Students, teams and organizations all around DGN are succeeding every day. Sports teams win invitationals and tournaments every weekend, and our fine arts department is among the best in the state. We are constantly exceeding in athletics, arts, and academics. However, you wouldn’t know that based on walking through the halls.

Currently, the only trophies that DGN displays long-term are for placing in state competitions, which happens rarely. We display current team’s accomplishments in the trophy case near the main lobby, but they only stay there temporarily. 

While displaying every trophy that we win permanently might not be feasible, we should place plaques, pictures and trophies to celebrate victories in other competitions in the temporary trophy case to exhibit our success. The only current temporary awards on display are still from the spring season of last school year.

Being honored and remembered physically in the hallways is something that can incentivize success. Championship plaques for being conference champions in the WSC feature a photo of the team that wins the championship. Being in one of those photos can be an added motivation for athletes to achieve more, especially if the photo is going to be there long term.

While similar trophies had been displayed in the first-floor hallway above the lockers where the new commons are currently located, they have since been removed. However, placing some of our conference plaques there long term can be an effective way to honor and promote the success of our school.

We should celebrate the success of our school and display it for everyone to see. Most trophies or plaques that we earn wind up in a closet, office or classroom that can only be found in that group’s part of the school. You shouldn’t have to be in the band to know about the success of the band.

Success is contagious, and more display of our accomplishments as students can help develop a culture that promotes exceeding in athletics, academics and arts for future students.