![“[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)
New York, New York. Usually, it is a wonderful town for sports. For last year’s Yankees, though? Not so much. Coming off a 99-win season, the 2023 squad underperformed, missing the playoffs by seven games with an 82-80 record. For such a storied franchise, this paltry finish could not stand. Ahead of 2024, the Bronx Bombers now sit poised for a potential championship run, thanks to both the big and small moves made by the team’s front office.
The Yankees made their fair share of big-name splashes this winter. First and foremost, the team traded for Juan Soto, the young superstar who spent the past year playing for the San Diego Padres. Despite an underwhelming statistical performance with the team so far, onlookers expect Soto to have a big 2024. The young outfielder fits perfectly into the New York lineup, providing much-needed baserunners for a team that took an all-or-nothing approach in the past.
Starting pitching also took a priority spot in the Yankees’ offseason strategy. Frankie Montas will return from injury after spending the entirety of last year out. The team signed Marcus Stroman, who served as a solid arm for the Chicago Cubs. Stroman joins a balanced rotation that already sports ace Gerrit Cole as well as Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon, both of whom had success in the past but suffered from injuries in the team’s last campaign.
The Yankees have also touched up the less spotlighted parts of their roster. The team acquired two lefty relievers, Victor González and Caleb Ferguson, from the Los Angeles Dodgers in an effort to shore up the bullpen. They also made a trade with their hated rival, the Boston Red Sox, for outfielder Alex Verdugo.
In all honesty, this year’s Yankees team is no slam-dunk World Series winner. With that being said, the skillful combination of personnel moves that combined big trades like Soto with smaller moves like the acquisitions of Stroman and Verdugo teach an important lesson about patience when developing a championship team. Instead of splitting up a team that has shown the potential to compete in the past, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman and company bet on their previous moves while still making solid additions. This puts the Yankees in a strong position to compete in 2024 and could allow them to bring the World Series trophy back to the Bronx.
