Every Wednesday, flames erupt across DHS as the staff wears red. For each member of the DHS community that wears red, the flames grow bigger, and the Red for Ed movement grows stronger.

The Red for Ed campaign supports full funding by the City of Danbury of the school board’s budget proposal. “Red for Ed has been a successful movement in other states to support teachers and students,” said Juliane Armentano, NEA-Danbury’s building chair for the high school.

The teacher’s union is spearheading the campaign with the Board of Education’s unofficial blessing. The board develops the budget, but must present it to the City Council for approval. Generally, the city does not fully fund the proposal. It’s in that review process now.

In previous years, the budget proposal for Danbury schools has always ended up substantially cut by the city. “Ultimately if we are able to make our presence incredibly strong,” Armentano said, “the budget will be passed rather than the cycle of it being cut in half and the potential budget disappearing for students.”

This cycle has led Danbury to be ranked 169 out of 169 districts in pupil spending across all of Connecticut. Each student in Danbury receives $3,200 less than the statewide average, which totals $35.6 million districtwide, according to figures compiled by the Connecticut Education Association.

“No one wants to say they are from the town from the least funding in the state, and no one wants to move to a town with the least amount of funding,” Armentano said.

Consequently, NEA-Danbury has agreed with the Board of Education’s proposal of a $7.3 million increase to the budget to reduce this spending gap for the upcoming school year.

With the budget increase, the board is asking to hire five more teachers, a dean of the freshman academy, a counselor, a technical support analyst — all at the high school — and four more K-12 special education teachers.

Part of the aim for the budget increase is to help incoming students fulfill a new requirement of 25 credits (from 21) to graduate with a more feasible schedule. Armentano said, “If we can get all these things and everything is approved, we’d like to be able to afford a better version of the block schedule.”

Furthermore, DHS is experiencing a 1 to 2 percent increase in student population per year. “Danbury High is experiencing an increase in students,” said Soraya Bilbao, active NEA-Danbury member and ELL teacher. “[Other schools] and their numbers are going down while we are adding buildings.”

As enrollment grows, the increase in transportation fees as well as the need to advance educational programs, core instruction, and programs for struggling learners are the driving forces for this year’s budget increase.

Students have expressed interest in the movement and the impact a higher grant would have on their education. Morgan Albano, sophomore, said she thinks the funding given to Danbury students is unfair because she “feel[s] like students at DHS should have the same opportunities as everyone else in Connecticut.”

Another student, senior Ashley Corrie, said “There are over 3,000 students in this school. With the size of our school, we should be in the top 20 [in pupil funding].”

Along with the school’s lack of funding, online programs such as Membean and textbooks are not accessible to all students and teachers, mentioned senior Destiny Cabello.

Concerning the deficiency in resources, Bilbao said, “It’s not right that we don’t receive the resources that are needed to make sure we as a team succeed. We work hard for our students. I see first hand the stress and what we do for our students with limited resources.”

Mayor Mark Boughton did not return a message seeking comment.

Overall, the budget increase is driven by the growing population, new graduation requirements, need for resources to support educational programs, and the stigma that comes with the rank 169.

Wearing red each Wednesday during the budget season has caught on throughout the district’s schools. The union is providing Red for Ed t-shirts as long as the members commit to wearing them each Wednesday. If they don’t have a t-shirt, they are encouraged to wear anything red from their closets.

Armentano said it “shows the town and families that we care and that we will fight for their students.”

She also said the reason why Red for Ed has worked in the past is because “Our country is built on unions and the impact unions and people can have with strength in numbers and using voices, so the union is a presence that can make a difference if it’s used adequately.”

Kiara Kaltschnee
Juliane Armentano, English teacher, has this poster on her door in support of the Red for Ed campaign and her students.

In the upcoming months, meetings have been set for the budget discussion in which educators plan to rally or have a presence, and they include:

• Mayor’s Budget Presentation, April 2, 7:30 p.m., at City Hall
• City Council Education Budget Committee Meeting, TBA at City Hall
• Public comments on the City of Danbury Budget, TBA at City Hall
• City of Danbury’s Final Budget Adoption, May 7, 7:30 p.m. at City Hall

By May 7, the budget will be finalized.

In the meantime, teachers will continue wearing red for the Red for Ed campaign.

“I’m not accepting 169, so I’m doing something,” said Bilbao.

ACE held its annual career day fair to let students hear first-hand experience on the jobs they are interested in pursuing.

In mid March, students were given a list of careers being presented during the fair and were able to choose and rank which they were most interested in. Later, they were given a schedule of the careers they would be learning about based on their choices.

Some of the career choices included cosmetology, working with comfort dogs, law enforcement and forensics, firefighting, music production, culinary, massage therapy, yoga, and dog grooming.

Angelea Fingardo
According to organizers, ACE Career Fair Day was a success.

Students enjoyed the opportunities the fair offered. “I was most interested in the massage therapy because I connected with the massage therapist with helping others and finding other methods to help besides talking and normal therapy,” said junior Adail Alicea. “I enjoyed learning about how there are different ways to help people physically and mentally.”

Singer, songwriter, and ACE Alumni Dawn Tallman taught music production and told the classes about the music industry, emphasizing how important it is to pursue your dreams.

