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

“Even though Ive been doing [programming] for so long, theres still so much more for me to learn. And its such a fascinating field, because there are 1,000 different ways to accomplish something. And as you get more experienced, you tend to figure out which of those ways would be better,” Ally Tiritoglu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Cracking the code

by Michelle Liu, Winged Post Design Editor March 19, 2021

At 8 a.m., Ally Tiritoglu (12) wakes up, eats breakfast, turns on “The Office” in the background and sits down in front of her waiting computer. As the dialogue of the TV show blends into a low rung...

“Im pretty sure I can name everyone in our grade. Just reaching out to anyone, thats something I really love about the Harker community as well. I really like our environment because its really conducive to not only intellectual conversations, but also to friendships, and Ive found some really good friends here,” Emma Andrews (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Energy and love

by Ariana Goetting and Desiree Luo March 18, 2021

Passionate. Ambitious. Outspoken. These are words that nearly everyone uses to describe Emma Andrews (12). Whether she’s running on the lacrosse field or drawing cost-curves in economics class, Emma...

“I think people see [dependence] as a weakness. Generally, youre supposed to be independent, and, I think thats generally the picture of toughness or resilience. But I think theres something much more beautiful about dependence and vulnerability, just being okay, trusting other people to help you out,” Arya Maheshwari (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Spatial admiration

by Nicole Tian, Opinion Editor March 18, 2021

Wisps of clouds play across the night sky, silvery shadows shifting against an endless well of deep blue. Miles and miles below, Arya Maheshwari (12) sits outside gazing up at the stars, watching as light...

“Through robotics, Ive definitely learned how to become a better leader because a leader isn’t just leading people. Its also helping foster an environment where other people can become leaders. When you’re in charge of something, you do need to step back and allow other people to shine,” Chloe Affaki (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Taking charge of every opportunity

by Defne Avkarogullari and Brandon Zau March 18, 2021

One may know her as the president of the robotics club, an avid volunteer in class, a tutor for kids eager about robotics or just a good friend who gives beneficial advice. To many Harker students, it...

“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...

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