![“[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 participate in donut-eating competition
Members of each class gather in front of Manzanita Hall to compete in a donut eating contest. The freshmen won first place.
Eight students in each lunch period competed in a donut-eating contest yesterday in front of Manzanita Hall.
Spirit club members and advisers suspended donuts from the edges of an umbrella. The objective of the game was to eat the donuts without using hands or receiving assistance from friends.
Two students from each grade volunteered to participate in the activity. Students also cheered for their classmates and encouraged them to do their best.
Jerry Chen (10), one of the sophomore representatives for the contest during fifth period lunch, describes his competition experience.
“It was challenging to get the donut out of the string, but it was very fun,” Jerry said. “The donut was tasty, and I had lots and lots of spirit.”
Assistant to Activities Coordinator Eric Kallbrier believes that the spirit events strengthen class spirit and provide an opportunity for students to relax.
“I think that having competitions like the donut dangle are really great because it gets people excited and gives them a way to engage with each other in a way that they’re not used to engaging here at Harker,” Assistant to Activities Coordinator Eric Kallbrier said. “Overall, I think that having spirit events like this allows people to let go a little bit of the stresses of school and just enjoy being around each other.”
Aishu Murari (12), a senior participant in sixth lunch, also agrees that the short activities provide students with relief from their busy days of classes. She adds that the games during homecoming week allow for greater class unity.
“The spirit events make the day more enjoyable because they’re like a couple of minutes of entertainment that lighten up people’s moods,” she said. “They also help unite the classes through both participation and cheering.”
The freshmen were named the winners for finishing their donuts first, and the seniors completed eating their treats at a close second place. The juniors placed third and the sophomores finished in last place.
Spirit events leading up to Homecoming this Friday will continue daily during lunches. A parade took place to determine which class created the most spirited float during long lunch today. Check back with Harker Aquila for daily updates.
Maya Valluru (12) is a News Editor for Harker Aquila. She enjoys writing short stories and doing service with Harker Key Club. She joined journalism in...
Kaitlin Hsu (11) is the Editor-in-Chief of Wingspan Magazine. In her freshmen year, she was a reporter, and in her sophomore year, she was the Features...