Corals of pink, green and brown shades dot the sandy seabed, swinging back and forth as fish of all shapes and colors dash in and out of hidden crevices. Hundreds of miniscule air bubbles emerge from the regulator with every breath as Nika Lebedev (12) measures the length of a piece of coral and quickly jots down a number on her writing slate before continuing on. 

Nika began scuba diving at the age of 13 under the guidance of her father, who also scuba dives. To prepare for her first certification, she tediously studied the assembly, function and uses for different pieces of scuba gear and familiarized herself with basic procedures. During spring break that same year, she traveled to Hawaii, where she received official certification.

In her junior year, Nika became certified as a rescue diver in Monterey, which required her to learn how to perform CPR. This year, she’s aiming for divemaster, a qualification that will allow her to teach other people how to scuba dive and lead dive groups. What Nika cherishes the most about scuba diving is the vibrant marine environment and surreal sensations.

“Scuba diving is a lot of excitement, like being in a giant aquarium, and your senses are also different,” Nika said. “Here on Earth, on land, we have a lot of different ways to perceive space and sound, but it’s all very different underwater because the sound gets mixed up. Above water, it’s a lot easier to distinguish between noises. You can’t tell that apart easily underwater.” 

Scuba diving has taught Nika to be bold and to focus on what she wants to do rather than how others perceive her. In her four years of high school, Nika’s dedication and appreciation for marine science has grown tremendously. Alisa Grebin (12), who has shared many classes with Nika since lower school, described how Nika’s interest in marine biology has developed from middle school through her senior year. 

“Marine biology was something that she liked from the beginning, but it was just a passion or a hobby,” Alisa said. “Now it’s something that she genuinely wants to do [in the future], and Nika decided on just pursuing that.”

In sophomore year, Nika interned at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, where she measured coral growth and identified diseases within the coral population of Bermuda. Scuba diving has enabled her to experience the wonders of marine biology first hand, rather than just learning about it in the classroom. For her work, she not only spends time outdoors but also utilizes her knowledge of math and statistics to analyze data. During experiments, Nika first collects data underwater and then translates the numbers into observations and correlations, a research style she finds extremely “satisfying.”

Her research expeditions have also offered her the opportunity to swim with sea life. She recalled the time when a sea lion began circling around her and blowing bubbles in the kelp forests off Catalina Island, 4,000 feet beneath the surface of the sea. She described the playful animal as “a puppy with really sharp teeth.” Aside from lighthearted moments like these, Nika also hopes to push her limits in diving and develop persistence and tenacity, as she aspires to pursue a career in marine biology in the future. 

“Animals are definitely a part of the reason why I want to be a marine biologist but also to test myself,” Nika said. “It’s always a challenge planning a dive, as you obviously don’t go in somewhere and just jump in the water. It involves a lot of work, but it’s rewarding in the end.”

Being a dive guide also requires a calm and focused mind. Developed through her many hours of training, Nika applies patience and composure to scuba diving, necessary virtues when leading groups of people while underwater.

“Being a divemaster teaching classes, you need to deal with people who are incompetent, or people who aren’t paying attention,” Nika said. “Keeping a level head in stressful situations is really important.”

Upper school biology teacher Anita Chetty, who taught Nika during the AP Biology summer course, commended her for stepping out of her comfort zone and quickly adapting to unfamiliar circumstances.

“When I met her, she was a little tentative, and maybe a little nervous about taking AP biology because of the reputation it has of being a tough class,” Chetty said. “She’s grown a lot. She’s very content in her own skin and very comfortable to be who she is. For a senior, she’s just so relaxed.”

Among her friends, Nika never hides how she’s feeling and isn’t embarrassed or afraid to express herself. Ava Arasan (12) has known Nika since kindergarten and grew close with her through Spanish class in middle school. She admires Nika’s carefree attitude and enthusiasm.

“Whenever there would be socials and dances, it was really easy to enjoy time with her because she wouldn’t be afraid of what other people thought if we’re out here dancing and screaming the lyrics,” Ava said. “She’s very open minded and doesn’t get caught up in how other people might perceive her, which makes it really fun to be around her because you can just purely enjoy things.”

Within Nika’s life, the motto “to be, rather than to seem” resonates with her deeply. Instead of hiding behind a masquerade, she strives to improve in every situation, whether others notice or not. Regardless of others’ opinions, Nika remains steadfast in her journey towards being a marine scientist.

“If you’re actually something, you actually have those skills,” Nika said. “But, if everybody just thinks that you have that ability, you don’t have it inside of you. You’re always going to feel like you’re not enough. If you truly know that you can do something, you’re going to have the confidence to succeed.”