![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
DECA conducts club month
Upper School DECA chapter raises money during national entrepreneurship month
The Upper School DECA chapter will conclude its annual DECA month, which began on Nov. 1 with an open house, and ends tonight with a showing of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay–Part 1,” at AMC Saratoga at 4:20 p.m.
DECA month aims to spread awareness of what the club does and what it stands for. Various activities are organized to reflect the club’s four pillars: professional responsibility, community service, academic preparation and leadership experience.
“DECA members learn to be professionally responsible by going to SVLACE, the Silicon Valley Leadership and Competitive Excellence Conference,” Alexis Gauba (10), Director of Technology, said. “Through participating in events such as the idea challenge during global entrepreneurship week they learn to innovate and become experienced leaders.”
Certain activities revolve around the pillar of community service. Money earned during Hoops and Scoops, the student vs. faculty basketball game, will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Another community service-oriented activity occurred on the weekend of Nov. 8: DECA officers participated in a 5K to fight for pancreatic cancer.
Hoops and Scoops, another community service oriented activity, involves the entire Upper School, not just the DECA chapter. Assistant Director of Public Relations Lucas Wang (10) believes Hoops and Scoops benefitted the school as a whole.
“It [was] an opportunity for Harker community to come together and raise money for the MDA,” he said. “DECA is more than just a business club.”
Freshman Morgan Douglas commented about how DECA month inspired her to participate and learn more about business and entrepreneurship by attending the SVLACE conference.
“It will be a nice opportunity to learn about business and do workshops,” she said.
The last activity of the month, the showing of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay–Part 1,” will take place today at 4:20 p.m. at AMC Saratoga.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on November 21, 2014.
Raveena Kapatkar (12) is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila. She is a senior and this is her fourth year on staff. As a freshman, she was a reporter...
