![“[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)
Capitol Hill: What You Missed (Volume 19, Issue 4)
Two women protest with a sign saying “We all deserve respect and a leader that can speak in complete sentences!” Over 150,000 protesters took to the streets of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose for the Women’s March 2018.
February 6, 2018
Women’s marches took place in various United States cities on Jan. 20, the anniversary of the inauguration of President Trump.
These marches were intended to protest the Trump administration’s policies on a variety of issues, including women’s health, civil rights and social justice.
In the Bay Area, more than 150,000 women marched in the streets of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.
“A lot of people were wearing things like Planned Parenthood shirts or other Women’s March shirts from previous years,” Anusha Kuppahally (11), who attended the San Jose march, said. “A lot of the signs had to do with Trump or issues of inclusivity that are currently going on in our government.”
The march comes amid the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, which inspired many marchers to protest the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. This year, there was an increased focus on voter registration and compelling more people to vote in the 2018 midterm elections through a movement called “Power to the Polls.”
“It’s called the Women’s March, but I think it encapsulates so much of what is on our minds as students and as citizens because it isn’t just about women; it’s about whoever faces oppression. It’s about how we need a radically progressive and all-inclusive agenda, and what we’re getting instead is a very quickly restrictive and a closed-minded one,” Haris Hosseini (11), who attended the march this year, said.
President Trump tweeted about the march, writing “Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!”
Trump gave his first State of the Union address last Tuesday, addressing all branches of government and the nation.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on February 5, 2018.
