![“[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)
Upperclassmen travel to New York during Spring Break
Students will attend a lecture by historian Eric Foner at Columbia University. The trip to New York will take place from March 27 to March 31.
U.S. history teachers Katy Rees and Julie Wheeler announced a spring break trip for upperclassmen to New York City on Monday during school meeting.
“I think [students will gain] a complete understanding of how awesome New York City is number one, but also all the facets of U.S. History and all the factors that come into play,” Wheeler said. “So many immigrants came to New York from a variety of different places.”
The trip will begin on March 27 and end on March 31. Rees, Wheeler and English teacher John Docherty will chaperone the trip.
“I think it is a way to really engage in person with not just the show, which is really exciting, but also I think there is something to be said for standing in the place or street where it happened,” Rees said. “Coming from the west coast, a lot of places the guys are studying in U.S. history are really removed and being able to be in New York makes it seem that much more real.”
Students will go to the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Trinity Church and take an evening walking tour of Midtown on the first day.
On the second day, they will first visit Hamilton Grange National Landmark and tour Harlem. Afterwards, they will listen to Eric Foner’s lecture at Columbia University and bike around Central Park. They will finish the day by watching Hamilton on broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
The trip concludes on the third day with students exploring the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, tour the area for food and travel to the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Museum before heading home.
The trip is suppose to be a mix of learning and having fun. Throughout the trip, participants will complete assignments and write journals. After the trip, they will present their experiences to classmates.
“I’ve always been really interested in history in a way that is incredibly tangible,” Sarisha Kurup (11) said. “It’s one thing to read about something in a textbook and it’s entirely different to see the way history manifested itself.”
Due to a limited tickets for the Hamilton show, spots will be filled on a first-come, first served basis. The cost of going to the trip is $1800 and a deposit of $160 is required by Oct. 27 for those who are interested. Students can contact Rees at [email protected] or Wheeler at [email protected] to receive more information or sign up for the trip.
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