![“[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)
More attention paid to biker safety in Cupertino
SAFETY IN HEADWEAR: Andrew Semenza (11) prepares to bike home in the afternoon wearing his helmet. More attention has been paid to biker safety concerns after a big rig accident in Cupertino.
Cupertino and its City Council came together to discuss new biker safety rules after a student from Monta Vista High School was killed in a big rig bicycle accident on his way to school.
According to Monta Vista High’s student news site El Estoque, Cupertino’s City Council plans to have the biker lanes painted green in order to create a clear distinction for drivers and bikers.
“We want to make sure our streets are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers,” Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong wrote in a statement he released on Cupertino city’s website to support the community.
While the City Council discusses further actions to take regarding biker safety, a few reminders have already been put into effect.
“I have seen multiple speed radars in the passages up to that spot [where the accident took place] where it shows and reminds the drivers of their speed limits,” Kevin Su (12) said. “They are trying to make the community more mindful of that area.”
The incident hit close to home for Sanil Rajput (11) and his family, who live near Monta Vista High.
“During the summer, I used to bike on that road every day,” he said. “It’s such a tragic event. You don’t expect it to happen, and, of course, something needs to be done to change this.”
People in the Cupertino area came together to support the boy’s family at the location of the incident. Kevin passes by the memorial everyday when he drives home from school.
However, despite the accident, MVHS senior William Shih believes that it is still safe to bike to school.
“I don’t think it’s dangerous as long as you follow the rules of the road and stay safe,” he said. “For the most part, people are very aware of their surroundings.”
Matthew Lee (9) also thinks it is safe to bike to school.
While some students continue to bike and walk to school, senior Jason Jeong thinks that students should be more aware and careful of doing so at Harker.
“Saratoga Avenue is such a busy street and cars just whiz by without much regard for pedestrians or bikers,” he said.
San Jose has a Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition that focuses on biker safety in the city by developing various bikeway designs and plans. One part of this organization is Vision One, which aims to educate bikers and address any issues involving biker safety.
On the group’s website BikeSiliconValley, Vision One’s “goal is to have zero deaths or life-altering injuries due to roadway design or user error in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.”
As a result of this big rig accident, Cupertino’s City Council is continuing to discuss ways to further improve biker safety to attempt to prevent such incidents from taking place again.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on November 21, 2014.
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...
Justin Su (11) is the Aquila sports columnist. He has been a part of the journalism program since his freshman year. He hopes to bring his passion for...