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Riley Parshall, a recent Westfield High School graduate, says she thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the school’s speech and debate team.
“I adored my time as a debater and as a co-captain,” Parshall says. “I liked the energy best. At every meet, there’s a large room full of hundreds of students in suits, all preparing for their upcoming events. It was high intensity, so everyone was awake, alert, and not afraid to talk to someone new. I also loved the adrenaline after a good debate round.”
Parshall, the Student of the Month, also helps out a lot in the Westfield community.
“I spend a good amount of my time serving for my church and our community,” she says. “I serve weekly in the children’s ministry at Northview Church and at the Grace Care Center food pantry. I also serve in areas that I am exceptionally passionate about, such as encouraging girls in STEM.”
Additionally, Parshall goes to the Hamilton County 4-H electrical workshop annually. There, she teachers elementary age participants how to solder. For three years during her high school career, she ran an electronics station at Westfield’s Girls Rock STEAM program.
When she was at Westfield High School, she was involved in a lot of school activities. They helped her learn how to develop a lot of different skills.
“I was involved with Westfield’s girl’s tennis team, speech and debate, steel pan, and Dance Marathon. I was also an attorney for the mock trial team and a speaker for American Pie.”
Parshall is now a freshman at Purdue University, where she is in the First Year Engineering program.
“I also plan to double major in Spanish,” Parshall says.
Inspiring Mentors
When Parshall was at Westfield High School, she had a lot of teachers who inspired her.
“First, Mr. Gregory Robinson was an incredible mentor, teacher, and coach to me,” Parshall says. “He has taught me to never stop my pursuit of knowledge and that I am fully capable of achieving my goals. I was extremely lucky to have him as a role model during my high school career.
“Next, Mrs. Hasler-Troutman was an unforgettable teacher. She shows her students immense love and care. If I had a difficult day or week, Hache somehow had life advice for the class that made me feel better. She showed every student unconditional motherly love. I aspire to be even more positive and warm, like she is every day.”
Parshall noted that she enjoys the city of Westfield.
“I liked the people the best,” she says. “I made connections with numerous teachers, and I made lifelong friends. I loved the crowd in the student section at football games, and the people I met in clubs and classes.”
Parshall is looking forward to the future.
“I am very excited to carry on what I learned during my time at Westfield at Purdue,” she says. “I plan to get involved in Greek life, clubs such as Model UN, and study hard for Purdue Engineering.”
