As night fell at the Duke campus, everything was quiet, except for the predictable and rhythmic chirping of the crickets. The iconic Duke chapel stood illuminated, casting a glow against the darkness. Senior Aaron Guo and others participating in the Economics for Leaders program walked around the campus, taking pictures and getting to know each other better. For Aaron, the program served as much more than just an academic opportunity — it acted as a lesson in connecting with others — he didn’t find just two or three people but reached out to a bigger part of the camp of about 30 people.

Aaron’s interest in economics started at the end of freshman year because he wanted to extend his understanding of it. Many patterns he noticed in daily life align with long-established economic trends, so he wanted to learn more about economic policy and how economics centers around balancing individual incentives.

“Effectively balancing individual people’s selfishness through policy can lead to optimal outcomes,” Aaron said. “During this past summer, I had an internship with some local council members and I got to work alongside them and help them draft policies and then see how civic engagement works on at the local level.”

Aaron found economics very intuitive because of its practical applications. He always presented himself as a diligent student through his willingness to answer questions and look at how economics applies to the real world. During his junior year, Aaron decided to sign up for the National Economics Challenge (NEC), spending many months studying. He ended up scoring one of the highest scores, the second highest in the school for the preliminaries.

“Harker sends off three teams to go to the States, but then it turns out by the unfortunate luck of the draw, we were randomly assigned to the group that got the highest scores,” Aaron said. “We got the second highest score but were put with the first highest score. We wanted to compete at a state level, maybe even national level if we got there.”

However, Aaron and his team, not giving up, decided to apply for and compete in the Harvard Pre-College Economics Challenge instead. They qualified for the semifinals, demonstrating their abilities in competitive environments. 

“It was devastating for our group after we found out that we couldn’t go to the NEC,” Aaron said. “But we didn’t let that moment discourage us because we already spent so much time studying. We thought we could take our skills and just go into this next challenge instead because we already studied for it.”

Much like economics, Aaron’s interest in volleyball started when he first was introduced to it in seventh grade. Aaron initially picked it up because of his parents, but he ended up taking an interest in the sport. Aaron remained dedicated to practicing and regularly went to a local elementary school to play outdoors, whether he served against the wall or played with himself. Close friend senior Max Zhai first met Aaron in the summer of sixth grade, and appreciates Aaron’s tenacity in advancing his skills. 

“When I was getting coached with him for volleyball, he was very persistent and did his best to improve,” Max said. “And over the couple of months we had been getting coached, I could see that he improved a lot and I respect the effort that he put in.”

Aaron’s dedication and patience extend beyond volleyball, influencing how he approaches challenges in all areas of life. Whether it’s on the court or in his academic pursuits, Aaron strives to push past obstacles and embrace new opportunities. This mentality is reflected in the way he carries himself. Close friend Alec Zhang appreciates Aaron’s compassion and courage, qualities that have shaped their friendship. 

“I like the way he carries himself,” Alec said. “In middle school, I used to play a lot of bumper pool with him, and he was really competitive. But he was also pretty nice — one of the best players, yet always giving others a chance to play. Now, he’s always confident in what he does. He has a good ego but in a good way since he carries himself with confidence and does things as best as he can.”

Aaron’s growth has been apparent to those around him, not just in his skills or knowledge, but in his character. His confidence and willingness to take on challenges have left a lasting impression on both his friends and teachers. Economics teacher Dean Lizardo taught Aaron in multiple economics classes, noticing his continuous growth when voicing his opinions. 

“He opened up a lot,” Lizardo said. “One of the things that he mentioned to me is that it can be misconstrued as he’s a little bit quiet or reserved. But what I loved about him was that he became very much an active participant and that he was willing to share everything in the subject he’s passionate for. The biggest growth that I’ve seen from him is just his openness and his willingness to put himself out there.”

Whether it’s opening up to new people during his economics summer camp at Duke or putting his all into a new sport he’s never tried before, Aaron consistently rises to the challenge. 

“I didn’t let that setback in qualifying for the National Economics Challenge discourage us because we already spent so much time studying for it,” Aaron said. “We could just take our skills and go into this next challenge instead because it’s really no difference because we already studied for it. That’s what I want to be known for: not backing down to certain challenges or being afraid to try certain things.”