![“[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)
Did you know: Samyu Yagati, Class of 2015 valedictorian
Student-researcher, writer, artist and designer, mentor and now valedictorian
Samyu Yagati (12) has been announced as this year’s valedictorian. She has the highest GPA in the class of 2015.
Senior class Dean Diana Moss formally announced Samyukta “Samyu” Yagati as the Class of 2015 valedictorian during the senior class meeting on April 28.
“I was very excited and as soon as I found out I called my parents,” Samyu said of her initial reaction when notified by administration. The title of Valedictorian is Harker’s only honor given based solely on GPA; Samyu ended semester one of her senior year carrying the highest cumulative GPA of the Class of 2015.
Samyu has began writing her valedictory address, which she will deliver at the Class of 2015 graduation ceremony on May 23 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga.
“It’s about striving to do your best, rather than striving for a particular result,” Samyu said.
A Siemens-recognized student researcher and an officer of the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (WiSTEM) club, Samyu has found success in her academic pursuits. In 2014, Samyu was selected as a Siemens semifinalist for her research in astrophysics.
“I was fortunate enough to find research opportunities at [University of California at] Santa Cruz and Stanford [through] Harker. My connection with WiSTEM both introduced me to girls who like science and research and gave me a way to share the amazing experiences I’ve had.”
WiSTEM enabled Samyu to perform community service; during her junior year, she served as the club’s Internal Advancement Officer. Her duties included coordinating events for the STEM Buddies program, organizing visits to Harker’s Preschool and pairing Upper School WiSTEM members with preschoolers; she acted as a conduit between the two campuses.
This year, Samyu has been conducting outreach with with the non-profit Techbridge, where she is tasked with matching underprivileged girls interested in STEM, many of whom are underrepresented minorities, with mentors.
Additionally, Samyu has won awards debating with the Upper School forensics program and is a Scholastic Art & Writing key recipient. She counts art and writing as the hobbies that make her tick.
“I like drawing [and] I’ve been really into digital art like logo design recently,” Samyu said.
Samyu has attended Harker since the sixth grade; 2015 marks her seventh year as a student here. She intends to major in computer science at MIT in the fall.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on May 13, 2015.
Tara Parimi (12) is co-Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. She has been involved with the upper school's journalism...