![“[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)
Harker raises diabetes awareness on campus
Mrs. Glass talks to students in Manzanita about Diabetic Nutrition. Students learned about diabetic lifestyles on Thursday of Diabetes Week.
The club WiSTEM held its Diabetes Week from Nov. 17-21 to raise awareness of diabetes by holding various activities for students to participate in and support the cause for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
As of now, there is no definite cure for type two diabetes, but type one can be treated with regular injections of insulin and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“It’s important to understand the connection between lifestyle and diabetes,” Science Department Chair Anita Chetty said. “The fact that pre-diabetes [which is the risk of developing type two diabetes] is rising amongst your population is actually very alarming.”
On Monday, students heard a speech from Elizabeth Beamish (9) during the school meeting, since it was National Diabetes Awareness Day.
“I didn’t know that diabetes was such a prominent disease, and it seemed kind of debilitating,” Shikhar Dixit (12) said. “I found it inspiring especially when Elizabeth talked her heart out about it. It’s perceived as a more common type of disease [by other people], but I find it goes deep into people’s lives.”
Kickboxing and Bollywood dancing were to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the activities were cancelled. On Thursday, a nutrition fair was held in Manzanita Hall and the Edge, where students learned about the diets of a diabetic. Members of WiSTEM made presentations and served healthy dishes.
“So I think this week was definitely helpful, especially the nutrition fair, where everybody was able to see what the lifestyle of a diabetic was like,” Anika Mohindra (11) said.
On Friday, students practiced Tai-Chi, a Chinese exercise, and participated in a raffle. Throughout the week, WiSTEM has been selling diabetes-friendly snacks in Manzanita and donating all funds to the ADA.
“If you look at the statistics right now, the number of people with pre-diabetes is increasing,” Adele Li (11) said. “There are a lot of people out there who are teens and are not living a healthy lifestyle. There is also a lot we can learn about their lifestyle; they practice everything in moderation.”
Students will continue their efforts to spread diabetes awareness and maintain healthy lives to avoid contracting it. WiSTEM will also continue their anti-diabetic efforts.
Vijay Bharadwaj (11) is one of the opinion editors for The Winged Post and Aquila. She served as the assistant opinion editor and the Wingspan copy editor...