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Articles by Abby Heavrin
Jon Bernthal Is Proof That Hollywood’s Pretty Boy Era Is Coming To A Close
It’s looking like the people have found a new Hollywood boyfriend, and he isn’t what we’re used to. Coming off Conrad Fischer and Garrett Graham, the pretty boy era is coming to a close, and the girls, gays, and theys are all for the bad boy effect. Enter: Jon Bernthal. The 50-year-old actor is nowhere near new to Hollywood, but he is certainly new to everyone’s TikTok For You pages following the debut of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The Mirrorball Race Begins: ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Week 1 Takeaways And Season Predictions
Dancing with the Stars season 35 kicked off with a two-episode premiere showcasing male celebrities on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and female stars on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Top scorers of both nights included Harry Shum Jr. and partner Jenna Johnson, as well as Maura Higgins and partner Mark Ballas. Consequently, the two eliminations were Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Conner Leavitt and partner Adele Zaikman, and internet personality Sarah Jane Nader and partner Hailey Bills.
Implement more joy into your life by spicing up your school lunch
Categories: When I was younger, I used to be obsessed with watching videos of YouTube moms making their children cool school lunches. What I noticed was that in all the videos, they would have themes that made the lunches stand out each day. I consider myself a professional when it comes to fun school lunches, as I was the kid who needed all of the different bento boxes and a very specific order every day.
What character represents your end of year mood
Take the quiz below to find out what animated character represents your end of year mood. This test is extremely accurate, and your results will leave you stunned by how well we understand you based on a few simple questions. What character represents your end of year mood? Loading... There was an error. Please try again. Quiz Complete Loading... Calculating Results... Your Quiz result is: Making millions of dollars
Mustang spotlight: Jack Melie
Name: Jack Melie Grade: Senior Clubs/Sports: Masque and Gavel, Choir, and Blue Crew Favorite Class Ever Taken: AP Spanish Favorite Teacher and Why: “Jennifer Fischer, because she’s a super effective teacher. She knows what shes talking about and is able to teach us. As well as, she is such a kind person and has a great balance of work and fun in class.” One Fun Memory from DGS: “When the school had a power outage, everyone walked in the dark to class.
Makeup dupes bring affordability to beauty market
If you look good, you feel good, but what happens when looking good means dropping $500 on a makeup routine that you wash off at the end of the day? The beauty industry has provided a vast market for makeup with different price ranges; however, in recent years, the market for “makeup dupes” has grown significantly. Drugstore brands such as e.l.f. Cosmetics have started “dupe”-ing higher-end products to make them more accessible to shoppers who aren’t looking to spend a lot on makeup.
DGS guides student career paths through internships and pre-professional programs
Every child dreams of a future career. Whether it’s becoming an astronaut or a chef, kids imagine adulthood and the jobs they hope to love. While these dreams often evolve, getting an early glimpse of a career can help guide life decisions and shape future aspirations. High school often marks the start of one’s adult life, and with that comes a focus on what students plan to pursue post-graduation.
Cleats v. curtains: Where sports and fine arts collide
Seniors Grace Lube and Abby Heavrin take a deep dive into how their lives as high school seniors have differed over the past four years. Theater kids and athletes show that they might not be so different after all.
Government websites promote political bias
When researching for a school project, students are often told to use reliable sources, and most often, those sources end in “.gov.” But what happens when “.gov” starts spreading bias and harmful information? The U.S. government needs to stop using its platforms to spread a political agenda; by changing the nature of these websites, people around the world are being shielded from the important information needed to be knowledgeable about politics and recent events.
A freshman’s guide to finals: How to survive finals week during your freshman year
After a three day break of sleeping in and eating pumpkin pie, students return to DGS for arguably the most taxing three weeks of the year. Finals week. For freshmen, this week is entirely uncharted territory, and can be pretty scary to navigate. Through tips and tricks from math teacher Alexis Domina and senior Jack Melie, this podcast teaches freshmen all they need to know about finals week.
The positive politics podcast: how the government shutdown is affecting students
Opinions Editor Abby Heavrin sits down with senior Sam Sadelski and social studies teacher Laura Rodey to discuss the recent government shutdown. In this episode of the positive politics podcast, they discuss the importance of students understanding what a government shutdown is, and how it may affect them.
Slumps spread across grade levels
Everyone has heard of “senioritis.” It’s the reason my friends haven’t seen me at school much the past week. The inevitable dread that comes with senior year hits students like a bus, making it increasingly harder to get up out of bed in the morning. I’m over it. But senior year isn’t the only time students experience this existential dread.
