DHS and other Connecticut schools have been on high alert and awareness of suicide prevention after the recent loss of a local student.

With mourning friends and family, the community has been working hard to spread awareness on mental health, depression, self-harm, and just being kind to one another.

Media specialist Christie Taylor-Riendeau and student aides in the library took on the task of promoting kindness here with a bulletin board and plans to form a student-led club. The former English teacher came up with the idea after reading news coverage of the suicide.

Most news outlets do not report suicides, but this one was done in public and gained even more media attention after the student announced her intentions on social media, and some of her followers responded with incredibly hurtful and callous posts.

Taylor-Riendeau initially asked staff and faculty to share a Google survey with students that asked them to share an act of kindness that they have recently experienced. After taking a look at the responses, Taylor-Riendeau said she was pleased.

The replies ranged from simple examples of kindness such as “holding the door open for someone” to more complex examples. However, even with the short and simple responses, Riendeau finds it “interesting to see what students look at as what kindness really is and how seriously people take it.”

Next to the library, the kindness bulletin board consists of inspirational quotes and sayings focusing on being kind to one another. For example, “Be someone’s sunshine when their sky is grey”, “How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it”, and “Kindness beautifies everything it covers”, are just a few quotes posted.

The board is similarly related to the popular Ben’s Bells Project which focuses on spreading acts of kindness around your community. The sweet sayings are written on the same colorful flower logo that is commonly related back to the organization.

Putting up the kindness bulletin board outside the Library Learning Commons has sprouted an idea and goal for Taylor-Riendeau within the upcoming school year. “I think we’re going to start a kindness club next year,” she said, adding that she already has students in mind to lead the effort.

It is not yet concrete how the kindness club will play out, but Taylor-Riendeau said she intends on it meeting twice a month. She said she wants the club to extend the kindness beyond the campus with activities such as packaging meals for the Dorothy Day Shelter and making dog toys for the animal shelter.

The club will have a goal of allowing students to gather to “do fun, small things” in hopes of making the Danbury community a happier and kinder place.

Juhi Taj was one student who helped Taylor-Riendeau put up the board. Taj said she was glad to help because such a bulletin board is more likely to be seen in an elementary school than a high school. Taj said she is grateful that Taylor-Riendeau wanted her help in putting the board up and “it’s nice that the board can make a change in someone’s mood or day.”

In addition to the kindness initiative, the school district has reminded parents, students and faculty and staff that confidential and professional resources are available to those under strain. On March 7, the school held its first of many forums focusing on adolescent mental health and raising awareness among students and family members on having those important conversations. The forum panel consisted of professionals on suicide prevention, mental and behavioral health, and school district officials.  

Karen London, a licensed clinical social worker in the School-Based Health Center across from the LCC, shares that she is always available to talk with students. In addition to the school’s social workers, the district also has Caitlin Lewis in position as crisis counselor.

London provides “treatment/therapy; assessment and referrals” to all students who may need it. London recommends programs and outlets for students who may be trying to seek help or are having suicidal thoughts such as: The One Word One Voice program and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

For students who may know someone who is dealing with mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, or depression, and you are concerned for their safety and health, London would like to emphasize that letting an adult know you are concerned in never the wrong thing to do.

Making the decision to tell someone whether it may be a ”teacher, school clinician, School-Based Health Center staff, religious leader, parent, medical provider,” is always the right thing to do. “It is OK to ask people flat out how they feel and if they ever think of suicide,” says London.

Many kids tend to shy away from ever discussing suicide with friends due to the fear of possibly giving them ideas. However, London reassures that speaking on the subject “will not give them the idea to do it, and being able to say it out loud to someone else may be a great relief” for them after all.

For many, senior prom is an unforgettable event in a student’s high school years. It’s the last time all the seniors will gather together for an event before graduation.

This year, senior prom will be at 7 p.m. May 24 at The Amber Room Colonnade. Tickets will be on sale May 14-17 in the cafeteria.

Because senior prom is such an important event, members of the prom committee have been busy working to ensure that their classmates will have a memorable time come May.

During its meetings, the senior prom committee discussed and debated numerous themes. Members created Google slideshows to pitch their favorite theme to the rest of the committee. After a group vote, it was decided that the theme would be “crystal ball.”

“Students will enter a room that looks like a magical crystal paradise,” said English teacher Elise Tobin, one of the Class of 2019’s advisors.

To make sure that the room resembles the crystal ball theme, the prom committee will decorate with club lighting, lounge furniture, and have stars projected on the ceiling. All the students will see silver tree manzanita centerpieces on every table.

In addition, the prom committee hosted a contest for students to decorate the shirt that is given to everyone who attends prom. This year’s winner was Kayla Tolliver-Van Wright.

As for food, the hors d’oeuvres range from the mac and cheese bites shrimp cocktails. Students will be able to select from flank steak, pasta, and chicken francaise for their entree. The food doesn’t stop there though.

“We are very proud to announce that there will be an ice cream bar throughout the whole night serving ice cream and mocktails. There will also be a French fry bar opening up sometime before the end of the night,” Tobin said.

In terms of music, Chase Caldwell will be the DJ this year. He was the DJ last year at junior prom, too. He is a DHS graduate himself.

“We picked DJ Chase Caldwell because the seniors really enjoyed his music last year. He was able to keep the energy up and hype the crowd,” Tobin said.

Several seniors have already begun making preparations for prom, as it is such an important part of the high school experience.

Alyssa Perez, senior, said, “I’m very excited for prom. My friends and I are getting a hotel room for the night and I’m making preparations for my hair and makeup.”

The prom committee has been working hard to make sure the night is perfect.

“Seniors should attend because it’s going to be a fantastic night. We have a great team, wonderful advisors, and we have been all working very hard to make this night a success,” said Lucio Bellantoni, class president.

With this month came Netflix’s wave of original series and movie releases, including the supernatural horror series The Order. Released on March 7, the series is on its way to becoming the new Riverdale — fans will be eagerly waiting for the release of season two in the upcoming year with action packed plots, flirtatious teases between main characters, and dialogue laced with witty dark humor.

