![“[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)
Faculty and students participated in Medical Club’s blood drive in partnership with the Stanford Blood Center on Jan. 23.
The blood drive resulted in a collective donation of units capable of saving over 90 lives, including contributions from 26 first time donors. All staff members and students above 17 years of age were eligible to donate blood, expanding participation beyond last year, which was limited to only staff and seniors. Donors registered for a time slot through the Stanford Blood Center’s Donor Portal, with appointments available throughout the school day in Nichols Auditorium.
Medical Club president Sahngwie Yim (12) introduced the blood drive initiative to Harker as part of a regional action project for her Civics class, aiming to support both the school and broader community.
“A blood drive is a really fast, accessible way of being able to make an impact in our community,
Sahngwie said. “It brings to light how important giving blood is to provide life-saving care and that each individual person can contribute meaningfully.”
All donors received a $15 E-Gift Card Promo and a special edition Golden State Warriors hoodie as tokens of appreciation.
First-time donor Tom Campisi (11) decided to participate after researching the extent of the need for blood, especially among cancer patients.
“With other kinds of volunteering, you’re certainly helping people, but there’s a disconnect in that you’re not sure how critical your help specifically was,” Tom said. “Whereas with donating blood, there’s a very close connection to the fact that your blood helped save someone else’s life.”
Biology teacher and Medical Club advisor Matthew Harley, who oversaw the logistics of the event, emphasized Harker’s responsibility as an institution with abundant resources and opportunities to address broader societal needs.
“Especially after the holidays, there is a big dip in volunteer donations, so this is a great time to do it,” Dr. Harley said. “More important for the Stanford Blood Center is having young people for the first time come out and do it and hopefully become a lifelong tradition.”
