![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
Humans of Harker: Rishi Maheshwari harbors a little-known passion for art
“I have a whiteboard at home. I love doodling on it, I love sketching with pencils and things like that. I find that is really relaxing. If I am really stressed out, that is what I do to destress for like five minutes, and then I go on and do my work,” Rishi Maheshwari (12) said.
January 7, 2017
Rishi Maheshwari (12) describes his room as an art museum, with walls covered in paintings of nature landscapes, portraits of people and cartoons.
“I learned oil painting by myself,” Rishi said. “I self-teach myself, because I have gone to art classes nearby for four to five years. I changed my mind. I decided to teach myself how to do the things that I am more interested in. In art class, they were forcing me to do everything. I had a few specifics I wanted to do, so I dropped that and brought my own supplies and experimented myself.”
Rishi uses the familiar world of art as an escape to relieve his stress.
“I have a whiteboard at home,” Rishi said. “I love doodling on it, I love sketching with pencils and things like that. I find that is really relaxing. If I am really stressed out, that is what I do to destress for like five minutes and then I go on and do my work.”
Rishi shared his love for art with children at a school run by the Jabala Action Research Organization in Kolkata, India for a week after freshman year. He saw the effects of his teachings while he was there.
“I was flipping through one of the kid’s sketchbooks and I saw his artistic skills really grow throughout the month that I was working there,” he said.
Despite his passion, Rishi tends to stay quiet about his artistic side. His friend Aman Navani (12) is one of the few people who has seen his work in person.
“I would say his art is one of his best qualities,” Aman Navani (12) said. “He keeps it hidden, he does not show many people his art, but if you have been to his house, you can see in his room there is just layers of art paintings stacked up. He did not really tell anyone about it, but I have been to his house and I have seen all of them and they are amazing.”
Another one of Rishi’s friends, Alexander Lam (12) agreed.
“His art is absolutely stunning,” Alexander Lam (12) said. “One thing I really like about Rishi is that even though he [is] a very driven person about his school work and academics, he is equally passionate about his art and his creative side is really brought through and shines through his artwork, which I have gotten a chance to see.”
![“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-325x475.png)
![“[Photography] opened my eyes to things that don’t exist except for in that one-second exposure that your eyes can’t capture, writing can’t capture and even video can’t capture. I think it’s an obsession with the world. I’d look outside, and think, ‘These colors are beautiful,’ even though I really like working in black and white. It’s this overall obsession but the way I learn about myself. The camera, when it’s in my hand, teaches me about who I am, and the things that I don’t really know. It’s really taught me how to love, not just the people I’m with, but the overall world, Alex Mo (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-24-at-6.16.20-PM-475x311.png)
![“[I care about] diversity of opinion. Some people think you have to care about one thing only, and you cant care about other things, but I just like Harker because everyone has different perspectives and different ideas. If everyone cared about for example saving the environment or being really good at one sport, then the world wouldnt function, Colt McNealy (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-13-at-8.55.53-AM-475x317.png)
