The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila
“It's very important to make sure the people in your life know they're important to you. Whether that's doing small acts of kindness or just being there whenever they need you, having a really strong support system is what gets you through life, and it's a really valuable life skill to have," Sofie Marino (12) said.
Humans of Harker: Pillar of support
“My karate teachers emphasize that as black belts, we should be living up to the standard of our rank and acting as an example for the students who are lower-ranked.' When I’m helping out and someone messes up, I don't necessarily say, ‘You did this wrong, try to do this.’ I take a more relaxed approach and act out what they did a little comically. It's finding the balance between being strict and being more playful with the students," senior Claire Perng said.
Humans of Harker: Playing with purpose
“I have the ability to convey my opinions and ideas through art, which in my opinion, is the most powerful tool I have because not everyone has it. It requires me to, first of all, have an opinion or thought, and second of all, be able to convey it with this medium. Together, that is the strongest calling for an artist," senior Eva Li said.
Humans of Harker: Artistry in abstraction
"I like challenging myself to really, really high expectations and then surprisingly, somehow it works, and I think I have the most fun doing that. Rather than making a beginner thing, I wanna be the best .I wanna do the craziest thing first," senior Gabe Li said.
Humans of Harker: B-roll to your beat
“Sometimes when you're too carried away with the thing that you're so passionate about, it's hard to take a step back and realize that you need to be sharing this information with others. Through all the errors, although it's really demoralizing at times, it provides a lot more insight as to how the entire thing functions and then from there you can know what to do next," senior Tiffany Gu said.
Humans of Harker: Exploring the finer edges
Humans of Harker: Cooking with creativity
Humans of Harker: Cooking with creativity
“There's a lot of value in every moment and everyone around you. I appreciate people who just appreciate the little things. For me, I feel like everyone you meet can teach you a little bit, and that's something that I've really internalized over the years. I think that's part of why I like being around people and different communities so much. Because in each of these communities, you can learn so many different things from everyone," Olivia Xu ('24) said.
Humans of Harker: Purpose towards progress
“I get to choose how much effort and detail I put in, and that’s what you’re going to see in the end. I love that you can see the truth on paper. A lot of my work is in black and white, so I can’t rely on color to cover it up or make it more interesting — I can only rely on my skill and willingness to go into the studio and add to my piece," Katelyn Zhao ('24) said.
Humans of Harker: Envisioning the everyday
"I used to think that I have to keep doing dance just because it's what I’m known for. But now I’ve realized there’s beauty behind all the madness that happens. And it’s now a part of me, so not doing dance or not having Legos is like I’m losing a part of my identity," Luke Mehta ('24) said.
Humans of Harker: Building with style
“Why not? So many things are very foreign or unknown to us, but there’s not much to lose by just trying things. I initially wasn’t very comfortable with DECA, especially with impromptu, but the community really helped me grow out of that. And DECA is now one of my top high school memories. Just giving things a try is really worth it, and if it fails, the worst thing that can happen is you just try something else," Claire Luo ('24) said.
Humans of Harker: It’s all in the details
"Being a lifer, I really want to put my knowledge to use. Being a TEDx speaker is a really big honor in and of itself, but to be able to actually address the Harker community was really important to me because I wanted to have an impact on the place that I've been at for 13 years," Arissa Huda ('23) said.
Humans of Harker: Prescribing change
"I’ve learned discipline: practicing a lot and then knowing what your strengths are, knowing where to improve. That discipline is definitely going to stay with me. If I’m trying to get a big piece of work done in general when I'm interested in it, I'll stop at nothing to reach my goals," Linette Hoffman ('23) said.
Humans of Harker: Artistry in motion
"I have this philosophy with theater. I wholeheartedly believe that my life was made for the stage, and all my make or break moments have happened there. While some people learn best through lectures or visuals, I learn best from having a spotlight on me," Zubin Khera ('23) said.
Humans of Harker: Scripts to success
"One of the most important things for me about performing is its transformative power. There was one concert where we were singing this commission about gun violence, followed by a piece about climate change, a piece about the Holocaust. Watching the audience's expressions and how they reacted to the music we were singing was the first time that I was like, ‘Whoa, music has the power to change lives and engender positive change,’” Sawyer Lai ('23) said.
Humans of Harker: Symphony of spirit
"It’s been fun getting to know the chefs at La Mar, their team and how different cultural influences blend together. For example, they make ceviche, which is a traditional Peruvian dish, but they infuse it with many different cultures. They have a version of their ceviche which is inspired by African tastes and spices, and they also have a Japanese form of that same ceviche dish. I think it’s interesting to watch how these fusion dishes form," Alex Lan ('23) said.
Humans of Harker: Flavors of knowledge
Prakrit Jain ('22) searches for new animal species to help the environment and wildlife.
Humans of Harker: Scorpion spotter
Arnav Gupta ('22) moves a DNA construction.
Humans of Harker: Coding for a cause
“[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.
Humans of Harker: Blast of creativity
"Every single person I've interviewed for Humans of Harker has said one killer quote that has stuck with me even through four years of high school, and I think I really do internalize those messages. There are nuances in every single person's experience that makes it unique to them and also makes it a good lesson for everyone else. It's just amazing to see how much wisdom every single person at Harker has, and it's fascinating to learn about those stories," Erica Cai ('22) said.
Humans of Harker: Harmony in humanity
“Something I took away from baseball is that there's always the opportunity to bounce back when things don't go particularly right. Even the best hitters only go one for three, so being able to push through that is one of the most important parts of the game. Being able to identify what goes wrong and learning from that is important to being able to find success in the future," Mark Hu ('22) said.
