Bio

Kassandra Ramirez attended Hilltop High School from 1985 through 1987 and was a three sport athlete competing for the Lancers in volleyball, basketball, and track. Her basketball team excelled in league play and won the Metro League Co-Championship with “Kasey” earning All-Metro League First Team honors.

After graduating, Kassandra enrolled at Southwestern College in 1988. An all-around athlete, she decided to play both volleyball and basketball for the Apaches. In volleyball, she played one season where she was a middle hitter and blocker, running quicks and controlling the net. She also dominated in her first season of basketball as a post player, and as a result, Kassandra, as a sophomore, elected to focus and hone her basketball skills to transfer to a strong four year programs. In her second basketball season, Kassandra achieved her goal and much more. She was named Most-Valuable Player for her team and All Pacific Coast Conference. Impressively, she has a “triple, double digit night” where she scored, rebounded, and blocked in double figures, a testimony to her athleticism and determination. She tells us her favorite memories include the road trips she shared with her Apache teammates to compete against other community colleges.

Due to her hard work as a student athlete, she was accepter to St. Mary’s, Moraga on a full athletic scholarship, where she played her junior and senior year.

While at St. Mary’s, Kassandra decided she wanted to be an elementary teacher and focused on her academics. During her senior year, she also made the Dean’s List, completed her Liberal Arts degree and then earned her Elementary Teaching Credential at University of San Diego in 1993. Later in 1997, she contributed her education at San Diego State University and completed a Masters in Teaching Reading.

Kassandra was hired by the Chula Vista Elementary District in 1995 and currently teaches the third grade at Greg Rogers Elementary School. An educator plus a sports enthusiast, Kassandra has coached girls’ basketball at Greg Rogers and Clearview Elementary Schools and recreational basketball in Chula Vista. She has also worked extensively with the Boys and Girls Club who rewarded her by nominating her to be a torch bearer in the ’84 torch Olympic relay, a true honor.

Kassandra and Ricardo Ramirez, who will also be inducted tonight as an athlete and coach, have a “beautiful marriage of 15 years and 2 great kids”, Luke and Ben. It truly is a family affair with Kassandra supporting her husband and sons at home, in school and on the field. She has been a team mom countless times and has also served as a board member for the Park View Little League.

Kassandra Ramirez, you are an outstanding role model for Southwestern College’s young female student athletes: an accomplished student, athlete, teacher, coach, mother and wife. Thank you for your many contributions to the South Bay community and welcome to the 2010 Athlete Hall of Fame.