Jada Johnson grew up in Cloquet, Minn., which she calls “a smaller town, but bigger than most.” Even though she says there isn’t a lot to do around Cloquet, Johnson, Ojibwe, stays busy with extracurricular activities. As an added bonus, the organizations Johnson is a part of often allow her to travel beyond her home-town. “I’ve always been involved in things like science fairs and Upward Bound that take me places,” she says.
Science is a big part of her life. Since the seventh grade, Johnson has been doing science projects just for fun. Her current endeavor involves BPS, a sister chemical to BPA. “We found out that BPS has the same types of side effects as BPA,” says Johnson. “The coating on plastic water bottles and certain thermal receipt paper that you touch on a daily basis soaks through your hands and causes issues, especially for women who want to become pregnant or are pregnant, because of the estrogenic feature. The baby inherits their mother’s GI tract, so they have the same problems the mother has.”
After finding out that E. coli has estrogen receptors, and BPS mimics the hormone estrogen, Johnson and her science fair partner decided to extract the BPS from thermal receipt paper and test it on E. coli. They also added probiotics to the equation to get a better overall understanding of the GI tract.
“I’ve always found it very interesting and different,” says Johnson of her scientific studies. This particular project, which combines health issues and microbiology, has helped inspire Johnson’s plans for the future. She eventually wants to have a career in the medical field.
Johnson is a 2017 graduate of Cloquet Senior High School, and during her senior year she was heavily involved with science fairs as well as Upward Bound, a college preparatory program. Johnson says that both programs influenced her future in a number of ways. She participated in science fair nationals as an alternate this year, and during her sophomore year she attended the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Upward Bound at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., has helped Johnson plan for college and stay on track and involved over the summer.
Johnson is grateful for her parents, teachers, and mentors, who have helped her along the path to success. “My parents have always pushed me to do the best that I could possibly do,” she says. “My teacher Dr. Cindy Welsh has been a very heavy influence on my science projects and being a part of science fairs.”
Of course, above all, Johnson has herself to thank for her accomplishments. “I’m very persistent, and I do not procrastinate,” she says. “I always do things to the best of my ability. I never like to quit on things — that’s just how I’ve always been.” In addition to her current passions, Johnson counts her time involved in the sport of boxing as a learning experience. “It taught me to be a stronger person and to push through things no matter what,” she says.
Johnson is grateful for her parents, teachers, and mentors, who have helped her along the path to success.
Fresh out of high school, Johnson plans to study nursing at the College of St. Scholastica. “I really like kids, and I love helping people,” she says. “I found this out through volunteering and participating in work-study programs over the summer through Essentia Health and at daycare centers around my area.” She is currently taking certified nursing assistant classes as well as clinicals to prepare for her dream career as a nurse practitioner.
As for other students who hope to go to college, Johnson has some helpful advice: “Always ask for help whenever you need it. I used to be very shy, and eventually I was told that I could ask for what I need. So now I always ask as many questions as possible.” Her strategy has clearly paid off. Johnson is eager to find out what her future holds, starting with her plans to attend her dream school and pursue her ideal career. “I’m so excited,” she says.
