![“[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)
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![“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)
The smell of waffles and fresh oatmeal wafts through the air, as students and teachers grab breakfast at the bistro with the updated breakfast program, Breakfast for Students v2.0.
As a continuation of the earlier Breakfast for Students program, the new system was put into effect on January 14 with a few changes. The program is run by student council and led by ASB Treasurer Kevin Lin (12). Breakfast is offered from 7:00 to 7:45 a.m. and costs $3, buffet style. A hot item such as french toast, breakfast burritos, or fresh oatmeal is served each morning along with cold foods like cereal, fruit, and yogurt.
With the previous problem of food theft, the biggest change to the program is that students are now required to bring their Student ID cards in order to enter the eating area and pay for their breakfast. Additionally, students are only allowed to stay in the bistro if they are eating.
For many students, the program allows them to eat breakfast at school instead of rushing at home or on the car, a prospect especially beneficial for those with long commutes.
“I think it’s really helpful because I usually have to wake up earlier to eat breakfast,” Ria Desai (12) said. “I drive from Fremont so I have to get up at 6:30, eat, and leave by 6:50. So this is better for me.”
Breakfast for Students also gives students a warm place to stay with friends before school while eating hot food.
“It’s a nice bonus in the morning,” Monika Lee (11) said.
Along with students, many teachers also like the opportunity of having breakfast at school. Some feel that the program would not only help students ease their morning schedules but also help out with traffic on campus in the morning.
“I’m hoping it will be a plus for everybody: the traffic, a little easing around 7:45, [and] a good breakfast for students who only get a pop-tart that they eat at the back of the car,” English teacher John Heyes said.
Yet some students found that the breakfast hours were too early as they wanted the option of grabbing some quick food right before the first bell instead of at 7 a.m.
“A lot of people come late, plus it closes kind of early. A lot of people come after 7:45,” Kelly Wang (10) said.
While some only plan to drop in once or twice a week, other students will make breakfast at school a regular part of their morning routine.
“I’ll probably be eating here every day; usually, I don’t eat breakfast because I have to rush to school,” Luke Wu (9) said.
The student council will be monitoring student and teacher reactions to further develop the program in the future.