DGS implements new policies to increase student attendance
At the start of each school year, District 99 sets one overarching goal for a major shift it wants to see over the course of the year. For the 2025-2026 school year, chronic absenteeism and attendance were the issues to be addressed – the immediate action taken has not only been effective, but has also sparked schoolwide discussion on the value of attendance.
Getting wild: Curran sets up future as wildcat at University of New Hampshire
Junior Jen Curran has always looked up to her older sisters. From the toys they played with, the clothes they wore and the sport that would inevitably help her become a Division One athlete. These sisterly bonds have helped carry Curran through life, but it all came to fruition when she committed to D1 volleyball at the University of New Hampshire this fall.
Taylor Swift shows out in new album ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
She is back. She is different. She is “The Life of a Showgirl.” Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album was released on Friday, Oct. 3, re-entering the artist into the pop music realm and surprising fans with her “new” style.
The power of high heels
The click-clacking of high heels is music to my ears. Heels are the cherry on top of a perfectly curated outfit. Heels signify confidence and power. So you can understand why the squeaking of gym shoes in my office irks me like no other. The term “business casual” has taken on a whole new meaning ever since the COVID-19 pandemic further normalized a hybrid work environment; people spend half the time in the office and half the time at home.
Who’s your celebrity soulmate?
Categories: 100% accurate quiz to discover who you’re meant to be with. Throughout the course of the year, our Blueprint “scientists” have worked tirelessly to find the perfect match for everyone through evidence based research. This quiz has been peer reviewed by Dr. Grace Lubers, and her words, “This quiz is the epitome of facts, and I’ve seen a lot of facts.” Drop a comment if you have found your soulmate through this quiz. Who's your celebrity soulmate? Loading... There was an error.
DGS under the stars prom followed by school-wide senior ditch day
Prom night is viewed as the epitome of some seniors’ senior year. A night full of fun and laughter signifies the conclusion of their high school career. So, many of them were not in attendance. Following the DGS Under The Stars prom celebration on Saturday, April 26, a school-wide senior ditch day left the school with only around 2% of the senior class in attendance. This means that approximately 98% of seniors were absent on Monday, April 28.
Sequins and sparkles: Discover the trajectory of your day through a shimmering horoscope
Below you will find the sparkly horoscope to predict the trajectory of your day. Good or bad you will find out, but have faith in the glitter as it never lies. Aries (March 21-April 19): A magical day awaits you. Your day will be graced by the presence of flippy sequins that will make your day sparkly and bright. To ensure that your day is mystical and enchanted, you will come across a rainbow flippy sequin pillow that will show you the true power of sparkle. You are one with flippy sequins.
DGS teacher arrested for sexual assault of student
On Sunday, March 16, DGS special education teacher and junior varsity boys and girls soccer coach Christina Formella was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault. Formella was arrested at a traffic stop Sunday evening after allegations of having sexual relations with a 15-year-old student in December of 2023. Formella and the student had sexual relations in a classroom at DGS in December of 2023.
Villains steal hearts
Growing up we were all taught to believe that characters like Cruella de Vil and Maleficent were the villains. It was a black-and-white, cut-and-dry situation; princesses are good, everyone else is bad. Though, who’s to say villains can’t be the main characters too? Disney villains have become much more popular simply because people have looked deeper into the characters.
DGS honors women in March
March marks the start of Women’s History Month, and DGS is getting ready to celebrate. With so many female-powered roles at DGS, they are gearing up with t-shirts, posters and fun morning announcements to teach everyone the importance of female empowerment. The importance of women’s history can impact people in different ways; senior Becca Snouffer shares her perspective on why it is so important to recognize women’s history.
Smiles stick with stickers
Stickers. Whether it be sticking them on car windows, or getting a gold star for a job well done, stickers have been a key contributor to many childhood wonders. But stickers didn’t end after the first grade, now more than ever stickers are gaining popularity and are a sticky situation you want to be in. Symbolizing anything from vacations to favorite movies, stickers are used to express oneself or even add joy to the more boring aspects of life.
Board restructuring and student success showcased at District 99 board meeting
From student-athletes to administrative restructuring, the District 99 Board meeting on March 3 was jam-packed with information on the current happenings in the district. Starting the meeting off strong the district’s state teams and athletes were all recognized for their performance at state or by making it to the state level. Beginning with the Trostangs the District 99 girl’s gymnastics team.
