![“[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)
The night before January 16, 29 students had their alarms set for 3 a.m. It was not for morning SAT class; nor was it for an early flight. The students were heading to Squaw Valley for a single-day ski and snowboard trip.
“It has been offered every year, but it has not gone [due to lack of support] for the past three years. I thought we would try it again to see if there was interest, and there was!” said Kerry Enzensperger, the Director of Community Service.
After sleeping on the bus for over four hours, the students woke up to a scene of snow and mountains. Excitement grew as they neared their destination. They arrived at the resort at about 8:15a.m., ready to hit the slopes.
“We got there really early and we were ready to ski. Everything was nicely organized and I would definitely recommend it, ” Govinda Dasu (11) said.
The students were expecting the resort to be teeming with skiers and snowboarders during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. However, they found the resort to be quite empty.
“It was not at all crowded; just perfect. There were supposed to be 12,000 people that weekend, but only 5,000 to 6,000 had actually shown up. There were no lines for the ski lift,” Ava Rezvani (12) said.
Although most students knew how to ski, many took this trip as an opportunity to learn how to snowboard. As the day progressed, the students separated into smaller groups of people with the same skill level.
Many seniors went on the trip because they knew it was during before second semester.
“Soon, we are going to have to split and go our separate ways to our colleges. I am glad I was able to do this and spend time with my fellow seniors and other people I know,” Roger Lee (12) said.
Most students agreed that a two-day trip with an overnight stop would have been better. They felt that the bus ride had taken over a majority of the trip. If students are interested, Ms. Enzensperger plans to organize a two-day trip next year.
“It seems like you spend over ten hours driving. [A two-day trip] would have been a little less tiring and more relaxing. I would like there to be an overnight trip next time,” Karan Kurbur (9) said.
By the end of the day, most students didn’t want to leave the fun, but they also felt tired. Overall, they found the trip to be a good experience and many hope to return next year.
