![“[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)
Fantasy football season kicks off
October 11, 2016
With the fantasy football season underway, upper school students and faculty members actively track the NFL season and check and switch up their fantasy lineups.
These football fans create leagues with their friends in order to put their knowledge and analysis of the actual football season to the test. Participants draft players and use their teams to compete against other league members in earning fantasy points, which depend on how well each drafted NFL player does in a given time period.
Some football enthusiasts enjoy the fantasy version as a complement to the actual games, mirroring the decisions that coaches in the NFL have to make.
“I love playing fantasy football every single year because it adds another dimension to professional football through picking a team of superstars and fighting for glory among your friends,” said Michael Kwan (11), who plays in a league of juniors. “It’s always a tough choice every single week of who to put in your squad, and this season, my picks haven’t been very solid.”
The analysis of the NFL associated with this game has led other players to develop strategies to outwit their opponents.
“I got off to a slow start at 0-3, but that was so that [the rest of my league] doesn’t see me coming later on,” said Justin Jia (12), who plays in a league of seniors.
Some faculty members have also joined in on fantasy football and are seeing success in their teams.
“I am currently undefeated. I was initially very hesitant [to play], as I thought that fantasy football was way too involved for me, [but] I’ve had some help [from my students],” history teacher Julie Wheeler said.
As the season goes on, fantasy players continue to optimize their teams and strategies in hopes of winning match-ups and making it to the playoffs.