The series features protagonist Jack Morton, played by rising star Jake Manley, who will be featured in upcoming films A Dog’s Journey and Midway. Morton is on his quest to avenge the death of his mother, which he blames on his father, Edward Coventry (Max Martini). In the absence of his parents, his grandfather Pete (Matt Frewer of Max Headroom fame), also known as “Pop,” raises Jack and encourages him to go to Belgrave University to get closer to his father. After acceptance, Jack is soon admitted into a secret order called the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, which is stationed underneath one of the university’s abandoned buildings. From there, the plot unfolds as Jack discovers the extent of his own powers and the secrets that lie within his family.

Throughout the first season, the dynamics between the characters are developed well. The curiosity and withheld reason for why Jack hates his father creates a divide, making the audience unsure of whether to side with Edward’s charismatic personality or to be skeptical of his actions and intentions. After the first few episodes, a clear feud, which can be compared to the one of Shakespeare’s Capulets and Montagues, forms between the magicians and the werewolves on campus. On top of that, the suspense within Alyssa Drake (Sarah Grey) and Jack’s flirtatious conversations keep the audience craving more.

Despite the well established character dynamics, the script is polluted with unnecessary vulgar, which tends to limit the distinction between characters and their personalities. I believe the vulgar was used more as an appeal to the audience, as the striking language poses as a hook to the viewer. From the start, the vulgar affected the extent to which the actors could fully submerge themselves into character. However, the writers dampen the profanity after a few episodes, allowing for a more fluid development of the characters. By the end of the first season, the series lines up with The Magicians; they both take a more adult spin on Harry Potter’s wizarding world. The modestly used vulgar adds to the dark humor surrounding the show, enhancing the plot with witty remarks made mostly by the show’s jokester Randall Carpio (Adam DiMarco), who was also in The Magicians.

One of the most distinct features of the show that I can appreciate as a viewer are the shots that the directors (Mathias Herndl, Leslie Hope, Kristin Lehman, David Von Ancken, Rachel Leiterman) took, as well as the set. With many different filming locations across Belgrave University, the show expands with several plot lines, and the directing makes reality collide with the supernatural. Effects, makeup, and costume designs are so realistic they keep the viewer immersed in the show. The only criticism I would have is the fact that they fail to film the transformation between human and werewolf, and this gives me the notion that Netflix had a low budget for the show, especially since Netflix is working on a plethora of new Netflix originals. Despite this, the show is captivating and the attention to using proper and enticing filming techniques makes up for the setbacks the directs may have had.

With only a minor setback in writing and possible budgets in the first few episodes, the show is off to a great start. The character dynamics as well as the acting and writing develop nicely within the first few episodes, and the suspense keeps the viewer watching. This really is the new Riverdale, I can sense it.

Located on One West Street in Danbury, right across the street from The Danbury Public Library and right next door to the Naugatuck Valley Community College Danbury campus, sits a small coffee shop named Barrister’s Coffee House.

Barrister’s Coffee House is owned by Tracy Hoekenga. She created it with the idea of “creating unity through compassion.”

Upon entering, I immediately felt welcomed and relaxed. I liked the urban vibes it gave off being right in the center of all the action next to Main Street.

On the inside, the walls are painted black, brown, and yellow while string lights and paintings hang on the walls. There are also antique items on the wall such as an old bike and a pay phone.

There are several wooden tables scattered throughout the shop to pull up a chair. There are eight brown leather couches in two groups of four to collaborate with colleagues. In addition, at the back of the shop there are cubicles for quiet independent work.

There is Wifi but you have to go up to the desk and be provided with the code. Some people prefer to use their hotspots though as the Wifi isn’t that fast with several people on it at once.

The draw of this place is all the different kind of people you encounter while in the shop. There are many students, families, and business professionals meeting up.

The amount of drink options rival Starbucks and taste just as addicting. You can choose between coffee, macchiatos, lattes, hot chocolate, iced tea, lemonade, and their very own “barriccinos” in various flavors such as mocha and caramel.

I like how they made their own type of drink and I think naming it a “Barricino” is clever. When the drink is ready, it looks as elaborate. For example, the caramel barricino is topped with whip cream and drizzled caramel.

The Barricinos come in three sizes: superior, appellate, and supreme. The superior is priced at $3.95, the appellate is priced at $4.45, and the supreme is priced at $4.95.

In my opinion, the prices are fair considering they are similar to places like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts.

As for food, there all day breakfast options and a bakery. For the all day breakfast, you can choose between oatmeal, sausage egg and cheese on a croissant, or sausage egg and cheese on an English muffin.

At the bakery, there are options such as bagels, cinnamon buns, assorted cookies, chocolate croissants, loaf cake, and scones.

The bagels and pastries are brought in fresh every morning from New York City. This makes everything taste fresh and delicious.

Another food option I enjoyed was their pizza bagels. It’s not like the pizza bagels you find at the grocery store. It is a full sized bagel with tomato sauce and cheese melted on top with your choice of pepperoni or spinach on top. The pizza bagels are priced at $3.49. Or you can get two for $5.49.

Another popular item that I want to try next time is “The Waff,” a breakfast sandwich composed of waffles. The Waff is priced at $2.79.

The only critique I have is parking. There are limited parking spots on the road to the side of Barrister’s. You have to compete with students from Naugatuck Valley Community College or people visiting The Danbury Library to secure one of those spots. If you don’t get one of those spots you are left walking a far distance. However, this is to be expected with an urban shop on Main Street.

Barrister’s is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. I strongly recommend stopping in when you get a chance.

Barrister’s is perfect for any student who is looking for somewhere quiet to get their work done, somewhere to collaborate with friends on a project, or grab a quick bite to eat.

“Captain Marvel” continues to break records. This weekend, it brought in another $188 million in global sales at the box office – one of the top 20 highest-grossing second weekends of all time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie was hinted at during the post-credit scene of The Avengers: Infinity War, released April 27th, 2018. And on the 18th of September, 2018, a trailer for Captain Marvel was released.

