![“[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)
Haikus for National Haiku Day
Modern haikus bend traditional rules; they blend old and new again.
Learn about the history of haikus in a series of 5-7-5 poems we wrote to honor National Haiku Day on April 17!
Sparse syllables flow
Haikus born in Japan’s past
Bashō’s artistry
Seventeen sound bites
Five, seven, five, count just right
Nature themes take flight
Words on the paper
Haikus form syllable by
Syllable, it blooms
Seasons come and go
Haikus capture nature’s flow
Transient beauty shown
With meditation
Haikus grant contemplation
Zen inspiration
Kigo, kireji
Haiku’s vocabulary
Need for mastery
Shiki’s reforming
Haiku’s five-seven-five beat
Open to the world
Haikus honor life
About birth, death, joy and strife
The beauty of all
Minimalism’s aim
Haiku’s brevity, its game
Sharp words, a small frame
Ink flows from the pen
Haiku emerges on page
Beauty, brevity
Masters like Issa
Honored the form with prowess
Haikus spread their wings
Haikus in wartime
Offer solace to the mind
In moments unkind
Samurai poets
Haiku’s practitioners
Emphasized stillness
Edo period
Haikus for the masses
Through printed pages
Modern haikus bend
Traditional rules, they blend
Old and new again
Haikus celebrate
Life’s moments, both small and great
Haikus resonate
National Haiku
Day was April seventeenth
Let’s all write haikus!
Jessica Wang (12) is a Managing editor for the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she wishes to cover a greater breadth of content...
Claire Su (12) is the co-editor-in-chief of the TALON Yearbook, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Claire hopes to cover a broader variety...