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

“Times in high school feel difficult now, and you feel like you’ll remember all the highest points and lowest points of your experience, but in reality, the most mundane ones, or seemingly mundane ones will stand out to you most in the future, and those moments aren’t made up of your biggest failures or your highest grade you got in the toughest class. It’s really about who you surround yourself with, and the experiences you chose to have,” Maya Valluru (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Maya Valluru learns of the importance of friendship

by Devanshi Mehta, TALON Business Manager March 7, 2017

Ever since Maya Valluru (12) reached for the same name tag as Maya Rai (12) during freshman orientation, they became the best of friends. Maya Valluru met Illana Goldberg (12) in fourth grade at Challenger...

Students sit in anticipation for the awards ceremony at DECA SCDC to begin. The event took place from Thursday, March 2 to Sunday, March 5 in the Santa Clara Marriott.

Harker DECA members take top awards at annual State Career Development

by Helen Yang, Reporter March 7, 2017

This year, 106 upper school students attended the State Career Development Conference (SCDC) to compete with students in DECA chapters from all over California from Mar. 2 to 5 at the Santa Clara Marriott. Students...

A group of Taiko drummers performed a set of pieces outside the journalism room last Tuesday. This event was hosted by the Japanese National Honor Society, who also held a Super Smash Bros. tournament after school last Wednesday.

Student language organizations host week of activities

by Laura Wu, TALON Co-Business Editor March 6, 2017

French, Chinese and Japanese National Honor Societies raised money for Doctors Without Borders by hosting activities and selling food after school throughout last week. According to their website, Doctors...

“Trombone is a male-dominated instrument, and sometimes it is easy to be overlooked. When I went to the audition, I played an orchestral excerpt for [the judges]. They said, ‘Could you play that again, dear?’ I felt really conscious being a woman playing the trombone. I knew that they wouldnt call anybody else in the audition, dear. It reinforced that I always have to be confident and mature, when Im playing trombone because it was patronizing to be called dear in an audition against people who I knew wouldnt be called dear,’” Melinda Wisdom (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Melinda Wisdom finds confidence in playing the trombone

by Gloria Zhang, Reporter March 6, 2017

Oblivious about her future major, Melinda Wisdom (12) picked up the trombone in eighth grade for fun. Though she only played a few months, Melinda introduced trombone to Harker orchestra, when she joined...

Every March, the ReCreate Reading books for the next school year are featured in a special section in the library. This years ReCreate Reading lineup features 69 novels to choose from.

School meeting recap 3/6

by Rashmi Iyer, Reporter March 6, 2017

Next year’s ReCreate Reading will feature 69 books. Authors of five of the novels will also attend or Skype into the group reading meetings in August. Students should watch for an email to register;...

The March for Science, scheduled for April 22, aims to sound a call for the support of science in a time of skepticism of science and dismissal of climate change evidence. The original march will be taking place in Washington, DC, but the movement has inspired over 360 satellite marches elsewhere around the world.

March, scientists, march

by Derek Yen, STEM Editor March 6, 2017

President Trump's first month in office has been more than a little concerning to those interested in the sciences. From the dissolution of the EPA to the approval of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education...

David Wen (11) hits a backhand. He plays number one singles for the Harker varsity boys tennis team.

Recap of varsity boys tennis Fresno Tournament

by Nerine Uyanik and Sofie Kassaras March 6, 2017

Varsity boys tennis participated in the California Classic Boys Tennis Fresno League Tournament on March 3-4 and played against five other Bay Area high schools. The team played against high schools...

Memoir Monday: There and back again

Memoir Monday: There and back again

by Nina Gee, Reporter March 6, 2017

Bright green trees bloom against the cloudless blue sky, the luxuriant bush-like woods rising up behind the statue like hills. People of all different ages and ethnicities bustle around the rectangular...

“Music is literally my closest friend. I can play anything. When I’m sad, I can play sad pieces. Its a way of expressing myself and its also a way for me to understand myself. I can see how bad my mood is from piano,” Tina Li (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Tina Li explores living internationally

by Anika Rajamani, Reporter March 5, 2017

Tina Li (12) grew up in Canada and studied in China prior to moving to the United States and joining Harker for her junior year. Living in three different environments has allowed Tina to better appreciate...

Students at the cheerleading tryouts gather in Nichols Atrium to stretch and learn a performance routine. “Everybody is really nice, and they’re willing to help you learn. They don’t care about speed at first; they just want you to know the cheers and the dances and the choreo,” Emma Boyce (8), a student who attended the tryouts, said.

Cheerleading team holds tryouts for the 2017-2018 season

by Cameron Zell, TALON Reporter March 4, 2017

The cheerleading team began preparations for the next year by holding tryouts for students in grades eight through 11. Each student interested in joining the team attended a three-day tryout session from...

Betsy DeVos, Trumps Secretary of Education, has been particularly controversial for her stances on public education. Her recent and unexpected objection to a repeal of a guideline that protected transgender students right to use the bathroom of the gender they identify as came at odds with the position of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

DeVos breaks with Trump cabinet in opposing transgender bathroom bill repeal

by Derek Yen, STEM Editor March 4, 2017

Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s confirmed pick for Secretary of Education, has been widely criticized by education experts for her lack of experience both in politics and in education. From her suggestion...

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