Have you ever met someone who is so passionate about their work ethic? If not, you need to meet Ashton Anthony Gabriel. Ashton lives in a household with 4 individuals. He's lived in Madison his entire life. When asking Ashton about his family he stated, “My grandparents moved here a few years before World War II broke out.” Ashton has a strong caring heart for his family. One thing that Ashton could not live without is his grandpa's dog tags. When I asked Ashton why, he stated, “It reminds me to never give up and to keep pushing no matter how hard or how easy it is.” After 4 years in the military, Ashton sees himself back in South Dakota starting his career in law enforcement.
Ashton has multiple jobs as a high school student and holds numerous responsibilities on his shoulders. Ashton works at Ace Hardware in Madison, is a volunteer firefighter, and works with the Madison Police Department. The most rewarding part about his public service jobs are, “Knowing that I am saving someone in need of my help”. Ashton is very passionate about his work experience and future careers. Ashton states, “My biggest challenge was becoming a firefighter and an EMT”. After high school, Ashton plans on achieving many things such as going to the Marines for four years and eventually becoming a state trooper when he arrives back home. Ashton has a fear of falling through the floor of a house fire, but this doesn't stop him - “It's my duty to get the job done.”
Ashton is always busy between school and work. When Ashton gets a chance to watch a TV show or movie his top choice would be Band of Brothers or 13 Hours. He loves a nice cooked steak. While on the topic of food, Ashton would describe himself as a cookie. Ashton stated, “I would describe myself as a cookie because it expands when it is cooking, kind of like my life. It keeps getting bigger and better.” His favorite part about school is going to gym class because it's active and fun instead of sitting in a chair all day. Ashton would describe himself to be like Scooby-Doo because he is “funny, chill and very friendly - kinda like me.” Ashton’s advice to underclassmen is to “Study for tests, and to respect your teachers no matter the situation.”