![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Blues and bass lines: Harker’s annual Evening of Jazz features student jazz groups from middle and upper school
Kelsey Wu (12) sings with accompaniment from the upper school’s Jazz Band. Kelsey was among the seniors honored at the end of her performance.
April 25, 2019
Lights flooded the stage as a medley of saxophones embarked on a melody, softly accompanied by a piano riff which soon swelled in conjunction with the rest of the band. With a crash and a bang from the drums, Harker’s annual Evening of Jazz began.
Opening with a set by the middle school’s Jazz Band, the night featured three separate groups, each of which explored a variety of time periods through their performed pieces, ranging from 18th to 20th century repertoire from artists such as Chick Corea and John La Barbera.
Followed by the upper school Lab Band, the performers settled into the groove with a self-written song called “We Don’t Know.” The upper school Jazz Band finished off the night with a refined set of eight pieces, carefully curated to display the group’s musicality. With each student playing a playful solo, audience members clapped along and cheered as the musical set of the night came to a close.
However, the end of the pieces was not the end of the night. The 12 departing seniors from Jazz Band were honored with customized posters and flower bouquets, and posed on stage for pictures by various friends and family members. As the commemorations came to an end, Jazz Band Director Dr. David Hart congratulated the seniors heartily. The red curtains slowly drew shut, and as gracefully as it had begun, Harker’s Evening of Jazz was over.
Aaron Tran (9) plays a playful solo on his saxophone, marking an abrupt pause in the music filled in by his improvised melody.
Rahul Goyal (12) plays the baritone sax. Rahul is a member of the upper school’s Jazz Band, the closing group of the night.
Connie Xu (12) plays the upright bass as a member of the upper school’s Jazz Band. Connie was one of the seniors honored at the end of the night.
Jazz Band Director Dr. David Hart directs the Jazz Band in accompaniment to vocalist Kelsey Wu’s song.
Alex Rule (12) soulfully plays the trumpet. The upper school Jazz Band features several instrumental sections, with one being the trumpet section.
Jazz Band seniors gather on stage as they recieve parting gifts from the rest of their instrumental group. The seniors were honored at the end of Harker’s Evening of Jazz, celebrating their time with the music groups as well as their dedication to the arts.
