![“[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)
In memory of Diana Nichols
Diana Nichols, former chair of the board of trustees and school leader, died on Sept. 2 in her home in Carmel due to pancreatic cancer. Family members, faculty, staff and students attended a memorial service on Oct. 6 to commemorate Nichols.
Winged Post spoke to upper school staff and faculty members about Nichols’s life, legacy and contributions to the Harker School. Here are their stories.
“We really owe it to [her],” assistant head of school Jennifer Gargano said. “It is hard to say what she has contributed because it is hard to say what she has not.”
Advocate
Nichols embarks on an outdoor adventure with family and friends.
“She was a tree lover. She was a devout environmentalist. She felt very strongly about saving the environment, doing everything that she could, and she definitely integrated it in her classroom and her personal life.” — Mike Bassoni, Director of Facilities
Nichols visits China on a trip in 2004.
“She had me train and create a gender equity curriculum for grades K-8. She believed in giving all children equal opportunity. She [and] Howard [Nichols] were dynamic and benevolent. There was a culture that was created with the school, and it was a positive culture of hard work, equality and kindness.” — Enid Davis, former K-12 Library Director
Nichols poses with her husband and former head of school Howard Nichols, who died in 2008.
Educator
Nichols, who started out at Harker as a biology teacher in 1973, engages with a student during the early 80s.
“She always was very clear about the right thing to do for the students. She was a champion for our academic programs. Her passion was about [creating] the best possible experience for her students and giving the teachers the resources they need.” — Pam Dickinson, Office of Communications Director
A 1970s-era Nichols looks over a student project.
“This is a woman who really connected with the higher ideal; she reassured the students to say violence is never the answer; we are one and we have to figure out how to resolve our conflicts on this planet without the use of violence.” — Diana Moss, upper school Spanish teacher
Nichols, an advocate of STEM education, chats with students in the laboratory.
Leader
Nichols speaks at a beam signing event before RPAC construction in 2016.
“The impact is just gigantic, from the decisions from how the school was run before there was a high school to the decision to start a high school and everything that happened, so many decisions.” — Brian Yager, Head of School
Diana and Howard Nichols attend a graduation ceremony in the early 2000s.
“Energy, impact and insightfulness are three words that would come to my mind first. She could assess a situation faster than anybody I’ve seen. Some people will have passion and ideas, but they never come to fruition. That never happened with Diana.” — Cindy Ellis, Community Liaison and former Head of Middle School
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on October 17, 2018.
Prameela Kottapalli (12) is the Editor-in-chief of the Winged Post. She enjoys spending time with her fellow staff members...
Nicole Chen (12) is Harker Aquila's Editor-in-Chief. She joined the journalism program in her freshman year as a reporter and became features editor as...
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...
Eric Fang (12) is the co-editor in chief of the Winged Post. This is his fourth year in Harker Journalism, and he hopes to hone his skills as both a writer...
Gloria Zhang (12) is the co-editor-in-chief for the Winged Post. This is her fourth year on staff. She hopes to continue her passion for sharing stories...