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Ashton Burzio: Where he is now
Ashton Burzio was awarded the "Clarke Future Leader" award by the Clarke Times-Courier in May 2007 and is now using his leadership skills for a personal effort. Along with his mother, Cathy, he is planning PB's Rock 'n Run, a music event and run to help raise funds in memory of his sister, Pauline, who died April 8, 2007, at age 13.
He said he hopes they can enlist several bands to play at one time, "so there is a constant stream of music."
Ashton talked freely of how important music is to the members of his family, explaining that he started playing his dad's trumpet at a very young age when he found it lying around the house.
Holding a cup of steaming coffee at The Daily Grind in Berryville, he recalled his sister's love of all aspects of music. She would sing and play instruments around the house, which he said used to annoy him. Now he describes his sister as having "a real heart of worship."
"She had nothing to praise God about in my eyes," he said. "She definitely knew who she was in Christ, and I didn't learn that until later."
With his first semester at George Mason University past him, Ashton is now focusing on what makes him happy. He planned to major in music, but after looking at the grueling coursework ahead, switched to business management. Instead, he plays several instruments for fun as a music minor. He plays the French horn as a concert instrument and rocks the trumpet in the university's pep band.
He began playing in band in high school under the band director Mark Curry, who eventually nominated Ashton for the future leaders award. Ashton said he likes the feeling of being a part of a group.
“It’s awesome to be something bigger than yourself. We need each other,” he said.
Since dropping the music major, he has found a new sense of camaraderie in the on-campus ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ.
“I really felt I belonged there. I wasn’t looking for peace, but I found it when I was there,” he said.
Still, his focus this semester is the upcoming PB Rock 'n Run. He said he hopes the money from the fund-raiser will help "a special needs child who needs a sum of money for a car or an apartment as they transition out of high school."
The other scholarship, he hopes, will go to someone who desires to pursue a degree in music.
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