2014-15 TDHS Realm Vol. 6 Issue 1

Thomas Downey High School

A Knight’s Quest To Resurrect Blue Crew

Thomas Downey W

elcome to the first issue of the 2014-2015 Realm!

I would like to extend a thank you from myself and the entire Realm class for reading our magazine.

Unlike last year, we have a large percentage of returning Realm students, meaning we as a class were able to get our feet on the ground and start running within the first two weeks of the class. Four of our six editors for Realm this year are returning members of last year’s Realm class, which is immensely helpful. They know how to run the class and helped me learn the ropes. I was very anxious, as you can imagine, coming from being a lowly yearbook designer to suddenly being the Editor in Chief of our school’s magazine. Despite my initial fears, I was greeted with extremely intelligent and competent peers who helped me through my primary struggles. I am ecstatic to see the phenomenal work my fellow classmates and editors are able to put out and give to you! I hope you continue to pick our quarterly issues of the Realm and appreciate all the hard work, sweat and stress (most of which happens to be mine) that went into making these magazines. On behalf of the entire Realm class, I hope every one of you have a memorable and fantastic year.

Designed by Brian Escarcega

3 Calendar 5-6 Sports

7-8 Animation 9-12

Blue Crew

13-14 School Foods 15 Ebola

17 ROP 18 FFA

19 Jobs 21 Choir

22 Gallo Arts

Calendar of Upcoming Events December 22 - January 11:

Designed by Jim Sok

December WINTER BREAK October 10: 17-19: End of 1st Quarter/ Finals/ 2nd Quarter Minimum Day! End!

October 15: December 3:

Dress up Days for Homecoming Week!

Minimum Day!

Monday: Magic Monday (Dress Disney)

November 27-28:

Tuesday: Superhero vs. Villain Day!

Thanksgiving Holiday!

Wednesday: Way-Back Wednesday (Mini Me) Thursday: Float Theme Day! Friday: Downey Day (Spirit Day)

November 26: Minimum Day!

November 5:

Minimum Day November 11:

Veteran’s Day!

October 31: HOMECOMING GAME!

Downey vs. Davis 03

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PSAT

October 22: Minimum Day/ Powder Puff game @ Downey!

October 24:

Little Shop of Horrors opening night!

7:30 PM October 27-31: Homecoming week/ Dress up days!

If you are interested in:

Graphic Design Magazine Publication Multimedia Photography Video Yearbook Come see us in room 211 for more details

Thomas Downey High School

The Game Of

Photo by Matt Fenn

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n a typical Friday night, many students can be found spending time with friends while cheering for their football team. Friday, October 3rd was a particularly special event in the realm of high school football. The parking lot overflowing with cars, the line to get in extending the length of the fence that kept them from entering, the flow of thunderous cheers were all due to the 60 year old rivalry between the two oldest high schools in Modesto.

Modesto High School opened in 1883.

At 131 years old, it is by far the oldest high school in the county. For more than 70 years the Panthers lacked competition within the city. That changed on Friday, September 29, 1954, when Modesto High School and the recently opened Thomas Downey High School met for their first football game.

Unfortunately Modesto High cruised to a 34-0

victory that night igniting the oldest football rivalry in Modesto. Friday, October 3, 2014 marked the 60th anniversary of the event.

The 2014 game would be a different outcome as Downey was the victor at 35-32.

A key play in the game was the halftime Hail Mary pass caught by Magana.

“I was so hyped after Magana caught that pass,” said senior quarterback Paul Wilson.

“I was jumping up and down and I couldn’t believe it.”

The overall great game and aweinspiring team effort was rewarded with a Downey win. Modesto's attempt to overtake the lead in the last three seconds of the game failed to work. “When they dropped the pass I can almost swear my heart skipped a beat,” said senior Nick Nickelson. “Emotionally it was thrilling and all I could think was ‘We did it!' I’ve never been so proud to be a part of a team.”

by Josh Morton

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The Season

Downey currently is tied with Mohi, with a 6-1 record. Be

sure to support the football team at the upcoming games.

October 17 - Downey @Enochs October 31- Davis @Downey November 7 - Gregori @Downey Design by Tyran Daniels

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Graphic Design and Animation

by Josh Morton

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Did You Know?

•Did you know the first full length 3D animated film was “Toy Story”?

•Did you know in traditional animation it takes 24 drawings to make one second of film?

