![“[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: Oct. 8
October 8, 2021
Whistle-Blower accuses Facebook of prioritizing profits over safety amid major server outage
Frances Haugen, a former product manager at Facebook, revealed that the company knew that Instagram, a social networking service, was worsening teenage body image issues in a 60 Minutes interview airing last Sunday. Haugen testified in a Senate hearing this Tuesday, focusing on the effects of the company’s social media applications on younger users and how the use of algorithms amplifies such content. Facebook also experienced a network outage of over five hours this Monday after an unintentional command during a routine maintenance job closed data center connections around the world, the company wrote in a blog post this Tuesday. Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger were also down during the outage.
Amazon releases new home robot at annual devices event
Amazon introduced Astro, a new digital robot on wheels that is able to move around the house and can be sent to monitor people, on Sept. 28. The robot consists of a large screen and cameras attached to a wheeled base; however, it cannot climb stairs and must stop before reaching them. Astro will be available to a select group of individuals based on responses from a survey interest form on the Amazon website, and the company will begin accepting participants for the program later this year. Its retail price is $1,449.99 but costs only $999.99 for members of the early program.
YouTube bans all anti-vaccine information from site
The YouTube team specified that content alleging that “vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease” and containing other misinformation regarding the components in the vaccines would be removed from the platform in a blog post on Sept. 29. The website pledges to continue investing in resources to provide accurate and credible health information to its users. This decision comes after Facebook and Twitter enacted similar policies to reduce the spread of misinformation regarding the virus.
European Union announces plans for universal phone charger
The European Union proposed plans in a press release on Sept. 23 that would make the USB-C charger the universal port for cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices. This proposal was made with the intent of improving consumer convenience and reducing the environmental footprint for charger production. The new legislation will need to pass through the European Parliament before adoption by manufacturers. If passed, Apple will be required to switch from their current Lightning charging ports to USB-C ports.
Facebook delays Instagram app for children 13 and under
Facebook announced that it has paused the development of its “Instagram Kids” project, designed for children 13 years old and under. Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, wrote in a blog post on Sept. 27 that the hiatus will give the company “time to work with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators, to listen to their concerns, and to demonstrate the value and importance of this project for younger teens online today.” The developmental app, which will require parental permission to join and have age-appropriate content, was halted due to concerns over the potentially detrimental experiences that teens receive through the social media platform.