There has been a great build-up to this movie. Many have speculated as to whether Captain Marvel would possess the ability to revert all the damage done in Infinity War, and bring back all the deceased characters. While we don’t quite know if she does or if she will, she is certain to play a large role in Endgame, the next Avengers movie to come out on April 26.

Directed and written by Anna Boden and Ryan K. Fleck, an American filmmaking duo best known for their collaborations on Half Nelson, Sugar, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Mississippi Grind, Captain Marvel provides much insight on the past and life of Captain Marvel, A.K.A. Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson. Marvel is a Kree Warrior with extraordinary ability, but in the midst of an intergalactic war with the Skrulls, she struggles with persistent memories of a previous life as an airforce pilot in 1995 on Earth. Throughout the movie, she discovers her past self, and the people she held dear. She realizes her present is not what the Kree has made it to be, and once she understands this, nothing stops her from protecting those that need it.

This movie was wonderful in many ways. It was amazing to see a Marvel movie centered on a woman. Every previous Marvel movie has featured a male, such as the Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, and Ant-man series, and the single Doctor Strange movie. It was not only refreshing, but empowering to see a female on the big screen.

The CGI was also phenomenal. I absolutely love Marvel for their action-packed fight scenes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the humongous battle towards the end of this movie. Seeing Captain Marvel’s full power was amazing and extremely enthralling, and it made me wonder why other superheroes even exist, her abilities are that incredible.

It was fun seeing the very beginning of S.H.I.E.L.D, and this movie presents to us a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The ominous and usually icy Nick Fury, played by the iconic Samuel L. Jackson had a warmth to him in Captain Marvel that we’ve never seen from him before. He looked insanely young, and his presence in combination with the hilarious cat Goose added much-needed charm and humor into this movie. One of my favorite parts of Marvel movies are the subtle jokes and comedy that is thrown in, and I found myself laughing hard with this one.

My only complaint is that the movie took time to get interesting, but one could argue the slow beginning was necessary. There is also no large antagonist in the movie; I think Captain Marvel’s backstory serves more as a prologue to Avengers: End Game.

Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Captain Marvel, rated PG-13, has a run time of two hours and five minutes.

The O’Grady Relays, the school’s prestigious outdoor track and field event hosted annually on the Hatter track, will move this year to Bethel High School because of safety concerns for the student-athletes.

Last month, City Hall announced its $2 million plan to replace deteriorating track this summer. Big events, such at the O’Gradys, however, had to find a new venue for this year only.

According to the News Times, the plan for a new track has been among a list of growing capital improvement projects. City officials told the newspaper that “city construction services has [already] set aside $2 million for the work.”

Athletics Director Chip Salvestrini said he is pleased to hear that the “new track is officially in the City of Danbury budget plans for the near future.” He further added how the school needed a “new track badly and a new one could not come at a better time.”

While describing his excitement of the track, Salvestrini urged the necessity of a new track by highlighting precautions that need to be taken. He said that “certain lanes on the track have deteriorated to the point of being unsafe.”

With concerns over the current state of the track, Salvestrini explains how big events such as the “O’Grady Relays, The Dream Invitational, The CIAC State Class Track Meets, FCIAC Boys and Girls Outdoor Track Championships, and FCIAC regular season boys and girls dual and tri meets” all take place at DHS.

While the variety of events are unlimited, the condition of the track causes limits for the smooth conduct of events, especially with safety being the priority.

As safety issues cloud over the track, Salvestrini explained that “we [become] concerned about possible injuries with so many athletes competing.”

The existing track was installed in 2002 and had a “10-year life span which brought us to 2012.” However, he said no city action (the city owns the building and facilities) was taken into consideration until 2015 and 2016 when “the track began to seriously deteriorate.”

Around this time, track coaches started to notice the uneven wear on the track. “That was also the time when we started to make the BOE and the City of Danbury aware that we needed at the very least to get the track refurbished, or replaced,” the AD said.

Salvestrini said he is unsure of the city’s plans in terms of materials for the track and life span for this one. City planners couldn’t be reached for comment. Even so, he said he is “proud of the steps Danbury is making in the community.”

Girls’ coach Nick Fraticelli and Boys’ coach Rob Murray were also pleased with the news.

Fraticelli, coming off a successful indoor track season, said a “new track, and hopefully new equipment and facility improvements, will better all parts of the track and field team and its resources.”

Along with the excitement expressed by Fraticelli, similar emotions are expressed Robert Murray.

While there are many reasons that go into the deterioration of the current track, Murray has highlighted that the most likely reason for deterioration is through “drastic seasonal weather in the Northeast.”

He further adds how the current track has been overdue for the past 5 years and how the early signs of deterioration on the track started with the “red lanes deteriorating rapidly.”

Murray explains how both the boys and the girls track and field teams have tried their best to keep events and invitations at home, however the poor conditions of the track infringes on many activities and events that can be held by the community or the track teams.

As the track constantly deteriorates and is regarded in poor condition by the coaches, student track athletes have different approaches with the renovation of the track.

Adam Fox, junior, describes that the track has caused “my cleats to wear out quickly, whenever I run on the red lanes.” The rapid deterioration of the red lanes has prevented some runners to properly run during practice sessions after school.

He further mentions how “our workouts at times get into some problems when we run as a group.” However, Fox seems hopeful for a new track explaining how “it can provide runners the adequate practice they need for their workout sessions.”

While some express the dire needs of a track, others seem to express gratitude for the new project.

Johanse Martinez, sophomore, relates to the expected track as a “new beginning for the team”.

Martinez, part of the hurdlers and throwers section of the team, seems to be thrilled with the installation of a new track which he feels “will add flexibility to my sprinting.”

He acknowledges how “it’s been tough for the runners with the weather and meets and especially with the team in transition, but a new track might put the team back on the right track.”

Alex Gibson, junior, expects much of the same as Martinez. Gibson says that with a new track “a new incentive is created for runners,” adding that “unity through the track is something we can take forward as a team.”

