The bell rings. Students hurriedly stream out of the computer science classroom. Amid the bustle, one student remains seated. Oblivious to the fact that she was the only one left, Tanisha Singh (12) fixates on an intricate program displayed on her computer screen, resolute to achieve the idea conceived in her mind.

Tanisha first stepped foot into the world of computer science in a third grade class that exposed her to basic programming concepts, such as Python and internet safety. Years later, in seventh grade, her interest reignited as she began experimenting with CSS, JavaScript and HTML, developing a genuine fascination for computer science.

“I just really remember staying in the computer science room for a long time after class,” Tanisha said. “My teacher would be telling me, ‘Tanisha, you need to get out soon’. Once I was in that constant zone of concentration, I could never leave. If I had a vision for what I wanted to create, I had to keep going until I got that vision fulfilled. That still exists for me to this day. I just knew in high school, I wanted to continue with that feeling of being able to create things and focus.”

Tanisha finds immense satisfaction in the creative possibilities that computer science offers. She believes that mastering programming offers the ability to bring virtually any idea to life.

“I just like the flexibility computer science gives you,” Tanisha said. “It’s like in fiction writing, you can just conjure up something you want to create and put that into actual implementation just by having mastery over the language you’re using. It also has a vast array of applications. I could never live my life avoiding computer science. You can create service level websites. You can go into machine learning.”

Much like her appreciation for the boundless realm of computer science, Tanisha found herself drawn to creative writing for its capacity to explore limitless topics outside of ordinary life circumstances. She discovered this interest in middle school during a creative writing class, expanding beyond her previous experiences with independent writing.

“I enjoy the ability to conjure up a world without rules that bound us in this world,” Tanisha said. “I like exploring the possibilities of such a world where people would interact how you’d imagine normal people to interact but with a completely different set of rules and a different way of life.”

With her newfound interest in writing, she delved into literature in hopes of refining her own craft. She draws from a diverse range of authors and applies elements of their styles to her own literary works.

“I like being able to peek into the mind of an author and see how they ramble or put together their own storyline,” Tanisha said. “I can also just learn from them. Sometimes you’ll come across really interesting tidbits that are unrelated to fiction writing that you can learn from. I actually have a document of such things.”

While Tanisha feels that person to person interactions form her values the most, she feels as though fictional writing provides her with a safe space to think through her thoughts and perspectives independently.

“I feel that interacting with other human beings really shaped me as a person,” Tanisha said. “Fiction writing gives me an avenue to explore and muse on my own. Maybe it did help me shape certain perspectives, either politically or in terms of how human beings should interact. So, perhaps fiction writing shaped my perspective there. But again, I feel like that’s nothing that you can’t develop just by talking to other human beings.”

Driven by her value for social interactions, Tanisha gravitated toward the world of business and entrepreneurship upon entering high school. She views her participation in business programs as a gateway to fully explore her interests in the realm. 

“I love interacting with people, so being able to participate in DECA and these various business opportunities in Harker has really helped me focus more on honing those skills and understanding what I want to do,” Tanisha said. “I want to have that ability of choice and self selection in what I actually want to create instead of just working on the projects I’m told to work on.”

Close friend Anika Maji, who met Tanisha in sophomore year during a yoga class after school, appreciates her lively energy and attentiveness. She finds unique qualities in Tanisha’s character, through both the ways that she expresses herself and her considerate nature.

“She’s very energetic and eccentric but in a good way,” Anika said. “The things she says are very unique to her. She’s also very eloquent because  she’s also a writer, so the way she forms sentences and the way she talks is very compelling. Despite her being a very outgoing and talkative person, she’s also a pretty good listener. Whenever I’m talking to her about something, I just feel that she gives me her full attention, which is also something that’s pretty rare.”

Tanisha’s peers also recognize her positive attitude in the face of adversity. Close friend Trisha Ayer (12) highlights Tanisha’s ability to maintain equanimity and resilience during challenging circumstances, even when obstacles stand in her journey.

“Tanisha’s very optimistic,” Trisha said. “I’ve never really seen her upset. She’s always neutral to positive and very cheerful in her everyday interactions. I’ve seen her deal with some tough situations. She always stays graceful under pressure, which I really admire, and I don’t know how she manages it.”

Beyond deriving enjoyment from her pursuits, Tanisha embraces a belief that there’s always something to look forward to, and she chooses to approach her daily interactions and interests with positivity. Her outlook remains consistently hopeful and confident as she gazes toward the future.

“I’ve always considered myself an optimist; I’ve never been able to find reasons to not be happy,” Tanisha said. “If you just approach everything with that mentality of either ‘there’s something I look forward to that is a positive outcome,’ or ‘there’s something positive I can do to remedy the situation,’ it’s very difficult to feel upset.”