July 23, 2025
Alisa Uchaykina: A Girl with Many Talents
By John Myers
by Nazeeha Ahmed
“Stepping out of your comfort zone is the most important thing you need to grow in life,” said Alisa Uchaykina, a 17-year-old Russian-Ukrainian immigrant who currently resides in Brooklyn. Even while just being in the early stages of her life, she has dipped her feet into a variety of passions, including script-writing, volleyball and traveling around the world. For her, trying out new experiences, no matter how difficult they seem, will help create the most memorable experiences.
Alisa described to me a recent event in which she demonstrated many of her creative skills. “Last spring we were doing group projects for a Shakespeare Festival in Manhattan. I ended up doing everything in the group–writing the script, creating the set, designing the costumes, recording, setting up the lighting, working on props and music.” When asked for more details about the project, she explained that it was about a medieval witch, and because she had some experience acting in Russian movies, she got to play the main role. She noted that while it was a lot of work, it was an enjoyable experience for her. She especially liked writing the script and making the props. However, the play had to be written in Shakespearean English–which was less fun.
Just thinking about all the work needed for such a large project makes me dizzy. It includes such a variety of skills, from lighting to soundtracks, each of which requires its own skill set. For Alisa though, forcing her brain out of her comfort zone and into new experiences is exhilarating.
From a young age, Alisa has always been diving head first into new challenges that may seem frightening and impossible. When I interviewed Alisa’s mom, she discussed a competition held back home in Moscow. It was about the war, a very delicate military subject, and was open to anyone between the ages of 7 and 30. Alisa was only in the third grade, but instead of being intimidated, she worked diligently and prepared a presentation that brought the whole hall to shock and tears. After months of waiting for the results, she came in third place, beating out competitors twice her age.
Her mom explained that Alisa loves learning new things from reading books, such as poetry and speech writing. She added, “Her life is full when she is tired and has no time. But when she is alone she is always inspired to create something new.” Alisa is a lively person who seems unwilling to experience a moment of boredom.
Alisa’s talents don’t just rely on creativity though, she also plays sports, particularly volleyball. Alisa got into volleyball in middle school, which she initially disliked and struggled with. She didn’t give up though. She kept practicing and is now on her school’s volleyball team. They made it to the school semifinals last season. Alisa hopes to continue playing volleyball in college.
I was in contact with her best friend Zingping, who reaffirmed those special traits of Alisa’s character. She mentioned that “Alisa’s creativity sparks when she’s thinking. She always comes up with ideas to keep us entertained.” Alisa is working on something, whether it be an assignment or learning a new skill, and she uses it to flourish in her daily life.
Finally, Alisa and her family all love to travel. She described to me a stuffed animal collection, one built by her and her parents over the years from each of the countries they’ve visited. It’s a really impressive array, and they clearly hold a lot of meaning to her. When I ask if she has been with them in any of their travels, she answered, “I’ve been to Russia and Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Finland, among other countries. Traveling has always been their family tradition, and it has led to a lot of new experiences and shared moments.
Alisa shared with me a final piece of advice: “The biggest struggle is to start, and when you do you start to flow and pull yourself in. Sit in your room and let the ideas come to you.” It sounds really handy and helpful, especially on the days when you don’t want to get out of bed.”
