![“[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)
LIFE, Eagle Buddy events build healthy lifestyle, community for students
Upper school students engaged in a variety of LIFE and Eagle Buddies activities yesterday, kicking off this year’s LIFE and Eagle Buddies program. Freshmen participated in a course planning activity with Academic Dean Kelly Horan, sophomores and seniors spent quality time with their Eagle Buddies and juniors participated in a Q&A style lecture on healthy relationships with Charis Denison, an expert in community involvement, human development and ethics.
The freshman class learned about time management and course planning at the upper school and worked to balance their academics, extracurriculars and self-care in their high school schedules.
For the sophomores’ activity, the class of 2022 shuttled over to the Bucknall campus to meet their Eagle Buddies in person for the first time after exchanging letters last week. Following a lunch of burgers, chips and cookies, the sophomores bonded with them and participated in a variety of activities including friendship bracelet-making, icebreaker games and various ball games.
“My favorite part [of today] was playing tag with my Eagle Buddy,” Anya Warrier (10) said. “She’s so great.”
The juniors listened to a lecture by Denison that took a deep dive on cultivating healthy, safe relationships. Denison structured much of her lecture as a Q&A, taking questions from students.
Charis Denison, an expert in community involvement, human development and ethics, spoke to the junior class yesterday about healthy relationships at this year’s first round of LIFE assemblies. Denison took questions from the audience and based her lecture off of students’ concerns.
The seniors met with their Eagle Buddies for the beginning of their final year together, spending time to bond on David Field playing a number of field games and board games alike.
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...
Irene Yuan (12) is the co-managing editor of Harker Aquila with a focus on multimedia and social media. This is her fourth year on staff, and she hopes...
Irina Malyugina (11) is the photo editor of Harker Aquila and the Winged Post. This is her third year on staff. She has a passion for visual storytelling...
Alysa Suleiman (12) is the co-editor-in-chief of Harker Aquila. This is her fourth year on staff, and she previously served as Aquila's first A&E editor,...