![LALC Vice President of External Affairs Raeanne Li (11) explains the International Phonetic Alphabet to attendees. "We decided to have more fun topics this year instead of just talking about the same things every year so our older members can also [enjoy],” Raeanne said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_4627-1200x795.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)
Keller’s Korner 10/11&10/18
The past two weeks featured events such as football and cheer senior nights, the junior class’ sailing and kayaking trip, the freshman community service trip, National Honors Society Induction ceremony, and the UCLA Band playing on campus.
The Varsity football team had its last game Friday against Livermore Valley Prep and won 58-16. The cheerleaders celebrated their senior night at the game. The following Friday, the Junior Varsity team beat Lynbrook 34-8.
“Anytime that in the athletic arena of school we are celebrating seniors is good. I think senior nights are so special,” Head of the Upper School Butch Keller said. “A football victory is always a good day.”
The junior class trip took place on Wednesday, Oct. 9th. Advisories traveled to either Santa Cruz to sail, Monterey to kayak, or Elkhorn Slough to kayak. Students had the opportunity to battle the waves, although some suffered from seasickness. For many, this was a brand new experience.
“The sailing and kayaking was one of my favorite trips when I was an advisor,” Keller said. “If you approach it with the right attitude, it’s a day of fun and relaxation. I understand some people had to work really hard in their kayaks, but that’s not all bad either.”
The following Wednesday, while juniors and sophomores took the PSAT, freshmen took part in the annual community trip. They visited charities such as the Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) and the Humane Society to complete five of their required ten hours for the year.
“The freshman community service day is great because it brings all the advisories together and helps them bond and do something positive for someone other than themselves, which is our mission,” Keller said.
The National Honor Society welcomed 36 new members this year. The ceremony included the traditional candle lighting and speeches. The new members look forward to helping the community in a variety of ways including tutoring programs.
“One of the biggest highlights of the year is whenever parents come together and are excited for their child’s accomplishments,” Keller said. “The NHS induction ceremony was one of those events where all the parents were proud. It was a very positive moment in the lives of the students and families.”
http://www.talonwp.com/2013/10/news/national-honor-society-welcomes-36-new-members/
For an unusual treat, students had the opportunity to watch the UCLA band practice for its performance Saturday at the Stanford-UCLA football game. The band played between during first, second, and third periods.
“The UCLA band coming on campus today will be fun for everyone to watch,” Keller said. “It’s always fun to watch a different level of [music] expertise.”
http://www.talonwp.com/2013/10/featured/ucla-marching-band-practices-at-harker/
Alyssa Amick (12) is the Co- Editor in Chief of Harker Aquila. She has been part of the journalism program since her freshman year. Her favorite part of...