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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

Senior Tiffany Zhu gazes at a Pop Mart blind box as other customers around her glance at nearby products. Pop Mart’s revenue rose to $1.9 billion in 2024, thanks to the popularity of the Labubu toy in the “Monsters” line.

Pop Mart encourages consumerism through social media trends and cute designs

by Lindsay Li, Multimedia Editor August 31, 2025

Pop Mart’s strangely endearing creations push teenagers and adults alike to spend thousands on everything from miniature figurines to phone cases in the past year and a half. Between resellers and passionate...

Lindsay Li (12) studies the food in the display case at Hello Kitty Cafe. The counter showcases classic desserts as well as seasonal specials.

Hello Kitty Cafe: Picture perfect, but falls short on flavor

by Hannah Jeon and Lindsay Li August 30, 2025

Bearing the promise of sweet treats and Hello Kitty-themed delight, the Hello Kitty Cafe at Westfield Valley Fair opened mid-July. With the face of the iconic cartoon figure everywhere, the cafe sparkled...

A HEYTEA employee cleans up a matcha latte before handing it off to a customer. HEYTEA drinks spanned a wide variety of flavors, from creamy milk to bright citrus.

Tasty Tidbits: HEYTEA reinvents summer drinks with fruity flavors and fresh ingredients

by Chelsea Xie, Cynthia Xie, and Lily Peng August 30, 2025

HEYTEA’s newest Cupertino location provides instant relief on a hot summer day, the cool air flowing through the spacious cafe acting as a refreshing change from the heat outside. Sunlight streams through...

Barber Zane Sharif trims a clients hair. “You imagine your client as a canvas, and you’re almost painting,” Sharif said. “Your tools and razors are your brushes. So, in a sense, it is almost the same thing as art."

So you wanna be a barber?

by Wenjie Zou and Heather Wang August 29, 2025

Zane Sharif unzips a blue tent and steps inside the barbershop set up in his backyard. Inside, a ring light sits in one corner, a mirror and a cabinet of various tools in another and a salon chair in the...

The band Wallows performs at Outside Lands. Fans crowded the stage as they played "Are You Bored Yet?".

Music festivals or concerts, which is better?

by Samaara Patil, TALON Photo and Sports Editor August 29, 2025

The lights dim, and a roar erupts from the crowd. Hundreds of people pull out their phone as they wait in anticipation for the chart-topping artist to begin signing. This is an environment that can only...

Past summer anthems included Sabrina Carpenter’s light and poppy "Espresso," Kendrick Lamar’s club banger “Not Like Us” and Charli XCX’s hyperpop album "Brat." On the other hand, this summer's top single "Ordinary" by Alex Warren is instead characterized by its manufactured authenticity.

Summer hits lose their spark, formulas become standard

by Suhani Gupta and Sam Li August 24, 2025

This summer’s charts crowned American singer-songwriter Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” as the season’s soundtrack, taking Billboard’s top spot. However, it lacks the originality of past anthems:...

HDC members perform a jazz choreography to "See Me Now" onstage in the Patil Theater.  Both teams showcased the routines they learned during the closing performance on Friday.

Dance teams kickstart year with United Spirit Association dance camp

by Heather Wang, Humans of Harker Managing Editor August 18, 2025

Harker Dance Company and Kinetic Krew kicked off the year with new choreography and team bonding during a camp led by United Spirit Association (USA) on campus from Aug. 13 to 15. Both teams learned...

Senior Fern Biswas addresses junior Ollie Masoni. Fern was the final performer before the Certificate mentors honored Jack Farnham ('17) with the Life in the Arts award.

Conservatory concludes year with Hammies and Senior Showcase

by Lily Peng, Sports Editor May 28, 2025

Conservatory honored performing arts students and Certificate seniors in the annual Hammies and Senior Showcase on May 17 in the Patil Theater. Hammies, Harker’s Conservatory awards ceremony, kicked...

Although the USC Mind Challenge was created with the intent of raising funds and awareness, in reality, it did little to combat mental health stigma. 
“For these types of challenges, it’s important to take actual action,” junior Amishi Gupta said. “Out of the people that were informed, maybe 10% of them donated towards the cause, but the other 90% of videos can be a little performative.”

USC Speak Your Mind Challenge floods Instagram feeds, raises little awareness

by Chelsea Xie, A&E/Lifestyle Editor May 23, 2025

During a class break, sophomore Ryan Pham opens his phone and clicks into his friend’s Instagram story. “Thank you for nominating me…” With a sigh of annoyance, he watches the video of his classmate...

Anna Luo launched her jewelry brand Analemma8 to merge spirituality and beauty. "The goal of our brand is that when people wear our accessories, they not only look good, but they are also given confidence and spiritual inspiration," Luo said.

So you wanna be a jewelry business owner?

by Tiffany Zhu, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief May 21, 2025

Fiery orange-red carnelian stones and shimmering labradorite flowers dangle from a bright gold chain. Smooth purple Brazil super seven stones laced with golden citrine shape an elegant bracelet, and black...

Senior Shruti Srinivasan sings a solo during Downbeat's performance. All of the upper school choral groups came together in the last concert of the year, "How Can I keep From Singing."

Alumni and teachers celebrate seniors and retiring teacher in spring choral concert

by Chelsea Xie and Cynthia Xie May 19, 2025

Singing groups Capriccio, Dolce Voce, Downbeat, Festival Chorus and Rhapsody performed in their final choral concert of the year on May 2 in the Patil Theater. Themed “How Can I Keep From Singing,”...

Junior concertmaster George Yang looks at the sheet music as he draws his bow. The orchestra and jazz band played nine pieces during the concert.

Spring instrumental concert honors graduating seniors

by Chelsea Xie and Cynthia Xie May 12, 2025

Orchestra and jazz band played in their final performance of the year at the Spring Instrumental Concert in the Patil Theater on May 1. The concert served as a way for the instrumental department to...

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