Humans of Harker: The perfect pitch
Humans of Harker: Perseverance on par
Humans of Harker: Perseverance on par
It's been obviously rough, turning on the news and seeing another death, seeing another acquittal every single time … but, ‘How much can I do?’ is the question I'm asking myself. ‘How much can I help, and what impact can I have?’” Brian Pinkston ('21) said.
Humans of Harker: For the future and the present
“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.
Humans of Harker: Leading with DECA-cation
Class of 2021: Humans of Harker compilation, part three
Class of 2021: Humans of Harker compilation, part three
“I feel really good about myself when I'm relaxed and enjoying the world. There’s so much to learn about the world and so many ways to do so," Daniel Wang ('21) said.
Humans of Harker: Mapping the unknown
"I'm the person that always has a plan for everything. And then I have backups for the plan, and I have backups for the backups," Nicole Chen ('19) said.
Humans of Harker: Calendars for a cause
"I don’t ever intend on letting the internal love of life that I have leave me. As I grow up and I maintain my love for the random things I do, I know I’ll be happy– and hopefully people around me will be, as well," Mathew Mammen ('19) said.
Humans of Harker: Jack of all trades, master of fun
Humans of Harker: To dance, to feel
Humans of Harker: To dance, to feel
"The more serious side, people will never see. You'll never see who's behind one of these websites that people may be using," Neil Ramaswamy (12) said. "Several freshmen have approached me like, 'hey, you're the really funny guy at school meeting' and I'm like 'hey, yeah, nice to meet you' and at the same time they might be using an application that I've written not knowing that it's me. I kind of get that personal satisfaction knowing that there is a serious side to me, you just don't know about it."
Humans of Harker: Dueling with duality
Humans of Harker: Humanity in art
Humans of Harker: Humanity in art
“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.
Humans of Harker: Neymika Jain finds balance in life
“A lot of the time, when I’m out at nail salons, nailers ask me if I‘m Vietnamese. I say yes, but they say that I don’t speak the language and have never been back to Vietnamese, so am I really? I always felt disconnected, like I would be Vietnamese-American but never Vietnamese. When I went to Vietnam for the first time, it brought me closer to my culture. I realized I shouldn’t view myself as a different. I have to see Vietnamese-American and Vietnamese as one and the same," Haley Tran (12) said.
Humans of Harker: Haley Tran values her cultural identity
“One time, I was hiking up this giant off-trail path, and this is going to make me sound like a complete hippy, but what I was thinking at the moment was that every single tree out there must have had some sort of backstory. Even when I was walking to Shah, there was this tree right next to the building, and I was like, ‘Maybe this tree had a lot of other tree friends, but then this building came up and they had to get cut down.’ That made me pretty sad. So, when I was coming up with backstories for trees, it reminded me of my childlike innocence of playing pretend or playing with my stuffed animals because I thought my imagination would never run as wild as it once did. But, this experience made me feel happy because it’s something that I’ve lost, and I feel like I gained some of it back," Aashish Jain (12) said.
Humans of Harker: Aashish Jain finds inspiration in painting through watching Bob Ross videos
“For me, robotics has always been a great way to learn about how to build things and how things work. Honestly, that is the reason why I love robotics. When you see everything working, you look at it and say 'I helped make this happen,' which is really really gratifying," Andrew Tierno (12) said.
Humans of Harker: Andrew Tierno reflects on his passion for robotics
“A lot of being a choreographer is about digging deep, understanding, and finding out which event leads to the next, which is basically what science is. You would take a circuit and break it apart to understand each of the components, and you would do that to a song,” Sneha Bhetanabhotla (‘17) said.
Humans of Harker: Sneha Bhetanabhotla learns to connect robotics and dance
“I can be serious, and I care a lot about a lot of things, but I also just like having fun and people feeling comfortable being their true selves,” Isabella Spradlin (12) said. “You don't have to be one-sided — you can have different sides of your personality, and different moods.”
Humans of Harker: Isabella Spradlin gleans insight from sisterhood
“This is like a melting pot of Cupertino, Lynbrook, Saratoga, some people from De Anza, so you meet all kinds of people,” Rahul Mehta (12) said. “Half the time I’m not even playing with my friends, so I’m playing with random people. You start off in the beginning a bit wary of each other, and then by end you’re playing like they’re your friends. It’s kind of gradual. Like after a really cool play, you’ll high five each other, and that’s how it all begins.”
Humans of Harker: Rahul Mehta befriends others through banter
"People are always debating, you know, ‘should I go up to a higher weight or not?’ And I’ll just yell, ‘do it, you won’t,’" Tiffany Shou (12) said. "And then, you know, it’s like that challenge, and so it always pushes them pick that higher weight, and then they can accomplish it, so it’s even more gratifying."
Humans of Harker Video: Tiffany Shou pushes her limits in the weight room
“First, I start at my house,” Sparsh Chauhan (12) said. “Then, I turn on Saratoga, and it’s always crowded with traffic and stuff. That’s when I’m setting the music, checking the tire pressure, the gas. After downtown, the road gets smooth, which is when I put the windows down. I go all the way down until there’s a dip and then I go back. Even when I have stuff to do, I drive that same route every day. I don’t have to take directions. I know all the traffic times; I know exactly where I’m going.”
Humans of Harker: Sparsh Chauhan takes pride in his work
“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.”
Humans of Harker: Angel Cervantes chases his goals
“[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.
Humans of Harker: Learning to fall
“You just have to go for it. You think, 'In the future, if I think back and regret it, is that how I want to end up — or would I rather just try something and see what happens?' Usually, it turns out well,” Montek Kalsi (’20) said. 
Humans of Harker: All fun and games
“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.
Humans of Harker: Leadership and love
Humans of Harker: Grit and grind
Humans of Harker: Grit and grind
Humans of Harker: Artistic nonconformity
Humans of Harker: Artistic nonconformity
The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila
The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

