![“[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)
Global Headlines (Issue 4)
February 15, 2021
London approves removal of statues related to city’s role in slavery
The removal of the statues of William Beckford and Sir John Cass from the Guildhall home of statues was approved by the Policy and Resources Committee of the City of London Corporation on Jan. 21. Beckford, who lived during the 18th century, used to be Lord Mayor of London, and he used enslaved labor and a Jamaican plantation. Cass, who lived during the early 18th century, was a member of Parliament and also contributed to the transatlantic slave trade as a merchant.
The Tackling Racism task force pushed for the removal of the statues, and this approval follows the removal of a statue of Edward Colston in 2020, where Black Lives Matter protestors removed it and disposed of it in the Bristol Harbor. Colston was a member of Parliament, a merchant and a contributor to the slave trade.
Fire at world’s largest vaccine manufacturer in India leaves at least 5 dead
A fire broke out at the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, the Serum Institute of India, on Jan. 21, leaving at least five people dead. According to the institute, the fire has neither affected their supply of 50 million AstraZeneca and Oxford University COVID-19 vaccines nor their current facilities, as the fire started in a facility that was in the process of being built. The Serum Institute of India is located in Pune, Maharashtra, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
Coronavirus variants detected around world
According to the CDC, many variants of the virus that leads to COVID-19 have been spreading globally, including B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P.1. B.1.1.7 was first detected in the U.K., and it was later detected in the U.S. in late December 2020. Current COVID-19 vaccines are reported to protect against the B.1.1.7 variant. The B.1.1351 variant was first detected in South Africa in October 2020, but it was first detected in the U.S., specifically in South Carolina, in late January 2021. It is possible that the COVID-19 vaccines do not offer strong protection against this variant, but the company Moderna has been creating a booster shot to protect against the variant. The P.1 variant was first detected in travelers coming from Brazil to Japan, and it was found in the U.S. in late January 2021.
