The realized dream of admission to Brown University is part of the budding legacy of three consecutive Poly Robotics captains Nyjáh Harrison ’24, Annakaecia Clarke ’25, and Nyla Harriott ’26. The trio will reunite on the Rhode Island campus in fall 2026. Yet their shared college destination is not the result of a single-minded pursuit to attend an elite institution. It is the natural result of something deeper. All three have demonstrated a commitment to process over outcomes, embracing personal and collective growth, and to discovering how to lead in ways that are authentic to who they are.

Director of Robotics and Computer Science Faculty member Kristin Guynn says research affirms that diverse perspectives produce stronger models and better solutions. In Robotics, that belief is embedded in the team’s culture and coding process. Rather than recruiting only students with prior computer science experience, Guynn has cultivated a space where curiosity is the entry point. Each individual member’s strengths contribute to a stronger whole, elevating the team’s programming, engineering, and competitive edge.

Additionally, while each captain has her own leadership style that reflects her individuality and unique gravitation to the program, there are common qualities that unify and underline their successes. They all meet obstacles with resourcefulness, creativity, and strategy and they practice humility and patience in a field defined by constant debugging and iteration. They also define their success not by a single outcome but rather by skills sharpened, goals achieved, and teammates inspired. 

Amanda Volel (AV) interviewed Nyjáh Harrison ’24, Annakaecia Clarke ’25, and Nyla Harriott ’26 on Friday, January 16, in the Robotics lab.

From Poly Prep to Brown University

AV: How does it feel to be back at Poly?

Nyjáh: It feels like stepping back into a bubble of time. 

Annakaecia: I didn’t graduate that long ago, but at the same time it feels like it’s been a long time. It’s nice to be back in a space that I know and around the people with whom I have good relationships.

AV: What’s on your mind in terms of how your perspective has shifted? What are things that are coming to the surface as you’re moving back through the space?

Annakaecia: I feel like when I come in here, all the memories of robotics come back. The late night practices and having fun in this office and in the Maker Space, are some things that I miss.

AV: What are you involved in on campus [at Brown]? What spaces are you really enjoying? What feels new and what feels familiar? 

Nyjáh: I recently joined clubs last semester. I’m on the women’s satire magazine, The Rib. I’m also part of the newspaper for Black voices, the Lac Star Journal. I’m an e-board [governing board] member for the robotics club. It’s a newer club, so it’s like when I joined the robotics team here at Poly.

Annakaecia: I’m part of our African dance team called OCHA. Next semester, I’m planning on joining the game design club that we have with Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design, which is right nearby.

AV: What spaces or experiences at Poly prepared you for all that you’re involved with now? 

Annakaecia: Robotics really strengthened my experience in the classroom. On the team, we constantly had to troubleshoot in real time: identify a problem, brainstorm solutions, and set clear goals with deadlines. That fast-paced collaboration sharpened my problem-solving skills and time management, which has carried directly into my classes.

I also danced throughout my time at Poly, I was on the African Dance Team in Middle School and the Step Team in Upper School. Having that prior dance experience helped me [on the dance team at Brown].

Nyjáh: Having experience with high school robotics has definitely helped me in my college robotics club, especially since not everyone comes in familiar with how competitions work. I already understood the judging process and wrote the documentation for my team. 

Looking back, I sometimes wish I had spent more time on the technical side while I was at Poly. I found a niche in writing because not many people wanted to do it. I’m strong in that area, so I stepped into that role. But, my long-term career interests lean more toward the technical aspects of engineering.

That said, I’ve come to realize that strong writing skills are often underappreciated in engineering. Someone needs to write the reports and make sure that everything looks good. I like having that combination of skills, and I think it’s a desirable position to be in.

AV: What has it been like for the three of you to share this journey through Poly Robotics and now toward Brown? I’d love to hear about your individual experiences on the team, but also the shared history you’ve built together. More broadly, how do you see the network and support system you’ve begun to create—intentionally or unintentionally? And as you reflect on that, what does it mean to be building something that feels historic and legacy-defining, even as it continues to grow?

Nyla: Nyjáh, I remember when you were captain. I really looked up to how well you were able to keep the team in check. We can be a mess sometimes and now that I’m captain too, it’s really powerful to have people like us in that role. There can be communication issues [among the team] or moments [of conflict], and being able to take your own experiences and turn them into leadership is really admirable.

I looked up to you for [those] reasons, but also because I’d known you for so long. We went to Prep for Prep together. I think you were there my first summer. I have this vivid memory of us trying to discuss a song with the rest of our cohort. I don’t even fully remember what it was about, but I remember your face. So when I came to Poly, I was just happy to see a familiar face because I didn’t know many people. It meant a lot to be on the team with you as captain.

Annakaecia: I also really looked up to you [Nyjáh] as a captain. When I found out I was going to be captain the following year, I was worried about whether I’d be able to lead well. But I had that whole year of watching you as an example. You did it so well that it gave me a clear standard and goal for the kind of captain I wanted to be.

