![“[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)
Night on the Town
Night on the Town, a fundraising event featuring dinner, casino games, auctions, dancing, wine tasting, a show, and more will be hosted at the San Jose Marriott on Friday, Feb. 28, replacing the annual fashion show.
The gala aims to fundraise for financial aid programs and expansion projects including the construction of a performing arts center and a gym. Tickets are priced at $200 and are currently available for online reservation.
Similarly to fashion show, a performance will remain a highlight of the night but will feature new routines in addition those by prior participants including Downbeat and Varsity Dance. New additions include choreographed father-daughter and mother-son dances by younger students, a Middle School lip sync, and an Upper School student-teacher rock band.
“We looked for ways to involve more of the community of students who aren’t necessarily performers,” performing arts department chair Laura Lang-Ree said. “Entertainment wise, […] the fashion part of [the show] has been taken out.”
Some students are disappointed by the removal of the fashion element from this year’s show.
“It’s kind of sad because I wanted to do [fashion show] throughout middle school and this year they took it away, ” Hazal Gurcan (9) said. “It made me kind of sad because I wanted to try modeling.”
In addition to the show, attendees will be served a gourmet three-course meal featuring seared salmon with truffle cream sauce, short rib with thyme jus, and quinoa risotto as entrees. Guests will also have opportunities to take photos, enjoy the casino, hit the dance floor, taste various wines, and bid on donated items ranging from vacation homes to authentic sports memorabilia during the silent and live auctions,
Because the event is new this year and the venue is relatively small, it is being marketed primarily towards parents, although students are welcome to come if they would like.
“We wanted to be really really conservative the first time we did this just to make sure that it would be well received and that people would be interested,” Danae McLaughlin, Director of Special Events, said. “It’s kind of all an experiment right now.”
Based on the response that this year’s event receives, McLaughlin hopes to see it expand in years to come. Ultimately, Night on the Town aims to reach more members of the community.
“[I look forward to] watching everybody engage in a way that’s really much more all about us as a community,” Lang-Ree said. “It’s going to be really fun.”
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on Jan. 27, 2014
Sheridan Tobin is the co-Editor in Chief of The Winged Post. She is a senior and this is her fourth year on staff. She was the Global Editor and Opinion...
Ria Gandhi (11) is the Aquila Features Editor. This is her third year on staff after being the Assistant Sports Editor in her sophomore year and a reporter...
Shay Lari-Hosain (12) is the Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of Wingspan Magazine. Shay has interviewed 2013 Nobel Laureates, authors like Khaled Hosseini...