Varsha Rammohan, Editor-in-Chief

Varsha Rammohan (12) is the co-editor-in-chief of Harker Aquila. This is her fourth year on staff, and she likes journalism since she can meet new people and stay connected with current events. Outside of journalism, she is on the girls golf team and enjoys trying new foods.
All content by Varsha Rammohan
“I always talk about how I feel like I've had so many full circle moments, where I was once the student and now I'm the teacher. It feels that much more special when I remember that I used to be the one running around the playground or forgetting my Hebrew alphabet. It’s a reminder that it's scary that we're growing up, and I don't feel like I'm too old for anything, but it’s still a significant growth,” Zoe Sanders (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The true meaning of home

by Varsha Rammohan, Co-Editor-in-Chief
May 18, 2021
Music Monday is a new installation featuring a different category of songs on a weekly basis.

Music Monday: Coming to a close with Aquila

by Varsha Rammohan, Editor-in-Chief
May 10, 2021
Each member of our journalism staff has approached the pandemic in their own way, sometimes together and sometimes separate. Hear the voices of our program and experience how we overcame the unknown of 2020.

Growing up ahead of the curve: Gen Z on living through a global pandemic

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, Emily Tan, and Alysa Suleiman
April 17, 2021
“Spirit is worth it because you can touch so many people and affect so many people’s emotions and lives. And that’s really what I like to do. I like to make people happy through anything that I do,” Arjun Virmani (12) said.

Humans of Harker: All for one and one for all

by Varsha Rammohan and Alysa Suleiman
March 22, 2021
Jessica Zhou (10) prepares to hit a bunker shot at a practice round at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club last week. Following the upper school's safety protocols for athletes, players are required to wear masks and social distance at all times.

Spring sports kick off

by Anna Vazhaeparambil and Varsha Rammohan
March 1, 2021
Music Monday is a new installation featuring a different category of songs on a weekly basis.

Music Monday: Scroll through TikTok with Aquila

by Varsha Rammohan, Co-Editor-in-Chief
February 22, 2021
President Donald Trump addresses the crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN, for his 2020 presidential campaign rally on October 10, 2019. The Senate is currently holding Trump's second impeachment trial on charges of "incitement of insurrection."