“I would hope that this career fair helps these students to really dream and be inspired. I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work but I want these kids to say to themselves ‘If she can do it, so can I,’” she said. “This school does a great job at letting students be creative and express themselves, that’s what I loved about being here.”

Music production was one of the most popular choices among ACE students. “I was most interested in the music production one because I was looking into schools for music production and I thought it was really cool that that was one of the options,” said Danny Murray, senior.

Another career ACE students enjoyed was the comfort dogs career. Bev Thompson, a volunteer comfort dog handler, came with Maggie, a trained comfort dog. Bev Thompson and ACE teacher Katya Piergostini are both volunteer comfort dog handlers and told students about how Maggie is trained and how she helps people every day. Thompson takes Maggie to the hospital once a week to visit patients healing from life changing injuries.

“I really liked the comfort dogs career. I think it is amazing how you can train dogs to help others get through hard times,” said senior Julianna Shaw.

Not only did students find the career fair helpful for jobs they wish to pursue, but it also helped with life skills that will prepare them for after high school. Cooking was one of those skills.

“I chose the culinary career because I don’t know how to cook and I’m a senior and I’m going to be living on my own. I found the ‘Tasty Temptations’ class to be very helpful,” said Murray.

Netflix’s latest series in the conspiracy and mystery genre is “Russian Doll,” starring Natasha Lyonne of “Orange is the New Black” fame.

This show, directed by Stavros Kazantzidis, consists of time conspiracy and mystery. Lyonne — who co-created the show with the likes of Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland — plays Nadia, who is dealing with the issue of dying and waking up in the same day, kind of reminiscent of Bill Murray’s “Groundhog Day.”

Nadia is unaware of how and why she is reliving the same day — her 36th birthday — over and over again. This show generates a major mystery. With good acting and capitiving music, the audience is engaged.

Each of the eight episode consists of a large platter of information and important clues. The viewer might even have to watch an episode more than twice to catch subtle background stories and hints to why the conflict is present.

The show has been advertised all over different social media platforms. Through ads and even a selected portion of the Netflix home screen presented a trailer. The short taste of the show presented before debut included what may become an iconic scene in the show.

The protagonist looks in the mirror and is mentally getting herself ready to proceed to her party outside of the bathroom doors. In the actual running show, you see this scene every episode. 

The scene also is followed by the song “Gotta get up” written by Harry Nilsson. If you like music in the indie vein, this series contains a unique, ear-pleasing, captivating soundtrack.

Looking for high energy fun? You won’t have to look too far. This year’s school play is no other than the exhilarating “Godspell.” With crowd interaction and upbeat songs, clear your schedules because this is a must see opportunity.

“Godspell” the musical dates to 1971 when it debuted Off  Broadway, and got promoted to Broadway five years later. It was conceived and originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak with music and new lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The story, which was later made into a film, uses Biblical characters and demonstrates the importance of loving one another and creating a beautiful community.

The leads in this year’s musical — which debuted to the public Thursday, April 4 — are senior Gabrielle D’Ostilio as Jesus and senior Benjamin Pereira as Judas. If you decide to attend this show, you will not be surprised as to why these individuals executed the roles of these characters. Between both Gabby and Ben, these individuals have amazing voices and play their character effortlessly.

Gabby’s solo song “Beautiful City” was elegant and full of power. She displays great confidence and emotion into every song she sings and moves the crowd to tears with her portrayal of Jesus.

Ben opens up with the first solo song of the show with “Prepare Ye” after the “Tower of Babble” scene. He steps out into the crowd and belts out this powerful song. The way Ben presents himself and delves into his character really draws your attention towards him throughout the story.

Michael Burnett, the director and choreographer of the show, effortlessly pieced the show together and really depicted what this show was all about. The choreography and staging was amazing and well rehearsed and seemed as though it was natural and not staged. Every little aspect was entertaining to watch and it captivated my attention, whether it was the humor or the acting.

Cast members were not shy of getting up close and personal with the audience, and that’s what I really thought brought the cast and audience together. The cast goes out and dances with the audience and strike up a conversation and even occasionally bring a crowd member on stage for charades. Because of this, it made the show more entertaining to watch when you saw a non-cast member being brought into the story of the show.

The production gave me a sense of joy and love. While watching the show, I could feel that the cast and crew members felt like a family with each other. Because of that, it reflected unto the audience and touched the hearts of every individual.

When I left the show, I couldn’t stop smiling and replaying the songs and choreography in my head. I honestly think that this show at Danbury is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see all these unique individuals up on stage creating a beautiful story.

“Godspell,” produced by DHS Productions, will have more shows Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 6, at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

Danbury High School’s student-led preschool program gets back up and running for another school year. The Little Hatters Preschool program is run by both an Early Childhood Workshop class and a more generic Child Development class, both taught by Erica Keane.

The Early Childhood Workshop class consists of honors students who see the children twice a week and work one-on-one with four-year-olds. The goal is to ultimately “get the child to meet kindergarten readiness standards so that when the little ones move into kindergarten this year, they’ll have a great base for growth,” shares Keane.

Within the Child Development course, students learn about the basic “skills that a three, four, and five year old should have” and are taught how to write a proper lesson plan based on a specific theme. Students are also assigned a single teaching day in the school year.

On a specific teaching day, two students are chosen to lead a class of children for the day and miss class from 7 A.M. to 2 P.M.. On this day, students miss class to teach the preschool children and are excused with a school related activity absence.

