![“[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: Marina Newman exhibits personalities of the characters she plays
“I’m an empathetic person. I use that word because I think theater has helped me with that. I mean, you play different characters and you enter people’s lives for a bit, and it helps you see different perspectives. Sympathy is different than empathy. I think I’m an open-minded person,” Marina Newman (12) said.
February 6, 2017
Both feet planted firmly on the pine needles and head held high, Marina Newman (12) stands for a silent second before becoming her character on the impromptu stage. As soon as she opens her mouth to speak, the essence of her role comes out — they are not simply words or emotions, but the conflicts, personality and motives of her complicated character.
Marina finds strength in characters she portrays in theater. Self-described as thoughtful and cheerful, she is always open to listening to others.
“I hope that people knew that they could come up to me and talk to me whenever possible or tell me problems because I’m always happy to listen,” she said. “I hope to be remembered as a thoughtful person.”
As an optimist, Marina strives to spread her happiness and to always remember that there is something to be thankful for. The gifts her family give to her, both the material and intangible, stay close to her heart.
“I feel like it’s a really cynical age that we live in now, and I really like Louis Armstrong,” Marina said. “I really like his song ‘What a Wonderful World’ and my sister got me this canvas with the lyrics ‘And I think to myself, what a wonderful world’ on it, and I like to think of that sometimes just to remind myself that the world is really beautiful, and there’s always things that we can be thankful for.”
When she was younger, Marina danced seriously but found that there was not enough time for school, theater and ballet. Though she still loves watching ballet, she is now focused on acting.
“I really love playing strong characters because a lot of times, in more traditional plays, the women are often perceived as weak or insane, and it’s really nice to play a strong woman now and then,” she said.
Not only is acting her passion, but Marina also feels that each character she plays endows a bit of their strengths in her.
“I’ve heard it said that when you play a character, some of that character is still a part of you. I think that’s kind of true. If you put so much time into the play and developing it, then that character becomes a part of you,” she said. “If those are admirable characters, then that’s a good thing. I hope Reggie Fluty made me stronger.
Becoming another person for a short time in has allowed Marina to grow her empathetic side. Instead of simply feeling compassion, Marina feels that she can truly understand what others are thinking.
“I’m an empathetic person,” she said. “I use that word because I think theater has helped me with that. I mean, you play different characters and you enter people’s lives for a bit, and it helps you see different perspectives. Sympathy is different than empathy. I think I’m an open-minded person.”
To fulfill her love for international relations, Marina plans to join the Peace Corps later, but as of now, she continues to focus on her passion for theater and the performing arts.
