![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates," Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[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)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasn't making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable," Carter Chadwick ('22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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)
![“[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)
![“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)
![“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)
7:20 p.m. Harris won Washington D.C.’s three electoral votes, AP reports. The consistently blue district has pushed against Trump and his allies in the past.
Check out Georgetown frosh Mariana Rai’s (’24) reaction here:
7:08 p.m. AP reports that Harris secured ten electoral votes from Colorado. A former swing state, population growth in Denver has pushed the state bluently been leaning Democratic.
Check out UC Irvine frosh Ashley Ma’s (’24) reaction here:
7:00 p.m. Trump won Utah’s six electoral votes and Montana’s four, according to AP. He now leads 198:99. Both states have continuously voted Republican since 1964 and 1968 respectively.
6:59 p.m According to AP, over half of the 83 counties in Michigan have failed to report any votes so far. The majority of their polls closed at 5 pm.
6:49 p.m. According to AP News, North Carolina currently favors Trump by a slim margin of 4%. Over 50% of projected votes have been collected.
6:39 p.m. AP reports that New York approved a constitutional amendment to limit discriminatory language against those who have had an abortion. The minority of citizens who were against this amendment feared that it would allow transgender athletes to compete in female divisions.
6:29 p.m. Attention turns to the eastern swing states, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina as Harris and Trump win their expected states. More than half of the states have closed their polls.
6:25 p.m. AP called the 3rd congressional district of Nebraska for Trump, bringing him to 178 electoral votes. Historically, this district has been one of the most conservative areas of Nebraska.
6:23 p.m. AP reports that Harris leads in Pennsylvania but the gap is narrowing with one-fifth of the votes counted so far. It has been an hour since the polls closed.
6:18 p.m. AP reports crucial swing state North Carolina (16 electoral votes) is favoring Trump 50.3% to 48.7%, with 49% of votes counted.
6:12 p.m. Trump has been projected to win Texas and Ohio according to AP news. Trump gained electoral votes from Texas and Ohio for the third election on Tuesday.
Check out junior debater Angelina Antony’s live reaction here:
6:05 p.m. AP called Wyoming, Louisiana, South Dakota and North Dakota for Trump, and New York for Harris. Trump is in the lead now with 120 predicted electoral votes, and Harris trails with 99.
5:58 p.m. AP reports Trump is narrowly leading Virginia 49.6% to 48.7% with 47% of votes counted.
5:49 p.m. Including swing states Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona, 15 states will have their polls close at 9 p.m. EST according to AP news.
5:47 p.m. AP predicts Harris to win Delaware (3 electoral votes) and Illinois (19 electoral votes). Trump now leads Texas 52.7% to 46.0% with 52% of votes counted.
5:30 p.m. According to AP, Trump is forecasted to win Arkansas (6 electoral votes) while Harris is expected to claim victory in New Jersey (14 electoral votes).
5:20 p.m. AP reported that Trump is the projected winner in Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee and South Carolina while Harris is projected to claim Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Trump is now predicted in the lead with 95 electoral votes, with Harris at 35.
5:12 p.m. According to AP, Trump is the projected winner in Florida (30 electoral votes) for his third election in a row, with 88% of votes counted.
5:00 p.m. Trump is leading Georgia (16 electoral votes) 55.3% to 44.1% after 33% of votes have been counted, according to AP News. Voting hours at five polling places in George’s Fulton County have been extended due to several bomb threats that led to temporary closures.
4:51 p.m. According to AP, 17 states will close polls at 8:00 p.m. EST, including swing states Michigan and Pennsylvania.
4:46 p.m. AP reported that with 76% of votes counted, Trump leads in Florida 54.5% to 44.7%.
4:30 p.m. AP reported Donald Trump has called West Virginia (4 electoral votes). A Democrat candidate has not carried West Virginia since Bill Clinton in the 1996 election.
4:20 p.m. The Associated Press (AP) has called Indiana (11 electoral votes) and Kentucky (8 electoral votes for Donald Trump, while Vermont (3 electoral votes) has been called for Kamala Harris.
House of Representatives:
6:43 p.m. House speaker Mike Johnson is reelected to the House for his fifth term, according to AP. If Republicans keep their majority in the House, Johnson is likely to remain speaker. He took the position about a year ago when former speaker Kevin McCarthy was expelled.
6:29 p.m AP reports that Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic leader of the house, was just reelected. This will be his seventh term, and if Democrats hold the majority, he is projected to become speaker.
Check out English teacher Charles Shuttleworth’s live reaction to the House race.
3:00 p.m. In the House of Representatives, the Democrats currently trail 213-222 seats. The six swing districts in New York, which were unexpectedly won in 2020 by Republicans over issues like crime and immigration, might flip. Democrats have concentrated a large amount of resources and funding onto their New York campaign, as they only need to flip four seats to win back the majority.
Senate:
5:59 p.m. Jim Justice flips a West Virginia Senate seat for the Republicans, AP reports. Previously, Joe Manchin held the seat for the Democrats, but he ran as an independent this year. This predictable win gives the Republicans an advantage in the Senate.
3:00 p.m. 33 of the 100 U.S. Senate seats are under contest today. Despite holding only 47 seats, combined with the four independent representatives, the Democrats currently have the majority. In order for the Republicans to win the majority, they must flip at least two seats this election. Key races that could decide the Senate majority are Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
