![“[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: Sara Pachauri finds a passion for performing arts
“I always want to keep singing in my life because that’s always been my number one passion. I perform to make other people happy and to keep myself happy. It has always been one of those things that gives me happier moments in life…In high school, I started taking voice lessons and getting more serious about what I loved. From there, I just grew and grew, and I think that every single audition and every single experience helped shape who I am,” Sara Pachauri (12) said.
March 22, 2017
From her introduction to singing as a performing art when visiting her family members in Connecticut to listening to artists during car rides, Sara Pachauri’s (12) love for music can be characterized as familial.
“Music has always been central to my family, even though it’s more of a silent thing. I have family in L.A., and we would always listen to certain songs when we drive there, like the Beatles, or Billy Joel, or Neil Diamond,” she said. “The road trips with those artists definitely influenced my voice, and whenever I listen to them it’s just such beautiful music. Whenever I think of music I think of a happy time. I do everything around music.”
From the moment she realized she had a vocal talent, she fell in love with the performing art. While at first she faced challenges with auditions while finding her place in the world of voice and theater, she truly began to make her mark after entering the Upper School.
“It all started when I was seven or eight, and my first musical was High School Musical because I just loved the movie so much,” she said. “Then, it all happened kind of by accident. In high school, I started taking voice lessons and getting more serious about what I loved.”
Sara talked about rehearsals being her favorite process of putting on annual musicals.
“Moving from the rehearsing in the room to rehearsing on stage—like that transition, seeing it all come to life—is the most thrilling part. Every single time, it’s just so magical and so cool that we have the ability to bring the story to Harker.”
Aside from her time on stage, Sara also enjoys spending time with her family every day as well as serving her community as a Girl Scout.
“Almost always, the best moments are always the little things. Just like watching movies with my parents or them teaching me how to cook. I’ve [also] been a girl scout for 11 years. We always do community service and I participate with Sunday Friends. I just loved playing with [the kids] and doing arts and crafts with them, and it’s just so much fun to just watch them draw and enjoy it.”
As a Girl Scout, she translated her artistry as a means of serving her community. To earn her Gold Award, she helped children learn English as a second language through song. She hopes to continue being involved in her community through her talent, whether it be through this kind of service or performing in community theaters.
