The heat was inescapable. Sweat beaded on my brow. I struggled to comprehend the teacher’s words.

Around me, students had put their heads down from the heat, while some had fallen asleep. The humid, overcrowded classroom made the absence of facilities such as air conditioning and fans even more palpable.

But amid this difficult setting was a silver lining that instills a spirit of perseverance in anyone who faces it.

With over 3,000 students, James Campbell High School is one of the largest high schools in the state. Its students are subjected to a difficult learning environment — an overcrowded, under-supplied high school struggling to keep up with its growing community.

As a recent graduate, I experienced the struggle. I attended Common Core classes that were double — sometimes triple — the sizes of those at other schools.

Within the student body, there is overwhelming consensus that this overpopulation creates a challenging learning environment.

Despite these obstacles, the students and staff have persevered. With a spirit of ingenuity, students and teachers have addressed these issues head-on. We bought fans to improve the classroom conditions. Along with Fahrenheit73, a local initiative, and The Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, a nonprofit organization, we raised funds for the installation of a solar air-conditioning unit in a portable classroom. We marched to the state Capitol, picketing on the sidewalks to bring the community’s attention to our plight.

For years, our story has been told and retold to the public — on the news, in the newspapers, on social media. And for years, there has been no solution. So we took the initiative to address the issues that the community cannot. We faced the difficulties of an overcrowded campus and persevered as a school while trying to solve our problems on our own.

This spirit of determination has been instilled in me as I experienced these struggles firsthand.

Further, I strove to be a high-achieving student despite the circumstances.

Being a student athlete, my education became my No. 1 priority. At times, I would be on crutches because of an injury and would have to wait for the security guards to pick me up and transport me between classes that were too far apart for me to walk to. There were a couple of times that the security guards did not show up, so I decided to just endure the pain and use my crutches all the way to class.

Being able to complete my education and do well in high school was very important to me, especially since I wanted to attend an outstanding college and play my favorite sport at the collegiate level. It took me a bit longer and caused me a bit of pain, but I was able to get to class without missing out on any assignments.

This tenacity is something that the community would do well to adopt. In Hawaii, we too often wait for permission before we act. But this mindset cannot create revolutionary changes. It only leaves our problems unsolved.

At James Campbell High School, students and teachers alike are taking the initiative. If everyone in the community would adopt this same mindset, many of our long-debated issues could be resolved. We could help the homeless in a substantial way. We could plan for a sustainable future for Hawaii. And we could give all of our keiki a quality education and a suitable environment in which to learn.

Noelani Lum is a graduate of James Campbell High School, Class of 2016.