Bringing back the Falcon Flyer was important for me as a new teacher to not only gain better insight to the school district and community, but also to showcase all the outstanding accomplishments, events, and happenings that take place every day at DRRHS. The first year of creating The Falcon Flyer was a major success. I am so grateful for all the talented students who invested their time, effort, and hard work into making this paper happen. I look forward to seeing how The Falcon Flyer can develop further, as new faces and personalities join as editors, publishers, and writers!”
– Ms. Hailey Stasiuk, English Teacher & Newspaper Club Advisor
Below we pay tribute to all the students who made this newspaper possible.
Journalism Spring Semester Class:
Joshua Cordero (grade 9) is a freshman at DR who plays soccer. He’s been playing since a young age and loves the game. He takes early college course for English and is the first cohort of the course and he feels lucky for the opportunity. He always tries to get his work done on time and loves his classes and has great grades. He is always striving to make his grades better over time.
“My word of advice is, How will you get your dream job if you don’t put in the effort for it?”
From studying journalism, I have gained social skills and skills on how to post on a newspaper. It’s important to study journalism because it can give you skills that you didn’t know you had that can benefit you.
Elliott Lenartowick (grade 9) is a freshman at DRRHS who enjoys photography and long hikes. Elliott has participated in multiple sports including volleyball and wrestling.
“DR is truly amazing, the people you meet here are some of the most wonderful and welcoming you will ever meet. As someone who transferred late in the year, the fact I was met with open arms was a shock, and making friends was easy after that.”
Journalism helped me improve my writing and vocabulary, along with teaching me the importance of news and why it is important to create it. It is important to study journalism because it helps us learn the importance of reporting on things and why it’s important to keep up to date.
Matthew Carlson (grade 9) is a freshmen at DR, and he is 15 years old. His hobbies include playing baseball, where he plays the outfield and pitches, and going to the gym. He likes to hangout with his friends and family. Matthew has contributed to the paper by writing about baseball and other sports.
“My first year at DR was a lot of fun for me. I took a lot of hard classes, but I managed to still get straight A’s in most terms. I met a lot of kids from Rehoboth who are my friends now, so that was cool. I also still have all my friends from middle school, so I had a lot of fun in most of my classes with friends. Overall, I met a lot of new people and had a lot of fun during the year while still getting good grades.”
From taking journalism, I learned a lot about my writing skills. I learned that I can write pretty well if I like what I’m writing about. I also learned different ways to write in this class, such as reviewing something or writing about myself in third person. I learned a lot in this class and I had fun while doing it.
James Kenah (Grade 9) a student at DR who’s been attending for 3 months now. He came from Plymouth, Massachusetts. James’ favorite class at DR was his journalism class because he enjoys creative writing. In his free time James often skateboards near his house in Dighton.
“Do not get overwhelmed with work and take breaks when you need to.”
I’ve honestly loved taking journalism and I’ve learned to become a much better writer. I’ve also learned about different kinds of articles and how to write them. I think that it’s important to study journalism because it helps people become better writers which will further benefit them in the future.
Adrian Plummer (grade 9) is a freshman at Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School and is 15 years old. He is from Lunenburg and recently moved here to Rehoboth four months ago. Some of his hobbies are playing basketball, listening to music, and running.
“My favorite memory of DR is hanging out with my friend group in gym class. It was super fun working out and helping each other during fitness with my friends. A tip is you should definitely do homework and not slack off because it will affect your grades a lot even if you don’t think it will.”
In journalism, I gained better vivid writing. Journalism is important so you know how to use grammar correctly and write better if you are ever writing a story or sending an email.
Jake DiGirolamo (grade 10) is a 16 year old from Rehoboth, MA. He attends Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School and plays football. His favorite hobbies are skiing, football, baseball, surfing, cooking, and playing instruments. He takes Carpentry, U.S history, Physical science, Spanish, Geometry, and Journalism. Some fun facts are that his favorite music genre is indie rock, he loves hanging out with his friends, and making music.
“My favorite part of DR was meeting all my friends and talking to new people.”
From taking journalism, I have gained skills in writing and I feel more confident about writing.
Addison Hoyle (grade 11) is a junior at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School. She is member of the DR Girls Tennis Team, and an active member of Student Government as a Class Representative. She is also a member of the National Honors Society, Peer Leaders, and Students for School Safety. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, creating art, and exploring new media and music.
