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

“Maybe its the aroma of being in the woods. Maybe its the appeal of being next to what primordial earth without civilization would have looked like. Maybe its just being at peace with myself, relaxing and genuinely enjoying my time. But regardless, being outdoors feels like youre on an adventure, a journey, an exploration ... Adventuring out there and being in places that very few people have touched – it’s just something thats so cool to me,” David Feng (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Fly fishing through life

by Aditya Singhvi, Co-Sports Editor January 29, 2020

The neon-yellow fly line whips forward, curling tightly with the abrupt change in momentum before dropping gently onto the film of the water with a near-imperceptible ripple. Following the line is an eight-and-a-half...

“[Climbing and violin] both use a lot of muscle memory, and in that way it kind of translates. Even if it’s scary, the moves you make while climbing and playing can be classified as very elegant. I think focusing on each and every move makes it very peaceful,” Hanoom Lee (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Practiced precision

by Delaney Logue, TALON Sports Editor January 28, 2020

Slow and melancholy notes ring out in the RPAC hallway, dictated by improvised yet skillful maneuvers. His fingers are elegantly perched on the neck of the violin as he guides the bow, gliding over the...

“Whats helped me get through high school is reminding myself of my own worth. We all are good at something. Im not necessarily the best at STEM, but I excel in my English and history courses. Everyone has some sort of strong point, so its unnecessary to compare yourself to others,” Ayla Tanurhan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Life follows art

by Irina Malyugina, Photo Editor January 27, 2020

Underneath a staircase in the Shah building is a small corner where students often hang their work. Visitors can find student-made creations on racks pushed against the walls, or neon lights illuminating...

“Its mostly storytelling in tangent with emotions. Ive always loved telling people stories, so much so sometimes that I forget that I have my own, but I think thats the purpose of art and filmmaking and journalism, theyre all a form of art. You see others feelings out on the page, and you want to express your own,” Nina Gee (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Telling stories with a twist

by Arely Sun, Winged Post Co-Lifestyle Editor January 27, 2020

Sketchbooks of varied sizes, a camera and art supplies lay scattered on a desk. Nina Gee (12), clad in a red, white and black flannel layered over a grey Cambridge hoodie, hunches over an open sketchbook...

“I realized that finding fun in things is all I really want to do. I just try to find fun and be competitive in everything I do, because it really gives meaning to my life. Because if I involve myself in the things that I enjoy, instead of just going through the motions and doing things for the sake of doing them, by … investing myself in [things] emotionally, I can create a better output for myself and everyone around me,” Chandan Aggarwal (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Flowing with words

by Kushal Shah, Sports Columnist January 24, 2020

Dressed in a sharp, two-button black suit and red tie, his eyes glimmer with excitement as he rises to deliver his first speech of the debate on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He...

“When people see my work, I want them to live my experiences and learn a thing or two, whether it’s how to become a better person or just seeing things from a different perspective,” Matthew Jiang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Looking through a new lens

by Sabrina Zhu, Reporter January 23, 2020

Staring intently through a Sony A7R3 camera, hands steadily gripping a GorillaPod, Matthew Jiang (12) gazes at the scene set out in front of him. He smoothly adjusts the angle to better capture his subject,...

“I’m a pretty spontaneous person. I do things just because my gut feels like it, you know? I would also say I’m a very honest person with myself. If I like something, I know that I like it, and if I don’t like something, I know that I don’t like it, and I know which things motivate me and which things inspire me,” Cynthia Chen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Re-Searching for new horizons

by Kathy Fang, Editor-in-Chief January 23, 2020
“Art is a vehicle for positive change in some way. Its an easy way to spark conversation about topics that are too difficult to maybe address or talk about otherwise. I think thats something Ive really endeavored to do. I do my art especially because Im inspired by other artists who do the same thing, artists who use their art to confront controversies and incite discussion about things that are difficult,” Zara Vakath (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Find your inner artist

by Ritika Rajamani, TALON Photo Editor January 22, 2020

With a paintbrush in her hand, Zara Vakath (12) stares decisively at the white canvas. After dipping her paintbrush into bright, textured oil paints, she lifts it up to the canvas. Without thinking, her...

“[Archery and trumpet] have made me more open because I used to be pretty shy, and I’m still kind of shy, but it’s encouraged me to express myself in different ways and start opening up. I’ve met a lot more people than I would have, especially through the friends I have made through archery; a lot of them I wouldn’t really have known if I didn’t do the sport [since] we don’t have that much in common otherwise,” Lila Gorman (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Bullseye

by Erica Cai, Humans of Harker Profiler January 21, 2020

Ten concentric circles. Three slender arrows. One determined face.  Dressed in a red and black jersey, Lila Gorman (12) swiftly hooks an arrow onto her metallic blue bow. Her eyes focus on the foam...

“Over the years, I’ve learned how to manage my time more … and take advantage of teachers’ help, which has actually been really useful. But [I] learn[ed] that its okay to not be great at everything and its okay to ask for help when you need [it],” Sofie Kassaras (12) said.

Humans of Harker: An intricate story

by Rachel Ning and Lavanya Subramanian January 21, 2020

Brows knitted together with intensity as she moves her pen from line to line, a growing smile forms on Sofie Kassaras’s (12) face as she writes on her slightly worn notebook covered with different lines...

“I’m not like one of those people who has a core set of values or tenets of who I am. I feel like I just do what I do, and I am who I am in the moment. I don’t adhere to anything,” Jai Bahri (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Quirks and all

by Erica Cai, Humans of Harker Profiler January 17, 2020

Leaning against a wooden bench, he fiddles with the rubber band on his wrist, stretching it and letting it snap back as he ponders his answer to the question. An upperclassman passes by and calls out to...

“[My motto is to] embrace what comes to you … I was so terrified of embarrassing myself that I never put myself out there for most of high school. It wasn’t until last year until I was like, Maybe you should just let go. I embrace all things that come to me: good things and bad things, because they’ll pass, and I can get through them,” Riva Saksena (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Acting with confidence

by Isha Moorjani and Sally Zhu January 15, 2020

Face animated and eyes bright with energy, Riva Saksena (12) chuckles as she recounts the events that occurred at one of the SDS productions last year. She describes the passion she had felt while performing,...

Load More Stories

Comments (0)

All Harker Aquila Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest