![“[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 end Prom over the city
Catherine Huang
Sophia Luo (12) and Esther Wang (12) dance together. Prom took place at the GlassHouse in downtown San Jose from 8:30 to midnight on Saturday.
May 5, 2016
The prom committee held this year’s prom at the GlassHouse in downtown San Jose on April 23 from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.
Upwards of 300 students attended the annual event in downtown San Jose. This year, the prom committee decided on the “after-party” theme, complete with a sleek decorum, fancy settings and a night-life ambiance.
Originally being held at the smaller Silicon Valley Capital Club, the increased attendance led to the location change. The GlassHouse is larger than the previous venue, capturing the essence of the hollywood, late-night theme.
Layla Walker (12), student leader for the prom committee and Spirit Club president, described the event.
“Being the senior’s last high-school dance, it took a lot of focused planning and many months to give them a truly amazing dance to remember,” she said. “I really think we accomplished our goal, and the event was an awesome success, I had a great time. The venue alone really invigorated the experience, truly embodying our desired theme”.
Eric Kallbrier, Assistant Activities Coordinator, reflected on the event as a whole.
“We had an extraordinary Prom, a new venue, a great DJ, the best part was that everybody left with smiles on their faces.”
This year, a great number of students took photos and mingled with their friends at home pre-prom parties. In addition to this, attendees had their formal pictures taken by a professional photography company, while also enjoying a photo booth complete with various accessories such as masks and glasses.
While there was no full dinner served at the event, students indulged in an array of drinks, snacks, desserts, and a chocolate fountain provided by Lovebites and the GlassHouse catering team.
While dancing consumed much of the night, other activities included card games, mingling with friends, and participating in a raffle. The DJ, from Elite Entertainment, played top hits throughout the night, mixing a variety of genres and tempos on the dance floor. Students danced to music from popular artists such as Beyonce, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna.
Many students were excited for and pleased with the event, which was the last dance for many of their high school lives.
Parth Pendurkar (11), who attended prom for the first time, commented on his experience.
“Prom was an awesome experience and was worth all the planning and effort,” he said. “I had a fantastic time with all of my friends, going to pre prom and taking a million photos, dancing at the GlassHouse which was an incredible venue, and just chilling after and grabbing some food.”
Looking into next year, the prom committee sent out a survey asking the student body whether or not the GlassHouse will remain the venue for Harker’s prom.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on May 4, 2016.