E

verybody likes something new and fun, especially if it’s sitting right in their own backyard. TDHS has recently obtained a new elective, called 3D animation, taught by Heath Grant.

3D animation, sometimes referred to as CGI (Computer Graphics Imagery), is a modern type of animation that uses computer generated images to created animated scenes. The benefit of this up-to-date animation versus traditional 2D animation is that 3D animation provides depth and a much more realistic looking appearance. This interesting new animation class is available for all students at Downey.

“A lot of people showed interest in an animation class when they knew I could potentially teach one,” said Grant. “Principle Baum loved the idea of bringing animation to the visual communications program.” He has found a way to merge entertainment with learning to meet the wants of students.

“Mr. Grant makes learning fun and creative,” sophomore Christopher Baker said. Not only is 3D animation a great new class, but it can be a useful resource. As technology advances and more is being done through computers, there are more jobs being produced and college classes developing that relate to 3D animation.

“I saw 3D animation as a skill I could use in job hunting in the future,” senior Casey Long said. Students not only like the fact that it’s a fun class, but are also eager to be good animators. “I want to learn techniques and shortcuts to become a good at animating,” junior Matt Decker said.

Although 3D animation is actually very difficult, Grant finds a way to teach students at a level that is reasonable and understandable by students. “It is easier and more fun than I expected,” junior Clarissa Church said.

Students taking 3D animation seem to enjoy what the class has to offer. “What I like most about this class is that we get to have fun with media, and the teacher is awesome,” senior Melody Vilayphone said.

“My objective is to introduce students to the world of 3D applications and help people realize that it’s possible to make a living working in film, video games and TV as animators and 3D artists,” Grant said. “I’m also striving to give students a competitive edge entering college into 3D degree programs.”

Design by Jim Sok

Photos by Hollie Aguirre & Anisha Parker

Can seniors Josh Silva and Connor Hannon breathe new life back into Blue Crew?

“The best part about Blue Crew is being there to support the team. It makes me proud to be a Knight because we have so much spirit”

Josh Silva

“The best part about Blue Crew is a close game that everybody is hyped about the game and everyone goes crazy when we win.”

Alexandria Smirfitt

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Design by Preston Lyon

Revival of the Blue Crew

by Kevin Schuurman

“ Blue Crew is the best when we have a lot of people, we are cheering enthusiastically, and everybody is in sync.”

Alec McGuffy

Photos by Amelia Lund

After last year’s drop in Blue Crew numbers and spirit, many people are wondering if the new leaders will be able to bring it back to its height. This year marks the first year since 1997 that Blue Crew isn’t a club because they did not have enough people join. Seniors Josh Silva and Conner Hannon are hoping that they can be the difference in making the Crew thrive again.

Silva sold 47 t-shirts to raise money for various spirit items such as duck necklaces, bullhorns and face paint. The number of students is up to 70+ students per game. This is a significant jump from the 20 member average from last year. With more participants, the leaders hope to expand to other sports, but there

are issues.

“It is hard to go to sports other than football because Blue Crew consist of the students in those sports,” said senior Josh Silva. “With the sports being at the same time as practices, those students can’t go to other games.”

This year is the first year that it could be possible for Blue Crew to go to a game other than football or basketball. With soccer having night games, the leaders are trying to get Blue Crew to a home game. “It could be helpful for Blue Crew to be at a game,” said Junior Alec McGuffey, a mid-fielder on the Varsity team. “Their support could be the inspiration we need to make it to playoffs.”

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School Foods

How do you feel about the new school food changes?

Photos by Cerulean Short

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Design by Preston Lyon

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atmeal in the cookies and wheat tortillas are just a few of the changes made to the school food this year. Prices are up, ingredients are different and students are asking why.

Much of the food such as the cookies, sandwiches and popular chicken wraps sold at the snack bar, have gone up in price. Breakfast in the cafeteria has also become more expensive. This, however, was out of Downey’s control.

“School foods are priced at the district office at a central kitchen,” said Principal Richard Baum.

The ingredients and portion sizes have changed as well, with oatmeal in the chocolate chip cookies, and chicken tenders instead of chicken nuggets, for example. Some students aren’t very happy about this. “I really liked the food in the snack bar last year,” said Sophomore Taylor Chavez. “It had more variety, and the items were better.” This change

happened due to Michelle Obama’s Healthy School Lunches program. “[The] program’s restrictions on what we can sell have become tighter,” said Baum.

