Blogging.  Web-designing.  Co-Managing a nonprofit organization. These are all positions or careers that create a challenging existence.  Now imagine doing all three and still making honor roll.  This is the life of 14-year-old freshman Chelsea Sopongwa.

At the young age of three, Chelsea received her first laptop.  To her, it was not just a laptop, but an item that sparked her interests for years to come.  The laptop became a part of her and her success.

The complexity of web design was the trigger that drew Chelsea Sopongwa into this creative area.  When she was in fifth grade, she started with what she calls “easy web-design.  The one that everyone can do.” Her foray into computers and web design grew until her skills became efficient enough to create her own websites.

Chelsea’s mother is in the medical field, but she initially had an interest in computers.  “She really was my boost,” says Chelsea.  “When she recognized I had an interest in computers, she was the one who bought me my first computer.”

Surprisingly, no one else in her family has a computer background.  “No one is a programmer, web-designer or an engineer in my family.  However, half of my family is in the arts field and half of my family is in the science field.  I am part of the science half,” says Chelsea with a laugh.   When asked about the arts side of her personality, Chelsea answers without hesitation, “I hate arts…the idea of web-design is art, but the real idea of it is science.  The worst part for me is the designing part.”

However, as a child, Chelsea’s interests were not only limited to web-design.

“As a kid, I always thought of the lives of other people before my own.  It’s always been that way,” she recalls.

When Chelsea is not immersed in the field of computer science she is the co-manager of a non-profit organization.  In 2005, Chelsea’s father, Sopo Ngwa, created The America for Africa Soccer Foundation “to strive for the promotion of healthy habits and the reduction of poverty and diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria in low-income communities in the United States and Africa through soccer.”   Naturally, Chelsea found her way into working with her father’s organization.  In 2012, Chelsea began working closely with the organization and now plays a major role in the organization as one of its co-managers.  In the future, Chelsea plans to expand it and create an independent education unit for children.  “I got my father’s organization by proving my interest in assisting those in need and showing my commitment to the organization,” she says.

Chelsea’s other interest is blogging.  She loves to “share my personal interests with others who have similar interests or want to be interested in other things.”  According to Chelsea, the blog focuses on “Beauty and All,” which is a combination of personal views, interests, makeup and fashion.

While most of us are balancing school and sports, Chelsea, known as the “Jack of All Trades” by her friends and family, is juggling over four activities including school.

So with web-design, nonprofit work and blogging, how does Chelsea manage her hectic life?

Her daily life is a schedule. At 5:30 in the morning, she gets up to plan what she has to do and get as much work done as she can.  To her, “schoolwork is a priority,” but everything has to have a designated time so her schedule is balanced.  Sometimes when she returns home from school, she finishes her work and then “maybe I do my extracurricular work during my resting time slot,” she says.

Chelsea’s plans for the future?  She has that mapped out too.

“In ten years, success should be the word,” says Chelsea laughing.  I plan to go to Penn State for undergrad and Harvard for med school.  I want to get into the accelerated medicine program and eventually become a doctor.  I was thinking about becoming a cardiologist or a pediatrician, but what really excites me is working under pressure.  I want to be an Emergency Room physician.  Oh, and I also want to own two businesses on the side.”

Chelsea pauses when asked about advice for her peers and the future generations.

“Claim success.  If you want something, YOU have to get it.  Do what you want to do. It really does work — even if it doesn’t work immediately. If you start a goal, make sure to continue to build it.”