![“[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)
Colorful lights and artificial smoke swirl around the outdoor patio, as the crowd dances and sings along to booming music. Laughter and chatter fill the air as students spend the evening celebrating against the backdrop of the Winchester Mystery House. Donning dresses and suits, around 360 students gathered to dance, explore the venue and play casino games at the 2024 prom on April 20.
Prom attendees mingled throughout the venue, a national historic site that is often booked for weddings and parties. Many took to the outdoor dance floor, where a DJ played songs suggested by students.
The greenhouse adjacent to the dance floor housed a floral wall for photos and a mocktail bar. Attendees could also play Jenga, take photo booth pictures and have their caricatures drawn by a professional artist.
“Prom brought my friends and[I closer together through dancing and music, and we really created an everlasting memory,” attendee Brittany Tsui (12) said. “The caricature especially is a really nice memento that I’m planning to put up in my dorm when I go to college as a reminder of my best friends in high school.”
All visitors were given raffle tickets upon entering the venue and placed them in one of five prize boxes. Results of the raffles were announced on the dance floor at 10 p.m.: senior Kaitlyn Wang won a Disney package including gift cards and merchandise, senior Olivia Xu won a memories basket containing a Polaroid instant camera, junior Harrison Chen won a pair of Beats headphones and junior Rajas Apte won a guaranteed top-20 parking space for the 2024-25 school year.
Students engaged in mock gambling inside the Estate Carriage House, a vintage venue on the south side of the estate. Two blackjack tables and one roulette table were set up in the room, where participants played for raffle tickets. Other tables contained snacks and food like chocolate-covered strawberries, fruit and miniature wraps.
“I really like getting to dress up and having fun with my friends,” attendee Cindy Yu (11) said. “Prom is an opportunity to do that. The mocktails are really cool; the whole place is really pretty.”
Attendees explored the historic fountains and sculptures in the preserved gardens. They also could take self-guided tours inside the house, where staff answered questions about its history.
“You can definitely see [the house] has a lot of history,” attendee Aishani Singh (11) said. “Especially within Silicon Valley, you don’t really see a lot of history. I think it’s really cool to see this preserved piece of history in time.”
The house was owned in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the wealth of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. According to tour guide J, Winchester used her inheritance to expand the house from eight rooms to 161 throughout her ownership. J noted that the house’s supposed paranormal activity and design quirks, including a staircase that leads into the ceiling, make it a unique event venue.
Upper School Division Head Paul Barsky commended Director of Upper School Student Activities Coordinator Kerry Enzensperger and Assistant Upper School Student Activities Coordinator Eric Kallbrier for arranging the prom venue and commented on its historical significance to the event’s experience.
“We just wanted to add another element or layer of San Jose history to the prom, a different feel,” Barsky said. “Prom is a ritual of coming together in the upper classes and celebrating the end of the year, coming together as a community in a very formal and festive manner.”