With the track coming into its final days in its shape, Gibson feels that the “track should be strong enough to repel against the problems we’re facing now.”

The horror during World WarⅡis creatively revealed by Ruta Sepetys in her novel, Salt to the Sea.

She does this through the story of four individuals and their experience of evacuating on the Wilhelm Gustloff, a military transport ship in the midst of a Soviet advance.

They are among thousands of refugees that are all desperate for freedom in East Prussia as they undergo the brutal conditions of life during the war as well as unexpected complications.

Each character goes through a series of problems that later enable their paths to converge as they fight for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff.

They fight to stay alive while in the process, learn more about one another and gain a sense of trust, which was a powerful trait shared by society during this dark period.

Sepetys touched upon the value of trust several times within her writing in a way that generated suspense as the risk of having trust could mean life or death.

Salt to the Sea is not the only book Sepetys has written about escaping conflict. Her most popular novels include Between Shades of Gray (2011), and Out of the Easy (2013).

The book is historical fiction and is based off a tragic event that took place on Jan. 30, 1945.

The Wilhelm Gustloff was a real ship that was going to be the last hope for many, but was sunk by four torpedoes from a soviet submarine in the Baltic sea.

This occured during Operation Hannibal, which is one of the largest sea evacuations in modern history.

Over 2 million people — soldiers and civilians — were successfully evacuated to safety from the advancing Russian troops.

Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, ethnic Germans, and residents of the East Prussian and Polish corridors all fled toward the sea in hopes of reaching a better life away from the war.

It is listed as the deadliest disaster in maritime history killing over 9,000 people, beating the death tolls of the famous Titanic that killed 1,503  people.

This event is told by the characters who found themselves in different positions of the catastrophe.

It emphasized the many hardships and dangers that took place during the time and how individuals reacted towards them.

The text is extremely educational and will provide the audience with a better understanding about the past and what took place during World WarⅡ.

Salt to the Sea was published Feb. 2, 2016 by Penguin Random House with a total of 391 pages. It was immediately praised as a #1 New York Times Bestseller, winner of the Carnegie medal, and even featured on NPR’s Morning edition.

Every year at this time, we sit to write an editorial extolling our blue chip Athletics Department for another incredible winter run on championship titles and personal bests. This year is no exception.

We would like to congratulate Athletics Director Chip Salvestrini and his competitive and driven coaches and trainers who guided our student-athletes to glory during the winter sports season.

Just about every day on the morning announcements, or on our Twitter feeds, or on GameTime CT, the News-Times, and the FCIAC websites, we would hear or read about another Hatter victory. It is easy to lose track of all the wins, titles and accolades. By the way, click here for the All-FCIAC selections. And here is the CHSCA All-State Girls’ Basketball Team, which includes Lady Hatter Susan Almeida.

On March 21, the student-athletes gathered with their coaches and trainers to celebrate all of the successes, some of which came without a trophy or a medal. They gathered in the cafeteria for a celebratory dinner honoring the efforts throughout the winter months.

As the department gears up for the spring season, which we anticipate being successful as well, we tip our hats to our winter sports teams including our players and coaches in the Unified Basketball program.

Here are some of our 2018-19 Winter Athletic Program highlights, as provided by Salvestrini:

Wrestling

* FCIAC Western Division Champions

* Ryan Sabbagh Holiday Tournament Champions

* Sanford (ME) Tournament Champions

* FCIAC Champions

* CT State LL Champions

* CT State Open Champions

* New England Champions

* CT State Wrestling Team of the Year

* Head Coach Ricky Shook-State LL Coach of the Year

* Assistant Coach Keith Lynch-State LL Assistant Coach of the Year

* Wrestler Ryan Jack-CT State Wrestler of the Year

Girls’ Track

* FCIAC Western Division Champions

* FCIAC Champions

* CT State LL Champions

* CT State Open-3rd Place

Boys’ Track

* FCIAC Western Division Champions

* FCIAC Champions

* Athlete Malcolm Going ran the 2nd fastest HS time in the U.S.  in the 800M.

* Athlete Malcolm Going finished 3rd in the New Balance Indoor National Championships and earned All-American status.

Cheerleading

* FCIAC Champions

* FCIAC Grand Champions

* Head Coach Joann Tatarzycki-FCIAC Coach of the Year

* New England Invitational Open Champions

* CT State LL Champions

Boys’ Basketball

* FCIAC Championship Finalist

* CIAC Post Season Tournament-2nd Round

* 16-8 season record

Girls’ Basketball

* FCIAC Playoffs-1st Round

* CIAC Post Season Tournament-2nd Round

* Danbury Holiday Tournament Champions

* Head Coach Jackie DiNardo won the 500th game of her career

* 16-7 season record

Athletic Trainer

* Emily Renna received a citation from the CT Athletic Trainers Association during National Athletic Trainers Month (March) for her contributions to the athletic training profession.

Well under way on its second season, “Patriot Act,” a political comedy series on Netflix, is an interesting take on stand up comedy fused with journalism. Its host, Hasan Minhaj, former senior correspondent on “The Daily Show” and stand-up comedian, propels the show forward to the forefront the crowded sea of late night news shows. Minhaj is also the first Indian-American and Muslim to host a weekly comedy show.

Episodes air every week on Sunday and explore politically relevant topics (they aren’t necessarily timely, but relate to current events and the broader history of the issue) ranging from Affirmative Action, free speech, and immigration. Minhaj tackles these topics in a mere 20 to 30-minute span per episode while providing the audience with a wealth of information on the multiple facets of the issue, which is quite a difficult feat to accomplish.

What’s unique and successful about the series is Minhaj’s punctuating and powerful delivery of his content. Not only is his content controversial and riveting in itself, the way in which he goes about presenting the information while utilizing his humor to further explain it is different than what other political series have done in the past.

Like his own Peabody-award-winning Netflix standup special, “Homecoming King,” Minhaj stands in front of large screens that display an array of videos, images, and data (some of which are humorously edited clips and pictures) and engages his audience with animated hand movements and exaggerated facial expressions. He also incorporates a variety of pop-culture references as well as jokes regarding his Indian-Muslim heritage, which are hallmarks of his personality as a comedian.

