Every Saturday, ninth-grader Hank Harp dives into the world of machinery, helping to repair trains at the Jackson Street Roadhouse in St. Paul, MN. His passion for machines translates to his love of video games, reading and tennis.

Harp enjoys the hands-on working of repairing trains, but he doesn’t limit himself to only fixing trains: “not particularly trains, but just kind of like machines, mechanical stuff like that,” Harp said. He often attends these sessions with his older brother, who shares his enthusiasm for machinery. “He is more into trains; he goes to the Jackson Street Roundhouse too” Harp said.

Fixing trains has helped Harp understand machines better. “Well, I’ve been exposed to more things I’m interested in, and I’ve just learned more about the things that I work on, like engines, different parts of a train,” he said.

Recently he has developed an interest in machines. “I kind of started liking that [in] seventh grade,” he said. Harps’ new interest influenced what he wants to do in the future.”That’s kind of what I want to do when I grew up, engineering,” Harp said

Currently he is working on a malfunctioning truck. “I helped them try to diagnose a problem with the engine I will probably try to fix that, and then I’m helping remove the bed of this truck, because it’s kind of a large truck. I will remove the bed with a cutting torch too.”

Harps interest in machines also carries over into his other hobbies including video games and reading. “I like to play war, thunder and sprocket, like other games where you can build and use tanks and other vehicles.” Harp also enjoys reading books “I like to read fantasy and sci fi, and also like non fiction books about military technology and such”.

This interest greatly influences his other hobbies, and has led him to think about his future. Harp’s journey from an interest in trains to wanting to become an engineer when he grows up shows how trying new things can help shape future goals.