Feature Writing
About (Sep. 18th, 2025)
This feature encapsulates the unusual story of a communications major who loves art and stop motion animation and how she encorprates both worlds and the stress of how both arts can be on a senior in high school.
Reflection
I feel like this is one of my best features; it was my first, but I got great feedback on it and had amazing interviews and a great subject. It was originally supposed to be a mini feature, which doesn't have any secondary sources, but it was updated to a feature because of either its quality or because the visuals for the spread didn't make the cut. I'm grateful that I got secondary sources because they brought more emotional aspects to the story; it was just a bit stressful to get the sources in such a short amount of time.
Becca in 3D
By participating in the fall visual-digital showcase, communications senior Becca Cross defied the boundaries of being a communications major by demonstrating her animation art
By Abigail Ricketts
Portraying a clay sculpture of Molly Malone with shadows of blues, Cross's idea for her piece for the fall visual-digital showcase stemmed from the common phenomenon of female statues that are worn out in areas showing cleavage.
Molly Malone is a famous statue located in Dublin, Ireland; her bronze shine is almost completely worn and torn around the deep cut of her collared dress.
“There are a lot of these female statues, and you’ll see that any cleavage (that's been) rubbed (is) gold or copper blue, and it makes me viscerally angry,” Cross said. “It resonates with me simply because I’m a woman, or really just anyone that’s been objectified in that way.”
Cross said that the discovery of stop-motion animation “was unexpected,” given that her chosen path was all communications classes.
Ruby Hernandez, Cross’s film teacher, talks about Cross’s presence and contributions to her class. “Becca, I have as a student, but she's also the president of the Film Association this year,” Hernandez said.
“She wants to pursue animation, so she's been learning about a lot of different elements within the visual arts, as well as film,” Hernandez said. “She is intensely creative, passionate about what she's doing, and has managed to create some really beautiful stuff that I think is rare from a high schooler.”
Despite her passion for animation, Cross wasn’t initially in tune with the art world. She said she did as much art as the average kid, not having faith in her artistic abilities or elements.
“I was never the art kid growing up. I felt like, ‘well, this isn’t something I’m good at, so I’m not going to try.’ My sister was always super artistically visual,” Cross said. “ I’ve always been surrounded by artists, and that led me away from art because of that comparison.”
Although originally drawn to art, Cross strayed away from it, but decided to try again in her sophomore year.
Cross’s passion for animation has led her to deepen connections with those in the likes of creative aspects, such as communications senior Dani Ayala, a friend of hers since her freshman year.
“I feel like a reason we're really close is because, creatively, we bounce off of each other really well and we have whole stories and worlds that we create together for creative writing and film,” Ayala said. “When you're close with someone and you can also share stuff with them creatively, that's a whole other bond that you have with them.”
Ayala has recognized Cross's rigorous work ethic, acknowledging the discipline demonstrated within Cross’s craft, “As her best friend, I worry for her so much, but also as a fellow artist, I couldn't be more proud of her and I couldn't love her any more than I do,” Ayala said.
Cross states that when she has her “art, communications, and out-of-school art classes,” as well as other priorities on her plate, she tries to combat that without leaving time to rest.
“I don’t sleep until I get the stuff that I want to do, done,” Cross said. “I’m not the type of person who wants to stay up. I love sleep, but I love my craft more.”
About (Oct. 14th, 2025)
This feature talks about the newest AICE language teacher on our campus and how she adjust to Dreyfoos being her first art school, with having her own art background herself.
Reflection
The Mrs. Gray feature has a special place in my heart because I have her as a teacher, and just her presence in the classroom makes third period a class I can look forward to. I chose this because when I interviewed her, she made me see into a world of hers I wouldn’t have guessed she would’ve been incorporated in. The way she sees our student body, with so much courage, care, and love, I wanted to show that through this feature. This feature ties into literature and theatre arts in such complex and creative ways, which I love.
A Round of A-Clause
New AICE English Language teacher, Christina Gray, describes her journey from participating in theatrical arts to discovering her passion for literature.
By Abigail Ricketts.
During her first year teaching at Dreyfoos, Gray learned to navigate and find her place as a teacher. Gray hadn’t worked at an art school before, though she was a teacher for twenty-five years before starting at Dreyfoos.
In the unfamiliar environment of an arts school, Gray described how it can be challenging to assimilate. “It's been amazing, exhausting, terrifying, and wonderful, all in one big, giant ball of mixed feelings,” Gray said.
Gray acknowledged this, along with the fear of whether her teaching style is strong enough for her students.
