![“[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: Anthony Crook connects robotics to his daily life
“I tinker with whatever I can get my hands on. If I am in class, every once in awhile, I’ll just pick apart a pen just for fun and put it back together. When I am at home, I will just build with whatever is around me. I’ll just build something, whatever I have,” Anthony Crook (12) said.
November 14, 2016
As a member of Harker’s robotics club, Anthony Crook (12) uses the organization as a place to let his inner tinkering spirit run free, all of the tools and parts he needs at his disposal. Robotics provides an challenge for his mind, and the unique building possibilities amaze him.
“I like the whole thing of putting things together and making it do something it was not intended to do,” he said. “Once you get it to work, it is like all that work that you put in paid off. There is a lot of satisfaction you can get out of it.”
During the build season of robotics, Anthony is responsible for the building of the actual robot, but during the off season, he is able to simply play around with the mechanics of machines. Fiddling with the inner-workings of gadgets is a regular part of his life, his tinkering ways continuing beyond just the club.
“I tinker with whatever I can get my hands on. If I am in class, every once in awhile, I’ll just pick apart a pen just for fun and put it back together,” he said. “When I am at home, I will just build with whatever is around me.”
Being a hands-on person, robotics’s ups and downs have taught Anthony life lessons that he applies to activities outside of his school work.
“I learn from my mistakes when I build something wrong,” he said. “If something does not work out, I learn from that, and then in the end, I will end up succeeding.”
On the other side of his multifaceted personality is his love for football. Anthony is a wide receiver on Harker’s football team and has been playing the sport since the sixth grade. The sport provides him with an outlet for his energy and emotions, but one of his favorite things about football is the bond that he has with the team. He considers the team to be another family and that team spirit aids him on the field.
“Whenever I do something right on the football field, whenever I make a good play or do something that helps my team out, it pumps me up a little bit and puts me in a mindset of ‘I did that and I helped my team out,’” he said.
His teammate and friend Kailee Gifford (12) admires his attitude on the football field.
“When he is on the football field, he is really hard-working,” she said. “He is obviously not the biggest guy on the team, but he makes up for it by how hard he works. His mentality is one of the big players.”
Anthony, inspired by his football coach, hopes to be remembered as a considerate and genuine person because to him, the small, kind deeds add up and are truly what matter.
“I want to be remembered for being a gentleman. That is one of my goals in life because it is just important,” he said. “If people remember you as a gentleman, that means you are a good person. You are genuine.”
