The wind whistles through the lush greenery surrounding the temple hidden in the depths of a valley. Birds sound in the forest, their sharp twitters breaking the peaceful silence emanating from the environment. Rhythmic sounds, of practice and perfecting, echo out the windows of the grand structure. Taking in the peaceful nature and ambience, Joe Li (12) stands on the steps of Okinawa temple, the birthplace of karate. 

Traveling halfway across the world to explore a passion is no easy feat, and yet, through determination and planning, Joe managed to do it. On a trip he took last summer to Japan, Joe got the opportunity to learn under the masters of karate, some of whom had trained under the creator of this martial art.

Having started karate from a young age, Joe has pursued the sport tenaciously. Though mostly known as a physical sport, karate is also a mental discipline, a fact that Joe values and sees as reasoning for his decision to take an independent study trip to Okinawa. 

“A lot of it is physical, like repeating or practicing a move,” Joe said. “Every time you repeat it, you gain more discipline and perseverance. I think that’s a pretty cliché thing, but I do really enjoy that.”

Karate has been a constant in his life, and after spending years studying the art form, Joe realized he did not fully understand the meaning and significance of it. He decided that he needed to learn more about the actual history behind the movements and consistent repetition.

“If I stayed here, I wouldn’t get challenged,” Joe said. “That challenge is what essentially motivated me to travel. I traveled without my parents and with zero connections in Okinawa. I had to figure out my way with very little knowledge of where I was going, only a goal.”

Whilst he was in Okinawa, Joe explored various sites, exploring as much as he could and truly appreciating the culture that surrounded him. Although he wasn’t able to speak Japanese, the locals welcomed him in.

“They were very kind to me,” Joe said. “They would invite me to their houses for dinner, and I was able to have these very deep conversations with them that allowed me to learn about and explore the overall culture as someone who barely speaks Japanese. I was able to connect with these different strangers who basically helped me whenever I needed, and I really liked that.” 

Being surrounded by foreign artwork and literature truly enhanced the experience for Joe, as he was able to listen to stories about philosophy, karate’s impact on Japanese dynasties and grandmasters’ personal experiences with karate who had lived through World War 2 in Japan.

“I have this mindset of actively seeking out new opportunities, and never getting complacent,” Joe said. “I’ve done martial arts for 14 years, but I’m still traveling halfway across the world to seek out new opportunities. I realized that this active pursuit of knowledge, and just constantly searching for a spark of interest is incredibly motivating.”

Upper school mathematics teacher Dr. Victor Adler, who has taught Joe in a variety of courses spanning his sophomore and junior years, observes Joe’s growth in mindset over his high school years. 

“He’s a brilliant thinker and a tenacious problem solver. He doesn’t give up whenever he’s faced with a challenging problem. Especially coming out of Covid, he’s definitely become more vocal, speaking out more and asking questions.”

The active pursuit of knowledge greatly comes into play in Joe’s life. As president of the programming club, Joe faces many bugs and errors in code on a daily basis, especially in his endeavors with computer science. Consistent with his tenacity, he aspires to solve all of them. 

“When you develop that perseverance and discipline, especially in problem solving, it’s that mindset that if you’re given a problem, no matter what you’re going to solve, no matter how difficult it is: you have that motivation to always seek out that solution,” Joe said.

Joe didn’t start off with advanced computational techniques, however. In the beginning, it was just the Harker Programming Invitational, which he participated in after thinking it sounded interesting. Afterwards, his curiosity propelled him to delve deeper into the world of programming, eventually leading him to his current place today as the president of Harker programming club. Aniketh Tummala (12), a close friend of Joe’s since he came to Harker, immediately identified Joe’s relentless nature in solving coding problems. 

“Throughout the entire time I’ve known him, once he sets his mind on something, he’ll get it done,” Aniketh said.

Joe’s friends also rely on him for useful advice and new perspectives on problems. Close friend Gautam Bhooma (12) has known him since sixth grade and values his opinion highly. 

“I’d always come to him with my questions if I needed advice,” Gautam said. “Should I do x, or should I really apply to this college or not? Sometimes you need another perspective, and I always found his perspective one of the most valuable ones.” 

In his curiosity to explore various ideas and problems, Joe has developed immensely in both his pursuits of karate and programming. His love of learning is infectious, and he wishes to spread it to others, because of the impact that his inquisitive nature has had on his high school and life experience.

“I really do want to organize competitions like the Harker Programming Invitational because I think back to how much it’s impacted me and how they’ve developed my interest so much,” Joe said. “And now, I just want to spread that same interest to other people who are just trying to try and get into programming.”