“DR has given me so many opportunities to meet new people, pursue my interests, and learn valuable knowledge as well as life skills. My favorite part of DR are the people I have met, and who have made a positive impact on my life. From my teachers, who have worked hard to educate me, to my amazing friends who have supported me throughout the years, I will always cherish the good memories I made at DR.”
By taking a journalism class, my writing skills have greatly improved and I am more confident when writing articles or journalistic works. I believe that once I finish the course and continue to write, I will be able to use the skills I learned in class to effectively write works on my own. I believe it is important to study journalism because journalism is what keeps society informed, involved, and up to date with the latest events in the world. Everyone uses journalism daily, and it is an important part of our society.
Skyla Ramos (grade 11) is a junior at DR. She is 17 years old, and from Dighton, MA. She used to lived in Quincy, MA until 2020. She plays softball for the high school, as well as club softball. Skyla Ramos likes to be around people all the time. She likes to go to concerts, ride quads, and dirt bikes. She also likes to workout, hangout with her boyfriend, and go out to eat.
“My favorite parts about DR is how all the teachers are always so welcoming. I have never yet met a teacher who is not willing to help you improve on your work. I also love the community with sports. The sports teams are very big here in Dighton Rehoboth, when one team wins it’s a huge accomplishments for the school.”
From taking journalism class I have gained information about how to spot fake news and create stories by using photos. It is important to study journalism because you use it everyday of your life. Examples include taking photos and sending an email, so you are always using a type of journalism.
Ren Markley-Werner (grade 11) is a junior at Dighton Rehoboth Regional High, and is a part of the Best Buddies club. He is 17 years old, and he’s from Rehoboth, Massachusetts, but was originally from Norton, Massachusetts. He likes to go to the beach, play video games, and take pictures of scenery. Ren strives to be a great addition to the entertainment section of the newspaper.
“Life won’t always go your way, but you have to make the best of what you have, and learn from it. You’ll see who you are as a person based on how you react when life has you down.”
Journalism is extremely important, especially to those whose writing skills might not be to the level they want them to be. I was extremely nervous and did not have confidence in my writing, so when I got transferred into journalism, I was heavily nervous. Throughout my semester of journalism, I have advanced my writing skills, and become confident in my work. I feel that the skills I learned in journalism have helped advance my writing for English class, as well, since beforehand I was always nervous or aggravated when we had a writing assignment, but ever since I started journalism, I haven’t been nervous or agitated whenever a writing assignment pops up. Journalism has helped me learn to love writing. It is important to study journalism because it can open your mind up to different kinds of writing, and help change a one-track mind, while also giving you skills you can use in all sorts of work.
Newspaper Club Students:
Bonnie Arrigo (grade 10) is a sophomore at DR and she is a part of the co-op swim team. She has been on the team for 2 years now, but also participates in Yearbook Club, French and Latin Club, Student Government, School Council, and is in the DR Ambassador program.
“Moving up from middle school can be a scary experience for everybody. It is a new school, and a new place with new people. When I first got here, I had no idea what to expect or how to branch out and meet new people. I think the biggest thing that I learned, through experience, is that it is important to get involved. Getting involved with school sports and clubs is a great way to meet new people and try new things. I think that helped me the most with the transition and it is a great way to see all the school has to offer. I think that it is so important to be involved, and be more than just a student. People find new things they enjoy doing all the time, you just have to be willing to put yourself and get involved with the school by joining something new.”
I enjoyed being a part of the club this year because I got to write about things that I enjoyed writing about, as well as what was happening in the school. I thought that it is a great way to get involved with the activities going on, and be behind the scenes on everything going on. The club is a good way for people to express creativity through writing and the club is a good way to meet new people. It is also a good club to put on a college application. I think that the Newspaper Club is a fun way to write about things that interest you and get experience with editing and making other creative posts.
Heidi Rodrigues (grade 11) is a junior and an honors and AP student who is largely involved with the arts at DR. On top of writing for the newspaper, she is a member of the DRRHS Theatre Company, International Thespian Society, DR Marching Band, Clarinet Choir, Jazz Band, National Honor Society, and more. She loves all things pop culture, and spends a lot of time reading books, watching movies, and writing little stories.
