For the past eight years, senior Ansley Davis has been pushing outside of her comfort zone to learn how to relate to and work with children experiencing a variety of developmental differences. Her commitment to helping those in her community who need a friend and advocate has not only impacted the lives of those whom she has befriended, but it has affected her school community and her own life in enormous ways.

As part of her senior Capstone Project at Athens Academy, Ansley works with people of differing abilities to another level. “The Capstone Project has given me a platform to showcase my commitment and dedication to the neurodiverse community,” she says. “This opportunity has also enabled me to grow as a student and leader through various experiences, such as interning, advocating at my school, and conducting research.”

Ansley worked as an intern at ESP, where she participated in and led weekly classes. She volunteers in the Agape Program at Athens First United Methodist Church, working with a young man with leukodystrophy. She also provides childcare for the differently-abled, including a preteen girl with Down Syndrome with whom she has become very close over the last few years.

As part of her Capstone, Ansley also worked to expand her education, shadowing a registered behavioral technician and learning more about Applied Behavioral Analysis. She completed the training to became a certified mandatory reporter so that she is able to best advocate for her disabled friends. She also completed an Advanced Placement Psychology course through Brigham Young University in order to have a better understanding of the human brain.

One of the most important parts of Ansley’s Capstone Project, however, is her outreach work. “I’ve played a key role in bridging the gap between my school community and individuals with disabilities,” she says. Ansley has shared her passion with her friends, encouraging them to meet and interact with children with disabilities, helping to make them more comfortable and more likely to volunteer themselves. With the help of her mentor Katie Ryan, Ansley organized a service day for the Athens Academy football team, taking them to play a baseball game with the kids at ESP. “I told the football players not to be afraid—just to be a friend. And it was so rewarding to watch those relationships grow.”