Alice Ball

Hello! My name is Alice Ball. When I was a little girl, I loved science. It felt like being a magician! I loved mixing things together to see what would happen. My family loved to learn and take pictures. They taught me to be curious about the world and to always ask questions.

When I grew up, I went to school on a beautiful, sunny island called Hawaii. I became a science teacher there! It was so much fun working in a big laboratory with bottles and tubes. While I was there, I learned that some people on the island had a sickness that made them very sad and lonely. They had to live away from their families. I really wanted to help them.

I knew about a special oil from a plant that might help the sick people, but it was tricky to use. In my lab, I worked very, very hard. I mixed and tested things carefully. I figured out a secret way to turn the oil into a medicine that could really work! My new medicine helped thousands of sick people feel better so they could go home and hug their families again. It made me so happy to see them smile.

I lived to be 24 years old. Even though my life was short, I was so happy I could use my love of science to help so many people. Today, people remember me for my important discovery and for showing that anyone, no matter who they are, can use their ideas to change the world for the better.