Founder, Principal at Prairie Seeds Academy Remembered as ‘Visionary,’ Dies of COVID-19

Staff and students at Prairie Seeds Academy in Brooklyn Park are mourning the loss of one of their own after the principal and co-founder passed away from COVID-19.

Choua Lee Yang, 53, passed away Oct. 9 after a month-long battle with the disease. Yang immigrated from Laos to America in 1978. Her colleagues say she was a pillar in the community.

“There’s a lot of mourning. She was very close to all of us, said Brody Derks, Prairie Seeds Academy education leader.

Prairie Seeds Principal Wanted Students to be Proud of Their Culture

Yang was a wife and a mother of five. Although, some might say she was a mom to hundreds of children. Yang and her husband founded and built Prairie Seeds Academy in 2004 and then relocated the Hmong Charter school to Brooklyn Park in 2009.

“She believed in all the students, making sure from kindergarten to 12th grade that they got the best education they could and instilling critical thinkers and also having students respect their culture,” explained Derks.

Choua Yang, principal at Prairie Seeds Academy, dies after long battle with COVID-19.

Because of COVID-19, students and staff have been participating in virtual learning.

Brody Derks said Yang followed all the social distancing guidelines and was very careful to keep staff and students safe.

“We want to take this pandemic seriously. The fact that we moved into distance learning represents just how we view this, and we want to make sure everyone remains safe,” Derks said.

Yang leaves behind a long legacy. Colleagues say she will be remembered as a “visionary” and “dedicated educator.”

Brooklyn Park