![“[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)
Junior varsity girls volleyball defeats Mercy High School
The junior varsity girls volleyball team rejoices in a huddle after their victory against Mercy High School. The Eagles won the match 25-23, 12-25, 15-10.
October 24, 2021
The junior varsity girls volleyball team triumphed over Mercy High School on Friday 25-23, 12-25, 15-10.
“Today’s game was probably the best game our team played and it was also one of the most fun games,” team member Carol Song (10) said. “We were able to work together as a team, and I think that’s why we won.”
The two teams were neck and neck in the first set, but the Eagles pulled ahead in the end, securing the set victory two points ahead of their opponents. This was the first time the team dominated the first set of a league game this season.
During the second set, the team pressed on, but Mercy High School ultimately prevailed. With the increasing pressure to finish the game strong, the team advanced into the match-deciding third set, in which Harker managed to regain their confidence and secure their win.
Coach Jonathan Schwartz expresses his appreciation and admiration for team captain Gwen Yang (11), who had four consecutive service aces in the last set.
During the third set, our libero, Gwen, had a run of many serves that were just ace after ace,” Schwartz said. “It was definitely a highlight right at the end.”
The victory marked an achievement only possible because of the teamwork and cooperation of every player. Gwen describes the shared feeling of joy and celebration after the game.
“When we won the third set, we all came into the center and we were all jumping,” Gwen said. “Our coaches told us that they were really proud of us and I started crying. Everyone played so well today, so I’m very proud of them.”
