![“[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)
Registration for after school classes to fill PE credit requirement open to all grade levels
Instructor Loren Due and Melody Yazdi (12) practice a move during a capoeira session in April 2019. In addition to capoeira, after school PE class offerings include fencing, yoga, fitness for life, and after school fitness.
September 4, 2021
Registration for after school classes for PE credit opened to seniors this past week on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and to all other grades the following day at 11:15 am. Students can register for these PE classes at this link.
PE credit can be also earned by participating in competitive team sports or certain performing arts programs. Athletic activities conducted outside of Harker may also be eligible for credit, but these activities must be approved by either upper school athletics director Dan Molin or athletics trainer Jaron Olson beforehand.
Offerings for after school PE classes include capoeira, fencing, yoga, fitness for life, and after school fitness. These classes meet twice or thrice a week over the course of a semester, and by participating in them, students can earn 0.5 of the 2.0 units of PE credit required for graduation. More specific information about each offering can be found here.
Completing one season of competitive school sports is also worth 0.5 PE credits. Fall sports are currently in session and include cross country, football, boys and girls water polo, cheerleading, girls golf, girls tennis and girls volleyball.
As for performing arts, students can earn 0.5 PE credits for participating in the dance production or the after school dance classes in the spring. Those participating in Downbeat, Kinetic Crew, or Harker Dance Company for the whole year will earn 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 PE credits, respectively.
To qualify for credit, athletic activities completed outside of school must occur at least three times a week and for at least an hour each time over a 15-week long period. More information about the approval process can be found here.
For freshmen looking to get a headstart on earning their PE credits, Molin recommends participating in a school sport, even for those who lack prior experience.
“I would encourage anybody to try a sport in freshman year. [Most] of our students earn credit that way, and I think that’s the most fulfilling,” Molin said. “Freshman year is a time to try new things. We have had many students try out and get hooked on a sport, and [others] try it and say ‘It’s not for me.’ But they don’t know until they try.”
For upperclassmen who find themselves falling behind on fulfilling this graduation requirement, Molin suggests getting in contact with Olson as soon as possible to discuss a plan for getting back on track.
“We have enough athletic opportunities for [students] to fulfill their requirements,” Molin said. “It’s a fairly minimal requirement, and we can work with [students] to help them find time in their schedule.”
