![“[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)
Best and worst looks on the 2016 Oscars red carpet
Sunday night was one for the books, in Hollywood and possibly in your lives as well. You might have been weighing in on Chris Rock’s politicized spin on being an Oscars emcee or maybe you were mourning the loss of Leonardo DiCaprio Oscar memes as he won his first Oscar for Revenant. With the annual ritual of the Oscars comes Sunday night’s recognition of the industry’s most talented performers, a celebration of Hollywood, and fashion, which brought the #AskHerMore campaign with it this year.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom launched the #AskHerMore campaign in 2014 to encourage the media to actresses more than just “Who are you wearing tonight?”. The movement has grown significantly as actresses such as Reese Witherspoon have vocalized their support of #AskHerMore, and the Oscars carpet was another place where fashion and advocacy partnered together to encourage equal treatment of actors and actresses by the media. Speaking of fashion, here’s a recap of the hits and misses on Sunday’s red carpet.
Jared Leto: A-
Jared Leto’s look on the red carpet was anything but traditional. His red-lined Gucci tuxedo was a nice break from every other actor’s all-black looks. Leto opted for a red corsage instead of a traditional bowtie, and that daring move didn’t work in his favor. The corsage took the attention away from the fashion-forward tuxedo, and looked more like a mistake than an intended choice.
Heidi Klum: D
If the Oscars was actually an episode of Project Runway, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia and Zac Posen would have eliminated the designer of Heidi Klum’s dress. While the purple Marchesa creation flowed beautifully on the design label’s runway presentation, Klum couldn’t channel that same effect on the red carpet. Klum was drowning in the fabric and channeled her inner mother-of-the-bride.
Rachel McAdams: A+
Rachel McAdams may not have won any individual Oscars for her acting in Spotlight, but she won every award in my mind for her look on the red carpet. Her August Getty Atelier dress is a part of Getty’s upcoming collection that will be presented this week in Paris. The gown’s low back and exquisite color set McAdams apart from the other pastel-colored dresses at the Oscars. Her earrings and subtle shades of green incorporated into her makeup completed the whole look.
Pharell: B
Pharrell has made a variety of daring fashion choices for the red carpet, including his sweatpant stint last year, but his look at the Oscars just didn’t work. The capri-like pants on his traditional black tuxedo looked out-of-place. Pharrell could have pulled off the shortened pants if he had worn a shorter blazer or less traditional tuxedo overall.
Kate Winslet: C
It’s hard to believe that Kate Winslet’s gown was a Ralph Lauren creation because it looked more like a shiny trash bag with detailed draping. Winslet looked gorgeous and radiant, as always, but her dress fell short of her past appearances on the Oscars red carpet. Try again next year, Kate?
Priyanka Chopra: A+
Priyanka Chopra looked radiant at her first Oscars red carpet yesterday. The lace and jewel details on her Zuhair Murad gown gave her look a perfect mix modern elegance and Hollywood glam. Chopra’s understated makeup and hair emphasized her natural beauty. Her gown for the afterparty hit a similar note, but it may have been nicer if she chose a dress with a pop of color for the Vanity Fair party.
Jacob Tremblay: A+
Jacob Tremblay stole everyone’s hearts on the red carpet, mainly because of his personality more than his outfit. His understated black tuxedo with a peak-lapel made this young actor look dapper as ever!
Kerry Washington: C
Leather and chiffon usually don’t work well together, especially not for Kerry Washington on Sunday. Washington changed her routine up for the Oscars and didn’t opt for the classic looks she usually wears. Her hair updo made matters worse and made her dress feel more like a costume than something a successful actress would wear to the Oscars.
Kevin Hart: B
Hart’s black tuxedo missed the mark on the red carpet, mainly because of its embellishments. The stone details took away from the general dapper look he may have been going for, and the shawl-shaped collar did not look as sleek as a sharp collar.
Jennifer Lawrence: B+ for the main red carpet, A for the after party
On the main red carpet, Jennifer Lawrence’s dress fell short of her past gown choices. The combination of black and nude lace felt like a throwback to the Oscars in 2013. However, Lawrence’s look for the afterparty brought back the J. Law we all know and love. The Alexander Wang two-piece embellished with zipper details added a punch of youth and edge into her look for the night.
Ayushi Gautam (12) is the Managing Editor of Harker Aquila. She has been a part of the journalism program since her freshman year. She was the Social Media...