Senior Saanvi Bhargava sits in her room, practicing different vocal runs for the songs she sings as a member of Downbeat, Harker’s acapella group. Seeking further feedback on her performance, she retrieves her laptop, opens a Chrome extension and begins to sing. The extension records her voice, and after she finishes, she receives a grade and written feedback on her performance.

Saanvi worked on this application for vocal critique during her freshman year after feeling dissatisfied with her progress in singing. Seeking to find a quick, efficient source of feedback, she built her own application to advance her skills. 

“I was looking for different tools that could give me good feedback on my singing, and there’s not much really out there,” Saanvi said. “I found that need and I was able to then explore and create a project that was a Chrome extension that hooked up to sight reading factory.”

Coding captivated Saanvi’s interest for the first time in fifth grade. After learning about the systematic process of creating Punnett Squares, she wondered about the possibility of creating a program to complete squares for her. Since that first programming experience, Saanvi has expanded her love for computer science to intertwine with music. Vocal music teacher Jennifer Sandusky worked extensively with Saanvi through the musical group Downbeat, vividly recalling Saanvi introducing her to this application after she built it. 

“Saanvi is a student who sees a need and decides to fulfill it,” Sandusky said. “She’s thinking about how her peers are learning, and she has this ability to code, so she brought that to the table.” 

Saanvi’s pursuit in the intersection of music and technology led to her founding Beats and Bytes, a club where she explores current tools in AI and music creation alongside her peers. Her love for working with a team manifested in her draw toward guiding those younger than her. Close friend and Downbeat member senior Bhavya Srinivasan emphasizes that Saanvi’s connection with younger performers makes her a crucial component of the musical company.

“She loves helping the younger kids and directing them,” Bhavya said. “She gets to know the sophomores, the underclassmen. A lot of times, Mrs. Sandusky will depend on her to keep track of time and schedule.”

Saanvi’s love for mentoring others has pushed her towards teaching, especially to promote female and nonbinary interest in technology. 

“Teaching is so special to me because a lot of what I learned was self-taught,” Saanvi said. “I always felt like even though I go to such an incredible school, there’s always so much that you can’t learn easily. So equity and access to education is something that’s really important to me.”

As a teacher, Saanvi’s favorite moments occur when students reach out to her after classes, seeking to learn more. She credits these occurrences to her commitment to individually supporting each student in class. Close friend senior Aishani Singh pinpoints Saanvi’s ability to listen as a key quality that allows others to connect with her. 

“Sometimes, when you’re talking to someone, you know that they’re actively listening to you and really absorbing what you’re saying,” Aishani said. “You really get that energy from her — that she’s always going to be there for you.”

Equalizing access to education in technology and STEM also relates to Saanvi’s personal experiences. She recounted a project in which some male peers dismissed her technical abilities, forcing her to prove her capabilities.

“I would go ahead and work on some of the harder components and when they really started seeing that I could do it, they trusted me more,” Saanvi said. “I took the more head-down approach and just focused on my work, but it would have been really useful to have a female mentor there to help me figure out how to navigate that experience.” 

With regards to female voices in STEM, Saanvi emphasizes that women hold every right to an equal treatment in whatever path they choose, and should speak out in unfair situations. 

“Be unapologetic,” Saanvi said. “If you feel like you’re being overlooked, then voice your concern. People might think that you’re just complaining, but if you feel that way, then it’s not just in your head.” 

Such experiences have empowered Saanvi to assert her own path in technology and share that interest with others. Saanvi’s deep-rooted love for her work has manifested in her need to embrace collaboration and constant learning, whether it be through teaching younger students or collaborating with peers in a club. 

“It’s my genuine love for learning in this space,” Saanvi said. “It’s really difficult to find something you enjoy, but when you do, you pursue it to the maximum possible. I really felt that for music and technology.”