![“[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 – 1/10
The first week of 2014 held plenty of excitement in the form of the Student Directed Showcase (SDS), the beginning of the Robotics season, and the beginning of a four game winning streak for the Girls’ Soccer team.
SDS is one of the unique things that we do at Harker. It’s always exciting to see how it turns out. I think the selection of the performances are always interesting; it shows a lot about the students directing them… Robotics starting their season, the build, is always fun and exciting. I look forward to seeing what they develop and how they perform…The girls’ soccer team is on such a roll right now. It’s exciting for everyone. We have three exciting pieces going on on campus and it’s a great way to start the new year.
The annual Student Directed Showcase featured short plays directed by Namrata Vakkalagadda (12), Ian Richardson (12), and Shenel Ekici (12). The show was a culmination of a semester full of reading plays, casting rolls, and learning the art of directing.
The Robotics team began a six week project to build this season’s robot. Before it is time to compete, the team will have to construct a robot that can play a version of basketball and volleyball, shooting balls into baskets while blocking opponents from scoring. Its first competition will be March 7th.
Girls’ Soccer played its first two league games against Eastside College Prep on Tuesday and Mercy San Francisco on Thursday. The team won both games, 9-0 and 4-0, respectively. The team continued their winning streak during the last week of the semester beating Castilleja 6-3, and Crystal Springs Uplands, 2-1.
As the semester comes to a close, Winter Ball, the Winter Concert, and a life session will keep students busy.
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...