When I got to Brown, it felt similar to coming to Poly. I was obviously really nervous. It’s a completely new environment, and you have to build new connections. But I already had you there. I was able to get acquainted with campus before I even arrived, hear about different opportunities, and just feel more prepared. Having you there has been really reassuring.

Nyjáh: Anna [Annakaecia] and I joined the robotics team at the same time, and I think that’s what made us close. We also took the same bus, but robotics is where we really connected.

I think I would have been a lot more afraid to become captain if I hadn’t felt that kind of support on the team. I was comfortable with everyone and I genuinely enjoyed going to practice. When the time came, I felt ready to step up. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to lead as effectively as the captains before me, so it’s nice to hear that I did a good job.

I remember when Nyla joined, and I thought, “Wait, she’s kind of like me,” especially because you do a lot of the management work. I saw a lot of myself in you, and I wanted to make sure you enjoyed it and wanted to stay. Even though I felt comfortable with the older members, I never wanted newer students to feel overlooked. I worried about that a lot, so I’m really glad you stuck with it.

I have friends in the year above me at Brown who did the same thing for me that Anna said I did for her. I’m always happy to pay that forward, whether that’s hanging out on campus or just being there when I can.

AV: My next question is about culture. I’d love to hear your perspective on the culture of the robotics program at Poly, and of Poly overall, and how you would compare that to the culture at Brown.

Nyla: I feel like [Robotics at Poly] it’s a very close-knit community. I’ve met most of my friends on the robotics team, and I’ve noticed that the way we recruit people is basically friends recruiting friends, plus Ms. Guynn going around ‘volun-telling’ people to join the team. That’s what she calls it. I’m really glad she told me to join.

I was already in a bunch of clubs, but I wasn’t really connecting with people. But being in the Maker Space, even outside of practice, it feels like a home away from home. I love that.

Annakaecia: The first year I joined, I wasn’t really planning on it. I was in Ms. Guynn’s Intro to Computer Science class, and one day at lunch she walked up to me, put the signup sheet right in my face, and said, ‘You’re joining.’ And I said, ‘Okay, sure.’

I’m really glad she did, because just like Nyla said, this space has felt like a home to me throughout high school. It was nice to have a place where I could come and feel completely comfortable. And a place to practice after school where everyone is working on something they love. That was really special.

Nyjáh: Yeah, I guess I’m the only one here who didn’t get volun-told by Ms. Guynn. I didn’t meet her until I got here [to Robotics]. It sounded up my alley, even though I hadn’t heard about it before. I actually found out about it through someone I really wanted to be friends with at the time. My freshman year was basically all virtual [due to COVID-19 restrictions], so I started sophomore year pretty behind socially. When my friend told me she was going to the robotics club, I tagged along. She eventually stopped going, but I kept coming.

By the end of sophomore year, I really felt comfortable on the team. I had made a lot of friends and gotten close to people, which was really fun.

Being on the team definitely helped me feel more comfortable at Poly as a whole. I’d say Poly and Brown are pretty similar in terms of student vibes. Both are predominantly white institutions and supposedly liberal-leaning, so in that way, they feel alike. You care about your school and your work, but you also want to have fun. Culture-wise, Brown feels very similar to Poly: it’s kind of like Poly, just bigger. That’s my opinion.

Applying with Purpose: Advice For College Apps

AV: Now that the three of you have gone through the full college application process, what advice would you offer to students coming after you? What do you think is most important for students to keep in mind as they imagine themselves at their future colleges? 

Annakaecia: One value that I really stick by is finding what you’re passionate about and being proud of it. For a long time, I had been someone who always focused on my grades and looking good on paper. But within the college admissions process, it’s really important to know what you like, be able to express it to others, and have that be something you genuinely enjoy outside of your college classes.

Nyjáh: I would say if you don’t like a school’s culture, it doesn’t matter how prestigious it is. That said, I’d be a hypocrite to say prestige doesn’t matter at all. I’m going to an Ivy League school. When I was applying, I mostly focused on top schools. I don’t necessarily think that’s the best approach.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be an engineer, and Brown isn’t particularly known for engineering. But what drew me in was the culture. Some schools known for engineering just wouldn’t have been a good fit for me socially. I think visiting campuses is extremely important. You can’t really envision yourself somewhere from afar. Sure, there are limits, but the visit to Brown, even though it was a hassle, was worth it. If travel is difficult, do as much research as possible beforehand: scour Reddit, Instagram, and hear from real students. You want to know the vibes on campus.

Beyond prestige and academics, make sure the school offers the major you want and that it’s strong in that area. But also consider flexibility; when I first got in, I was stronger in humanities than in tech. I had also applied to Georgia Tech, which is highly focused on engineering, but I didn’t get in. Even if I had, I would’ve been limited if I later wanted to switch fields.

For me, Brown offered an all-around experience I really liked. Going somewhere you enjoy, even if it’s not strictly for your intended major, is really important. Culture, vibes, Greek life, sports—these are all things to consider, not just rankings.

Nyla: My advice is just to let it happen. You can be strategic about where you apply, but if you don’t get in somewhere, it just means you’ll get in somewhere else. There’s no way you won’t find a good fit.

