![“[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)
![Pranav Sukesh (11) and Ian Gerstner (11) prepare a slice of Cooking Club’s chocolate cake for Luke Wu (10). “[When we saw that] people were waiting in line for a long time, we realized that we could totally cater to the event and provide food for everybody,” Ian said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/102723_CakeDayTightShot_VG_-1200x795.jpg)
Head of upper school Paul Barsky collaborated with Cooking Club for the first time to distribute slices of cake to students and faculty gathered outside Nichols after school on Friday before the three-day weekend.
Barsky and administrative assistant Michelle Martinez provided four cakes: vegan vanilla, chocolate, strawberry shortcake and red velvet. Additionally, Cooking Club contributed three extra homemade chocolate cakes for the occasion.
Barsky originally started the monthly tradition last year as a way to celebrate all the birthdays of students and faculty throughout the month, but it quickly gained an identity of its own. Instead of only birthdays, Cake Friday commemorates all events and ceremonies of the month, and Barsky also hopes that it can offer opportunities for students and faculty to get to know each other better.
“I believe very strongly in rituals and the importance of rituals,” Barsky said. “They give us time to think about and reflect on events in our lives, and I think it’s a nice way for the community to come together.”
To support the event, Cooking Club baked three chocolate cakes in the Manzanita kitchen with permission from staff. Cooking Club president Ian Gerstner (11) regarded the event as a success, with the club’s efforts allowing more people to grab a slice rather than miss out on the after school treat.
“[When we saw that] people were waiting in line for a long time, we realized that we could totally cater to the event and provide food for everybody.” Ian said. “I thought it would be really awesome to just put a smile on everybody’s face.”
Event attendee Kyle Li (11), whose birthday coincidentally fell on the same day as Cake Friday, rushed in line along with many others and eventually decided to take a slice of chocolate cake from the Cooking Club table. He appreciates how Cake Friday allows students and faculty to take a short break from their busy lives and simply talk to one another while consuming delicious cake.
“I think it is a very good way for people to form bonds, and it really helps relieve the stressful atmosphere here at Harker,” Kyle said. “Usually everyone is busy studying for a test or something, but during Cake Friday, everyone can have some time to unwind.”