Minhaj’s sharply informative perspective coupled with his natural lively dynamic broadens his viewer target, as casual Netflix viewers can tune in to his series for entertainment, rather than solely the political content. This creative blend makes the series highly enjoyable for a wide spectrum of viewers and takes the trend of news on social media to new heights.

In fact, “Patriot Act” has reached such a far reach of diverse viewers that the Season 1, episode 2, “Saudi Arabia” has been banned and pulled from Netflix in Saudi Arabia, due to Minhaj’s witty criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his correlation to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “I still can’t believe it,” Minhaj responded on the following episode of his series. “We got Saudi Arabia to issue its very own Muslim ban.”

Minhaj’s Indian-American Muslim background only enriches his funny, energetic, and charismatic personality and humor, making the series a success in its own right. New episodes air every Sunday on Netflix and are co-created and produced by Minhaj and Emmy-nominated writer Prashanth Venkataramanujam.

I lack willpower when it comes to chocolate. It’s a fact of life that I’ve come to accept. Regardless of my daily caloric intake for the day, I succumb to its deliciousness each and every time I am afforded the opportunity to do so.

Add a few nuts and raisins and I’m more than willing to do someone’s household chores for a year. OK, maybe just a trip to the dry cleaners or grocery store. For this reason, I can’t have the stuff anywhere in the house. Doing so usually leads to actions that I later regret.

One year when I was young, my parents bought my sister and me identical chocolate tablets with the words “I Love You” inscribed on them. In a show of deep appreciation, I quickly unwrapped my gift, tore open the packaging, broke off large chunks of chocolate, and stuffed my face.

Always the voice of reason, mom came over and suggested that I not eat the whole thing at once and that I should save some for later. What?! Didn’t mom know that chocolate was meant to be eaten in one sitting?

I was just about to commiserate with my sister when I looked over at her chocolate tablet and observed that while mine looked as if an alligator had chomped down on it, hers looked as if a tiny mouse had nibbled on one of the corners. When I asked her why she wasn’t devouring her chocolate like I was, she said that she wanted to save it for later.

I was baffled. Were my mom and sister conspiring against me in some evil ploy to keep me away from chocolate? Had I been switched at birth and now my real chocolate-loving family was taking its annual trip to Hershey Park to bask in its chocolate splendor while I was being prevented from paying homage to chocolate? I made a mental note to look up my birth certificate.

I reluctantly rewrapped my half-eaten chocolate bar and stored it in the fridge next to my sister’s. However, the power of chocolate was too strong to ignore and soon the kitchen became my favorite room in the house and our fridge my favorite appliance.

I came up with creative excuses for my increased visits to the kitchen, “Oh, Mom, do you want me to scrub and wash the oil-burnt frying pans?”

“Dad, do you want me to fix that leaky faucet?”

“Sis, do you want me to bake you a cheesecake from scratch?”

Although no one took me up on my offers, I was able to proceed with my discreet visits to the fridge until I held in my hand my last piece of chocolate. With sadness, I popped it into my mouth and with even greater sadness, realized that I no longer had chocolate.

And then I looked over at my sister’s chocolate tablet.

Besides the rodent-like nibbling, her chocolate tablet was pretty much intact. How could she not crave chocolate as much as I did? I made a mental note to look up her birth certificate.

And here’s my confession: Without anyone looking, I opened my sister’s box, broke off the tiniest piece of chocolate, and ate it. Oh, so delicious!

Guilt began to seep into my consciousness, but denial took over and I convinced myself that since the piece was so small that a) what I was doing wasn’t really a bad thing and b) no one would notice. Therefore, it was totally OK to break off another little piece and another and another …

Predictably, the small unnoticeable piece soon morphed into a large noticeable one that my parents and sister finally noticed. As a result, I spent the rest of the evening in my bedroom in forced solitary confinement tasked with reflecting on the ethical implications of my actions and their impact on others.

And as I did so, I wished I had a piece of chocolate.

Editor’s note: A version of this piece was published in the Hersam Acorn Newspapers in 2013.

“The Umbrella Academy“ is a television adaptation on Netflix created by Jeremy Slater, based on the American comic book series written by Gerard Way. The initial air date was in February and it includes 10 episodes each roughly an hour long.

The comic first appeared in 2007 when Dark Horse Comics released The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, which was followed up by a second edition of the comic in 2008 titled Dallas. A third edition was released in 2018, with talks of another in the future.

In the show, 43 infants are inexplicably born to women who did not conceive any children. Seven of them are adopted by billionaire industrialist Sir Reginald Hargreeves (played by Colm Feore), who creates the Umbrella Academy and prepares the children to save the world;

Number One – Luther (Tom Hopper) possesses super strength and size, he was collecting data samples on the moon before returning home upon hearing news of his father’s death.

Number Two – Diego (David Castañeda) is a masked vigilante with impeccable knife-throwing skills.

Number Three – Allison, (Emmy Raver-Lampman) A famous movie star that has the ability to convince anyone to do what she says.

Number Four – Klaus, (Robert Sheehan) a struggling drug addict who can communicate with the dead, but only while sober.

Number Five – (Aidan Gallagher) The smartest of the group, a teleporter who mysteriously disappeared as a child, but returns to the group in episode 1 with a warning.

Number Six – Ben (Justin H. Min) mysteriously died at some point, and frequently communicates with Klaus from the afterlife.

Number Seven – Vanya (Ellen Page) is a violinist who was isolated from the rest of the family for being normal, also received backlash for exposing the family’s secrets in her book.

The storyline is innovative and fascinating; As the family discovers various clues surrounding their father’s death, more and more secrets are revealed throughout the season. Packed with mysteries, intense fight scenes and unexpected twists, “The Umbrella Academy” will keep you up all night binge-watching.

