Always A Mom

Heidi Castillo

1. At 8:30a.m. on Sat. Feb., 15, at Griffiths Middle School, spectators watch as the horn goes off and participants of the Help 2 Heal a Heart begin the two mile run. The event was held in memory of a child lost to cancer in 2010 at age 13; his mother, Kim Jones, started the Always a Mom Foundation to help raise funds for programs and services to help mothers and families trying to overcome the passing of a child in the family.

Esther Rodriguez, Parents & Teachers Section Editor
February 25, 2014

On Sat., Feb. 15, the Downey community gathered together at Griffiths Middle School to participate in the Help 2 Heal A Heart 2-Mile Run/Walk supporting the Always A Mom Foundation.

The walk started with everyone gathering at the starting line, listening to Downey Mayor Fernando Vasquez deliver a speech.

“It means a lot that you guys are taking the initiative and time to support a worthy cause,” Vasquez said. “The fact that we are all here today says a lot about our community and says a lot about you.”

Mayor Vasquez spoke of the different schools, including Downey High School and Warren High School, and surrounding cities, such as Bell Gardens, gathering for this event and thanked them for their support.

Senior Jasmin Gonzales participated in this walk because she felt it is for a worthy cause.

“I walked because I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to lose a child,” Gonzales said. “I’ve seen the way cancer affects families, and if me walking 2 miles can offer them some support, I’m going to walk.”

Once they finished the race, participants were handed a medal and had their picture taken.

This foundation was started when a mother, Kim Jones, lost her son Jamari, a student at Griffiths Middle School, to cancer. She started this organization to offer support and help to mothers whose children have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses because she knows the difficulty of the situation.

On Sept. 2010, Jamari was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of an adult type of cancer that only 6% of children are born with. The doctors predicted he would only live until the end of the year. On Dec. 25, 2010, Jamari passed at the age of thirteen years old.

“I want to continue to show love the way he [Jamari] did to everyone he came in contact with and include a smile and moments of peace for a mom that never thought she would be a bereaved mom,” Jones said.

The Always A Mom foundation received the help it needed to help bereaved mothers because of the hundred runners who participated in the Help 2 Heal A Heart 2-Mile Run/Walk.

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About the Contributors

Esther Rodriguez, Parents & Teachers Section Editor

Entering her second year as a writer for The Downey Legend, senior Esther Rodriguez has high hopes. As a sophomore, she heard about joining Newspaper during the morning announcements and her English teacher, Mr. Kraus, encouraged her to fill out an application and display her knack for writing. This inspired her to apply and see if she could make it, which she did. Rodriguez joined in hopes of improving her writing skills, becoming less shy, and learning to write in more detail. To her, the best part about being on the newspaper staff is finding out about interesting, random things going on around the school. “There are things you would not know just coming to school, but being in Newspaper you learn things that aren’t common knowledge,” Rodriguez said. “We are the eyes and ears of the school.”

In her down time, Rodriguez enjoys reading young adult literature, writing fictional stories, and spending quality time with her cell phone on websites like YouTube, Tumblr, and Twitter. Besides being in Newspaper at school, she is also a new tutor at Downey High’s Writing Center. Writing as much as possible is important to her because she dreams of one day being an author. Along with chasing her aspirations of writing for a living, after she finishes high school, Rodriguez also looks forward to attending a university such as UCLA, San Diego State, or UC San Diego and obtaining a degree in English. Next summer, she will also be going on a missionary trip with church to Japan. Although her head is full of thoughts about the surreal future, for now Rodriguez is focusing on her schoolwork and activities and soaking up her last year as a high schooler.

Heidi Castillo, Photographer

Heidi Castillo, photographer for The Downey Legend joined the staff to get involved during her last year of high school as well as express her love for photography. Castillo did not hesitate to join the staff, feeling she would enjoy the experience despite the sometimes hectic environment. Being a member of the online newspaper will not only help Castillo expand her photographer skills, it will also provide an opportunity to bond with her fellow peers. “I think it is a great way to meet new people and build relationships,” Castillo said. While being familiar with several photography techniques, designing on InDesign, and editing pictures on Photoshop, this photographer plans to apply her skills in her photographs and continue her interest.

While managing the senior lifestyle, Castillo enjoys the privileges she receives as being the oldest of three. The photographer enjoys all music genres, however, Pink Martini and Coldplay are her top music choices. Not only does the senior find an interest in listening to music, she has shown her appreciation for the art by singing with a worship team for the past two years. She enjoys watching blood-gore horror films and older black and white films in her spare time. Castillo plans to make the best of her senior year and attend a junior college after graduating.