![“[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)
Varsity girls’ volleyball inaugurates athletic center in opening ceremony
The varsity girls volleyball team was the first Harker sports team to hold a sporting event in the new gym. The team’s scrimmage was part of the center’s opening ceremony on Aug. 18.
September 6, 2017
The upper school’s new athletic center held its opening ceremony to showcase its facilities and features to the Harker community on Aug. 18.
The opening ceremony featured numerous speakers, a demonstration of the gym with the varsity girls volleyball team and a self-guided tour with student athletes stationed in each room.
“The work we’ve been doing now finally matches the kind of gym we’re in,” varsity girls volleyball team member Tiffany Shou (12), who attended the opening, said. “Our team of 14, we just feel so small in there compared to the big gym, and I think it’s going to be a while until we get used to it, but I think we’re really going to live up to what it is.”
After opening remarks from Chair of the Board of Trustees Diane Nichols and Head of School Brian Yager, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with the Board of Trustees, student-athletes and a group of Harker’s staff outside the building.
Attendees entered the gym, where Nichols introduced key individuals specific to the project. Athletic director Dan Molin expressed his optimism for the future of not only the athletics department but the entire Harker community.
“The time for imagining how much better we can be is finally here,” Molin said at the ceremony. “What I’m most excited about cannot really be quantified. What I’m talking about is school spirit. Big games will be played here with packed bleachers and a cohesive student body coming together as one. That’s what I’m excited about because those will be great memories that Harker athletes and all Harker students will carry with them forever.”
Upper school girls volleyball coach Theresa “Smitty” Smith dedicated the court to former Head of School Howard Nichols, revealing his name printed on the floor of the gym.
“[The intent of the ceremony] is to celebrate the completion of the building, to celebrate Harker’s athletes of the past, present and future, to allow the entire Harker community to come and see a building that we’ve been talking about for many years,” facility director Mike Bassoni said in an interview. “It took 14 months to construct, but we’ve been talking about building a new gym for well over a decade.”
Construction on the gym began last June and continued until this July. The gym also became accessible for fall sports’ summer practices.
“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.”
Due to the completion of the gym, 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 during first semester.
“We’ll most likely never have unlimited high school student parking,” Bassoni said. “Second semester of this school year, the seniors will be able to come back and park, and juniors who are fortunate enough to get a spot will park.”
Beyond better facilities for athletes and performers, the construction of the new gym and performing arts center will also allow the school to move towards using property it owns, minimizing its reliance on leased property.
“[The construction] allows us to ultimately move away from the leased [Blackford] campus—the lease is going to end—and onto property that the school owns, and that will ensure Harker’s presence and academic standard of excellence in the valley for another 125 years,” executive director of advancement Joe Rosenthal said. “That’s why it’s so significant, and I think that’s why we’re really trying to get across that it’s much more than a gym and a theater.”
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on September 6, 2017.
