Katherine Portillo, Photographer
Going on her second year apart on The Downey Legend, Katherine Portillo has been able to acquire a greater understanding of what an ideal work ethic consists of, as she has contributed to the team as both a writer and a photographer. Outside of the newsroom, Portillo utilizes volleyball as an outlet to free herself of any disturbances off the court. She volunteers her time at Assisteens, and partakes as correspondence secretary, advocating for mental health. Portillo intends on shedding a brighter light towards society’s unspoken conversation surrounding the psychological well-being of our youth and has hopes of becoming either a family psychologist or elementary school teacher. “I’m not quite sure what the future has in store for me, but if I am passionate about what I am doing, I have no doubts that my happiness will follow,” Katherine Portillo, 12, assures.
Having made a lot of personal growth this past year, Portillo encourages others to, “not worry about what others think, and instead prioritize yourself to do you.”
![Many students have had extra time on their hands to get healthier and Gloria Falach, 10, tells us about her experience with diet changes shes made. “The biggest change I’ve made since quarantine is I’m trying to eat healthier,” Falach stated, “Since I have a lot of [extra] time.”](https://www.thedowneylegend.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/unnamed-12-475x277.jpg)
![4/26/20: “I placed them [bunny drawings] all around the living room in the most obvious locations to see if they would see all of them quickly. But, first I tested my sister to see if she could find all of them and it took her about 1 minute and 40 seconds to find them all. The one in the kitchen was the one they all struggled finding for some reason. So they were trying to find all 4 but they were struggling. My sister and I started laughing at them because they had passed by the last one like three times. When they found all four I asked them which was their favorite. The one in the kitchen was their favorite because it was cartoony. Then I told my parents that one of the reasons I drew bunnies [was] to honor our pet bunny that we loved. Then my mom told my sister and I to go to the room so she could hide all the eggs in the living room. We did the little scavenger hunt as a family. My parents were watching us look for all of them while giving us clues.”](https://www.thedowneylegend.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Estephany-Hernandez-475x475.jpg)
![4/25/20: “It’s scary because over the news you hear about people dying. I was scared and I wore a face mask. Only one person was allowed into the room unlike my last pregnancy, [so] I was so happy to come home. It’s difficult because we have to tell people no they can’t see the baby as a precaution to not get her sick. They’re seeing the baby through videos, Facetime, and it’s crazy! I’m panicked; it’s really hard to do everything (anybody can get her sick) - emotionally draining.”](https://www.thedowneylegend.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Amelia-Gonzalez-469x475.jpg)