Daily updates: Senate votes on article of impeachment against former president Trump

by Varsha Rammohan and Anna Vazhaeparambil
February 13, 2021
Samvita Gautham 10), a member of the community events branch in HSLT, speaks with fellow member Alysa Suleiman (11) on some holiday baked goods she made over winter break in her new series Harker Good News (HGN).

“We can still be together”

by Sarah Mohammed, Asst. Features Editor
January 24, 2021
A stack of SAT-prep books. The College Board announced that administration of SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT Essay would be eliminated on Tuesday.

College Board discontinues SAT Subject Tests, optional SAT Essay to streamline pandemic services

by Aditya Singhvi, Aquila Co-Managing Editor
January 20, 2021
Congress officially certified the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election in a joint session early today morning, ratifying Biden’s victory after pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol yesterday in an unprecedented rampage of violence and destruction.

Trump acknowledges Biden’s electoral victory after violent, pro-Trump riots erupt at U.S. Capitol

by Varsha Rammohan and Anna Vazhaeparambil
January 7, 2021
Swift’s career over the past decade or so has been defined by bright, showy music videos and star-studded live performances complete with pyrotechnics and magnificent displays. Current pandemic limitations have obviously altered the entertainment landscape, but Swift’s latest albums are proof that her genius lies not with the flamboyance of Hollywood but with the heart of her success: songwriting.

The mastermind of Taylor Swift, ever more a transcendent musician

by Varsha Rammohan, Editor-in-chief
December 14, 2020
Neeli Cherkovski, renowned Beat Generation poet, speaks to students in Charles Shuttleworth’s Jack Kerouac class on Thursday, Dec. 1 during first period. Cherkovski read from his newest poetry book, "Hang on to the Yangtze River," and also spoke about his life journey with poetry.

The Poet’s Project: Beat Generation author Neeli Cherkovski finds the world through poetry

by Sarah Mohammed and Isha Moorjani
December 8, 2020
The toiletries aisle at a Safeway store in Saratoga was empty on Nov. 21, as local residents stock up on essential supplies to prepare for the increased county restrictions. Health officials issued a new stay-at-home order, which will go into effect at 10 p.m. today until Jan. 4.

Santa Clara County to implement new COVID-19 stay-at-home order

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, and Arushi Saxena
December 6, 2020
Joseph R. Biden won the 2020 presidential election, defeating incumbent President Donald. J. Trump as he crossed the threshold of 270 electoral votes with a win in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes).

Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States, defeating Trump

by Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, and Anna Vazhaeparambil
November 7, 2020

A breakdown of the propositions on the California ballot

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, and Aditya Singhvi
November 3, 2020

Tracking the Senate and House races

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, and Aditya Singhvi
November 3, 2020

Trump and Biden face off for 2020 election

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, and Aditya Singhvi
November 3, 2020
Although we might not know who our next president will be tonight, the United States needs its voters all the more to truly embrace the historical democratic processes of this nation. We urge our readers to follow us along with our live coverage tonight and to continue to be informed, civically engaged citizens.

What you need to know on Election Day 2020

by Alysa Suleiman, Lucy Ge, and Varsha Rammohan
November 2, 2020
The 2019-2020 upper school yearbook, which will be made available to the Harker community on Nov. 7 during Distribution Day.

2019-20 yearbooks available at next distribution day

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, and Nicholas Wei
October 28, 2020
Music Monday is a new installation featuring a different category of songs on a weekly basis.

Music Monday: Study with Aquila

by Varsha Rammohan and Alysa Suleiman
October 19, 2020
The Senate Judiciary Committee wrapped up three days of confirmation hearings today for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. The committee will meet again tomorrow to vote on Barrett’s nomination before a fourth day of hearings with outside testimony.

Daily updates: Senate holds confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett

by Varsha Rammohan and Alysa Suleiman
October 14, 2020
The upper school’s reading aficionados and literary circles have gathered their resources to reinforce the benefits and delights of recreational reading and help everyone realize their own reader within.

Upper school recommends recreational reading, escapism at its finest

by Alysa Suleiman, A&E Editor
October 9, 2020
Though Justice Ginsburg’s entire legal legacy rested on both successes and setbacks, her very presence reached the hearts of those far beyond the Supreme Court doors. Even after her passing, her legacy as a woman and societal issues champion will continue for generations to come.

A champion for the underdog

by Varsha Rammohan and Alysa Suleiman
September 29, 2020
The primetime Emmys, held to recognize outstanding work in American primetime entertainment programming, was the first major awards ceremony to occur during this new normal.

