![“[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 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
- December 13Annual Winterfest celebrates community and holidays
- December 12Destress Week helps students unwind before finals
- December 11Gingerbread house building inspires class spirit
- December 10Ease into finals prep with Aquila
![“I like how [the retirement community residents] are regulars. You don't get new people often. If I'm able to find a grouchy person and be empathetic and extra nice to them, and have them like me after, It makes my heart very happy," Alyssa Tomberg (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/AlyssaTombergHoH_SarahMohammed-675x900.jpeg)
![“I’ve always thought of myself as a leader. But [my experiences in high school] and the sense of responsibility have transformed me from someone who just had big ideas to someone who could actually see those ideas be implemented,” Lisa Barooah (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LisaBarooah_AnnaVazhaeparambil_HoHPhoto-600x900.jpeg)
![“Ever since that starting moment in fourth grade [with] the water balloon fight with the teachers and students all the way to spirit rallies in high school, it's given me a sense of community and sense of friendship that I only get from a place like Harker,” Gowtham Irrinki (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GowthamIrrinki_HoHPhoto-900x506.jpg)
!["When I was interviewed [for the Santa Clara Youth Poet Laureate position], I realized I was the youngest person at the table. And I was 32. I was wondering, 'How am I the youngest person here?'" Sapigao said. "And so I thought this whole thing would change if there was a young person at the table. That's part of the reason why I wanted to start the Youth Poet Laureate program."](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/JaniceLoboSapigao2-900x675.jpg)
![“All the stories present, in a way, different views of the world. And to some extent, they're all true. They're all just looking at different parts of life and the world. I think for most of my life, [reading stories] has been a way to explore the world and explore things that I otherwise would never know about,” Pascal Han (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PascalHan_SarahMohammed_HoHPhoto-675x900.jpeg)
