![“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)
Cheering and clapping erupted throughout the gym during Monday’s school meeting as Dean of Studies Evan Barth announced a new addition to the 2013-2014 Course of Study: a DECA business class.
The DECA club is now expanding its boundaries to incorporate a fresh classroom aspect. As more students continue to display an interest in the business world, the administration has decided to offer a class that not only provides detailed information about marketing, finance, and management, but also prepares DECA members for competitive conferences.
“Part of the reason [for the new class] was that we needed a [teacher] that was more dedicated to DECA specifically,” Barth said.
Sophomore Savi Joshi, who plans on taking the class next year, believes that the class will proficiently train her for the annual DECA conferences.
“Well, I love going to DECA competitions, and I think this class would provide an opportunity to practice and strengthen my weaknesses so I’m ready for competition,” she said.
Barth emphasizes that the class does not focus solely on the competitive aspect of DECA. He hopes that the class will introduce novice entrepreneurs to the realm of marketing and expand the knowledge of those already interested in business.
“Harker has done well in all of the DECA competitions, so this class is not just about increasing our wins. It’s more about the business interests of the students and how we can help people in that way,” Barth said.
Due to scheduling conflicts, some students are opting out of the new course but are still planning to participate in the DECA conventions.
“I think it’s a great idea. It will definitely help Harker excel in upcoming conferences, but I am not planning to join it myself, because I do not have space in my schedule,” Dhanush Madabusi (9) said.
Although many students support the idea, some do not understand the need for a class in addition to the existing club.
“I’m not at all sad that I won’t be able to take the class next year, as I’d much rather take a different non credit elective, given that many students including myself have placed at DECA on their own, while other activities such as debate require taking the class in order to succeed,” Timothy Luong (12) said.
Interested students should contact Upper School Registrar Derek Kameda to incorporate the DECA class into their 2013-2014 school year schedules.
