![“[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)
Service is more than just 30 hours
Wikimedia Commons
While I originally wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I learned of the school’s 30 hour community service requirement, using my own interests to my advantage has given me opportunities to gain experiences I never would have imagined. The people I’ve met have taught me a lot.
January 26, 2018
“Hurry! Only five more minutes!” I yelled, as my two best friends and I scrambled to finish preparing a dinner that would feed 40. It’s the spring of my freshman year. We’ve already been working for more than three hours, but we encountered obstacles every step of the way. Now I have no time to waste. Food flies, bodies blur: it feels like an episode of Masterchef.
Since my freshman year, I’ve taken my cooking skills outside the house and began volunteering once a month at JW House, an organization that provides housing and services to families that have family members receiving treatment in the nearby hospital. There, I, along with two friends, cook a full course dinner for the residing families, complete with salads, meat, vegetarian options and dessert.
As much as I love to cook, the most interesting part of being a volunteer chef comes after the meal is prepared. When everything is served, my friends and I sit down to chat with the guests. Hearing their stories gives me insight into life experiences that I haven’t—and may never—encounter, insight I wouldn’t have if I just cooked a meal and went home.
During winter break last year, I wanted to do some sort of service activity outside of the Bay Area and decided to go to Kathmandu, Nepal with a volunteer team to help renovate a hospital and a school, and to teach local children English. Even though I was only there for 10 days, I learned a lot about the conditions of the area while also leaving a positive effect, no matter how small, on some people’s lives.
While I originally wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I learned of the school’s 30 hour community service requirement, using my own interests to my advantage has given me opportunities to gain experiences I never would have imagined. The people I’ve met have taught me a lot. They have changed my understanding of what it means to be there for someone else when they need you, and about generosity of spirit. I hope every student learns what it feels like to help those we don’t even know because it’s a special feeling.