“There's definitely that worry in the back of my mind, ‘Am I good enough? Am I hacking it? Are my students unhappy because they got the new teacher compared to the two other teachers who have been here and have proven themselves?”
From the adjustments and the difficulties, Gray explained that Dreyfoos students have softened the situational change, especially with the demographic of an art school. She explained how “residing in a school with people who had to work hard to get into it has a greater acceptance and appreciation of things.”
Gray teaches AICE language to the sophomore class; her curriculum consists of teaching the literary devices embedded within the end-of-year Cambridge assessment in May. Nonetheless, she has experience in the fine arts as she has been a part of theatrical plays throughout high school and college at FAU, Palm Beach State, and the Lake Worth Playhouse.
“In high school, I took every theater class that they had to offer,” Gray said. “I performed in college and in community theater into adulthood. I've always had a love of theater in particular.”
Gray didn’t have the intention of choosing between her love for the theater and her passion for literature. She described how both being on stage and excelling in reading and writing have complemented each other throughout the years.
“I was an English major, and I've always loved to read literary stories,” Gray said. “I think the thing that spoke to me about theater was the idea of being able to take those written words and make them come alive.”
Being involved in theatre and language arts has led Gray to notice their similarities. They’re not as different as most think, as they both relate to the aspect of human emotion.
“The love of the craft of literature, poetry, plays, novels, creative writing, playwriting, and acting all come from the same place. You're looking at how an artist, a creator, is trying to examine their own humanity,” Gray said.
Both subjects have an equal resonating effect within Gray’s life, and as a result, she has brought the two elements not only to the school, but her students. One of her students, theatre sophomore Tyler Hiers, explained how Gray has tied theatre into AICE language.
“I do theater, and I think the connection between theater and English class affects how she teaches it,” Hiers said. “Theater has a lot to do with language and people. I think literature brings people together. It's important to have an artistic view on things because it helps you see more than just what meets the eye.”
From starting at a brand new school to incorporating the arts into her teaching style, Gray's presence might be foreign to Dreyfoos. But her lasting impact on people in the span of her two-decade career is still prevalent to those on campus.
TV production teacher Joseph Raicovich stated that he had worked with Gray in the past when they were both at Atlantic High School, and Raicovich was just beginning his 11th year of teaching.
“I was starting off as a teacher in the district,” Raicovich said. “While we were connecting because we both taught English, I was also just going through the growing pains of being a new teacher. … She was always supportive, friendly, and super down to Earth about everything.”
Raicovich recalled that, even back then, Gray consistently aided students. “She was a go-to English teacher for admin to give kids extra help, extra support, put together writing boot camps, and things like that.”
Though this is her first arts school, Gray conveyed how language and different art forms illustrate the same developing image of a growing community.
“We're here to learn how to use the language the same way we use other art forms to express,” Gray said. “(If) you're a dancer, you use your body. (If) You're a painter, or you're a performer on stage, you're utilizing all of those things for expression in artistic ways. That moves society, helps us grow, helps us think, and helps us see and understand one another. That's really what is at the heart of language arts.”
Rhythms and Repeat.
Dance senior Karina Mitten expresses her talent for dance from a young age
By Abigail Ricketts
Since she could take her first steps, Karina Mitten’s life has been enveloped with the artistic element of dance. Mitten was learning ballet before fully comprehending her ABCs. But even before her first milestones, dance wasn’t a foreign concept in her upbringing, as it’s been tethered within her family for years.
“[My mom] was a Miami Dolphin cheerleader before I was born, and she started taking dance classes at Sean's dance factory in West Palm,” Mitten said. “And when I was four, I would watch her and start dancing, even if I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Directly following the footsteps of her mother, Mitten quickly honed her craft, pushing herself beyond her own limits. Mitten describes how “the love of being challenged” enabled her to excel in advanced classes alongside experienced dancers.
Ballet and jazz are the fundamentals of a dancer's career, as they lay down the foundation of other types of dance. Most dance communities teach their little dancers these styles first. However, Mitten’s expertise lies within a separate branch of dance.
“I never really enjoyed [ballet and jazz], but whenever I was in hip hop, it was the most upbeat, the most fun,” Mitten said.
Garry Lewis, Mitten’s dance teacher, has first-hand experience with working with the dancer. “Watching her dance is just joy and energy,” Lewis said. “Especially in this particular concert, there is a hip hop piece where she's featured, and she's electric, you know, she’s a joy to watch.”
The dance department held its first concert on November 7th, 8th, and 9th, incorporating themes of hip-hop, Mittens' expertise. Lewis stresses Mittens' individuality within her dance moves. “Her dancing is wonderful,” Lewis said. “But that’s her, that’s Karina. That’s the Karina I remember for the past four years.”
