![“[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)
Behind the Scenes: Seniors partake in annual senior portraits
The annual tradition of senior portraits continued this weekend in the auxiliary gym with Prestige Portraits, a company specializing in high school senior portraits.
Every year, these portraits are displayed in the TALON yearbook along with senior quotes to honor the seniors.
Seniors were given the option to choose between a variety of photo sessions, ranging from the basic option of the official yearbook portrait outfit to the ultimate package that includes up to four outfits and various backgrounds.
The follow series of photos showcase the preparation behind senior portraits.
Akhil Arun (12) selects his portrait package from a collection of photo sessions at the register near the gym doors. Sessions included basic, standard, deluxe and ultimate.
Various outfits and clothing options were hung up for seniors to wear for their portraits. Seniors chose their preferred clothing style, and options ranged from casual clothing to graduation caps and gowns.
Senior Abha Patkar prepares for senior portraits in a corner of the gym. All seniors were asked to have their portrait taken for the TALON yearbook on Sunday.
Alixandra “Alix” Robinson-Guy (12) dresses in a white collared shirt for her portrait. For the official yearbook photo, Prestige Portraits provided tuxedos and drapes for students to wear during their portrait.
Standing in front of a mirror, Mason Menaker (12) buttons up a white collared shirt for his senior portrait outfit. Prestige Portraits provided tuxedos and drapes for seniors to wear for their official portraits.
Peter Connors (12) waits for an open photo station to have his portrait taken. Seniors were offered the opportunity to take pictures in different outfits, ranging from casual clothes to graduation caps and gowns.
Seniors Charley Huang and Abha Patkar wait to have their pictures taken.. Seniors were asked to sign up for different time slots, and each slot had 4 spaces for portraits.
Prestige Portraits, a company specialized in high school senior portraits located in the Bay Area, set up various portrait stations in the auxiliary gym. The photo company took photos for seniors on Saturday and Sunday.
Kathy Fang (12) is the editor-in-chief of Harker Aquila. This is her fourth year on staff. From covering local marches and protests to initiating Harker...
Ashley Jiang (11) is the photo editor for Winged Post. This is her third year in the journalism program, and she was a reporter her freshman and sophomore...