Story by Eland Xiong

DHS is kicking off a new semester with fresh goals and renewed focus. This quarter provides a perfect opportunity to reflect on past mistakes and start a new chapter.

Many students are working hard to stay on track. Sophomore David Xiong found that powering off his phone helps him remain concentrated and on task. Freshman Alp Sonmez emphasizes the importance of planning ahead and learning from errors, noting that he tries to ‘understand what I did wrong’ so he can improve. These strategies are helping students stay focused and motivated throughout the day.

While other students focus on improving their performance in challenging subjects, junior Isaac Mashburn is dedicating time to biology, and sophomore Maddux Abernathy is prioritizing his math assignments.

Students also stayed motivated by thinking about their futures. Mashburn states that his goals inspire him to stay focused, saying, “It’s the fact that I can do a job I really like sometime in the future.” This type of mindset helps encourage students to keep on working even when the semester gets harder.

Quarter three is more than just a grading period. It is a time for reflecting on the previous semester, embracing growth, and seizing opportunities that were once missed. Students continue to build better habits, overcome challenges, and push themselves academically. By fostering positive mindsets throughout the school, this shared determination brings the DHS community closer—reminding students that success is measured not just by grades, but by progress and mutual support.