![“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)
Matriculation ceremony starts off the 2014-15 school year
On Aug. 22, students and faculty gathered in the quad for the annual Matriculation ceremony. The Upper School student council representatives depicted the rules of high school in their “Freshman 101” skit, which was inspired by television shows.
Students and faculty gathered in the quad for the annual Matriculation Ceremony, which officially began the 2014-15 school year.
Christopher Nikoloff, the Head of School, began the event with a speech inspired by a TED talk. He encouraged students to embrace their remembering and experiencing selves this year.
“By achieving the right balance between these two selves, we hope that you will find a life that is waiting for you both this year and beyond,” Nikoloff said.
After Nikoloff’s speech, the Cantilena choir group directed by Susan Nace, director of Cantilena and Camerata, sang “Dancing and Singing.” Following the performance, Upper School Division Head, Butch Keller, reminded students that they need passion, commitment, effort, awareness, persistence, and diligence to achieve their goals.
“What matters to you?” Mr. Keller asked. In his speech, Keller reminded the Upper School students that they should pursue things they care about.
ASB president Sarah Bean (12) formally welcomed the freshman class in her speech. Sarah explained her experiences at the Upper School, and advised the freshmen to make new friends and enjoy their time in high school.
“All that matters is this very moment, and having fun in it,” Sarah said.
After Sarah’s speech, the 2014-15 student council representatives held the annual “Freshman 101” skit. This year, the representatives imitated characters from famous TV shows, including “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and “Drake and Josh.” In this skit, the student council members covered topics including club activities, the importance of grades, trash cleanup, and the bonds freshmen can make in high school. During the skit, the Class of 2018 and other new students to the Upper School signed the Honor Code.
The String Quartet, consisting of four seniors, also performed at the Matriculation ceremony. Students such as Nikita Ramoji (11) thought the performance was one of the best parts of the ceremony.
“The string quartet was amazing, they all clearly practice and work hard on their music,” Nikita said.
Throughout the remainder of the day, students spent time with their advisories and took yearbook pictures.
The first day of classes will begin on Monday, Aug. 25.
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...