Whitaker named winner of YWCA Women of Excellence Youth Leadership Award

Special to the Avalanche-Journal
·3 min read

All Saints Episcopal School senior Ashby Whitaker has been selected for the Lubbock Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) 2022 Women of Excellence Youth Leadership Award.

Whitaker
Whitaker

Each year, one senior girl is nominated by the school’s selection committee to apply for the award. Each young woman’s accomplishments are then reviewed by the YWCA Women of Excellence Selection Committee.

As a member of the 21-member Class of 2022 and All Saints’ seventh graduating class, Whitaker is the first student from All Saints to receive the Women of Excellence Youth Leadership Award along with a $500 scholarship, according to a news release.

“I am humbled by this recognition and am honored to be included among such a wonderful group of women,” Whitaker said.

Other 2022 Women of Excellence award recipients this year include Beth Bridges, Sandra Harris, Dina Jeffries, Janice Magness, Melinda Pharies, Comfort Pratt, Lynn Sanderson, Elizabeth Sharp, and Katherine Wells.

Whitaker will be honored along with these other award recipients at a dinner on March 3 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. More details, such as ticket information, are available at ywcalubbock.org.

“Ashby Whitaker has an unbelievable work ethic, a positive attitude, high moral standards and a winning personality,” High School Counselor Gwen Belk said in the release. “She is a young lady who truly possesses a ‘servant's heart.’ She is committed to making the world a better place for future generations.”

Whitaker’s 437 hours of community service exemplifies the mission of the YWCA. She volunteers locally with Lubbock Dream Center, South Plains Food Bank, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Second Helpings, Toys for Tots, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Project C.U.R.E., Lubbock IMPACT, National Charity League, Lubbock Symphony Guild, State Representative John Frullo’s Office, and with the National Security and Intelligence Yobe State University Team, and the International Law and Advocacy Bauchi State Team in Nigeria.

At All Saints, Whitaker is a member of the Academic Team, Varsity Speech and Debate Team, Honor Council, National Honor Society, Band, Varsity Tennis, Varsity Cheer, Varsity Mock Trial Team, Student Council, and Chemistry Club.

As a member of Lubbock’s Chapter of the National Charity League she has served as vice president, treasurer, secretary, and parliamentarian. She is also the vice president for All Saints’ Sherry Fewin Chapter of the National Honor Society and serves as a member All Saints Honor Council Chairman.

Whitaker has been appointed as a Team Leader for the National Security and Intelligence Internship and International Law and Advocacy Internship; Argentina’s Head of State for Knovva Model G20 Virtual Summit on Global Health; Captain of the All Saints Varsity Speech and Debate Team as well as captain of the school’s varsity tennis teams. She was also appointed as a counselor for Camp Mishawaka, a children’s summer camp in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Whitaker’s hobbies include learning new languages. Right now she is learning Spanish and Hausa. To relax, she enjoys reading, writing, running, tennis, and pickle ball. She also plays the piano, keyboard and xylophone.

Her career goals include pursuing an undergraduate degree in international relations or international security studies and then attending law school with a specialty in international policy.

She is the daughter of Dana and Jeff Whitaker.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Whitaker named winner of YWCA Women of Excellence Youth Leadership Award