![“[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)
As the school year comes to a close, we want to extend our thanks to the Upper School community — for sharing personal stories, engaging with our content and reading our publications. To celebrate the memories we’ve created together, we’ve put together a photo slideshow highlighting the year’s special moments. Thank you for being part of our journey, and see you next year!
Through our lens: Harker 2024-25
May 25, 2025
Categories:
More to Discover
About the Contributors
Ram Batchu, TALON Photo Editor
Ram Batchu (11) is a Photo editor for the TALON Yearbook, and this is his third year on staff. This year, he looks forward to covering as many events as he can. In his free time, he enjoys watching tv and playing videogames.
Aryana Bharali, Humans of Harker Managing Editor
Aryana Bharali (12) is a Managing editor for Humans of Harker, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she looks forward to sharing the stories of the graduating class and interviewing different people on and off the campus. In her free time, she enjoys trying new coffee shops and listening to music.
Eva Cheng, Harker Aquila Editor-in-Chief
Eva Cheng (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Eva hopes to increase community engagement through interactive articles and greater social media presence. In her free time, she loves playing soccer, trying new restaurants and logging them on Beli.
Victor Gong, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief
Victor Gong (12) is an Editor-in-Chief for the Winged Post, and this is his fourth year on staff. This year, he hopes to experiment with unique page designs, cover more events, explore data journalism and get to know new reporters. In his spare time, he enjoys playing piano & saxophone, designing games, cooking, and walking his dog.
Suhani Gupta, Harker Aquila Managing Editor
Suhani Gupta (11) is a Managing editor for Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Suhani looks forward to engaging with the school community through exciting stories and social media content. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature and listening to music.
Minal Jalil, Reporter
Minal Jalil (11) is a reporter for Harker Aquila, and this is her third year on staff. This year, she looks forward to interviewing a diverse set of people and telling their stories. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing basketball, and watching movies and playing board games with her grandmother and cousins.
Sam Li, Features Editor
Sam Li (11) is a Features editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is his third year on staff. This year, Sam hopes to expand his multimedia skills. In his free time, he likes to play soccer and water polo and explore his interest in photography.
Isabella Lo, Aquila Managing Editor
Isabella Lo (12) is a Managing editor for Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she looks forward to learning more about multimedia and helping other reporters develop their writing. Outside of journalism, she loves to play basketball and read fantasy books.
Mendy Mao, Humans of Harker Managing Editor
Mendy Mao (12) is a Managing editor for Humans of Harker, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Mendy aims to cover untold stories and reach even more of the Harker community. In her free time, she likes to obsess over dentistry and play the violin.
Katerina Matta, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief
Katerina Matta (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she looks forward to experimenting with design and getting to know the staff. In her free time, she enjoys playing beach volleyball and doing crosswords.
Ashley Mo, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief
Ashley Mo (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Ashley hopes to connect with staff members and create cohesive, creative designs. In her free time, she loves playing golf, listening to music and driving anywhere and everywhere.
Emma Milner, Aquila Editor-in-Chief
Emma Milner (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Emma wishes to experiment with new story formats and grow closer to her fellow staff members. Outside of school, she plays badminton competitively, and in her free time, she likes to rewatch Suits and taste-test iced matcha lattes at new cafes.
Young Min, Winged Post Managing Editor
Young Min (12) is a Managing editor for the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she looks forward to making amazing newspaper page layouts and getting to know the new reporters better. In her free time, she loves to hang out with her friends, make puzzles and bake.
Sarah Mohammed, Winged Post Co-Editor-in-Chief
Sarah Mohammed (12) is the co-editor-in-chief of the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she is excited to help make beautiful issues of our print newspaper to share with the community and guide the younger members on staff in reporting and writing. Sarah loves cantaloupe, her little sister’s hugs and poems.
Lily Peng, Sports Editor, Photo Editor
Lily Peng (11) is a Sports editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Lily looks forward to improving her photography skills, showcasing the voices of the community through meaningful pieces and spending more time with the journalism fam. Outside of journalism, she likes taking 0.5 photos, watching trashy shows and laughing with her friends.
Caden Ruan, STEM Editor
Caden Ruan (12) is a STEM editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is his third year on staff. This year, he hopes to take more photos and continue to connect more with the Harker community. In his free time, he loves playing basketball
Lily Shi, Harker Aquila Editor-in-Chief
Lily Shi (12) is an Editor-in-chief for Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Lily looks forward to creating impactful and engaging content on Aquila while bonding with the journalism staff. In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants, dancing and taking her dog on long walks.