For me, ironically, I’d never actually been to Brown before applying [Early Decision] ED. I spoke with my admissions officer and attended some of their Zoom meetings about different initiatives, and I realized it’s a very well-rounded school. It felt like the right fit [because I could continue to] pursue visual arts [like] I do [now] at Poly. 

It’s about having a strategy and a support system to help you, making sure you’re not applying to too many schools at once, and being clear about what you want to pursue before you actually get to college.

AV: As you reflect on this new stage of your lives, what message would you want to share with Black girls at Poly? Thinking about your younger selves, what would you say to her, to them, now?

Annakaecia: The number one thing is genuinely believing in yourself. Even if you think there’s a big chance you won’t accomplish whatever you’re aiming for, just go out and try anyway.

In robotics, I often struggled with imposter syndrome, and I still do, especially being a person of color and a woman in computer science. But I really like what I do, so I just keep doing it anyway.

When I applied to Brown, the admission rate was around 5%, and I thought, ‘There’s a big chance I won’t get in.’ But it was my top choice, so I applied ED and decided that whatever happened, happened. Even though I wasn’t sure I had a real chance, I did it anyway, and it worked out.

Nyjáh: I’m definitely in the same boat as you [Annakaecia] in terms of believing in yourself. At your core, you almost have to be a little delusional; just have faith no matter what. I’m a worrier. I get really anxious. But when I applied to Brown, I had this confidence that, for once in my life, I would get in. 

When I took advanced coding here [at Poly], I was the only Black person in the class, the only Black girl, and the only girl. When I looked at the roster and realized that, it was intimidating—and when the class started, it was honestly as hard as I expected it to be. Looking back, I wish I had been a little stronger in that class. I don’t know if I would have connected with my classmates even if I had tried, but I wish I had leaned more on my teachers for support and asked for help earlier, before things got overwhelming.

Imposter syndrome, like Anna said, is constant. It really can feel like the number one silent force trying to push you out of spaces. Being the only Black girl, the only girl—it hit me harder than I expected.

One of my biggest internal battles has been that I’ve always been stronger in English and writing than in math and science. I’d think, ‘Should I just do something in the humanities?’ because I was used to chasing the grades. But I’ve learned that if there’s something you truly want to do, even if it’s not your “best” subject, you should still go for it. Even if everyone else seems like a natural talent, you bring something unique simply by working at it and sticking with it.

And if you have strengths in other areas, that’s even better. Some people have tunnel vision; they only want to do math, for example. But you might bring writing skills, creativity, or another perspective into that space.

Believe in yourself, even when it’s hard, especially when you’re the only Black girl or the only girl. It’s difficult, but it’s worth it. Don’t let the idea that other people know more than you stop you from starting. At some point, they didn’t know anything either.

Nyla: It’s most important to put yourself out there—and when I say yourself, I mean your real self, not some mold you think you have to fit into to be part of a friend group or to do things you don’t actually want to do.

Try to live for yourself. Use your voice. Make yourself known, because that’s the easiest way to build real connections. It also brings a sense of fulfillment when you’re surrounded by people who help you grow and allow you to discover even more about who you are.

Looking Ahead  

AV: What are you most looking forward to for your next chapter?

Nyla: I’m looking forward to following my own advice. I really want to learn Chinese, so I’m planning to take classes. I’d love to join any Asian affinity groups or societies they have at Brown.

I’m already involved in the multiracial affinity group, so I plan to continue that at Brown as well. Mostly, I just want to expand my understanding of the world. I’m hoping to study abroad, which feels scary, but it’s something I really want to do.

Nyjáh: I’m excited to get more involved in my clubs and really get to know the people in them. I only joined in October, and with that plus finals, we haven’t met very often. I’ve written something for the Black Star Journal and two pieces for The Rib, but I want to stay involved and do more.

I’m also excited about robotics. I think we [may] go to a competition in the second semester, which will be amazing. I didn’t get to do that last year, so going to a robotics competition in college is exciting.

Academically, my classes are starting to align more closely with my major. I had to take some general engineering courses before, and now things are getting more specific. Most engineers take thermodynamics, it’s more associated with mechanical engineering, so that’s exciting. I also want to focus on networking and making sure that when I graduate, I’m employable and have real experience in my field. I’d like to get more into 3D modeling, like CAD, and continue building professional skills. Also, I’m planning to take French again. 

Annakaecia: For me, it’s two things. The first is being able to explore Brown more. They really emphasize the open curriculum and the ability to explore anything you’re interested in, but during my first semester, even though there were things I was curious about, I stuck to what I’m used to, especially with clubs. I want to see what else Brown has to offer, and if my schedule allows, try something new.

The second thing is being back with my friends and in the community. Even though it’s only been one semester, Brown already feels like a second home to me. In my dorm especially, I’ve made a lot of close friends. We’ll hang out in the lounge late at night and just do everything together. I really miss them, and I’m excited to go back.

This is the first in a two-part interview series. Stay tuned for part two, featuring the force behind Robotics’ success, Kristin Guynn.