2019-2020 Staff
Sarah Barber
Online Co-Editor-in-Chief
Sarah Barber is a senior at DGS and is in her second year on staff. This year, she is the Online Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Blueprint. In addition to journalism, Barber competes with the DGS varsity speech team and is involved with Operation Snowball, Mad Dash and masque and gavel. In the future, ...
Paul Szmanda
Online Co-Editor-in-Chief
Paul Szmanda is a senior at DGS and an Online Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Blueprint. This is his second year on the official Blueprint staff, but he freelanced for the publication during his first two years in high school. Szmanda is also a varsity member on the DGS Speech Team, the Secretary of P...
Lauren Wilmore
Online News Editor
Lauren Wilmore is a junior at DGS and is the Online News Editor for the Blueprint. Wilmore is involved in Superfans, Spanish Club and Student Council, and she is hoping to eventually be a part of National Honors Society. After being a DGS cheerleader for two years, Wilmore decided to focus mainly...
Kira Matheson
Online Opinions Editor
Kira Matheson is a senior at DGS and is the Online Opinions Editor for the Blueprint. This is her first year on staff. At DGS Matheson is the president of Masque and Gavel and is a member of the varsity speech team, Mad Dash and the choral program. After high school she would like to attend the University of Ill...
Kate Riley
Online Features Editor
Kate Riley is a senior at DGS and is the Online Features Editor in her first year on staff. Along with Blueprint she is a co-vice president of Masque and Gavel, where she has competed on the varsity speech team, acted as head of makeup crew and performed in several DGS productions. Additionally, Rile...
Jovana Kuzmanovic
Online Entertainment Editor
Jovana Kuzmanovic is a senior at DGS and the Online Entertainment Editor for the Blueprint. At DGS, she is part of the English tutor program and NHS. During her junior year, Kuzmanovic was appointed the role of an English tutor leader and plans to continue this duty. Kuzmanovic desires to continue her education...
Brenna Cohoon
Online Sports Editor
Brenna Cohoon is a senior at DGS and is the Online Sports Editor for the Blueprint. This is her first year on staff, but she has experience from writing blogs for an Illinois running news website, ilxctf.com. Cohoon is involved at school as a member of the cross country and track teams, as well as NHS, Blue Crew...
Alyssa Deplaris
Social Media Director
Alyssa Deplaris is a senior at DGS and is in her first year on staff. She is the Social Media Director for the Blueprint. Deplaris is involved with Mad Dash, Badminton, Spanish Club and was part of the Swim and Dive team freshman and sophomore year. Deplaris has a passion for martial arts and self defense - she i...
Jacob Casella
Social Media Director
Jacob Casella is a senior at DGS and is the Social Media Director for the Blueprint. This is Casella’s second year on staff. In addition to writing for the Blueprint, he is a member of the DGS speech team, NHS and volunteers as a tutor in the English Literacy Center. Last year, Casella competed in the IHSA Stat...
Rachel Ley
Print Co-Editor-in-Chief
Rachel Ley is a senior at DGS and is the Print Co-Editor-in-Chief, and she has been on Blueprint staff for two years. She enjoys entertainment writing and the process of watching the newspaper come to life when all the hard work starts to pay off. Ley is involved in band at DGS and has been for all four years o...
Alison Goulding
Print News Editor
Alison Goulding is a senior and is the Print News Editor for the Blueprint staff. This is her first year on the Blueprint Staff. At DGS, Goulding works for the literacy center as the head tutor and is also involved with Masque and Gavel. When not in school or doing homework, Goulding spends her time w...
Tatum Mitchell
Print News Editor
Tatum Mitchell is the Print Editor-in-Chief and a second year staff member. Mitchell competed on the sectional/state journalism team in 2019 for news writing. She qualified for state, taking home third at sectionals. Mitchell is involved in theater, music and she also rides horses competitively....
Teagan Smith
Print Opinions Editor
Teagan Smith is a junior at DGS and is the Print Opinions Editor of the Blueprint. Smith is currently a varsity cheerleader at DGS, she has been for three years. She is also involved in peer leaders, ACE, Operation Snowball and is on the executive board for student council. In the future Smith plans on going to colleg...
