![“[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)
10 classic holiday movies to watch over break
December 10, 2017
Trying to unwind and get into the holiday spirit? Just grab a hot chocolate, curl up in some blankets and choose a Christmas classic to watch with your family. Whether you’ve never seen them before or if you’re watching for the twentieth time, here are 10 classic holiday movies to enjoy over break.
1. Elf
This heart-warming film follows a human boy who grew up with Santa and his elves as he searches for his father. Along with bright colors and family-friendly humor, “Elf” is one of the most popular Christmas movies out there. As a hilarious tale of love and discovery, this holiday movie is ideal to watch with the whole family.
2. Home Alone
This simple yet entertaining movie contains plenty of ingenious pranks by none other than Kevin McCallister, who finds himself having to defend the house from two robbers after his parents accidentally forget to bring him on the family vacation. It won’t take long before you’ll find yourself laughing along with Kevin at the burglars who fall time and time again for his booby traps.
3. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Originally adopted from a Dr. Seuss book, this movie is another classic Christmas story. The Grinch’s heart grows as he slowly discovers the true meaning of Christmas spirit—and maybe while watching this, your heart will grow too.
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Giving a twist to the classic Christmas movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas entails plenty of suspense to an otherwise heart-warming tale of Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloweentown and his exploration of the true meaning of Christmas. If you enjoy excitement and a little spookiness, this is the perfect movie for you!
5. Frosty the Snowman
A classic animated film, this movie is about a group of children who must find a way to save Frosty, a living snowman, before he melts. Despite being made of snow, Frosty’s jolliness and happiness is sure to put a smile on your face in no time.
6. Love Actually
This modern classic tells the lives of eight different people who struggle to find true love as Christmas quickly approaches. Filled with affairs, mourning and flirting, this movie will appeal to your inner drama queen while teaching a lesson of love.
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Memorable not only for being a light-hearted, relatable Christmas story, A Charlie Brown Christmas is also iconic for being the first of the Peanuts animations. In only a half hour, this short film reminds us all what Christmas is really about.
8. Miracle on 34th Street
In this black-and-white movie, Susan meets Kris Kringle, the friendly Santa at Macy’s, who claims to be the real Santa Claus. As Kris faces a series of course cases over his authenticity, he and Susan bond—and along the way, she realizes that Santa may be real after all.
9. The Polar Express
A young boy boards a magical train to the North Pole that leads him on a journey of wonder and discovery, and in his adventure, he transforms from a skeptic to a believer of Christmas.
10. A Christmas Carol
Based off of Charles Dickens’s short novel of the same title, this tale follows Ebenezer Scrooge in a path of redemption and discovery. With elements of horror and thrill added to his emotional journey, this movie will surely captivate your attention.
