Nine things you might not know about Darien High School

Written by Kylie Maier, Teen Times Reporter
Tuesday, 29 December 2009 12:00

“She does what?” Kelsey Edgar, a freshman at Darien High School asked when she found out her teacher’s secret. Many rumors circulate through the halls of Darien High School and it is always hard to tell what is not true — and what is. Here are nine things you can believe:

1. Teachers do not live in school, despite what you learned in elementary school. In fact, some of the faculty’s favorite activities may be just the same as yours. Mrs. Susan Ruegger and Mrs. Christine Leventhal spend their free time together, not grading papers, but in the studio. Yes, these science teachers trade in their lab coats for leotards, practicing ballet. Mrs. Leventhal said she “fell in love with it” and the plies are “really good exercise. It helps your core, it makes you think. It has so many benefits.”

Darien families’ New Year’s traditions, resolutions vary

Written by Marguerite Morgan, Teen Times Repoter
Tuesday, 29 December 2009 08:00

“New Year’s is a clean slate, a time to let go of the mistakes and mishaps of the previous year. It provides us with the opportunity to take advantage of a fresh start,” said Darien High School sophomore Brynn Gasparino.

Many at DHS view New Year’s through different lenses. Some see it as a time to hang out with friends and have fun, others see it as a time to be with their family, and some think of it as a time of hope for a new future. However, the celebrations are only one aspect of the popular holiday. New Year’s resolutions seem to be equally important in experiencing the new year.

Seniors get a chance to step into the real world

Written by Jared Garner, Teen Times Reporter
Monday, 28 December 2009 12:00

There will be one more step between high school and college or the working world for DHS seniors selected for the pilot Senior Internship Program this spring.

“Darien High School is piloting a Senior Internship Program where seniors can experience the working world first-hand and explore their future career interests,” says the Darien High School’s Senior Internship Program Web site.

This year in Darien, boys cheer and girls wrestle

Written by Jackie Winsch and Kate Fitzmaurice, Teen Times Reporters
Monday, 28 December 2009 08:00

What’s the key to a well-rounded, successful sports team? If you ask Brittany Sipple and Cheryl Lemone, captains of this year’s cheerleading squad, and Dimitri Chagares, Jon Lewis, and Lars Remole, captains of the wrestling team, they will tell you that they plan on having an extremely successful season, due to new additions to the teams. This year is the first in recent memory that girls are on the wrestling team and the boys are on the cheerleading squad.

“It’s all about getting as many people involved in sports as they can,” said John Keleher, athletic director at DHS. Keleher believes that the more opportunities there are for kids to get involved, the better. The opportunity for kids to expand their horizons will benefit the sports community at DHS, Keleher said. “If [kids] see guys having fun at cheerleading practice, maybe some of their friends will want to try it too.”

Squash's popularity rising in Darien

Written by Emily Clarke, Teen Times Reporter
Wednesday, 23 December 2009 15:00

With the arrival of winter, DHS students have chosen their activities for the season and are getting ready to get back into the same sports routine again. In the winter there are many teams to choose from at Darien High School, including the squash team and the squash club, which are both becoming more and more popular.

Squash players are always encouraging more and more students to join and many students are very excited to begin playing again this winter.

New Christmas songs join the classics among Darien teen favorites

Written by Shelby Penfield, Teen Times Reporter
Wednesday, 23 December 2009 12:00

“Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms, “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer” by Gene Autry and “The Christmas Song” by Mel Tormé all are among the most popular Christmas songs.

What do all these songs have in common? Each was produced and written before the 21st Century. Today these songs remain the most popular Christmas songs in the U.S. even though many new songs have been composed. But Darien High School students seem to like both new and old Christmas music.

Coming soon: It’s not ice cream, it’s Tasti-D-Lite

Written by Charlie Salmans, Teen Times Reporter
Wednesday, 23 December 2009 08:00

Aldo Criscuolo, the owner of Heights Pizza, is opening a type of store Darien has not seen before. In February , he’ll open a store called Tasti-D-Lite, and it will sell food similar to ice cream, called “frozen treat.”

The reason why it is not being referred to as ice cream is because it can’t be classified as ice cream. According to Criscuolo, regular ice cream contains 3 percent or more fat, but frozen treat contains less than 3 percent.

Teen Times Editorial: New definition of Christmas

Written by Doug Wells, Teen Times Reporter
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 15:00

If somebody were to ask you what you associate with Christmas, most people in America would say it’s the time of exchanging presents, waiting for Santa to come, decorating Christmas trees and eating a lot of food. In current day America, people try to buy the best presents they can get for the lowest prices possible. In the month of December the commercials on television and the advertisements in magazines are dominated by retail stores showing the customers their best products and listing deals such as 50 percent off.

Some gifts that don't make your Christmas list

Written by Bailey Swiggett and Kelsey Edgar, Teen Times Reporters
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 12:00

It’s holiday time again and kids are starting to remember their past holiday experiences, including getting some gifts that were unexpected, and, well, not exactly what they wanted.

DHS sophomore Brynn Gasparino says she received file folders from her grandmother for a past Christmas, which most definitely was not on her Christmas list. There are several other teens that have received an unexpected or unusual gift during the holidays.

What do Darien teens want for Christmas this year?

Written by Nicole Meir, Teen Times Reporter
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 08:00

As hard as we might try, it’s difficult not to become overly focused on gifts during the holiday season. Darien High School students are no exception. DHS students already have their gift lists filled up to the last line on the paper with gifts ranging from concert tickets to new laptops.

According to a poll on the most desired gift this holiday, the iPod seemed to have snatched first place. Just as the latest Beatles album was the mandatory item to own in the ’60s, an iPod is the essential thing to have for this generation. Most students at the high school already have some sort of iPod or MP3 player and are looking for an upgrade this holiday season. With the new Nano with a built-in camera and the iPod hot on the market, students are eager to purchase a newer, sleeker model.