Alex Harp
IS THE CHANGE HE WANTS TO SEE IN THE WORLD!
When Alex Harp decided to enter the Paducah Bank Be The Change video contest, he didn’t have to look far for inspiration. His sister Olivia, a violinist, serves others locally and around the world using her gift of music to touch countless numbers of people.
“She has a gift to play and teach,” says Alex. “Someone invested in her to pass that skill along, and she is doing that for others.”
The video, which won this year’s contest, portrays a violin teacher with a young pupil. As the pupil grows, the investment continues until one day, the student is grown and plays with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra.
“I wanted to show the child,” says Alex, “and Olivia investing herself into her gift. It was very much a generational thing, and it shows how a person can grow when that devotion takes place. In the end, the impact is huge. The whole community benefits.”
This is Alex’s second win in a Paducah Bank video contest. He won the top prize last year as well with a video portraying a young man purchasing food, a quilt, and a guitar from local businesses for a struggling musician.
“I wanted to show something like this taking place in our community and involved the Quilt Museum, Kirchoff ’s, and Allen Music to really bring that home,” he says. “It makes it real to show kindness and compassion played out at home.”
Alex, 17, discovered a passion for video work at age nine when he visited his uncle in Arizona. “He is very influential to me, and he did video work,” says Alex. “He did all kinds of movies, and I loved it. So, I got a little camera and really started things on my own during the ice storm. I learned a lot online and watched some very influential producer’s talks and conferences through YouTube.”
Alex opened a small side business doing video work and getting small jobs through word of mouth. He produced television commercials, videos for Facebook, and wedding videos.
“I want to be an entrepreneur of some kind,” says Alex, “even if it is not in video. My favorite part of it is finding customers and marketing.”
Even if his profession is ultimately not video production, Alex loves the creativity and messaging afforded by contests such as Be The Change. For him, his skills are simply a tool to help others.
“As a Christian, I use what I have to be a positive change and influence by spreading the Gospel and being Jesus to others. And I am thankful to Paducah Bank for doing contests like these. They reflect and show the positive, and it is great that they involve high school students to do that. They help instill new ideas and inspire others to be a change in our own community.”
It is through Alex’s passion to spread the message of kindness and compassion that the truest sense of change comes to the world around him
