Achiever
Ally Edmonds

Photo By David Robert
During a difficult childhood—she and her brother are being raised by their retired grandparents—Ally Edmonds, 11, has still managed to be a focused and accomplished student with numerous academic honors and perfect attendance. She’s now engaged in raising $6,000 to take advantage of one of the rewards that has come her way for her hard work—serving as a “Youth Ambassador” in a program that will take her to Europe as a representative of American youth, a program designed to give young citizens of different countries face-to-face exposure to each other. Contributions to her travel fund can be sent to her through the Elmcrest Elementary School Parent Faculty Association.
If you’re a youth ambassador, what does that mean?
You get to travel the world and see different places and show people that our country is good.
How did you qualify for this?
I was nominated by teachers.
Why?
[Laughing] Because I’m a well-rounded student.
Tell me about your life in school.
I get straight A’s. I’ve never gotten lower than a B in school. And I’m in band at school. I play the flute, and next year, I’m hoping to play to the saxophone.
Who’s your best friend?
A girl named Penny Lane.
Penny Lane?
Yes.
Really?
Yes.
You know the song?
Yes. Her parents are big fans of the Beatles.
I can tell. Why are you friends?
Because we have the same interests.
Why do you want this ambassadorship?
Because I think it’s great to get out—because I’ve never been anyplace except California, and so I kind of want to see what the rest of the world is.