![“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)
Families gather at park for first-ever Class of 2022 picnic
Alyssa Tomberg (10) looks over the food options laid out on the long, foldable table that one family brought. Sophomores and their families gathered at Vasona Park this past Sunday for a BBQ potluck.
September 27, 2019
As Liza Shchegrov (10) and her brother threw a foam missile football back-and-forth at the top of a lush green hill that overlooked a sparkling lake, a group of elementary and middle schoolers fawned over a German Shepherd and Labrador mix, Katya, that Angelina Yuzifovich (10) brought, and a four-year-old Golden Retriever, Sirius, that Liza brought. Patties on the grill sizzled, sending a smoky aroma wafting across the picnic area where parents sat together in threes and fours chatting about school and cracking jokes over refreshing cold drinks.
This scene was a part of an afternoon of activities when students in the upper school’s Class of 2022 and their families joined together on Sunday for a lunch potluck organized by 2022 Grade Level Coordinators (GLCs) Siobhan Due, Veronica Lindh and Director of Alumni Relations Kristina Alaniz, all parents of current sophomores, at the Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos.
“I was looking forward to reuniting with friends and just doing something outside of school,” Camilla Lindh (10) said. “I liked playing volleyball with everyone and socializing [and] hanging out with the puppies and the dogs that other people brought.”
Around nine families, totalling about 30 people, attended the potluck, bringing main dishes and snacks to the table for lunch.
Parents gathered around several of the long picnic benches, enjoying freshly grilled hamburgers as some sophomores and their siblings spent time with their dogs while others played a quick game of volleyball across a low-hanging net.
After lunch, the warm weather encouraged a trip down to the lake where families rented kayaks and pedal boats. Kai Due (10) recalled fond memories and the delicious food at the picnic as he reflected on the event as a whole.
“There was a lot of class bonding. I feel like I’ve become a better member of my class and have contributed to the Harker community,” Kai said.
Siobhan Due, one of the three 2022 GLCs, values events like this potluck to establish closer connections with the families of the Class of 2022 in a relaxing environment, noting that parents and students alike need breaks from the perpetual pressure and stress of school. With that in mind, she and the other GLCs wanted to create a time where Harker families could come together and “build community.”
“Kristina, Veronica and I, I feel like we’re such a good team; as GLCs we all work really well together,” she said. “We all chip in and [do] a lot of stuff together. I feel so delighted to work with those two to do more stuff with the parents.”
Prior to the event, Christopher Hurshman, the Class of 2022 dean new this year and upper school English teacher, stated that he looked forward to the picnic as a way for families to get to know each other, as well as a chance for parents to meet faculty and the class dean in a more relaxed setting.
“It’s a very spirited and responsible class and one that really has high expectations and ambitions for itself both here at Harker and beyond,” Hurshman said.
