Whenever or wherever help is needed, Ashley Bull can be counted on.
“Ashley is quite the kid,” said Walnut Grove Secondary vice-principal Jim Darby.
“She is always ready to pitch in and help out whenever an extra pair of hands is needed.”
The Grade 12 student was honoured as the recipient of the 2012 Pete Swensson outstanding community youth award on Thursday night.
She beat out six other outstanding nominees from high schools throughout Langley and Aldergrove.
The list included Darryl Brown (Aldergrove Community Secondary), Joel Kleingeltink (Langley Christian), Maddie Millsip (Langley Secondary), Haley Nickel (Langley Fundamental), Lexi Niiranen (D.W. Poppy) and Michael Pratt (Brookswood).
The award is in recognition of a student’s athletic, scholastic and community efforts.
Some of Bull’s volunteer exploits include coaching field lacrosse, both in Langley and Maple Ridge, serving as a senior member of Walnut Grove’s GQ (Gator Quality) Ambassador Program, which helps Grade 8 students transition into high school, helping the school’s Humanitarian Club, volunteering at a local soup kitchen, and working as a crew member at the RockRidge Young Life Camp.
She is also an honour roll student, one of Canada’s top female field lacrosse players — she represented her country at the U19 field lacrosse championships in 2011 as a 16-year-old — and is off to Buffalo in the fall on an athletic scholarship to Canisius College. 
For Bull, she just loves the feeling of helping others.
“It is a good feeling, the feeling of knowing you have helped someone in a time of darkness for them,” she described.
With the Humanitarian Club, the students help out at Friends Langley Vineyard.
The students prepare soup, set up the tables and chairs, and then serve whomever happens to come in the downtown Langley church.
“You see them (homeless) outside and wonder what their story is,” Bull said.
“It is good to see them come in and forget about all that and experience some help.”
While not an official member of the Humanitarian Club, Bull said she likes what the club stands for.
“They put themselves forward to help the community,” Bull said.
“And they don’t expect anything from it, they just want to see good things happen.”
“If you tell her something needs to be done, she gets it done,” said Julia Bryant-Taneda, who taught Bull last year and is also involved in running the Humanitarian Club.
“She is a very hard-working girl and has very high expectations for herself.”
Bryant-Taneda also described the 17-year-old as having a great sense of humor, witty and charming and perceptive.
“She is a critical thinker, a sharp, astute young lady,” the teacher added.
When not volunteering in the community or playing field lacrosse, school plays a central role in Bull’s life.
“I have loved my time at Walnut Grove,” she said. “It has been amazing.”
Bull played on the school’s basketball team and after playing volleyball for her first couple of years of high school, she shifted from playing to volunteering her time, whether it be as a scorekeeper, or some other task which needs completing.
During her spare at school, it is not uncommon for Bull to wander into a classroom and help out the teachers.
“Right from Grade 8, she has been one of those kids that everyone really enjoys having around the school and in classes,” Darby said.
“She is really personable and is a positive-outlook type of kid as well.”
Bull has her sights set on becoming a PE teacher and coach at the high school level.