So far, the 2018-2019 preschool program has been going extremely well. “We’ve had an overwhelming response and a wait list for the little ones that wanted to come in here which is really great,” says Keane.

The one and only complaint that Keane has received in regards to the 2018-2019 Little Hatters Preschool is that “it’s not long enough.” Unfortunately, the reason it cannot be any longer than 7 A.M. to 12:15 P.M. is because the high school students must be able to learn content prior to teaching a class of their own.

Student-led teaching is what keeps the Little Hatters so unique from others. High schoolers are able to learn new content for teaching younger children on a regular basis.

Students have been having a blast this past year in regards to spending time with the children both in the classroom and on the campus playground in addition to being taught new concepts.

Prior students of the class suggest to include habits like having patience with the smaller kids, relating to or sympathizing with them, and enjoying their company.

Sophomore Marissa Parson intends on becoming an elementary school teacher after graduating from high school. Because of this, “the class has been really helpful” in regards to learning her ways around the classroom and interacting with younger kids.

For senior Prisselt Veras, taking the Child Development class this year has been both a learning experience and a way of preparing for possible future career paths. “Right now I’m more into medicine,” says Veras. However, even though the class is targeted more towards education, Veras has learned a vast amount of valuable information regarding “children and their behavior” prior to ever possibly having to work with kids in the medical field.

For any student considering taking the course within their upcoming school years at DHS or participating in leading the Little Hatters preschool, “you should definitely go for it,” urges Veras. “It’s a really fun class and you learn so much about kids, how their minds work, and how they interact with things. If you’re interested in education then this class would be great to take!”

Are you ready for it? Because the games have begun. Superstar Taylor Swift just dropped her new single, ME! (featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disc), and the accompanying music video.

ME! marks Swift’s first single since March 12, 2018 when she released Delicate, the last single off of 2017’s reputation. Swift confirmed the single on April 25 on ABC during the NFL draft, saying that ME! is about embracing and owning your individuality.

ME! starts in the video with a snake slithering on a rainbow brick road. The snake then explodes into a bunch of beautiful butterflies. This represents reputation Taylor re-evolving into her new era. Swift and Urie seem to be in France, as the opening scene before the song starts is them fighting in French. The music video is bright, big, and colorful with multiple dance numbers.

ME! is very bright and sunny, and is sure to be a summer hit. Swift and Urie’s voices blend together splendidly. The song is super catchy, with a chorus of “I’m the only one of me/ Baby, that’s the fun of me/ You’re the only one of you/ Baby, that’s the fun of you/ And I promise that nobody’s gonna love you like me.”

In an interview with Apple Music, Swift said that ME! is “about not feeling like you’re replaceable. We’re sent so many messages that there’s a better version of us on a social media app, with better abs, in a better vacation spot. You’re the only one of you — that’s it. There’s just you.”

After being criticized for having too many boyfriends, and being too skinny, and writing too much about love, Swift took ownership of herself with reputation, and while ME! is bright and cheery, she continues to own her narrative and be herself, rather than focus on what the critics are saying about her.

That is what makes this song so special; it’s the same “I am confident in myself” attitude, but with a cheery and light theme, rather than dark and drab.

Swift took the world for a spin on April 13 when her website was redone with a single 13-day countdown on the home page. The same countdown appeared all over the world on electronic billboards in places such as Times Square.

From April 13-24, Swift posted photos of set pieces and costumes from the music video. The cryptic countdown clock — which ended April 26 — sparked anticipation for  her army of fans. Typically, Swift doesn’t release music in April. Normally the lead singles off her albums have been released in late August, like Look What You Made Me Do, which was released August 24, 2017.

Swift’s fan army, better known as Swifties, have been anticipating the release of new music since March when Swift aligned her Instagram account.

Thousands of theories have been made about Swift’s latest album, ranging from TS7 (Taylor Swift 7th album) being a punk rock album to it actually being the project Swift had planned to release after her Album of the Year winning 1989, but then drama interfered and out came reputation.

Swift’s website was updated during the video premiere with new merch, and a spot to buy her new album, but it’s a white square with the words “7th Studio Album Coming Soon” in the center. She’s very good at getting her fans excited about her upcoming projects.

For the first time, DHS is staging a production organized by the school’s acting class and the drama — “The Laramie Project” — will debut Thursday, May 2, in the new black box theater on campus.

The school has always had an amazing theater community (DHS Productions)  and has been producing phenomenal musicals for years. Now, however, with having a show put on by the acting class rather than the official theater production students have something new to look forward to.

After putting on a spectacular performance of “Godspell” in March with nothing but good reviews and inspired audience members, acting teacher Michael Burnett is tackling another highly impactful show, “The Laramie Project.”

“The Laramie Project” is a deep show written by playwright and director Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project. The production is based on the true story of a college student named Matthew Shepard who was brutally murdered, the target of a hate crime simply because he was openly gay.

Burnett said that the show was chosen by the students in his acting class. “There were a couple of options for shows” however, this year “was the 20th year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s murder.” Because of this, Burnett felt
as though doing the show this year would be timely.

“Especially now with how much hate rhetoric is out there,” Burnett said, “it is even more important that we bring
this story back.”

Burnett had staged a production of the drama at Brookfield Theater for the Arts in 2012. Directing this show the first time around was “one of the most powerful if not the most powerful theater experiences that I’ve ever had,” Burnett said.

