Teen combines missions, singing

The United Methodist Church’s Voices of Youth program isn’t just a singing group, said St. Paul UMC choir director Cyndy Elmore.

And Woodbridge resident Ashley Fisher isn’t your typical teenager.

An avid music lover with a sensitivity not commonly found in individuals her age, the 17-year-old Fisher could well be the poster child for this service-oriented program.

Voices of Youth is a summer youth vocal choir that participates in mission work across the nation and abroad, and then shares the experiences via music and testimonies.

Fisher has been to Florida, Mississippi and even Brazil to spread the word of the church. Each time they return from these trips, the group travels across Virginia and sings at various UMC locations.
“She’s just a great gal,” Elmore said. “Not everyone is cut out to do some of those things.”

Fisher said she was a bit nervous the first time she went on a mission. However, she has gained a new perspective on those less fortunate than she. The first trip involved assisting refugee and immigrant communities in southern Florida.

In Brazil, her group helped do manual labor tasks like painting and also spent time playing games with the local children and learning the customs of the people they were assisting.

Most recently, she helped refurbish homes for Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi. Her father, Greg Fisher, said she has always been good with children and that participating in Voices of Youth has given her a newfound confidence and leadership that she lacked in her early teenage years.

To earn a spot in the group, she had to write an essay, have three references and provide an audiotape of her singing.

“We were very excited and proud of her, when we found out she made the cut,” Greg said. “...[The program] built her self esteem to a whole new level. She’s able to define what things are more important [in life].”

St. Paul Youth Director Amy Phillips said most teenagers lost interest in the youth group as they advanced through high school. This hasn’t been the case with Fisher, who serves as the president of the youth council.

“She’s one of the most active attendees,” Phillips said. “When they get older, they sometimes drop out, get cars, get jobs. But she has stayed active and made a point to get more people involved.”

A granddaughter of a cellist in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Fisher said the combination of singing and service was a great mix for her. After spending 10 days working alongside other teenagers, “you basically grow into a huge family” by the time you start singing together, said Fisher.

After her first church-oriented service project in Virginia in 2006, Fisher knew she had discovered her calling. She said she wants to focus on special education after she graduates from Woodbridge High School this spring, and is eyeing both Radford and James Madison University as potential college choices.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is so cool,’” Fisher said of her first foray into service. “I was really compelled to do more after that.”

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.