The 2020 Emmys projected levity without masking reality

by Varsha Rammohan, Editor-in-chief
September 25, 2020
Political scientists and researchers have refuted the president’s argument, saying that voting by mail neither increases election fraud nor gives either political party an advantage. Data from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and analyzed by the Brookings Institution shows that there have only been 15 cases of voter fraud over a period of 19 years in Oregon, the first state to adopt a universal vote-by-mail foundation.

The USPS controversy explained

by Varsha Rammohan and Arushi Saxena
September 25, 2020
Justice RBG dies at 87: Ruth Bader Ginsberg leaves behind legacy of women's rights advocacy

Justice RBG dies at 87: Ruth Bader Ginsberg leaves behind legacy of women’s rights advocacy

by Varsha Rammohan and Anna Vazhaeparambil
September 20, 2020
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaks at a General Assembly during the California Democrats 2019 State Convention on Saturday morning. There have been only two female major party vice presidential nominees in U.S. history; Sen. Kamala Harris (D-C.A.) is the third.

Kamala Harris “has changed the landscape”: Nomination paves way for women of color in politics

by Sarah Mohammed and Varsha Rammohan
September 9, 2020
Only a chain-link fence separates the Joe Rodota Trail, a pedestrian and bike path, from California State Route 12 in Santa Rosa. Over the month of January, city officials relocated over 250 individuals living at the trail encampment, sending some to shelters across the city and some to temporary “pallet buildings” with bunk beds, heat and electricity in Los Guilicos in East Santa Rosa, a two-hour drive from the trail.

What does shelter-in-place mean when shelter is unaffordable?

by Eric Fang, Lucy Ge, Nina Gee, Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, Alysa Suleiman, Anna Vazhaeparambil, Sara Yen, and Gloria Zhang
August 19, 2020
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate for the 2020 election. She is makes history as the first Black and South Asian-American woman on any major party ballot.

Kamala Harris chosen as Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate

by Anna Vazhaeparambil and Varsha Rammohan
August 11, 2020
A collection of flat lays taken to share the outfits student journalists would have worn these last three months if not in quarantine.

Stories from quarantine: “The outfit I never wore”

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, and Aditya Singhvi
May 25, 2020
As I watched the bare exposure of my culture to millions of often judgmental eyes, I felt an inner desire to perfectly relate to Devi’s experience. I am also a second-generation Indian high schooler in California, home to a family that shares many of the same values as those of Devi’s mother. “Never Have I Ever” proves many of the “true” stereotypes right while ignoring some others.

Latest Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever” is a cultural reset for Hollywood

by Varsha Rammohan, Managing Editor
May 9, 2020
"I really just live. I love to the fullest. I do everything, and I enjoy everything because you never really know what’s going to happen," Simren Gupta (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Embracing empathy

by Varsha Rammohan, Co-Managing Editor
April 24, 2020
A collection of flat lays taken to share the essential items keeping student journalists safe, healthy and happy during their time at home.

Stories from quarantine: Our pandemic essentials

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, and Irina Malyugina
April 20, 2020
The area where shoppers take and return shopping carts is completely empty at a Safeway in Los Gatos.

Santa Clara County announces shelter-in-place directive

by Mark Hu and Aditya Singhvi
March 17, 2020
“Softball taught me so many things – how to be patient with myself, how to be resilient and most of all how to create these immensely strong bonds with my teammates. Coaching kids almost came naturally to me just due to how much I loved the sport and how much I wanted to share my passion with other people,” Arushi Nety (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Living in motion

by Varsha Rammohan, Managing Editor
March 17, 2020
The quad after school today. The upper school will be closed to all students beginning tomorrow following a reported case of COVID-19 in the family of a non-teaching staff member.

All 4 campuses likely to close through spring break after parent of non-teaching staff member tests positive for COVID-19

by Sara Yen, Anna Vazhaeparambil, Varsha Rammohan, Alysa Suleiman, Kathy Fang, Arushi Saxena, Aditya Singhvi, Esha Gohil, and Eric Fang
March 12, 2020
Columbia University last February. Columbia is one of several schools that has decided to cancel its admissions events as a part of new procedures that have emerged after the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.

Colleges cancel classes and international travel to minimize risk of coronavirus

by Varsha Rammohan, Managing Editor
March 11, 2020
Postdoctoral researcher Dr. Vasiliki Rahimzadeh talks to students at ETCon. Rahimzadeh explored the use of genetic data in both aiding medical advances and presenting several legal issues regarding privacy and safety.

