Junior scores high in SAT writing

Imagine a nearly perfect score on the SAT. For many it's a dream, but for one Ridge Spring-Monetta High School junior, it became a reality.

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Allyson Ballard, 16, recently scored 790 out of 800 on the writing portion of the SAT.

"She's a very mature writer, and she brings a lot of experience to her writing - it's very descriptive," said Josie Rodgers, Allyson's teacher in honors English III. "Sometimes that's something that's just innate in a person."

Ms. Rodgers said Allyson's writing is the best she's seen in 13 years of teaching.

"Sometimes it just flows, like I don't have to think about it," Allyson said. "That's how it usually is. Lately, (Ms. Rodgers) got me excited about writing. (That's) inspiring."

Allyson's mother, Shiryl Ballard, said she's glad her daughter's talents include a flair for the arts.

"She's pretty equally left-brained and right-brained, and I'm all left-brained," Ms. Ballard said. "That she can draw as well as she does and write so well just impresses me."

A fan of Alan Dean Foster and J.K. Rowling novels, Allyson said she enjoys drawing ballet dancers and animals and playing with her dogs, Sammy and Manny.

"I found one, and I got the other one from the pound," she said. "I love them - those are my babies."

Allyson, who also scored high on the math and verbal portions of the SAT, said she plans to attend the University of North Carolina and major in psychology, then become a crime profiler.

She said she will always maintain a strong sense of independence. "I really don't act like everybody else. I like to wear fishnets with jeans - you know - that kind of thing."

Reach Nathan Dickinson at (803) 648-1395, ext. 109, or nathan.dickinson@augustachronicle.com.