![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Junior Honor Council representatives announced
Students vote for their honor council representatives during lunch on Thursday. The Class of 2017’s three representatives were announced at class meeting on Tuesday.
The three Honor Council representatives chosen by the Class of 2017 were announced at the juniors’ class meeting on Tuesday.
The elected Honor Council officers are juniors Chetana Kalidindi, Soham Khan and Andrew Rule. The new members will serve in the council until the end of their senior year.
The council mediates ethical conflicts such as in cases of cheating and plagiarism. Each class has only two opportunities to select honor council representatives prior to graduation. The first election process occurs in the second semester of freshman year and the second occurs either at the end of sophomore year or at the beginning of junior year.
According to the chair of the Honor Council, Dr. Smriti Koodanjeri, representatives carry a significant responsibility because they keep the honor code functioning at the Upper School.
“It’s a position of respect and prestige,” Dr. Koodanjeri said. “You hold it for two years, unlike the student council, which is one year. I’m hoping that fellow classmates look up to you. We put you in that position because you’re fair, you’re just, and you’re kind. Holding that position for two years in front of your peers is a great thing.”
Senior council members also weighed in on the junior class’s elections. Kevina Xiao (12) believed that the new leaders will mesh well with the council’s mission.
“Now more than ever we are finding ways to improve honor in the community, and we are really trying to do a lot of things this year,” Kevina said. “I would say Honor Council is a really good experience, and I feel like there is a lot of potential to make changes in the Harker community.”
Similarly, Vineet Kosaraju, the other senior class representative in the council, believes that the group is attempting to become more open and less intimidating over time.
“A lot of students don’t know what Honor Council is about and that’s something we’re looking to change,” Vineet said. “When people think of honor or Honor Council, they think about cheating on tests or [any] kind of violation of honor, whereas we want them to focus on the positive, like helping a friend out or holding open a door.”
According to Samuel Lepler, one of the teachers responsible for managing the council, the group wants to emphasize the positive aspects of the Upper School.
“We’re planning on a few different projects for outreach to try to raise awareness of the importance of honor and what honor looks like and really raise awareness of how honorable we really are,” Lepler said. “To celebrate honor as well as be aware of dishonor is equally important to celebrate.”
The freshmen will vote for their two Honor Council representatives in January, around the end of the first semester. Check back with Harker Aquila for further updates.
Aditya Varshney (12) is the opinion editor of Harker Aquila and the Winged Post. This is his second year on staff. During his junior year, he occupied...
Michael Sikand (11) currently serves as a social media editor for Harker Aquila, managing the outward appearance and reach of the online news site. This...