Who am I?
Hi! My name is Ashley Cook. I am a high school student at Freestyle Academy and Mountain View High school. I am a very ambitious, confident, and determined person and no matter the circumstances I will always have a forward mindset and a smile on my face. Growing up in Austin Texas, I was always drawn to music due to my surroundings. I moved to Mountain View California during covid 2021 and really got in my groove of music.I am a musician of all sorts whether it is through jazz, heavy metal, or even progressive rock. Music is a crucial part of who I am because it has been in my blood ever since I was 6. When I am not busy performing across the Bay Area or jamming out in my bedroom, I occupy my time with my other hobby of film making. Film making was brought to my attention when I joined Freestyle Academy and from that point on I could never live without it.
What are my core values?
Everybody is unique and has their own perspective of life. Core values play an important role in shaping one’s identity and future. A core value of mine that I strongly believe in is relationships. Who am I if it isn’t for the people I hang out with? Relationships with friends and family are so important to me because they are always there to support me or when I need a shoulder to lean on. Not only is the emotional aspect and important value of mine, but also the connections. If there is one thing in life that has helped me get to where I am today it is through connections. Forming bonds and relationships with many people of all backgrounds and lifestyles has helped introduce me to so many new opportunities and people. Because of the emotional and connection aspects of relationships, that is why it is my core value in life.
What are my passions?
Music is and always will be my biggest passion because it has always been there for me. I feel my most confident and best whenever I play music and it has helped me with my darkest moments in life. I play the synthesizer, piano, sing, and guitar. Through this passion, I have gained so many fun and new opportunities such as performing all across the Bay Area and even in the music festival “Summerfest” in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
Why did I join Freestyle?
I chose to become a Freestyle student because I felt like it was where I belonged. The normal school curriculum didn’t speak to me and I felt like I didn’t fit. Freestyle was a place for me to explore so much art and creativity and allow me to expand my creative freedom. Not only the fun artistic opportunities drew me to Freestyle, but also the people. The teachers, students, everyone is a big family and I wanted to be part of it so bad.