![“[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)
Labor Day: Honoring the workers of our country
Wikimedia Commons
Paraders gather in the streets of Toronto for a Labor Day celebration. Canada, along with many other countries around the world, also celebrates Labor Day.
September 8, 2016
When most people think of Labor Day, they often see the holiday as a three-day weekend and an unofficial end to summer. While Labor Day may seem no more than a welcome break from school, the holiday is representative of the importance of workers’ rights to American society.
Labor Day, celebrated annually on the first Monday of September, is a federal holiday honoring the contributions of American workers to the economy and well-being of the United States. This year, Labor Day took place on Sept. 5.
The origins of Labor Day can be traced back to the late 19th century and the American Industrial Revolution, a time when trade unions, or organizations of laborers, began to form and grow.
Although members of trade unions often advocated for higher pay and safer workplaces, they also dedicated themselves to recognizing their work for their country. Celebrations of labor did not take place on a designated day until 1884, when the Central Labor Union proposed celebrating Labor Day on the first Monday of September.
Despite the formation of trade unions, workers’ rights remained an unimportant issue to the United States government until the 1894 Pullman Strike, when over 4,000 employees of the Pullman Company, a manufacturer of railroad cars, protested against low pay. In response to the workers’ demonstration, the American Railroad Union then began advocating for a boycott of Pullman cars, affecting railroad traffic nationwide.
In an effort to resolve transportation problems and to regain the trust of workers, Congress approved legislation to make Labor Day a federal holiday and President Grover Cleveland signed the act into law, six days after the end of the Pullman Strike.
Early celebrations of Labor Day included a street parade, described in the first proposals of the holiday to the Central Labor Union as an event meant to exhibit “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations,” as well as a recreational festival.
Today, Americans typically still observe the holiday by attending parades, as well as spending time with friends and family.
