About

Eden Wilson is a kid on a quest to prove that there’s nothing she can’t do. Before she could walk, she was frightening passersby in the grocery store with her command of the English language. She started first grade at three, and has been devouring books since then. She got second place in her class spelling bee, and learned at an early age that she did not like to lose. When given the option to send her to a fourth grade class the next year or homeschool her, her parents opted for homeschool, where she continued reading and studying at her own pace.

When she ran out of books on her own bookshelf, she moved on to her oldest brother’s bookshelf. When her standardized testing reports identified learning objectives four grade levels above her actual grade, she tested for entry into Johns Hopkins Center for Gifted and Talented Youth, and received high honors based on her scores. She was in the top 30 percent of those who qualified for the program.

After learning about one of her favorite women of the Italian Renaissance period, she was determined to become a modern day Renaissance girl. Eden tries anything. She is a rtfierce competitor, even if the activity is outside of her natural ability. Known more for her intellect than her athleticism, the girl who struggled to walk now snow skis, does indoor rock climbing, attempted soccer and tennis (with varying degrees of success), taught herself to swim, and most recently, in response to being told that she “can’t run,” she joined the city’s track team.

Eden knows that she can stretch her brain to learn and remember almost anything, so her next obstacle is to master her body. She went from last place in her races to second place, and was less than an inch shy of becoming a long jump All-American by the time she competed at nationals. Before tackling track, she danced for seven years, dancing in multiple stage performances with The Washington Ballet’s Studio Company. After playing violin at the Levine School of Music for three years, she felt that since she could read music, she could continue learning on her own, giving her time to pursue African Dance and Jazz.

After being told that she wasn’t flexible enough for ballet, she refocused her efforts on a new sport that would incorporate her dance training and allow her to show off her flexibility, rhythmic gymnastics. She is learning Spanish, but decided that she would also learn Russian so that she could speak to her coaches in their native language. She also hopes that one day she will be the first African American to represent the USA in rhythmic gymnastics. She has traveled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos making a point to do her favorite yoga poses at each beach she visits. Her goal is to pose in Rome.

Eden is writing a children’s mystery novel, so that she can add “author” to her list of accomplishments. A serial entrepreneur, she is always on the lookout for new ways to profit from her talents. She learned to sew, and went from making accessories and makeup bags as gifts, to becoming a supplier for another friend who has her own business. Her ability to memorize, focus, and take direction has allowed her to earn money by helping her mother with her blog, as a model and actress. A parody video she starred in was featured on Huffington Post, and won a Voices of the Year award in 2016.

Always the self-starter, and not one to let grass grow under her feet, she is working on a line of inspirational t-shirts and accessories for girls, that she plans to launch this year. She will likely build her own website. She’s learning to code, and has started golf lessons. She says, “every future CEO should know how to play golf.”

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