![“[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)
FDA approves Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine
The US Food and Drug Association gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday for individuals older than sixteen years. Previously, the treatment was only administered under an emergency use authorization (EUA), which was granted in December 2020.
August 27, 2021
The US Food and Drug Association gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday for individuals older than sixteen years. Previously, the treatment was only administered under an emergency use authorization (EUA), which was granted in December 2020.
Now, the technology within the two-dose vaccine will be known as Comirnaty and as a treatment that can prevent COVID-19. Those between twelve and fifteen years of age and those with weaker immune systems who require three doses can still receive the vaccine under the EUA.
The Pfizer vaccine is up to 92% effective against the delta variant, which is twice as contagious as other coronavirus strains. This variant has caused more severe symptoms in patients and a larger population feeling safe about receiving a vaccine could reduce circulation.
“I think [FDA approving the vaccine] is a good idea because there’s the delta variant now, it could be a little safer and could probably help with the likelihood of the virus spreading,” Claire Bauschlicher (10) said.
The FDA only grants full approval for treatments that have been researched for at least six months, instead of the two months required for emergency approval. During this period, over tens of thousands of people were studied, and the FDA carefully analyzed potential symptoms as well as the production process of the vaccine.
“Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in the FDA press release. “We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes.”
Following the FDA’s decision, many schools and companies have announced that they will require all members to receive the vaccine. Additionally, the approval could comfort and inform citizens who were unsure about the Pfizer vaccine’s novel technology.
“I hope it will help people feel safer about getting the vaccine,” Makayla Aguilar (11) said. “I feel like before people were a little hesitant to get it.”
