![“[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 polish their skills in preparation for the upcoming school year
This graphic shows the amount of students signed up for various courses for summer.
Signups are now open for Harker’s summer courses. Nine courses are offered for credits, such as chemistry, biology, and programming, and additional 39 courses are available for students to choose based on their own personal interests.
“I think that the thing that makes the Harker summer programs special is not only the focus on academics but also the fun stuff,” Kelly Espinosa, Director of Summer & Preschool Programs, said. “At other camps, families might send their kids to either a soccer camp or a math camp, but the Harker camps facilitate both needs.”
This year, the AP Chemistry course has approximately 80 students enrolled at the moment, the most out of all classes this year.
“I think that class is also a little more popular because, not compared to others, but compared to AP Biology, the students are younger and don’t have many options outside of summer school in terms of jobs and internships,” Academic Dean Evan Barth said.
Students who wish to take the chemistry and biology advanced placement (AP) courses in the upcoming school year must take a summer course for that subject. There is one session in the morning and another in the afternoon.
Strict attendance is required and students who are absent for more than one class period during a three-week course or two periods during a six-week course will not receive the credit and must leave the class.
Some students believe that the credit summer courses should be available but not required for students planning to take the AP.
“For the AP requirements, I think that Harker shouldn’t mandate students to take the summer course if they are already capable of performing in their desired class for the next year,” Jimmy Lin (9) said. “I think that the class is still a great opportunity for students, but it is a huge time commitment.”
Harker Summer Institute also provides other courses for the students’ personal interests such as creative writing, driver’s education and debate. Sports camps, such as baseball, soccer, wrestling and volleyball are also available during summer.
Students may sign up for teaching assistant (TA) slots for middle school enrichment classes.
“I am going to TA for regular programming this year,” Alex Henshall (11) said. “I was in the summer class myself. There was a nice TA there named John; he graduated now. I thought, man, I really want to be in that position. I consider myself to be pretty good at programming, I don’t want to toot my own horn or anything, but I thought if I was going to be TA a class, I might as well do something I’m good at.”
Though registration does not close until the classes start, spots fill up quickly. Courses range in cost from $390 to $1,595 and last from June 15 to Aug. 7 with curriculums built for students from elementary school to high school.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on April 22, 2015.
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