Photo: Chris Emeott
One student is a leader in the arts, science and sustainable initiatives.
At just 17, Woodbury’s Alyssa Wang is making an impact that stretches from science labs to art galleries—and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. A junior at East Ridge High School (ERHS), Alyssa is navigating a schedule full of art competitions, leadership roles, science fairs and swim practices. For her, the balance between STEM and the arts isn’t a contradiction—it’s essential. “Both help foster different skills for life,” Alyssa says.
One of the key leadership roles for this member of the ERHS Class of 2027 is for the school’s Sustainability Club. At Woodbury Days, Alyssa and her fellow club members had set up a booth to meet the community. “We were able to connect with different community members, and we promoted the Food Scraps Pickup program, which is basically composting at home,” Alyssa says. The program is run by Dakota and Ramsey counties, and Alyssa and her crew were able to recruit more than 70 new members at their booth.
That same spirit of community extends to the school, where Alyssa has led the charge in implementing recycling initiatives by working on a recycling competition throughout the school, and hosting a secondhand prom dress sale, the proceeds of which were donated to fighting food insecurity in the school district. Jim Smokrovich, ERHS principal, says Alyssa exemplifies the spirit of the school. “She shines academically in all areas, but what makes her unique is her ability to capture the full high school experience,” Smokrovich says. “I’m excited to watch her progress through her junior and senior years.”
Alyssa has lived in Woodbury with her family—mom, Ying Zhang, dad, Jason Wang, and younger sister, Victoria Wang, for 14 years. They enjoy the sense of neighborliness and the opportunities for outdoor activities, where Alyssa has learned about the impact of conservation. Alyssa recalls a pivotal fourth-grade field trip: “Our whole grade took a trip to the Mississippi [River]. I noticed there was so much trash just floating around in the river. That’s really when it hit me, and I realized that I really wanted to help protect the environment,” she says.
Alyssa’s biggest passion lies in science research. “I started conducting my own research when I was in ninth grade,” she remembers, after reading an article about the dangers of plastics in the environment. “It introduced some alternatives, like bioplastics, which are degradable, but they also mentioned there were a lot of problems with the current alternatives.” She created bioplastics out of mango peels, with the potential to reduce fruit waste going to landfills. For another project, she created an edible coating, made from orange peels, for fruits and vegetables that could extend their shelf life by 50 percent and ward off foodborne diseases.
Stephanie Harberts, ERHS science department chair, is one of Alyssa’s mentors and cheerleaders. “Alyssa is one of the most inquisitive and empathetic students I have ever taught in AP Biology,” Harberts says. “She asks tough questions, explores new ideas and expresses herself in unique ways.”
Photo: Alyssa Wang
Those questions and explorations have taken her to competitive stages. Alyssa has attended the International Science and Engineering Fair, a competition for more than 1,800 middle and high school students worldwide; only 20 Minnesota students are typically selected. She’s also published two peer-reviewed papers and won gold at the GENIUS Olympiad Competition in New York. She says she’s learned a lot from competing in science fairs. “My first time doing it, I was really scared, but I found that all the judges are really nice,” Alyssa says. “My favorite thing was just being able to talk to them, because they always share interesting things.”
Alyssa Wang’s biggest passion is scientific research. Stephanie Harbets, East Ridge High School science department chair and Alyssa’s mentor, says Alyssa is one of the most inquisitive students she’s had the pleasure to teach. Photos: Chris Emeott
Ying remembers the early signs of science love. “Alyssa showed a strong interest in science from early on,” she says. “When she was very little, we took her to the Science Museum of Minnesota often. Her favorite place in the museum was where you could put a lab coat on and do some hands-on activities.”
But science is only half the story. Art is woven deeply into Alyssa’s life. “Typically, I do sketching with graphite, but I also have done watercolor and acrylic,” she says. She works on realistic drawings, illustrating people or things from her life—a recent frequent subject is Victoria. Alyssa tries to devote several hours every Sunday to her art. “They do take a while, since I go back and look and see something that’s not right,” she says with a smile. “I just finished an acrylic that took me four months—that’s 12 to 15 Sundays.”
Art is a huge inspiration for Alyssa Wang, who enjoys sketching with graphite as well as acrylic and watercolor paints.
As with science, she’s sharing her artistic talents, too. She’s been a winner and finalist at the Minnesota State Fair and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. “I was also a runner-up for the Congressional Art Competition, so my artwork is currently displayed in Representative Betty McCollum’s St. Paul office.” Alyssa writes, too—she likes flash fiction (very short stories) that build suspense “or humorous stories that can make people laugh,” she says. “Creative writing helps me express my ideas.” Like many writers, she was a reader first and counts Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians as an early favorite series.
Alyssa Wang is a Minnesota State Fair and Scholastic Art and Writing Awards finalist and winner; additionally, she is a runner-up in the Congressional Art Competition. Alyssa’s work is displayed in Representative Betty McCollum’s office.
“We are very proud of Alyssa,” Jason says. “She cares about things she’s doing, she cares about the people around her and she cares about the community she lives in. She advocates for the policies that reflect her values and beliefs.”
Alyssa says she’ll likely major in a STEM field when college beckons, but she’s exploring her options. “That’s why I’m taking all the science classes available at East Ridge,” she says. “Maybe I’ll do a minor in art because I don’t want to give up my hobbies.”
Although it’s pretty clear to anyone around her that Alyssa will go on to great things, it’s also clear that—between science fair projects and sketching sessions—she’s not waiting until college to make her mark.
