![“[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)
Callie Yuan (’24) fondly recalls her first fashion week: making her way to her designated seat surrounded by all the fashion icons she always looked up to, the lights dimming as the models started making their way down the runway, watching the unveiling of the newest pieces of her favorite brands from up close. Being able to see firsthand, through a live lens, all the details and intricacies of the latest collections, materials ranging from tweed and silk to everything in between — it was magical.
Beginning late in middle school, Callie started exploring the realm of fashion, her interests quickly reflecting in her daily outfits. Every day, she challenged herself to come up with a new outfit — a new combination of accessories, colors, and patterns reflecting her personality or how she was feeling on a particular day.
“To me, fashion is a mechanism of self expression,” Callie said. “It’s how I make first impressions and how I radiate my energy to others. It is also a connection of me to art.”
Art as a whole has played a significant role in shaping Callie. She enjoys art’s ability to provide perspective and the range of interpretations such a medium offers. But beyond expressing herself through fashion, Callie has grown up expressing herself through dance.
“In dance, it is a lot of conveying emotions through your body,” Callie said. “Similar to how in fashion, I convey my energy and my personality through what I wear, in dance, I convey that with my emotions, my facials, and how I perform. When I dance, it’s like I’m in a different realm with myself, with my friends, and with my teammates.”
Close friend Anjali Yella (’24) expands on the layered personality Callie brings throughout her art forms. The same energy and personal touch reflected in Callie’s fashion and dance translates to her relationships.
“Callie’s always really bubbly and thoughtful,” Anjali said. “She is the type of friend to show up unannounced with flowers or bring you your favorite food if you are down. She just always thinks about other people.”
Close friend Jonathan Zhang (’24) also similarly echoes the sentiment about Callie’s loving and supportive nature.
“She will always put others first and prioritize everyone’s wellbeing,” Jonathan said. “Even if she is struggling with something, she provides a beacon of positivity that really helps brighten everyone’s mood.”
Through art, school, and her relationships, Callie has understood the importance of maintaining a positive presence.
“It is important to me to keep a positive outlook as well as be the positivity that my friends can lean on,” Callie said. “Being able to look at the bright side of things helps me overcome challenges or obstacles easier, as well as bringing out the best in everyone.”
Advisor Michael Acheatel met Callie in ninth grade during online school, and commends her growth towards employing a positive attitude to become a better version of herself.
“I think before there was a sense of frustration or annoyance especially when doing things she did not necessarily enjoy,” Acheatel said. “But over time I have really seen her turn a page whether it is finding what she does enjoy even if it is something she has to do or a new level of maturity in the way she approaches things. Now, rather than simply going through the motions, I have noticed growth in terms of her efforts towards her hobbies and interests.”
Callie has reflected tremendous growth in understanding herself and being true to herself. Through reforming her attitude and through developing new methods of expressing herself, Callie has evolved into a more authentic and confident person.
“I think fashion particularly has shaped who I am, because it has taught me a lot about finding my own voice, not being influenced by other people’s thoughts,” Callie said. “Being able to choose from so many different things has also helped me build more consistent decision making skills while also becoming more comfortable in my own skin as well. With fashion, 60% of the art is self expression: you can make anything and you can interpret anything in any way. I like that a lot, because it just gives me a way to interpret how I want to express myself and how I feel about myself.”
