![“[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)
200 rides. 2 years. Jack Ledford (12) credits the start of his roller coaster journey to Six Flags Magic Mountain, an amusement park near Los Angeles, California. Since he was young, Jack and his family have traveled to Oxnard every year for the Thanksgiving holiday, during which he would frequent the park, visiting every roller coaster he could.
“I was nine, maybe ten,” Jack said. “I was scared of all the big rides, so I went on Youtube and looked them up before I went on them,” Jack said. “Once I knew all I could know about them and finally rode them, my interest went from there.”
Jack’s avid exploration of roller coasters did not stop there. On cross-country road trips, Jack would take respite at every single brand-name amusement park along the way. For his own curiosity, he began counting how many he went on.
“My mom is a really big fan of amusement parks too, so now I keep track,” Jack said. “ I think I’m at 226 roller coasters. That’s a big passion of mine. I love doing it, but it’s not something you can do every day.”
Though Jack cannot experience the rush of a roller coaster every day, he experiences a similar excitement while playing football. Although Jack did not play any official games during his freshman year, he worked hard for the team despite having broken his collarbone.
Before returning to the team his senior year, he continued to stay connected with football by taking on the role of manager during his sophomore and junior years. Just as he did before that very first roller coaster ride at Magic Mountain, Jack took to YouTube to learn more about statistics, sports analytics and the game itself. Currently, Jack primarily plays as a quarterback, though he tried his hand at playing wide receiver for significant games such as homecoming. He looks back on his time as team manager fondly, finding immense fulfillment in his given responsibilities.
“Team manager was really good for me,” Jack said. “It came at a time when I couldn’t necessarily be a player, but I needed to be a part of the football team in some way. My main job was to act as a statistician during the game and log every play, which is something I love. I love statistics and numbers, and mixing those two together was a lot of fun those two years.”
As much as he enjoyed that role, Jack admits moving from player to manager felt disheartening at the time. Jack played football for Harker since he was ten years old. After his collarbone injury healed, his parents remained wary and cautioned him against playing for a year or two. Eventually, they came around, understanding how important the sport was to him, and they wanted him to have the chance to experience the adrenaline of the field.
“It was the only time I remember being nervous, the first game over the summer,” Jack said. “It was competitive, against other schools I wasn’t really sure how well I was going to do, but I ended up doing all right. And then, in the second game, I did really well, and I just went from there.”
Although he assumed he would play wide receiver, Jack’s football coaches identified potential to be quarterback in him. Jack describes his enthusiasm for the responsibilities of a quarterback, particularly enjoying the strategic aspect.
“I like to manage offense because I’m always touching the ball every play,” Jack said. “You have to know where your lines are blocking, where your receivers are headed, and where your running backs are to hand them the ball. It’s cool to connect with every position on the field.”
Whether it was the countless number of plays he watched during his time as team manager or the film he poured over, Jack possesses the ability to synthesize this information and apply it on the field. From sitting in his first roller coaster carriage to stepping onto Davis Field for the first time, Jack maintains a strong sense of self and continues to demonstrate resolution and rigor in every task he takes on.
“Every day is practice,” Jack said. “Find a reason why you can and not why you can’t. You always have to find ways in which you can keep doing your job and stay on your feet.”
