Interview with Ashton Cooper - Washburn Rural Class of 2021 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

I was so excited to photograph Ashton. She is beautiful and has a great personality. She is fun to be around and after photographing her older sister and knowing just how much fun her family is, I couldn’t wait. We started at Shawnee Lake and went to Noto to finish up her session. We did end up doing some at the capitol but most of the session happened at the first two locations. It could not have been nicer out! We’re finally over the heat of summer and that put everyone in a great mood! I especially loved NOTO as we got some very colorful images there! Ashton also gave us some great answers for the interview. Make sure to check that out!!!

T.H. Peterson: What do you like most about Washburn Rural? 

Ashton: I like how I am able to be who I want there. With all of the different extracurriculars, clubs, sports, and groups, you can be involved in so many different and have the freedom to be whoever you want to be. 

T.H. P.: What was your summer like?

Ashton: My summer pretty much was softball and work. I had softball tournaments multiple weekends and then I worked during the weekdays at El Dorado West. I hung out with friends too and made some fun memories. 

T.H. P.: What did you think in March when you found out you weren’t going back to school? 

Ashton: I remember texting my friend group chat that we had an “extended spring break”. We all thought it would be temporary, only lasting a couple weeks at max. But then it kept going, there was a lot uncertainty, I missed the routine of going to school. It was a big adjustment going from school everyday in person to suddenly everything was online.

T.H. P.: What do you love most about AFJROTC?

Ashton: I like the leadership. I love being able to lead cadets to become better, not only as a cadet but as a person and student. I also love being able to present the colors at football, basketball, and soccer games. We also go to retirement homes or the VA to do color guards, which is fun interacting with veterans. I like serving my community. 

T.H. P.: Plans after high school?

Ashton: I plan on enlisting into the air National Guard. With it only being one weekend a month, I’ll also be attending college (either K-State or Washburn) to become a physical therapist. 

T.H. P.: What would you say is a really pressing issue for seniors and people your age?

Ashton: Self identity and the future. All of us are still trying to figure out who we are as people. We have this pressure to know exactly what we want to do with our lives when graduate. 

T.H. P.: What is your proudest moment as a wrestler? 

Ashton: My very last meet. Picture this: I’m at the home  tournament, I’m going against a girl from another school. We’re both first-time wrestlers, it could have gone either way. I started on bottom, she was on top, the whistle blows and I get up and we’re face to face now. We wrestle for handgrips for a minute, I find my grip and I get her stomach down on the mat. I put all my weight on her, keeping her down. I manage to get my hand under her arm and I get her in a chicken wing, which was a move I mastered in practice. I use all my weight and strength to take that chicken wing and flip her over onto her back. I’m running her, around and around and finally... she’s on her back. I’ve got her pinned, she’s trying to get up but she can’t. The ref slaps the mat and blows the whistle and I jump up and I’m absolutely ecstatic. I run over to Mrs. Parker, who has been part of my wrestling journey since I first showed up to practice. I give her the biggest hug and I am crying, I was beyond happy for my pin and she tells me how proud she was of me. That was by far my proudest moment as a wrestler. 

T.H. P.: What did you like most about our session?

Ashton: Definitely our session in NOTO. Finding different artwork and staircases to take pictures. I really enjoyed when you were having me try different poses, especially the ones in the street. 

T.H. P.: What is your favorite restaurant in Topeka? 

Ashton: Oriental Express on Wanamaker. I’m a sucker for their sweet and sour chicken and fortune cookies. 

T.H. P.: What is the last movie you saw and what did you think of it?  Ashton: The last movie I watched was the Disney movie Hercules. It’s one of my favorite movies. I was over at my boyfriends house and he knows I love Disney movies so he turned it on and it made me so happy. I sang on the songs and he was smiling and laughing. He’s the best ever and makes me so happy.



To book your own session, please call Tommy or Holly at 785.793.2492 or 785.213.0812 or email tommy@thpetersonphoto.com
 

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