"As a kid, I was actually really scared of trying new things,” NY1 Scholar Athlete of the Week Chelsea Xia said. “Violin was actually something I choose for myself, unlike fencing…kind of this insta love situation.”

A love that led Chelsea Xia to perform at the highest level on the stage of Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, winning multiple awards along the way.

From the stage to the strip, Chelsea brings that passion to everything she does, making quite the competitor.

“I’ve fenced junior Olympians and world champions and I haven’t always won, but just the experience of going there and not being afraid to lose has really helped me,” Chelsea said.

And after years of fencing, losing isn’t a common occurrence. As captain, Chelsea led the Hunter College High School fencing team to back-to-back PSAL championships.

With the countless hours of violin and fencing practices, Chelsea is also involved in science research, volunteering, and a full load of homework.

One might wonder how she does it all.

“When I found out she did all these others things, I was blown away because she’s also incredibly humble,” English teacher Lori D’Amico said.

Humility that keeps many from knowing Chelsea spent last summer discovering how to make cancer drugs more effective.

Chelsea believes her talents may be individual but hopes to use them to help others.

“I think she’s just a super woman, to tell you the truth. I just keep seeing things and hearing announcements that she did this and this in science,” music teacher Michael Stratechuk said. “The level of excellence she shows in all these aspects is amazing.”

Like her opponents on the strip, Chelsea is ready to stare down any challenge. For her, it’s not about losing or winning, it’s about coming.

“Fencing means an opportunity to be able to face my fears and confront failure and learn to be okay with failure,” Chelsea said. “That can be applied to all aspects of life.”