![“[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)
DECA prepares for conference
DECA holds a study session in the Innovation Center after school on Feb. 19. DECA will travel to compete in a San Diego Conference today.
March 3, 2016
Eighty-nine upper school students will attend the DECA State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in San Diego from Mar. 2-6.
Upwards of 2,000 students from forty California high schools will come together to bring their business, leadership and finance skills to competition. In addition to competing, students will attend a dance, take advantage of networking opportunities and enjoy the San Diego Zoo.
In early January, the Harker DECA chapter competed at the Silicon Valley conference (SVCDC) in San Jose, bringing in a record ten first place wins along with numerous finalists.
SVCDC served as a benchmark for students looking to compete at the state level, and members can expect a more intense competitive climate for the upcoming convention. Participants who place at least fourth in their event will be eligible for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC), taking place in Nashville in April.
Juston Glass, director of business and entrepreneurial programs at the upper school, described the preparation of the Harker DECA chapter.
“I truly feel that our chapter has been more than dedicated to this year’s SCDC DECA conference,” he said. “Our officer team, Mr. Thompson, and myself, have been diligently preparing each individual member to perform at the highest level possible. I can’t wait to see all of their hard-work come to fruition.”
Since the chapter’s accomplishments in January, Harker DECA members have not been distracted. Students have been preparing in after-school study sessions, where they take practice tests, simulate presentations and get feedback from the officer team.
Although Enya Lu (9) was a first place finalist earlier this year, she has been reviewing and revising to have an edge on her opponents.
“I feel like I really worked hard,” she said. “I study the performance indicators and practice roleplays with the officers. I have confidence in myself.”
Riya Chandra, VP of operations, explained the importance of States.
“DECA states is one of the most important conferences, students have been working really hard throughout the year preparing for their events; coming to study sessions every week,” she said. “This is the time where students can qualify for ICDC so they can go fulfill their dreams there.”
The group will head south and leave campus on Mar. 2 at 1:00 p.m. As the conference is just around the corner, last-minute study sessions will be held in the Innovation Center to prepare the DECA chapter.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on March 3, 2016.
