![“[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)
CES 2015 brings novel products
CES
CES is known for its novel technology platforms and concepts. CES 2015 will run from Jan. 6-9.
The 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas saw the launch of many new technology concepts and products starting on Tuesday.
CES is a full-fledged technology conference for those interested in learning more about the future of technology and an opportunity for companies to exhibit novel products they have been working on. Apart from demos and product tours from companies such as LG, Sony and BMW, CES packs various keynote conferences from industry professionals. Additionally, CES places a heavy emphasis on startup companies and entrepreneurship, with programs such as “Startup Stage” to help turn ideas into potentially lucrative business models.
“I think CES is a great platform for entrepreneurs and industry experts to connect with the latest technology trends and concepts,” Aashish Jain (10) said.
In terms of product launches and technology demos, highlights included Intel’s new family of computer chips, Panasonic’s “smart mirror” and Mercedes’s self-driving car. While many companies do launch updated versions of products such as laptops, smartphones, tablets and wearables during CES, many come to the conference mainly to learn more about future technologies.
“With the tech landscape starting to finally expand beyond the classic phones, laptops and TV’s, CES is now a fantastic opportunity for people to see and interact with new innovative products such as smartwatches and other wearables,” Zabin Bashar (12) said.
CES 2015 is currently in progress and will end on Friday. The next similar event to look forward to is Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, which attracts many companies focused on the smartphone industry.
Vedant Thyagaraj is the Science & Technology Editor for Harker Aquila. He is currently a senior and has been on staff for the past three years. Vedant...