![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
Heart of Harker: A nonlinear pathway to coursework brings better fit
In this repeating guest column, we encourage all student writers from around the community to share their memorable experiences while at the Upper School. Please email all column ideas to [email protected].
In this repeating guest column, we encourage all student writers from around the community to share their memorable experiences while at the Upper School. Please email all column ideas to [email protected].
February 29, 2016
I remember my first day at Harker with surprising detail.
First period Math class was taught by Mr. Walsh, a gregarious man with a heart of gold and a dangerously disarming smile.
Later in the day, I stumbled to Music with the help of a friendly security guard and promptly tripped over Ms. Cowgill’s feet, landing flat on my face much to the amusement of my peers.
Finally, totally lost, I approached a man in a fancy suit, deep in conversation, and interrupted him to demand that he direct me to 5th grade Biology. I later learned that his name was Christopher Nikoloff – whoever that is.
Why do I have such vivid memories of a day from more than six years ago? Maybe it’s because I’ve held them close to me for so long.
Harker has had an amazing impact on my life, and I’ve grown as a student, a scientist, a performer, and a person while I’ve been here.
Coming from a school where I had never really fit in, I found a peer group at Harker that pushed me to excel and caught me when I fell. Without a Harker education, there’s no way that I could developed such poetic skill as I showed in the previous sentence. Excel, fell – Get it? Anyone? I’ll see myself out…
Seriously though, I think that Harker provides a unique environment with all the opportunities available to all of its students. Over the course of my time here, I’ve been encouraged to pursue STEM, through research projects in middle and high school and participation in Science Olympiads.
But I’ve also made plenty of memories and friends performing in Downbeat and being a part of musicals and plays.
Not just that, so many other students are like me in that they attempt different classes and activities.
Balancing the two spheres hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve always known and loved that Harker isn’t the strictly academic school that many think it to be.
We embrace diversity, nonlinearity, and most of all, we welcome people, not resumes. Writing this piece, I’m imagining myself six years ago on my first day here – scared and lost, undoubtedly, but not alone.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on Mar. 2, 2016.
