Independent and innovative. Creative and collaborative. With these qualities, whether it be through music, medicine or other mediums, Johnathan Mo (12) brings his best effort and energy to everything he does. As his time at Harker approaches an end, he hopes to leave a legacy of love, helping others find their own journeys through life.

Johnathan himself found community within Jazz Band. Johnathan’s musical experience spans most of his life, from initially picking up the recorder in elementary school to later switching to play the clarinet and saxophone. Of all the instruments he’s played, Johnathan enjoys saxophone the most, a key part of his involvement in middle school and high school Jazz Band.

Full of collaboration and cohesion, playing in a band necessitates unity, with each member making an integral contribution to the final piece. Sometimes, though, the spotlight shifts onto a singular individual, their music elevated through a solo. In such opportunities, Johnathan adds his personal and creative touch, developed through years of experience.

“At first, soloing is really scary, to improvise in front of everybody,” Johnathan said. “As you learn how to keep in mind the fundamental chord changes and key signatures, you have your own freedom over the notes. Playing the melody that you create is a fun way to express myself.”

While improvising a segment in front of a crowd may feel intimidating to some, Johnathan has grown to embrace the experience. When performing solos, he adds his own originality to the music, experimenting with new tones and melodies. This mentality of creating something new and making an impact later inspired Johnathan’s interest in medicine.

After joining Medical Club in ninth grade, Johnathan encountered a community of medicine-loving students who helped further his interest in the field. As co-president of the club this year, Johnathan has taken on the logistical challenges of the club, planning meetings and conducting outreach. In his work, he hopes to give others a glimpse of the medical world. One step Johnathan took to advance this goal was establishing a program connecting students to professionals in the field. 

“While talking to doctors through a program that I set up, I learned a lot about the advice that they had to give,” Johnathan said. “A lot of it was about going at your own pace and being kind to others. I’ve tried to incorporate that into my own life by being more conscious of going at my own pace.”

This conscientiousness of Johnathan often captures the admiration of his friends such as Brian Chen (12), who recognized Johnathan’s hard working and caring nature.

“Johnathan likes to see things in a positive, funny way,” Brian said. “He also knows how to make you feel comfortable. He really cares about how people feel, and if he [notices] that you aren’t feeling so well or that someone is uncomfortable, he really wants to make everybody feel the best.”

Whenever conversations get awkward, Johnathan knows how to think outside the box and offer thoughtful commentary, breathing life back into the discussion. Close friend Alex Lan (12) values Johnathan as a funny and creative person who brightens the mood when talking to anyone.

“He’ll bring something extra to the conversation, for example, a unique way of seeing something,” Alex said. “Usually, it’s a funny way of saying something or any interesting observations.”

Johnathan brings that insight into the events Medical Club hosts. When he and his fellow club members held an event in which they met doctors and learned about their experiences, he sought to connect these experiences with his own life.

 “The fact that through medicine, you’re able to help other people with the work that you do is really inspiring,” Johnathan said. “Being able to combine your own passions and then seeing that pay off in other people’s lives is an added bonus.”

Johnathan’s care and compassion extends past his love for medicine and into his friendships. Close friend Arissa Huda (12) commends his kindness, ascribing it as a defining characteristic of his.

“If anything happens, his first thing to do is to worry about the other person,” Arissa said. “It’s a really sweet trait because a lot of people are very self interested, but that’s not how he is. He just cares a lot about learning, and the combination of the two makes a really good person.”

Serving others with warmth, Johnathan acts as a mentor and friend to many. Whether it be through helping others step into solos within Jazz Band or demonstrating the intricacies of science in Medical Club, Johnathan exhibits his love to his community, paving his own path with care. And so he strives onwards, helping others with his multitude of talents and leaving behind a legacy of love.

“In high school, you see all your friends doing a bunch of different cool things, and you want to compare yourself to them, but a lot of the time, you’re on your own path,” Johnathan said. “Just work on your own skills — that pays off. Focus on what you’re doing and try not to compare yourself to others too much.”