Super Students
Saturday, May 17, 1997
Name: Ashlyn Russell
Age: 13
School: Lokelani Intermediate
Favorite subject: English
Pastimes: Softball, soccer
Future: Writer
Ashlyn Russell has peaked early in her student government work. Politician and poet
The seventh-grader at Lokelani Intermediate has been student government president representing the sixth through eighth grades since her election last year.
Trisha Grimley, the school's student activities coordinator, said Russell earned respect and admiration of students for her work as sixth-grade class president. She helped to organize "Reward Day" excursions for students with good behavior records.
"She was effective as an organized and prepared leader," Grimley said.
The daughter of Leighton and Linda Russell is an honor student with a 3.8 grade-point average. She likes writing poetry and would like to be a writer.
She also enjoys working with others in her leadership class on food and toy collection projects.
She said she decided to run for student government because she likes helping students.
She recently participated in a career shadowing program with two other students at the state Legislature, where she followed Democratic state Sen. Avery Chumbley of Maui for the day.
Russell said she's not too pleased with the performance of the 1997 state Legislature.
She noted that state lawmakers recently cut Lokelani's request for a cafeteria.
Russell said the student body now eats in three shifts in a patio that was to have been a band room.
Gary Kubota, Star-Bulletin
