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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'm the person that always has a plan for everything. And then I have backups for the plan, and I have backups for the backups," Nicole Chen ('19) said.

Humans of Harker: Calendars for a cause

by Kathy Fang, Managing Editor June 21, 2019

Her calendar is filled with color coded events and reminders. On the far left desktop screen on her laptop, an array of multicolored sticky notes organizes different categories of to-dos and assignments....

"I don’t ever intend on letting the internal love of life that I have leave me. As I grow up and I maintain my love for the random things I do, I know I’ll be happy– and hopefully people around me will be, as well," Mathew Mammen ('19) said.

Humans of Harker: Jack of all trades, master of fun

by Prameela Kottapalli, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief June 4, 2019

Aside from hand-eye coordination, there is little that connects the elusive art of ocarina-playing with the fine motor skills that go into flipping a balisong, or butterfly knife. Pasta-making and woodworking...

Humans of Harker: To dance, to feel

Humans of Harker: To dance, to feel

by Nina Gee, Visuals Editor June 4, 2019

This is the third installment of the Humans of Harker 2019 video series. Through this project, the Harker journalism program aims to tell the story of the senior class, one profile at a time.

"The more serious side, people will never see. You'll never see who's behind one of these websites that people may be using," Neil Ramaswamy (12) said. "Several freshmen have approached me like, 'hey, you're the really funny guy at school meeting' and I'm like 'hey, yeah, nice to meet you' and at the same time they might be using an application that I've written not knowing that it's me. I kind of get that personal satisfaction knowing that there is a serious side to me, you just don't know about it."

Humans of Harker: Dueling with duality

by Ryan Guan and Kathy Fang June 2, 2019

"Period six starts in 45 minutes at 10:50; may the exodus commence." A momentary confusion sweeps across the crowd of students and faculty at this unfamiliar deviation from his trademark line, before...

Humans of Harker: Humanity in art

Humans of Harker: Humanity in art

by Heidi Zhang, TALON Editor-In-Chief June 1, 2019

This is the second installment of the Humans of Harker 2019 video series. Through this project, the Harker journalism program aims to tell the story of the senior class, one profile at a time.

“150 years ago, no one even dreamt of making a car or what they could be. But someone out there just asked, ‘Why can’t we move on an engine instead of horses?’ or ‘Why isn’t there an easier solution?’ and like that, someone just created a feat of engineering that is still used today. It’s fascinating to see how such brilliant inventions stem from simple curiosity and questioning,” Suraj Pakala ('19) said.

Humans of Harker: Curiosity beyond bounds

by Devanshi Mehta, TALON Editor-in-Chief May 31, 2019

While Suraj Pakala ('19) on campus is notorious for being “the car guy” or sporting his black yeezys, something most don’t know about him is that it is his curiosity that drives his every action. Suraj’s...

Humans of Harker: Represent

by Jin Tuan, Lifestyle Editor May 30, 2019

Metal rings out against concrete through the quad as the lunch table makes way for Lilly Anderson (12), raising her arms up above her head in preparation for a handstand. Though she’s focused on politics...

“It's not enough to just do science. You also need to understand its implications and communicate that to people. No matter how much you try to pigeonhole yourself and say, ‘oh, I'm a STEM kid and all I want to do is study science,’ which is probably something I've been tempted to think in the past, you really can't just ignore the fact that the world is much bigger than that, and what you do will have an impact on others," Kat Tian ('19) said.

Humans of Harker: Defying limits

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Asst. Sports Editor May 30, 2019

When you hear the name “Kat Tian” uttered by underclassmen in the Main hallway, the words tend to be followed by reverent whispers of “Siemens Finalist,” “USAJMO qualifier” or even just the...

“If you want to something to have an impact in the future, everyone involved has to be invested to that certain cause, and I feel that it comes greatest especially when its a close group of friends. That close group of friends think alike and all devoted to each other," Keval Shah (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Staying upbeat

by Mark Hu, Reporter May 29, 2019

Whether he’s on the field playing volleyball during lunch or talking with friends, Keval Shah ('19) can be seen having fun while still managing his work. When he has free time in his AP English Literature...

"I want to bring a fresh perspective or mindset into whatever field I want to go into or a kind of enthusiasm. I hope that I can kind of share that with others around me and apply that to my own work, whether it be innovation or practice," Shreya Dasari (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The harmony of STEM and arts

by Arely Sun, Reporter May 28, 2019

Standing on the dark stage, Shreya Dasari ('19) sways to the lyrical melody of her violin. Although her feet are firmly planted on the ground, she appears to be floating on each note. The music seems to...

“When I make art, the best pieces I make are the ones that made me happy to make. It’s an escape of reality for me—when I’m making art, I don’t think about all the superficial problems I have. I might fail a test and be super upset, but when I start art, I completely forget about it. I’m like, it’s nothing right now, because art is the only thing I’m focusing on. After I finish a piece, it's not what it looks like that relieves me, it’s more of the work I put into it. The process of making the piece is more important to me than the product," Elizabeth Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Process over product

by Heidi Zhang, TALON Editor-In-Chief May 28, 2019

Under the Shah staircase, Elizabeth Yang ('19) slowly and meticulously places sticky note after sticky note on the white walls underneath the Shah staircase. As the hours tick by, perfectly aligned columns...

“I really like art because it relaxes me and it takes me to another place and away from all my problems. I like to paint specifically while I listen to music because it is super soothing. It’s just something I can show my creativity in my own way however I feel like. It’s a good way for me to express anything I’m feeling through a more physical way," Taylor Vaughan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Artistic apotheosis

by Jessie Wang, Reporter May 24, 2019

Taylor Vaughan ('19) leans over a plaster-caked table in the sculpture room, gliding an exacto-knife over red sheet paper laid atop her graduation cap. With precise movements, she traces out detailed designs. For...

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