A book’s worth of memories

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

June 12, 2013

On Wednesday, June 5, a group of friends look through the 2013-2014 yearbook, You Can Do That, in the gym during the Release Party hosted by this years yearbook staff. The party had a large turnout; with over 300 tickets sold to students.

Following the eight grueling months of deadlines, the Yearbook staff decided to host its second annual Yearbook Signing Party on Wednesday, June 5, where students received their books almost a week early along with pizza and a free photo booth.

An improvement in numbers from last year’s event due to its increasing popularity – and perhaps the early release from students’ fifth period class – led to a full gymnasium with lines for food, yearbooks, and free photos. Editor-in-Chief Kaithlen Chiquete commented on the pride she had for her staff who documented the year’s events for their fellow classmates.

“I feel like we’ve accomplished a lot this year,” Chiquete said. “ We’ve definitely improved, and I think we have a good chance of getting an award.”

Since the staff attended a camp over the summer to plan the deadlines and come up with the yearbook’s theme, students expectations of the final product were met; Karel Rubio, 12, took advantage of the signing party to not only get out of class early, but to see what she had invested in.

“It’s our first time coming to [the yearbook signing party], Rubio said, “and the yearbooks look nice. It would’ve been cool to see prom pictures though, but I know it happens kind of later on in the year.”

Unlike Rubio and other attendees, students like Bianca Nevarez, 11, did not purchase a yearbook and instead used the event to spend time with her friends who did while getting food and photos.

“It’s fun; I have all my friends here,” Nevarez said. “I’m just signing yearbooks because I’m waiting until I’m a senior to get my own.”
The outcome of the party proved to be a successful one; students enjoyed the opportunity out of the classroom to sign each other’s yearbooks and praised its design as one to remember.

About the Contributors

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

For senior Marilyn Ramirez, newspaper is not only a class. No, for this young journalist, The Downey Legend is her inner voice, her happy, her passion, her future. Ramirez sets out to improve her writing ability with every new story, setting new goals for herself with the start of every deadline. She is currently the Copy Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief on staff. She joined the online publication in order to gain experience in journalism; after studying at either UC Berkley or San Francisco State University, she is certain she will write for Time Magazine and develop a career in photojournalism. Ramirez plans on hiking through war-zones, or the jungles of Borneo in order to capture the beauty she wishes to documents. This journalist has no space in her agenda for anything less than extraordinary. When she is not writing stories or improving her photo and web layout skills, Ramirez enjoys spending time with her better half, Kyle Hudspeth. Like many others, she adores Disneyland and shopping . She might be found at her favorite drinks chain, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, reading a book or making awkward conversation with strangers. She has an unbelievable amount of positive energy, which she utilizes in a myriad of activities from school work, to staff bonding, however, it is not so obnoxious, because it is balanced out with the right amount of sarcasm. Ramirez is a fast-paced, modern girl of sorts with a dedicated disposition; she is undoubtedly heading toward great heights.

Cindy Macias, Photographer/Co-Photo Editor

For senior Cindy Macias, The Downey Legend is not just a newspaper; it is a place to show her photographs to the world. This photographer likes to take candid shots because she is able to capture the beauty of the moment and frame it in time. Macias is not only in newspaper, she is also juggling Yearbook along with her regular classes. She hopes to become proactive, less of a procrastinator, get straight As, be more organized, and improve her academic vocabulary throughout the year. She plans to study liberal arts at either UC Irvine or UCLA, but does not plan on dorming on campus because of the filth. Over the summer, Macias gained work experience while interning for Prestige Portraits, a company that specifically takes professional high school senior portraits. Her work involved secretary-like duties, such as calling for reminders and filing papers. When she is not taking photos, she is at the mall shopping for the latest styles at Pac Sun, one of her favorite stores. Macias walks around her neighborhood to ponder over her life. Her friends admire her sense of forwardness, personality, listening skills, and great advice. Macias makes her friends a priority. “The more you don’t see the person, the connection really isn’t there”, she stated. She started photography in the seventh grade, at Davis Middle School, and she has been taking pictures ever since, because photography challenges her to become better. Her personality, work ethic, and perseverance are all aspects that allow Macias to be an extraordinary photographer.