![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Multiple disco balls and galaxy light fixtures transformed the Atrium into an otherworldly dance floor during the annual Winter Ball held on January 12.
This year, the Spirit Committee chose a Supernova theme, featuring pink and purple space-inspired decorations along with star-shaped cookies.
“They really transformed Nichols Hall,” Aarti Kheskani (9) said. “I was super surprised when I walked in. The decorations were really, really good.”
Similar to the Homecoming Dance, a DJ played a variety of popular music from chart-topping hits like “Gangnam Style” to upbeat favorites like “Single Ladies.” Colorful strobe lights enhanced the Supernova theme.
After checking in with the Spirit Club, students walked into the Atrium through doorways adorned with beads. Upon entering, many students elected to have photos taken by a professional photographer, who set up a grey portrait backdrop and lighting in the Rotunda.
Tables lined with food and a chocolate fountain were pushed against the walls, maximizing the area for dancing. Food at the dance included cookies, strawberries, pineapples, and more.
Spirit Club president Andre Tran (12) thought that the dance was an overall success, considering that members had been planning the event since the beginning of the school year.
“[From the start,] the major ideas and goals for this dance was to make it as fun as possible,” he said. “This is the last formal dance of the year for most of the underclassmen, so as Spirit [Club] tries to organize it, we try to make it a memorable night. I was satisfied with the result and everyone that I have talked to seemed to enjoy it as well.”
Many students noticed a dramatic decrease in attendance at Winter Ball, compared to the other dances this year.
“I actually preferred the smaller crowd,” Cordelia Larsen (9) said. “Though I wanted to see more of my friends there, the more controlled crowd in the smaller space made it so we could actually move around, which was a plus.”
Despite being the final dance for the underclassmen, juniors and seniors anticipate the next dance, Prom, on May 17.
Contributing to the article: Maya Jeyendran
