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Ashley Price was born in Berea, Ohio and as a young infant moved to Worthington ultimately attending Worthington Kilbourne. Ashley played volleyball and attended Rio Grande College and received her Bachelors of Science in middle school education with concentrations in math, science and reading.
Ashley was introduced to PAST by her older brother, Andrew, who worked for Columbus City Schools at Starling STEM PreK-8. Ashley is married, has two dogs, and is currently the Worthington Kilbourne Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach. She also plays volleyball on Sundays.
“My experience with PAST started at Kelley’s Island and Hocking College with Beth Witte. It was the wonderful outdoor and experiential programs that allowed me to feel a part of something bigger.” From there her role and impact grew.
“What I enjoy most about PAST and being a part of the tribe is the incredible people whom I have the privilege of working with. We have all kinds of backgrounds which brings many experiences and I find that fulfilling! In addition, I get to work with a lot of different students and I have the freedom to be creative and try different things. I see some of my friends who are teachers and they have lost the joy in teaching. This is difficult to see. I love working with students and seeing the kids get excited … I love seeing their sparks. I also get to witness the moments of perseverance, laughing, and having a good time, all the while they do not realize they are learning!”
As Ashley reflects over her time at PAST, what gives her the most joy, what engages her, and what challenges her, she immediately focuses back on the kids. “When you get the opportunity to go into a space where kids are not super engaged and then you bring in a hands-on experience, and you witness the transformation, well that is spectacular! It is amazing to help kids make connections, they are so funny, and you never know what will happen. I think of robotics hands and picking up and stacking things, coding rock, paper, scissors with the hand, pushing the boundaries and these are all the students’ ideas.”
Ashley offers that the experiences that teachers have vs. the student experiences are often not the same. The challenge is thinking something is wonderful and realizing the students do not think so. “So, we need to teach students that pushing the boundaries is good and creates a capacity for resilience. It is all about reflecting, reviewing, and modifying. Not your first answer is always the best or most accurate. Everything is changing and we need to understand the younger age groups and how they view the world. We can help them learn without technology but it can be challenging.”
In reflecting on her favorite program during her 11-year tenure, Ashley shares that Kelley’s Island will always hold a special place in her heart. “This was my first experience with PAST and seeing education delivered in a very different way was amazing. I loved getting down and dirty with the students.” Some of her favorites include the programs at KIPP, in the FabLab, working with Bath & Body Works and all of the summer programs. “Our entire team wants to design, create, and implement ideas that they have.“
When asked about her meta title, Ashley shared that the idea came from Alyssa, one of her colleagues, and relates to the Game of Thrones. She has found many connections with other Throne fans by choosing this royalty title.
In thinking about the future, Ashley would live to have a family and loves working at PAST, but maybe in a different capacity. She still enjoys coaching and working with kiddos in a classroom or other settings. But for now, “I am very happy where I am and what I am doing. So, I plan to keep doing what I am doing.”
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