Cast and crew were faced with protesters and non-supporters of The Laramie Project during the first production in Brookfield. “We were on the picket schedule for the Westboro Baptist Church,” Burnett recalled. “They were coming to picket our show or protest the show, and students from Brookfield High School created a counter protest of Angel Action (which is brought up and elaborated on within the show),” Burnett explained.

On the opening night of the show, Burnett recalled that there were “over 100 people dressed in angel wings standing out in the pouring rain surrounding the theater so that it was protected from any other protests.”

“The Laramie Project” is so important in today’s day and age because of how much has been changed for the LGBTQ+ community over the years ever since Shepard’s tragic death. “Because of Matthew’s mom, we now have changes in hate crime legislation, so laws have changed,” Burnett said.

However, unfortunately, “we’re seeing a resurgence of hate crimes in the country,” Burnett continued, “and it speaks to that really understanding people’s differences and fears that some people are forced to live with.”

Senior Nick Veloso said “The Laramie Project” remains relevant because “it makes us look at our society with new eyes” as
it highlights the struggles that those in the LGBTQ+ community must face and tells the story of how the Matthew Shepard Act came to be.

Senior Dariana Rosario agreed. This play is important because of “how it was handled,” how it conveys “the severity of [hate crimes], and how it still can be relatable for some people, and how it still plays a role in the present day,” Rosario said.

Because of the intensity of the subject material, the young actors must find a way of separating themselves from the
play after leaving rehearsals.

Keeping themselves separated from the show and their characters has been harder for some than others. For Senior Ben Pereira, it has been a bit of a struggle as he has been “finding it harder and harder to go through each rehearsal. It’s becoming more and more a reality with the additions of costumes and lighting, as well as us, the actors, really falling into our roles.”

Fortunately, Pereira has found an outlet for himself. In attempts to wind down, the student finds himself “after rehearsals wanting to do something a little more brain dead, something that is simple and puts a smile on my face.”

Senior Ashley Corrie is another student who tends to find herself struggling with the bond with her character. “As an LGBT youth at DHS, participating in this play has been very difficult knowing that especially now there’s still this much hatred in the world,” shared Corrie. “But, the way that I’m kind of dealing with it is sort of thinking of the play as more of an activism
message.”

Corrie said that “the more I put into the play, the more heart and time that I put into the play, then the more that people will be able to take from it and understand that even though this is still an issue there are things that you can do about it.”

As for distancing herself, she has found that “you can get attached to your character without getting attached to a message.”

The main lesson or purpose that the students want to pass on to their audience is the importance of having an open mind.

“I hope that this reminds everyone who sees the show that this isn’t at all a problem of the past, and is still something that’s very prominent today and even though [Matthew Shepard’s murder] happened 20 years ago, it’s happened to so many more people back then and now,” said Senior Vincent Miyazato.

Miyazato hopes “that the audience leaves thinking of all the stories that we haven’t heard. I want to emphasize the fact that Matthew Shepard’s killing was the start of the progressive movement for the LGBTQ+ community” but “there are still way too many stories that haven’t been told that are being ignored and shouldn’t.”

Every morning before school, DHS students go through their morning routine — using the restroom, brushing their teeth, taking a shower.

They drink from the water fountains throughout the day and run faucets without wondering when will be the next time they’ll have access to fresh water.

This privilege is unfortunately out of reach for the 2.1 billion people worldwide who lack access to a safe and reliable source of water. It is estimated by the World Health Organization that 842,000 of them die each year from diarrhea as a result.

According to WHO, 263 million of them have to spend more than half an hour gathering water every day, many of them children who have to sacrifice and education to do so.

The harsh reality of this global water crisis was realized by Thirst Project founder Seth Maxwell over a coffee date in 2008, when he then resolved to take action. He gathered seven of his college friends to raise awareness and money in his community to fund his first rehabilitated freshwater well.

From there, Maxwell founded the Thirst Project to further raise awareness, this time targeting students in educating schools nationwide on the water crisis and how to help. Seven years later, the Thirst Project has raised more than $8 million and provided more than 280,000 people a safe water source.

When visiting the Key Club International conference last fall, DHS Key Club secretary Angela Saquinaula, junior, took particular interest in the Thirst Project, a long time partner of Key Club International.

“Initially, we were interested because it’s a pressing issue that affects kids like us,” Sanquinaula explained. “While other great organizations like UNICEF were there, the Thirst Project exposed a challenge devastating the world that we simply had to help.”

From there, the Key Club has cultivated numerous events to aid the Thirst Project in raising money. Earlier this year, the Key Club hosted a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s. The club also sold carnations to students and faculty on Valentine’s Day.

Despite the hard work involved, the Key Club are satisfied by their efforts. “We’ve worked tirelessly this year to help the organization,” said Key Club Project Chair Alenna Jacob, sophomore. “But it’s still been really enjoyable.”

The funds contributed to the Thirst Project will be used to build a well in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, a water-scarce nation. “The funds from our Key Club will be pooled in with other Key Clubs’ funds nationwide,” Key Club advisor Carol Glintenkamp explained.

However, the Key Club’s partnership with the Thirst Project extends beyond mere fundraising. One of the Thirst Project’s objectives is to educate students nationwide on the water crisis, and so the Key Club hosted a Thirst Project presentation during FLEX on April 11 for sophomores.

