Kind-hearted and creative, Elika Harsh is always in tune. In tune with her art, her music, but maybe most importantly, in tune with the world around her. Taking inspiration from nature’s constant adaptation, Elika knows where she’s going, yet, is without fear of deviating from the path.
For Elika, her desire to understand the world around her has crept into her studies. She is a part of Enloe’s International Baccalaureate Program, which has a curriculum known for its global focus. According to Elika, “the biggest thing about IB that makes it really special is how all of your classes relate to one another.”
Yet, Elika understands the value of the IB experience stretches beyond the academics. “IB kind of connects everyone,” she noted. “Everyone merges together socially.”
In support of her worldly studies, Elika is a part of French Honor Society, which seeks to promote the French language and culture experience for Enloe students. Joining French Honor Society her junior year, Elika has since become Community Service Chair, playing a role in bringing the French community to Enloe.
Studying French seemed like an obvious move for Elika, driven by her study of the French-influenced dance form of ballet. “Ballet is really special, and dance in general, because it’s really good at helping you find yourself and gain confidence,” she explained. “[Ballet]’s really just about your own personal progress and how you apply what you learn and carry yourself on stage.”
But ballet isn’t all solo. As Elika put it, all the time spent together means becoming close with the people you share the stage with: “You dance together a lot, so you have to really be in tune with the other people.”
Another big community for Elika is TriM, Enloe’s music honor society. Since freshman year, Elika has been a member of Enloe’s TriM, and currently resides as Logistics Manager. Members of TriM perform music with others and share their talents through services such as performing for retirement homes. Elika recognizes TriM as a motivating yet social community, noting that it allows her to “[form] groups with new people.”
TriM is not Elika’s only musical display, as she is also involved in Enloe’s choral department. First discovering chorus in sixth grade, Elika likes the challenge of sight reading, or singing from sheet music unseen before, without preparation. She says, “[Sight reading] teaches you a lot about music in general, and how to read it … I think you learn the songs better when you read them that way.” But even more than the process, Elika is drawn to the community. “I really like how it’s all about making music with others, and getting to connect with other people and do something that you love.”
Rather than just singing, Elika also likes to put her voice to paper, particularly through poetry. Elika finds herself drawn to poetry because it “is a really diverse way to express yourself.” As the Enloe Literary Organization’s poetry editor, she noted, “There’s a lot of different things you can do. And so I like seeing what direction people take their poetry.”
Elika’s desire to share creativity with others is not just self-proclaimed, but felt by those around her. “[Elika] has a real genuine want to help people and do things and like the things she does, especially the art she does. It’s coming from a place of genuine want to create something,” said Elika’s longtime friend Laura Kohli. “She has a lot of passion for what she does.”
In discussing her own writing, Elika said, “I feel like, for me, it’s a way to express how I’m feeling using objects or symbols versus just straight out saying it. And a lot of the things I’ve written about are nature themes or objects that are in our human society.” She sees writing and music as a way to share “specific moments of the human experience I feel, or things like emotions that we all feel, but we don’t know how to put into words.”
The theme of human society is not just in Elika’s writing, but also in her future aspirations. While not yet set in stone, Elika hopes to pursue a major in geography or urban planning.
“I really like designing spaces and places for people to be,” noted Elika, leaning to urban planning. For her, a big part of city planning is incorporating more green space, but more importantly, a public space for people to live comfortably.
With not just her own future but a larger picture in mind, Elika would like to “preserve the culture and the history of that specific place, while also working on ways for [cities] to exist in this century in a more sustainable way.”
Elika has left her mark on the Enloe community, cementing friendships along the way. “She’s really fun and whimsical,” recalled Laura. “She’s made me a smarter person … She’s made me a more carefree person. She’s taught me the importance of being there for your friends, showing up for them, even if it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.”
You don’t have to read Elika’s resume to understand her creativity, her empathy, or her sharp perception of the world. These qualities are evident upon first meeting her, and only grow with time.
