Get active and spread awareness

Vernice Ortiz

Promoting a walk for epilepsy, on Nov.11, Sophia Loulakis, 12, wears her shirt to encourage awareness of the neurological disorder she’s been battling for five years and now. “I want to make sure everyone is aware, and that it’s not a joke,” Loulakis said. “Cancer may kill but so does epilepsy.”

Mireya Navarro, Staff Writer
January 14, 2015

Sophia Loulakis, 12, decided to promote epilepsy awareness at Downey High when she realized that many people do not know about it. She, along with her family and friends, collected money from friends, family members, and co-workers, to donate to the Epilepsy Foundation. The purpose of this walk for awareness is to educate people so they know what to do when someone is going through an epileptic seizure.

Though epilepsy is not considered a deadly disease, Loulakis wants people to know that it is just as serious. From this walk for awareness, which took place on Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Rose Bowl, Loulakis and the Epilepsy Foundation ask for one thing: for people to understand how serious epilepsy is.

Loulakis and her family raised $964 for the Epilepsy Foundation, and her family and friends also went out to support her during the walk.

“I got really good vibes with my family and friends being there with me,” Loulakis said.

Knowing that the people at the walk were supporting the same cause made her feel welcomed.

“The people at the walk made me feel so comfortable and happy,” Loulakis stated. “I loved seeing that others care for and support the cause as much as I do.”

The foundation promotes the seriousness of epilepsy to make others aware of what dangers it can lead to. It encourages people to react more maturely to others’ epileptic situations.

“A lot of people laugh and stuff and they think it’s funny but it’s really not,” Loulakis said. “They think that only cancer kills people, but epilepsy can kill people, too.”

Because these seizures can be severe, her friends and family have learned to stay neutral for Loulakis’ own sake.

“Many of the things that Sophia experiences are life-threatening, so I try not to panic or try not to attract too much attention to her,” Loulakis’ friend, Hailee Vasquez, 12, stated.

Another one of Loulakis’ friend, Isaiah Chavez, 12, goes through the same procedures and emotions that Vasquez does.

“Because of the many [seizures] she has had in front of me, I’ve learned to just stay calm for her and to help her as much as I can,” Chavez said.

Loulakis hopes to keep spreading awareness even though the walk is over. She also wants people who are going through these epileptic seizures to know that they are not alone.

About the Contributors

Mireya Navarro, Staff Writer

As a senior at Downey High School, Mireya Navarro is excited to spend her last year on The Downey Legend staff. Mrs. Napoli asked Navarro to join newspaper after seeing the work she did in her Photo 1 class the previous year. As a writer, she has plenty of exciting things to look forward to during the 2014-2015 school year, and Navarro has many goals. “I want to get The Downey Legend known,” Navarro said. “I want to get it out there.” With her heart set on that goal, she can accomplish it.

When Navarro is stressed over too much work, all she has to do is pop in her headphones and listen to Drake. Hanging around with all of her friends makes the hard work easier and she spends time with them during her free time. Being with her dog, a yorkie-poo, makes her feel better too. Navarro is a hard working girl, and plans to go to San Francisco University next year for college.

Vernice Ortiz, Photographer

Joining The Downey Legend for the first year, 17-year-old photographer Vernice Ortiz is ready to take on the challenge of photographing for the online newspaper. Ortiz enjoys taking pictures and sharing her photos with others; she’s also prepared to get more people familiar with the website. “I’m excited to show everyone what I can do,” Ortiz said. Coming into the new year with a strong mindset, Ortiz was determined to earn a higher position on the staff, which she achieved. As her first week comes to end, a new journey just begins with her being the team’s very own Gallery Editor.

During her free time, Ortiz enjoys playing sports, basketball being her favorite. Along with being athletic, Ortiz is into music and can enjoy all genres of it, including country. When she isn’t photographing, playing sports, or listening to music, Ortiz is dedicated to volunteering at local elementary schools. After high school she plans to pursue a future in photography and become an independent adult.