![“[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 Jose heat wave raises health concerns
Students avoid the sun while eating lunch and studying by sitting in the shady area of the table. San Jose is experiencing a heat wave that will last throughout the week.
A heat wave in San Jose will last throughout the week, resulting in higher temperatures and lower humidity levels than usual.
Relative humidity levels of 30 percent to 40 percent coupled with temperatures in the 100s warrant a danger warning on the National Weather Service’s heat index. Overnight temperatures will drop to around 70 degrees, which is still above average because of the high pressures that block cooler air.
Upper school nurse Claire Kelly advises students to stay hydrated throughout the week.
”Make sure you drink plenty of water. Just pay attention to how you are losing any type of water,” Kelly said. “If you are doing exercise you’re going to need extra water. When you are at school, even though it’s hot and you may not be thirsty, you’re probably going to need some water because you are going to lose a lot of water through evaporation and sweating.”
In addition, students and teachers should be sure to dress appropriately for exercise and watch for extreme temperatures before going out.
People should also avoid participating in outdoor activities if they experience any symptoms of dehydration and other heat-related illnesses, such as muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness and headaches. Pets, children and the elderly should not be left in areas without air conditioning or exposure to outside air.
Students and faculty are also experiencing lifestyle changes as a result of the high temperatures.
“[The heat] has convinced my wife that I have to install an air conditioner, which means a lot of extra work when I get home today,” English teacher Christopher Hurshman said.
Other students are not as drastically affected by the heat wave, resulting in minimal changes to their daily life.
“I have to drink a lot more water and it’s kind of annoying,” Christie Chen (9) said. “It doesn’t affect me as much because there is air conditioning in the house.”
The high temperatures this week are not expected to break any records. On September 8, 1904, San Francisco temperatures peaked at 101 degrees, but on that date this year, the high was 90 degrees.
The forecasted temperatures combined with low humidity throughout the state have prompted fire hazard warnings in forested areas.
Jackie Gao (10) is in her second year on staff is a reporter of the Winged Post. Her favorite part of journalism is the ability to interact with various...
Rose Guan (10) is a copy editor for the Winged Post in her second year on staff. She was a reporter in her freshman year, and her favorite aspect of journalism...