![“[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)
ASB and Green Team’s first “Milk Tea Monday” on Sept. 29 drew students to the quad, where 160 participants sorted sample trash to earn boba as part of a sustainability initiative.
Organizers included this extra step to raise awareness about proper recycling and composting practices on campus. Sophomore Eden Alhuwalia noted the impact of the sorting exercise on her mindset regarding sustainability.
“The trash sorting activity wasn’t too difficult, but it definitely made me more aware of what goes where,” Eden said. “It showed me how small actions like sorting properly can actually make sustainability on campus much more achievable.”
Those who completed the activity were rewarded with a choice of two drinkss: a classic milk tea with honey boba and a passionfruit tea with lychee jelly. Senior Koby Yu appreciated the chance to try a tasty drink in the middle of the school day.
“It honestly made my day a lot better,” Koby said. “It’s just so nice to walk back to my lunch table with a refreshing milk tea. Somehow having boba during the middle of the day feels so much more fun than going across the street to get it after school.”
Students registered to receive boba using a Google Form that went live on Sept. 12, with 40 spots available for each grade level. The sign-up was filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Because of the limited supply, the registration form closed quickly and left some unable to sign up. ASB Vice President Amishi Gupta said ASB is considering alternative systems to make future events more equitable.
“We were discussing ways of having priority for other people who have not already gotten boba at a prior Milk Tea Monday,” Amishi said. “Or we might cut back the number of Milk Tea Mondays but distribute it to all students on that day.”
In the future, ASB will continue to connect Milk Tea Monday events with other campus initiatives.
