![“[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)
Keller’s Korner – 9 /12
Parents peruse food and check in stations at Back to School Day in Nichols Hall. Each parent followed his or her child’s schedule throughout the day.
School activities started to take off during the second week of school, with students attending Club Fair and a girls water polo tournament, while parents went to back to school day.
Club fair was bigger than ever before this year, with 56 total clubs and programs represented. Students who attended could sign up for clubs and activities and sample the variety of snacks provided. Meanwhile, Guys’ Gig performed on stage in the gym where the fair was held.
“I think that club fair is very unique and exciting,” said Butch Keller. “I’m working with student council to try to create time in the day for clubs to meet. I like club fair and I like the emphasis that our school puts on student run activities.”
Girls Water Polo hosted a tournament at Harker last Friday and Saturday. Their end record was 1:2, with losses to Carlmont and Homestead and a win against San Lorenzo Valley.
This map shows the locations of club boards in the gym. Eric Kallbrier sent it to students the day before club fair to improve navigation.
“Our main struggle is starting the games, as we usually get down by a few points at the beginning then go back and forth,” said team member Delaney Baxter (12). “Our later quarters are always much stronger, especially our defense as we help each other out with guarding and focus on thwarting shots. The league games we’ve played so far have been against beatable teams, and I think the next time we play them we could definitely win.”
Parents met their children’s teachers for the first time last Saturday for Back to School Day, with parents following their children’s’ schedules and listening to a brief course summary from each teacher.
“I still remember the time when my kids were little and how important it was for me to see who are their teachers and have an idea of the classes they are in, and, now, I try to anticipate the questions the parents might ask me,” said Galina Tchourilova, a french teacher who is new this year. “For example, I include advices on what students should do if they are having difficulties, or, what the resources are available for students who want to get additional practice in the language.
Meilan Steimle (12) is co-Editor-in-Chief of the Winged Post. She was a reporter her freshman year, Winged Post Opinion Editor her sophomore year and Winged...