Allison Trujillo Strong is from Union City, New Jersey.
Her great-grandfather, who died in the 1940s, made his living in Colombia by writing poetry, an activity in which Strong herself developed a strong interest and connection to him.
Strong grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and spoke only Spanish until an incident in a store.
As Strong explains, "A woman yelled at my mother and told her that she should be ashamed of herself for not teaching me English, since I'd need it in school...From that point on, she only spoke to me in English.
But once I got to high school, I decided to throw myself into the English as a Second Language program and took Spanish classes with all of the kids who had just come to this country, and it forced me to learn."

At age 7, her mother, Patricia Trujillo, addressed Strong's shyness by enrolling her in acting classes at the John Harms Center for the Arts (now the Bergen Performing Arts Center) in Englewood.
From grades 1 - 8, Strong attended Woodrow Wilson School (now known as Sara M. Gilmore), an arts-integrated school in Weehawken, where she studied drama under Joseph D. Conklin.

Strong began her singing career in the contest circuit at age 9, when she won New Jersey Network (NJN)'s Hispanic Youth Showcase with the first show tune she ever learned, "Much More" from The Fantasticks.
She would go on to win that competition three times, later hosting an Emmy-winning show for the channel.
At age 10, Strong joined the Park Players of Union City, an acting troupe based out of Union City's Park Performing Arts Center.
She received professional vocal training, and learned to sing opera, eventually becoming member of the Metropolitan Opera Children's Chorus.

In November 2001, 11-year-old Strong was selected from more than 2,000 entries and 10 finalists as the winner of Oscar Mayer's second Concurso Cantando Hasta La Fama ("Sing for the Fame") contest, in which she sang the brand's jingle in Spanish.
Her victory earned her the opportunity to appear in a national Oscar Mayer commercial and $20,000 toward her college fund.

Her first lead role was at age 12 as Dorothy Gale in her school's production of The Wizard of Oz.
The same year she appeared in the Metropolitan Opera's Carmen.

By age 13 Strong appeared in the Park Players' May 20, 2004 production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, her fifth production with the Park Players.
That same year Strong was one of 48 participants selected statewide for NJPAC's sixth annual Summer Youth Performance Workshop Showcase program, which features the state's most gifted performing arts students.

On April 7 and 8, 2006, Strong, while a sophomore at Union Hill High School, appeared in the school's production of Annie Get Your Gun.

On March 27, 2008, Strong won the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition, a contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, in which students recited and performed poems of their choosing.
Strong beat over 5,000 students from 44 high schools and one home-schooled student.
Strong earned $1,500 in scholarship and awards, and praise from the judges, who noted, "Strong elegantly relates the mounting tone from astute humor to quiet triumph."
Strong's performance of the William Shakespeare sonnet “My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun” appears as the fifth segment of a DVD compilation of the 2006 – 2007 finals that was released that November for schools and teachers.

In June 2008, Strong graduated from high school, where she was that school's final salutatorian before it was converted to Union Hill Middle School.
Following graduation, she attended the Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where she majored in musical theater.

In September 2008, Strong participated in the NEA's Sixth Annual Poetry Pavilion at the National Book Festival.
On March 28 and April 5, 2009 she played Jo March in a production of Little Women at the Studio Playhouse in Montclair, New Jersey.
Allison Trujillo Strong is from Union City, New Jersey. Her great-grandfather, who died in the 1940s, made his living in Colombia by writing poetry, an activity in which Strong herself developed a strong interest and connection to him. Strong grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and spoke only Spanish until an incident in a store. As Strong explains, "A woman yelled at my mother and told her that she should be ashamed of herself for not teaching me English, since I'd need it in school...From that point on, she only spoke to me in English. But once I got to high school, I decided to throw myself into the English as a Second Language program and took Spanish classes with all of the kids who had just come to this country, and it forced me to learn."
At age 7, her mother, Patricia Trujillo, addressed Strong's shyness by enrolling her in acting classes at the John Harms Center for the Arts (now the Bergen Performing Arts Center) in Englewood. From grades 1 - 8, Strong attended Woodrow Wilson School (now known as Sara M. Gilmore), an arts-integrated school in Weehawken, where she studied drama under Joseph D. Conklin.
Strong began her singing career in the contest circuit at age 9, when she won New Jersey Network (NJN)'s Hispanic Youth Showcase with the first show tune she ever learned, "Much More" from The Fantasticks. She would go on to win that competition three times, later hosting an Emmy-winning show for the channel. At age 10, Strong joined the Park Players of Union City, an acting troupe based out of Union City's Park Performing Arts Center. She received professional vocal training, and learned to sing opera, eventually becoming member of the Metropolitan Opera Children's Chorus.
In November 2001, 11-year-old Strong was selected from more than 2,000 entries and 10 finalists as the winner of Oscar Mayer's second Concurso Cantando Hasta La Fama ("Sing for the Fame") contest, in which she sang the brand's jingle in Spanish. Her victory earned her the opportunity to appear in a national Oscar Mayer commercial and $20,000 toward her college fund.
Her first lead role was at age 12 as Dorothy Gale in her school's production of The Wizard of Oz. The same year she appeared in the Metropolitan Opera's Carmen.
By age 13 Strong appeared in the Park Players' May 20, 2004 production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, her fifth production with the Park Players. That same year Strong was one of 48 participants selected statewide for NJPAC's sixth annual Summer Youth Performance Workshop Showcase program, which features the state's most gifted performing arts students.
On April 7 and 8, 2006, Strong, while a sophomore at Union Hill High School, appeared in the school's production of Annie Get Your Gun.
On March 27, 2008, Strong won the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition, a contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation, in which students recited and performed poems of their choosing. Strong beat over 5,000 students from 44 high schools and one home-schooled student. Strong earned $1,500 in scholarship and awards, and praise from the judges, who noted, "Strong elegantly relates the mounting tone from astute humor to quiet triumph." Strong's performance of the William Shakespeare sonnet “My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun” appears as the fifth segment of a DVD compilation of the 2006 – 2007 finals that was released that November for schools and teachers.
In June 2008, Strong graduated from high school, where she was that school's final salutatorian before it was converted to Union Hill Middle School. Following graduation, she attended the Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where she majored in musical theater.
In September 2008, Strong participated in the NEA's Sixth Annual Poetry Pavilion at the National Book Festival. On March 28 and April 5, 2009 she played Jo March in a production of Little Women at the Studio Playhouse in Montclair, New Jersey.
Allison Strong