Another question on students’ minds is about the vending machines. Most of the machines around school stand empty, and haven’t been restocked. Tony’s, the lunchtime snack store, hasn’t been opened either. “We’re working that out with the district,” said Baum. “They say we can’t be in competition with the school foods.

We are trying to show them that we aren’t competition, and that we can be partners.”

While some students are uneasy about the changes implemented this year, all they can really do is wait and see what next year brings, or acquire a taste for the new items.

by Courtney Lehikainen

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Design by Preston Lyon

Ebola Spreads

by Doug Ward

A new type of disease has taken the news headlines by storm in the last few months. It’s known as Ebola and has many Americans across the country worried. Formally know as the Ebola virus disease, it causes fever usually followed by extensive bleeding externally, as well as internally. It can only be transferred through blood or bodily fluids.

Ebola was discovered in 1976, but has reappeared in small epidemics throughout time almost exclusively in African nations.

In December 2013, the deadly disease reappeared in Guinea and has since spread to neighboring African nations to form the most severe outbreak in the history of the disease. It has claimed an estimated 3,500 lives with no approved treatment and a long way to go until containment can be achieved. Many more lives are at stake.

Ebola truly began it’s domination of American news outlet headlines when a man from Texas landed on US soil aboard a return flight from the nation of Liberia, which is one of the most affected areas by this disease.

His flight landed on September

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20th and by September 29th, after multiple hospital visits, the man, whose name is Thomas Duncan, is quarantined with a likely case of Ebola. It had been speculated for months if the mysterious disease would ever reach American soil and if it did, what the effects would be. With the first known case to be discovered on US soil confirmed, the media went into a paranoid medical second-guessing frenzy.

Medical professionals repeatedly stated that the disease had not become contagious until long after Thomas Duncan had landed in the United States and that it was very unlikely that the disease had spread. This did not stop citizens and media from wondering out loud if we are truly safe.

The attitude among Downey students has been much more relaxed. Most students are rather uninformed to the severity of the disease. The students that are informed seem rather unconcerned about it affecting them. Many students have used the Ebola outbreak as a platform to make jokes on the internet at the expense of the deadly disease.

You could Advertise in the Realm 1/8 Page Ad - $ 10 1/4 Page Ad - $ 20 1/2 Page Ad - $ 35 Full Page Ad - $ 50 see us in Room 211 or email guevara.r@monet.k12.ca.us for more details

R.O.P Regional Occupational Program

by Robyn Graham & Samantha Williamson

From Floral Design to Structural Agricultural Welding, the R.O.P program offers essential courses that provide students with the expertise and knowledge to be prepared and successful

R

.O.P., or the Regional Occupational Program, is essential to the success of Downey students, no matter their areas of interest.

While most of the student population, a crushing 90%, knew that the R.O.P. program existed, the exact purposes of the program are not something well known.

The main purpose of the R.O.P program is to give students the basic training and tools necessary for their future careers. Unlike most classes offered at Downey, many R.O.P classes are two periods long and often are offered at locations off campus. These classes include Fashion Merchandising & Design at Gregori or Criminal Justice at Davis. Fortunately, many programs are offered on campus such as Graphic Communications , Medical Office Occupations, and Video Arts and Media which allows students to still enjoy the benefits of the program without leaving campus.

Vickie Genova (senior): I’m in R.O.P. cosmetology . It’s a really good opportunity to get in the field that I want to be in.

Many of the R.O.P programs teach students the skills required for their area of expertise through a yearlong project. One example of this is the construction class. The R.O.P construction program builds a house including wiring the electricity, tiling the roof, and installing the plumbing. The previously mentioned Fashion Merchandising & Design class display their skills in a fashion show as the final touch to their studies.

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A distinguished benefit of the R.O.P program is the 2+2 articulation program. The 2+2 articulation program allows students to receive college credit to use at Modesto Junior College or San Joaquin Delta College. These credits could be used towards a degree such as an Associate of Arts, or the credits could be spent on introductory courses. This applies to select R.O.P courses, including Introduction to Fire Protection, Sheet Metal Fabrication, and Early Childhood Education.

Ulises Iniguez (senior): IIt’s fun and you work and get to buid dog houses. You get away from school, chill and do something different.

