![“[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)
Completed campus athletic center opens for new school year
Construction for the athletics center began last June and continued until this July. The campus’ performing arts center is expected to be finished in January 2018 and open to student use in March 2018.
August 28, 2017
After a wait of a little over a year following the upper school’s 2016 spring groundbreaking ceremony for the campus’ construction projects, the completed athletics center finally opens its doors to student and faculty use for the 2017-2018 school year.
The facility, which recently cleared the U.S. Green Building Council’s first round of inspections for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, includes sports courts, locker rooms, team rooms and athletic offices. The entry level includes multipurpose and fitness spaces with danceable floors for Pilates, yoga and other similar activities. Also housed in the center are three pools for physical therapy purposes: two connected plunge pools at different temperatures and one hydrotherapy pool similar in function to an underwater treadmill.
A walkway underground leads to two courts, both illuminated by sunlight from large windows, that can be used for either basketball or volleyball. The bleachers on this floor, which face a projection screen, can seat at most around 900 spectators.
“[The gym] is a two-story building, but it only has one story above ground when you look at it,” buildings architect Bill Bondy said. “When you’re standing on the court, you can see all the way above and across the lobby to outdoors, so you don’t feel like you’re in a basement.”
The new athletics center has two floors on the basement and ground levels. Construction for the gymnasium began in early May of the 2015-2016 school year.
Construction for the athletics center began last June and continued until this July. Before beginning the building process, Harker submitted the blueprints for both the athletics and performing arts centers to the San Jose City Hall Permit Center to be approved by the City of San Jose. Although everything went according to plan for the majority of construction, workers faced some challenges in weather.
“We dug into the ground and had two big concrete basements that turned into bathtubs, and every time it rained we had to have pumps and vacuums. The guys were struggling,” Facility Director Mike Bassoni said. “We had to put a lot of extra drain rock all around the building to that people weren’t tracking mud. You can get fined if, during construction, the trucks are carrying mud off the property. The gymnasium was delayed by almost a month because of rain, and the theater is probably delayed by about three weeks because of rain.”
The Board of Trustees and the upper school’s athletic department invited members of the Harker community to attend the center’s opening ceremony on Aug. 18, around two weeks after the facility became available to athletes participating in fall sports’ summer practices. Keynote speakers at the event included Chair of the Board of Trustees Diane Nichols, Head of School Brian Yager, Bassoni and Athletic Directors Dan Molin and Theresa “Smitty” Smith.
“Having a gymnasium on campus, it’ll be very tangible. You’ll notice more school spirit: people will rally around gymnasium events,” Molin said. “It’s obviously very convenient now that it’s going to be on our campus, and it’s just going to bring about a whole new level of excitement.”
Head of the Board of Trustees Diane Nichols addresses Athletic Director Dan Molin during the new athletic center’s opening ceremony. Speakers at the event included both Nichols and Molin as well as Head of School Brian Yager, Facility Director Mike Bassoni and Athletic Director Theresa (Smitty) Smith.
Cars dropping off students will now travel behind Nichols Hall, along the wall separating campus from the Junipero Serra Freeway. Students still will not be able to park on campus until the completion of the performing arts center, which will be finished next January and open to student use in March. The facility, which is currently around 75 percent complete and also in the process of being awarded LEED Gold certification by the Building Council, will house a chorus presentation by the upper school’s vocal performance groups in February and a ribbon cutting ceremony in March.
The upper school will hold its first of the year’s many school meetings in the new gymnasium tomorrow morning.
Correction: August 29, 2017
A previous version of this article stated that the athletics center had been certified LEED Gold before the start of the 2017-2018 school year. Both the athletics center and the performing arts center are currently in the process of receiving LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
