![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Fashion Show: Makeup artists add a golden touch
MaryEllis Deacon gets her hair done and chats with a friend before the Fashion Show. Many participants appreciated having a professional makeup artist on hand.
Everything King Midas touched turned into gold. Everyone the makeup artists touched turned into Tyra Banks.
The flock of neon-haired artists flew around Room 212B of the San Jose Convention Center, spritzing hairspray and tweaking makeup.
“Today I’m going for a glamorous spring look, a ballerina look,” makeup artist Byanka Batres said. “I definitely think makeup is an art form. You can do so much with it.”
On February 22, show day, the 2013 Fashion Show got underway bright and early at 8:30 a.m. in the morning, as models got their makeup and hair done. The professional touch of the makeup artists made Mission: Possible even more memorable and vivid for both models and hosts.
“I feel glamorous,” said Sylvie Dobrota (12), who normally forgoes makeup. “I’ve never done my makeup this intensely before.”
As male models mostly required less preparation, the gender imbalance in the room was skewed toward the estrogen-endowed.
“I think the guys are jealous of us, honestly,” said Chau Nguyen (12). “I feel like a princess right now, so they’re missing out!”
Senior Kevin Susai agreed, bemoaning the scanty treatment of his hair.
“Usually, guys don’t put too much effort into their hair,” he said. “But we are in a fashion show, so it’s the time to get a different outlook on your look. I was thinking that if we could get more hair done, it would be cool.”
The makeup artists also sprinkled their fairy dust on the silver sparkles of the show’s hosts.
“I think it’s fun and it’s a treat, since we’re not models but still get the experience,” said Julia Wang (10), who decided to host the show to connect with new people.
Sophomore Madi Lang-Ree finds Mission: Possible to be “even cooler than last year, since all the models are really close.”
As a veteran model, Madi has learned to expect the unexpected. Last year, a zipper broke on her gown, requiring a last-minute sartorial fix.
“I’m not really nervous for the show,” Madi said. “The nerves will probably be there before my walk, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
The models will showcase their extravagant hair and makeup at the luncheon and dinner show later today.
Contributing to the article: Priscilla Pan
Apoorva Rangan (12) is the Editor-in-Chief of The Winged Post and a fourth-year staff member. She has previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor...
Shannon Su is the Managing Editor and Executive News Director of Harker Aquila. She joined the program as a reporter her freshman year and has held many...