As a life-long resident of Lake County, Ashley resides in Lady Lake with her mother Sharon and her brother. Spending time in the well-know retirement community, The Villages, and shopping in downtown Leesburg on Main Street are some of her favorite things to do. As a varsity cheerleader, Ashley loved to cheer on her Yellow Jackets at the Friday night football games and enjoys organizing fundraisers for her sophomore class as secretary. As an honor roll student at Leesburg High School, Ashley was recently accepted to the National Society of High School Scholars.

When she was only four years old, Ashley’s mother knew she was born to dance, and immediately enrolled her in dance classes at a local studio. Dancing for eleven years now, Ashley was ecstatic to make her to make her dance studio’s team, The Leesburg Dance Company at the age of eleven. Performing with them for three years, Ashley was grateful to be able to dance at community events, nursing homes, and parades. Her current instructor has motivated her to continue in her dance career and Ashley plans to minor in dance while attending college.

Lending a helping hand in her community is something Ashley has truly enjoyed doing. From giving tours of Leesburg’s historic Mote-Morris House, to helping children at Cops-to-Kids Day, Ashley has attended many community events. Along with what seems to be an abundance of homework, Ashley fills her schedule by raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Relay for Life, collecting food for the WESH TV-2 Share Your Christmas food drive, adopting a family in need during the holidays, and visiting her adopted grandpa, Mr. Carl, at a local nursing home. Ashley finds a special place in her heart for young children and has enjoyed working with pre-schoolers in a creative movement class and working with young girls to build up self-confidence to complete in local scholarship programs.

Ashley has been commended for accomplishments by Leesburg’s Mayor, city officials, Chief of Police, Lake County’s School Board Superintendent, Anna P. Cowin, Lake County commissioners and sheriff, Florida Senator, Carey Baker, and Representative, Hugh H. Gibson III, and Florida’s United States Representative, Cliff Stearns. She was awarded with a Leesburg Volunteer Award in 2007 and was recognized by her school’s principle.

Even though her schedule seems to be packed, Ashley is working hard to get her platform,  “Stuffed With Love”, up and going. “Stuffed With Love” is a program the gives stuffed animals to children without a family. In the tough time these kids endure, Ashley believes providing a stuffed animal for these children is something that they can hold on to and she wants to give them hope for the beautiful life they have ahead of them. Ashley looks forward to organizing fundraisers and delivering the things she collects to local children centers.