ASHTIAN CHATHAM BALANCES TWO WORLDS — AND THRIVES IN BOTH.
A student at Aldine Blanson CTE High School, where she’s pursuing computer programming, Chatham heads across the district to compete for Davis High School track and field — and she’s rewriting the record books when she gets there.
“I’m a very competitive person,” she said. “When I first started, I wasn’t that good — but I wanted to get better. It stuck. My improvement was gradual.”
That steady climb turned into history. Chatham now holds the school records in the 400 and 800 meters, with bigger goals still ahead.
“My goals this year are to also break the school record for the mile.”
Middle-distance racing is as mental as it is physical — something she embraces.
“The 400 and 800 are really about who wants it more at the end,” she said. “It’s about grit.”
What she loves most about track is its simplicity — and its honesty.
“If I do good, it’s because of me. If I do bad, it’s on me too,” she said. “You don’t have to depend on anyone else.”
Make no mistake — she wants to win.
“I like to win. That’s just how I’m built. But I’m not mean competitive.”
Her future includes college track, but her ambitions stretch beyond the oval. At Blanson CTE, she’s immersed in computer programming and sees herself one day becoming a data analyst.
“I’m into computer programming. I see myself being a data analyst,” she said.
The balance isn’t always easy. She’s enrolled in AP and dual-credit classes — a workload that demands discipline.
“It’s very stressful to be in AP classes and dual-credit classes,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like to challenge myself. In the classroom, I try my best.”
Track provides a contrast.
“Blanson is where I go for academics. I come to Davis to do sports. Davis is a breath of fresh air. It’s cool to meet all sorts of different people.”
Off the track, she keeps things light. She plays volleyball with friends, enjoys cooking — and especially eating — and is currently catching up on the anime One Piece.
“I love the fantasy aspect of the genre,” she said. “I love Zoro — he’s always getting lost. I can relate to that.”
Lost? Maybe sometimes. Driven? Always.
Whether she’s chasing a school record, debugging code or grinding through the final stretch of an 800, Ashtian Chatham is proof that competitiveness and curiosity can coexist — and that the finish line is only the beginning.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
