![“[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)
Junior class visits Eagle buddies
Helen Woodruff (11) and her Eagle buddy, Linette Hoffman (4), pose for a picture at today’s Eagle buddies event. Students ate lunch and participated in an activity during this particular visit.
Juniors visited their Eagle Buddies for the first time this school year at the Bucknall campus today.
After exchanging letters regarding the start of the school year and Thanksgiving, many students were excited at the prospect of reuniting with their buddies after several months. Juniors boarded buses at 11:45 a.m. and then travelled to the Lower School campus where they ate lunch and participated in an activity with their buddies.
This visit’s activity centered around creating a care package for underprivileged children via the Sacred Heart Community Service organization. Juniors and their Eagle Buddies packaged candies, toys and a self-made candy cane ornament into a Christmas-themed box.
Some students felt that participating in charity work presented an opportunity to assist the community, while still bonding with their Eagle Buddies.
“I think helping out with the Sacred Heart [organization] was a great way to combine our time with Eagle Buddies and helping the community,” Nikita Ramoji (11) said.
Lev Sepetov (11) also felt that the event ran smoothly.
“[Our visit] was a good length,” he said. “We could hang out with our Eagle buddies and socialize but it wasn’t too long.”
Other students felt that while meeting their buddies was an enjoyable experience, the duration of the visit was too short for satisfaction.
“I didn’t think we had enough time to eat and just talk with our buddies, as my buddy, my partner, and I hadn’t even finished lunch when they called us to go to the table stations,” Anika Mohindra (11) said. “I would have preferred to just have free time with my buddy instead of just eating and making the boxes.”
Aparna Yella (11) agreed and stressed the necessity of having more free time.
“We only see our [Eagle buddies] twice a year, and every time we go to the Lower School, it feels like we’re always rushing to the next activity,” Aparna said. “To make a special bond, we need to visit our buddies on a more relaxed schedule instead of occupying all the time with a specific activity.”
The next meeting date for the juniors and their Eagle Buddies has not been announced yet.
Maya Jeyendran (11) is the Lifestyle Editor of Harker Aquila. She been a part of Harker's journalism program since her freshman year, and has previously...