ETCon presents students with a deep dive into the world of bioethics

by Varsha Rammohan, Managing Editor
March 10, 2020
The condiment bar in Fresh Mex in the auxiliary gym was closed last Friday as kitchen staff worked to implement a "reduction in self-served items in food service."

Upper school cafeteria limits self-served food items to limit the spread of COVID-19, among other local health measures

by Mark Hu and Sabrina Zhu
March 9, 2020
The College Board has closed numerous testing locations for the March 14 SAT as precautionary measures for the spread of the coronavirus.

College Board closes SAT testing centers due to safety concerns over coronavirus

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Co-Sports Editor
March 13, 2020
From left to right: Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders (I.-V.T.) and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden and Sanders score big wins on Super Tuesday as voters in 14 states cast their ballots

by Varsha Rammohan and Arushi Saxena
March 4, 2020
Browsing nearly empty shelves, a customer shops for surface wipes at Target in the Westgate Center. Stores like Target and Costco have been running low on hygiene products in the past week as local residents stock up on essential supplies to prepare for a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

Novel coronavirus: How to prepare for potential local outbreak

by Kathy Fang, Varsha Rammohan, and Arushi Saxena
March 3, 2020
A warning sign with information about coronavirus and a station with hand sanitizer, tissues and face masks stand outside the entrance doors to the emergency room of Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, CA. As of March 2, there are 9 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County.

Community spread, local outbreaks of coronavirus impacts countries around the world

by Kathy Fang, Varsha Rammohan, and Arushi Saxena
March 3, 2020
President Donald J. Trump addresses the crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN, for his 2020 presidential campaign rally on Oct. 10, 2019. Trump's Senate impeachment trial began today.

Daily updates: Senate prepares for final vote on articles of impeachment

by Kathy Fang, Arushi Saxena, and Varsha Rammohan
February 5, 2020
From left to right: Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Republican presidential candidate President Donald Trump

After night of chaos, Buttigieg, Sanders, Trump score wins at Iowa caucuses

by Eric Fang, Kathy Fang, Varsha Rammohan, and Arushi Saxena
February 4, 2020
Two women, both wearing protective masks, select vegetables at 99 Ranch Market in Cupertino on Sunday evening. Due to the global novel coronavirus outbreak and the recent confirmation of cases in Santa Clara County, stores around the Bay Area have been experiencing shortages of masks.

Second case of coronavirus confirmed in Santa Clara County, unrelated to first case

by Varsha Rammohan and Gloria Zhang
February 2, 2020
Senior Cynthia Chen, who has been named one of 40 Regeneron finalists in the nation. Cynthia was the only Harker student to receive this honor this year.

Senior named one of 40 Regeneron finalists in nation

by Varsha Rammohan and Arushi Saxena
January 22, 2020
“I definitely do programming, and that's my thing for sure. But I also like other stuff. I guess the best way I can describe myself is like organized chaos. Everything is happening in all sorts of all but limited in some way. It's like split identities, but they're all unified in some way that I don’t know,” Bennett Liu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Organized chaos

by Varsha Rammohan, Co-Managing Editor
January 12, 2020
Seniors Cynthia Chen and Joshua Zhou, the 2020 Regeneron scholars.

Two seniors named as Regeneron scholars

by Varsha Rammohan and Arushi Saxena
January 8, 2020
A demonstrator at a Cupertino pro-impeachment rally on Tuesday holds out an electric candle at cars turning onto Stevens Creek Boulevard. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in various locations around the Bay Area to voice their support of the articles of impeachment, which the House voted to pass on Wednesday, making President Donald Trump the third ever U.S. president to be impeached.

Local perspectives on impeachment: Students and political groups divided in predictions of impeachment’s impact on presidency

by Eric Fang and Varsha Rammohan
December 21, 2019
Harker Journalism earned several awards following the JEA/NSPA national journalism convention in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 19 to 23. The Winged Post won its first Pacemaker in ten years, Harker Aquila won sixth place in Best of Show and four individual stories received honorable mentions in various Story of the Year categories.

Harker Journalism wins awards at D.C. convention

by Varsha Rammohan and Arushi Saxena
November 25, 2019
Humans of Harker (HOH) editor-in-chief Saloni Shah (11), TALON editor-in-chief Anthony Xu (12) and HOH profiler Esha Gohil (10) speak to attendees about the HOH project. More than 240 student journalists and advisers attended the presentation.

Journalism students travel to Washington, D.C. to attend national journalism convention

by Varsha Rammohan, Managing Editor
November 23, 2019
Longworth 1100 in the Longworth House Office Building, where Gordon Sondland testified before the House Intelligence Committee today. Sondland answered questions about his knowledge of alleged arrangements between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, starting at 9 a.m. this morning.

