Alexis Ebanks
Hi! I’m Alexis “Lexie” Ebanks, a Psychology student at the University of Pennsylvania. I’m passionate about leadership, wellness, and education. In high school, I served as Vice President of Student Government for three years, founded my school’s Kickline Team, and was active in multiple honor societies, orchestra, and more.
I’m the author of STRONG: Building a Healthy Body and Mind, a published children’s book that has reached over 5,000 students across New York. STRONG stands for Strength, Teamwork, Resilience, Optimism, Nutrition, and Growth. The book is part of a larger initiative I created to promote youth wellness. My second published children’s book, Lexie’s Resilient Leap, follows a young girl navigating change and learning to embrace resilience, reinforcing the core values at the heart of my work.
As part of my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I developed a 10-day curriculum to accompany STRONG. It focuses on social-emotional learning and has been implemented in school districts across Long Island. I’ve been a proud Girl Scout for over a decade and have earned the Bronze, Silver, and now Gold Award; the highest honor in Girl Scouting.
Outside of school, I’m a certified Zumba instructor where I teach classes for all ages. I’ve danced my whole life and trained with Joffrey NYC, Eglevsky Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. Dance and fitness have shaped my belief in the connection between movement and mental health.
Music is also a huge part of who I am. I’ve studied piano since age 3, violin since age 6, and viola since age 13. I was also selected to perform with the 2024–2025 Long Island String Festival Association (LISFA) orchestra!
At Penn, I am majoring in Psychology and Communications, with a strong interest in Public Policy, and minoring in Consumer Psychology through Wharton with a focus on Marketing and Advertising. I am also a UPenn Quaker Girl, Philanthropy Chair of Tri Delta, a tutor with the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, and a tour guide through Kite and Key Tour Guide Society.
In October 2025, I was crowned Miss Pennsylvania Teen Volunteer. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allowed me to serve the new state I am proud to call home. During my tenure, I raised over $2,000 for St. Jude through my campaign, promoted my S.E.R.V.E. initiative, STRONG, and competed at the national Miss Teen Volunteer America pageant in March. I was honored to place in the Top 16 and to become the first titleholder from Pennsylvania to do so.
