It takes a special kind of courage to step away from a firehouse shared by three generations of family and create your own path. Public service is a household tradition for Ava Brighton, freshman in horticulture, and now that legacy is helping fund the next generation’s future.
Brighton, a firefighter cadet from Adrian, Mich., recently received the $2,500 Carl Parsell Scholarship from the Michigan Association of Fire Fighters (MAFF), which will help offset her out-of-state tuition this fall. Jennifer Gomori, a MAFF Editor, said the Carl Parsell Scholarship was created “in honor of MAP, MAFF and MAPE founder Carl Parsell following his passing in 1990, continuing his legacy of improving the lives and futures of others, through education.”
To Gomori, Brighton possessed many traits seen in past scholarship winners. Coming from a long line of determined individuals, Brighton graduated from Sand Creek High School with honors and prepared herself for her future endeavors by working hard within the equestrian industry.
“Ava was a Sand Creek High School Equestrian Team member and a barrel racing instructor on her mother’s horse ranch, teaching youths skills to excel in the sport,” Gomori said. “Working at Diamonds Edge Ranch also helped her learn more about the different aspects of running a business, which is her ultimate career goal.”
With her combination of rodeo experience and hands-on business knowledge, Brighton is prepared for her next steps. After working alongside three generations of her family, she is ready to enter a new field as a collegiate rodeo athlete.
“I’ve been competing in rodeos since I was 12 but have been riding horses from the age of 7,” Brighton said. “I was drawn to Kansas State by visiting my sister here. There were also many opportunities that KSU offered, such as the rodeo team and floral design classes that weren’t available in Michigan.”
Leaving her home state meant stepping away from the local firehouse where she had spent most of her life. Still, the legacy of service she leaves behind in Adrian remains a powerful inspiration to many.
“The Fire Department has always been in my life,” Brighton said. “I always enjoyed the times I spent there and was proud to say my Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncles were heroes. It was very inspiring to me that they made such an impact on the community and to witness all the sacrifices they made just to make someone else’s life better.”
Though leaving behind her tight-knit community to move halfway across the country is a massive adjustment, Brighton knows she isn’t doing it alone.
“I have a great support system back home in Michigan that I know will help me even from 13 hours away,” she said. “My sister has already been such a support. It’s so great to have someone close by who can also help me when I need it.”
While having a sibling nearby provides emotional support, the logistics of two sisters attending an out-of-state university — along with their rodeo horses — present a financial hurdle. This is where the scholarship stepped in to ease the burden.
“Winning the Carl Parsell Scholarship has allowed me to enjoy the transition into college rather than stress about finances,” Brighton said. “It’s already a lot to balance for our family as my sister and I both have horses to care for here on campus, which can become expensive. My family and I are very grateful for having such support.”
With the scholarship mitigating financial pressures, Brighton is free to focus on her passions that brought her to K-State in the first place.
“I discovered my love for flowers at the Lenawee Tech Center,” Brighton said. “The year prior to joining the class, I took the EMT program, and although I learned so many valuable skills, I knew it wasn’t the career for me. At the time I applied for the Horticulture program, I was very involved in FFA. I wasn’t interested in horticulture when I first began the class, but soon fell in love with everything about it. I’m very excited to continue my education in the field of horticulture and floral design.”
As Brighton settles into her freshman year in Manhattan, the Carl Parsell Scholarship will serve as a bridge between her hardworking past and her ambitious future, proving that no matter where life takes her, her family roots will continue to help her grow. While her days of responding to 911 calls in Michigan may be behind her for now, the core values she learned will remain at the heart of her journey.
