![“[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)
On December 26, the Upper School orchestra embarked on a nine-day trip to London. The students performed twice in London’s Cadogan Hall on December 29 and 31 and had the chance to participate in the London New Year’s Parade Festival.
“I expected it to be a really culturally enriching trip. I think that lived up to my expectations,” violiinist Sahana Rangarajan (9) said. “It was cool to play in Cadogan Hall where all these famous orchestras have played. It was like walking in their footsteps.”
As the biggest international trip hosted by the Upper School with 77 students, the invitation to London was extended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster and directors of London New Years Day Festival, who presented the Upper School orchestra with a plaque for their achievement of excellence.
The orchestra was particularly impressed with their venue, Cadogan Hall.
“I was really taken in by the quality of the acoustics. I think that the experience, overall, is something that [I’ll look back] on.” violinist Madhuri Rao (12) said.
Madhuri along with her fellow orchestra members also found the trip to be a great bonding experience.
“I made a lot of new friends, and I got even closer to my existing friends,” she said. “We were always together and went through a lot of stuff together. Performing and [participating in] the parade helped us all bond really well.”
The Upper School orchestra was well-received and felt the trip was a success.
“It was huge,” orchestra conductor Chris Florio said. “We have a very large orchestra, and we encompass ten percent of the school. Yet, everybody seemed to meet each other and was very friendly. [Now] they have so many new friends to say ‘hi’ to.”
The group’s performance was a positive experience for all involved as well.
“It was right after the super-rush of adrenaline and it was amazing,” said concert-mistress Helen Wu (9), describing their performance. “We got a huge standing ovation and that was probably the best memory.”
