Rocking out for Relay for Life
In attempts to help bring in more donations for Relay for Life, math teacher Eric Bradfield and his band, DTC, perform during both lunches on Thur March 21, in the gym. The band performed a series of grunge songs including works originally by Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
March 29, 2013
On Thursday, March 21, math teacher Mr. Bradfield and his band, DTC, performed during both lunches to raise money for Relay for Life.
Formed last August, Bradfield’s band is a group that performs classic grunge songs, such as “Plush,” “Alive,” and “Smells like Teen Spirit,” for the over 500 Vikings that witnessed the performance in the gymnasium. With the band members dressed in typical grunge-like attire, such as long wigs, flannel shirts, and baggy pants, the stage was set.
Senior Candice Potvin was not expecting to see Bradfield, who plays drums, as a different character.
“It was a shock to see him in a wig,” Potvin said. “He looks like a totally different person with long hair.”
Junior Precious Sarei, a student of Bradfield’s Algebra 2 class, enjoyed seeing her own teacher engage in a good cause.
“I really liked the band,” Sarei said. “They were quite a funny looking band. Funny in a good way. They had lots of energy. I was pretty astonished that they [rest of the band members] left work to raise money for cancer research.”
For Bradfield, performing to raise money for cancer research connected with his personal life.
“My mom just finished her last chemo treatment,” Bradfield said, “and she’s cancer free. She took chemo for a year.”
One of the songs the band performed, “Heart Shaped Box” by Nirvana, contained the lyric “I wished I could eat your cancer away,” that DTC was delicate about using because of its reference to the disease that Relay for Life is trying to fight against.
“It was one of those hard-hitting lyrics,” Bradfield said.
Although the performance for some students and faculty members may have brought back memories of a friend or family member with cancer, it was an act that allowed many to partake in the fight against this disease.

The senior, who is often described as an old soul, admires classical music and is moved by each powerful note in pieces composed by Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Khatchaturian. A violinist of 7 years, her appreciation for works of art extends to cinema, and claims to be an avid movie watcher. “I really love to watch movies with a good script, amazing characters, and wonderful cinematography,” Hailu said. With a sixth sense for different forms of human creativity, she hopes to become a student in a liberal arts college and experience the intimacy of a less populated university. The future awaits Hailu, a force to be reckoned with in the arts field, and she predicts she will be living on her own because of her “innate independence.” Living day by day and constantly telling herself, “whatever happens, happens,” she tunnels her focus on The Downey Legend and its future success. A true leader with a mind coiled with layers of depth, Hailu reveals bits and pieces of her vision through her various works or art, photographs and stories.

Her main interest is swimming, but she also enjoys reading books and writing whatever comes to her mind. Flores’s hobbies are working out and running because she feels free when doing so. One of her dreams is to become an Olympic swimmer. “I want to make my life worth it and would like to impact on other’s lives too, because the world has a lot to offer to us,” she said. “We shouldn’t conform because we each have some sort of role to play, and we should push ourselves over our own comfort zones and be daring.” Although Flores may have a lot to show to her peers regarding her capabilities, she may also inspire those who do not know her through the dedication expressed by her own skills.
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