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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

Upperclassmen have not yet experienced the true weight of being role models for the younger students. Take comfort in the fact that you can make a difference in their high school journeys simply by reaching out. Let underclassmen know that you are here for them.

Editorial: Together we rise

by Editorial Board August 29, 2021

The last time we were here together, we were sitting in our classrooms during the last period of the day, anxiously waiting for the school bell to ring.  The last time we were here together, we were...

An illustration of the COVID-19 virus.
This article addresses common myths surrounding COVID-19, the delta variant and vaccines and provides accurate answers from the CDC and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Myth-busting COVID-19 and the vaccines

by Arjun Barrett and Nicole Tian August 28, 2021

Do I still need to wear a mask if I’m vaccinated? Yes. Though the CDC only requires unvaccinated individuals to wear a mask, all vaccinated individuals are encouraged to continue wearing masks. Unvaccinated...

A pair of bronze eagles stand in a fountain in front of Shah Hall. The sculpture, a gift from the Class of 2021, had previously been installed in Dobbins Hall.

Graduates’ gift: Class of 2021 funds new eagle fountain, places near Shah Hall

by Sabrina Zhu and Nicholas Wei August 17, 2021

A pair of sparring bronze eagles grasp at a flowing American flag, suspended over a glassy pool of water. The birds of prey lock claws in the air, their talons gleaming in the sunlight. Two rings of stone...

More than 1000 protestors gather at San Jose City Hall to protest hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on Sunday March 21. The protest was just one of many happening across the nation after the recent spotlight of Asian-directed attacks.

Pulse of the People: Not a new issue

by Alysa Suleiman and Nicole Tian March 22, 2021

This article has been updated on March 26 to reflect additional resources provided for the upper school community. What does an “Asian American” represent? A computer engineer at a Silicon Valley...

Senior Sachi Bajaj received her vaccine today. She and her family qualified to receive the vaccine as caregivers for her grandparents, who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Harker staff and students receive COVID-19 vaccinations, more scheduled this month

by Lucy Ge, Winged Post News Editor March 2, 2021

With upper school faculty and students beginning to receive their COVID-19 vaccines, more Harker staff are set to be vaccinated in Phase 1B of California’s vaccination plan.  All education workers,...

Snow covers the quad next to the cafeteria at the University of Texas at Austin. The university closed campus on Feb. 14 and reopened on Feb. 24 due to the water outage and hazardous weather conditions.

Global Reset: Unprecedented snowstorms hit Texas and leave residents without power or water

by Alysa Suleiman and Sabrina Zhu March 2, 2021

When the first flakes of snow drifted down Tuesday, Feb. 16, covering the front of her apartment complex in Houston in a blanket of white, Meeah Bradford, a junior at St. John’s Academy, laughed and...

Jessica Zhou (10) prepares to hit a bunker shot at a practice round at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club last week. Following the upper school's safety protocols for athletes, players are required to wear masks and social distance at all times.

Spring sports kick off

by Anna Vazhaeparambil and Varsha Rammohan March 1, 2021

Despite a delayed start to their seasons, due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in Santa Clara County during the winter, upper school athletes in cross country, football, girls golf and girls tennis are currently...

Upper school economics teacher showcases the myriad of board games he enjoys playing, whether it be with friends, family or his advisory. "The big draw to me is that board games allow you to connect with people in ways that you normally wouldn't be able to," Lizardo said. "Because sometimes we're just looking at a screen or playing video games, you don't actually get to see or talk to these people."

Meet your teacher: Economics teacher finds joy in board games

by Arely Sun, Winged Post Lifestyle Editor February 18, 2021

Behind his desk, upper school economics teacher Dean Lizardo keeps a stash of board games, stuffing the cubby of his tall bookshelf full of multicolored boxes.  “It would probably be pretty clear...

In this piece, upper school students, faculty and family members share how the pandemic has directly impacted them.

Pandemic journal: Adaptation, gratitude and growth

by Emily Tan and Anna Vazhaeparambil February 18, 2021

The "pandemic journal" repeater documents our stories of living in the world of COVID-19. Our perception of what's considered normal has been upended in the last year, with every person having a different...

We call upon the upper school to address our lack of racial diversity, while continuing to work toward fostering a more welcoming environment for Black and Hispanic students, faculty and staff. We must not only acknowledge and honor the contributions of minorities in our curricula, but also ensure that our campus actively represents the world in which we live.

Editorial: Equity and inclusion require showing up

by Editorial Board February 17, 2021

In a survey sent out to members of the Harker Journalism news staff, 21 of the 22 respondees indicated that they agreed with the stance of this editorial. Two years before performing her poem last month...

The upper school does not currently have definite plans for students and teachers to return to campus for in-person learning, but they are proceeding with preparations for the senior trip and graduation over the next few months.

Upper school unlikely to return to campus soon but continues planning for senior activities

by Sara Yen, Winged Post Editor-in-Chief January 25, 2021

Head of upper school Butch Keller wrote in an email with Harker Aquila that as long as Santa Clara County remains in the purple tier, and teachers are not vaccinated, the chances of returning to full in-person...

"After a year upended by a relentless pandemic, the violent Capitol attack delivered a gut-wrenching blow to America’s battered morale. It was based in the false imagination of a stolen election, a story strengthened by those in public office who promoted the narrative and backed Trump in his disturbing rhetoric."

Editorial: Striking down the gavel on the First Amendment

by Editorial Board January 11, 2021

In a survey sent out to members of the Harker Journalism news staff, 100% of the 27 respondees indicated that they agreed with the stance of this editorial. “Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts...

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