At just 17 years old, Amber Wang is making a remarkable impact through her leadership and dedication to serving others. Amber founded Arts for All, a student-led organization that uses creativity to bring comfort and joy to hospital patients. Volunteers at Arts for All create and deliver handmade bracelets, cards, and other crafts to hospital patients facing long-term care or illness. What began as a small volunteer effort has grown into a nationwide initiative with more than 75 volunteers across eight states, reaching thousands of people. Through her work, Amber has shown how one person’s commitment to kindness can spark a movement that inspires others to join in and make a difference.
In this interview, Amber shares what inspired her to start Arts for All, what she’s learned along the way, and how she continues to balance school, sports, and service.
Interview with Amber Wang
What inspired you to start Arts for All?
For nearly five years, I have been volunteering at my local hospital—New Bridge Medical Center. There, I witnessed the emotional challenges and loneliness many long-term care patients endure, part of a broader mental health crisis in hospitals. I wanted to use my hobby of bracelet-making to spread joy to these patients.
What has been the most meaningful part of your work so far?
When I brought the Glen Rock High School choir to perform for the same patients that inspired me to start Arts for All. The choir sang for the patients, and we also made them custom bracelets and cards to keep. Seeing the patients’ smiles made me realize how impactful our work has become. It was a full-circle moment, seeing the patients I’ve always cared about so happy.
What challenges have you faced in building or running Arts for All, and how did you overcome them?
A challenge at first was definitely assigning specific tasks for each role. As president, it was hard not to oversee everything or plan every event. But over time, I’ve learned the power of working as a team. Arts for All has about eight board members, and we all specialize in different tasks—whether social media, website development, outreach, and more. We channel our own strengths, combining to form an effective team that makes a positive difference in our community!
How do you balance volunteering, school, and everything else in your life?
It hasn’t always been easy, but I try to prioritize important deadlines, like a big exam or project, and work on less urgent tasks after. Even with school around, I’ve always tried to dedicate at least a little time to volunteering or working on Arts for All. I’ve learned that small, consistent progress has been very effective.
What advice would you give to other teens who want to make a difference in their community?
Any hobby, passion, or talent can be used to benefit the community around us. I have been making bracelets since I was seven years old and never imagined the small crafts could carry such deep meaning. Today, they are bringing smiles to patients’ faces and making a positive impact on my community.
What’s next for you and for Arts for All?
We are partnering with several Girl Scout troops in our town, organizing events and teaching the girls about community service and volunteering through making art for hospitals. We also have many library events coming up, where we teach kids how to make string bracelets to donate to pediatric hospital units.
How can others get involved or support your organization?
Our Instagram account is @artsforall__ and our website is artsforall.
Conclusion
We love hearing stories from teens like Amber who are having a significant impact in their communities. If you know of a teenager who should be recognized for their achievements, nominate them through our student spotlight form.