Marquis Thompson is a junior at DGS. This is his first year on the Blueprint staff team as a Freelance Writer. When he’s not recording a video or editing, he’s a member of the Table Top club and a Dean’s Aid. He used to work at Jewel Osco and achieved Scout rank when he was a Boy Scout. When...

Ryan Rosignal is a Senior at DGS and an active member in his school. When Rosignal is not working hard on his academics, he spends his time practicing for the Speech Team, singing in the DGS choirs, or rehearsing for plays and musicals through his school’s Masque and Gavel club. Rosignal is a member...

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...

Jo Stewart is a Senior at DGS. When they’re not participating in speech tournaments or practices, Stewart is singing in DGS choirs, going to play rehearsal, or practicing guitar. When she’s not at school, Stewart enjoys singing in her rock band The Substitutes. Stewart is also a part of the International...

Copy Editor Casey Muzykansky is a junior at DGS. She is involved in many things inside and outside of school. Inside of school, she is a part of snowball, choir, the speech team, theatre and blue crew. Outside of school, Muzykansky is a blackbelt in Tang Soo Do martial arts. She teaches people of...

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...

Lily Myszak is a senior at DGS and a Video News Director for Blueprint. Often lost in thought, she is most comfortable when alone or in the company of close friends where she can ponder aloud. Her podcast “Women in the Workplace” won a Best of SNO award in 2020. As an early-blooming cat lady,...

Nora Joy is a junior at DGS in her first year on the Blueprint staff working as a News Editor. In addition to Blueprint, Joy is a member of the varsity cross country and track team which fosters her competitive spirit. When she is not running, other ways she gets involved at DGS include being a member...

Senior Savanna Martinez is in her first year on the Blueprint staff as a Graphics/Photo Editor. Martinez loves to do volunteer work at animal shelters as she wants to become a veterinarian in the future. Martinez is also an artist and has been in art shows during her time at DGS. In Martinez’s free...

Senior Ema Paskevicius is a Copy Editor in her first year on the Blueprint staff. Alongside her passion for writing, Paskevicius has been a part of the DGS dance program for all four of her years in high school. Paskevicius is also in the process of making the DGS yearbook this year, and is a Mad Dash...

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...

Senior Jake Hahn is Copy-Editor-in-Chief for his final year of high school and first year in the Blueprint staff. At DGS, Hahn is a part of the school journalism team competing in the copy editing event and placing 5th in state in his junior year. He is a competent student with an affinity for courses...

Sally Lichner is a senior at Downers Grove South. She wrote freelance for Blueprint club her sophomore and junior year and now writes as an Entertainment Editor on the Blueprint staff. At school, Lichner is a member of the Wind Ensemble, Orchesis dance group, badminton, drama club, key club and a Blue...

Senior Samantha Bachara is serving as the Business Manager and Social Media Director for her first year on the Blueprint staff. When she is not writing, she is a competitor on the Speech team, sings in the DGS Choirs and is the Vice President of the Masque and Gavel club. Bachara is also a member of...

Senior Sydney Richardson is in her first year on the Blueprint staff as a Features Editor. She is the President of Masque and Gavel where she competes on the speech team, acts, directs and assists in the makeup crew for numerous stage productions at DGS. She is also an honor roll student, a member of...

Senior Faith Nelson is excited to join the Blueprint staff as a Features Editor. Nelson is a Masque & Gavel Vice President, transfer student leader, honor roll student and member of the International Thespian Society and National Speech and Debate Association. When she is not busy creating content,...

Senior Michael Piotrowski is a Sports Editor in his first year on the Blueprint Staff. At DGS, Piotrowski is on the varsity lacrosse team where he has received all-conference honors and has been selected as a team captain. On top of sports, he is a high honor roll student and is a member of NHS. Outside...

Kristin Weidner is a senior at DGS. This is Weidner’s first year on the Blueprint team as a News Video Editor. Weidner relishes in the creative freedom of screenwriting, cinematography and digital design, however when she is not using her left brain, she is involved in the National Honors Society,...

Annie Metherd is a senior at DGS. She continues her fourth year on both the girl's soccer and volleyball teams at DGS. Metherd is also involved in a handful of clubs including changemakers and student council, in addition to that she also coaches the D99 Hoops Special Olympic, basketball team. Metherd...

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...

Abigail Durkin is a senior at DGS in her first year on the Blueprint staff. Durkin is a fourth year member of the DGS speech team, a Blue Crew leader, a member of her Classboard, an honor roll student, a member of NHS and has been French Club president for three years. Starting her freshman year, Durkin...

Senior Claire Valenti is a Sports Editor for Blueprint, and this is her first year on the Blueprint staff. Valenti was a freelance writer during the 2020-2021 school year and had two articles, one podcast and one documentary published to Blueprint. Both the documentary and the podcast have been awarded...

Senior Owen Atseff is a first year member of Blueprint, as the Video News Director. At DGS, Atseff runs varsity on the cross country and track team. Along with running, Atseff also participates in DGS swim and dive. Academically, he is an honor roll student and a member of the ACE board, NHS and NTHS....

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...

Anika Brown is a senior at DGS and is in her second year on the Blueprint staff as an Editor-in-Chief. At DGS, she has completed three years on the girls soccer team along with participating in photography and yearbook club. To alleviate her boredom outside of school, Brown enjoys hanging out with...

Kassem Ossman is a Senior at DGS. This is Ossman’s second year on the Blueprint staff as an Editor-In-Chief. When he’s not writing, he’s a competitor for the DGS speech team, a member for the Masque and Gavel club and sings for the DGS choirs. Ossman is also the Vice-President of the Masque and...

Senior Gwendolynne Royle is an Editor-in-Chief in her second year on the Blueprint staff. When she is not writing in journalism, she is a speech competitor, a singer in the DGS Choirs and the Vice President and head of the makeup crew in the Masque and Gavel club. She is also in the National Honors Society,...

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...