![“[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)
San Francisco 49ers to call Santa Clara home
Fans enjoy the 49ers first preseason game held at Levi’s Stadium on Aug. 7. The San Francisco 49ers moved to Levi’s Stadium after playing at Candlestick Park in San Francisco for the last 55 years.
The new home of the San Francisco 49ers, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, had its grand opening ceremony on July 17 to usher in a new era after the team’s 55 years at its previous home at Candlestick Park.
The $1.3 billion park prides itself on being one of the most high- tech and environmentally friendly stadiums in the world and the move has not deterred loyal fans from at- tending games. High-priced season tickets, which first require a seat-liscense to buy, sold out months in advance and single game tickets remain hard to come by.
“Tickets sold out early and were quite expensive, which made this sea- son bittersweet because even though the team is physically closer to me, it will be hard to attend any games,” loyal fan and senior Suraya Shivji said.
The 1.85 million square feet venue boasts seating for approximately 68,500 fans, 165 luxury seats, and almost 9,000 club seats. In addition, the park will be partially powered by hundreds of solar panels lining three solar bridges connecting the parking lot to the stadium, which also features a climate-controlling “green roof.”
No doubt a result of the park’s proximity to the heart of the Silicon Valley, the creators of the stadium endeavored to make it one of the “smartest” in the nation. High-speed WiFi is available throughout the park, a necessity as many rely on the stadium mobile app for everything from ordering food directly to their seat, to finding the bathroom closest to them with the shortest line.
Though the park’s bowl seats were designed to give the closest and best view of the field, fans can also view the game through a high definition 48 x 200 feet game boards which loom over both end zones.
The technological side of the park is not the only thing that has been upgraded, as the culinary side has also been ramped up to provide gourmet food with a multitude of vegetarian and vegan options. Michelin-star chef Michael Mina has opened a tailgate-themed luxury restaurant which will remain open even when not on game days.
People who want to learn about the history of the team can drop by the 49er museum which is also located at the stadium, and is open daily to by purchase of additional museum tickets. Exhibits include life size statues of past 49er greats, information on the history of the teams mascots, and a display of the team’s five Super Bowl trophies in 11 different gallery and exhibition spaces.
Many fans have seen the change as a great improvement over the dete- riorated Candlestick which the 49ers used to call home. Frequent power outages and a general decrepit feeling about the old park have led many to praise the new stadium.
“I definitely feel like it was Candlestick’s time to go. I certainly didn’t go to the game for the park,” self-described fan since birth Sarah Bean (12) said. “The stadium was always the one thing that didn’t feel up to par.”
However, the inauguration of the stadium has not been entirely smooth. Issues began to arise with the first real test of the stadium’s abilities during a Major League Soccer game between the San Jose Earth- quakes and Seattle Sounders on August 2. There have also been some complaints about California’s Great America being closed on game days.
The majority of complaints will likely sort themselves out in time, mostly dealing with the sheer amount of traffic that has now been directed towards the area, and the issue of a lack of public transportation options surrounding the park. Other complaints revolve around the architectural design, which some feel is lacking and incongruous to the price tag.
“I think that the stadium fits the price tag, but the stadium could be bigger,” freshman Nate Kelly said.
The stadium has all natural grass, which has been growing at West Coast Turf in Livingston, CA. for the last year. As of this week turf issues have plagued the stadium, forcing officials to completely strip the field and install new sod.This setback has also caused the first installment of the team’s new tradition “Friday Night Lights” in which local high- school football teams face off on the field, to be postponed to a later date.
Levi’s stadium required a $37 million investment by the city of Santa Clara. The stadium created over 12,000 jobs in its construction and opening, though critics complain they are mostly temporary and low paying. With the 49ers coming off a narrow loss in the NFC champion- ship in 2014 and a Super Bowl appearance in 2013, there is no doubt that the eyes of football fans across America will be on the new stadium. The stadium is scheduled to be the location of the 50th annual Super Bowl in 2016.
The 49ers won their last preseason home game last Sunday against the Chargers and will be away for their first game of the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 7. The team will play their first regular season home game on Sept. 14 against the Chicago Bears.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on August 29, 2014.
Vivian Isenberg, a senior, is the Humor & Satire editor on Harker Aquila. She was a member of the yearbook staff her freshman year and has been on...
Trisha Dwivedi (12) is the Managing Editor of Harker Aquila. She was a reporter her freshman year, Business Manager of the Winged Post her sophomore year...