If there is someone certain to make a mark on Enloe High School, it’s Ava Wharton. Way back in the early days of the 2020-2021 Google Meet school year, our methods of getting to know our schoolmates consisted mostly of breakout rooms and slide presentations. While most students stuck to the blank template on the page and filled out each box accordingly, one student stood out above the rest, as Ava Wharton naturally does. Ava Wharton does not fit in boxes. Here is what I learned from her beautifully curated C&C “Get to Know Me” slide presentation: 1) She loves Fall; 2) She’s incredibly creative, and; 3) She’ll be the most impressive person I’ll meet at Enloe. 

Maya Spencer

If you’ve taken a class with or after Ava, her name is sure to come up at least once. Whether it be on student council or student equity team, Ava has made her mark on Enloe’s Walk of Fame.  

“Always excited about work, always excited to come in, always excited to learn new things, always seeking to get more involved, to get to know more people,” says Mr. Barilich, who taught Ava in her freshman year English class and works with her on student council. 

In that way, Ava is a sort of Renaissance Woman. Aside from her journalistic work on the Eagle’s Eye, she is a natural creative writer and a poet. When she’s not writing, she’s an academic, and the kind of person who will study and also make you want to study. Whether the class is science, history, or English, Ava knows what’s going on. When she’s not in school, you may find her on the field doing outdoor track, or on the volleyball court. Maybe you’ll find her at Andia’s Ice Cream, serving up something outrageously extra and equally fantastic, which, frankly, should be Ava’s motto. Throughout it all, Ava’s success has been more than luck. While her aptitude for brilliance may come by nature, it’s her consistent dedication, passion, and grind that has gotten her where she is today. 

“She’s very strong-willed, very determined, she knows what she wants… she’s a go getter,” says Noah Colvin, four-year friend of Ava Wharton. 

Many call her, “an inspiration” or “someone to look up to.” Through her Student Equity club and her time on student council, Ava has made her impact on Enloe, and now she’s ready to be a Tarheel and make her mark at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for the next 4 years. As a Chuck Stone Scholar at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, Ava’s work in journalism and advocacy for minorities in organizations such as Justice for Black Girls and the Beautiful project will combine. In her announcement on Instagram, Ava wrote, “From my beginnings as a Black girl navigating educational spaces with a passion for storytelling to an unapologetic advocate for change, this step marks the fulfillment of so many dreams.” Now that UNC has Ava Wharton on their campus, it’s pretty obvious which NC school really reigns supreme. 

One of Ava’s most unique attributes is her music taste.  Ava lets her music move her emotionally and spiritually. As she said on one of her iconic Instagram posts “Literally anything Lauryn Hill will make me emotional.” Rarely does a day go by without a word about Beyoncé, and rarely does a playlist go by without a SZA feature. 

What makes Ava truly special is her character. It takes only one conversation to know that Ava is a thoughtful person – she takes time to be considerate of her words, and attentive to yours. Ava sees you. She addresses you. Never will a class period go by without Ava asking how you are doing.

“Not a lot of people will ask you about your weekend or your day and genuinely want to know…I can always count on her to check up on me as a person,” says Paige Farely about Ava. 

While her reputation awards her a sort of reverence, Ava remains a kind, funny, and charming human being. If she walks in the room, everyone knows it’s about to be a good time. Maybe it’s her positive demeanor, or slew of pop-culture references, but Ava is simply someone you want to be around and hear from. There’s always something to learn from her. With everything and everyone it is clear that Ava deeply cares.

Ava is a testament to the value of an artistic soul in a logical world, and all the different ways creativity grows into innovation and action. She is both the dreamer and the maker of change, both societally and personally. If talking with her once is bound to teach you something, knowing her will change your life. Ava Wharton is always in bloom, always improving, in a constant state of becoming. It’s hard to say goodbye, but isn’t it so exciting to dream of all that she could be. 

“You’ve really left a mark on me, and definitely other people at Enloe.” – Aeiress Stancill

*Alexa, Play Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers