Wood has been an Honor Roll Student throughout her entire high school career as well as a Varsity Cheerleader receiving the squad’s Dedication Award her junior year. Ayzjiahna is a Blood Donor Ambassador for the America Red Cross, a proud volunteer of the National Humane Society, and has served as Chapter Officer of HOSA Future Health Professionals of America. She was granted the distinction of Outstanding Academic Achievement at Clearfield High School, has been recognized by the National Society of High School Scholars, named to the National Technical Honor Society, and was also awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award in the Nurse Assistant Program from Davis Technical College. Wood has been interning this year at Ogden Regional Medical Center and is also a Certified Nurse Assistant employed through Nursa Agency. Throughout her high school career, she has not only been practicing her nursing skills in the workplace, but she has also taken advanced medical anatomy, physiology, and biology courses which have allowed her to find a passion for the health field. Wood aspires to become a Nurse Practitioner specializing in dermatology and feels that having a minor in Business will equip her with the skills necessary to expand her small business.
Ayzjiahna is Owner and CEO of BODEM, a company that encourages “Body Embrace” to young women through her specialized haircare product line she formulated and sells in barbershops in central Utah. Her drive to create BODEM stemmed from experiencing racism and discrimination about her appearance, particularly her thick, tightly curled hair throughout elementary and middle school. She spent hours and hours processing and straightening her natural hair to conform to the pressure from those around her. Finally in the ninth grade, Ayzjiahna decided to do the “Big Chop” after many years of damaging her hair and her confidence. The unfortunate experiences during her childhood inspired the creation of BODEM haircare products for damaged hair and allowed her to discover her life’s mission and S.E.R.V.E. Initiative to embrace her individuality and champion women’s diversity, inclusion, and equality. Her initiative educates individuals on Creating and Strengthening a Culture of Inclusion through the 3 C’s: 1) Be Curious—curiosity establishes the foundation of understanding which is necessary to be accepting; 2) Be Courageous—fight against complacency by speaking up when discrimination or harassment occurs and encourage others to do the same; and 3) Be Committed—continually self-reflect to evaluate personal thoughts, internal biases, and intentional practices to strengthen one’s personal commitment to Creating a Culture of Inclusion.
When she isn’t running her business, volunteering, or working toward her educational goals, you can find Ayzjiahna, snowboarding with her father, playing the ukulele, singing her favorite song, or visiting her extended family in the Philippines. She is the youngest of two sisters and a brother, and loves working as a model for her mother’s up-and-coming fashion line, Archie Brown Designs. The Utah-born beauty wore a custom dress designed by her mother for Evening Gown Competition and as she captured the national title.
As the second Miss Teen Volunteer America, Ayzjiahana is excited to spread her S.E.R.V.E. Initiative of “Representation Matters—Creating a Culture of Inclusion” on a national level so she can inspire even more young women like herself to accept their unique physical traits and pursue their dreams
