![“[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)
Varsity girls’ soccer beats Castilleja 6-3
The Girls’ Varsity soccer team won its game against Castilleja, with a final score of 6-3.
Julia Fink (12), who plays forward scored the first goal and by halftime, the Eagles had a total of four points: Joelle Anderson (9) scored two goals and midfielder, Nikita Parulkar (11), scored one.
During the second half, Anderson scored one goal, along with midfielder, Kailee Gifford (9), who scored another. Goalie Alicia Clark (12) blocked numerous shots from the opposing team.
Because Castilleja’s team is of a higher division than Harker’s, the Eagles did not expect a win, but instead were proved wrong, as their hard work paid off with victory against their rivals. Freshman Maile Chung was surprised, yet ecstatic due to this surprising incident.
“We did a lot better than we’ve done in previous games, like our passes were just more crisp,” she said. “They were perfect.”
As the season has progressed, the team has improved its techniques, helping the girls perform better during games. Team Captain Apurva Gorti (12) notes that the team is improving.
“It’s one of the bar games we’ve played. Today’s game really shows where the team is heading. We’re becoming a force to be reckoned with.”
Although both teams had friends and family members come out to watch, Castilleja had more people from their school who came out. Nina Levy (9), a friend of the players, came to show her support for the team.
“[They] played very well,” she said. “I am very excited for their next game.”
The Eagles will play their next home game this Thursday, Jan. 16 against Crystal Springs at 6 p.m.
Riya Chandra is a reporter of Harker Aquila. She is a freshmen and has a passion for photography, as well as writing. She is also part of the DECA Club...
Raveena Kapatkar (12) is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila. She is a senior and this is her fourth year on staff. As a freshman, she was a reporter...