![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.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)
Met Gala fashion report card
MET Gala
Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Marchesa, and Louboutin invaded New York City yesterday as celebrities flocked to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala. This year, the gala honored British designer, Charles James. The Met Gala is known to be an event at which designers present their top creations, some which go on to become the next fashion must-haves and others that go into the trash pile. As the spring fashion“semester” ends, use this report card to differentiate the hits from the misses.
BLAKE LIVELY: A+++
The blonde bombshell is back. A flash of blonde, gold, and gorgeous was spotted in New York City this weekend. Blake Lively caught everyone’s eyes in her blush Gucci dress and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, as her piece of arm candy. Lively minimally accessorized her outfit with subtle makeup and a side-swept hair-do in order to make the beautiful Gucci dress stand out.
CARA DELEVINGNE: A+
Cara Delevingne strayed from the traditional ball gown stereotype, by wearing a Stella McCarney ensemble. Delevigne rivaled Blake Lively with her outfit and looked positively radiant with her side-swept hair and oversized earrings.
BEYONCE AND JAY Z: A+
The power couple dazzled on the red carpet wearing Givenchy designs. Beyonce, dressed in a black and sequined gown, and Jay Z, dressed in a white suit, were the stars of the show.
RIHANNA: A+
Chanelling her unique style, Rihanna made another game-changing move by wearing a Stella McCartney ensemble, which included a white crop top and a white maxi skirt. By deviating from the norm of wearing ball gowns at this event, Rihanna contributed to the already popular trend of crop tops.
TAYLOR SWIFT: A+
Taylor Swift was the “belle of the ball”, turning heads in her Oscar de la Renta gown. The songstress showcased her mature look with bright makeup to accentuate the pink tints of her ballgown.
KAROLINA KURKOVA: A
Karolina Kurkova radiated on the red carpet in her Marchesa floral ball gown. With her over-the-top Marchesa creation, Kurkova truly showcased a unique twist to the gown stereotype present at this event.
ANNE HATHAWAY: A
As usual, Anne Hathaway looked vibrant in a red Calvin Klein dress and accessorized with minimalistic jewelry. While vibrant red color of her dress featured Hathaway’s ivory skin, the actress needed only one more jeweled accessory in order to compete with the likes of Blake Lively and Cara Delevigne.
SARAH JESSICA PARKER: A
Parker shined at the Gala by wearing a fitted, princess style Oscar de la Renta ball and accentuating the royal feel of the dress with an elegant updo. The actress accessorized her dress with Fred Leighton jewelry.
KIM KARDASHIAN: A
Although she has had many fashion disasters in the past, Kim Kardashian hit the mark with her Lanvin ensemble and wavy hair-do that highlighted the feminine side of this Kardashian. Kardashian wore a navy blue Lanvin dress and Lorraine Shwartz jewelry to complement her outfit.
EMMA STONE: A-
With her wavy locks and pearl-like skin, Emma Stone radiated in a Thakoon crop top and skirt in two shades of hot pink. While Stone did not commit a fashion crime, she looked more like a Barbie doll than an elegant actress due to the similar colors of her outfit.
RACHEL MCADAMS: B+
Rachel McAdams looked stunning in her pastel pink Ralph Lauren gown, but needed to further accessorize her outfit. By wearing a piece of statement jewelry, McAdams would have stood out in a crowd of fashionistas.
LUPITA NYONG’O: B
Unlike her past red carpet appearances, Lupita Nyong’o did not dress to impress. The actress wore a Prada flapper dress that failed to successfully bring back 1920’s fashion.
ZOE SALDANA: B-
Dressed in a Michael Kors ensemble, Saldana seemed to disappear in the endless tulle and poof of the dress. Despite her up-to-the mark hair and makeup, the actress could not compete against the likes of Beyonce and Karolina Kurkova.
KATE UPTON: C
Wearing Dolce and Gabbana, Kate Upton looked more like a medieval bartender than a guest at the Met Gala (throwback to Halloween?). Although Upton usually does not fail to impress, she missed the mark at this event as she wore a headband that belonged at Coachella instead of the Met Gala.
Ayushi Gautam (12) is the Managing Editor of Harker Aquila. She has been a part of the journalism program since her freshman year. She was the Social Media...