Thirst Project Road Warrior Hannah Capace — a college intern in her second semester with the organization — presented a video showcasing the severity of water scarcity in nations such as Eswatini.

Appealing to student sympathies, the sophomore class gave $343  to contribute at the end of the block. “Danbury High School gave the most amount of money out of the 80 high schools I have presented at,” Capace said. “It truly was an amazing experience. The Thirst Project wouldn’t be what it is today without students like those at Danbury High.”

More than $2,000 has been raised in the DHS Key Club’s fundraising efforts so far — and members don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. They are currently collecting $20 worth of quarters in mini M&M containers to contribute to the efforts.

“This is another measure to add to our efforts. Not a penny gets wasted. We even used the leftover M&Ms to bake cookies for a bake sale, where the funds will also go to the Thirst Project,” explained sophomore Audrey Hinh.

Overall, the club has considered their efforts a “worthy success,” said Glintenkamp, a school social worker.

The Thirst Project has helped more than 367,000 people in 13 countries. With the help of Danbury High, the Thirst Project will help save thousands of more people in another nation.

“As citizens, it’s our responsibility to help those in need,” explained sophomore Penelope Peralta. “I think it’s remarkable that we get to make such a major impact right now.”

If you wish to donate to the Thirst Project, please contact Glintenkamp for details.

It is a dream for many to take a trip around the world and experience several different cultures. By attending the school’s annual International Night at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, in the Main Gym, attendees will get a somewhat similar experience.

Tickets can be purchased for $5 from members of the Latino Club, the Asian Club, Brazilian Club, the Black Lives Matter Club, Peer Leadership, or any ESL Teacher.

Some of the various countries that will be showcased include the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, USA, Ireland, Korea, India, Brazil, and Bolivia — all countries represented by students and faculty at Connecticut’s largest high school.

Latino Club advisor and ESL teacher, Jose Rojas, founded International Night along with the Latino Club. It originally started as Latino Night and was hosted by just the Latino Club but throughout the years as more clubs and cultures got involved it expanded to being called International Night. More than 45 languages are spoken at the school of 3,100 students.

“I’m very proud that we have integrated several other cultures. It is more representative of DHS and it better fulfills the Latino Club’s mission statement, which is to promote heritage, culture, and diversity,” Rojas said.

The other clubs involved this year are the Asian Club, the newly formed Brazilian Club, the Bollywood Dance Club, the Theatre Department, the Black Lives Matter Club, Peer Leadership, and the Voices of Freedom Club.

Soraya Bilbao, ESL teacher and advisor of the Brazilian Club, was one of the advisors that had her members take part this year.

“Students in the Brazilian Club joined International Night to celebrate and share unique aspects of the Brazilian culture with the rest of Danbury High School. They have been practicing their dance routines for the past several months.”  

There will be be several different fashion shows taking place throughout the night. Angelica Henriquez and and Darlenis Rodriguez will showcase clothing from the Dominican Republic. Diana Barboza and Kevin Lascurain will showcase clothing from Mexico. Rohiny Perez will showcase clothing from Bolivia.

Several dances will also be performed, including:

• The Dominican Republic Merengue, by Alexa Duran, Emmely Azcona, Ikira Regus, Emely Diez, Ibelise Almonte, Camille Quezada,  Kaitlynn Basdeo, and Darlin Abreu.
• Bachata, by Charlis Rodriguez, Haylin Peralta, Edwarlin Cruz, and Karina Rodriguez.
• Step Dance by Black Lives Matter Club members Vincent Miyazato, Toni Joseph, Lindsey Stampher, Keira Lane, Dezia Wright, Tiara Wright, Kanalla Hay, and Jasmine Gotch.

And several more acts are set to perform. A variety of foods for attendees to taste during the performances will be available for purchase as well. Sal’s Pizza, Elmer’s Diner, and Galapagos restaurant will be catering this year. There will be Mexican, Dominican, Ecuadorian, and American foods.

“International Night consists of a lot of hard work. The students putting this together have exhibited qualities such as creativity and patience in order to make sure the show goes smoothly,” Rojas said.

Bilbao added, “International Night gives students the opportunity to share important aspects of their cultural heritage with the rest of the school community.

“In doing so,” she continued, “it not only helps them and their families to further connect to Danbury High School, but it also gives the rest of the student body the opportunity to learn about the cultural diversity that makes our school such a great place to be.”

The roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burst into flames with unidentified cause on Monday, April 15, 2019. While there were no casualties and minimal damage to artifacts, the estimation has gone up to billions of dollars that will be needed to repair the cathedral, which is home to a religious community and attracts thousands of tourists each year.

“I was completely shocked, nearly rendered speechless,” said Faith Thomas, junior. “The same cathedral that could stand through the French Revolution and both World Wars was defiled by an inexplicable accident.”

Thomas visited Notre Dame on a vacation with her family just a few months ago, and “felt blessed [she] was able to see it before the flames existed.”

After the damage of the fire, Bishop Patrick Chauvet confirmed that Notre Dame will be closed to the public for five to six years, according to the The Associated Press.

“It hurts,” said senior Cassandra Ian, who has visited Notre Dame twice on family vacations. “It hurts because beyond my family being tied to the country, [the cathedral] belongs to the world.”