Throughout her life, Mitten has relied on dance as a “comfort” and a familiar territory, an activity she can practice even during the trials and tribulations life can throw her way.
“[Dance] really helped me a lot when my parents were getting divorced, because it kind of allowed me to escape everything,” Mitten said. “But it also allowed me to grow closer with my mom, because she knew that same feeling of wanting just to dance, to escape everything.”
Jessica Mitten, Mittens’ mom, describes how their shared love of hip-hop has strengthened their relationship. “When I do hip-hop, it just comes easy to me,” Mitten said. “Hip-hop was natural and organic, and I think Karina developed the same thing because she grew up watching me, so we connected with hip-hop because it came second nature.”
Mitten expresses how Karina stands out, defying the standards. “Dreyfoos is big on ballet,” Mitten said. “When I see somebody like Karina do something out of the box and say, ‘I’m going to do something different,’ I love it because I’m like, ‘look at my girl, she’s brave. She’s not trying to do something that everyone else is doing, she’s trying to do something she loves.’”
The toll of her parents' divorce created turmoil in Mitten’s life, straining her during her sophomore year. “I didn't have a home for about a year,” Mitten said. “My mom and I were sleeping on couches at a family's house, very on and off, for a year. At the time, it was really hard; I was overwhelmed with school and the move.”
“And dance, you know, if I were packing my things from one house to move to the next, I would just like to put on my headphones and internally dance while packing up, just so I don't think about how it's sad to be moving so much. It's more of a new chapter, and I feel like dance really made that reassurance for me.”
The relief of dance softened the hardships. “Dance is where I'm reminded, like, I have, like, I have free will,” Mitten said. “I have an escape. I have free time. And it’s a way that I take out my stress instead of letting it kind of turn into anger or frustration. I think dance is just a really good way for my bottled-up feelings to be poured out.”
“When you go into the studio, it's like all your problems are out the door,” Mitten said. “And when you're in the studio, and it's just you, the space, the music, and you take all the feelings that you can't really express, and you take it out and your energy and how you dance.”
About (Nov. 5th, 2025)
This feature is about a dance senior and how dance has been something incorporated into her life since she was little and how it became something so natural as breathing, and dance was her coping mechanism through tough times.
Reflection
This was by far one of the most challenging features I’ve ever written on Marquee. One of the main reasons is that, originally, we didn’t have a specific angle, and she briefly mentioned her parents' divorce in the preliminary interview. I didn’t expect to make that her angle just because it’s a touchy subject, but with the encouragement from the EIC, I did a secondary interview with her, and she was more than open to talking about it. It was beautiful because I was able to relate to her situation and still be able to curate another heartwarming story.
All the World's a Stage
Theatre senior Kevontay Oliver demonstrates his talent for acting and the sentiments behind the art
By Abigail Ricketts
The stage has been a second home to Kevontay Oliver since the fourth grade. Bringing joy to an audience has influenced Oliver to focus on his talents all the way up to his senior year.
“Especially in the time that we're in, people need entertainment,” Oliver said. “It's always going to be in high demand. (I like) making other people happy, as well as myself.”
As he was recruited by DeGeorge Academy at the Kravis Center in elementary school, Oliver said the program helps children study the arts from elementary through middle school. He has been “falling in love with acting” since attending Bak Middle School of the Arts.
With continued practice, Oliver has left a notable presence in the memory of others. Theatre teacher Sandra Christie, Oliver’s dance instructor, described him as a “triple threat,” as an actor, singer, and dancer all in one, giving him “star power.”
“When the audience sees him and he hits that stage, he gives 100% in everything he's doing,” Christie said. “Everybody catches and spots (him) right away on that stage with his power and his energy.”
Theatre senior Maria Costa Scheid, Oliver’s long time friend and cast mate, highlights his determination regarding theatre.
“It's always a breeze working with Kevontay,” Scheid said. “He's fun and he's one of my best friends. He is so creative and so dedicated to theater. I feel like he takes it just as seriously as I do, and that makes the process go by much easier.”
Oliver contrasts his familiarity with theatre and how his connection with the craft has shaped him into the person he is today.
“I like to entertain, and I feel like I'm not really good at anything else,” Oliver said. “So, that was my escape. With acting, I can control how much I practice, how much performance I put into every single performance, and how I can control myself and navigate the stage.”
Oliver's talent stems from the character he develops with time, practicing a perfect delivery, and conducting the correct blocking. However, each show has had emotional complexity behind it.
