Students Named WALKS Scholars

The WALKS Foundation has named Westminster students Ashlee Robinson ’13, E.J. Dejoie ’15 and Christopher Jones ’16 as WALKS Scholars for the 2012-2013 academic year.
 

WALKS is an acronym for five Hartford area schools — Westminster School, Avon Old Farms School, Loomis Chafee School, Kingswood Oxford School and Suffield Academy. In its 56th year, WALKS’ central purpose is to enroll in its five member schools, students from Greater Hartford whose horizons are limited by family income but whose talents, commitment and energies promise community leadership in the coming years.
 

Ashlee Robinson’13, a resident of Canton, Conn., is a returning Gummere Scholar. She participates in the Dance Ensemble, the Multicultural Student Union, field hockey and basketball.
 

E.J. Dejoie ’15, a resident of Hartford, is a General Scholar and a Hartford Youth Scholar. He plays football, basketball and lacrosse. He hopes to study engineering in college and start his own business.
 

Christopher Jones ’16, a resident of Hartford, is a Sorenson Pearson Scholar and a Hartford Youth Scholar. At his prior school, he earned high honors and was recognized for his achievements in math and science. He has also played AAU basketball and volunteered at soup kitchens.
 

In addition to the three WALKS Scholars, Marissa Eklund ’13 was named a recipient of the Barnes Service Award in recognition of her volunteer service and leadership with Serving Our Neighbors, for which she serves as president, the MS Walk, the Angel Tree Project, Special Olympics and a food pantry.
 

The students attended the annual WALKS Scholars luncheon Oct. 16, where Ashlee spoke about keeping hope and faith regardless of the odds. “When I leave Williams Hill on May 25, 2013, I know I will be prepared to tackle anything that comes my way,” she said. “Everything I was taught not only had to do with academics but also I was taught values about being a good person and carrying myself with grit and grace, our school motto. I don’t yet know what the next chapter in my life holds for me. But I do know that whatever it is will involve my taking chances and having trust in the decisions I make. I hope in the future, because the opportunities I was given, that doors will continue to open and I maintain an open mind towards trying new things.”