The family’s intriguing personal lives and superhuman abilities enticingly captivate a viewer’s attention to have them wondering what comes next. After a falling out as teenagers, the family must band together to defeat their greatest evil and prevent the apocalypse from ending the world.

Despite outside bearing witness to cold, dark, and desolate weather, the inside of the UCONN Storrs campus was illuminated by the diverse range of LGBT+ pride colors and warmed by the energies of LGBT+ youth and allies.

UCONN was the site of the 26th annual True Colors Conference on March 22-23. With more than 3,000 children and adults in attendance, it is the largest LGBT+ youth issues conference in the country.

The Danbury High School GSA Club, or Gay-Straight Alliance, participated for its seventh year in a row this year. Club advisor and teacher Kimberely D’Auria sponsored and supervised the trip.

Viktoria Wulff-Andersen
Members of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, led by advisor and teacher Kim D’Auria, attended this year’s True Colors Conference at UConn in Storrs.

“It was a lot of work, and I honestly wasn’t sure if we would make it,” she said, explaining she was unsure if she would have enough students interested in going. Ultimately, 11 Hatters attended.

“I’m so grateful we were able to make it. I think this will be a great learning opportunity for the students,” D’Auria said.

The True Colors Conference is hosted by the True Colors organization, both of which seek to create a world where individuals of all sexualities, genders, and identities are respected and validated. The conference seeks to further knowledge on LGBT youth issues and activism through conferences, classes, and social gatherings.

Despite True Colors being a notable social gathering for the LGBT+ community, DHS students were most looking forward to learning.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing educational talks about what I personally want to learn about and connect to,” said junior Molly Mead, vice president of the GSA.

Ashley Schlemmer added, “This is my first time going, so I’m excited to get to learn about the diversity in the community and how I can better be an ally.”

The day started opening remarks, organized by UCONN’s Rainbow Center, a support facility for UCONN’s LGBT+ population.

As the lights dimmed, students were introduced to the festivities with a dance performance by Xiomarie LaBeija, the Connecticut Plus Size Dancing Diva. After the rigorous applause following the performance ebbed, Robin McHaelen, the True Colors executive director and founder, came to the stage.

“Welcome boys, girls, non-binary and gender-non conforming people, and everyone of every identity,” she started. “We’re going to create a world together that every feels welcome in.”

Other speakers included Connecticut’s Kid Governor Ella Briggs (whose platform is LGBT+ Youth Safety), Mr. Connecticut Bear Joe Keach-Longo, and Academy-Award winning screenwriter James Lecesne.

Kevin Lembo, the first openly gay person elected to Connecticut state office, best expressed the mission of advocacy at True Colors.

“LGBT+ rights have evolved, but there are people who want to take those rights away. We can’t let them. Speak up for your community and speak up for yourself,” said Lembo, the state comptroller.

Afterwards, students went off to attend the diverse range of workshops offered. True Colors offered more than 200 workshops split between three sessions during its first day, which included discussions on particular communities in the LGBT+ spectrum, writing workshops, and classes on social and personal activism.

There were also lectures on personal experiences from various speakers, as well as a multitude of theater games and icebreaker activities offered. Between workshops, a “Vendor Mall” was the center of activity for students, where booths from associated organizations such as Planned Parenthood were staffed.

Overall, it was an eventful day of learning and growing in knowledge and identity. Junior Yuleidy Espinal attended the Queer Writing Workshop, and learned how to “write and address queer identities with better representation and respect.

In general, junior Olivia Simone felt as though she learned a lot about acknowledging LGBT+ rights. “I learned how to advocate for myself and the community, and of the safe and universal aspects human rights in general,” Simone said.

Even the faculty grew over the course of the day, as the conference had specific focuses on encouraging LGBT+ representation and understanding in classrooms of all grades.

Karen Chance, guidance counselor, has learned how to apply what she’s learned at True Colors to her LGBT+ students. “I really learned how to be more inclusive and accepting. I feel like I can make a more supportive classroom environment — something really important to all students,” she said.

Ashley Corrie also helped organized the trip as the president of the GSA Club. As a graduating senior, however, she hopes that the future of the club continues to include True Colors.

“It truly is a remarkable event that represents individuality for everyone, regardless of their identity. That’s a good value to have instilled,” she said.

D’Auria agreed, attesting to the value of the event. “It’s worth the effort to in the end be inspired by these motivated individuals at True Colors,” she concluded.

At the end of the day, despite the poor weather that persisted, a rainbow appeared above the UCONN campus — a perfect conclusion to an energetic and passionate event.

With college fast approaching for seniors and on the horizon for underclassmen, the news of a college admissions scandal came as a shock when headlines broke earlier this month.

The scandal was uncovered by federal officials, and features Hollywood actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, among many other wealthy individuals who allegedly paid large bribes to college admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer.

Federal prosecutors have named schools from coast to coast — including Yale and USC — involved in the alleged scam admissions. Yale announced this week that it had rescinded the admission of a student because of the charges, according to the Yale Daily News.

Singer’s methods for guaranteeing admission to these top schools included bribing coaches and having others take standardized tests for his clients to ensure high test scores and entrance to prestigious universities. He has since been charged with money laundering.

Though the principal accused is Singer, his clients were aware of the criminal nature of their scheme and have also been charged with fraud, according to federal officials. Loughlin and Huffman have since been released on bail. Details of the charges can be found here.

Many students and teachers deem the lack of merit in the adolescents involved to be the most outrageous aspect. “What about the athletes that work out everyday after school,” asked college-bound senior Ashley Schlemmer. “What about students like me who work tirelessly for our grades? Shouldn’t those kids deserve a spot before the ones who paid their ways to get in?”

Singer’s clients never earned their esteemed positions; teenagers involved, such as Loughlin’s daughter, Olivia Jade, received coveted positions on sports teams they had never participated in and used scores from tests that were taken by officials of Singer’s organization, prosecutors allege.

“I feel like Singer and his clients are ripping away opportunities from the millions of kids across the nation who actually try and are wanting to get into school,” said senior Kayla Tolliver-Van Wright, referencing Jade’s claims that her first priority is “Youtube over school” in her USC dorm tour video.  

