So Long, Dorsey: I’m going to miss the good times and the warm people at “D-House”
A teen describes her good experience at Dorsey High School.
“On a regular day at Dorsey High, I’d catch up on some homework in Ms. Pepin’s class. Outside, someone would be playing handball. Over by the bungalows, it’s Double Dutch—that’s jumping rope with two ropes. Somebody else would be talking about last night’s basketball game and what everybody wore. As it got closer to eight, I could hear loud, thumping music from my friend’s car, packed with about five people trying to beat the tardy bell.
That’s right, whole days go by without a shooting. In fact, I have been to Dorsey for four years and never seen a gun. Five students were shot in that period, but none were killed on campus. All the shootings occurred nearby, but outside of school. The most exciting thing that has happened on campus lately is when my friend brought a kite to school on a windy day, and flew it during lunch.
I have a friend who does not go to Dorsey who is always making little comments, like “You know there’s always shootings up there,” or “Did anything bad happen today?” I’d be mad.
“No,” I’d say, trying not to let her get on my nerves.
The reality of Dorsey, or D-House as we call it, is that it’s a great school that sends a high percentage of seniors to excellent colleges every year. I always have DDP—Dorsey Don Pride, and mostly every Friday during my sophomore and junior years, you’d find me in our school colors, green and white.
To me D-House is another home.There’s teaching assistant Nancy Brown, who gives me a hug and asks me how I’m doin’ every morning. Special ed teacher Ms. Rene Klein watches out for me, just like my mom. If I fall, she worries about me. She lets me use her phone and tries to include me in her class activities. That’s how I’ve gotten to know everyone in her class, like my own brothers and sisters. They tell me they’re gonna miss me—and I’m gonna miss them too!
They helped me achieve
Every time my physical education teacher Mrs. Sarai Baylor sees my report card, she tells me, “I know you can do better,” just like an aunty. She and Ms. Klein are the ones that made me learn how to swim (if you remember my article from the last issue).
I used to carry all my books around in my backpack. The 40-pound bag made my back hurt until my dad got me a luggage carrier. Even after it broke, I kept using it. Then my teacher Ms. Gloria Dumas gave me a bigger one from FedCo. Wasn’t that sweet?
I remember one rainy day, when I had made the honor roll and the school bought pizza for everyone on the honor roll. We were all rushing over to get it, and my friend knocked me right over. I got totally soaked, but instead of laughing at me, the other students helped me get up.
I’ve come a long way since my first day of school, when I asked my mom if I was going to make it. My parents almost didn’t let me go to Dorsey because there was a shooting on my first day of school, and reporters were there asking questions. I’m so glad they made the decision to let me stay!
I got involved in the Mock Trial program, which helped me get to know how the legal system works. I remember the first time I was a baliff. That’s the person who announces the name of the court and the judge, and swears all the witnesses in. The trial starts with the judge telling us the rules for the court. Then I announced, “All rise. Superior Court of the state of California, County of Los Angeles, Department 216, The honorable judge…” I stopped. I couldn’t pronounce the judge’s name. Then when I swore the witness in, I couldn’t say the one line right, even though it was the same line over and over again. Thank God for second chances. I got everything right the second time around. It taught me how to speak loud and clear. I felt proud to represent Dorsey.
If you ever come to Dorsey, come on a Friday during football season. All the people come out to the courtyard for our pep rallies. People are happy, the music is pumping, we’re excited about the game and just to be at Dorsey. Once the deejay played “Tootsie Roll” five minutes before school was over. When the bell rang, nobody left until the song was over. We were too busy going “to the left, to the left, to the right, to the right…”
Dorsey High and Crenshaw High have been rivals in sports since Crenshaw was built in 1969. Since I go to Dorsey and my sister Serena goes to Crenshaw, she’ll say to me, “I’m glad I don’t go to Dorky. It’s not as fun as the ‘Shaw.” I would say “Why would anyone want to go to Coleslaw?” That’s just rivals talking in good, clean fun.
I know I’m gonna miss walking around the campus and hearing people call out, “Hi, Desiree.” I’m ready to leave, but it’s all gone by so fast. I can’t quite believe I’m going to be graduating at the Greek Theater in June. I think I’m going to cry.”