TOWAMENCIN-“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Almost everyone has heard this iconic Gandhi quote at some point or another, but very few can say that it fundamentally changed their world view.

North Penn Junior Ansh Sharma is one of those few.

Sharma first heard the quote from his tennis coach, Frank Green, two years ago, during a time when he was feeling burnt out and unsure about his tennis future.

“For the first time ever in my life, my coach, Coach Frank Green, comes up to me and he says ‘Ansh, put away your tennis racquets, we’re gonna go sit down, and we’re gonna talk about what your future in this sport is gonna be like,’” reflected Sharma.

Playing tennis every day for years had become mentally tiring for Sharma, so getting the opportunity to have an honest conversation with Green was very beneficial.

“He was the first person that I’ve ever been able to just talk to—talk to freely about what I needed and what I wanted to do in the future for tennis,” said Sharma.

Saying that Sharma took Coach Green’s words of wisdom to heart would be a complete understatement.

“He told me, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’ That quote was amazing, so I looked it up and saw that it was from Gandhi. For all my speeches, for all my leadership activities and any speech I have had to give, I’ve been using that same quote. It really hits hard that a person can change, but you have to be motivated and put in the effort to change what your life is like at this moment. You’re gonna have to make some kind of sacrifices; you’re gonna have to make very hard choices, and sometimes it’s gonna hurt really bad. Sometimes you’ll have to move on, but whatever you do, you have to make sure that you’re doing it for a better future,” voiced Sharma.

Green is just one of a number of coaches that have helped Sharma obtain a multitude of tennis accolades since he started competing with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) when he was seven.

“I am a competitive person. I love the fact that every weekend, I can go out and let loose my want for first place. My want to be the best. At the high school for the past two years, I have been named MVP for our boys tennis team. I was also named the District and State player of the Year in the USTA. In 9th grade, I made it to States with Frank Yanni—the first time in over 15 years a NP team has gone to States,” expressed Sharma.

This year, Sharma is one of the boys tennis captains, and plans to return to States along with the rest of the team.

“This year, I want to help my entire team make it to States. I want to make sure that I can support my team, lead my team since I am one of the captains, and help them win the Leagues, which we won two years ago,” added Sharma.

Sharma’s leadership instincts and abilities go far beyond tennis as he is heavily involved in SGA, NHS, FBLA, and Key Club.

“Where all of it started, it being the passion and interest in school politics, came from when I was elected as NJHS President at Penndale. When I was President, I had the power to make real differences and real change in our community and other communities,” said Sharma.

Sharma’s experiences since 9th grade have made it clear to him how easy it can be to make an impact on the North Penn community and the world.

“The experiences I have had just since 9th grade, and how far I’ve gotten, have made me believe that I can make an actual difference when I am in the position to. I believe that I can make a difference wherever I go by bringing in new ideas to our school and our district,” expressed Sharma.

“I was not interested in politics or speaking out and sharing my beliefs with anyone until I got into NJHS and I saw the different things going on at my school and around the world, and I wanted a platform where I could actually make some kind of difference and solve real world problems. The best way I felt I could do that was by being in a position such as NJHS Preisdent, so I just went for it,” elaborated Sharma.

Sharma is also the Student Representative on the Education/Community/Policy Committee, which gives him the opportunity to interact with members of the School Board and educators from across the district, and give his opinion on district decisions.

“On the ECP, I am able to give new ideas of what the students here want, what the teachers need, or what they want but can’t say to the School Board. They tell me and then I can bring it up to the Committee,” voiced Sharma.

Sharma has also been involved with the International Spring Festival for the past two years, which has allowed him to network and to form connections within the local political world.

“So I get to go to all different political fundraisers to publicize the event, meet new contacts, see what I can do for my future, which really helps with the plans that I have for my academic future.

“The recent Brian Fitzpatrick fundraiser that I attended is one of tens that I have been a part of over the past year or so, because there are just so many different fundraisers that I get invited to. With connections I’ve made through the ISF, I have actually gotten unpaid internships with different Senators/Representatives in Harrisburg and Washington,” remarked Sharma.

Just this past Tuesday, in fact, Sharma spent the day in Harrisburg, shadowing State Senator Bob Mensch (R-24).

As for the future, Sharma plans to major in Law in order to solidify the basics he will need for a potential political career down the road.

“I will definitely be pursuing at least a minor in PoliSci or Public Policy, but for a major I am definitely thinking Law. My eyes are definitely set on different colleges such as Stanford, West Point, UPenn, Columbia; all the high profile law schools you could say,” said Sharma.

As skilled and passionate as he is at tennis, Sharma feels that his ability to enter politics and make a difference in the world is the more fulfilling and appropriate career path.

“Truthfully, I think the farthest I’ll go [in tennis] competitively is college. I don’t want to make a career out of it because I believe that I can actually make real change,” concluded Sharma.