Kathy Boucher, coach of the Girls’ Golf team and social studies teacher, argues that the accused coaches are the ones taking away opportunities. “The fact that these coaches had to accept the bribes despite the success of their respected sports teams is unacceptable,” she explained.

“All of the girls on my team work hard in athletics and academics,” Boucher continued. “It is kids like those who make the team. I’m appalled that coaches would recruit those that never even played before merely for their individual financial gain.”

Many, however, aren’t that surprised by the scandal. “The system has always been that way: Rich kids, legacy kids, and those without merit have been favored by Ivy Leagues and other top universities for years,” said family and consumer science teacher Kimberly D’Auria.

In fact, the New York Times reported that of 38 of the top schools in the U.S., more students came from the top 1 percent than the bottom 60 percent. Every single one of the top 65 U.S. universities had a median parent income of $100,000. “These injustices have been going on for years,” said sophomore Morgan Albano. “It just goes to show the classical unfairness of the college system.”

Still, some members of the DHS community emphasis the shocking criminal nature of this scandal. “These celebrities are taking advantage of an already broken system,” explained history teacher Anthony Steady. “It goes beyond the inclination towards legacy and wealthy students; it’s exploitation and fraud.”

Steady also empathized with DHS seniors who are toiling away for their chance at furthering their education at the next level.

One such senior is Angelina Campos, who plans on attending university in the fall. “My friends and I work two jobs. It’s really hard for us to even dream of being able to fully afford the colleges we applied to. We deserve our acceptance, unlike those who bought their ways in,” she explained.

Sophomore Lucy Chen is part of the Upward Bound program, which provides opportunities for first-generation college or low-income students to succeed in high school and prepare for college.

Everyday, she and others at DHS work tirelessly to pursue their dreams. “It pains me to see that there are still people that take advantage of the worth of money in this world,” she explains.

However, this doesn’t deter her from continuing to succeed, a value instilled by Upward Bound assistant director Jessica Coronel. “Students should not use circumstances like this as an excuse to not apply themselves into universities. They should continue to work hard; cheating like this will only result in trouble,” Coronel says.

It is evident that these headlines have caused many to reevaluate their beliefs about wealth and success, and has led to greater publicity regarding the ever-present economic inequality plaguing the nation.

Junior Andrew Lewis said he hopes something good comes from the mess. “I can only hope that people will start to realize the divergence between those who work hard and those who pay to get ahead. Maybe the criminal charges will begin to place value again on hard and honest work,” he said.

Guidance Counselor Karen Chance said that this “coming to light” will help give colleges a push towards focusing on the student journey.

“There should be no room for wealth, power, or bribing being a factor in admission,” she explained. “Hopefully, colleges will begin to focus on what a student creates instead of the opportunities awarded to them because of their parents.”

When asked what students should take away from this scandal, she ultimately concluded, “In the events of the charges pressed, I hope this proves to DHS that hard work is still worth it. Continue working diligently, and it will pay off!”

Michael Obre has been a Danbury art teacher for 21 years and in that time, he had seen only two Danbury students be recognized nationally with a Scholastic Gold Medal.

Now, however, he can add a third name to that list. After much hard work, senior Viviana Campoverde has been awarded a Scholastic Gold Medal for her digital art piece “Flower Child.” Since 1923, according to its website, the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards have “recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth, and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated.”

The way the National Scholastic competition works is that in the first round competitors can be awarded an Honorable Mention, Silver Key, or a Gold Key. If competitors are awarded a Gold Key, as Campoverde was, their piece is automatically considered for a Silver or Gold Medal in the second round.

Campoverde was awarded this Gold Medal because out of 340,000 submissions worldwide, she scored in the top 1 percent of best submissions. In addition, “Flower Child” will be displayed at Parsons School of Design in New York City and she will be honored at a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall on June 6.

Courtesy of Viviana Campoverde
Viviana Campoverde’s “Flower Child” scored in the top 1 percent out of 340,000 submissions worldwide.

The senior artist was going through her email one afternoon when she saw that she had received a missive from the organization. The email stated that any Gold Key winner should log into their portal and see if they had received a medal. Campoverde wanted to wait until she spoke to her art teacher Kerri Swenson, before she checked. A few hours later, Swenson emailed her to let her know that she had won a national medal.

Campoverde later logged into the portal to check for herself. “In big orange letters, it stated that I had won a Gold Medal. It took a little while to sink in, seeing as my name had never really had this type of recognition before. However, eventually, I began to feel ecstatic and joyful that something I made was being appreciated by many people,” Campoverde said.

“Flower Child” was first inspired by Swenson after Campoverde turned in the first draft of the piece as an assignment in Introduction to Digital Arts and Swenson convinced her to keep working on it. Swenson has served as a mentor to Campoverde ever since.

“She has never hesitated to do anything that supports me and my art. She’s been very patient with all the paperwork and has tried to answer any questions about the Gold Medal award to the best of her knowledge. I chose her as the teacher to represent it because she’s the one who inspired the existence of the piece in the first place, and even suggested it to be submitted.” Campoverde said.

When Swenson first saw the piece she thought that Campoverde should submit it because it reminded her of an impressionist art piece.

“Impressionist artists strove to capture the way light fell on their subjects at certain times of the day. Viviana’s painting has such a strong sense of light it vibrates across the child’s face. From a technical standpoint she didn’t use photoshop filters, she purposely changed brush sizes and textures so nothing feels contrived by the computer. She portrayed a very sweet and fleeting moment,” Swenson said.

In addition, administrators such as principal Dan Donovan and Superintendent Sal Pascarella, Jr. are thrilled to see a Danbury student win such a prestigious award.

“Our goal in the Danbury schools is to offer a rich and comprehensive educational experience to all our students,” Pascarella said in a news release. “ To have Viviana receive such an outstanding honor validates the need to continue to support the Arts as part of the Danbury experience. I am very proud of her.”