What do you know about R.O.P. ?

Madrid Yoselin (senior):

A Jonah Zunia (junior): A

I know it’s a pain because of the bus rides.

The only thing I know about R.O.P. is that you leave and are gone for an hour. I think it would be fun to take a class.

Anonymous (junior):

A

Doesn’t it have something to do with the military?

Anonymous (senior):

A

I know I have a R.O.P. class but I know nothing about it. It’s the same as all my other classes

Photos by Susie Madrigal & Hollie Aguirre

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Alfredo Rodriguez (Junior): It helps you learn for your future.

Design by Mireya Guiterrez

Facts

FFA

by Madeline Provins

• In 1969, Downey’s FFA earned one of the 60 Gold Emblem awards presented nationwide for chapter excellence.

• Students raise animals for the Stanislaus County Fair, hoping to gain a profit.

• California is one of the top 5 membership states for FFA.

Design by Mireya Guiterrez

FFA (Future Farmers of America) has many opportunities for future agriculturalists. The organization isn’t only for raising and selling animals like everyone thinks; it’s for anyone that is interested in agriculture. FFA also includes Floral Art design and speaking contests.

Floral Art design, taught by Susan Beatty, is an elective where the students study different types of flowers, how they are grown, the different color schemes, anatomy and how to make bouquets. Floral Art Design also makes and sells the corsages and boutonnières for prom and winter formal every year. “Floral art design seems very interesting because of learning about all the different flowers,” said sophomore Laurel Jackson. “I really would want to take the class next year.”

The speaking contests available for FFA are the opening and closing ceremonies, which include lines spoken from the president, vice president, secretary, reporter, sentinel, and treasurer. Another contest is the FFA creed which was written by E.M Tiffany and adopted from the FFA. The creed-speaking contest is only open to freshmen.

Photos by Celene Talavera

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Puttin’ In Work!

Starbucks, Pets Mart, Target, McDonald’s, Cold Stone and Taco Bell are some of the employers that allow teenagers to work for them. Often having a job in high school can be very time consuming, but many students enjoy their jobs.

The main reasons that high school students have jobs are to buy cars, fuel, insurance, new phones, to go shopping, and to have some spare cash. Jobs are important for teens to have because they help them learn money management, responsibility, and gives them independence for the real world.

For some students, their focus isn’t on the time it takes, the items that they want to buy, or the lessons they can learn; the only thing that matters is the money they can make by having a job. The extra cash isn’t for them personally, to go to the mall, or splurge on a new phone; this money goes towards their families to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.

During the summer, 55 percent of juniors had a job and 80 percent of seniors had a job. The reasons given for these busy summers were usually either to enhance their college applications or to help pay for their higher schooling. During the school year, 20 percent of students left their jobs. These students aren’t able to keep their jobs in the school year because of AP classes, sports, clubs and legal restrictions on the amount of hours students are able to work while in school.

As students get older, the pressure is on for them to jumpstart the rest of their lives. Seniors and juniors, much closer to leaving for college, are feeling the need to save for the future.

by Kevin Shuurman

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Seniors 60%

Sophomores 5%

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SHIELD YEARBOOK Prices: Full Page

$360 Half Page

$180 Quarter Page

$90

Senior Ads You can also purchase Buddy ads and Elementary School ads!

Purchase by November 3rd

Prices WILL go up on 11/4 for final 2 weeks

Choir Behind the byScenes Desiree Baroni

“Even though I was a little reluctant at first, I fell in love with it pretty fast,” said sophomore Taylor Chavez describing the choir experience. “You become a part of something greater and you find that perfect place where you know where you belong.”

Though many are probably aware of the fact that Downey does have a choir, it might be a surprise to some that Downey is home to four different choirs: Knights (men’s choir), Gloriana (women’s choir), Knightengales (advanced women’s choir), and Madrigals (advanced mixed choir).

Choir puts on four major concerts a year. Senior Narelle Norris describes the concerts as “giant parties with your friends.” But the party doesn’t end once the curtain goes down. Norris continues, “My favorite tradition is going to In and Out after every concert.”

Likely to the dismay of frantic In and Out employees, a large group of Downey students hang out at the popular restaurant after every choir concert. This Downey tradition isn’t overly publicized to people who aren’t in choir, but it’s not what could be considered as overly secretive.

There are some choir traditions, however, that require the members to be sworn to secrecy. The most prominent of these traditions is known as Shanghai.