Ambassador Gordon Sondland confirms “quid pro quo” in impeachment hearings

by Kathy Fang, Arya Maheshwari, Varsha Rammohan, and Anna Vazhaeparambil
November 20, 2019
Business and Entrepreneurship teacher Juston Glass assists two freshmen in his class. The fall DECA conference presents an opportunity for freshmen to compete through roleplay interviews and practice for the upcoming SVCDC conference in January.

News briefs: Choir concert, Harker Car Show, and Evening of Medicine

by Brian Chen, Amruta Dharmapurikar, Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, Emily Tan, Anna Vazhaeparambil, and Jessie Wang
November 13, 2019
The downstairs boys bathroom in Dobbins was closed today after two upper school students found and reported a threatening graffiti message inside the bathroom. In response to this report, upper school administrators called an all-school meeting at 2:45 p.m. today.

Upper school administration calls sudden, mandatory all-school meeting after students reported threatening graffiti message

by Harker News Staff
November 5, 2019
Cancer immunotherapy researcher Priti Hegde talked to attendees about her work in cancer genomics.

“Under the Microscope:” Harker hosts annual TEDx event

by Varsha Rammohan and Alysa Suleiman
October 24, 2019
Justin Trudeau, current prime minister of Canada who is seeking reelection.

Campaigning for Canada: Candidates from different parties seek to replace Trudeau

by Lucy Ge and Varsha Rammohan
October 18, 2019
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Kick Back with Kushal: California does right by collegiate athletes

by Kushal Shah, Sports Columnist
October 16, 2019
As October rolls around the corner, billions of Hindus begin the annual preparations to honor the traditions specific to Navaratri, Dussehra and Diwali, the main Indian festivals during fall.

Family, tradition and celebration: The essence of Indian festivals

by Alysa Suleiman and Varsha Rammohan
October 9, 2019
PG&E public safety power shutoff to affect up to 800,000 across northern, central, coastal California, starting Wednesday morning

PG&E public safety power shutoff to affect up to 800,000 across northern, central, coastal California, starting Wednesday morning

by Kathy Fang, Varsha Rammohan, and Anna Vazhaeparambil
October 8, 2019
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The recent shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton have inspired students and teenagers to take a stance against guns.

Gen Z Rises: Mass shootings push students to stand up and speak out

by Alysa Suleiman and Varsha Rammohan
August 28, 2019
Humans of Harker profiler Esha Gohil (10) holds up the 2019 yearbook.

Yearbooks available at Matriculation

by Varsha Rammohan, Sara Yen, and Arushi Saxena
August 19, 2019
A senior practices her routine prior to Senior Showcase. The showcase features all members of the Conservatory who have completed the Certificate program, which culminates in this final performance.

Conservatory seniors honored at annual Senior Showcase

by Varsha Rammohan and Irene Yuan
May 23, 2019
The Green New Deal

The Green New Deal

by Arya Maheshwari, Varsha Rammohan, Lucy Ge, and Michael Eng
April 27, 2019
“I started playing lacrosse because I wanted to play a team sport, and then I tried lacrosse, and I just absolutely fell in love with it. I love everything about it, and I love how you can be creative in something that’s not art. There’s so much freedom to express yourself in different ways. It’s not just something that has rules where you follow them; you make plays and you make something, which makes it such a personalized sport where I can truly play how I want to," Elise Mayer (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Roll, split and face

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
April 17, 2019
Different methods of learning provide alternatives to traditional education

Different methods of learning provide alternatives to traditional education

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
April 11, 2019
“Going to that [certificate] meeting has changed my life for the better. I have a lot of the same friends that I did before then, but I really have expanded my horizons and know more people now. Wherever I go for college, even if there’s no one from Harker, if I join a choir or an a capella group, there’s always going to be an instant home for me," Marina Logue (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Beneath the outer shell

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
March 24, 2019
Stanford Medical School assistant professor Dr. Al'ai Alvarez speaks at a Medical Club speaker event on Feb. 28. For their club week, the Med Club invited Dr. Alvarez as well as Dr. My Phuong Mitarai to speak to students about medicine.

Medical Club hosts speaker events for club week

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
March 17, 2019
“One thing I’ve always believed in is the power of communication and just being honest and truthful in all respects. Communication, to me, is more than language in a traditional sense: it also includes communication in a nontraditional sense like body movement or painting or programming. The power of communication is inexplicable. I want to bring that love and apply it to a greater world purpose,” said Devanshi Mehta (12).

