![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Many students in under-resourced communities face limited opportunities to pursue scientific research due to a lack of funding, mentorship and lab facilities. Opportunity X, a student-led certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Cynthia Chen (’20) and Saint Francis High School alumna Adishree Ghatare, aims to change that. Through school programs, workshops and science fairs, Opportunity X works to expand research access and spark a passion for STEM.
Students in Opportunity X’s school programs conduct in-depth research projects during the second semester of each school year and present their findings at the end of the year in the organization’s annual science fair. Beyond these programs, Opportunity X also hosts an essay contest and a summer bootcamp, offering students multiple avenues to explore and share their passion for STEM.
“When I was younger, around the age of these kids, I had a lot of really good teachers that inspired me to go into science,” student volunteer Tanisha Vaish (10) said. “The fact that I get the chance to do that for someone else is really important to me.”
Student volunteers help young students cultivate a love for science through hands-on experiments in fields like chemistry, biology, physics and engineering. Activities include making volcanoes from hollowed-out lemons using acid-base chemistry and creating ice cream from scratch to explore melting points.
Vice President of Publicity Sophia Zhu (12) finds it rewarding to watch students’ curiosity and interest for science grow through her work.
“My proudest moments were when students that I had taught returned year after year,” Sophia said. “It’s really exciting to see these students be excited in STEM and want to do research. Seeing their eyes light up when they finally understand something is always something I find really exciting because I actually made an impact.”
Since its founding, Opportunity X has expanded its reach across several states and into the international scene, partnering with other non-profit organizations like a BioMedizone chapter in Jamaica. The organization’s annual science fair and summer bootcamp invite students from all backgrounds to showcase their projects, receive feedback from mentors and connect with like-minded peers.
In the long-term, co-president Melody Yin (12) hopes to strengthen Opportunity X’s influence and global reach in the future.
“It’s really awesome that we’re able to connect with so many people around the world,” Melody said. “I’d really love for Opportunity X to continue growing in that way and making these strong partnerships with people.”
Tanisha believes that Opportunity X plays a crucial role in providing everyone with an equal chance to explore their potential in STEM.
“If not us, then who?” Tanisha said. “If people aren’t going out and doing this work and showing children what they can be interested in, who’s going to do that? Someone has to do this, especially if they don’t have the resources at home.”
