![“[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)
Students participate in annual gingerbread house building competition
Representatives from the faculty and all four classes gathered inside Manzanita Hall to compete in the gingerbread spirit event today during long lunch.
Each team was provided with a tray full of frosting, cardboard boxes and graham crackers, but students were also encouraged to bring more candy for decoration.
“It’s bringing students together for a common cause, which is great,” Chemistry teacher Rachel Freed said. “Also, I just love making gingerbread houses.”
This Spirit Club-organized event is one of many that intends to be a fun way for students and teachers to bond with each other and build some friendly competition.
The freshman and faculty created a house, the sophomores built a train, the juniors made several small buildings, while the seniors recreated Gotham City.
Kaitlyn Nguyen (9), one of the participants, commented on the energetic atmosphere during the contest.
“I was the DJ, and I was just blasting the Christmas music,” she said. “It really brought everybody’s spirit up.”
Other students mentioned that the contest was enjoyable because of its spontaneous nature.
“It was fun,” Molly Wancewicz (10) said. “We got to work together and come up with new ideas on the spot.”
Arjun Ashok (12), Spirit Commissioner of the senior class, also felt that the event was an entertaining way to spark creativity in each of the classes.
“Working with everyone was definitely a good experience. We all had a similar vision and felt the same,” he said. “I think it really allowed us to flex our creative muscles.”
Students who worked on the gingerbread sculptures spent the full 90 minutes of long lunch. The sound of each classes’ brainstorming discussions and resulting laughter created a loud din inside Manzanita Hall.
The freshman took first place in the event, with the sophomores, juniors and seniors coming in second, third and fourth places, respectively. The faculty was awarded with an honorable mention.
Each teams’ gingerbread building is on display in Manzanita Hall.
Kaitlin Hsu (11) is the Editor-in-Chief of Wingspan Magazine. In her freshmen year, she was a reporter, and in her sophomore year, she was the Features...