This year’s recipient of the College Woman’s Club award for earning the highest GPA at Westfield High School is Ashley Talwar. Ashley will be attending Duke University. She plans to major in Neuroscience with a minor in Medical Sociology. Ashley is on the pre-med track, aiming to become a trauma or orthopedic surgeon one day.
When asked about her experiences at WHS, Ashley replied, “My overall experience at WHS was joyful, enriching, and invaluable, and it thoroughly shaped my readiness for the next big steps in my life. My academic and extracurricular interests flourished, especially with the support system of teachers, counselors, secretaries, and principal. Mrs. Norworth guided my interests towards founding a new club, WHS Cybersecurity in my junior year. My passion for community service reached new heights with becoming the Co-President of WHS Community Service Club and Mrs. Culjak and Mr. Bower’s advising. Our vast reach into helping surrounding communities, from holding coats and food drives, and Dance Marathons for Children’s Specialized Hospital, to distributing meals and other necessities in NYC with BridgesRun, elevated my passion and fortified my desire to be a doctor one day.”
Ashley was an intern at the Westfield Food Pantry for two years and is a certified Emergency Medical Technician serving at Scotch Plains Rescue Squad for over 1.5 years. Ashley also published two DNA analyses on GenBank through Rutgers University’s Waksman Student Scholars Program and was accepted into Columbia University’s Science Honors Program in her junior year. Her love and academic accomplishments in science, as well as the support from the teachers of WHS, additionally resulted in her acceptance to NJ Governor’s School in the Sciences, where she conducted biochemistry research of solutions for neurological diseases.
An avid frisbee player since middle school, Ashley played on the Boys’ HS Frisbee team, which won the State Title this year. She played for West Windsor’s Girls’ Team this past season as well at High School Nationals in Virginia, ranking #9 in the nation. This summer, she’s captaining the U-20 DEVYL Ultimate Frisbee team and will compete in the National Youth Championships in Minnesota this month.
“I feel extremely excited for college, and look forward to conducting research, starting more community service opportunities in Durham, and meeting new people soon! My lack of nervousness about academics can be attributed to how well WHS prepared me. I also can’t wait to play on Duke Swerve, the women’s ultimate frisbee team, serve on the EMS team, and participate in Duke’s tenting tradition!”
