![“[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)
Bucknall and Saratoga campuses buzzed with excitement as sophomores met their third-grade buddies and seniors reunited with their fifth-grade buddies for the first Eagle Buddies event of the year on Sept. 24.
Sophomores bussed to the lower school and met their third-grade Eagle Buddies for the first time. Due to rain at noon, they gathered with their buddies in the gym for a lunch of pizza, chips and salad. Students were then dismissed to their own activities, ranging from sports to arts and crafts. Outdoor games included soccer, ping pong and wallball, while the gym hosted bracelet-making, scratch art and coloring stations.
Sophomore Bhadra Pramod noted that the program allowed her to step into a leadership role while also building a friendly relationship with her Eagle Buddy.
“I feel really honored to be a mentor to someone, and it’s really heartwarming to see the younger generation be able to do stuff,” Bhadra said. “We made friendship bracelets. I really appreciated how she made them for me, even though it’s a little tiny, but it’s really cute. I feel like I gained a new sibling today.”
Other students felt a sense of nostalgia remembering their time at the lower school. For sophomore Crichton Rockwell, revisiting the Bucknall campus felt like a full-circle moment.
“It’s crazy because I still remember having my own Eagle Buddy, and while COVID did complicate the situation a little bit, it’s great that I can give back and have an Eagle Buddy of my own,” Crichton said. “I really built a strong connection with my buddy. We played basketball together, and it was great because I got to connect with some of the other third-graders, too.”
Sophomore adviser and math teacher Bradley Stoll appreciated seeing his advisees relax from academic stress and enjoy time with their buddies. Stoll emphasized that the program not only creates space for bonding but also fosters a sense of maturity and personal accountability within students.
“I saw they were out on the soccer field, and it looked like they were doing a good job interacting with the students,” Stoll said. “It definitely gives the ones that don’t have younger siblings a sense of a little bit of responsibility that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
Seniors reconnected with their fifth-grade buddies in the Zhang Gymnasium while playing elimination games like four corners and trivia questions hosted by Director of Student Organizations Eric Kallbrier to determine which groups would be dismissed to lunch first. Following a meal of pizza, watermelon slices and chocolate chip cookies in the gym, many groups participated in a scavenger hunt. Other options included origami, puzzles and card games.
The scavenger hunt provided groups the opportunity to bond and collaborate in solving clues posted on flyers. Senior Cyrus Ghane, who participated in the scavenger hunt, loved deciphering the hints with his fifth-grade buddies.
“It’s very relaxing to be able to have fun with my eagle buddies and get to know them even though we share such a large age difference,” Cyrus said. “I really enjoy the scavenger hunt, especially getting to know my Eagle Buddies and the conversations we had while walking between stations.”
