Standing in front of a class of young children, teaching them about computer science, Sahil Jain (12) basks in his element. Whether it’s through acting out the role of Karel J. Robot to help his class understand the directions in their code or walking through buggy code one-on-one with a student, Sahil tries to teach as much as possible, to incentivize the students to learn the code and engage with computer science.

Looking back, Sahil recalled a time in his early childhood when his father brought home an old computer.

“I was just like clicking around the keys, and I thought that was also pretty cool,” Sahil said. “I had this intense fascination with computers even when I was like three, and I didn’t know what computers actually did.“

As Sahil has grown, so too has his view of computers. He’s researched the utilization of computer science in multiple different fields and established a nonprofit called CodingForAll that provides underprivileged children with opportunities to form a strong foundation in STEM. 

Sahil already had a true passion for computer science, inspired by his father, who had come from a very poor area of India and, through dedicated hard work and computer science, rose all the way to become a successful entrepreneur in the Bay Area. 

“From the very beginning, I knew how powerful the subject of computer science really is,” Sahil said. “Like I’ve seen from my dad’s story, computer science can actually transform these underprivileged children’s lives first hand. By learning this subject which is in such high demand in the industry now, they can actually get a chance to escape the poverty cycle. So I think from that I kind of grew inspired to actually help like children similar to how my dad was back in India, and found this organization for underprivileged children.”

Of course, Sahil faced many challenges. As the eighth-grade head of an organization that would rely on high-school volunteers to help and teach, encouraging these volunteers to listen and cooperate was perhaps the greatest hurdle. 

“I remember [that] a lot of these people would immediately demand positions, even without doing any work. And I would consider myself a little bit of a pushover in the beginning, because I just didn’t really know how to operate a company. I didn’t know how to be a leader. So I would just immediately grant positions,” Sahil said.

Over time, however, as he taught classes and learned how to incentivize students with videogame focused lessons, small prizes and other such gimmicks, Sahil started to gain confidence in his abilities as not only a teacher but also a leader. He didn’t immediately become confident, but through this gradual process of teaching and learning Sahil eventually became able to stand his ground against the sorts of people who tried to push him over.

Anu Datar, who taught Sahil in the AP Computer Science with Data Structures and the Advanced Topics in Computer Science Compilers and Interpreters courses, witnessed this process of growth firsthand.

“[In] freshman year he was a very shy, quiet student, he seemed like an introvert at that time — he rarely spoke unless he was called upon,” Datar said. “And then by sophomore year he had blossomed into a confident young man. He had opinions, he would raise his hand whenever questions were asked. Senior year Sahil was very different, and he is much more in charge of his life. He knows exactly what he wants to do.”

Sahil’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. In tenth grade, he and his friend Arjun Akkiraju (12) founded a startup. Their company, A to N, attempted to create a product that could transform pieces of audio into bulleted notes. It didn’t come together.

“I think what we eventually realized was that, as high schoolers, simply didn’t have all those sorts of skills, like the technical skills, or like the marketing expertise required to actually build out the entire product and actually launch a successful startup,” Sahil said.

He took this failure as a learning opportunity and became inspired to seek further understanding of computer science and the process of entrepreneurship. This year he’s partnered with Arjun to start a company in the Incubator class. The company, QUP, seeks to eliminate the hassle of in-person waiting in line.

“[Sahil’s] personality is such that it makes working with him a lot of fun,” Arjun said. “Even when things aren’t going our way, he’s still able to bring the positives out of the situation and kind of make it a good time for all of us, even when we’re struggling. So that’s something that really keeps us going.”

This lighthearted attitude, taking minds off of the stresses and worries of the day, is something Sahil actively tries to bring with him, and something his friends appreciate. Anthony Xu (12), one of Sahil’s close friends, describes him as “bouncy” and “full of energy,” brightening everyone’s mood even when they’re faced with crises like college apps.

“[I feel best about myself] when I make successful jokes around my friends,” Sahil said. “Because most of my jokes fail — which is fine, that  gets its own laughs as well — but when I finally hit that right joke is when it feels most satisfying.”