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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

"Every time I go up there for a school meeting, my heart rate genuinely reaches. It doesn't get any easier. It's just a matter of how you deal with that anxiety. It's kind of like spice. Everybody feels spice the same because it's technically pain, but some people get more used to it, so they like pain. For me, that happened through a series of announcements that I was pushed into making," senior Samhita Parupudi said.

Humans of Harker: Announcements spark action

by Risa Chokhawala, Opinions Editor May 31, 2025

In front of thousands of students, senior Sam Parupudi stands with a microphone, steadying themself before delivering an announcement. Although they’ve stood there countless times, each appearance...

Humans of Harker: Curiosity in choice

Humans of Harker: Curiosity in choice

by Lily Peng, Sports Editor May 31, 2025

Senior Andy Chung steps through the doorway of Teaspoon and is greeted by a myriad of smells mingled together in the air: brown sugar, fresh mango, rich jasmine. Yet the bright screen covered with...

Humans of Harker: Training teamwork

Humans of Harker: Training teamwork

by Ella Guo, Humans of Harker Editor-in-Chief May 31, 2025

The last set of the quarter-final CCS tennis match starts, the score 4-10 as senior Yinan Zhou and his teammate trail behind. Although the point gap is wide, their serves and hits eventually bring...

Humans of Harker: Keys to creativity

Humans of Harker: Keys to creativity

by Saahil Herrero, Senior Copy Editor May 31, 2025

As the lights dim, senior Steven Jiang walks onto the stage of the United States Open Music Competition, gently resting his hands on the piano. Then, the lights shine and his hands begin moving seamlessly...

Humans of Harker: Pirouettes meet practicality 

Humans of Harker: Pirouettes meet practicality 

by Claire Zhao, Winged Post Managing Editor May 29, 2025

Frozen in place on stage in a simple dark blue leotard with her knees bent, Juliana Li ('25) waits in silence for the start of her competition music. Suddenly, the first jarring beat of the electronic...

“Sometimes when you're in the midst of things, it's kind of hard to see whether things are changing for the better or not. One part of being a leader is knowing where to put your own time and effort and energy into. You have to understand that sometimes things won't work out the way you want them to, but you just have to keep moving forward. Things will not fail because of one mistake or bump in the road," senior Atharv Goel said.

Humans of Harker: Grit and gears

by Yifan Li, TALON Editor-in-Chief May 29, 2025

The muffled sound of a roaring crowd seeps through the curtains separating the robotics competition field and the pits where Atharv Goel ('25) spins a red t-handle in a bolt. He pushes his safety glasses...

Humans of Harker: Sprinting towards self-fulfillment

Humans of Harker: Sprinting towards self-fulfillment

by Gabe Sachse, Aquila Managing Editor May 29, 2025

The steady din of an excited crowd slows to a hum as eight runners line up to begin their 100-meter race at the CCS Championships in Gilroy, California. Each athlete tensely moves into their starting...

“I've been doing programming and CS for a while, but I get a lot more enjoyment out of making games. It's something that will give me something tangible compared to working on code problems or fine tuning some specific software. This is a lot more physical to me, even though it's still digital. It feels a lot more personal because it's something that I can physically play," senior Pranav Sukesh said.

Humans of Harker: For the love of the game

by Shaina Cohen, TALON Organizations Editor May 29, 2025

A hack and slash 3rd person role-playing game. A Hansel and Gretel-themed cooking simulator. A 3D horror game set in a maze. These are just some examples of the games Pranav Sukesh ('25) creates. Combining...

“Oftentimes on the Veena, I'm able to play out tunes that are familiar for the seniors. I played a lot of classics for them, which they really seem to enjoy. And it's been fulfilling because a lot of them have never seen the instrument before, so they'll come up to me after and ask me to explain how it works. It's really exciting for me to be able to share my culture and also connect with their culture," senior Hasini Namala said.

Humans of Harker: Culture and chords

by Lindsey Tuckey, TALON Conservatory Editor May 29, 2025

Sitting cross-legged in the dark, one side of the veena balanced carefully on her knee, Hasini Namala ('25) hovers her hands over the fret board and strings. The crowd hushes, stage lights rise, backing...

Humans of Harker: A flash of color

Humans of Harker: A flash of color

by Shiv Deokar, TALON Student Life Editor May 29, 2025

The sounds of hangers shifting around a rack follow Hannah Streeper ('25) around the thrift store. Her cart fills up with a varied selection of fabrics, colors and proportions. Hannah's style, while...

"What’s more important to me is knowing that if someone had a bad day, I helped make it better: that I put up a little bit more happiness and a little less seriousness sometimes into the Harker community," senior Sara Glusman said.

Humans of Harker: Connection with community

by Aishani Singh, Aquila Managing Editor May 29, 2025

Prototype. Pitch. Pivot. These are the steps running through Sara Glusman’s ('25) mind as she prepares for yet another business sprint — another chance to refine and perfect the vision she and...

“After you hit a bad shot or you have a bad hole, you still have four hours left in front of you. It’s your choice to let it bring you down or you can recover and bounce back from your mistakes. The strong mental aspect of the game has helped me recover from bad grades to friendships in everyday life." senior Allison Yang said.

Humans of Harker: Swinging to stability

by Caden Ruan, STEM Editor May 29, 2025

In second grade, Allison Yang ('25) and her friends signed up for a free golf clinic, not out of ambition, but as a joke. While her friends quickly moved on to different activities, Allison truly found...

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