As she pursued her own career in science, Jenny Yan rebooted an opportunity for all students
By Genesis Smith-Lopez
As Jenny Yan opened doors for herself, she also created opportunities for future Riverside science students.
Yan saw science olympiads as an opportunity to learn more about science and connect with others who share the same goals. Science Olympiad teams compete against each other to enforce communication skills and confidence within themselves and their peers and encourage students to carry out their goals and stay motivated even if they find themselves stuck.
“I was really interested in biology and taking honors biology with Mika Twietmeyer,” Yan said. “I thought science olympiads was a great opportunity for everyone.”
Twietmeyer also helped reboot the science olympiads.
“One of Jenny’s most impressive qualities, even as a ninth grader, was that she was willing to ask for help and seek support,” Twietmeyer said. “She would reach out to me with questions about how to run the meetings, how to advertise and recruit, and how to communicate with the team. She listened to what her team members needed and wanted from the club and adapted.”
Yan said the experience taught her more than just science.
“It helped me coordinate with everyone and be a better leader,” she said.
Yan plans to attend Duke University in the fall.
“Right now I’m looking into [studying] biology,” she said. “My main goal is to become a scientist.”
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