According to Oliver, one of his most difficult productions was “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” He played Albus Potter, the son of Harry Potter, who goes through the struggles of self identity and a tumultuous relationship with his father.
“The whole thing between Albus and Harry Potter is that Albus always feels like he's in his dad's shadow and no one really knows Albus, but everyone knows Harry Potter,” Oliver said. “So they assume that he is going to be as great as him and be this child prodigy, but Albus wasn't like that. He wanted to be independent. So every single time I had a scene (with theatre senior Connor Hullender, Harry Potter), I was like, ‘I want him to get out of my face because I don't want to be seen next to him. I want to be my own person. I want to be independent.’”
What made the show particularly difficult was trying to not involve a deep emotional sense towards a character when acting. Bringing “past trauma into serious scenes” is a hindrance concerning his theatre presence.
The demanding nature of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” led to Oliver struggling with maintaining his mental health, but he was supported by his cast members.
“I saw how much he put into it because he was so happy to be doing it, but he was exhausted at certain points and sometimes he felt frustrated,” Scheid said. “I definitely saw him putting his own personal experience and his personal frustrations into the work he did with the character and I think that was really what made it so great.”
Oliver said his first rehearsal did not go as planned with him “missing so many lines, cues, and props” and how “hard it was to get used to” when practicing the show.
“My directors, when they saw that I was pretty bummed out, they would always say, ‘Hey, it's the first rehearsal, you only go up from here. All you need to do is review your track, take care of your body, and take care of your mental,’” Oliver said. “Taking care of your mental is so important when you're doing a show because if your mental is down, so are your acting choices.”
His experience has grown along with him, performing in musicals and plays of all kinds. Oliver feels content with this being his final chapter with Dreyfoos.
“I've had a really good run at Dreyfoos and not many people get the chance to be in so many productions,” Oliver said. “I'm eternally grateful for all of the chances I've gotten to showcase my art, to step into a different world, and to make so many friends along the way.”
About (Jan. 27th, 2026)
This feature is about a theatre senior, Kevontay Oliver, who's art in craft became something as familiar as the back of his hand. He explains the joys of being on stage with his character, Albus Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, contrasted against the emotional taxation of becoming a character opposite of you.
Reflection
At first, I was very hesitant to write this feature. Kevontay is on our cover of the yearbook and I know that the feature that I was assigned to cover had to be something show stopping and emotionally deep. This feature wasn't orginally assigned to me, and I though as though, I wouldn't be able to get the deep emotional aspects that's tailored toward my usual features. But, it ended being a feature that was gained recognition of my entire journalism class and one of my personal favorites. It opened my eyes as to the other side of theatre students and how it can be just as taxing as any other fine art. It was astonishing to hear the side of theatre that no one else can guess at first glance.
Reporting Writing
About (Jan. 15th, 2026)
This was a report writing discussing the political atmosphere and effect of our student body after the capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. This was in order to capture a range of opinions and debates that surrounded the news.
Reflection
This was my very first report writing on staff after doing the standard report writing in the freshman class. During my freshman year class I didn't really have a desire for report writing, more so feature writing. However, I forgot how refreshing it is to deliver hard news as hard as the conservations can be sometimes. With students at Dreyfoos, they pay attention to to the political climate because we have so much diversity at the school which means someone is bound to be affected by the actions of a president and have their voices and opinions to speak on it.
U.S.’s role in Venezuela
Students of Venezuelan descent discuss the United States’ role in the capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro
By Abigail Ricketts
Around 2 a.m. Jan. 3, 2026, the United States launched a military operation to capture the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, in order to transport them to New York to face narco-terroism and drug trafficking charges.
Meanwhile, the House of Commons Library said the U.S. will “run the country, until we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition of power.”
In response to alleged drug smuggling, The United States carried out at least 35 operations against Venezuelan ships since Sep. 2025, according to PBS. The Trump administration stated the reason for the military intervention was that the alleged drug trade gradually made its way to the United States.
The military pressure and naval blockade operations sparked debate. Four in 10 American citizens approved of U.S. presence while the same opposed it, according to the Washington Post.
Trump’s following comments have hinted at U.S. interest in Venezuela's oil reserves. The Council on Foreign Relations stated, “Maduro had accused the Trump administration of ‘fabricating' a war and trying to take control of Venezuela’s lucrative oil resources.” In contrast, Venezuelan citizens and migrants, such as theatre junior Hannah Gordon Rivero, have a spate of mixed feelings about the kidnapping.
“When I first heard what happened, I was worried about my family because we live very close to Galacas, which is where they were bombing,” Gordon said. “But then as I heard from all of them, I was just glad that there was a chance for them to change the government. My family was going to get a chance to be in a different environment.”
