Skip to Main Content
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

Expressing strong opinions or showing care can feel vulnerable or “cringe,” and vulnerability is a weakness in a world that rewards perfection. Appearing nonchalant and unbothered has become a form of self-preservation against the anxiety of being judged.

“It’s not that deep” runs too deep in our culture

by Suhani Gupta, Aquila Managing Editor August 29, 2025

“It’s not that deep.” This message constantly permeates my social media feed. Have too many opinions on a piece of media? It’s not that deep. Don’t want to mindlessly consume while turning...

The outcomes make it clear why many districts have chosen to restrict phones entirely, but what works at other schools near us may not necessarily work at Harker. Phones are an integral part of daily life, serving as tools for staying connected with both our peers, parents and the broader school community.

Editorial: Local school phone ban trend highlights trade-offs for learning and community

by Editorial Board August 29, 2025

Nearby Bay Area school districts including San Jose Unified and San Ramon Valley Unified began enforcing stricter cellphone bans this fall. These sweeping bans reflect a growing trend of limiting technology...

It is easy to assume that federal policy decisions have little bearing on the lives of high school students. But our privilege does not shield us from national decisions that erode the foundation of research itself.

Editorial: Research funding cuts threaten students’ futures

by Editorial Board May 2, 2025

For Harker students dreaming of solving global problems or making groundbreaking discoveries, their journeys begin at college research labs. But across the country, these opportunities are disappearing. The...

Copying existing formulas rather than paving a new path makes many groups sound stylistically similar. This lack of distinction is particularly problematic with the current oversaturation of the industry, as fans are bombarded continuously with new releases in repetitive styles.

K-pop is struggling: new groups offer nothing new

by Heather Wang, Humans of Harker Managing Editor May 2, 2025

If someone had told me five years ago that all K-pop songs sounded the same, I would have responded with an angry rant and a recommended listening list to show them how wrong they were. Now, with the overflow...

There is almost an unspoken “to-do list” among parents and peers for students to complete as they go through high school — research, competitions, arts or athletics. Especially at Harker, the highly competitive environment pushes many students to take on more activities, regardless of their interest.

Pressure to excel overshadows passion and interest

by Chelsea Xie, A&E/Lifestyle Editor May 2, 2025

“4.0 GPA, valedictorian, founder of a nonprofit, winner of a research competition, yet rejected from their top schools.” Instagram videos revealing the “stats” of various college applicants flood...

I remember all of the times my parents made me rousimian, or shredded pork noodles, on every birthday. ‘The noodles are a sign of longevity,’ my parents would say, ‘The longer the noodle strands are, the longer your life will be.’

Friday Five: Chinese Noodles

by Victoria Li, Humans of Harker Managing Editor May 2, 2025

When I think back to my childhood, I remember all of the times my parents made me rousimian, or shredded pork noodles, on every birthday. ‘The noodles are a sign of longevity,’ my parents would say,...

An appreciation of art does not necessarily mean support for an artist. Great art deserves to be recognized as great art, but recognition does not equal support.

Separate artists from their artwork

by Isabella Lo, Aquila Managing Editor March 28, 2025

Kanye is without a doubt one of the greatest and most influential artists of our time. His work is universal; there is not one person on the street who won’t recognize “Runaway” or “Graduation.”...

Friday Five: 2D Shapes

Friday Five: 2D Shapes

by Emma Lee, TALON Reporter March 28, 2025

I sit in front of my canvas, racking my brain for what to paint. To break out of my creative block, my mind wanders to a world where I imagine shapes as people. What if shapes had personalities? How would...

Editorial: Sickness attendance policy traps students

Editorial: Sickness attendance policy traps students

by Editorial Board March 27, 2025

“I’m sick.” How often have you heard this from a mask-clad classmate and wondered why they were at school? To many students, this isn’t a rare occurrence: in a recent poll with 176 student responses,...

Although America’s copyright laws are necessary, they go beyond the point of simply protecting intellectual property and actively work to limit creative expression by making it prohibitively difficult for creators to reimagine or take inspiration from past works.

Copyright laws crush creativity

by Mihir Kotbagi, Opinions Editor March 26, 2025

2072. That’s when the first Star Wars movie, “A New Hope,” will enter the public domain, allowing Americans to finally create their own projects with the original iterations of legendary characters...

People treat crime cases like they’re episodes of a drama series, desensitizing themselves from the very real violence that lies within them.

True crime breeds toxicity

by Aryana Bharali, Humans of Harker Managing Editor March 25, 2025

1.4 million likes. The screen flickers, replaying a slow-motion edit of Gypsy Rose Blanchard shortly after her release. A Nicki Minaj song pulses in the background, the beat synchronized to the rate of...

Artificial Intelligence startups overpromise and underperform

Artificial Intelligence startups overpromise and underperform

by Charlie Wang, Multimedia Editor March 13, 2025

Since the incredibly influential development of generative artificial intelligence with OpenAI’s GPT engine, Silicon Valley has been swarmed by startups that promise to help the consumer using this new...

Load More Stories