![“[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)
The Living with Intent, Focus and Enthusiasm (LIFE) Board hosted a kickball game for students and staff on Davis Field during lunch on Thursday.
Providing students an opportunity to set aside school stress, the kickball game featured teams consisting of students from all grade levels and teachers. Teammates cheered each other on, high-fiving after good plays and smiling through foul balls.
Each month, the LIFE Board organizes activities based around a different theme. For October, they are encouraging students to engage in sports to boost their physical well-being.
Junior LIFE Board member Angelina Antony, who helped plan the event, noted how sports play a vital role in allowing students to build connections.
“A lot of people from different grades came and I met new people that I don’t think I would have met without this event,” Angelina said. “My favorite part was definitely remembering my middle school, when everyone played this, and it was great to be able to relive that in a high school environment.”
With busy schedules and overwhelming workloads, students often find it difficult to take a break from academics and find time to relax. Junior Alejandro Cheline who played in the kickball game expressed his difficulty in finding leisure time in his schedule, especially as a student athlete.
“I’m on varsity water polo, so balancing school is hard,” Alejandro said. “With something like this it’s hard, but it’s good to have fun with friends, get outside and not take it too seriously. It’s a mental break from all the intense stuff.”
Helping students balance work and play by encouraging participation in athletic activities, the LIFE Board aims to improve student welfare. Exercise has been proven to improve mental health by releasing endorphins that reduce anxiety and depression.
LIFE Board member Aanya Sharma (10) looks forward to their plans to continue spreading this idea throughout the rest of the month.
“We’re trying to bring more exercising events to the community to make them more mindful because Harker lives are really stressful,” Aanya said. “We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for them to participate in sports.”
