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

“[Baseballs] a game of failure. Theres always going to be off-days or off-weeks or months. I try to enjoy what Im doing and how I get to wherever I end up. As long as the journey is enjoyable, even if some things dont go right, itll still be worth it, Bobby Wang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Flying through time

by Mark Hu, Winged Post Managing Editor February 2, 2022

Bobby Wang (12) flies through the air as a bright, white baseball speeds toward him. After a 30-yard-sprint from his position in center field to right-center, he lays out and stretches his gray, worn-out...

“At the end of the day, everything is interconnected, so it’s fine to have multiple interests. No matter how disparate they seem, there’s always going to be some intersection you can draw, and that’s another element of fun — the creativity of trying to figure out how to interact with them, even if they’re completely different, Saanvi Arora (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Avid advocate

by Katie Reed, Reporter February 1, 2022

Fingers tapping a quick, upbeat melody onto the keyboard of her laptop, Saanvi Arora (12) stares intently at the screen in front of her as she works on documents with the purpose of developing statewide...

“I’ve met some of my closest friends playing football throughout the past four years, and I feel that football is much more than just a hobby for me, in the sense that each person has each other’s back no matter what, both on and off the field. I can’t keep on playing football forever, so I need to cherish every moment I have together with my teammates, Maddux Carlisle (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Looking toward the end zone

by Edward Huang, Reporter January 31, 2022

Smiling as he recounts his past memories, Maddux Carlisle (12) recalls the surreal experience of playing football during senior night, his last game with the team he played with for the past four years....

“A lot of progress that you make with piano isnt very linear. Youll have spurts where youre practicing for a week or something and you feel youre making no progress. And then, a couple of weeks later, you have one day where all of a sudden, this stuff clicks. And then, you make a whole bunch of progress, Michael Tran (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Cadence and coaching

by Brandon Zau, Reporter January 29, 2022

As each piano key prompts a felt-covered hammer to strike a finely tuned string at a piano recital, a high school pianist completes a complex piece, inspiring a young Michael Tran (12) to master the same...

“I like to be accessible to everyone. It stems from being on a team. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. Everyone on the team works together, and you need to be able to trust and rely on others. That has translated into my social life. I like to be there for everyone around me,” Megha Salvi (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A kick into the future

by Ritika Rajamani, TALON Business Manager and PDA Editor January 27, 2022

You may know Megha Salvi (12) for her iconic red soccer jersey or the bright smile that adorns her face around campus, but once her feet hit the soccer field, a look of determination replaces the wide...

“Before performances or speaking in front of large groups of people, I get really nervous, but over time, that’s decreased more. I got used to the feeling and I also stopped caring as much about what other people think, Bodhi Saha (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Cultivating confidence

by Kinnera Mulam, Reporter January 26, 2022

Bodhi Saha (12) remembers idly sitting in his room during a DECA competition on Zoom. He half-heartedly listened to the announcer rattle off the winners’ names in ascending order of their placements....

“Something that inspired me is every time I lost in a debate tournament. While I do love when I do well, reflecting back on the past and seeing the hard work Ive put in has pushed me to realize how important it is to reflect on your past, Aaditya Gulati (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Eagle in flight

by Ariana Goetting, Reporter January 24, 2022

As Aaditya Gulati (12) reminisces about his first-ever football game in late August of his senior year, a smile spreads across his face, his eyes glistening and his head held high. Having scored both the...

Instead of trying to cling on to my routine during the pandemic, I was like, ‘I cant live like this for the rest of my life.’ Thats when I started to try and change things a little bit, [and] that made me proud of myself: being able to recognize that and [change] my mindset, Emma Cabral-Gurleroglu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A change of pace

by Olivia Xu, Reporter January 21, 2022

Most freshmen and sophomores are sound asleep at 5 a.m., but when Emma Cabral-Gurleroglu (12) was a sophomore, she would be wide awake, arriving at City Team, a homeless shelter in San Jose, in the early...

“The most satisfying part of playing piano is when I’m working on a really difficult passage for a long time, and then, for the very first time, I can play it through without stopping or mistakes. Even though the process of getting there can be really frustrating, at that one moment, it feels like everything before was worth it, Yvan Grinspan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Keys to compassion

by Lakshmi Mulgund, TALON Social Media and Co-Sports Editor January 21, 2022

As he sits down on the piano seat, Yvan Grinspan’s (12) fingers hesitate for a second before resting on the keys. He waits a few seconds before he lets his fingers sink into each key. Yvan’s smile...

[Painting] makes you feel like youre the only person in the world. The idea that I could do it for fun for myself has been the reason I like getting into it. [It’s] the idea of independence and doing things that you want to do. If you cant come up with a reason for [your decisions], then you should reevaluate how youve been living your life, Jackie Hu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Reshaping escape

by Smrithi Sambamurthy, TALON People Editor January 19, 2022

Jackie Hu (12) reflects on fond memories of Saturdays spent at the library as a kid. Surrounded by the vibrant covers of the Geronimo Stilton and Rainbow Magic series, Jackie immersed herself in the endless...

“Do what you want to do and explore what you want to explore. Don’t feel the pressure to fit others expectations. If you have an interest in something, pursue it. You don’t need anybody to teach you how to do it. Go after it yourself,” Kaden Kapadia (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Pedal to the metal

by Muthu Panchanatham, Opinions Editor January 18, 2022

A pink glow blankets the horizon, filling the blue sky with a lively glow. As the shimmering sun sinks below the clouds, a figure emerges from below, gliding effortlessly onto the precipice overlooking...

“I remember being interested and attracted to the idea that I could create something that I didnt see anywhere else. I didnt see anything [that] made adoption easier for the people who are trying to adopt, so that was the idea I was going forward [with] and that I wanted to develop [with Lucky Paw], Ysabel Chen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A dog’s best friend

by Lavanya Subramanian, TALON Student Life Editor January 15, 2022

Shaking a bowl of treats in her right hand, Ysabel Chen (12) beckons her dogs, Blaze, Tommy and Almond, across her backyard. Immediately, three blurs of white fur rush towards her, eagerly jumping on her...

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