lerxt1990 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 http://da631356d998f8c4bdf3-7639bdb9a361297005a50118efe9e40e.r46.cf3.rackcdn.com/518414028-High-School-Senior-Petitions-for-Cat-and-Lasers.jpg Upstate NY student petitions high school to put laser-cat photo in yearbook An Upstate New York high school student wants his classmates to remember him as someone who loves cats. And lasers.Schenectady High School senior Draven Rodriguez has started a petition to get his unusual photo featured in the yearbook as his senior portrait. "I'm hoping that with enough signatures, my school simply can't turn this down," he writes. The picture shows Rodriguez wearing a suit, cuddling with a fluffy cat in front of an '80s style laser background. He says Vincent Giordano took and edited the picture, and gave permission to use it. CBS 6 in Albany reports the school gave Rodriguez permission to put the "cat-tastic" image in the yearbook, but not as his senior portrait. "To clarify, the school HAS NOT YET DECLINED this photo," Rodriguez wrote on his petition. "This is my pre-emptive strike just in case such a thing were to happen. I wanted as many backers as possible before the deadline of September 15th." As of Thursday morning, more than 650 people signed the petition, surpassing his original goal of 500. He's also gained support from a Jezebel writer who calls Rodriguez an "American hero," inviting readers to join the cause. "As a former teen who had a cat feature prominently in one of her senior portraits, I could not be any more pro-this," Jezebel News Editor Erin Gloria Ryan writes. "Let's make this happen." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 http://da631356d998f8c4bdf3-7639bdb9a361297005a50118efe9e40e.r46.cf3.rackcdn.com/518414028-High-School-Senior-Petitions-for-Cat-and-Lasers.jpg Upstate NY student petitions high school to put laser-cat photo in yearbook An Upstate New York high school student wants his classmates to remember him as someone who loves cats. And lasers.Schenectady High School senior Draven Rodriguez has started a petition to get his unusual photo featured in the yearbook as his senior portrait. "I'm hoping that with enough signatures, my school simply can't turn this down," he writes. The picture shows Rodriguez wearing a suit, cuddling with a fluffy cat in front of an '80s style laser background. He says Vincent Giordano took and edited the picture, and gave permission to use it. CBS 6 in Albany reports the school gave Rodriguez permission to put the "cat-tastic" image in the yearbook, but not as his senior portrait. "To clarify, the school HAS NOT YET DECLINED this photo," Rodriguez wrote on his petition. "This is my pre-emptive strike just in case such a thing were to happen. I wanted as many backers as possible before the deadline of September 15th." As of Thursday morning, more than 650 people signed the petition, surpassing his original goal of 500. He's also gained support from a Jezebel writer who calls Rodriguez an "American hero," inviting readers to join the cause. "As a former teen who had a cat feature prominently in one of her senior portraits, I could not be any more pro-this," Jezebel News Editor Erin Gloria Ryan writes. "Let's make this happen."The definition of hero has been severely devalued, methinks. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lerxt1990 Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 Its not just cats! Cats and LASERS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Who the hell names their kid Draven anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Principled Man Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Narcissistic, attention-starved wimpy boy........does yer Mommy still tuck you in at night?! GROW A PAIR, FER CHRIST'S SAKE........ :P 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 At least he's fighting for something that he wants. Personally I think it's kind of stupid but that's just my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 This is what happens when you name your boy "Draven".. and the poor kid is probably wondering what all the fuss is about lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesweetscience Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Who the hell names their kid Draven anyway? Yeah you kind of put your kid behind the eight ball right off the bat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 At least he's fighting for something that he wants.How about fighting for something that matters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 At least he's fighting for something that he wants.How about fighting for something that matters? Apparently it matters to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USB Connector Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 ...how...how is this not an article from The Onion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len(songs) Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 ...how...how is this not an article from The Onion?Wait, it isn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboWTF Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 This is what happens when you name your boy "Draven".. and the poor kid is probably wondering what all the fuss is about lolNot to mention, he probably sits down when he has to pee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbine Freight Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Two words. Confirmed bachelor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Principled Man Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Two words. Confirmed bachelor. He'll have lots of girl "friends", but no girlfriend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Two words. Confirmed bachelor. He'll have lots of girl "friends", but no girlfriend.But he gets plenty of pussy. ;) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 And now, the rest of the story... Draven Rodriguez, a senior at Schenectady High School, says he wanted his last image in his high school yearbook to portray his “vibrant, intense personality.” And what better way than with his beloved rescue cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, and lasers? When Rodriguez submitted his senior portrait for submission, it was initially met with “uncertainty,” Today reports. So, before the photo could officially be declined, he preemptively started a petition, with the goal of getting 500 signatures. As of this writing, Rodriguez’s petition has earned 7,436 signatures – but he didn’t even need to use it. That’s because the school principal, Diane Wilkinson, stepped in with a suggestion of her own – instead of using the photo as Rodriguez’s senior picture, the two of them would take a new portrait, each holding their rescue pet, and the photo would appear on her page. Additionally, Wilkinson would include a few words on her page encouraging the adoption of shelter animals. Rodriguez and Mr. Bigglesworth and Wilkinson and her rescue dog, Vivian, went back to Vincent and Fran Giordano’s Trinacria Photography studio, and shot one glorious portrait. And this goes without saying, but the pets truly stole the show. “Mr. Bigglesworth the cat and Vivian the dog were very calm and poised. True pros all the way, the camera loved them!” Vincent Giordano told TODAY.com. The Giordanos, who have also rescued a pet owners, are hoping to use the publicity to raise awareness for shelter adoptions. As for Rodriguez’s wish for the yearbook – something tells me his classmates will always remember his photo… but they’ll also remember their cool Principal Wilkinson. Pics at: http://www.ijreview.com/2014/09/182608-one-school-principal-saves-day-laser-cats-glorious-yearbook-photo-shoot/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. JD Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 (edited) I know you should always give the customer what they want...but...being a photographer, including portrait photography, I just don't think I could put my name to such a cheesy portrait. Edited October 1, 2014 by johndyar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I think I found a picture of that dudes Dad.http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6769.jpg 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Sad ending to this story... SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A high school senior who became an Internet sensation for his proposal of a unique yearbook photo has reportedly died from an apparent suicide. According to the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., Draven Rodriguez, 17, died Thursday at his home. The cause of death was a suicide, his parents said. Rodriguez made national news last fall after he requested to take an ’80s style laser portrait with his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, for the yearbook. The school initially had said the photo wouldn’t pass. But after an online petition, Schenetady High School in New York said it would allow it, so long as the principal would join in on the photo with her dog. The teen’s wit gained notoriety across the country. But his parents said it was his kindness that went even further. “He made friends wherever he went,” Rodriguez’s father, Jonathan Stewart, told the Times Union. “He had friends all over the country — people he’d met at youth-leadership conferences, online, just around town.” The Times Union reports Rodriguez explored many interests, including teaching himself guitar, learning words from a Russian-English dictionary and rowing crew. His proposed yearbook photo, which made rounds on late night talk shows, wasn’t an act of defiance, but rather an example of his cleverness. “He wasn’t trying to stir things up with it,” Stewart told the Times Union. “He honestly just wanted a silly photo because he had a great sense of humor.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Cub Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Oh, Lord... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Sometimes social media is not a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Geez..... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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