![“[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)
Harker’s athletics department honored four alumni during the annual Hall of Fame ceremony at Harker Day on Oct. 5 in the Zhang Gymnasium.
This year’s inductees included baseball and football player Greg Cox (’11); soccer, football and basketball player Kailee Gifford (’17); football, basketball and volleyball player Arman Gupta (’09); and basketball and tennis player Nikhil Panu (’13).
Head of School Brian Yager commenced the event by explaining the purpose of the Athletics Hall of Fame, highlighting the inductees’ dedication to athletics during their time at Harker.
Cox played four years on the varsity football team, where he set a record for most tackles in one season. As a star played on Harker’s varsity baseball team, Cox earned a spot on the East Bay Athletic League All-League team. He then went on to play baseball at Swarthmore College. In his senior year of college, Cox boasted a perfect fielding percentage, and his team made the NCAA’s Division III’s Centennial Conference.
Throughout high school, Gifford played soccer, along with basketball and football. As a kicker on the varsity football team, she became the school’s first player to score points in a playoff game. Gifford played Division 1 soccer at UC Berkeley and later pursued a master’s degree while playing Division 1 at Pepperdine University.
Gupta held the greatest number of accolades playing on the varsity football team. A four-year starter, three-year captain and two-time MVP, Gupta showcased his skills as Harker’s first starter for the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game. In his speech, Gupta shared his appreciation for Stinson, who fully immersed himself in the coaching role when the football team was at a low point.
“He stepped into that challenge with enthusiasm and optimism because he cared about the kids,” Gupta said. “We turned around and had the winningest seasons in the program’s history. But the most enduring takeaway for me was that Coach stepped in and built something great. Words don’t do justice to what his tough love has meant to me, but I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Panu earned the Eagle Award for two consecutive years and MVP during his senior year on the varsity boys basketball team. He went on to play at Johns Hopkins University, where he was acknowledged in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor Court. In a speech, former Head of Upper School Butch Keller emphasized Panu’s supportive attitude at Harker.
“He’s all about character, and it’s the foundation of his incredible results and a major factor of his recognition today,” Keller said. “Being a good teammate requires humility, accountability and trust, and Nikhil is the ultimate teammate. It was not only evident on the court, but also on the countless weekends he spent helping his teammates.”
Molin highlighted the inductees’ accomplishments and character at Harker that continue to inspire current young athletes.
“More than their impressive statistics, we appreciate the foundation they helped establish for future eagles,” Molin said. They’ve set a standard from where we’ve measured since their graduation, and because of the foundation laid by individuals such as these, we’ve been able to reach our current heights.”
