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

How much do you really know about San Francisco and one of its famed neighborhoods?

San Fun-cisco trivia: Test your knowledge with 15 questions

by Jessica Wang and Claire Zhao April 22, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — We’ve all heard of San Francisco and the Tenderloin. Perhaps you’ve talked about it amongst your peers, been there or even stayed there. But how much do you really know about the...

Tourists and locals walk along the sidewalks of the Tenderloin, taking in the warm afternoon weather and crowded streets. Harker journalism staff members attended the Spring JEA/NSPA Convention in the Tenderloin district from Thursday to Saturday.

“The best the city has to offer”

by Desiree Luo and Ananya Sriram April 22, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — “Turn right, don’t turn left.” Security guards stand outside of the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and repeat these words as guests exit the doors, according to San Francisco...

Students and advisors find seats at the NHSJC Opening Ceremony on Thursday night. The ceremony featured San Francisco Chronicle critic Peter Hartlaub, who spoke about uncovering truths and breaking stereotypes as journalists.

History of high school journalism’s most historical convention

by Jonathan Xue and Grant Yang April 22, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — Students and staff clad in bright orange lanyards fill the San Francisco Union Square Hilton, attending a culmination of the year’s achievements in high school journalism. Hailing from...

 While popular culture associates Gen Z with short attention spans and addiction to technology, Stanford research shows that Gen Z strives to address current issues and solve them, whether through protests, activism, and more. “It’s our collective responsibility to ensure that we hear a variety of distinct and diverse perspectives in order to produce the most holistic and effective policy,” Gordon Chen (12) said.

Pulse of the People: ‘Our collective responsibility’

by Vika Gautham and Desiree Luo March 28, 2023

Content warning: This article mentions gun violence and abortion.  When Sara Bhowmick (12) became a political intern for Saratoga City councilmember Rishi Kumar the summer before her junior year at...

Illustration for the Catching fireflies piece in this installment of Life’s Tiny Treasures. For 30 minutes, we were there in the middle of the night, wind and rain in our hair, dancing outdoors in the lamplight, catching fireflies.

Sincerely, spring: Raindrops, fireflies, crows and puppies

by Vika Gautham, Desiree Luo, Katerina Matta, and Ananya Sriram March 28, 2023

It’s now spring — flowers bloom and the days get longer. To many, it’s the season of new beginnings and fresh starts. To others, it is the marker of cultural celebrations: Carnival, Holi and Easter....

Ayla Apsey (12) and Sonya Apseys (11) Haft-seen showcases the seven traditional elements, as well as hyacinth flowers, a bowl of goldfish, colored eggs, a mirror and a candle. The Haft-seen serves as a reminder of the rebirth of the new year.

Nowruz: ‘A holiday that represents togetherness’

by Ariana Goetting, Co-A&E and Lifestyle Editor March 26, 2023

Connecting with my Persian roots has always been somewhat of a struggle. Being half-Iranian, celebrations of my culture mostly come from my “maman,” or mother, who emigrated from her homeland when...

Vibrant colors soar as kids and adults fling “gulal,” or colored powder, at each other, their once white clothes dusted with colors of spring, resembling fields of flowers to welcome the new season. Also known as the Festival of Color, Holi is observed during March as a way to welcome spring and to honor the triumph of good over evil.

Holi celebrations: Welcoming the blooming of the season

by Vika Gautham and Sarah Mohammed March 23, 2023

Vibrant colors soar as kids and adults fling “gulal,” or colored powder, at each other. Their once white clothes become dusted with colors of spring, resembling fields of flowers to welcome the new...

Behind the counter at Joe Coffee in New York City

by Jessica Tang and Tiffany Chang March 18, 2023

NEW YORK — Behind the counter at Joe Coffee in New York City Location: 2950 Broadway Pulitzer Hall, New York NY 10027 Abel Alvarez, Joe Coffee Barista: Our co-founder Jonathan Rubinstein, he...

A row of vibrantly colored country flags sway with the wind, above the outdoor skating rink and famous golden statue of Prometheus in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. Upper school journalism staff visited Rockefeller Center on Thursday, exploring its various shops, restaurants and monuments.

New York City’s Rockefeller Center: Where culture meets community

by Tiffany Chang, Michelle Wei, and Kevin Zhang March 18, 2023

NEW YORK — A row of vibrantly colored country flags sway with the wind, beckoning visitors to visit the vast outdoor skating rink and famous golden statue of Prometheus below. Visitors decked in warm...

The Empire State Building stands above New York City. Harker journalism visited the attraction during the CSPA Spring Convention, traveling all the way up to the 102nd floor.

Highest of high-rises

by Arjun Barrett, Angelina Hu, and Edward Huang March 18, 2023

NEW YORK — A cold breeze washes over a line of people huddled around the balcony of the 86th story of the Empire State Building. Just beyond the metal bars lies a breathtaking nighttime view of New York...

An illustration of censorship of a student newspaper. The debate over student press freedom continues to rage on at the state level across the country.

Fight for their rights: Student publications stand up for freedom of press

by Arjun Barrett and Sally Zhu March 17, 2023

NEW YORK — “First Amendment rights, applied in light of the special characteristics of the school environment, are available to teachers and students. It can hardly be argued that either students or...

Upper school French teacher Galina Tchourilova reviews material at the Council for Creative Education (CCE) Finland conference. The conference, which lasted five days, took place over the February break.

‘How to Define Success’: Teachers explore Finnish school system

by Katerina Matta and Vika Gautham March 16, 2023

Do you dream of a land without tests or homework? Of a world freed from the clutches of the SAT, AP exams and, worst of all, the dreaded mid-chapter assessment? Look no further than Finland. Famously...

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