Garden Spot High School

Ryan Lambert

Freshman

Garden Spot freshman, Ryan R. Lambert, strives to be the brightest light in the world whenever he possibly can. When waking up for school at the brutal hour of six in the morning, it isn’t a cup of coffee that keeps Ryan motivated. Rather, it is his passion for the opportunity to see and make new friends at school. In fact, he believes his greatest accomplishment is befriending people no matter their disabilities or personal struggles. 

His favorite class is woodworking because it is a desire of his to become a carpenter, building suitable houses for families. His involvement in extracurricular activities also lends a helping hand to his goal of making new friends. 

Ryan participates in the school rifle team and is also considering trying out for the high school baseball team as a sophomore. 

Ryan is a member of Weaverland Anabaptist Faith Community and offers his services by facilitating the lighting for the stage during sermons and other events. When Ryan was younger, he developed a strong admiration for one of his junior youth leaders Shane Esbenshade, who helped guide him in his faith journey, and the respect continues to flourish to this day. 

Most importantly, Ryan strongly believes in the importance of creating a friendly environment for all people, stating, “The world would be a much better place if we could just stop bullying other people.” Ryan’s goal to spread joy in the world is a quality we should all wish to embody.

Written by: Derrick Lambert

Veronica Fox

Senior

Veronica M. Fox is currently a high school senior with high aspirations to do good in the world. The only thing Veronica loves more than the chance to learn is creating greater bonds with her friends and family around her. Veronica strives to do her best in every aspect of life, and this includes her extra-curricular activities. She is currently in the marching band and has been in the band for a total of nine years leading to her achieving the position of drum major. She is also captain of the rifle team and was awarded the Spartacus award, after only being a part of it for two years. In continuation, Veronica is in chorus and vocal ensemble and has been a part of her school’s performing arts program for five years. To top it all off, she has been a part of The National Honor Society for two years. Her favorite subject in school is history because she believes that learning about the past can help grow our knowledge on how we can improve the future. Because of her love for animals, after high school, she plans on going to college to study animal behavior. She belongs to Petra Church and enjoys singing and reading. Veronica believes that if she was given the chance to change the world, she would want to find a way to help more people show kindness towards others. She thinks the world would be a better place if kindness was a part of everyone’s daily routines. Above all else, Veronica admires people who can show kindness, loyalty, and courage. She believes that these characteristics make someone truly genuine and she strives to possess all three qualities every day. Veronica is truly an extraordinary student and will one day impact the world for the better.

Written by: Erika Chernovsky

Ashley Kerchner

Senior

In a time where the vibrancy of life often dulls in comparison to the hardships we face, Ashley Kerchner actively seeks to combat the monotonous monochromacy of life with a brush and acrylic in hand. Ashley truly sets the standard for creative excellence at Garden Spot High School. High school academics often come with stringency in terms of how and what we learn; therefore, Ashley’s favorite aspect of school, both in the art room and in a traditional classroom, is when she can use creative means to incorporate learned material in unique ways to challenge traditional methods of thinking. In addition to her scholastic endeavors, Ashley throws for the track team, swims for both the New Holland Swim Team and Twin Valley Aquatics Club and works in the paint crew for Garden Spot Performing Arts. In her free time, she experiments with different art techniques and runs her own business at ashley_kerchner@outlook.com and on Instagram at ashleyk.artt selling art commissions in a variety of different mediums, including Henna Tattoos. Ashley’s inspiration comes from the great artists that came before her, most notably Michelangelo. His defiance of traditional themes in art in combination with his skillful execution of “impossible” ideas motivates Ashley on and off the canvas. After high school, Ashley plans on majoring in fine arts or business at Pratt University or Tyler School of Art and Architecture so she can pursue her dream of owning a tattoo shop on the beach. Similar to Michelangelo’s defiance of traditional ideas of art, Ashley seeks to prove that art is a viable profession that can compete with traditional jobs in a world where professions in the arts are often frowned upon. Even to those who doubt the existence of their inner artist, Ashley ignites a creative spark in everyone around her and motivates us all to follow our individual passions.

Written by: Emma Burger