From the time he was a young child, Charlie Clark ’27 has been fascinated by how things work. While most kids were playing with toys, Charlie’s parents would give him old coffee makers, to analyze, disassemble and rebuild. While his parents encouraged his curiosity, his grandfather introduced him to programming on a Raspberry Pi computer, setting the stage for what would become a deep passion for creating, tinkering, and problem-solving.

 

Charlie joined Harley in Grade 8 and throughout his time here he has been able to create experiences that inspire and engage others. In the summer between Grades 8 and 9, he had the opportunity to volunteer with Nick Miller (IT Manager 2021-present). Blending his love of photography and technology, Charlie had the idea of creating a Harley photo booth. It didn’t get much beyond the idea stage, but a couple of years later in his Multimedia Journalism class with Gabe Rivas (Upper School Digital Arts, 2023-present), he learned there was an interest in having a photo booth at the Upper School Homecoming dance. He took his early idea and created a website and developed an app—earning computer science credit in Dr. Rob Selkowitz P ‘37’s (Physics, 2023-present) class along the way. The Homecoming photo booth was a trial run and he discovered some small issues that needed some tweaking, but he tested, retested, and refined the system, eventually using it at Grandparents & Special Friends Day and then at the Harley Handmade Holiday Market. His work not only captured memories for the school community but also showcased his ability to merge technical skill with creativity. His next photo booth offering will be at Candlelight.

 

Charlie’s passion for technology also took him skyward—literally. On his birthday last year, he bought a drone and, as part of an independent study with Art Rothfuss (Digital Media Coordinator, 2016-present), he and a friend documented the beloved Grade 10 Outdoor Ed trip at the Allegheny National Forest. The resulting video became a cherished preview for this year’s Grade 10 class. Earlier this year, Charlie co-founded the Harley Drone Club, recently capturing stunning aerial photos of the campus blanketed in snow.

Charlie’s ingenuity continues, alongside classmates Henry Winchester ’27 and Sol Sohn ’27, with the NASA Hunch competition. Their project—a robot designed to be ejected from a spaceship and survive a free drop landing to capture photos—advanced through three rigorous stages. From sketching preliminary designs to presenting a working prototype at RIT, their robot stood out for its resilience, surviving a 6–8 foot drop when others did not. The team then went to a final showcase of their project in Houston, sharing their work with astronauts and scientists and gaining valuable insight from other teams’ approaches. Building on this experience, Charlie and his team are now involved in this year’s NASA Hunch, developing a biomedical AI assistant to provide remote medical guidance, demonstrating a remarkable commitment to innovation with real-world impact.

Charlie’s achievements—ranging from the photo booth and drone projects to national-level NASA competitions—reflect not only exceptional technical skill but also creativity, perseverance, and a drive to make things better. Like Jason Fishner, Charlie approaches challenges with curiosity, ingenuity, and a collaborative spirit, inspiring his peers and carrying forward a legacy of innovation in STEAM.

Charlie Clark is more than a talented student—he is a young innovator whose work reminds us that the future of technology and creativity is bright, imaginative, and full of possibility.

His journey at Harley has been marked by ingenuity and hands-on problem solving, perfectly embodying the spirit of the Jason M. Fishner Innovation in STEAM Student Award.