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

“I try to be as outgoing as possible the first time you meet me. It’s hard, because when you first meet someone they think you’re a different person,” Karina Butani (12) said. “When people first meet me, they think I’m really introverted, but when they get to know me it’s like an opposite person. But it’s fun to prove people wrong, like—surprise, this is who I really am.’”

Humans of Harker: Karina Butani combats her commute with conversation

by Kaidi Dai, Reporter November 8, 2017

Despite her 5’9’’ stature, Karina Butani (12) maintains a low profile at Harker. She lives in Pleasanton and spends three hours in the car on an average day, making it difficult to spend time with...

Daylight saving time: What, why and when

Daylight saving time: What, why and when

by Kaidi Dai, Reporter November 8, 2017

This year’s daylight saving time began on Mar. 13, when people set their clocks forward an hour, and ended on Sunday, Nov. 5, when people did the opposite. Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice...

Bella Saratoga: A harmony of history and the heart of Italy

Bella Saratoga: A harmony of history and the heart of Italy

by Gloria Zhang, Asst. Features Editor November 7, 2017

Sporadic roars of motorcycle engines hammering their ways up Big Basin Way interrupts the otherwise serene atmosphere of downtown Saratoga on a quieter Sunday evening. The pairing of modern bikes and late...

“I feel like sometimes at Harker, we students have this urge to control everything in our lives,” Matthew Lee (12) said. “Like if you don’t get an A on that test, it’s because you didn’t work hard enough, or if you don’t get into this school, it’s because you didn’t work hard enough, or if you don’t get into that school, it’s because you didn’t do enough. But sometimes that’s just not true. Sometimes things are out of your control.

Humans of Harker: Matthew Lee finds meaning in contradiction

by Irina Malyugina, Reporter November 7, 2017

Matthew Lee (12) speaks softly, but his words carry weight. Whether delivering a wry comment during Modern International Affairs or writing for his Near research paper, he phrases his sentences with care. “Basically,...

Chris Leafstrand (11), Chris Gong (11), Charlie Molin (11) and Sukrit Ganesh (11) look on as their Eagle Buddies play a game of wallball. The juniors traveled to the Bucknall campus to meet with their Eagle Buddies today.

Junior class meets with Eagle Buddies at Bucknall campus

by Nicole Chen, Aquila Features Editor November 7, 2017

The junior class travelled to the Bucknall campus to meet their Eagle Buddies today for the first time this school year. Juniors left campus at approximately 11:10 a.m. for the lower school, where...

Seniors listen as Harker alum Sheridan Tobin (15) speaks about her college experience. The seniors gathered in Nichols Auditorium for their LIFE assembly, while the sophomores were in the auxiliary gym and the freshmen in Nichols Atrium.

Freshmen, sophomores, seniors participate in LIFE assemblies

by Zoe Sanders and Jin Tuan November 7, 2017

Freshmen discuss digital citizenship The freshman class gathered for a LIFE assembly to discuss digital citizenship with Learning, Innovation and Design Director Diane Main today in Nichols Atrium. Main...

Memoir Monday: Dual Mangoes

Memoir Monday: Dual Mangoes

by Arya Maheshwari, Reporter November 6, 2017

Arya Maheshwari The oblong Keitt mango rests against the wooden cutting board, almost calling me to eat it. With forest green splashes towards the bottom, a few reddish-yellow patches at the top and a...

“My dad is very curious,” Neelesh Ramachandran (12) said. He is an engineer, so he obviously knows about electrical engineering and fiber optics, which is what he does, but if you ask him about whatever happened in the War of 1812, he can give you a sort of concise response. The way he thinks is by connecting broad principles, and that’s the way I try to approach learning as a whole. Nobody learns biology and only uses biology, because inherent in biology [are] concepts in chemistry and concepts in physics, so you have to look at everything. Especially this is true within STEM and outside of STEM—you have to be looking at the broader picture and [know] how to combine different domains, different aspects in science. That’s where the power really comes through.”

Humans of Harker: Neelesh Ramachandran seeks to understand

by Saloni Shah, Reporter November 6, 2017

The book sits on a table; the table exerts a normal force on the book. You remove the book from the table; the table relaxes that force in proportion to the speed of your motion. In elementary school,...

This cartoon is syndicated from the Southwest Shadow, the newspaper of the Southwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gun control after Las Vegas: Our government’s actions speak far louder than words

by Staff Editorial November 6, 2017

One month ago, on Oct. 1 in Las Vegas, a gunman opened fire out an outdoor concert, wounding 527 and killing 58, using a semi-automatic weapon with a bump fire stock accessory that allowed him to fire...

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Astronomers detect neutron star merger for the first time

by Jin Tuan, Reporter November 5, 2017

Scientists detected a neutron star merger for the first time on Aug. 17 using two different methods of signal detection. The neutron star merger, also known as a kilonova, sent signals that set off...

Executive Director of Education at Anchor Distilling Co. and founder of beverage magazine Mutineer Magazine Alan Kropf addresses the importance of finding happiness in ones career. Kropf was one of five featured speakers at todays TEDx event.

TEDx speaker series hosts entrepreneurs, company representatives

by Varsha Rammohan, Reporter November 4, 2017

Several entrepreneurs and businesses presented at the annual TEDx speaker series today in Nichols Auditorium. The speakers featured at the event were Ray Wang, Ryan Evans, Julie Campistron, Alan Kropf...

Dancers practice their routine with different props. The Dance Production will take place on Jan. 26 through Jan. 27.

Behind the scenes: Dance Production

by Saloni Shah, Reporter November 4, 2017

Thunder echoed across the dance room as the group of eleven boys practiced their hip-hop routine to a remix of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic”. Sweat dripped down their faces as they worked on the fast-moving...

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