![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
ASB candidate elections took place last Friday, and results were announced Monday during school meeting. The current junior council, dubbed the “Dream Team,” will serve as next year’s ASB council. Want to know more about your new ASB officers? Here are a few projects that they plan on accomplishing next year along with some fun facts about them.
President Arjun Goyal
Favorite Food: Falafels
Favorite Quote: “You talkin’ to me?” – Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver
Favorite Movies/TV Shows: Breaking Bad, Arrested Development, Futurama, Community, Game of Thrones, Archer, Freaks and Geeks, Pulp Fiction, Se7en, In Bruges, Fight Club
What is something unique about you? I love Milpitas! #milparadise
What would you do if you had 24 hours left to live? Rewatch Pulp Fiction, the Season 3 finale of Breaking Bad, and Space Jam. Oh, and also say bye to my friends and family.
Arjun has led the class of 2014 as president since eighth grade and is known for his approachability, optimistic attitude, and witty sense of humor.
As ASB president next year, Arjun is looking forward to working with the rest of the Dream Team to accomplish their collective goals. He also hopes to make his last year on campus memorable for the entire student body with a vast array of programs aimed at improving all facets of the community. These future projects include making the Edge a more viable student hangout for the class of 2016 and creating a better parking space network for rising Juniors.
“I also want to bring new, entertaining assemblies to school, help resolve the paper cup waste issue, and create a new integrated website to see all aspects of clubs,” he said.
Arjun’s favorite aspects of the Upper School are the food and the friendly kitchen staff.
“Everyday for lunch I eat a strawberry-strawberry — not strawberry-banana — yogurt without a spoon, and that is the highlight of my day,” he said.
Vice President Sahithya Prakash
Favorite Food: Sashimi and Thai food
Favorite Quote: “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost
Favorite Movies/TV Shows: She’s the Man, Big Bang Theory
What is something unique about you? I have been doing Ikebana, or Japanese Flower Arrangement, since I was seven years old.
What would you do if you had 24 hours left to live? Eat one dish of each cuisine with my friends, and then go white water rafting with them.
Sahithya, also known as Sat Prak, has been the class of 2014’s Vice President since freshman year.
Some of her goals for next year include increasing the transparency between the council and the student body as well as maximizing efficiency during meetings. She hopes to make changes based on ideas from the student body.
“I want to initiate many projects that will help the school like using the TVs for informational purposes and increasing the variety of food available after school,” she said. “I also aim to […] engage the school more in various activities like HOSCARS.”
Outside of student council, Sahithya sells merchandise at the Eagle Express and demonstrates her prowess on the courts at Varsity tennis matches. Wherever she is, Sahithya always sports a friendly smile and is known by many of her peers for her amiability and liveliness.
As ASB Vice President, Sahithya is most looking forward to “taking [her] experience working for the class council to a new level, representing the entire school.”
Secretary Vincent Lin
Favorite Food: Guacamole
Favorite Quote: “Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do.” – Bruce Lee
Favorite Movies/TV Shows: none
What is something unique about you? I keep a dream journal.
What would you do if you had 24 hours left to live? Hang out with my close friends.
A new student to the Upper School, Vincent immediately took interest in student council and was elected as class secretary his freshman year. Throughout his three years on the council, Vincent has gained experience by completing several maintenance projects including renovating the boys’ restroom, replacing broken umbrellas, and fixing water fountains.
As the new ASB Secretary, Vincent plans to accomplish a range of school wide projects such as installing new tiltable umbrellas, reducing waste from excessive paper cup usage, and encouraging a more electronic-based curriculum to eliminate heavy books.
“I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the ASB officers–the ‘Dream Team’–and class councils [to accomplish] our goals,” Vincent said.
Vincent cites the friendly student community and the squirrels on campus as his favorite features of the Upper School.
“I was treated well when I came to Harker, and I like how our community is accepting of LGBT people,” Vincent said. “I like the squirrels because they’re hilarious and cute, running around stealing french fries.”
Treasurer Rohith Bhethanabotla
Favorite Food: Toasted butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter sauce
Favorite Quote: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound a cure.” – Benjamin Franklin
Favorite Movies/TV Shows: Suits, Family Guy, Big Bang Theory, Naruto, Up, Ratatouille, Argo, Pursuit of Happyness, and a laundry list of Disney Movies
What is something unique about you? I read research papers on nanotechnology for improved drug delivery and cancer therapeutics equally as much as I stare at cute pictures of alpacas and turtles.
What would you do if you had 24 hours left to live? I’d eat a lot of chocolate, and my tombstone would say Death By Chocolate. Or I’d probably visit key places that mean a lot to me. Then again, both aren’t mutually exclusive, so I could probably eat Twix while I drive to those meaningful places.
The class of 2014’s treasurer since sophomore year, Rohith has developed many projects that he wants to accomplish next year.
“We have plenty of new project ideas ranging from club reform to digitizing books, and we have the ability to get it done,” he said.
Rohith hopes to work with the kitchen staff to increase vegetarian options in addition to specific food requests and reduce kitchen traffic. He also wants to increase ASB fundraisers such as holiday grams and work with class treasurers to reach financial goals by optimizing fundraising. Another idea is to allot funds more efficiently to school projects “based on popularity and urgency among students” by sending out feedback surveys and questionnaires.
One of the bigger projects Rohith wants to take on is creating a student union in Manzanita Hall. The ideal union would be fully equipped with TVs, speaker systems, game tables, and a vending machine.
“I’m looking forward to working with fellow student council members who I’ve work with as one big dream team,” Rohith said. “Experience has no bounds, and we have boatloads of it.”
