Lanyards: Student Opinions

While working The Make a Wish booth at club rush on Sept 13, Andrew Nevarez,10, took time to give his thoughts on the new lanyard policy and other safety precautions introduced for the 2018-2019 school year. “Maybe we can add more security by stepping it up,” Nevarez said. “We can have maybe 2 guards per entrance if the school really values a safe environment.”

Diego Martinez, Copy Editor
September 28, 2018

Entering the 2018-2019 school year, Downey High established a new lanyard system in hopes to achieve a safer campus for the student body. Recently, the United States has had an influx of homicides in public spaces and the school intends to prevent unknown individuals from entering the campus to avoid tragedy.

The school will begin to enforce the student display of the lanyards and I.D. in order to verify the legitimacy of the individual entering the school campus. While this new security measure provides wellness to the students attending Downey High, it has caused them to speak out, presenting opinions and solutions for campus safety.

The student body believe in a secure and safe learning environment in order to feel comfortable. They want to protect the well-being of their fellow classmates. Daniel Garcia, 9, has positive feelings on the new safety measure.

“I feel a bit safer with the lanyards than I was without them,” Garcia stated. “I can see it helping the school in a more effective way.”

While the decree is just beginning to mature, students like Ivan Cuevas, 10, are starting to question its effectiveness. According to Cuevas he finds the lanyards to be in an awkward state between usefulness and pointlessness.

“I don’t find find the lanyards to be too effective in securing the campus, a student with their lanyard can still still do harm,” Cuevas said. “Though, on the contrary it would still help identifying people who aren’t students.”

The lanyards could be the start to new solutions to fend off against external dangers and students like Andrew Nevarez, 10, have made suggestions to help with future security decrees.

“Maybe help with security by stepping it up,” Nevarez said. “We can have maybe 2 guards per entrance if the school really values a safe environment and the people here.”

Dismayed or content with the lanyards, the students are parted individually on the matter. The proposed solution imposed by Nevarez presents that students at Downey High are concerned with stronger counters against external threats. The students see the lanyards as more of a symbolic gesture of the school wanting to do something, as the measures effectiveness against larger threats is questioned.

The students are embracing and disliking the lanyard decree but this may start an era of more regulations and student advocating here at Downey High.

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About the Contributors

Diego Martinez, Copy Editor

Planning to attend a Cal. State to major in English and Philosophy, copy editor, Diego Martinez 11, is very active when it comes to school. He is going on to his second year in newspaper, tutors at the writing center, and has taken multiple AP classes. He is a very talkative and a family oriented person. He often visits his family in Mexico and gets in trouble for talking too much in class. Listening to a variety of music including neoclassical, musical structures, heavy metal, and progressives, Martinez enjoys playing the guitar and sometimes composes his own music as well.

When asked how he got into music he responded, “It was the absolute thrill of exploring possible dynamic range in different genres of music,” Martinez stated. This just goes to show how Martinez isn’t afraid of getting out of his comfort zone and trying new things. When asked why he chose to be a writer for newspaper he stated, “I enjoy writing, it is a pastime and helps me get my mind off of things,” Martinez stated.

Gilberto Jijon, Business Manager

Being in The Downey Legend for the first year, Gilberto Jijon, 12, will be joining the Business Team this 2018-19 school year and aspires to succeed in not just this class, but with his future. “I hope being here will eventually help me get into college to pursue a career in Marketing,” Jijon said. “Marketing means business, so hopefully being a part of the Business Team will lead me in that direction.”

Fierce. That’s it. That’s the word to describe Gilberto.

Gilberto has the brightest personality that can light up a room. When I walked into the newspaper room in the beginning of the year, I knew no one, but I had the opportunity to sit next to one of the nicest people I have ever met. He basically took me under his wing and helped me break out of my shell. Gilberto’s the type of person to be straight up with you and keep it real. This type of personality that inspires people, including myself. I have experienced so many things with him throughout the year, a highlight being my first time going to Chipotle. Another aspect that makes Gilberto who he is are his iconic nails. I’d like to think that they represent him as a person. A strong individual who is not afraid to stand up for what is right. But nonetheless, no matter what happens, I am proud of him. I have seen him grow so much throughout the year, not only as a photographer, but as a kindhearted individual. Wherever he ends up going, I know that he will bring so much joy and compassion to his peers, just like he did with me.

-Francesca Ortiz