![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Prospective clubs for 2018
Students and faculty visit booths at last year’s Research Symposium in Nichols Atrium. Similarly to this event, the Artificial Intelligence Club plans host a series of workshops and lectures about biology, math, computer science and a variety of other topics.
September 6, 2017
Power of Words Club (POW)
POW introduces creative writing in the forms of poetry and literature to elementary school students in Boys and Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley by holding workshops.
“I was influenced to help create POW by my own passion for writing. Typically, creative writing is not emphasized in a school environment, and I wanted to help change this,” club officer Lily Wancewicz (11) said. “With POW workshops, students get an opportunity to be exposed to different writing strategies and styles.”
Artificial Intelligence Club
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club explores STEM topics, including math, computer science and biology. The club will host a series of workshops and have experienced club members teach new members about AI through hands-on activities and lectures.
“[Artificial intelligence] is an intersection of many different areas: computer science, biology, math and many more. I think it’s really interesting because it involves many different facets of science,” club founder Cynthia Chen (10) said.
Students Partner with Veterans Club
The Students Partner with Veterans Club plans to raise awareness about the obstacles veterans face in society and present Harker students with role models. The club plans on having speakers, assemblies, discussions and events involving veteran associations.
“Growing up in Silicon Valley, I think it’s easy to become absorbed in the bubble of wealth that we live in and forget about the suffering that happens every day and all around us,” club founder Annie Ma (10) said. “Even right outside the gates of Harker there are veterans begging for food and money on the street.”
Learning Ally Audiobook Club
Working with the organization Learning Ally, which makes audio books for visually impaired readers, Learning Ally Audiobook Club focuses on quality-controlling books.
“Club members will choose any book they like from a selection and use audiobook software to listen along and catch any errors made. If enough people are interested, we hope to allow members to review at home and record audiobooks at a studio,” club founder Kyle Li (10) said. “Volunteers will be eligible for volunteering hours from the Learning Ally organization.”
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on September 6, 2017.
