![“[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)
Holi festival grows in popularity across various cultures
Wikimedia Commons
Holi is celebrated in Utah as people throw colored dyes into the air. The festival’s popularity has spread all over the world.
Holi, an ancient Hindu religious festival celebrating the coming of spring, took place on March 6 and 7, but the Bay Area will continue to celebrate this holiday in upcoming weeks.
Also known as the festival of colors or the festival of love, Holi is popular with Hindus and non-Hindus alike, gaining popularity in many parts of South Asia, as well as in countries with Hindu populations outside Asia.
Though most often associated with throwing colorful powder with friends and family, the holiday is also celebrated by visiting friends and family and sharing Indian foods and sweets. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit, in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan. People gather near fires, sing and dance, and the next day, Holi is celebrated.
Many students engage in the celebration of the holiday regularly with their friends.
“Holi is a great way for people to bond and celebrate Indian culture,” Ashwini Iyer (12) said. “I really like how everyone lets go and just has a great time with all the color and festivities.”
As the festival continues to grow in popularity each year, students also look to Holi as an opportunity to relax for a few hours.
Two major opportunities for students to celebrate the holiday are scheduled to take place soon, with the first annual Harker Holi this Saturday and Asha Holi in early April.
Proceeds from Holi at Harker will support the cast of this year’s spring musical, “Into the Woods,” as the cast heads to Scotland for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. The festivities will take place on Rosenthal Field from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with tickets sold to students both online and during lunch for $20.
The fundraiser aims to offer a more intimate environment than many other celebrations and will allow students to relax and de-stress with each other.
“It will be fun and it’s relevant to the community,” musical cast member Janet Lee (12) said.
The second opportunity will be held by Asha for Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping support education for underprivileged children in India. Taking place at Stanford University from April 4 to 5, Holi is Asha Stanford’s biggest fundraiser and is the biggest communal celebration of the festival in the Bay Area. All profits from the event go directly towards funding projects in India and to aid education efforts for unprivileged children.
Kavya Ramakrishnan (12) is the managing editor of the Winged Post. This is her fourth year on staff, having previously held the positions of reporter and...