Since the fifth grade, Ashlyn Cohen dreamt of twirling in high school, and now she is living out her dreams at every Friday night football game as Richardson High School’s first competitive baton twirler in more than a few decades.
Ashlyn has always had a passion for performing. Before twirling for the RHS band, she was a flute player at Westwood Junior High. In April of Ashlyn’s eighth-grade year, she contacted the band director of Richardson High School, Christopher Bronson, asking if there was a way he could fit her into the band’s marching program as a baton twirler. Bronson was thrilled with the idea and began thinking of ways to include her in the band’s program.
Ashlyn has been competitively trained at Texas Touch of Class in Dallas by top twirling coaches, Sheila Rigelsky, Kassie Steele, and the late legacy twirler, Shirley Payne, often referred to by her students as “Miss Shirley.”
Ashlyn’s coaches teach her the choreography for Richardson High School’s competitive show, and she knows where to place herself in the show to stand out. Ashlyn says her favorite part about being a twirler in the RHS band is the thrill she gets from being on the field, performing for all her friends and family.
“Seeing the look of awe on the faces of the kids brings me joy and makes the training and commitment feel worth it,” she said.
By being a part of Richardson High School’s band, Ashlyn says she feels like she is part of a family and enjoys a sense of community. Because Ashlyn is a freshman this year, she has the time and the opportunity to make a difference in Richardson’s Golden Eagle Band by inspiring other students to get involved.
(The photo was taken by Henry Fair, an RHS freshman who is in the journalism magnet and on the staff of The Talon. This feature was written by Pearce senior Olivia Hayes, who is a member of the RISD Professional Internship Program that allows students to gain experience in a field or industry of their choice prior to taking college classes. Olivia is interning with RISD Strategy & Engagement and The RISD Foundation. She plans to study business marketing at the University of Missouri after graduation.)
