![“[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 party at Bond-themed Ball
Nichols hall atrium, rotunda redecorated in 007-style spender by Spirit Committee
Students attended Winter Ball, which was organized by the Spirit Committee, on Jan. 17, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., in Nichols Hall.
This year, the Winter Ball theme was “James Bond 007,” and the Spirit Committee was allowed an initial budget of $6,000 to redecorate Nichols Hall. Tickets for an individual person cost $20, while couples could buy tickets for $30.
According to Spirit Club Co-President Katy Sanchez (12), 260 students bought tickets to attend the dance, which was more than last year.
“The only thing that I would have changed would have been the amount of the decorations that we had,” Katy said. “I wish we could have spent more money on all the decorations, because I think it would have looked nicer.”
To reflect this year’s theme, Spirit Committee members purchased elegant furniture and decorations. Chandeliers and soft lights that illuminate the hall replaced the hanging Siemens Science Fair posters while white sofas decorated the back of the building. Circular tables draped with black cloth were also set along the sides of the room.
On a screen under the staircase, James Bond movies were shown throughout the dance.
The Spirit Committee opened the entrance at 8 p.m., and students were greeted with loud music, an assortment of snacks and party lights. As more and more people started to trickle in, groups of students migrated onto the dance floor in small pods. Soon, a large crowd of students who were dancing to the music formed in the center of Nichols Hall. After several songs, girls began to run out to take off their shoes, and high heels piled next to the tan landscape of the hall.
The DJ played popular songs, including “Black Widow” by Iggy Azalea, “Drunk In Love” by Beyonce, and “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.
When the DJ decided to play the classic slow dance song, “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, the crowd thinned out, and couples started dancing together.
The majority of the student body did not attend the Winter Ball, mainly because of studies and extracurricular activities.
“I had a lot of pressures at the time because I was training for the Pre-Olympic Trials [for archery] in April 2015 and taking a mock SAT,” Linus Li (9) said. “Even though I really wanted to have some time to relax and go to winter ball, I felt there was a lot of stress coming in from other subjects.”
Others did not attend because a majority of the students did not.
“I feel at times that attendance to these dances have been somewhat flimsy,” Kevin Su (12) said. “I would prefer where there’s a better attendance and try to save the experience for then.”
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on January 28, 2015.
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