Junior Ashley Nelson transferred to La Salle last school year in hopes of finding a better community and education. Initially, she did not know anyone coming into La Salle, so meeting all the new people here was different for them. “The dynamics are a lot different with your teachers and your peers,” Nelson said. 

Currently, her favorite classes are U.S. History with Mr. Alex Lanaghan and English 3 with Mr. Paul Dreisbach. “I like those classes because I feel like I understand them better than others,” Nelson said. “I appreciate [Mr.] Lanaghan and [Mr.] Dreisbach’s all around-teaching styles.”

Nelson is involved in many different clubs, some being the International Thespian Honor Society, Green Dot Club, and Lasallian Youth. She is also the co-leader of the Multiracial Affinity Group and founded the Women Empowerment Club. 

“I wanted to form the Women Empowerment Club because I feel like we could represent women’s voices better,” Nelson said. “I am very passionate about women’s rights and just overall feminism. I feel like everyone should be treated as equal.”

When they are not consumed with schoolwork, Nelson is involved with many different types and forms of art including painting, drawing, digital art, and fashion design. Her love for art stemmed from growing up taking art classes and also from their older sibling who is a tattoo artist. 

Their favorite form of art is fashion design. “I feel like it is more hands-on, and it is something that I can use to contribute towards other people,” she said. “Other people can also be involved in it a lot more.” It is the easiest way for them to express themselves and is also something fun for them to do. 

Nelson also got involved in the theater department last year as a way to make friends. They started in the makeup and costumes department but then transitioned to their current position as stage manager where she oversees sets, props, lights, and sound and is in charge of calling all the technical cues during performances. 

Nelson is also an athlete, participating in track and field as well as dance. This will be their first year doing track, but she has been dancing for the past six years. Dance interested Nelson because it was somewhat related to music and art, as well as the fact that it was something fun for her to do. 

“I feel like both dance and track have impacted my life by teaching me discipline and hard work, while also letting yourself have the freedom of expression,” Nelson said.

This past summer, her dance team went to nationals in Las Vegas, where she was able to meet a lot of new people and experience something new, making it her proudest accomplishment so far. 

Nelson looks up to her mom and her older sibling the most. Their older sibling was the one who brought art into her life and taught her to do the things that she enjoys. “Both my mom and older sibling taught me not to be afraid of expressing myself,” they said. “They told me that the things that you enjoy can turn into a career.”

In the future, Nelson hopes to pursue some sort of career in fashion design because of their interest in architecture and design in general. Her biggest hope going forward is to be able to be stable on her own. 

“I want my own success that I can be proud of,” Nelson said.