![“[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)
- December 21Winter walkways: Students decorate campus buildings in holiday style
- December 19Annual holiday Big Assembly Day showcases performing arts student talent
- December 19Varsity boys soccer suffers defeat to Monta Vista 2-5
- December 18Winter Instrumental Concert highlights talent and collaboration within student music ensembles
- December 17Festive cheer and family traditions
- December 17Predictions for the 67th Grammys
- December 17Embrace winter magic with Aquila
- December 16Tiny love stories: End of year nostalgia
- December 14Junior varsity boys basketball trails behind Mountain View 36-43
- December 14Downbeat dazzles crowds at annual holiday tour
![Assistant coach John Paul Fruttero talks to the girls tennis team, going over a specific drill. “It’s a lot of work, because we have practice every day for two hours,” freshman Alissa Huda said of tennis practices. “But [there’s] been a lot of team bonding, and [we have become] a lot closer.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/DSC7050-900x596.jpg)
![The team lines up with letters taped to their backs that spell out “KAISHANT BEAST MODE FOREVER” to honor the two seniors. “Our two seniors have been just massive on the team, just massive supporters and great players. They definitely know how to conduct themselves on and off the court,” assistant coach Mike Nguyen said. “[This is] the culmination of their high school experience and its just one of those crucial times where they transition to college.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DSC5196-900x596.jpeg)
![Anya Gert (11) hits the ball over the net. “[CCS] is nerve-wracking, so I know [the team] was nervous and had the jitters,” Smith said. “We came in early and actually warmed up early so we could get some of that stuff out. I was a little worried about where [the team] would be mentally, but I think we handled ourselves pretty well.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-30-at-9.34.38-PM.jpg)
