In our latest installment of Hometown Pride, we take a look at Crowley ISD Technology Department employee Amy Ashton. Ashton is a 1997 Crowley High School graduate. She also attended Bess Race Elementary and H.F. Stevens Middle School after moving here as a kindergartner in 1984.
Ashton, who started working in the district in 2013 as a paraprofessional in the RISE classroom at Meadowcreek Elementary, excelled in numerous clubs and activities at CHS, including being a four-year varsity letter winner as a member of the drumline in the Mighty Eagle Band. She was also a part of the CHS American Sign Language Club and CHS Science Club.
Ashton’s ties to the district run deep as her wife Trish works in the PEIMS department, while two of her seven children also work in the district. In total, Ashton, who’s stepdad has been the mayor of Crowley for over 20 years, has had four children graduate from Crowley High School, with three more set to join the family as CHS graduates in the next couple of years. She also has a grandchild who attends elementary school in the district.
During her time in Crowley, Ashton, whose family has owned a local flower shop on Main Street since 1995, has seen the district grow like wildflowers.
“The district has changed a lot since I started here. When I was in high school, the city population was about 3,000 and now there are more than 15,000 people in Crowley. They opened the fourth and fifth elementary schools when I was a kid, so by the time I was in sixth grade there were five elementary schools instead of the three that were here when I started kindergarten. We only had one middle school in H.F. Stevens and one high school where we marched 500 kids on the field for marching band. Everyone knew everyone and our graduating class was about 400 students,” said Ashton.
Ashton went on to explain how probably the biggest change to the district during her tenure has been the new state-of-the-art Bill R. Johnson CTE Center. The 210,000 square feet campus hosts 27 career and technical programs of study for students from both high schools, as well as the Crowley Collegiate Academy, Global Prep Academy and dual credit courses. All CTE Programs of Study lead to either an industry certification in that area or college credit.
“The Bill R. Johnson CTE Center was never an option for us growing up and I think it is one of the best things about Crowley ISD. I wish we had the classes and programs that they offer now. All of my adult kids have participated in a CTE program and it has given them so many opportunities that I did not have. That is definitely a big change from when I was in high school,” said Ashton.
Following her time at Crowley High School, she took a couple of years off to work full-time before going back to school to graduate from Tarrant County College in 2012 with an Associate of Arts Degree. She is currently working on her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from Lamar University in Beaumont.
Fast forward to 2022 and Ashton, who begun working in the technology department in 2017, can now be found taking care of facility rentals for all campuses, while also working on textbook inventory.
“Being in the district I grew up in is exciting and close to my heart. Crowley ISD is where my roots are. All of my kids have either graduated or currently attend schools in the district. My only grandchild is also a current student. My roots are the things that hold me here. Crowley ISD is a great district and I am proud to not only be an alum, but also have my children be alums as well. This district will always be my home. Here we work like a team and act like a family,” said Ashton.
If you are a graduate of either high school and would like to be featured in this series, please email information including your high school, graduation year and a photo to news@crowley.k12.tx.us.