Kairui Sun, Photo Editor
Kairui Sun (11) is the Photo editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is his third year on staff. This year, he looks forward to honing his photography skills and providing the best visuals he can bring to the publications. Outside of journalism, he enjoys playing the piano as well as volleyball.
Jonathan Szeto, Winged Post Managing Editor
Jonathan Szeto (12) is a Managing editor for the Winged Post, and this is his fourth year on staff. This year, Jonathan looks forward to experimenting with innovative page designs and improving his photography skills. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing piano and violin.
Claire Tian, STEM Editor
Claire Tian (11) is a STEM editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Claire looks forward to improving her photography and hearing new perspectives from the Harker community. In her free time, she likes going on walks and listening to music.
Heather Wang, Humans of Harker Managing Editor
Heather Wang (11) is a Managing editor for Humans of Harker, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Heather looks forward to getting to know other members of the journalism community, meeting new people through interviews and trying out different styles of article writing. Outside of journalism, Heather likes to read, play the piano and listen to music.
Charlie Wang, Harker Aquila Managing Editor
Charlie Wang (12) is a Managing editor for Harker Aquila, and this is his fourth year on staff. This year, Charlie hopes to improve at clear and concise writing. He enjoys drawing and professional tree hugging.
Alison Yang, Aquila Editor-in-Chief
Alison Yang (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, she looks forward to bonding with everyone on staff and encouraging creative concepts. In her free time, she enjoys eating shaved ice and hanging out with her cat, Schrodinger.
Chelsea Xie, A&E/Lifestyle Editor
Chelsea Xie (11) is an A&E/Lifestyle editor for Harker Aquila, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Chelsea aims to create innovative page designs for Winged Post and publish a broader range of content for A&E/Lifestyle, with an emphasis on strong photography. Chelsea dances for Harker Dance Company and enjoys cooking and baking in her free time.
Cynthia Xie, A&E/Lifestyle Editor, Photo Editor
Cynthia Xie (11) is an A&E/Lifestyle editor for Harker Aquila and the Winged Post, and this is her third year on staff. This year, Cynthia hopes to add more interactive and diverse articles to the A&E/Lifestyle section, as well as improve her photography skills to make each visual engaging. Outside of journalism, she enjoys playing soccer, reading and taking photos.
Connie Xu, TALON Academics Editor, PDA Manager
Connie Xu (12) is the Academics editor and PDA manager for the TALON Yearbook, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Connie hopes to take lots of photos and help people on staff. In her free time, she like to dance, sing, read and spend time with friends and family.
Jonathan Xue, Humans of Harker Editor-in-Chief
Jonathan Xue (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of Humans of Harker, and this is his third year on staff. This year, he looks forward to telling the stories of the Class of 2025 and designing the publication’s in-print magazine. In his free time, he enjoys running, playing poker and chasing the eccentricities of life.
Claire Yu, Multimedia Editor
Claire Yu (11) is a Multimedia editor for Harker Aquila, and this is her third year on staff. This year, she hopes to improve her writing, videography and photography. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, reading and playing basketball.
Brandon Zau, Photo Editor
Brandon Zau (12) is the photo editor for Harker Aquila, and this is his fourth year on staff. This year, Brandon hopes to celebrate his senior Class of 2024 peers and to tell the stories of the Harker community through meaningful photos and coverage. In his free time, Brandon enjoys taking candid pictures of his friends, listening to music and playing baseball.
Tiffany Zhu, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief
Tiffany Zhu (12) is an Editor-in-Chief of the Winged Post, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Tiffany looks forward to bonding with the journalism team and sharing engaging stories. In her free time, she enjoys cafe hopping and watching all genres of TV shows and movies.
Fang Zhu • May 28, 2025 at 11:44 am
Thank you for the beautiful “Through Our Lens: Harker 2024-25” slideshow! As a parent of a 2025 graduate, I treasure this keepsake. Is there any chance to add 2–3 senior graduation photos, as is customary? I understand you’re busy with finals, but I’d love to make the video more complete. I have photos to share! Best Wishes!
—Fang, Proud Parent of Class of 2025
Lily Shi • May 31, 2025 at 8:51 am
Hi Fang, thank you for your kind words! Since our graduation story hadn’t been posted yet, we didn’t want to spoil the photos, but you can definitely look forward to seeing them in our upcoming grad piece. We’re excited to share these memories with you and the rest of the Class of 2025 families!