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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

“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

by Melissa Kwan, Humans of Harker managing editor July 15, 2018

A sense of humor can be “droll” or “witty,” “dry” or “tongue-in-cheek” ; each word carries a slightly different meaning. “Goofy” is Isabella Spradlin’s (12) descriptor of choice. “I...

“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

by Melissa Kwan, Humans of Harker managing editor June 24, 2018

“Let me tell you, that guy knew he was a natural charmer,” Preeya Mehta (‘14) said of her brother Rahul Mehta (12) in his childhood years. She and Rahul are standing by the counter at the bustling...

"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

by Sydney Takemoto, Reporter June 21, 2018

This is the eighth installment of the Humans of Harker 2018 video series. Through this project, the Harker journalism program aims to tell the story of the senior class, one profile at a time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoLqvlyQjGY

“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

by Zachary Hoffman and Melissa Kwan June 20, 2018

Like many seniors, Sparsh Chauhan (12) got his license sophomore year. But unlike many seniors, he views cars as more than a mode of transportation. “I strongly believe that when people drive, it...

“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

by Nicole Chen and Julia Amick June 16, 2018

For everything Angel Cervantes (12) does, he looks to the future for inspiration and motivation. And the harder his goals are to achieve, the better. “I do [everything] because I have a goal in mind....

“Even when it's the 15th time you've done the scene, it's still a new experience and there're still new things to be discovered,” Maxwell Woehrmann (12) said. “You can always strive for better during rehearsal and finally when it comes to the show, just a seconds before I go on stage. That's why I do theater, it's for the seconds before I go on stage because I feel very alive. You're so aware. You're full of adrenaline. Your fight or flight response is kicking in, and you're about to go on stage and cannot forget your lines. It's very intense and I've learned to kind of crave the anxiety that comes with performing.”

Humans of Harker: Maxwell Woehrmann acts incisively

by Laura Wu and Kathy Fang June 13, 2018

Among his friends, Maxwell Woehrmann (12) is known for his mischievous personality and clever sense of humor, but once he steps into the rehearsal room, his demeanor shifts completely. He channels his...

"If I could describe water polo in one word, I would say it's tough,” Aadith Srinivasan (12) said. “From early morning conditioning to summer practices in the blazing heat to chlorine burning my eyes following a long day of games, the sport has taught me that I have to make sacrifices in order to do something I love."

Humans of Harker: Aadith Srinivasan leads silently

by Andrew Chang, TALON Organizations Editor June 12, 2018

Aadith Srinivasan (12) spends his summer days suited up in his classic Harker Eagles speedo by the Harker or Los Gatos pool, playing water polo. "If I could describe water polo in one word, I would...

"I found out very early on that I wanted to be an art major of sorts," Raveena Panja (12) said. "I’m a game design major now, but it took me a while to come to that path. I was surrounded by a lot of people that didn’t quite understand why I wanted to do art in spite of going to a very STEM school. I think the fact that most people didn’t take me seriously for wanting to do art here propelled to me want to do it more and gave me more confidence. If everybody else thought I couldn’t do it, it was all the more reason to do it."

Humans of Harker: Raveena Panja synthesizes art and video games

by Sydney Takemoto and Melissa Kwan June 10, 2018

Harker, some say, is a very STEM-focused school. But despite the push to pursue science, Raveena Panja (12) found herself pulled towards art. “I was surrounded by a lot of people that didn’t quite...

“I value my whole family. Cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters, we all haven’t been financially stable,” James Pauli (12) said. “Thinking of my family keeps me going. They make me want to be a better person. They give me the motivation to be successful.”

Humans of Harker: James Pauli draws strength from faith and family

by Cameron Zell and Kathy Fang June 10, 2018

To James Pauli (12), football is so much more than a game or even a sport. Not only is it a family tradition, but it also offers him the opportunity to define himself. “I came to this school not knowing...

“Most of our entire friend group played basketball in middle school,” Akshaya Vemuri (12) said. “And on one bus ride, we wanted to come up with names for each other that were related to a family. Everyone has their unique identity in the group, and we kind of use their nickname to identify them. [Meena Gudapati (12)]  was just writing down a ton of nicknames for me, and she started calling me ‘Akla’ after ‘baklava’ and just shortened it.”

Humans of Harker: Akshaya Vemuri retains elements of tradition in her friendships

by Anika Rajamani, Reporter June 9, 2018

Born four weeks premature, Akshaya Vemuri (12) has always been considered small for her age, but this never stopped her from pursuing her athletic goals. She initially played varsity basketball her...

"I began working at Harker Summer Camp the summer after my freshman year," Eric Tran (12) said. "I’ve been in that program even until now. Looking back and seeing the progression from this wide eyed and and really anxious and nervous kid, who was interested in working with younger campers but kind of scared how it would turn out, to now, I feel like I’m a leader among the staff. I’m one of the older staff and one of the more experienced, and its’ been cool to see how I’ve changed in that regard. I feel like now  I’m more open, I’m more outgoing, and I’m not just better at dealing with kids and teaching them, but I’ve grown as a leader."

Humans of Harker: Eric Tran carries over lessons from summer camp

by Krishna Bheda, Reporter June 8, 2018

Every summer, Eric Tran (12) can be found leading kids through games of Capture the Flag and running through sprinklers at the Harker Summer Camp. It’s not only the place where he works, but also the...

"A lot of who I am comes from my sister, because she’s always taught me to be very outgoing and adventurous," Krishna Bheda (12) said. "When I was little, if I was too scared to ask the waiter for something, she’d be like ‘Krish, go do it. You can do it. Go ask,’ and if we were at weddings she would make me dance and make me have fun, and I think that’s a huge part of who I am. I would say I’m pretty fearless and a lot of that comes from her. And especially my love for music also comes from her because she used to be a singer, and I always looked up to her and wanted to be who she was."

Humans of Harker: Krishna Bheda draws inspiration from role models

by Sahana Srinivasan, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief June 6, 2018

Krishna Bheda (12) has many role models. Arguably the person who most influenced her value system is her mother. For her personality, it’s her sister. For her love of music, her sister and Cantilena...

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