Donovan added, “I think it is an outstanding honor. I am also not surprised Viviana won the award.  The artwork she and the rest of her classmates create is remarkable. It is easy to see why Viviana was chosen for the award. All of DHS is extremely proud of the artwork Viviana has produced and can’t wait to see more.”

As far as what’s next for Campoverde, she said she is still deciding whether she wants to attend Montserrat College of Art, or Massachusetts College of Art and Design. However, she is certain that she wants to pursue art education.

“I want to be an art teacher because I admire the environment my own art teachers create,” she said. “Most of my days are spent around art teachers. The way they are able to motivate and uplift future artists only inspire me to want to do the same.”

While Campoverde has spent a majority of her time working on pieces that involve traditional mediums such as painting and colored pencils, she has been working on another digital piece.

“It involves a woman of color, dressed in an ancient white garment sort of style (similar to the clothing called peplos), posing lazily on a green couch with a surrounding fiery aura,” the art student explains.

“I’ve seen old statues and paintings with young women in dramatic poses wearing the bright white clothes of their time,” she continued. “I liked the idea and aesthetic of it, and I wanted to draw a similar, more modern version of that look that applied to the objects and people we see frequently today.”

Swenson said that Campoverde will go far in her art. “Viviana sees through an artistic lens and makes high level visual connections but more importantly,” Swenson explains, “her work ethic and perseverance are huge assets for a career in art.”

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Students win in prestigious national Scholastic Arts competition

The Jonas Brothers return has got millennials Burnin’ Up after the release of their new song.

The Jonas Brothers’ new song “Sucker” was released earlier this month with little time for fans to prepare themselves. People of all ages reminisce on the old JoBro songs before the band’s big comeback and social media was all over it.

The new song is about being head over heels in love with someone, convinced that you two are the perfect fit, and willing to do just about anything they say whenever they may say it with lyrics like:

“I’ve been dancing on top of cars and stumbling out of bars / I follow you through the dark, can’t get enough” and “I’m a sucker for you / You say the word and I’ll go anywhere blindly / I’m a sucker for you, yeah / Any road you take, you know that you’ll find me.”

Therefore, it seemed only fitting for the boys to incorporate the loves of their lives into the music video! The music video for “Sucker” stars Priyanka Chopra, Sophie Turner, and Danielle Jonas.

After just about six years broken up as a band, Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas decided that it was about time to make their great return. The brothers were preoccupied with their separate lives before the band decided on rekindling.

Kevin has lived his life more off the radar than the other two members, Joe and Nick, as he began a family of his own with two daughters Valentina Angelina Jonas (2 years old) and Alena Rose Jonas (5 years old) and wife Danielle Jonas.

Meanwhile, Joe and Nick both rejoiced in the spotlight by sprouting new solo careers. Joe belonged to a band known as DNCE. DNCE had its push to stardom when it released the debut single “Cake By the Ocean” in September 2015.

Nick, however, decided against being a part of another band as he produced music of his own. Like DNCE, Nick was immensely popular with his solo hits and performances. Nick’s debut single “Jealous” was released late 2014 and was his very first solo record to reach the Billboard Top 100.

Ever since the rekindling of the one and only Jonas Brothers, fans have been going gaga for tour dates. From social media memes to photoshopped edits and hashtags, the comeback has been spreading as more and more commotion is caused by the boys’ sudden debut.

Fans have even brought the song up to No. 1 on the charts and just about two weeks later, the hit song became their “FIRST EVER No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 plus the first group this CENTURY (and second group EVER) to debut No. 1.”

The boys made sure to thank their loyal fanbase and inform them of the exciting news on their Instagram page @jonasbrothers.

The song is a fun and upbeat tune that anyone can listen to when in need of a good pick-me-up. JoBro fans were always skeptical of the new sound the boys would have if they ever did decide to finally get back together but were pleased to hear that the sound has not changed too much.

The song consists of multiple instruments putting any possible EDM rumors to rest (for now) and playful whistles within the chorus.

Recently, footage of the three men at a smaller concert together than ever before within the past six or so years shows Nick singing his famously trendy camp rock songs known as “Introducing Me.” The crowd began to sing along, immediately joining them. People of all ages are intrigued by what else the Jonas Brothers have in store for the future.

Juniors will experience a night under the stars at this year’s prom. The starry night theme that will grace the Portuguese Cultural Center on April 26th was just announced by the junior prom committee, generating more excitement for the students’ first prom season.

Tickets for junior prom will be sold for $65 in the cafeteria during the first two weeks of April, leading up to spring break.

This year’s theme was decided through a Google Survey sent out to juniors during Flex. Their theme options included Starry Night, Masquerade, or Hollywood. The Starry Night theme beat the Hollywood theme by only a small amount of votes.

“I remember looking at the list and the only one that really stood out was Starry Night. I think it’s a great idea for a theme,” said junior, Krupa Soni.

Junior, Roshni Vasudevan, agrees. “I think it’s a really nice and elegant theme. Some people may consider it overdone, but I can’t wait to see what the prom committee does with it.”

In addition to creating the survey sent to their classmates, the junior prom committee is also in charge of preparing for the event.

“We have a dedicated team working to make sure the decorations are nice,” explained junior advisor and history teacher Julian Shafer.

When juniors first enter the room, they will be greeted by the sight of centerpieces made of glass vases filled with lights, marbles, and star shapes at each table. There will also be a variety of lights and star shaped decorations throughout the room.

“Students should also expect to get a small mason jar with a candle inside for their party favor,” said Shafer.

As for the food, there will be a buffet of shrimp with garlic, shrimp cakes, fried calamari, portuguese sausage, roast suckling pig, potato salad, chicken fingers, and yellow rice. There will also be a Venetian table serving flan, chocolate mousse, rice pudding, cheesecake, vanilla parfait, and fresh fruit for dessert.

This year’s DJ will be from the company VIP Events. The company will be bringing a photobooth that changes color with the music.

Shafer recommends that juniors attend prom this year. “Juniors should attend prom this year because of we have a really fun theme, great options on the menu, and good lighting, and a photo booth.”