![“[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)
BREAKING: Sudden decline in air quality from wildfires alters outdoor activity protocol
The sun shines through wildfire smoke over Davis Field today. Air quality index (AQI) levels passed 150 on all four campuses today, according to the second of two emails sent at 12:44 p.m. by Director of Health Services Debra Nott, cancelling or moving all after school activities and sports practices inside.
August 27, 2021
This is a developing story. Check Harker Aquila for future updates.
Air quality index (AQI) levels passed 150 on all four campuses today, canceling or moving all after school activities and sports practices inside, according to the second of two emails sent at 12:44 p.m. by Director of Health Services Debra Nott. AQI values above 150 until 200 are “unhealthy” and move into the red category, triggering health effects for sensitive groups, such as individuals with lung disease, seniors, children and teenagers.
Practice for girls’ water polo and tennis were also canceled today, while boys’ water polo worked on dry land exercises instead, and cross country moved from the Blackford campus track to the Zhang Gymnasium Athletics Center. Girls’ golf did not cancel their 4 p.m. match today against Notre Dame High School.
“Honestly, [the air quality] will make it very hard for us to train,” cross country head coach Mia Purnell said. “I’ll do my best to create sports-specific exercises and exercise sessions that actually allow the athletes to continue to improve but also [keep] their safety in mind.”
The smoke from the Caldor Fire, located near the South Lake Tahoe Basin, moved south to the Bay Area, causing the issuing of a Spare the Air alert in effect today and tomorrow across most of the bay. The alert bans wood burning to reduce fine particulate pollution, preventing the use of fireplaces, outdoor fire pits and wood stoves. So far, the wildfire has burned through 143,951 acres and is 12 percent contained. Last year, record-breaking heat began on Aug. 14, fueling devastating fires that caused California Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency on Aug. 18.
According to Nott’s email, N95 masks are currently available at the nurse’s office. All faculty are required to wear an N95 if engaging in any outdoor activities. Harker required that all doors and windows be closed. Students could only wait outside at the loading zones for at most five minutes.
Purnell plans to try renting indoor space at Blackford but indicates that future meets will need to be potentially rescheduled or even canceled due to the air quality.
Additional reporting by Erica Cai.
