![“[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)
Varsity girls golf team celebrates Senior Night at Los Lagos Golf Course
Seniors Andrea Thia, Esther Wu and Tina Xu hold gifts, posters and flowers during the Senior Night ceremony. The varsity girls golf team’s Senior Night was held on Nov. 12 at the Los Lagos Golf Course in San Jose.
November 24, 2021
The varsity girls golf team held their Senior Night at the Los Lagos Golf Course on Nov. 12.
The ceremony began at 4:00 p.m., and friends and family gathered to watch seniors Tina Xu, Andrea Thia and Esther Wu hit their last approach shot and stroke for Harker and participate in the Senior Night ceremony afterward.
The three seniors played holes one and nine of the course, while their teammates helped caddie and prepare for the ceremony. With posters in hand, friends and families supported the seniors as they finished their last game for Harker. As the sun set, varsity golf head coach Ie-Chen Cheng individually acknowledged each senior with tailored speeches referencing certain memories and admirable things about each senior.
“We’re a small but mighty team,” Cheng said during the ceremony. “[The] girls have put in so much work and so much time into this.”
As the ceremony continued, other members of the girls golf team chimed in to express their appreciation for the seniors, recalling moments that reminded them of each one.
“[Tina] became one of the upper class I could always rely on whether it be for school or non-school things,” Jessica Zhou (11), a member of the girls golf team, said. “I knew I could always text [Tina] and knew [that she] would always be there.”
According to Cheng, this group of seniors accomplished a 39-1 record in their four years playing for Harker. They placed third in the Central Coast Section (CCS) during their sophomore season and first in CCS during their junior season.
To end the ceremony, Andrea gave a final remark to reflect on her last high school golf season.
“It’s important to acknowledge that, after today, things will never be the same,” Andrea said. “But that’s what makes this special because it’s such a fleeting moment in this time of our life.”
