![“[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)
Headlines from around the world (Issue 1)
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
A car sits in a flooded parking lot during the 2015 Chennai floods. Two years later, both Chennai and Mumbai are experiencing heavy flooding and rains.
September 6, 2017
Himalayan border dispute
Tensions between the two countries of India and China are high after the Chinese military pushed to build a road in the Doklam plateau, a disputed area claimed by Bhutan, a close ally of India.
Terror attacks across Spain
A driver rammed their van into a large crowd gathered at Spain’s historic Las Ramblas street, a famous tourist attraction, and killed at least 13, injuring hundreds of others in Barcelona. The driver escaped on foot, and a manhunt is currently underway.
Yemeni airstrike
Dozens of people were killed in an airstrike that hit a hotel just north of the city of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, on Aug. 23. Al-Masirah TV, a network run by Houthi rebels, says the airstrike was targeting the rebels and blames a Saudi-led coalition.
North Korean missile tests
The United Nations has unanimously condemned North Korea after it launched three medium range ballistic missiles, one of which flew over Japan last week. Citizens were ordered to take cover, and the missile landed several hundred miles out in the Pacific Ocean.
Mudslide in Sierra Leone
A mudslide hit residents living on the outskirts of the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown, burying hundreds of people on Aug. 14 after heavy rain hit the slopes of nearby mountain Sugar Loaf.
Egyptian funding cut
The Trump administration cut nearly $100 million worth of military and economic assistance and withheld $195 million of aid from Egypt until the country can improve their human rights records, according to the State Department.
Flooding in Mumbai
At least five people have been killed after persistent heavy rains hit the Indian city of Mumbai. Almost 12 inches of rain have fallen on some parts of the city, causing the roads and many houses to flood.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on September 6, 2017.
