![“[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)
Greetings, games and goodies: JNHS welcomes new members at induction ceremony
JNHS co-Vice President Maryam Zehra (11) hands a membership certificate to Bella Chen (10) at the induction ceremony on Oct. 17. Each new member of the organization received a certificate after taking an oath to serve the community through JNHS.
Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS) greeted new members at their annual induction ceremony on Oct. 17 during long lunch in Room 30 of the Dance Building with heartfelt speeches from the club officers, fun games and Japanese snacks.
The meeting began with a welcome from the leadership team to the 11 students nominated and inducted for academic excellence in their Japanese courses. JNHS president Jessica Tang (12) commended the new members on their dedication to learning about Japanese language and culture.
Co-Vice Presidents Ashley Ma (12) and Maryam Zehra (11) recited the official JNHS statement in both English and Japanese, explaining the significance of accepting the induction certificate as well as the obligations that the new members must uphold as a part of the organization. Students received their certificates one by one, shaking hands with the officers as they accepted their new duties.
In a verbal oath led by Secretary Jasmine Ishikawa (11), inaugurated students pledged to serve the community through volunteer work related to Japanese culture or the JNHS organization. Each member will commit to five hours of service under JNHS, which they may complete either at Harker or with external organizations.
Jasmine commented on the significance of the induction ceremony and explained how a Japanese language student could qualify for the role.
“The Induction Ceremony is one of JNHS’s most important events,” Jasmine said. “It’s where we officially welcome students who have shown their dedication to [the] Japanese language. Members of JNHS engage in Japanese cultural and historical activities to form a bridge between Japan and America.”
To conclude the ceremony, members participated in a series of ‘jan-ken-pon’ (rock-paper-scissors) games and enjoyed Japanese treats such as mochi and rice crackers.
Shareen Chahal (12) is a co-managing editor for the Winged Post, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Shareen hopes to extend her coverage to...