April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Ashbrook leads graduating class as valedictorian
She knew what that goal would entail:
Ashbrook stayed true to her dream. Four years later, she is valedictorian of Hauser High School's Class of 2016.
She and this year's salutatorian, Maclyn Greenlee, addressed their classmates at the graduation ceremony Friday night in the high school gymnasium.
"All those late nights have finally paid off," Ashbrook said in a phone interview that was -- what else? -- sandwiched between rehearsing for the ceremony and rehearsing more specifically for her speech.
She is proud of her 4.19 GPA. She is proud of her work ethic and persistence. And she is proud of her classmates' abidance that led to this joyous graduation to launch the rest of their lives.
Graduation 2016. It's a big deal.
Ashbrook was recognized this year as the Bartholomew County Outstanding Senior, putting her ahead of all other students in the county's public and private high schools. She said that is her proudest academic achievement.
And it came despite four years in varsity basketball, four years of varsity cross country, a year of track and membership in Students Against Driving Drunk, Key Club, Student Council, Future Farmers of America and the National Honor Society.
She expects many proud achievements to follow. She has obtained several college scholarships, she said, and plans to major in nursing at Ball State University.
"I want to help people," she said. "I always knew how important it was to give back to the community."
Ashbrook's mother, Carol, said she is proud of her daughter, almost beyond words. She respects how she set her sights on a goal four years ago, and how she worked so hard to make that goal a reality.
"We have a valedictorian," she said, as if pinching herself to believe it.[[In-content Ad]]