The stories behind President Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments
Following Donald Trump’s presidential re-election, he has taken immediate action to select his cabinet members. This has caused a major uproar among citizens due to his unorthodox selections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel have been the most talked about appointments because of their past government engagements, leaving many skeptical after their Senate hearings. Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F.
Real or fake: The inability to access real news in the media
Categories: My inbox is constantly flooded with emails from A Starting Point, The New York Times and AP News, all popular news sites I use to stay informed about what is happening in the world. What’s lovely about being subscribed to these different platforms is that they all have slightly different perspectives on the news, allowing me to see things differently.
Courses undergo changes in curriculum
The 2025-2026 school year at DGS is set to embrace new course changes, offering students different credit levels and course length changes. In classes such as AP Psychology and Anatomy and Physiology, DGS is working with the AP college board and the College of Dupage to enhance students’ learning environments and criteria.
Grammy snubs: Artist nominations cause a stir
With Grammy nominations being released in the recent weeks, controversy has arisen surrounding certain Grammy “snubs” and nominations. Join us as we walk through the ins and outs of recent Grammy pop-culture.
Freshmen talk: A break down on high school
Freshmen girls that met each other this year now sit everyday together at lunch.
Hear me out cakes uncover secret crushes
It’s not new that celebrity crushes are widely known and loved. But crushes aren’t always just celebrities or people you pass in the halls. Sometimes the best and most fun crushes are the random ones from cartoons, don’t judge. This brings me to the trend of hear-me-out cakes. This widely loved trend on TikTok focuses on people’s more unconventional crushes, who may still be celebrities, but in cartoon form. What’s great about hear-me-out cakes is that anyone can do it. Here’s how to start.
The death of the slow dance
As the lights dim in the DGS field house, couples and groups of friends pair up as the awkward but quintessential slow music washes over the crowd. For a good three minutes, you are either falling into high school love with your hallway crush or gossiping with friends about how unnecessary and awkward the song is. All that aside, a slow dance is crucial at a high school function according to all early 2000s movies. But has that come to an end– are we experiencing the death of the slow dance?
The evolution of mukbangs
Sometimes you just need someone to eat with. Life can get lonely sometimes and having someone to share a meal and sit with can make that time a little brighter. Thus, the evolution of mukbangs. Originating from the Korean word meokbang, mukbangs are meant to be eating broadcasts.
Mustangs stampede to the polls
On Sept. 15, an email was sent out to DGS students asking about their opinions on politics and the 2024 election. It was an optional survey sent out by the Director of Student Activities Jennifer Martinez and approximately 168 students took the questionnaire. According to this survey, 90.4 percent of students are currently not registered to vote. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that the majority of the student body isn’t eligible to vote as students are required to be 18 years of age.
Breaking norms: Students should become their own people
Categories: “You belong here” is the famous DGS motto, and one that has been portrayed on many T-shirts. However, the question always remains, how do we get students to feel like they truly belong here at DGS? The answer is almost always to get students involved in the numerous clubs and activities DGS offers, and while I agree that clubs and activities are a great way to form a community, it isn’t always as simple as just signing up for a club during Mustang Fury.
Kicking off the 2024-2025 school year, the Oct. 7 District 99 Board of Education meeting heads the first student perspective meeting of the year by showcasing the DGS PE leadership program. Senior student representatives Gavenson Bayer, Estella Rizzo, Becca Snouffer, Johnny Klaeren and Ariella Urias share how their experience in PE leading has shaped them throughout high school and will help them to strive moving forward.
Mustangs vs. Mustangs: Fillies tumble through homecoming game against Morton
Kicking off the 2024 DGS homecoming game against Morton, Fillies strut onto the field in the pre-game parade. Joined by band, cheer and Pintos, students and athletes start the game off on the right foot.
Students embrace fall: 10 best ways to celebrate
Some may say September is too early to get in the fall spirit, but I don’t listen to those people. As soon as I cross off Aug. 31 on my calendar fall is in full swing, you can’t convince me otherwise. On the other hand, I can convince you otherwise. Get ready, because once you’re done reading this top 10 list of ways to embrace fall, you’ll be sipping on a pumpkin spice latte watching “Halloweentown” not knowing what hit you. 10.
Clubs emerge from student interest
As DGS students walk the commons during Mustang Fury on Friday, Aug. 30th, students are bombarded with information about all the clubs and activities DGS has to offer. Whether running the booth or signing up for emails, one of DGS’ goals is to have everyone be in at least two extracurriculars, though club creation requires a process that entails determination to form a community based on student interests.
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