ACE Month A Success!

So much happened during ACE Month that it's hard to keep track of it all! We had multiple DRSS Newsroom Journalists on the beat to share some of the great things that happened during this special time of year.

Flower Grams Hit DRSS

By Maryam Boumahchad
 

In ACE month there was a flower gram week. This is where a student would buy a flower for a friend, teacher, and/or sibling to show how much you appreciate them. This month is just for that. Especially this week. The flower gram week was to show how much you care about someone even if in reality you don’t show it. You could also send a note with a flower explaining why you got it and how did that person make you want to send them the flower. I have received a flower from my sister with a note explaining how she appreciated me. I myself have sent a flower and it is a pretty good feeling when you receive one as a surprise.

Maryam Boumahchad holding a Flower Gram from her sister, Fatima. Photo by Jordan Durham.

Story Time During ACE Month

By Maddie Kelly
 
ACE Month was full of big events for students, but among all the spectacle and excitement a quieter event took place. Members of DRSS’s Community Alliance went to sixth and seventh grade English classes to read aloud stories about the damaging effects of bullying and how kids can stand up for themselves and others. Readers went in pairs to the middle school classrooms, where they read either Bully or Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco. Both of the books follow young characters who move to new schools and become victims of bullying. The stories also show how the characters get through their hardships with the support of family, teachers, and new friends. After reading the books, the high school readers encouraged the younger students to discuss how they could prevent bullying among their own class. “I got the chance to experience telling little kids about how bullying has a negative impact on their lives and what they can do if this happens to them. I feel like this was a valuable part of [ACE Month] because it tells children that bullying is against an accepting culture for everyone,” says Fatima Boumachad, a junior and member of Community Alliance. “We are teaching kids how to prevent bullying or how to deal with it.” As ACE Month comes to a close, Community Alliance is proud to have caused a positive change in how young DRSS students view bullying.

DRSS Students Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking

By AJ Uzetta
 

Did you know that an estimated 1,078 children in Ohio are forced into human trafficking each year, and 3,016 more are at risk? On February 25, 2016, DRSS decided to speak out against human trafficking by organizing a campaign for ACE Month, the entire month of February. DRSS promoted the human trafficking campaign by writing the details of the campaign on a large chalkboard in the high school section of the school, reminding students about the campaign during lunch and afternoon announcements, and sending students who participated in the campaign to lunch first. To participate in the campaign, you could either a) wear red clothing, or b) wear a red x on your hand, or somewhere on your body. An estimated half the school either wore red or had a red x on their hand. DRSS’s mission by doing this campaign: raise awareness of the rising issue of human trafficking in Ohio, and across the world, one red piece of clothing or x at a time.

A post from the students' Instagram page, found at www.instagram.com/drss.end.it/

Lights Out, its Culture Fest Time!

By Fatima Boumahchad
 

All the Culture Fest participants were getting ready to set up until all of a sudden, the lights went out. As the coordinator of Culture Fest, this was really unexpected. Nevertheless, Culture Fest was still going to happen! Everyone took out their phones and used their flashlights to light up the room. Although we were unable to play music due to the power outage, it was still a very enjoyable event. There was a huge variety of cultures represented from all around the world! Participants wore clothing representing their culture, made posters, brought artifacts and even food to give people a feel for what their culture is like. Students, teachers, and staff members got the opportunity to learn more about each other. Overall, the second annual Culture Fest was a huge success and definitely a huge part of ACE month.

Photo by Cassady Harris.

Photo by Cassady Harris.

Photo by Cassady Harris.

Photo by Cassady Harris.

Mayor Whaley Comes To Visit

By Keshawn Mellon

During DRSS's ACE Month, the Mayor of Dayton, Nan Whaley wanted to contribute as well. The Mayor came in on Thursday, February 25th, and talked to students in all grade levels about what she does in her role as Mayor of Dayton and how she has sought to transform the city into one that not only accepts different cultures, but embraces them. After talking to the students, the Mayor took questions from them about anything they wanted to ask. The questions ranged from the current presidential debate all the way to how she managed her successful election campaign. Once she was finished answering questions, students returned to class, however some were able to stay behind and ask the mayor some personal questions that they were interested in but didn’t have time to ask in front of the entire class. Mayor Whaley stuck around to answer each of them, and we are very grateful for her taking the time out of her busy schedule to come speak to us!

Mayor Whaley speaks to the 6th grade class.

Superintendent Fisher, Mayor Whaley, and Principal Strickland.

Mayor Whaley stuck around to talk to students after the event as well.

And get a few pictures!

This year's ACE Month wouldn't have happened without its primary organizers - Middle School Counselor, Leah Brough, and Dean of Students, Drew Sears. Many thanks to both of them!