DOWNEY - Dozens of middle school and high school students donned superhero costumes last Friday at Downey High School in an effort to fight cancer.Downey High's KIWIN'S Club hosted the fundraiser, titled The Hero Relay, to benefit the American Cancer Society's local Relay for Life. A dozen teams of 10 raised $100 each and competed in several athletic events and relays. There were separate divisions for high school and middle school students. Most of the high school students were from Downey High School, while the middle school division featured teams from Sussman, East and West junior highs. The fundraiser took place on a day off for teachers and students. "On a cloudy day where kids could have been home sleeping in and enjoying their day off, students chose to sacrifice their day to support a great cause and help those fighting this deadly disease. They are all heroes in my book," said organizer Alex Gaytan of the Downey Kiwanis Club. The competition was intense as students were competing for 10 free tickets to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Competition events include a tire relay, boot camp obstacle course, wacky relay, tug-of-war, and other fun but challenging competitions. Spectators were also on hand to enjoy jumpers, slides, water balloons, pie-in-the-face toss, and a "super hero cape creation station." Students and parents worked together in the snack shack to raise more money for the Relay for Life. "Cancer is a disease that has affected countless people throughout our community. We are here to be someone's hero and help those in need to fight cancer," said Eduardo Sanchez, a Downey High student and member of the KIWIN'S Club. "It was an amazing event," said Jesus Pelayo, vice president of KIWIN'S. "Next year we will raise three times as much and I hope to come back and help, even if I'm off at college."

********** Published: March 22, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 49