A taste of diverse talent

At the Downey High School theatre on Feb. 6, Javier Fernandez and Dennise perform during the Cultural Talent Show. Jonathan Lara, former student of Downey High, was the choreographer of this group, as well as the start of this year’s annual talent show.

Irania Quintero, Staff Writer
February 18, 2015

Downey High School’s Latin Dance and Culture Club hosted the Cultural Talent Show in Downey’s theatre, on Feb. 6, in order to promote hidden talent and raise awareness about their club. Club advisor, Mrs. Richelle Mercure-Fitzl, started off the night by recognizing all the hard work her students had put into their pieces and expressing how grateful she was to see a large crowd.

Students and teachers from different musical backgrounds all over Downey High School were able to show talents such as singing, dancing, and playing a musical instrument. In showcasing their talents, participants included their own cultures by performing to musical genres such as jazz, Latin hip-hop, Tahitian, and other mash-ups.

Throughout the show, Mrs. Mercure-Fitzl was filled with joy in seeing how many people were excited to perform in the show, as well as how much they were enjoying the other performances.

“It is a blessing to be able to provide this experience,” Mrs. Mercure-Fitzl said. “There is a variety of talent here, and it is exciting to see it shine through.”

Students who don’t participate in major sports or activities category often go unnoticed. Students were grateful for the fact that the talent show allowed a variety of skills to be exposed, however, some performers were debating taking part in the talent show because of doubts they had.

Duet partners Sandy Alvarado, 11, and Daniel Benitez, 12, were skeptic about performing at first. Alvarado expressed that she took part because it was different.

“It gives kids who don’t play sports a chance to shine musically,” Alvarado said. “That is what makes this talent show special and different.”

As the show went on, performers became more relaxed through the help of the cheering audience members.

Nathan Diaz, 12, stayed through the night to catch all the dancing and singing, and occasionally, he joined along in chorus or dance.

“The whole night was lively and different,” Diaz said. “It was enjoyable to watch and I couldn’t help but get into some of the performances; it was awesome.”
The Latin Dance and Culture Club proudly served the crowd while delivering entertainment to their own satisfaction. The club meets every Monday after school, in room R-6, and new members are always welcome. Anyone who is interested in joining next year’s talent show is welcome to speak to Mrs. Mercure-Fitzl in room R-6.

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About the Contributors

Irania Quintero, Staff Writer

As a first year staff writer, senior Irania Quintero joined The Downey Legend in search of new experiences and opportunities. “I joined Newspaper because it gives me a chance to explore and build upon my passion for writing,” Quintero said. “It is indeed a new environment for me but a challenge worth taking on.” She has a passion for writing and hopes that with being a part of the staff she’ll expand her knowledge on different writing styles, improve her own writing, and get a feel for what she plans to do in the future. “Great writing to me is writing that makes the reader feel like he or she is a part of the experience or event described,” Quintero stated. “My ultimate goal is to deliver the same feeling to readers as many writers have done for me.” As a writer for The Downey Legend, Quintero will be in charge of pitching new story ideas and meeting deadlines. The job of a writer may get stressful and tedious at times but with Quintero’s passion for writing and undeniable reliability, she’ll take this job on without the slightest of difficulty.

Aside from being a writer for The Downey Legend, Quintero enjoys writing poetry, reading books by Nicholas Sparks, watching the Angels during their baseball season, and cooking and/or baking in her spare time. She also says that her favorite music varies from John Legend, Kanye West, The XX, to different alternative bands. Quintero also shared that she’s great with puns and that she has a positive vibe about herself at all times. “There’s almost always a smile on my face no matter what my mood is,” Quintero said. After high school she plans to attend a four-year-university, her top choice being San Francisco State University, and eventually become a journalist. Quintero has the right mind set and motivation to help her accomplish her dreams and succeed in her near future as well as in her current position on The Downey Legend.

Karen Ariciaga, Co-Photo Editor

Senior Karen Ariciaga is starting her second year in Newspaper, and she enjoyed her position very much. She entered Newspaper with a position, as photographer last year, was her first year actually knowing how to work the cameras and take pictures on a professional camera. As a photographer, she has a job of taking pictures of sports events, rallies, and school events. “I really liked taking pictures for events, it was a way for me to see what was going around me,” Agriciaga said. “Being a photographer seems like a fun job, but there is also work that comes with it, there’s a balance.” stated Agriciaga stated. Her goals for newspaper are to enjoy every minute of it.

Photography is one of her many interests, she also enjoys re-watching old TV series such as Gossip Girl in her spare time. “Blair is my favorite,” Ariciaga stated. Other than Gossip Girl, she loves to sleep and eat Sushi, “I can eat sushi it all the time,” said Ariciaga. As a senior, one of her plans for this year is to go to all the dances. Ariciaga wants to be a lawyer when she is older. “I love the feeling of winning an argument,” she said. She plans to attend Loyola Marymount University after high school and wants be signed to a firm after college in hopes of fulfilling her goals. “ I want to get higher scores on my SATs’, pass with straight As, and join more school activities,” Ariciaga said, Her back up plan is to go to San Francisco State and fall back on business, so she is applying for scholarships and other colleges just in case. She is very focused on her career; Karen Ariciaga is very dedicated to get what she wants in life. She is taking steps to get to where she wants and going through it with a great attitude toward her up and coming year.