![“[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)
Origami Club and Key Club worked together to make cards and origami animals that will be donated to children in hospitals through Cardz for Kidz, a nonprofit organization, on Tuesday.
Over 20 students attended the meeting, collectively creating more than 50 cards and origami animals. Participants folded paper into intricate shapes ranging from classic cranes to flowers and wrote heartfelt messages in the cards to accompany their origami creations.
“The motivation behind this meeting was to channel the season of gratitude and give back to our community,” Key Club officer Celina Xu (11) said. “Since we are a community service club, we thought it would be nice to do something meaningful for kids.”
“I find it relaxing when you fold paper and create something beautiful out of it,” Origami Club member Ameera Ramzan (10) said. “I think it’s meaningful because you can create something very complex from something very simple, which is fascinating and hopefully brings joy to children.”
Key Club advisor Kerry Enzensperger highlighted the unique value of the meeting, noting how the collaboration allowed students to connect while contributing to a meaningful cause.
“It’s special to donate handmade gifts because it shows the time and effort people put into creating something with their own hands,” Enzensperger said. “It’s also wonderful to see students from different groups come together and work toward a common goal.”
Key Club plans to continue partnering with other clubs on campus to organize similar community service events. Celina expressed enthusiasm for future initiatives.
“It’s inspiring to see so many people come together for a cause,” Celina said. “We’re excited to keep finding ways to give back and bring people together.”
Additional reporting by Victor Gong.
