Guinness World Records 2022 Record Holder of the Month
It’s October and we have a brand new Record Holder of the Month. Meet the young achiever from Sydney, Roxanne Downs. She’s no stranger to being featured in Guinness World Records and has some great advice for young people looking to achieve their dreams!
Name: Roxanne Downs
Hometown: Sydney, Australia
Age: 12
Tell us about yourself and your role at It GiRL?
I’ve just recently started high school, but have been editing It GiRL since just before my eighth birthday. I LOVE it so much. I’m obsessed with creating things and love meeting new and exciting people.
Explain to us what It GiRL magazine is? What sort of cool stuff does it feature?
It GiRL magazine is a magazine for girls from the ages of 7-14, or ‘tweens’ as we call them. It features games and puzzles, celeb gossip and interviews, posters, jokes, new fashion and more…
Wow, you were an editor at only 8-years-old?! How did that end up happening?
The Publisher was looking for an Editor who was in touch with their core demo. I was still in school and was always coming home and telling my family about cool new trends, gifts and ideas for my favourite magazine, It GiRL. At that stage, the Editor was a friend of my Dad’s, Natasha, who realised what an asset I could be for the magazine. She was promoted and it snowballed from there until . . . boom! Soon after that I was editing the mag, interviewing celebs and attending retail meetings with people five times my age.
How do you feel about holding the record for youngest magazine editor?
Roxanne and JoJo Siwa
It feels awesome knowing that I am doing something I love while also getting to hold a record for it. Honestly, it is super cool.
You’re featured as a ‘Young Achiever’ in Guinness World Records 2022. Do you have any advice for other young people who are looking to achieve their dreams (or maybe break a record)?
If you want to break a record go for it! It can be so fun and if you do actually achieve your goal who knows you could be featured in the book! If you know what your dream is then chase it because a dream will not chase you back. Just go for it because you never know what will happen if you don’t try.
Is there someone you’ve interviewed that was a dream come true?!
YES! I have interviewed so many awesome, kind and amazing people. Some of my favs were JojJo Siwa, Bronte and Cate Campbell (Olympic swimmers), Bella Taylor Smith (winner of The Voice Australia 2021), the Kidz Bop kids and so many more. These people were all so amazing and have all achieved so many amazing things.
Apart from your own, do you have a favourite record in Guinness World Records 2022, or maybe another one that you wanted to break?
LOL. I’m the shortest girl in my WHOLE year at school, so maybe the tallest person in the world would be fun. Even if just for a day to freak out all my friends!
Roxanne interviewing Iain Armitage, star of Young Sheldon
Are there any secret talents that you’d like to share, maybe a superpower?!
I’m just an ordinary girl who likes to dream and create… and doesn’t like taking ‘no’ for an answer! No superpowers! I’m proof that, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Superpower or not!
What’s the future hold for Roxy? More school, work, anything else?
Definitely more school and work, but I’m not complaining. I love them both! I am so excited for all the future interviews, events and more fun!
How would you describe the Guinness World Records books . . . what do they mean to you?
The GWR books are so cool on their own but knowing that you are in it is also super cool. I loved the GWR books even before my face was on one of the pages, but seeing yourself in a super cool book that so many people read is awesome.
To see more inspiring records like Roxy’s, make sure to get your copy of Guinness World Records 2022 which is out now. Check out It GiRL on Instagram and Facebook!
Stay tuned for the next Record Holder of the Month!
