![“[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)
STEM Scene: Tech Update
October 27, 2020
iPhone 12
Apple released four new iPhone 12 models, all of which have 5G capabilities, allowing for faster downloads and higher quality streaming in an event on Oct. 13. The smartphones include a new Ceramic Shield cover that increases durability and MagSafe wireless charging capabilities, where magnets surrounding a wireless charging coil connect to the charger to ensure efficiency. The models will not come with EarPods and a power adapter, both of which have been included in past iPhones, as part of Apple’s commitment to protecting the environment.
PlayStation 5
Sony is set to launch the Playstation 5, the company’s newest gaming console that comes in two versions, one with a 4K Blu-ray drive and the other as an all digital edition, on Nov. 12. The console comes with a DualSense wireless controller, which provides haptic feedback that responds to in-game motions and includes adaptive triggers that vary levels of force based on the on-screen environment.
Xbox Series X
Microsoft announced the launch of two new Xbox consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S, both of which are being released on Nov. 10 in retailers worldwide. Both models are capable of ray tracing, technology that produces realistic lighting by using an algorithm that calculates the path of the light to simulate its effect on other objects on screen. In addition, the Series X is capable of running in 8K resolution. The newer versions are also backwards compatible, which allows its use with up to four generations of Xbox games.
Nvidia 3000
On Sept. 1, Nvidia announced its all new series of graphics cards, which are processors that create images or animations that are displayed on computer screens. The GeForce RTX 30 Series, which includes the GeForce RTX 3090, 3080 and 3070, is powered by Ampere, which is Nvidia’s newest graphics processing unit (GPU) microarchitecture. The graphics cards provide esports players and streamers with improved technologies, including quicker responsiveness to keyboard and mouse commands and the ability to run video in 8K resolution.
