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

“People arent fortunate enough to have infinite opportunities. So helping anyone out, whether its a small act or a big act, means the world to many people. Doing what I can to help them makes me feel better as a person,” Gabriel Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Motivated by generosity

by Selina Xu and Jonathan Zhang March 17, 2021

Taking one last look at his target, Gabriel Yang (12) plants his feet in a determined stance, eyes trained on the ball in front of him. He swings his club back and strikes the ball with a satisfying whoosh,...

“I learned that even if my beliefs dont change, its really a powerful experience to be able to understand why someone might believe differently. In a lot of cases, our beliefs are driven by our fears and our hopes, things that may not be understood at first, but end up being more similar than expected,” Julia Biswas (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Beyond the data

by Katie Wang, TALON Photo Editor March 17, 2021

Julia Biswas (12) sets her Shake Shack drink down on a nearby table, grabs the shirt that caught her eye and holds it up to her friend. The smiling avocados printed on it mirror Julia’s own grin as she...

“Its really important, if you have an idea, to be able to express it well. Otherwise youre underselling your idea. If youre underselling your idea, youre not doing yourself justice, because that idea will not get the attention it deserves,” Andrew Sun (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The beauty of conversation

by Ethan Liu and Michelle Wei March 17, 2021

Andrew Sun (12) sits on the edge of his seat, intently jotting down notes while his opponent concludes an argument on foreign aid in Africa. As the presiding officer calls his name, he lays down his cards,...

“Ever since I was a little kid, Ive always been drawn to anything art related. Whenever we had the choice of a creative project, I would always choose art; thats just how I felt like I could best express myself,” Jacqueline Au (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The art of creativity

by Michelle Liu, Winged Post Design Editor March 16, 2021

Sunlight dapples the serene, architectural design of Jacqueline Au (12)’s backyard. Sleek planes of grass, wood and stone intersect a low pale grey wall. A panel of water splashes softly as it falls...

“Cooking has been something I’ve explored during quarantine. I think that cooking has helped solidify a lot of chemical concepts whether it’s hydrogenation, protein structure, the maillard reaction, emulsions, and things like that. It just really makes what might otherwise be any other subject to be more tangible,” Russell Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Learning by doing

by Michael Eng, Multimedia Editor March 16, 2021

On Friday nights, most students spend their time relaxing or organizing their weekend plans.  But not Russell Yang (12). He’s in middle school mathematics department chair Vandana Kadam’s classroom...

“The field of neuroscience … I had always thought of it as something super technical. I didnt think I was able to get involved in it as a high schooler. The fact that I was able to get into what I thought would be a super technical field, and dont get me wrong, it definitely is, but I was able to get involved in it as a high schooler — Im glad that I encountered it and that people exposed me to it,” Pramiti Sankar (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Freeing the mind

by Nicholas Wei, Humans of Harker Profiler March 16, 2021

Think about this: as you read these words on your screen, sensory cells in the back of your eyes are relaying millions of signals to regions of your brain, where they are interpreted into a cohesive image...

“Theater saved my life. I want to write for it, I want to tech it, I want to perform on its stage, I want to direct its actors; I want to do everything for it. It has done so much for me, and I cannot help but use all of my creative power to try and give back to the institution,” Alissa Gao (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Effort and expression

by Anika Mani, TALON Co-Student Life Editor March 15, 2021

Reaching for the door handle with a welcoming smile one warm morning, Alissa Gao (12) pulls open the door to their backyard, their two dogs trotting close behind. The sun shining brightly on the back patio,...

“Ive definitely had problems with that, where you can psych yourself out so much before the race. You’re going to do bad if you have that mindset of I cant mess up, I can mess up. You’ve got to accept that things could go badly. You have to accept what comes with racing, which is unpredictable circumstances … You got to go into that race with a mindset of Plan A, but then theres also Plan B, since not everythings going to go your way,” Rhys Edwards (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Passion and perseverance

by Vishnu Kannan, Co-Sports Editor March 15, 2021

You would expect the average high school student to be fast asleep at 4:30 a.m., but Rhys Edwards (12) is no such student. By then, Rhys has forced himself out of bed, after overcoming the irresistible...

“Its nice to almost not know what youre going to write about until your pen touches the paper. Theres something about writing where, for me personally, Im able to explore parts of what Im thinking about that I wouldnt have been able to even know without writing. Im able to find things that I didnt even know I was worrying about or that I was happy about until I write,” Sara Yen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Writing for the right reasons

by Emily Tan, Winged Post Features Editor March 15, 2021

Sitting serenely on a wooden bench in her backyard next to a colorful selection of Moleskine notebooks and mechanical pencils, Sara Yen (12) journals quietly as her pen comes to life with dance and her...

“I want to be remembered for actually doing things I’m interested in. I dont think there’s an activity I’ve done in high school that I haven’t enjoyed, so everything I’ve done has been completely worth it, because I like doing it, and there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing,” Nathan Ohana (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Proving a point

by Anika Mani, TALON Co-Student Life Editor March 5, 2021

The warm sun shines down on the finely cut grass at De Anza Park in Cupertino. Faint noises of children joyfully playing echo in the background as Nathan Ohana (12) rides his bike across a thin path. Breaking...

“I gather different parts of myself from each environment Im in. Some traits come from my friends, some come from my parents, some come from what Ive learned at school or something, or internal conflicts … its different within each one,” Advika Phadnis (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Melodies and morsels

by Jasleen Hansra, TALON Co-People Editor March 5, 2021

Advika Phadnis’ (12) face is taken over by a smile as she laughs at a joke her friend makes across the table. The buzz of Philz Coffee continues in the background as she turns back to her computer to...

“Some things are out of your hands, and all you can do is put your best foot forward, and then whatever happens happens. I dont want to necessarily become anyone, I just want to be a better version of myself . . .  I want to be remembered as a really kind person and a good friend,” Sarah Raymond (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Act it out

by Tina Xu, TALON Photo Editor March 4, 2021

If you’re a Harker student, you’ve definitely seen Sarah Raymond (12) on stage. From acting in the Student Directed Showcase (SDS) to participating in the fall play, the musical and Downbeat, Sarah...

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