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

This article tells the stories of students personal experiences relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its impacts in sports, music and health. Solitude became our reality from March of 2020 to June of 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic continued on, and more social connection has emerged out of the return to in-person learning this school year.

‘A reality check’: Students share their personal stories with COVID-19

by Sarah Mohammed and Isha Moorjani March 31, 2022

Small rectangular boxes fill the computer screen, each one carrying a familiar face, a friend or a teacher. The Zoom page serves as the only window to “normal” life. A day at the upper school, once...

Upper school mathematics teacher Bradley Stoll holds a heart shaped paper cut-out with the word share painted over it. Ever since becoming vegan in 2014, Stoll has discovered new ways of cooking and sharing his baked goods with others.

Meet your teacher: Cooking for community

by Alena Suleiman and Edward Huang March 28, 2022

harkeraquila · Winged Post Audible: Cooking for community Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC and vegan desserts may appear an unlikely combination, but upper school mathematics teacher Bradley Stoll...

Stand-up 
comedian Crystal Lambert performs a set 
at Google in May 2020. Remembering how she had to overcome both self-doubt and a broken microphone at her first set, Lambert credited her willingness to take a chance on her beloved hobby as the reason she has grown so much as a performer.

So you wanna be a comedian?

by Trisha Iyer and Alena Suleiman March 25, 2022

When Crystal Lambert performed comedy for the first time nearly two years ago, she had to push herself into following through on delivering her set. She felt dread at first, wondering, “Why do I think...

Victoria Kheyfets holds up a poster in the colors of the Ukrainian flag at the Peace Crossroads in San Jose on March 6 in a demonstration advocating for a ceasefire in Ukraine after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Kheyfets family lives in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine.

‘I couldn’t believe that I made it’

by Alysa Suleiman and Dilsher Dhaliwal March 23, 2022

 harkeraquila · Winged Post Audible: ‘That's my country, and they're destroying it’ This is a developing story. Check harkeraquila.com for continuous updates on the development of the Russian-Ukrainian...

Nationally-recognized diversity practitioner and consultant and adult session speaker Toni Graves Williamson presents on turning fragility into agility through steps such as self-reflection and being willing to listen to others. More than 50 people attended this years Student Diversity Leadership Gathering, and attendees from the Harker community were joined by students and teachers from other schools such as Menlo High School and the Kirby School in Santa Cruz.

Student Diversity Coalition holds fourth annual Student Diversity Leadership Gathering

by Julie Shi and Isha Moorjani March 21, 2022

Warning: The following story contains an image with headlines mentioning violence and suicide and may be upsetting to some readers. Student, teacher and faculty attendees begin piling into the Zoom...

Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group based in Afghanistan, on Aug. 15, 2021 after the Afghan government collapsed as then-president Ashraf Ghani fled the country. To understand the complexity of the current situation means to trace the ridges of Afghanistan, means to be aware of the country where we stand and to see what America has done to the history of a nation across the world from ours.

‘It almost felt like a funeral for my country’

by Sarah Mohammed, Lucy Ge, Olivia Xu, and Isha Moorjani March 7, 2022

As Bay Area students, news about Afghanistan and other nations can seem distant from our lives. Through writing this piece, we explore the human crisis resulting from the Afghanistan war. We brought...

Medha Yarlagadda (10) and Brandon Zau (10) listen to Associated Press (AP) Photo Editor Jon Elswick speak about his background in photojournalism and his role in covering the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol during period three journalism class. “Being a journalist is one of the highest callings that you can have,” Elswick said. “I am always keenly aware that I am sitting in that front row seat to history, and its my job to tell the story, whether Im doing it from behind a camera, or from in front of a computer editing somebody elses work that Im showing, and its my job to let other people see what is going on.”

AP Photo Editor discusses Jan. 6 coverage with Harker Journalism classes

by Emma Gao and Isha Moorjani February 23, 2022

Warning: The following story contains information and photos about the Jan. 6 violence at the Capitol and may be upsetting to some readers. The photos are seared into our collective memories of a day...

An illustration of various memes and internet sensations. Social media platforms have guided the evolution of Generation Z’s sense of humor by creating widespread access to topics people find humorous.

‘One big inside joke’: Generation Z uses humor to bond over shared adversity

by Arely Sun, Aquila Co-Managing Editor February 23, 2022

harkeraquila · Aquila Audible of "'One big inside joke’: Generation Z uses humor to bond over shared adversity" If you’ve spent time browsing the Internet, you’ve likely encountered...

One of the journalism editors cats sits on the table. A day in the life of cats showcases the various cats at the upper school and what they do when their owners are not at home.

A day in the life of cats

by Irene Yuan and Erica Cai February 9, 2022

Have two minutes? Take a listen to cat stories from three journalism editors and watch clips submitted by the upper school community. Erica: So, Taro is my almost two-year-old shorthair black cat....

Pacific Catchs Japanese Wasabi Original Ahi Poke ($16 for small, $19 for regular), which includes a wakame seaweed salad, sushi rice and Ahi poke, sits on a table. The restaurants Cupertino Main Street location operates from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A fusion of Pacific flavors and fares

by Olivia Xu, Reporter January 28, 2022

Are you craving the soft tortilla and juicy fillings of a taco? Or do you hunger for some simple yet appetizing rolls of sushi? Or both?  At the heart of Cupertino’s Main Street Plaza resides Pacific...

This is Illiterate Lexicology, a podcast where Aquila staff members delve into the history and evolution of words.

Illiterate Lexicology Episode 1: ‘Commencement’

by Erica Cai and Irene Yuan January 15, 2022

This is the first installment of Illiterate Lexicology, a podcast where Aquila staff members delve into the history and evolution of words. In this episode, Erica and Irene explore the word “commencement.”  harkeraquila...

Rupert Chen (11) reaches to hand a book to Nicholas Wei (11) as their fellow Book Party attendees share their thoughts on the books featured at the gathering.

Flipping and scrolling through the pages

by Sydney Ling and Emily Tan January 6, 2022

“We’re happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way…”  Taylor Swift’s “22 (Taylor’s Version)” plays in the background as students mill about in the library classroom, picking up...

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