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The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The bottom line is this: students need to like the books they read to nurture their love of reading and procure the best results learning-wise. Administrators who decide each class’ reading list should focus on choosing books that will be popular with students.
School kills love of reading
by Mendy Mao, Co-Features Editor • August 29, 2024

I step into my room, glancing at the piles of books littering the floor. Most are assigned reading for English class. A few are books that I’ve...

Fifty-nine percent of student respondents spent upwards of $150 on textbooks for the upcoming year and 29% of students spent over $300. The lack of value that students find in some textbooks, however, invalidates their price. 
Editorial: Textbook underutilization reveals flaws in course materials planning
by Editorial Board August 28, 2024

Scanning the MBS online bookstore for the school year’s course materials, one word jumps off the screen: REQUIRED. The bright red font and...

Success equals how many people remember you after you die multiplied by how long they remember you for. But only if you’re doing what you love.
This I Believe: Appendix to equation of life
by Kairui Sun, Photo Editor • August 20, 2024

I joined Harker in fifth grade. One of my first memories of that frankly overwhelming year was a math lecture with my classmates: one not held...

Film appreciation president Gabe Sachse (11) sketches the layout of film club's poster. Officers met during Friday office hours to discuss the poster's design.
Officers prepare for Club Fair and share future goals
by Hima Thota, Mendy Mao, Risa Chokhawala, and Claire Xu September 9, 2024

With new students joining the Harker ranks, club officers ready themselves to advertise their own clubs during Club Fair tomorrow. Join Aquila...

Upper school history teacher Byron Stevens unpacks a box in his classroom in preparation for the new school year. "The most fun is just the anticipation and the excitement as [the start] gets closer, and I have the greatest job in the world because it could start over every August," Stevens said.
Peer into how teachers prepare classrooms for new school year
by Claire Zhao and Victor Gong August 24, 2024

Shlurp has not only made its way to customers, but also taken home a top prize of $5,000 at the INCubatoredu National Pitch Competition. After submitting a video pitch, Shlurp was one of five finalists selected from across the nation to fly to Chicago, where they pitched their company to a panel of judges in July.
Shlurping up success: Student-run business wins big at national pitch competition
by Katerina Matta, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief • August 23, 2024

Peel back the bright yellow lid. Lean into the steaming cup of instant ramen. As you savor the scent of lemongrass broth wafting toward you,...

Student researcher Nisha Padhi (10) examines a test tube of MTT solution. Over the summer, she focused on chemical synthesis of small molecules and looks forward to combining aspects of cell biology work into her future research.
Journey into hands-on research
by Ashley Mo, Co-STEM Editor • August 29, 2024

Imagine stepping into a chemistry lab, feeling the snap of blue nitrile gloves around your fingers and draping a pristine white lab coat over...

To avoid the construction of a new swimming stadium, organizers decided to hold two Olympics swimming events in the Seine River, which has historically been unsafe for swimming due to high bacteria levels. Despite France’s €1.6 billion plan to clean the waters leading up to the Olympics, the Seine continued to fail bacteria tests.
Global Reset: “Green” policies create controversy at Olympics
by Lily Shi and Charlie Wang August 25, 2024

In the sports world, sustainability is a buzzword. Practically every major sporting event now features a sustainability statement containing...

Intel lost more than $30 billion in market value after its second quarter earnings report. The company announced that it would cut 15% of its workforce and slash dividends due to financial struggles.
Chip crisis: Intel tumbles amidst layoffs and lackluster earnings
by Victor Gong, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief • August 23, 2024

Intel’s stock plummeted over 40% this past month, marking its worst fall in 50 years. The company’s per-share price tanked 26% just a day...

Jason Shim (12) speaks during the inaugural Conservatory Kick-off panel and is joined by Iris Cai (12), Luke Mehta (’24) and Maria Gong. The panelists shared their experiences in the Conservatory program and offered advice to the students and parents.
Conservatory welcomes students and parents with kick-off
by Tiffany Zhu, Co-Sports Editor • August 29, 2024

Conservatory teachers and students presented this year’s initiatives and opportunities at the annual kick-off to parents and students in the...

Book Corner: Escaping the vacuum
Book Corner: Escaping the vacuum
by Suhani Gupta, Co-A&E/Lifestyle Editor • August 18, 2024

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide and depression. Botanists often use a glass bell jar to protect samples of...

After focusing much of her career on creating chart-topping pop singles, Swift now embraces synth-pop styles. It’s difficult to pigeonhole TTPD into a singular category, and Swift, who has tackled almost every genre throughout her career, would probably uphold that sense of ambiguity.
Taylor Swift shares poetic poignancy in “The Tortured Poet’s Department”
by Ashley Mo, Tiffany Zhu, and Kairui Sun May 11, 2024

31 tracks, two hours — the longest album singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has ever released. Swift dropped “The Tortured Poet’s Department”...

Music Monday is a new installation featuring a different category of songs on a weekly basis.
Music Monday: Game on with Aquila
by Lindsay Li, Reporter • September 9, 2024
Poll

How many books have you read for pleasure since the start of the school year?

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Winged Post
As journalists, one of our primary goals is to honor the people we report on. If we omit compassion, our articles lose life and color, and we fail to do justice to their stories. 
Editor's Note: Empathy in subjectivity
by Alena Suleiman, Aquila Co-Editor-in-Chief • May 22, 2024
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