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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Grace Ayres-Dyle
High School Junior Involves Herself In Causes
By JoEllen Collins for The Weekly Sun
Grace Ayres-Doyle, a junior at Wood River High School, carries a 3.75 GPA. She has many passions, including politics.
“I have strengthened my knowledge and beliefs through classes like AP Economics, and being in debate,” said Ayres-Doyle. “We’ve done well in debate tournaments, especially since we have a smaller school population than many of our competitors. My partner and I took second place at a tournament in Idaho Falls and our team placed in the top third in our district, so we went to State.”
Ayres-Doyle also initiated a school branch of Next Generation Politics, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and movement dedicated to fostering a culture of bipartisanship and engagement in government.
“We have about 20 members and we will grow,” Ayres-Doyle said. “Mr. Hansen is our advisor and has been so helpful in launching this new voice in our school.”
Ayres-Doyle also participated in the recent Stand for School Safety held on Wednesday, March 14, at Wood River High School, a month after the killing of 17 high school students in Parkland, Fla.
“There may have been a couple of hundred protesters, even on a wet-snow morning, though only students at Wood River High were allowed in the demonstration area, and there were others who would have liked to join us,” said Ayres-Doyle, one of the organizers of the event. “There were speakers and many signs, like the one that simply said, ‘Am I Next?’ During moments of silence, students held up signs, each inscribed with one name of the 17 people killed. It was very moving. We were pleased that the administration was supportive, allowing this time out from study to practice our free speech and have a memorable social studies lesson.”
She also attended the student demonstration last Saturday in Boise.
“I have strengthened my knowledge and beliefs through classes like AP Economics, and being in debate,” said Ayres-Doyle.
Ayres-Doyle is a member of WRHS’s tennis team and started this season with strong performances, winning the Great Basin Conference girls’ singles in Minico and then in Twin Falls on Monday, March 19.
“I was pleased last year because I was able to play doubles when our team went to State,” she said. “I truly enjoy many sports, especially skiing with my father and younger sister Molly, who is a freshman at Wood River High School.”
In addition to school, politics and sports, Ayres-Doyle also works part-time at daVinci’s restaurant as a hostess.
“I am appreciating my life in this school and community,” Ayres-Doyle said. “Because of my experiences and education here, I may think about law school. I will definitely maintain my interest in perhaps going into politics and plan to study government, civil rights, and aspects of ways to be a positive force in the future. I have high hopes for my generation’s ability to tackle the problems of our society and, if we keep speaking out, change society for the better.”
Each week, JoEllen Collins will be profiling a local high-school student. If you know someone you'd like to see featured, e-mail joellencollins1@gmail.com.