“I love Shanghai because all the second to fourth year choir members wake up at 3 a.m. and scare all the first year choir members!” Norris said. “We all come back to Downey and have breakfast in our pajamas.

The stories are hilarious and then all the first year members feel part of the choir family,” describes Norris.

Shanghai takes a lot of time to organize, as parents have to be called in order for older members to get permission to wake and kidnap their child. This event recently took place on October 4th. Choir isn’t all about having a great time with friends, though. Downey concerts take weeks or even months to organize without taking other choir events into account.

Senior Audrey MacEgan describes what it is really like behind the choir room doors. “Choir is so much more than just memorize your line and sing it then leave,” explains MacEgan. “Choir also isn’t like Glee.

We don’t just magically know all of our parts. We work hard, we get it done, but we also have fun learning with each other.”

One thing that is prevalent among the Downey choir students is diversity. They openly promote the fact that the members are involved in much more around campus other than just choir.

“We literally are made up of everything we could possibly be made up of like athletes, intellectuals, performers, artists, well-known people, not so well-known people,” says senior Kevin Singleton. “We all simply only fit under the category that we love to sing.”

Thoughts from Behind Stage “There’s lots of rehearsals, lots of pressure, and lots of excitement. But it’s all totally worth it,” said Taylor Chavez “What keeps me in it is the fact that it’s another chance to go on stage and perform for people; I just love performing period., said Kevin Singleton “My favorite tradition is going to In N Out after every concert,” Narelle Norris explains

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Photos by Julian Martinez

Designed by Courtney Webb

Yes Company Takes the Stage

by Courtney Lehikainen

Gallo Arts

changes them for the better,” Willey said.

The most recent performance by YES Company starred Sam Gerber, as Peter Pan. “It was great to play a role where I could be myself and act like a kid,” Gerber said.

“But still have fun and still have the technical elements of a musical.” Sam spent last summer soaring around stage as the boy who would never grow up, quite literally. “Flying was an amazing experience. I got to fly over the audience, which was fun,” Gerber said. “I got to see the reactions of the people, which was one of my favorite parts of the role.”

YES Company has changed the lives of many students who had previously never tried theater. Some YES alumni are now on vocal scholarships, and even if you don’t want to go into theater, YES is focused on helping students build the strength of character to overcome their situations and become great.

“YES Company is an organization where people of all ages come together and make something so magical and beautiful,” sophomore Bella Marseline said. “It is so good.”

Walking downtown in Modesto, you’ll see restaurants, small businesses, and a multitude of county buildings, but towering over them all is the Gallo Center for the Arts. The Gallo Center opened in 2007, and has been a hub of culture and diversity ever since. Many Downey students have had the honor of performing on its stage. Among these few are sophomores Sam Gerber, Chloe Willey, Bella Marseline and Haley French who were in a performance of Peter Pan just last summer through a program called YES Company.

“Performing at Gallo was a wonderful experience,” sophomore Haley French said, and performing at Gallo gave them insight into the workings of a professional theatre.

“It is amazing to see all the work all the people at Gallo put into every show they do,” Willey said.

YES Company is a theater program that is devoted to giving youth an alternative to activities that would bring them down in life rather than lift them up.

Started in 1992 by the Stanislaus County Office of Education, YES Company has been helping ‘high risk’ students learn about the arts for twenty-three years. “YES Company builds up amazing qualities in every person that participates, and it

What’s Coming Up For Gallo?

10/19/2014 2:00 PM

HARRY THE DIRTY DOG

10/21/2014 7:00 PM

TASTE OF HOME COOKING SCHOOL Mary Stuart Rogers Theater

10/22/2014 6:30 PM

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR

Mary Stuart Rogers Theater

11/20/2014 7:00 PM

SHREK THE MUSICAL

Foster Family Theater

11/22/2014 8:00 PM

CLASSIC LIVE: THE BEATLES

Mary Stuart Rogers Theater

11/30/2014 7:00 PM

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND

Mary Stuart Rogers Theater

12/07/2014 2:00 PM

THE ELVES & THE SHOEMAKER

Foster Family Theater

12/19/2014 7:30 PM

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

Foster Family Theater

Design by Courtney Webb Photos by Julian Martinez & Holie Aguirre

Foster Family Theater

Sophomore Sam Gerber

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