![“[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)
Harker senior commits to swim for Stanford
Senior Ethan Hu signs his letter of intent to swim for Stanford University. Come fall, he will join the class of 2024, a dream come true for him.
November 14, 2019
Against the white and green Harker Eagles backdrop in the brightly-lit multipurpose room of the Athletic center, Ethan Hu (12) smiles broadly as he holds a bright bouquet of congratulatory flowers in his hands, surrounded by his friends, family and coaches. Matching the name card on the table, the stark red letters, “Stanford,” stand out on his crisp white tee.
On Nov. 13, Ethan officially committed to be a collegiate athlete on the Stanford swim team and a member of the class of 2024. Having been a swimmer for ten years, this is a dream come true for him.
“[I feel] a whole mix of emotions,” he said. “Definitely some relief, excitement and a little bit of anxiety.”
Ethan has been making history throughout his high school career. Just last year, he shattered records in the 200 individual medley (IM) and the 100 fly at both the CCS championships and the state meet, in addition to garnering top results with Harker’s 200 medley and freestyle relay teams. However, more than the medals and glory, he appreciates the relationships he has made and strengthened through swimming and the people who have supported him throughout this journey.
“The best part about swimming would be the community, the team, the people I get to swim with,” Ethan said. “I’m blessed to have a great group of people around me and am incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me — parents, friends, coaches. This definitely was not a one-person effort, it wasn’t just me. It was a whole team of people that made this all possible.”
Many of these individuals were standing in the room with him, cheering him on and offering their encouragement as he signed his letter of intent.
“Ethan has been in my close friend group since day one, and we’ve all been on this process together with him. Obviously I have to come out just to show support,” fellow senior Max Lee said. “He’s worked so hard, harder than anyone else I know, and he deserved every part of it. Stanford better watch out.”
Ethan’s mother Li Zhang also added that while she is excited to see her son move onto the next chapter of his life in college, she hopes that he will always stay connected with his peers at Harker, even after leaving.
“[He has] been at Harker for almost nine years, and it’s almost his second family,” she said. “I think he’s lucky enough to have his classmates and all the support from the community.”