Music teacher Suzan McKenzie also visited Notre Dame many times when she studied at Sorbonne University in Paris. According to McKenzie, the atmosphere of Notre Dame is distinct, and she compared it to the atmosphere at a famous American attraction.

“At the Grand Canyon, nobody speaks louder than a whisper, and there’s no sign that says don’t talk. It’s like that in Notre Dame; nobody speaks louder than whispers,” McKenzie said.

Like McKenzie, Special Education teacher Andrea Peters visited Notre Dame sporadically over the years on vacation, commenting on the physical appeal of the “soaring ceiling, stained glass, and beautiful sculptures” in addition to a “facade so long you could stare at it for hours.”

Despite the aesthetically appealing nature of Notre Dame, many people like McKenzie attribute the main attraction to the environment within the cathedral.

Andrea Gonzalez, a senior who visited Notre Dame on a trip to tour Europe instead of having a quinceañera, took note of the community within the cathedral.

“You think it’s a building, but it’s a whole community,” Gonzalez said. “To see people come together is just incredibly impactful.”

Due to the emotional significance Notre Dame evokes, the fire’s destruction upon the cathedral had an impact on the DHS community. Many people think that Notre Dame will not be restored to its former glory.

“To have it restored?” McKenzie questioned. “It won’t be the same. We don’t have craftsmen who do that kind of work anymore.”

Rashmi Pai agreed, saying that “There’s so much history behind it. Even if it’s restored, it won’t be the same.”

While Notre Dame will never be restored to the same physical state, the underlying community remains the same, and the passion and unity accumulated over several years will continue to thrive, according to Thomas.

“Despite the physical destruction, the spiritual and emotional reverence is what makes Notre Dame great. There needs to be more than flames to destroy its heart and glory,” Thomas said.

I grew up in the Amazon Rainforest or at least that’s what it seemed to me as a child whenever I visited my grandmother here in Connecticut. The many potted plants that adorned her small apartment were a testament to her love for and ability to grow things.

As a result, her home, especially her living room, had a lushness that rivaled any tropical rainforest. Combined with the endless chirping of her parakeets and the soothing sound of water gushing forth from her 50 gallon aquarium filter, it’s easy to understand why at times a sudden urge would come over me to check behind the couch for panthers, just in case one was patiently waiting for me to get up to turn the television dial (I’m dating myself here) so as to enjoy its next meal.

This early exposure to all things green instilled in me a love for gardening. I love the rich earthy smell and the cool feel of moist soil. I love it when I spot new flower buds forming or shiny new leaves unfurling themselves to the world. I love the quiet inner stillness that gardening brings, once neighbors turn off their lawn mowers, that is.

I’m a novice gardener. Therefore, if you want to see a great deer-in-the-headlights look, feel free to reference flowers and plants by their scientific names, “How’s your Hydrangea macrophylla doing this summer?” rather than describing them with adjectives, “How’s the large green leafy shrub with the big round clusters of small pink flowers doing this summer?”

I like adjectives. Please use adjectives.

There is just one itsy bitsy problem with my love of gardening and it’s got nothing to do with spiders climbing down waterspouts. The issue stems from the fact that I don’t own land.

This minor detail has not deterred me from enjoying this particular hobby. Similar to my grandmother, I have acquired various types of flowerpots and plants throughout the years. However, I’m partial to the great outdoors and thus prefer gardening outside. And here’s where my dilemma begins.

I sort of took over mom’s backyard. In my defense, other than a small Dogwood tree that announces the arrival of spring each year with a spectacular show of delicate pink flowers, her backyard was like a blank canvas waiting for inspiration to compel an artist to paint.

Equipped with the understanding that I could proceed in this endeavor as long as mowing was involved, I began to create art with gardening tools rather than paint brushes.

It all started with one flowering plant. However, I soon began taking regular trips to the local gardening center. Sometimes I just browsed as I walked down the aisles and marveled at the diversity in nature. Other times I purchased plants and marveled at how much things cost.

One summer, I purchased five two-gallon pots of black-eyed Susans, scientifically known as Rudbeckia hirta (I Googled the name). At about $15 a pop, this was a substantial investment as flowers go. However, I had seen how beautiful they looked when planted as borders and I could already envision how they would look in mom’s backyard.

That summer, my black-eyed Susans bloomed and added a semi-permanent ray of sunshine to mom’s property. I had spaced them apart following planting directions and knew it would take a couple of summers before they grew to merge as one long border.

There are two types of flowers; perennials and annuals. The former are planted once and grow back each year whereas the latter last for only one planting season.

Black-eyed Susans are perennials. Therefore, I expected them to grow back the following spring.

Fall and winter came and went and spring finally arrived. I kept vigil for the first signs of my precious black-eyed Susans. However, other than one tiny stem that grew in the place where I had planted one of the pots, there was nothing, absolutely nothing.

Did I somehow manage to buy defective plants? Were black-eyed Susans annuals and not perennials as I had previously surmised? I was thoroughly confused.

Mom came out to the yard one day as I stood scrutinizing the area that had now become my own personal Bermuda Triangle. When asked, I shared my quandary with her.

To this, mom casually replied, “Oh, you mean what was growing along the back porch?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“I thought they were weeds,” she said. “I pulled them all out last fall.”

Another mystery of life solved.

Editor’s note: Soraya Bilbao is an ELL teacher and a frequent contributor to this space.

