![“[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)
Upper school students competed against teachers in a trivia-style competition during Tuesday lunch and dressed up according to a “Tacky Tourist” theme to mark the second day of Spirit Week.
The trivia game, titled “Are You Smarter Than A Teacher?,” took place outside of Manzanita. Upper school mathematics teacher Caren Furtado hosted the game, challenging players to answer questions on various topics, like “Which college has a Squirrel Club?” and “What is Lord Voldemort’s real name?” The competitor who buzzed in with the correct answer first won a point for their team — either “Students” or “Teachers” — and a packet of Smarties candy as a prize.
Upper school English teacher Beth Wahl, upper school physics and science research teacher Chris Spenner and upper school history and social science teacher James Tate each competed against several student volunteers to claim points for the teacher team. Many of the trivia audience members enjoyed the fun questions and Furtado’s lively commentary.
“I was nearby and joined to watch the performance because the host was very entertaining,” David Tang (9) said. “I thought she did a great job. If the host is the same [next year], I’d like to participate.”
Arjun Moogimane (12) and other members of Harker Spirit Leadership Team start planning Spirit Week activities like today’s “Are You Smarter Than A Teacher?” game in January. The team comes together to brainstorm spirit activity ideas and decide which ideas are viable.
“We have a community events committee,” Arjun said. “This is a community events thing since it’s not for spirit [points], so that committee came up with it. Some of our underclassmen would have come up with the idea. We also have the Lego building contest coming up.”
In addition to the “Are You Smarter Than A Teacher?” activity, the day’s Spirit Week celebrations included dressing up to the theme of “Tacky Tourist.” Students who dressed according to the theme, sporting accessories associated with sightseeing such as sunglasses or fanny packs, could check in with HSLT representatives at a table outside Manzanita and earn spirit points for their grade level.
Many students believe that Spirit Week brings a sense of fun to Harker’s often academically consumed environment. The comical outfits and the entertaining spirit events give students a chance to take the time for themselves.
“I love the people who make the spirit rallies and events more enjoyable,” Trisha Iyer (12) said. “Because [the rallies] are a labor of love, I think the people make them quite enjoyable. I also love when the teachers dress up as tacky tourists, I think it’s really hilarious and entertaining.”
