![“[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 football wins against Santa Clara in third win of the season
Anthony Contreras (12) and Jared Anderson (11) tackle a Santa Clara player running the ball. Both Anthony and Jared scored touchdowns during the first half of the game.
September 10, 2017
The varsity football team beat the Santa Clara High School Bruins 24-0 in their third consecutive win of the season maintaining an undefeated record on Friday.
Anthony Contreras (12) scored a touchdown in the first quarter, followed by another touchdown by Jared Anderson (11) in the second quarter. Mitchell Granados (11) caught a pick in the first quarter and team kicker Dominic Cea (12) kicked field goals after both touchdowns and later a third, bringing the score to 17-0 by halftime.
After a Santa Clara cheerleader and musical band performance during the halftime show, Harker gained seven additional points after a touchdown by Mitchell Granados (11) and a field goal towards the end of the third quarter, setting Harker’s score to 24. Anthony Meissner (11) caught a pick in the middle of the fourth quarter reversing the ball and James Pauli (12) sacked the Santa Clara quarterback.
The game ended with Harker winning 24-0. Nemo Yang (11), wide receiver and defensive lineman, attributed the victory to the team’s dedication and hard work both on and off season.
“I think it’s the consistent work we put in all year long, beginning from the off-season lifting, summer practice and pre-game game simulators,” Nemo said. “It’s very hard work, and it’s the high standards the coaches have made us live up to that lets us win.”
Nathaniel (Nash) Melisso (10), the football team manager, stated the team is optimistic about future games and are maintaining a good record so far.
“The season has been going very well,” Nash said. “We’re winning a lot of games and we won 77-6 on one game, setting a record, so the team’s looking forward for the games to come.”
