![“[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)
Drought intensifies, causes increase in wildfires
The waterfall that usually runs outside of Dobbins Hall sits dry as a precaution towards water conservation. Governor Jerry Brown asked for water usage to decrease by 20 percent in January, but water usage in Calif. has increased by 1 percent instead
The effects of California’s drought have persisted throughout the summer, bringing an increase in wildfires and more restrictions on water usage as the drought situation shows no signs of improving.
When Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in January, 62.71 percent of California was in a state of extreme or exceptional drought according to the United States Drought Monitor. However, as of Aug.12, 81.92 percent of California is now in a state of extreme or exceptional drought with the percentages steadily climbing.
Environmental science teacher Dr. Katherine Schafer sees the drought as a chance for future planning.
“It’s impossible to underestimate the impact that water limitation is going to have on the economy of the state, especially with regards to agriculture in the Central Valley,” Dr. Schafer said. “We need to be thoughtful about how to encourage water conservation.”
Brown declared another state of emergency on Aug. 2 regarding wildfires spreading across California, burning hundreds of acres of land and causing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.
Fires began to burn a devastating path across California as early as June according to the California Statewide Fire Map. These wildfires were a result of record-high temperatures during the first half of the year and drier land as a result of the drought.
In response to the current drought situation in the Bay Area, some students and their families have taken action to conserve water in their homes.
“To help conserve water, my family turned off our sprinkler system. We try to use any waste water for watering the grass instead,” David Zhu (10) said.
Facility Manager Mike Bassoni claims that all the campuses are making changes with their water usage as a response to conserv- ing water during the drought.
“We’re attempting to repair any leaks as quickly as possible. We have reduced watering cycles on all campuses. We are no longer washing off sidewalks and outdoor dining areas,” Bassoni said.
In July, the California State Water Resources Control Board established water usage regulations with penalties for offenders for the first time in California history.
“[The water usage regulations] are having an impact in that local water sup- pliers are adopting more restrictions on water use,” said Dave Todd, an employee of the Water Use Efficiency Branch of the California Department of Water Resources.
In January, Brown asked for water usage to decrease by 20 percent; water usage actually increased by 1 percent since. Currently, Brown is considering regulating groundwater usage for the first time in state history.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on August 29, 2014.
Kshithija “KJ” Mulam (12) is the Winged Post Editor-in-Chief. Serving as the Winged Post News Editor in her junior year, Winged Post Photo Editor in...