By Taylor Brandon
Ava Washington was under stress this summer. The 17-year-old had been writing papers daily at her paid summer position at the Youth Media Project, keeping up with her friends and managing her personal life. She had been juggling so much that she felt drained. She knew she could count on one person—her sister, Adrian. It was the July 4th weekend, and Washington knew her sister had other plans, but like usual, Adrian helped her out instead.
“She is always there when I need her. She’d drop anything at the drop of the hat for me,” Washington says.
That weekend, Adrian took Washington to Essence Fest, the largest festival for African Americans in the United States. Performers, celebrities and small-business owners come to the annual event in New Orleans to celebrate Black culture. “We had a great time at the Usher concert, singing and dancing. The next day, we got matching bracelets from a boho girl booth,” Washington recalls.
Visiting the bright lights and glittering events with her older sister has created an unmatched bond. As Washington ventures through her life, she aspires to be just like her sister. “She’s so smart; she’s everything I aspire to be,” she says. “She is just wonderful. I love my sister.”
Washington’s inspiration to be like her sister has given her a positive attitude and a spirit that has flowed into her daily life. Seeing her sister’s commitment to doing anything for the people she loves has helped Washington through her journey as a student, friend and person.
Because of Washington’s sister’s influence, the Terry High School student believes she has “a charismatic spirit,” which serves her well. “It helps me be involved in my community. Being charismatic means to me to be involved with others,” she says. Washington participates in many clubs and organizations where she shares that spirit with others, engaging in JROTC, Media Team and homecoming court her freshman and sophomore year. She is also the publicity officer for her student council.
Washington also spent a lot of time paging for the Mississippi Senate. Being a page involves high-school students delivering messages and legislative documents at the Mississippi Capitol. “Paging has helped me grow,” she says. “It doesn’t sound fun, but it’s really good to have connections and make people remember your face.” She was also able to sit in Senate meetings and witness bill debates and votes. Her work with the Senate has helped her gain knowledge about how to work in a professional setting.
In the future, Washington plans to go to the University of Memphis to further her career. However, she is undecided on what she may want to do. “I’ve changed my mind so many times. Right now, I’m feeling like I want to be an OB-GYN, but at one point I wanted to be a defense lawyer,” the student journalist says.
Washington has a strong passion for human anatomy and learning about the body, so she is learning more about the medical field. She has also received multiple awards for her writing in school. “I’ve always just been good at writing even though I didn’t have a big passion for it,” she says.
Her interest in the Youth Media Project comes from her desire to learn more about digital media and photography. She enjoys taking photographs for her high-school basketball team and wants to expand her knowledge of photography. Washington is strengthening her journalism skills and network while participating in the Youth Media Project.
“This is a great way for me to make connections!” she says.
Great job Ava and congratulations, I am soooooo proud of you ❤