![“[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)
New clubs for 2016-2017 school year
Alice Wu (’16) and Kevina Xiao (’16) prepare for the 2015 club fair. Both new and returning clubs will be allowed to present at the 2016-2017 club fair.
May 28, 2016
As the 2015-2016 school year draws to a close, students have begun applying to start new clubs for next year. Those who are proposing ideas for new student organizations must fill out the club starter form and elaborate on their ideas. Here are some prospective clubs for next year!
Dream and Guided Meditation Club
World History and World Religions teacher Dr. Ruth Meyer was inspired to start a Dream and Guided Meditation Club because of her students’ interest in the topic as well as her own experience in learning about dreams and the subconscious.
“I wanted to start this club to help students at Harker understand their dreams and learn different techniques of meditation,” Meyer said. “When you’re in a dream state, ideas come to you from the subconscious. We don’t discuss this in class, but to me, when you can understand your dreams, it’s the key to understanding your life.”
During club meetings, students will engage in different activities to help them learn more about their dreams. Dr. Meyer drew inspiration for these activities from her own work with dreams and meditation.
“I’m interested in meditation, which presents us with an opportunity to clarify our assumptions and expand our worldview,” prospective club member Soham Khan (11) said. “Dr. Meyer will be directing guided meditation techniques, and we’ll have the opportunity to create our own guided meditation. In addition, we’ll discuss our dreams, maintain a dream journal and even try some lucid dreaming.”
Many of Dr. Meyer’s World History and World Religions students have expressed their interest in the formation of such a club.
“My parents introduced me to the concept of meditation at a very young age and it has always intrigued me,” Aryana Far (9) said. “Plus, I’ve always wanted to dig deep into the true meaning of my dreams, and I think it’ll help me become more in touch with my subconscious thoughts.”
The club plans to invite guest speakers and participate in the Club Fair in order to encourage participation.
Animal Welfare Club
Freshmen Claire Newman and Anusha Kuppahally have always been interested in raising awareness about animal abuse in factory farming, so they decided to start a club dedicated to this cause.
“I know Harker has a huge amount of vegetarian students or students who are simply concerned with the treatment of animals,” Claire, who is vegan, said. “The idea of the club is to raise awareness about [animal abuse] and work against the unfair treatment of animals in factory farming. ”
During club meetings, Claire and Anusha plan to initiate discussions about animal abuse and fundraise for organizations that fight the unfair treatment of animals.
“We want to educate people about animal cruelty and to raise money for organizations that help decrease animal abuse in factory farming,” Anusha said. “During meetings we will show videos about what happens in factories and show ways that we can make money to donate to stop this abuse. For example, we plan to hold a bake sale with cruelty-free ingredients.”
World History teacher Andrea Milius has agreed to advise the club because of her own views on animal abuse.
“We want to educate our community about how we get food and how animals are treated,” Milius said.
The Animal Welfare Club hopes to collaborate with organizations that raise awareness about animal abuse, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
