![“[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)
San Francisco Giants begin 2015 season
Special to Ellen Austin
The San Francisco Giants play at home at AT&T Park in San Francisco. They currently hold a 9-13 record.
The San Francisco Giants opened the 2015 MLB season with a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 6 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 2014 World Series Champions look towards another successful season, hoping to win their fourth championship in the past 5 years.
The Giants currently sit on a 9-13 record, going 2-1 against the Diamondbacks and 1-3 against the San Diego Padres.
“Given the injuries to seemingly everyone, they’re doing pretty good,” Arjun Ashok (12) said. “Obviously it’s not 7-0, but when you’re that injury depleted, 3-4 isn’t bad at all.”
Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco’s star pitcher, continues to improve upon his Most Valuable Player (MVP) performance in the 2014 World Series. With the team missing six players due to injury, Bumgarner remains a key component of the recovering Giants, earning commendation for his performance on Opening Day against the Diamondbacks.
“He’s an amazing pitcher and a consistent guy who’s been an ace for the team this season,” Varun Haltore (10) said.
Jake Peavy, Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, and Matt Cain all suffer from strains and fractures, and their absence can potentially dampen San Francisco’s future success for the 2015 season.
As the players recover, the top of the order has produced for the Giants. Nori Aoki, Joe Panik, and Angel Pagan all average a .403 OBP, allowing the team to consistently score runs.
Expectations for the 2015 season include a berth in the postseason and chance to advance to the title game for the fourth time in the past six years. With San Francisco winning the World Series in every even-numbered year since 2010, the odds remain stacked against them this year.
Last year, the Giants barely squeaked into the playoffs, facing injuries and lack of strategy during the regular season. Bruce Bochy, the team’s manager, deployed tactics that allowed for San Francisco to secure wins against the St. Louis Cardinals to clinch the series.
After taking an early hit in 2015 with a slew of injuries to starters, many still hold hope that the remainder of the season will show more promise with the return of players such as Pence and Cain.
The Giants will take on the Los Angeles Angels tonight in San Francisco.
Ria Gandhi (11) is the Aquila Features Editor. This is her third year on staff after being the Assistant Sports Editor in her sophomore year and a reporter...