smith
Features Editor
Teagan Smith is a senior at DGS and has been on the Blueprint staff for two years. Smith is currently in her fourth year as a varsity cheerleader at DGS. She is also involved in NHS, peer leaders, is a Mad Dash director, Operation Snowball director and on the executive board for student council. Next...
Anika Brown
Entertainment Editor
Anika Brown is a junior at DGS and is in her first year on the Blueprint staff as an Entertainment Editor. At DGS, Brown is involved in soccer, Photography Club and Key Club. To alleviate her boredom outside of school , Brown works at West Superior Training, instructing swim lessons to children. She...
Kassem Ossman
Entertainment Editor
Kassem Ossman is a junior at DGS. This is Ossman’s first year on the Blueprint staff as an Entertainment Editor. When he’s not writing, he’s a competitor for the DGS speech team, an actor for the Masque and Gavel club and a part of the DGS choir. In the little bit of free-time Ossman has, he...
Michael Nelli
Sports Editor
Michael Nelli is a senior at DGS and the Online Sports Editor for the Blueprint. This is his first year writing for the Blueprint staff, and he is looking forward to this school year. Outside of school, Nelli works as a sports instructor at the YMCA teaching kids how to play basketball and soccer....
Drey McGrew
Sports Editor
Dreyden McGrew is a senior at DGS and the Print Sports Editor of the Blueprint. This is his second year on the Blueprint staff. McGrew is also a varsity football player on the DGS football team. Outside of school McGrew enjoys hanging out with friends, cruising on his longboard, watching anime, and...
Annie Le
Head Copy Editor
Senior Annie Le is the Head Copy Editor for the Blueprint, and this is her first year on staff. Le is also a competitor for the DGS speech team, a volunteer at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and a member of research club and NHS. In her spare time, Le enjoys drawing, painting and reading. She has...
Tanaiya Lake
Copy Editor
Tanaiya Lake is a senior at DGS and a Copy Editor for the Blueprint. Lake is a member of UMOJA club at DGS. She has recited original poetry at talent shows, has been the vice president for the last two years, and is also involved with MadDash. Lake is an advocate for Black Lives Matter and has participated...
Willow Patton
Copy Editor
Willow Patton is a senior at DGS and is a copy editor for Blueprint. This is Pattons’ first year on Blueprint. Outside of school Patton likes to spend time with her family and friends. She also enjoys binge watching Netflix shows, likes listening to music and talking long walks with her dog. Patton...
Alexis Pragides
Graphics Director
Alexis Pragides is a senior at DGS and the Graphics Director for the Blueprint. This is Pragides’s first year on staff. She is currently the president of Cultures in Alliance and on the honor roll. Pragides has been doing art since she was a kid. She has been taking AP Studio Art for the past two...
Enzo Rovito
Graphic Designer
Enzo Rovito is a senior at DGS and the Graphic Designer for the Blueprint. He has participated in cheerleading at both the high school and all-star level. He currently pursues his love for cheerleading at ICE All-stars, a highly competitive cheer gym located in Naperville, Ill. Along with cheerleading,...
Lexie Lukacik
Photo Editor
Senior Lexie Lukacik is a Photo Editor in her first year on the Blueprint Staff. At DGS Lukacik focuses on her academics and likes to help assist students who are in need of tutoring in the English Center. Her favorite thing to take part in outside of school is going on adventures with her friends...
Mimi Akintunde-Nieves
Social Media Director
Mimi Akintunde-Nieves is a senior at DGS and the Social Media Director for the Blueprint. Akintunde is the captain on her varsity tennis team. She is the Vice-president of National Honors Society, a PE and Peer leader, leader for Operation Snowball and Mad Dash director. Akintunde volunteers with...
Kari Alore
Adviser
Kari Alore loves Downers Grove South. In fact, her full 11 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
Adviser
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
Adviser
Mary Long teaches English III, Journalistic Expression and Advanced Journalistic Writing at DGS. Prior to working at DGS, she taught in Wisconsin for eight years and in Cicero for one year. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Iowa where she triple majored in journalism, English and...