By Danielle Pelkey

The North Jefferson News



Ashley Zassoda is not your average high school senior. Her maturity and genuine spirit can be sensed the moment you meet her.

Ashley is the daughter of Mark and Marie Zassoda. She has an older brother, Kurt, twin sister Heather and a younger brother, Joseph, who goes by “JoJo.”

One of Ashley’s favorite hobbies is planting flowers with her mother, but she also enjoys singing, sports and loves to run. This is obvious by the fact that she ran the mile in track and field for her school, Tabernacle Christian.

Sports apparently comes natural to Ashley, as she has also participated in softball and basketball.

Leadership is what really sets her apart in a crowd. Ashley, along with the help of sophomore John White, started First Priority at Tabernacle. There was no participation in the program last year. “Through the summer John and I talked about it, and we decided we’ve just got to do this,” said Zassoda.

The pair successfully re-started the program and ran it through the remainder of the year.

“As long as I’ve known Ashley, she has always had a heart for others. Her compassion for others is contagious. The faculty and administration are so proud of this young lady and her strong stand for God and for what’s right,” said Tabernacle Principal Glenn Dickson. “Through circumstances in her young life, God has refined her heart and she has emerged a more mature Christian young lady.”

While she admits that she is a leader, Zassoda also stated that she is shy and it takes her a while to open up. She really likes to be with her friends and said that she would rather stand out in a small crowd than just blend in to a big crowd.

One of Zassoda’s favorite pastimes is singing. She uses this talent to sing in the chapel choir at Tabernacle.

Zassoda has attended Tabernacle since the fifth grade and says that her favorite teacher is Miss Kizzire. She taught Zassoda in homeroom, but was always very encouraging and helpful through the years.

Zassoda’s favorite subject is Spanish. When asked about this she responded, “Because she lets us eat in there; and there are only five students, so we really get to have a lot of fun in this class.”

The thing that Zassoda will miss the most is the closeness of everyone. “Being here is like family outside of my house,” she said.

She also stated that she would miss many of her friends that were younger than her and that she would love to get to take them with her next year. Ashley will also miss the encouragement of her teachers as she heads off to college.

She plans to attend Wallace State Community College for nursing and then get involved with youth ministries. Zassoda is planning to attend mission trips with the Gardendale First Baptist Youth, where she has attended church for the past five years.

Zassoda also attends Generation, a youth gathering every Thursday night at the church.

Knowing that she has been called into missions, Zassoda is going with her mom on a mission trip in December. Their destination has not been set, but they know that this is what they are suppose to do.

“I believe God is preparing Ashley to do tremendous things in her life, whether it’s on the mission field overseas or here in the states,” said Dickson.

Ashley had originally planned to attend Liberty University in Virginia, but her mother did not want her to go that far away so she chose Wallace State instead. This decision was made easier when her brother Kurt decided to transfer to Wallace so that they could go to school together.

Family is very important to Ashley. Her twin sister, Heather, is her best friend. She said that although they have different views, they are always together. “She’s hard core and I’m sensitive. She’s a clean freak and I just sit and watch,” said Ashley.

It is clear to see that Ashley Zassoda is going to do great things with her future in the community and in the church.