Involved would be an adjective best fitting for Portage High School Senior Melody Martinez. Outside of finishing high school, Martinez has been busy being involved with her school sports and the Portage YMCA, an involvement that was inspired by her father and her community.
“My father was just one of those people that knew everybody anywhere, and I really looked up to him in that aspect,” said Martinez. “I got more involved when he passed away because there was so much support from the community for my family and I.”
Martinez is also motivated to be a role model for those in her community including her sister, Aria.
“I want to be that amazing big sister,” said Martinez. “I want to be not a role model for her but for other young kids in the community.”
As a young black woman, she also sees value in being a successful person that the community can look up to.
“I think it's important for young minorities in our community to see that and to have that role model growing up,” said Martinez.
Since she was 15, Martinez has been working at the Portage YMCA. She participated in its program to give out food during COVID-19. She also has taught swim lessons at the YMCA for the past four years.
“My boss proposed the idea of swimming lessons for people with autism,” said Martinez. “I've never had much training with kids who had disabilities, but this is something I definitely would love to learn.”
Martinez says Portage High School Teacher Sherry Ondrovich has helped her with being able to teach the kids.
“Over the summer, I've learned so much from her because she works in special education," said Martinez. “Without her, I don't think I would be able to react to situations or know how to teach them.”
Coaching is something that Martinez loves to do. She coaches at the YMCA with her sister. Martinez has also gotten into managing the Portage wrestling team and helps manage and coach the Portage Boys Volleyball team.
“I want people to be able to push themselves to their limits but also to still be able to fall in love with the sport without it feeling like a burden,” said Martinez. “I have a younger sister, and she loves volleyball so much, and I want to be like, ‘No, you're doing this, this and this wrong.’ Yet, you also have to remember that they're still young.”
Martinez fell in love with volleyball in middle school. She plays it at the YMCA in the open gyms and leagues.
“I've always had great support through it, so I think that's really helped," said Martinez. “It is definitely the love of my life right there.”
When she is not working at the YMCA or playing volleyball, Martinez has gotten into painting over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also enjoys playing and coloring with her sister.
Martinez is very interested in interior design. She is currently enrolled at Ivy Tech Community College for her associates degree in computer-aided design and animation (CAD).
“I change my room probably once a month, and I just like matching colors and the different architectures of houses and buildings,” said Martinez. “It is just one of those things that I've always known that I've wanted to do from a very young age.”
After completing her associates degree in the spring of 2025, Martinez will be enrolling at Indiana State University to get her degree in interior architecture design.