![“[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)
Future Problem Solvers promote plastic recycling through poster-making with lower school students
Provided by Saanvi Bhargava
Co-community officer Aeliya Grover (10) observes the students draw. The Future Problem Solvers club visited lower school on Feb. 22.
March 13, 2022
Community officers from the Future Problem Solvers (FPS) club met with Harker lower school students to create and design posters about the harms of plastic after school on Feb. 22.
Led by co-community problem solving officers Aeliya Grover (10), Saanvi Bhargava (9) and Anandita Arun (9), the drawing session aimed to teach students about the three Rs, reduce, reuse and recycle, which are used to address the rise in plastic waste. The colorful art pieces, accompanied by informational messages that students produced, will be hung around the campus.
“Seeing the little kids enjoy coloring, and blending the mixture of learning and doing what they enjoy was fun,” Aeliya said. “This really [captures] what we’ve been learning about in FPS and activating it in everyday life. We brainstorm and apply it to everyday life instead of just writing [an essay] about it.”
In an effort to help children learn about what plastic is through online media, members of the club started a YouTube channel called Harker CmPS (Community Problem Solving) to feature a new video series. The videos are designed for lower school science classes and utilize different formats like lectures and skits. The first video features the three co-community officers speaking about the damaging effects of plastic on the planet, and, as of last week, 500 lower school students viewed it.
“We’re competing in a competition called CmPS, and we pick a topic to spread awareness about it,” Aeliya said. “This year it was plastic. Specifically, we’ve been looking [to] educate lower school students about plastic waste.You’re educating lower schoolers with shorter attention spans, [so] it was a matter of doing something engaging.”
FPS members also presented to students from local elementary school Barron Park on Feb. 8. Club adviser and upper school Latin, history and social science teacher Clifford Hull helped facilitate the project by sending letters to various schools about the initiative and providing his Zoom room for meetings with Barron Park.
The next video from Harker CmPS will feature the impacts of plastic on a person’s daily life.
