Menomonie Optimists Name Youth of the Month

By David K. Williams

An outstanding Dunn County high school student, Ashley Slupe of Menomonie

High School was honored as the Menomonie Optimist Club Youth of the Month

for May.

Ashley Slupe is the daughter of Angie and Greg Slupe and has been a three

sport athlete at Menomonie High School, lettering in tennis, hockey, and soccer.

She provided team leadership as captain for both the tennis and hockey teams

this past year. Ashley earned all-conference recognition in hockey. She has

served the Student Council throughout her high school years and is secretary of

that body. Ashley also has served on the LINK leadership program, which helps

mentor new students to the school each year. Ashley has also been a member

of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, she traveled on a mission trip

for her church to Mexico. Ashley’s favorite classes are in the sciences and

health-related courses. She plans to attend Lawrence University to major in

biology and play on the Vikings’ hockey team.

An interesting note is that Ashley’s father, Greg Slupe, was himself honored as a

Youth of the Month during his earlier high school career in Menomonie.

In addition to honoring Youth of the Month, the Menomonie Optimists conduct

work projects with local students each year at Hoffman Hills State Recreation

Area, have in the past provided dictionaries to every third-grade student in Dunn

County, and host the Menomin Meander, a family-friendly and totally free bike

ride around Menomonie’s Lake Menomin Loop each August.