In the latest attempt to battle the vaping epidemic sweeping the nation’s high schools — and middle schools — the DHS administration is testing the reliability of vape detectors installed in student bathrooms.

The school has tried educating the student body in Health classes and assemblies, locking up student bathrooms to deny vapers their prime spot, sending offenders (the campus is tobacco-free and has been for years) to ISS, and confiscating the popular vape or wax pens. Not much has deterred the habit.

Principal Dan Donovan said he’s interested to see whether the detectors will have an affect on altering student behavior.“I think they are needed with the amount of vaping happening at DHS and around the country,” he said. “It’s not just a Danbury High School issue, it’s a high school youth issue, and it’s something that needs to be stopped.”

The detectors — installed in the ceiling of the bathrooms — detect vape, smoke, and noise, and are the same model that other high schools, such as Ridgefield and Greenwich, have recently installed. Each detector cost just under $1,000, with a one-time software setup fee of $300. Donovan said Beaver Brook approved the purchase and supplied the funds.

Assistant Principal Fallon Daniels said she has already begun receiving alerts on her phone from the detectors. She received two last week, and added the message is beginning to be made clear. Donovan said next year will be a better test, to see what happens over a six-month period.

Despite finding a number of kids already, administrators and safety advocates are still figuring out how the detectors work. The devices need to be calibrated to their environment, that being the bathroom.

Equipped with a noise component, if the noise in a bathroom gets too loud staff will be alerted. (It has not been uncommon to see 20 or so students ushered from the D4 boys’ bathroom before the 7:20 bell). “If someone flushes the toilet, I don’t want the vaping detector to send me or the safety advocates or the assistant principals to the bathroom,” Donovan said.

He emphasizes that putting a student in ISS is not his goal. “I want a student to sit down, read information on what is a vape and what’s involved in it. If they’re 18 they’re allowed to have them, but if they’re not 18 then they’re not and I want them to realize what they’re doing. I don’t think a lot of kids realize the chemicals that are involved in this stuff,” Donovan said. “I’m just trying to educate them.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one in five students vape, and administration is worried for this generation of kids who vape without understanding the consequences. One Juul pod is equal to one pack of cigarettes, and “these kid are going through those pods like it’s nothing, and once you get addicted to nicotine, then you need it,” Donovan said.

Daniels shared a similar view. “We just want to protect the kids and get them to understand what they’re doing and also help them to stop. I think [the detectors] will serve as a reminder that what these kids are doing to their bodies is wrong, and that’s what we’re trying to do, remind them,” she said.

Many students assured anonymity declined comment as to whether they vaped themselves.

“If they start this at age 16 and continue, what’s going to happen when they’re 24? I mean that’s a really big concern of mine,” Donovan said. An absolute solution to this problem appears futile. Instead of vaping in the bathrooms, students will now take advantage of other unmonitored areas of the school.

He stressed, however, “if a kid pauses in the slightest to think about what they’re doing before they do it, then I’ve kind of accomplished my goal. If they look and go hmm, they’re putting these vape detectors in the building because this is really bad for me and they want me to stop, then it’s one way to get the message out, and that’s good.”

DHS is filled with many unique individuals who have a ton of different talents. Andrea Gonzalez Mendoza, a senior, has an exceptionally amazing talent that she has been participating in for a while now. State and nationally ranked, Gonzalez Mendoza trains in Taekwondo and shows tremendous athletic ability.

Gonzalez Mendoza has been training in Taekwondo since she was 10. At first, she was not interested in participating in Taekwondo, a Korean martial art known for its emphasis on head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast-kicking techniques.

“My father actually signed me up without me knowing” Gonzalez Mendoza said. “I was devastated because I was a girlie girl and didn’t want to participate in a male dominated sport.”

But Gonzalez Mendoza soon came to appreciate the sport. “I love it now because of how versatile the sport is. There is an event for every type of person.”

Gonzalez Mendoza, now 18, has been participating in Taekwondo for eight years and competes in numerous tournaments and qualifiers. She trains at World Champion Taekwondo in Ridgefield and is there between 10 and 20 hours a week. All these hours training (she also maintains a heavy scholastic load and is ranked among the Top 20 of her class of 624 students) helps her improve her skills and get her ready for her tournaments.

Currently a 2nd-degree black belt, Gonzalez Mendoza competes in tournaments to progressively improve her skills. She has competed in tournaments around Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Most of the tournaments are finished up by now, but for Mendoza Gonzalez, she has something to look forward to this summer.

In the coming weeks, she will test for her 3rd-degree black belt, and be in fighting trim for the 2019 USA Taekwondo National Championships is June 28-July 4 in Minneapolis.

With hard work and dedication, Gonzalez Mendoza has worked her way to the top. Although she was not able to compete in the New York or New Jersey national qualifiers this year due to her coach’s availability, she did compete in the Connecticut national qualifiers.

“I recently went to the CT National qualifiers and maintained my 1st place rank in my division,” Gonzalez Mendoza said. She is ranked No. 1 in the 18+ lightweight black belt female division world class in sparring in Connecticut. She is also No. 3 in 18+ lightweight black belt female division world class nationally.

