That’s where I (fellow High School student) struggle. I’m not really at a point where I can contribute much either way.
What was that luck?
Here's what I think when he says "luck": I emailed 50+ personalized emails over a span of 2-3 months to professors and anyone else I wanted to work with. Most didn't respond, but for those who did, you'll need some luck and networking skills (which I hope have improved) to convince them you're the right fit or can help without hassle.
Specifically luck includes: whether or not that person had a good day or had enough time to check their email, or numerous other things
I'm not particularly a genius, but deeply passionate and curious on what I do. As a result, doing research or an internship was more fun than most other things I'd be doing over the summer/fall.
Didn't grow up in the best of situations, but learned how lucky I was to live in the Bay, giving me access to meet people IRL and grow from there.
The two are often indistinguishable from each other.
You have a very wise perspective for your age. Good luck to you.