“If I have any advice to relay that really helped me get through, it’s to join a lot of diverse groups. It’s never too late to join a club or start a new sport! Through the multitude of activities I’ve participated in over my time at DR, some of my closest friends have come from different grades and different activities. To form the relationships that matter, often it’s best to get out of the classroom.”
Being a part of newspaper club has given me a great chance to showcase my writing on a low-stakes, put-it-out-when-you-can schedule. As a busy person who loves to write, it’s very convenient to be a part of a group that isn’t meeting on a super pressing schedule. The newspaper itself is a great way to get information out, report on school events, and foster a greater sense of connection within the D-R community. Losing such a high volume of seniors this year, the club is at risk of dying out in the years to come, so it would be so helpful to have new faces with us, whether they publish one article or twenty, or if they want to take photos instead, all are welcome!
Leila Almeida (grade 11) is a junior at Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School. She is a member of the symphonic band program and the jazz band. She plays the flute and the saxophone. Leila wanted to be an author for much of her life; however, she now wants to major in psychology after high school.
“No matter how hard things get, whatever they may be, always make sure you surround yourself with encouraging, real friends.”
This year, I was presented with an opportunity to join our school’s newspaper, and I can now confidently say that it has helped me grow so much. Throughout the entirety of my life, I have had a passion for writing, but the ability to publish my articles for anyone to see is such a unique experience. I can finally showcase the work I create, regardless of whether I am writing an article, promoting an event, or updating other digital aspects of our newspaper. This has given me the chance to share my experiences, highlight student opinions, and provide insight into all the upcoming developments in our school. I have also been able to reach out to large amounts of our school community with ease- something I would not have been able to achieve without our newspaper. Similarly, this club has pushed me to interact with other students whom I would not normally come into contact with, allowing me to be more active in the community.
It is important that I mention that I have also drastically improved my writing skills whilst being in this club. I have become much more confident and comfortable writing abstract articles, rather than requiring specific guidelines or rules, and I have also gained greater exposure to writing styles I did not frequently attempt to master in the past. Our school’s newspaper offers various opportunities: artistic showcases, media management, articles on nearly anything, and picture galleries, and I am happy to say that I have played at least a small role in most of these categories, despite my initial hesitation due to my lack of experience. All in all, I have gained a great strength from participating in our school’s newspaper: the willingness to do anything that interests me with confidence and pride, rather than passing up good opportunities out of fear.
Kassidy Magoni-Belanger (grade 11) is a junior attending D-R, and is writing for The Falcon Flyer for the 2025-2026 school year to broaden her horizons. She takes AP Language and, journalism. She enjoys writing, art, and all things music. After graduating, she wants to become an English teacher teaching high school.
“My biggest piece of advice is to really absorb what the club has to offer you as it can translate into your daily life.”
The newspaper club, alongside being in the elective journalism, has offered me varying perspectives. I have had fun with the articles I was able to produce within a structure and had almost full creative control. Also, I’ve grown stronger as a writer and feel proud of the work I’ve produced this year as a whole.
Anastasia Andrade (grade 11) is a junior at Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School. She is currently enrolled in AP Language and Composition as well as AP U.S. history. She participates in art club and newspaper after school. Ana plans on going to college after graduating for an environmental science major or psychology.
“As a transfer student it was very hard to fit in and I was very reluctant to join any clubs in fear I wouldn’t fit in. However, once I did join a newspaper I have looked forward to staying after school for it. Newspaper has given me a chance to write and overall is good experience for college.”
The newspaper club has reignited my passion for writing outside of school. I have always loved writing since elementary school, the idea of telling a story and the details in my control was alluring when my life felt out of control. However, overtime I lost the motivation and drive to write outside of school. The newspaper club helped me reconnect with writing and my creativity. Others should join because it gives great experience and is an outlet for not only school events but also personal connections.
Zachary McCann (grade 11)is a junior at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School.
“It was really fun to write about my interests and get them some more recognition around this school’s community. People here can write about clubs, food, or even written journal entries or poems. This club is pretty low stakes, so its the best way you can get them out there! I’ve had people come to me in the hallways talking about some of the things I wrote about, which was really fun. If you’re looking to make friends or just talk about things you like It’s a really good opportunity to write about your interested in, whether it be food, movies, or anything else!”
