Ashton McLamb isn’t necessarily your average teenager. While she does spend a lot of time hanging out with friends, working on the cheerleading squad and playing tennis, she also spends a significant amount of time volunteering and helping others. Ashton is currently a senior at West Florence High School and is an officer on the school’s tennis club. The club is a group that works on several service projects throughout the year. One of the club’s co-sponsors , Charles Nelson, says Ashton stood out from the very beginning as a great leader. “The tennis club is a service club, we are involved in about six or seven projects each year and it’s gonna take somebody who has a lot of stamina and a lot of energy and somebody who is really a go-getter,” said Nelson.

Ashton says while she’s been involved in several projects over the years, she felt compelled to start one of her very own at the beginning of this school year. Ashton read a news story that captured her attention, not only because of the sadness of the situation, but also because of the similarities between her life and the lives of the victims involved. The news story told the events of five senior high school cheerleaders who were involved in a deadly accident. The report said that the cause of the accident was texting while driving. Ashton says the story hit home.“It really was a reality check for me because my parents always tell me don’t text while driving, don’t talk on the phone while driving,” said Ashton McLamb.

Ashton’s father Kevin says she approached him soon after reading the article, wanting to do something that would increase awareness of the issue among teenagers. After some brainstorming with school officials, they all settled on the idea of purchasing rubber bracelets that read “West Florence Knights Against Texting.” The bracelets were already a popular choice among school-aged children, and Ashton and her father believed they would be an easy way to convey the message. “Parents and grown-ups can preach all day to our youth and students and what not, but there’s no impact stronger in my opinion, than when it comes from a fellow peer,” said Kevin McLamb.

Ashton used $250 of her own money to purchase the bracelets, and her father matched the amount. Altogether the bracelet sales raised more than $600 dollars. Ashton donated that money toward a separate fundraiser involving the tennis teams of West and South Florence, which altogether raised more than $1,000. Ashton and school officials decided that since they were already able to spread the message of the dangers of texting while driving, that they would give the money they raised to another worthy cause- breast cancer awareness.

Those closest to Ashton McLamb say she displays all of the characteristics of a seasoned leader – at the age of a high school senior. “She is a role model to a lot of kids because they look up to her as to what she can do and what she’s already accomplished,” said Nelson. Ashton though, doesn’t necessarily call herself a hero. Instead she’s grateful for every opportunity she gets to help others and spread the important message of safety, to her peers.