![“[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)
Humans of Harker: Sravya Cherukuri’s love for dance grows into a passion for theater
“Keep moving forward — I think that’s an amazing phrase because I think many people get drawn back by negative things in their life, and they’re unable to move past that, but I think keep moving forward is the best phrase. Find a new passion, find the things that you love, it’s okay to go through these struggles, just keep moving,” Sravya Cherukuri (12) said.
October 11, 2016
As a child, Sravya Cherukuri’s (12) viewed Bollywood movies as her main source of entertainment. Her early interest later grew into a passion for dance and theater.
Sravya began exploring dance almost ten years ago, when aspects of Bollywood movies prompted her to want to imitate similar movements in her own dance styles.
“Bollywood movies really inspired me because of the dancing, color [and] dynamics, and that’s how I first started Indian classical dance,” Sravya said. “I was a huge fan of this Indian actress Madhuri Dixit. She had the most amazing expressions ever, and I would try to mimic that in my Indian classical dance.”
Dancing gives Sravya a chance to express her emotions without using words, as she has had experiences of speech problems that interfered with her efforts to communication with others.
“I had a lot of speech problems as a kid, so people didn’t understand what I was trying to say,” Sravya said. “When I danced, i was able to express my feelings more thoroughly and communicate with others.”
Besides Indian dance, Sravya also enjoys western dance styles such as jazz, lyrical and hip hop. She also started an acting career when she joined the drama club in her middle school years.
“I’m always the person who wants to try new things to discover new passions,” Sravya said. When I started acting, I really liked it because I liked the way that I’m going into someone else’s shoes and telling their story.”
Performing arts helps Sravya relax in times of stress.
“When I do feel stressed out about academics, I do lean in towards my performing arts side to destress myself,” Sravya said. “ I try not to let the negative things affect me as much. If you are able to be consistently happy with how your life is, that really defines success.”
Zahra Budhwani (12), who is involved with performing arts with Sravya, describes how Sravya influences others with her happiness.
“If you ever text her, and you’re like, ‘I need something,’ she just drops whatever she’s doing, and she’s just like, ‘I’ll be there,’” Zahra Budhwani (12) said. “She makes us happier just by being around her because she’s always so cheerful.”
At the upper school, Sravya co-choreographs one of the dances for the upper school dance show. She is also heavily involved with rehearsing and preparing for the fall play, as she takes on major roles in this year’s show.
“I hope to remembered as that kid who kept on pushing people to get out of their comfort zones because it’s senior year and people are just kind of chilling,” Sravya said. “I want to be that kid that constantly motivates others to do their best and get out of their comfort zone.”
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on October 11, 2016.
