![“[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)
Amazon bestselling author Keira Chang (11) read her book “Marinara and Alfredo: How Do Rainbows Work?” on Thursday for the Science and Technology Week at Los Altos Library.
A dozen preschoolers and parents attended Keira’s library session. She began the storytime by asking the children if they ever wondered about the science of rainbows and then led them through the picture book. Afterward, she gifted each child custom “Marinara and Alfredo” bookmarks.
Keira reflected on the experience, highlighting her love for inspiring children’s interest in science by breaking down complicated topics into simple and engaging stories.
“This is a really cool opportunity and I was really honored to have been offered this spot,” Keira said. “Getting to read and share the book with kids is always special for me, and the kids themselves are always super curious and very upbeat.”
With support from her parents, she developed ideas for a science-themed picture book in her sophomore year and has published two works since: “Marinara and Alfredo: How Do Rainbows Work?” and “Marinara and Alfredo: How do Ouchies Heal?”. Both have ranked as No. 1 Best Seller Children’s Books on Amazon. Keira’s motivation for the books stemmed from her interest in the science behind everyday occurrences as a child.
“Growing up, I was always super curious about how things work in the world around me,” Keira said. “I wanted to share that curiosity and those explanations with kids to encourage them to keep asking questions.”
Noticing her inherent curiosity as a child, Keira’s father David Chang eagerly supported her venture into writing for children by helping brainstorm ideas.
“I’m really proud of everything that she’s done,” Chang said. “ She’s very ambitious and really likes to try things that challenge her. It’s been really exciting as a parent to see her do things even I’ve never imagined myself doing. It’s just awesome to see her breaking out into new territories.”
Former president of the Los Altos Library Endowment Cindy Hill first discovered Keira through a Fox News interview and thought her engaging stories would add a unique element to their Science and Technology week.
“Her energy and enthusiasm for explaining scientific methods stood out,” Hill said. “She was able to simplify the concepts so that anyone could understand them. Especially at the age group she’s working with, they can start to learn the basics and then grow into the deeper parts of science.”
