Senior Ava Lafin is an Editor-in-Chief in her second year on Blueprint Staff. She is on the varsity dance team and an officer of Orchesis Dance Club. Lafin is also involved in many leadership clubs such as Blue Crew, Snowball, Life of a Mustang, PE Leading and Changemakers. Outside of school, Lafin...

Abigail Culcasi is a senior at DGS and an Editor-in-Chief in her second year on Blueprint staff. She competed in the IHSA Journalism State Series in 2022, where Culcasi placed third in Photo Storytelling at sectionals and qualified for state. In addition to journalism, Culcasi enjoys dancing and is...

Senior Emma Fudacz is an Editor-in-Chief for the DGS Blueprint, and this is her second year on the staff. Fudacz is a French tutor, a lifeguard, a member of NHS, French NHS and an honor roll student. Fudacz is also involved in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and received her Eagle Scout award in February...

Senior Anjali Kota is a first-year staff member on Blueprint, and she is the Managing editor. In school, Kota is involved in the girls’ cross country and track and field team. She is the treasurer for the student council, a member of the wind ensemble and an honor roll student. Kota is passionate...

Senior Amanda Despres is the Business Manager and Social Media Director for the Blueprint. This is her first year on the staff, and she wants to pursue journalism and communications in college coming up next fall. Despres takes on many leadership roles at DGS including Peer Leaders, Blue Crew, Snowball...

Senior Catherine Hewawissa is in her first year on the Blueprint staff as a News Editor. Hewawissa is captain of the tennis team, co-president of masque and gavel, an officer on the speech team, woodwind captain in the marching band, a member of the wind ensemble and an honor roll student. She is also...

Hamzah Sayyed is a first year staff member of Blueprint, and he is a News Editor. Sayyed is a three sport athlete in track and field, football and wrestling. Sayyed has won previous awards including, winning 1st place in conference with his track and field team in 2022, along with placing 1st in conference...

Senior Hugo Pletcher is an Opinions Editor for his first year as a part of the Blueprint staff. Along with being on the Blueprint staff, Pletcher has played tennis, been a part of the speech team, volunteered with Key Club, and he has pursued a passion in writing on his own time. He has written multiple...

Senior Megan Fox is starting out her first year on the Blueprint News Staff as an Opinions Editor. She is the Co-President of the Masque and Gavel Club, an Officer of the Speech Team, a Blue Crew Leader, a member of Changemakers, an honor roll student her entire high school career, a member of the National...

Junior Lauren Miranda is a Features Editor in her first year on the Blueprint Staff. In addition to journalism, Miranda is a member of the DGS varsity dance team and dances in a company outside of school. She is an English tutor at DGS and partakes in Athletes Committed to Excellence and the PE Leading...

Isabella Shin is a senior and a Features Editor for the Blueprint. Shin has always had a love for writing and has a background in journalistic, creative and oral expression type of writing. She hopes to publish a book within the next few years and either study or minor in creative writing. Through...

Junior Owen Chaidez is an Entertainment Editor and this is his first year on staff. He is an honors student who is dedicated to bringing awareness to the daily lives of people with disabilities, as he has a disability called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. His love for entertainment started when...

Senior Allison Scherquist is an Entertainment Editor at DGS Blueprint, this is her second year on the staff. Scherquist is a member of Key Club and ACE. She has also been involved in track and field since freshman year. Scherquist enjoys music, movies, reading and art. She loves to be around animals...

Khita Cunningham is a first year staff member on Blueprint as a Sports Editor. She loves working with kids and doing sports. She has played 12 sports her whole life such as lacrosse, tennis, badminton, bowling and so much more. She graduated middle school as Top Female Athlete in her class. Cunningham...

Senior Marty Blader is a Sports Editor on the Blueprint for his first year. Blader is a member of the National Honors Society, Peer Leaders, is on the honor roll and is involved in various clubs such as Life of a Mustang, Mad Dash, Friendship Club and Unified. As a writer, Blader hopes to influence...

Junior Maya Homberg is a Copy Editor-In-Chief, and this is her first year on the Blueprint staff. Homberg is an honor roll student and has been swimming for over 10 years. At DGS, she is on the varsity swim team and also attends clubs such as Athletes Committed to Excellence, Book Club, Earth Action...

Senior Taylor Neal is a Copy Editor for the Blueprint. This is her first year on the staff. Neal has been on the DGS girls soccer team since she began high school. Neal is also a member of Blue Crew, Snowball and Yearbook club as well as an honor roll student. During her sophomore year, Neal took Journalistic...

Junior Anthony Addante is a first year staff member on the Blueprint and is a Copy Editor. Addante is a member of the cross country team and track team. He is also a member of Madrigals, which is a select choir ensemble. He is passionate about learning and is consistently a high honor roll student. In...

Senior Luke Willer is a Copy Editor for the DGS Blueprint. Willer has been a member of the cross country team for the past four years, played on the baseball team and has been an honor roll student throughout. Willer took journalism his sophomore year, sparking his interest in writing. Willer is an...

The Senior icon-legend, TeKavin Russell is a Graphics/Photo Editor for the Blueprint, and this being his last year at DGS he has promised to make his impact in the little time he has left. The most important thing that people like about TeKavin Russell is that he is unapologetically himself. He lives...

Meida Kuzminskas is a Junior in DGS and this is her first year as a Graphics/Photo Editor for the Blueprint. Kuzminskas is a member of DECA, key club, and a leader in Letters For Rose. Kuzminskas also manages student tutors for the English Department. As an honor roll student, Kuzminskas always...

Senior Gabriel Gowen is a first year staff member on the Blueprint and is a Video Editor. He is not currently on a sports team, but he previously enjoyed three years on the DGS golf team. His love for sports launched the idea of creating a sports podcast.

NB Bandera is a junior and a first year Videos Editor for the Blueprint Staff. She participates in DECA and girl’s badminton, she has won first place herself twice in competitions as well as being undefeated in solo-games. In addition, Bandera represented her class of Television 1 in speaking to...

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 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, Journalistic Expression and Advanced Journalistic Writing 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 of Iowa where she triple majored in...