5 Questions with Ms. Pena

Sara Cabrera, Writer/ Copy Editor
February 26, 2014

After the recent passing of Mr. Child, newcomer Ms. Pena is permanently taking over his five English classes who have had to adjust to 3 different substitutes during the 1^st semester.

Q1. Where did you attend college?

A1. After I graduated from Downey in ’04, I went to Long Beach City for 2 years, and then from there I transferred to UCLA and did my 2 years there. Then [I] graduated with my Bachelors in American Literature.

Q2. Were you certain you wanted to pursue a career in teaching while going into college?

A2. No, it was either going to be law or teaching. When I was doing my credential program, I took a year off to go to Cerritos and I received a paralegal certificate, and then I got an internship as a community legal aid working with paralegals there and with the attorneys. I also, at the same time, was working in Downtown Long Beach at an attorney’s office as a secretary and I kind of got to know the type of work they do and, once I found out what it was, I immediately was like ‘Nope, this is not for me.’

Q3. Why didn’t you think a career in law would be right for you?

A3.It was just very repetitive and always the same paperwork. I liked talking to the clients and interviewing them; I just didn’t like sitting there and doing paper work. That was the worst for me. Teaching was always my first option, but I was kind of thinking that maybe I should explore something else, but once I did I was like ‘No. I am definitely going to teach.’ And even though I still have paper work, it’s not the same. Legal paperwork is very stressful and even though there is a lot of this stuff, I can handle student work opposed to legal work.

Q4. How did you end up working at Downey High?

A4.I applied to over 40 different districts and schools. This is one of the schools that I applied to and I just came to the interview and I didn’t know of anything that had happened until after I was hired.

Q5. Were you nervous about taking over for Mr. Child?

A5. I kind of was nervous because me being here is not really like replacing him. I wanted people to understand that it’s more like this is my job now. Yes, I’m going to be taking over these classes, but I’m not here to replace Mr. Child or anything. I just wanted to come in here with my own strategies and ideas and just develop from there. Right now, since it is the last 4 or 5 months of school, we just need to get the students through that, so next year then I’ll be able to make this more my own.

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About the Contributors

Sara Cabrera, Writer/ Copy Editor

Sara Cabrera, a current senior, is an optimistic writer for The Downey Legend. For Cabrera, journalism is not just a hobby or a class; it’s a passion and a future career. According to Cabrera, she started her sophomore year, yet to discover her writing talent. It was Mrs. Stratford, her sophomore English teacher, who recommended her to join The Downey Legend. “I was a bit intimidated about the whole thing at first,” Cabrera said. After some time to think and a few pushes from Mrs. Stratford, Cabrera made the decision to join. “It was the greatest choice I ever made,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera not only dedicates most of her time to writing for the online newspaper, she also enjoys dancing at a very popular dance studio: Santa Fe Springs Performing Arts Center. Her dancing skills helped her make the Downey High School Dance team for the 2013-2014 school year. With motivation to major in journalism and minor in dance, her dream is to travel around the world for six months after she graduates from a college somewhere in the east coast. She also plans to get a part time job as an interpreter, because she is fluent in sign language. Cabrera’s goal this year as a writer is to make The Downey Legend more popular and known to the students at Downey High.

Alexandra Menendez, Photographer

Returner Alexandra Menendez took up photography for The Downey Legend her junior year. Since the purchase of her first camera as a mere 6^th grader, photography has been a point of interest for the 17 year old; the school newspaper is just one on a long list of creative outlets she uses to express her photography skills. “I like having the ability to capture a memory before it’s gone forever.” Menendez says. Outside of campus, she refines her skills through photo-shoots with her friends and sister along the railroad tracks and otherwise simple backdrops. She plans on enrolling at San Francisco State and studying to be a professional photographer, but if all else fails, she aspires to at least be a qualified teacher. Currently, she is attending the ROP class Principles in Education to guide her into being the ideal photography instructor she aims to be.

The soft-spoken Menendez lives her life to the fullest of its potential each and every day. She is a proud film enthusiast, lover of Asian cuisine, and self-proclaimed introvert – though she claims to enjoy wasting away the weekends with her friends. Nonetheless, rather than having a traditional quinceñera with the spotlight on her, Menendez chose to travel Europe alone. “I’ve always wanted to go, just to see new places I’d never seen before.” Menendez says. “I wanted something new. She still longs to travel the rest of the world – all the while, documenting her trips through a camera lens. A small girl, Menendez has big dreams ahead of herself.