Ariel Oh
Print Features Editor
Ariel Oh is a junior at DGS and is the Print Features Editor for the Blueprint. This is Oh’s second 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 ...
Jacqueline Sumida
Print Entertainment Editor
Jacqueline Sumida is a senior and is the Print Entertainment Editor for the Blueprint. This her second year on the staff and in the entertainment section. DGS, Sumida is a member of a cappella Choir, Madrigal Singers and Thespians. Outside of school Sumida works part-time at Goodwill as a sales ...
Drey McGrew
Print Sports Editor
Dreyden McGrew is a junior at DGS and is the Print Sports Editor of the Blueprint. This is his first year on the Blueprint staff. McGrew is also a varsity football player on the DGS football team and a varsity track runner for the track & field team. Outside of school McGrew enjoys hanging out ...
Jacqueline Barba
Managing Editor
Jackie Barba is a junior at DGS and is in her first year on staff as Managing Editor for the Blueprint. In addition to journalism, Barba is also a state competitor for the DGS speech team, a french club member and a Girl Scout. In her free time, Barba finds continued motivation in her wanderlust. She...
Marjorie Lichner
Head Copy Editor
Marjorie Lichner is a senior at DGS and is the Head Copy Editor for the Blueprint. This is her first year on the Blueprint; however, she did freelance a few pieces for the paper last year. When Lichner isn’t at school, she spends most of her time at work. As a Consumables team member at Targe...
Isabella Johnsen
Copy Editor
Isabella Johnsen is a senior at DGS and is a Copy Editor for the Blueprint. This is her first year on staff. Outside of journalism she loves to explore other aspects of art like music and photography. Johnsen loves to sing, play the guitar and take photos whenever she can. In addition to arts,...
Madeline O'Neil
Copy Editor
Madeline O’Neil is a senior at DGS and is currently a Copy Editor for the Blueprint. Along with Journalism, O’Neil is a member of Mustang Way, the Senior Class Board and Operation Snowball. O’Neil is also on the Varsity Dance Team and an Orchesis officer and has a passion for dancing and the a...
Vincent Llanes
Copy Editor
Vincent Llanes is a senior at DGS and is in his first year with the Blueprint where he is the Business Manager and Copy Editor. He has been a member of both the track & field and cross country teams since his sophomore year and currently competes at the varsity level with the intent of heading to t...
Luc Alvarez
Copy Editor
Luc Alvarez is a junior at DGS and is a Copy Editor in his first year on the Blueprint staff. At DGS Alvarez runs on the cross country and track teams where he has received All-Conference recognition. In addition to running, he is an honor roll student, a math and English tutor and a member of ACE. O...
Ashley Boak
Photo Editor
Ashley Boak is a senior at DGS and the Photo Editor for the Blueprint. This is Boak’s first year on the Blueprint staff, but she freelanced for the Blueprint throughout her junior year. Boak swims for DGS and is involved in Mustang Way leading, Operation Snowball, Mad Dash and the student board for ...
Greyson Martinescu
Assistant Photo Editor
Greyson Martinescu is a junior at DGS and an Assistant Photo Editor in his first year on the Blueprint. At DGS Martinescu has played on the football team and has participated in Snowball twice. During the spring he runs sprints for the track and field team. Martinescu attended the 2018 SkillsUSA compe...
Elliot Sheets
Graphics Director
Elliot Sheets is a senior at DGS and the Graphics Director for the Blueprint. This is his first year on the Blueprint staff; however, he has provided visuals before in the past. Sheets is very passionate about art and drawing, taking art classes to refine his craft. Over the summer, Sheets went on family vacat...
Kevin Clyde Tate
Graphics Director
Kevin Clyde Tate is senior at DGS and is the Graphics Director in his first year on staff. In addition to Blueprint, Kevin is a member of the speech team, DGS Madrigal Singers and is a co-president of Masque and Gavel. Last February, he won the IHSA Speech State Championship in Original Comedy, in his s...
Alex Miranda
Video News Director
Alex Miranda is a junior at DGS and is the Video News Director for the Blueprint. As a sophomore he participated in leadership events including the fall and winter Snowballs, Mad Dash and the P.E. Leading training program. Miranda began his journalism endeavors as one of only two sophomores on the B...
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...
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...