Some students of Venezuelan descent, such as visual senior Corina Paolini, can understand both sides, recognizing the contrast between the citizens of the U.S. and those in Venezuela.
Paolini, born and raised in Venezuela, witnessed “the poverty within Venezuela,” recalling a childhood memory of seeing “houses made of aluminum foil and floors made of dirt” while Maduro was in power.
Paolini described that basic necessities such as “food in the supermarkets” and a “safe way of living” is more prominent in Florida than it is in Venezuela.
“I feel like the Venezuelan people and I can agree to this. We've been waiting for years ever since Chavez rose to power,” Paolini said. “I know a lot of people believe different things. I am super happy about Maduro being in prison and getting what he deserves, but I am worried as to what's going to happen with whoever's in power now.”
Because of Maduro’s dictatorship, such as “economic mismanagement, suppression of individual freedom, and widespread human rights violations,” stated by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Venezuela's response to the capture of Maduro had a divided result.
Some citizens saw hope and celebration, while others were worried about what was to come next as uncertainty washed over the country.
“The U.S. has their own goals and reasons for going into Venezuela. (We) hope that this new regime doesn't bring something worse than what was before,” Gordon said. “You still need to find someone to take over the country that's not in the same political party as Maduro because even if he's not there, other people with his same ideals, mindset, and type of control could take the presidency and take that power.”
About (Feb. 19th, 2026)
Though not hard news report writing, Lady Whistledown is soft news/feature writing. Lady Whistledown is a pen pal story, an event that National English Honor Society offers to their members to recieve an hour for the Honor Society. It pushed students to communicate multiple times using hand written letters in order to recieve their hour, creating new friendships and relationships.
Reflection
One of the very few writing assignments I was given that was not a feature but I still had a lot of fun with it because I was still pulling that emotional intent behind the idea of pen palling. Pen palling on paper sounds pretty boring and not necessarily cover worthy, it was an emotional story that kind of had that "awe" factor because we saw that upperclassmen were giving underclassmen advice and establishing that caring relationship between the students.
Lady Whistledown
National English Honor Society members exchange letters with underclassmen in a pen pals tradition
By Abigail Ricketts
The pen glides across the page, filling the letter with words full of sentiments and curiosity. The secrets of what is inside is a kindred connection between the two pals. Every pen pal exchange brings two people closer together, establishing endearment of admiration: the ultimate goal of the pen pal system established by National English Honor Society (NEHS).
NEHS participants exchange letters to meet their honor society hours. However, students continue to exchange letters with their pen pals long after the allotted time.
Theatre junior Juliana Priddy was paired up with a senior during the application process. She used her letters to ask questions about the following school year.
“Me and my partner have done a few letters back and forth, and it's really fun having a friend to talk to when you're not actively in a conversation,” Priddy said. “(There are) no interruptions or anything, so you can ramble on about anything.”
Juniors and seniors receive advice, give feedback, share stories, and set goals for the school year. Despite the use of technology for texting or calling, pen pals are able to recover the lost way of physical communication, which may feel like a breath of fresh air for some students.
President of NEHS and communications senior Sadie Kanter found participating in pen pals more sentimental than texting.
“I think there's something really special about handwritten notes and meeting someone face to face,” Kanter said. “It made me really happy.”
Vice president of NEHS and theatre senior Zepplyn Berry highlights the in-person connections pen pals offer rather than communicating through technology.
“I think pen pals are really awesome, (being able) to connect with someone who's older than you and get that advice from them,” Berry said. “You don't have to worry about, ‘do they think I'm texting weird? Oh, they're not responding to me,’ (so) it takes away that pressure of texting and being judged. You both sit there and handwrite something for the other person.”
Berry, basing her senior experience off her pen pal writing last year, made a goal to help her pen pal with the college process but also get to know them on a personal level.
“One of my pen pals (theatre junior Evy Hollis) is really wonderful,” Berry said. “I see her in the hallways, and every time we see each other, it's like, ‘your letter's coming soon.’ It's a reminder that there is something we have to do.”
NEHS grants the hour once the letters are exchanged, pushing for students to make that connection with others.
Kanter describes seeing those connections stretch from outside of the honor society and watching students bond in real time. “I did see two people exchanging in the hallway today, (and) my friend was telling me about how she's meeting her pen pal for the first time.”
“I saw the note, and it looked very cute. I was happy that people are actually doing it and meeting other people,” Kanter said. “It makes me feel really good that NEHS as an organization is having an impact on others.”
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