26 • MAY 2022
KIDS WHO CAREAinsley RuhlSusan MarquezAinsley Ruhl has a big heart for helpingothers. “I think that comes from a situation thathappened when she was eleven years old,” hermom, Allison Ruhl, explains. “Ainsley’s fatherdied when she was eleven, and she is the oldestof three sisters. Right away she stepped up tohelp me with cooking, cleaning, and laundry,as well as helping with her younger sisters. Oneof her most positive characteristics when she wasgrowing up was seeing what needed to be done,then stepping in to help. Ainsley’s nature is to bea helper. For her, part of the solution to anyproblem is to help other people.”Now a senior at Madison Central, Ainsley islooking ahead to the future. “I’m not sure whereI’m going to college, but I do know I want tomajor in political science or public policy. I’mthinking I may want to go to law school aftercollege.” If her college years are anything likeher high school years, Ainsley is going to be busy.A student athlete, Ainsley has played varsityvolleyball since her sophomore year. She was onthe junior varsity team before that, and she alsoplays club volleyball. In addition to volleyball,Ainsley has been involved in several clubs atschool, most of which are service oriented clubs.“I am the Madison Central representativefor the Crown Club, and I served as the vicepresident last year.” Ainsley also volunteers as amentor for an elementary school student. “It’sa program through the school system where asenior high student is paired with an elementaryschool student who may be struggling.” Ainsleywas paired with a student at Madison Station,where she attended elementary school andwhere her mother taught school. “I was pairedwith a first-grade student, which is so specialbecause my mother taught first grade. And I ammentoring at the school I attended, so that makesit extra special for me.” Ainsley says she visitsthe school every other day and works with herstudent.When she first went to Madison Central,Ainsley says that she didn’t want to be a smallfish in a big sea. “Madison Central has such alarge student body that it would be easy to getlost. I wanted to get connected right away, andservice clubs are a great way to do that. Throughmy participation in service clubs, I’ve made someof my best friends, and I have the satisfaction ofbeing connected with my community.”Outside of school, Ainsley is a member of theMayor’s Youth Council where she participatesin service projects for Madison the City. “I wasa member of the Junior Ambassadors for theMadison the City Chamber of Commerce lastyear,” she says. Church is also a place whereAinsley finds a way to be of service. “I’ve beenan acolyte at St. James Episcopal Church sinceI was seven or eight years old,” she says. “I helpwith communion and other parts of the service.I enjoy being an active part of the church service.”Ainsley has also enjoyed camping, somethingshe has also done since she was seven yearsold. “I attend Strong River Camp and Farm inPanola County each summer,” she says. “Mymom’s family grew up going to the camp. Now,I have too. I have been a counselor-in-trainingsince I was thirteen, working with the collegeagedcounselors. It’s something I really enjoy.”Being a good manager of her time is one ofAinsley’s keys to doing as much as she does.“By nature, I am a procrastinator,” she admits.“I’m not very good at time skills, but I work at itevery day. I make a to-do list, so I have a visualon what I need to do and when. That has beenespecially helpful since I’ve had a heavy classload the past couple of years. It’s important toget all my assignments in on time.” Ainsley saysthat luckily, she is a night owl, which works toher advantage. “I have a lot of time after schoolto get everything done.”She must be doing something right becauseAinsley is a member of the National HonorSociety. She says she will miss her sisters,Ella (a junior at Madison Central) and Reese(an eight-grader at Madison Middle School)when she leaves, but she is looking forward togoing to college and getting involved there.Hometown MADISON • 27