Faces of Service: Alex
“The Student Volunteer Army (SVA) caught my attention because it offers a unique blend of community support and personal growth. It aligns perfectly with my belief that even small contributions can help build something larger for society. Not only can I record and reflect on the impact I’ve made through my hours, but I also have the chance to be part of a community that inspires and uplifts each other. The shiny badges may seem small, but they represent something much bigger, a reminder that every step we take, no matter how small, contributes to a collective effort to make the world a better place.
When I was in Year 9, my interest in astronomy deepened during a science class. Many of my classmates found the topic challenging, which inspired me to create an app to make learning about planets fun and engaging for younger students. That’s how my app, Little Planets, was born. The app helps kids place planets in the correct order, making the learning process much more enjoyable.
I was fortunate enough to win Apple’s Swift Student Challenge with Little Planets, it is a highly prestigious competition with 350 winners across all student developers around the globe. It is a milestone that reflects both my knowledge in coding and astronomy but also my passion for volunteering. I’m also very grateful to be a council member of the Auckland Astronomical Society, where I continue to learn from and contribute to our community. Additionally, I’ve been a mentor for young astronomers at the society for the past two years, which is one of the reasons I created Little Planets. In addition to this, I funded my high school’s astronomy club, where we regularly explore various astronomical topics. And Little Planets could be a helpful resource for my club. Knowing that Stardome has integrated the app into their education program is incredibly rewarding, as it helps young visitors, my Young Astronomers Group, and members of my high school astronomy club explore the wonders of the universe.
In May this year, I was sponsored by Auckland Astronomical Society to attend the RASNZ conference, where I had the opportunity to share my app during a presentation. I mentioned how I donated Little Planets to Stardome, and this caught the attention of Fireballs Aotearoa. They approached me to create an app dedicated to their mission because they recognized that their original website had many areas for improvement. They knew that Little Planets was well made and impactful, and they wanted me to develop an app that would assist their researchers to find meteorites easier. I happily agreed to develop because they gave me the power to assist people in NZ to find meteorites which could potentially help scientists in a discovery I thought this is a great idea to assist the general public to find a meteorite too therefore, my app will be on the App Store in the future. This new app will enable users to see real-time images of meteors captured by cameras and even take their own photos of meteors with iOS devices. I’m also collaborating with ESA to receive data on incoming meteors, allowing users to point in the direction of an incoming meteor and record it. They’ll enjoy their beautiful meteor photo while also supporting scientific research.
So, does volunteering truly have nothing in return? In fact, the rewards might not be material, but they are real. Whether it’s just making your best friend’s day to creating a lasting impact in the world, you’re creating an impact. What you get back from volunteering could be far more valuable than what you give. And you have the power to be that person to create and make a great difference for our society, one step at a time.”