![“[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)
Student organizations invite new members to join at Club Fair with interactive activities
Malar Bala (10) stands by the Women in STEM (WiSTEM) poster board while Erica Cai (10) signs up. Students who still want to sign up for a club can contact club officials and ask to be put on the mailing list.
September 11, 2019
This year’s annual Club Fair invited upper school students and faculty to explore and join a variety of student organizations in the RPAC lobby and the donor plaza during lunch today.
Club Fair usually takes place in early September and is a place for students to share their passions with the rest of the student body. This year, Eric Kallbrier, the director of student organizations, chose to host Club Fair in the RPAC lobby instead of the quad, like last year, or in front of Nichols like previous years. In addition, the large display screen in the RPAC was used to present pictures of previous club events and activities to promote each club.
“We’ve been changing the location for the past two years to keep it fresh and exciting but also to make sure that everybody gets a place that works for them,” Kallbrier said.
Tables were lined along the walls of the RPAC lobby and around the Donors Plaza. Club officers and advocates stood in front of handmade boards, trying to get new members to join their clubs while showcasing their achievements or attracting students with small goodies.
“Club fair is a lot livelier than I imagined. Everyone is trying to get me to join their club and honestly it’s a little overwhelming. On the other hand it’s really diverse and interesting and I’m excited to discover what’s out there,” freshman Ashley Ma said.
New clubs such as Voices of Youth Activism, founded by junior Natasha Yen, used Club Fair as a way to spread awareness of their club and to attract like-minded members.
“The best part is that anyone can make a club and spread their interests around campus. There wasn’t a creative writing club when I came, so I think the opportunity to make one myself and to meet other people who shared my interests is really cool,” said Eva Chang (12), the founder of The Writer’s Advocate Club.
Over the next couple weeks, most clubs will start notifying their members about upcoming meetings and activities via email. Students who still want to sign up for a club can contact club officials and ask to be put on the mailing list.
“I like that clubs allow students to pursue their own particular passions and to develop and grow them over the next year. There aren’t very many limits to what you can pursue in a club as long as you’re willing to putting in the hours and effort. The variety of the activities students are involved in is what I find the most interesting,” Christopher Hurshman, the faculty advisor for the Unplugged club, said.