Humans of Harker: Steps and strokes

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
March 15, 2019
Pulse of the People: Hollywood steps into inclusivity

Pulse of the People: Hollywood steps into inclusivity

by Varsha Rammohan, Arushi Saxena, and Saloni Shah
February 22, 2019

We Voted: Hope drives seniors’ first votes

by Varsha Rammohan, Saloni Shah, and Aditya Singhvi
January 17, 2019
Ishaan Mantripragada (9) takes the ball downfield as a Priory player chases him. The team is on a 7-game win streak, which began with their win over San Mateo on Nov. 30.

Varsity boys soccer overwhelms Priory 3-1 amid clouds and drizzle

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy editor
January 15, 2019
Representative for Texas’ 7th District, ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee, director of the Central Intelligence Agency — George H.W. Bush wore several hats during his life but was most well-known for his role as the 41st president of the United States. Bush died at the age of 94 on Nov. 30 at his home in Houston, Texas.

Harker community commemorates legacy of former president George H.W. Bush

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
December 9, 2018
The 2018 midterm elections. Original map source: Wikimedia Commons

Inside the midterm elections

by Varsha Rammohan, Saloni Shah, and Aditya Singhvi
December 9, 2018
Screen Shot 2018-12-09 at 10.51.22 AM

Affirmative Action: Stop racial quotas and start race-conscious thinking

by Gloria Zhang, Features Editor
December 9, 2018

We Voted: Teachers share their voting perspectives

by Varsha Rammohan, Saloni Shah, and Aditya Singhvi
December 7, 2018
Shots Fired: America tackles its growing gun problem

Shots Fired: America tackles its growing gun problem

by Eric Fang and Varsha Rammohan
December 7, 2018
Kinetic Krew performs at the Santana Row Tree Lighting. The Kinetic Krew routine was choreographed by dance teacher Rachelle Haun.

Lights and action for the holiday season

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
November 22, 2018
Suman Mohanty (10) holds up a "STEM saves the world"t-shirt at the WiSTEM club week booth outside Manzanita. WiSTEM had speakers, a movie screening, and fundraisers for education for girls in Kenya during its club week.

WiSTEM holds club week to raise money and awareness for Kenyan non-profit

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor
November 13, 2018
A Nike advertisement featuring former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Nike saw a 31% uptick in sales after the Kaepernick-centered advertising campaign.

Social justice transforms sports

by Varsha Rammohan and Gloria Zhu
October 17, 2018
The newly confirmed 114th Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh takes the Constitutional Oath, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, accompanied by Kavanaugh's wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh, and his two daughters, Liza and Margaret. The Senate confirmed Kavanaugh's nomination in a 50-48 today.

New Supreme Court justice cements conservative lead

by Varsha Rammohan and Michael Eng
October 17, 2018
Midterms bring contested races

Midterms bring contested races

by Varsha Rammohan and Michael Eng
October 17, 2018
Counter-protesters raise their fists at the “No to Marxism in America 2” rally in Berkeley on Aug. 5. “[The counter protest is] about making sure that working class people have solidarity,” said Khawer Khan, one of the counter-protesters.

Rally a year after Charlottesville faces resistance

by Varsha Rammohan, Winged Post Copy Editor
August 31, 2018
The interior of the I Promise School in Akron, OH. The school was created through a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and the Akron public school district.

I Promise: LeBron James opens school for at-risk youth in hometown of Akron, OH

by Gloria Zhang and Varsha Rammohan
August 31, 2018
The varsity boys' volleyball game stands in position before the ball is served by the other team. They won their game against Lynbrook in three sets.

Boys varsity volleyball defeats Lynbrook in three sets

by Varsha Rammohan, Reporter
April 14, 2018
Japan enforces some of the strictest gun laws in the world. In 2014, there were only six deaths by firearm in the entire nation. The U.S. has less stringent gun control laws and had 38,658 gun related deaths in 2016. In response to the Parkland school shooting, the Florida state legislature raised the minimum age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21.

Shots heard around the world: How do American gun laws compare to those of other developed nations

by Varsha Rammohan, Reporter
March 29, 2018
“I play golf because I love it. I dance because, well one, it’s exercise, and two, I love it. I love music; I love dancing; I love moving; I love movement. It makes me feel good. That’s one thing that I truly believe in,” Victor Shin (12) said. “If you’re going to do something that you don’t like, and it doesn’t make you feel good, then why do it? Don’t do it. It makes me feel good; that’s why I do it.”

Humans of Harker: Victor Shin lives colorfully

by Varsha Rammohan, Reporter
March 21, 2018
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