![“[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)
Career Connect holds workshop during long lunch
James Gatenby, a web developer at LinkedIn helps students professionalize their profiles. The workshop was held yesterday during long lunch in the Innovation Center
A workshop held by Career Connect took place in the Innovation Center during long lunch yesterday to teach students how to make a professional LinkedIn profile, and the importance of having one as a high schooler.
Two employees from LinkedIn, James Gatenby, a web developer, and Asha Chandrashekar, a software engineer, spoke to students about the basics of making a LinkedIn profile and how to make it as polished and refined as possible.
Alexis Gauba (11), an Executive Director of Career Connect, commented on the events of the workshop yesterday.
“This is one of our professionalism workshops [to learn] how to build a LinkedIn profile so that high schoolers, and even teachers, can learn how to beef up their profiles,” Alexis said. “[The students were] actually able to make their own LinkedIn profile and [got] some feedback on it.”
As a high schooler, creating a sophisticated profile and resume is important when it comes to internships, college applications and jobs.
During the workshop, Gatenby took the students through the website and explained how everything worked. He gave tips on what to put in each category and how to professionalize a profile.
“[Your profile] is not necessarily about showcasing a great resume right now, it’s about building a professional network,” he said.
Gatenby shared the four most crucial steps to creating a successful LinkedIn profile.
1. Crafting an informative profile heading that will define you in a professional context.
2. Uploading a polished profile picture, not a selfie or a group photo.
3. Showcasing your education that includes all the institutions that you have attended.
4. Developing a refined summary statement that includes your qualifications in a concise and confident manner.
For safety reasons, LinkedIn allows people age 14 or older to create an account. For privacy and protection, the profile pictures and last names of students under the age of 18 will be hidden from the general public.
Riya Chandra (11), another Executive Director, explained the importance of a strong profile.
“I think LinkedIn is really important for high school students because it kind of gives them a headstart [into] the professional world,” she said.
Stephanie Scaglia (10) shared her ideas on the significance of a LinkedIn page.
“In the future when you need to make connections with other people, it’s good to have a professional way to do it,” she said.
For more information on how to create a professional LinkedIn profile, head to this article.
Jenna Sadhu (10) is a Social Media Reporter for the Winged Post and has been a part of the Harker community since Kindergarten. She plays on lacrosse,...