While sparring, Gonzalez Mendoza is known for a variety of moves. “My specialty is sparring; it is the event that I am most known for in the Taekwondo community,” Gonzalez Mendoza says. “During matches I am known for my ax-kick to the head.” She is also working on different jumping and “show” kicks such as the 540-degree kick and valley kick.

Gonzalez Mendoza is not only dominating in her class, but she also displays tremendous strength and leadership in what she does. Marcos Arbogast, a sophomore at John Jay High School who is a friend through Taekwondo, shares a little about what kind of person Mendoza Gonzalez is.

“She is a strong person both mentally and physically; she trains hard during class all the time,” Arbogast says. He also described Gonzalez Mendoza through different aspects.

“When teaching, she is a kind and loving teacher who teaches and talks to each student as if they were her own, teaching them wholeheartedly and through her own experiences,” Arbogast says.

Throughout the year, Gonzalez Mendoza has worked extremely hard, and it is no surprise that she is proud of the outcomes that came out of her hard work. “I received the President’s Volunteer Service award (gold) after being nominated by the World Champion Taekwondo,” Gonzalez Mendoza says. “This was a great accomplishment for me because it showed how much work I put into the Taekwondo community.”

As the martial artist wraps up her senior year at Danbury, she will soon graduate and head off to the University of Connecticut. Instead of leaving her Taekwondo talent behind,  Gonzalez Mendoza has a better idea.

“I will continue to work on taekwondo in college as part of the UCONN Taekwondo Club,” she says.

Javon Hernandez, the leadoff hitter and co-captain for the Hatters baseball team, saved his best season for last. With a current batting average of .431 and an on-base percentage of .553, there is no doubt that this is his best season yet, and there is still room for improvement.

The Hatters have two games left in the regular season and currently hold a 10-6 in-league record and a 12-7 overall record.

Hernandez, who started playing baseball at the age of 2, said that “I was pretty good at hitting the ball. My dad would pitch Wiffle balls to me.” Javon, who graduates this year, hopes to play baseball in college. “As of right now, I don’t know where I’ll be playing. I may look into doing a post-grad year at a prep school to develop myself as a student and athlete.”

courtesy of Javon Hernandez
Javon Hernandez, leadoff hitter for the Danbury Hatters Baseball Team.

Now with 25 hits in his senior season and a total of 107 career hits, Javon may break the DHS record for most career hits. “The feeling of getting my 100th hit was like no other,” said Hernandez, who also had a strong basketball season this year. “Baseball and I [have] had our ups and downs but [it’s] only motivated me to grind and get better at every aspect of my game. I feel that having 100+ hits in my career puts me on a different level because I’ve done something that not too many people have done in DHS history or in Connecticut.”

Justin Hope, fellow senior and co-captain, says that Hernandez always affects the team in a positive way regardless of how he may play that day, “He is such a consistent and humble player that a lot of guys look up to. He is always helping younger guys out with their craft, and with his consistency, he gives the team some fire.”

Hall of Fame Coach Shaun Ratchford, who has been with the Hatters for 35 years, said that “Javon has been our catalyst for the past four years. He’s the best leadoff batter I’ve coached, a great defensive player and a leader. With all his successes on the basketball court, (2018 FCIAC champs) and the baseball field; he’s a humble, great young man.”

As a lead-off hitter, it’s Hernandez’ job to get on base for Ratchford.“..my job is to get on base and cause as much havoc as I can. Getting on base to lead-off a game or an inning is a great opportunity for my team to try and score first,” Hernandez said. His on-base-percentage (OBP), which currently stands at .553, means that more than half of the time he is up to bat, he gets on base. This is important because it allows for the team to have an early opportunity in the lineup to get on base and score a run.

When asked about the difference between the Hatters baseball teams now and in the past, Hope said that the leadership is a big difference. “This team has 12 seniors on it, and the leadership is excellent. I think last year the leadership definitely could’ve been better, but it has greatly improved this year. The captains — Andrew [Philbin], Justin [Solimine], Javon and myself — have done a great job keeping the guys in check and motivating them throughout the year. Leadership will be huge if we want to bring home a couple of banners.”

Philbin, third baseman, senior, and co-captain, said the biggest difference between this squad and past teams is the connection they have. “We love to laugh and joke around outside of baseball, so when we’re playing it just makes it a lot easier and more enjoyable. All of us seniors have played ball together for years, so we are comfortable with each other and love competing together.

After making it to the FCIAC and state tournament the past few years but not winning any titles, Hernandez believes that was the source of motivation for the Hatters this season.

“I think there was a lot of motivation coming into this season,” he said “The past few years we made it to both FCIACs and the state tournament but fell short every time. This year’s team has a bunch of seniors and young kids who have been playing with each other since a young age. Nothing would be better to close out a legacy with an FCIAC or State title.”

Hope, who plays second base and is a closing pitcher, also agrees that after falling short of the FCIAC title last season was the source of motivation this year.

“After Darien ended up winning the FCIAC, it really motivated us to do big things this year because we have owned Darien the past four years. We just never got to match up with them in the FCIAC playoff.”

Hope said the Hatters are able to win both FCIACs and States this year. “We have the potential to win both tournaments. All we need to do is trust each other, focus on one pitch at a time, and let the game come to us. We have to play the game like we have since we were in Little League. It’s no different.”

Philbin agrees that the Hatters have the potential to go far in the postseason. “ We have the tools to succeed greatly, we just need to believe in each other and play our game and something special can happen.”