Five Questions with Cecilia Godinez

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

November 15, 2012

Q1: What’s it like being in ROP Sports Medicine?

A1: It’s amazing; it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for the longest time. Everyone’s like, You’re there all the time, but there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. There’s test taking, and at the end, there’s this big sports medicine competition. [Mr. Zessau] has us in ranks according to how many hours we have, and throughout the year he’s changing them. I never got to be first because I turned in my paper late. He was like, ‘If you turned them in on time you would have been first.’

Q2: How did you become interested in this particular field?

A2: In the seventh grade, my dad was having his third knee surgery from a soccer injury, and I talked to the surgeon who talked to me about different medical fields. He specialized in sports medicine which interested me.

Q3:What kind of work did you have to do to get your head position?

A3:I actually lived in northern California and came to Downey my sophomore year, and I enrolled into the ROP Sports Medicine. It’s one of those things where you have to volunteer for hours; you have to show yourself. You have to make them know you want to be there. That’s how I became kind of the head of the class. The main thing was the hours I put in. I completed the whole year’s requirement just by the football season. I had to do 30 for the year, which I made before the end of the season. As of right now, since Hell Week, I have 200 hours, which puts me at the top rank.

Q4: As far as college goes, is there anywhere in particular that you’re thinking about attending?

A5: I’d like to go to the University of Miami because they have a really good program where I can become a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC). There are different places where you can work, from high school to professional, which would be pretty crazy to do.

Q5: In your opinion, what do you enjoy most about your work?

A5: Seeing when the guys recover and when they show a little appreciation. Ok, it sounds cliché, but I saw it on a commercial once: if you love what you’re doing, you’re never working. It even goes for when there are long days when nothing happens, because it’s a horrible job when you have to wait for something horrible to happen.

About the Contributors

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

For senior Marilyn Ramirez, newspaper is not only a class. No, for this young journalist, The Downey Legend is her inner voice, her happy, her passion, her future. Ramirez sets out to improve her writing ability with every new story, setting new goals for herself with the start of every deadline. She is currently the Copy Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief on staff. She joined the online publication in order to gain experience in journalism; after studying at either UC Berkley or San Francisco State University, she is certain she will write for Time Magazine and develop a career in photojournalism. Ramirez plans on hiking through war-zones, or the jungles of Borneo in order to capture the beauty she wishes to documents. This journalist has no space in her agenda for anything less than extraordinary. When she is not writing stories or improving her photo and web layout skills, Ramirez enjoys spending time with her better half, Kyle Hudspeth. Like many others, she adores Disneyland and shopping . She might be found at her favorite drinks chain, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, reading a book or making awkward conversation with strangers. She has an unbelievable amount of positive energy, which she utilizes in a myriad of activities from school work, to staff bonding, however, it is not so obnoxious, because it is balanced out with the right amount of sarcasm. Ramirez is a fast-paced, modern girl of sorts with a dedicated disposition; she is undoubtedly heading toward great heights.

Monique Munoz, Co-Photo Editor

Soon to graduate from Downey High School, 17-year-old senior Monique Munoz is a photographer and the Co-Photo Editor for The Downey Legend. Although this is her first year shooting for The Legend, she has had a passion for photography since her sophomore year. “I always have a camera with me whether it is my Canon Rebel or my little carry around camera,” Munoz said. “I take pictures all of the time in random places, looking to capture unforgettable moments.” Her goal is to be the best photographer on The Downey Legend staff. Munoz is also a photographer for Downey’s High’s yearbook. Aside from taking pictures, she enjoys cooking, dancing, and watching basketball and football. One of her dreams for high school is to participate in the powder puff game. Munoz wants to obtain a minor in photography attending Cal State Long Beach, and she plans to finish her schooling at UCLA. Because of her love for children, her main desire is to major in the medical field and become a pediatrician. She decided this as her dream career because of how well she is with children due to constantly having to take care of her younger siblings. “I wouldn’t mind working as a photographer on my breaks and vacations from my career, because photographing is more of a passion then a job to me,” Munoz said. She also mentioned she wishes to travel the world to photograph portraits, candid and landscape photos. “No matter what it takes, I am determined to achieve all my goals and believe I am capable of accomplishing anything I want to,” Munoz said.