![“[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)
Enchanting Chennai
Children’s school in Chennai, India overlooks the rest of the neighborhood. There, the children consider themselves fortunate to be sheltered in a cramped single-room working space, with a patch of dead grass as their playground.
Last summer I scrolled through my Instagram feed, and jealousy consumed all of me when I saw pictures of my friends relaxing on beaches, sipping nonalcoholic cocktails, and happily soaking in the sweet summer sun.
Unlike many of my friends and classmates, I wasn’t sightseeing in Paris, ziplining in Bali, or walking down Rodeo Drive. Instead, I traveled to Chennai, India to volunteer at an impoverished children’s school.
With my knowledge of Hindi, I helped the only teacher in the school with simple tasks such as passing out supplies, helping the students with their projects, taking them to the bathroom, and more. My volunteer hours began strictly at 6 a.m. and ended when the last student had been picked up. The teacher was so grateful for an extra pair of hands to help her; it was like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
The most satisfying part of volunteering was making memories and teaching the children. I taught the kids how to dance, have a simple conversation in English, and how to make lemonade. They taught me how to sing Bollywood’s top songs and how to meditate in their daily silent hour, where each student participates in one hour of meditation, yoga, and prayers.
At Harker, we have an amazing campus with modern technology, and everything one can imagine. Our lunch is almost too lavish, consisting of hundreds of food combinations and many cuisine stations. The worst part is when students complain about the meals that Harker serves.
As we turn away from the delectable kale salad and salmon burgers, the school in Chennai provides a scoop of rice and “daal,” a lentil soup. There, the children consider themselves fortunate to be sheltered in a cramped single-room working space, with a patch of dead grass as their playground.
Volunteering at this facility has made me realize that most people, including me, take many nonessential things for granted. As we complain and moan about going to school, the children of Chennai are excited to attend classes and eager to learn. We should take a moment each day to appreciate all the little things in life, that many people around the world are not as fortunate to have.
Jenna Sadhu (10) is a Social Media Reporter for the Winged Post and has been a part of the Harker community since Kindergarten. She plays on lacrosse,...