![“[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)
Cupertino residents vote on the future of Vallco Mall
A conceptual model shows the developer plans for Vallco. Cupertino residents voted on the November ballot to decide whether revitalization of the Cupertino Vallco Shopping Mall will follow through.
November 17, 2016
Cupertino residents voted on the November ballot to decide whether revitalization of the Cupertino Vallco Shopping Mall will follow through. Voters either sided with either Measure D, the Vallco Town Center Specific Plan Initiative, or Measure C, the Cupertino Citizens’ Sensible Growth Initiative.
“If they follow through with all aspects that they promised, including the transportation, it would be great for the community,” Mandarin teacher and Sunnyvale resident Shaun Jahshan said. “If they don’t end up finishing it, then it will cause a lot of traffic snarls.”
Developers of Measure D seek to revitalize Vallco into a 53-acre multi-purpose town center, complete with “a variety of entertainment options, senior and workforce housing [and] office space,” according to the official Revitalize Vallco website.
Measure C, as a resident-sponsored initiative, will “support balanced growth where infrastructure is developed in conjunction with offices and housing.”
“I think they are vastly underestimating how many people in the new housing would actually have kids in the district,” Computer Science teacher Marina Peregrino said.
Voting took place on Nov. 8.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on November 16, 2016.
