![“[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)
Turning Facebook chat boxes a slew of red, the trend spread like wildfire, inspiring unity, gaining media coverage, and encouraging new users to follow.
With the recent beginning of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 trials in front of the Supreme Court, millions of Facebook users have joined a movement to change their profile pictures to red equals signs to show support of marriage equality.
Although many believed that both trials are significant, some students had stronger opinions regarding the Proposition 8 trial because it affected them more. While the side for gay rights contested the passing of Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, opposition asserted that because the majority of Californians voted against marriage equality, the court should acknowledge their views.
A number of students began to show their support by changing their profile pictures, sharing photos, and updating their statuses and captions.
“I changed my profile picture in support because I feel like the whole sea of red really brings across the message about how much support there is, and that a lot of us are unified in this cause,” Laura Pedrotti (12) said. “Then there are so many people doing it; it makes a statement that even the media can’t ignore.”
Laura thinks that much of the opposition students may feel to Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning (LGBTQ) rights is due largely to the influences of others in their lives, such as parents or religious leaders.
Several found the student body and the faculty at the Upper School to be very accepting of homosexuality, given the number of assemblies, speakers, classrooms designated as “safe spaces,” the LGBT club, and the bulletin in Main Hall.
“I find our school to be pretty tolerant, but I’ve definitely met a couple of people who are against keeping gay people ‘equal’ to straight people, particularly with marriage and things like that, even if it’s far from the norm,” Pranav Sharma (12) said.
Many students continue to show their belief in marriage equality by posting encouraging messages and closely following the trials.
