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

A woman is strong if she cries; a woman is strong if she fights; a woman is strong for the sole reason that she is a woman. There should be no standard for her. Cinderella, just by being herself and committing to her beliefs, automatically makes her an incredible role model to young girls.

More than a damsel in distress

by Claire Bauschlicher, Reporter January 23, 2023

“Cinderella” by Charles Perrault, adapted into the 1950s Disney classic, depicts the story of a young girl. She lives with her stepmother and sisters, attends a ball, falls in love with a prince, escapes...

An illustration of a can of Harkers Condensed Tomato Soup. Harker Aquilas assistant opinions editor Jessica Wang shares a ranking of the best five soups.

Friday Five: A definitive soup ranking

by Jessica Wang, Assistant Opinions Editor January 20, 2023

It's believed that the first bowl of soup was prepared around 20,000 B.C. However, my most poignant memory regarding soup is closer to 2022 A.D. It was a fateful Tuesday. For lunch that day, we were served...

Every year in December, I marvel at the beauty and festiveness of the glittering lights, but that joy is always tainted by a shadow of impending doom — the holiday season is not the only season that happens at this time of year.

It’s the most stressful time of the year

by Margaret Cartee, Opinions Editor December 19, 2022

Sparkling Christmas lights flicker, adorning buildings, trees, anything and everything which can be decorated. Every year in December, I marvel at the beauty and festivity of the glittering lights, but...

I was willing to try ballet as something I hadn’t done before, yet the “absurdity” of a male ballet dancer was also deeply ingrained in my mind. Once I discovered that ballet spoke to me in a different way than other genres, I decided to let my passion guide me.

Jetéing over gender stereotypes as a male ballet dancer

by Anwen Hao, Assistant Multimedia Editor December 1, 2022

A 10-year-old me walked into a ballet studio with my head down, trying to avoid the looks of other ballerinas. But I knew I was going to be noticed; as a boy, my short hair, white shirt and black tights...

With suicide in the top three leading causes of death amongst teenagers, it’s alarming that we are so used to hearing these words that we don’t notice them anymore. These jokes trivialize suicidal thoughts and imply that this problem is commonplace, normal and even insignificant.

Editorial: Insensitive jokes harm environment

by Editorial Board November 30, 2022

Content warning: This article mentions suicide. For free and confidential support, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Discussions of concerns circulate the room as anticipation rises for...

The facade of the perfect life on social media has never been more common or easier to create. Although we’re all aware of these unrealistic standards, seeing other peoples’ ‘perfect’ lives on our feeds still takes a toll on our mental health. Apps such as TikTok and Instagram only worsen the problem with filters and growing concerns over likes and followers.

Editorial: Collectively escaping the social media trap

by Editorial Board October 19, 2022

An app that calls itself authentic, original and unique. An app that captures the happenings of everyday life. An app that has no likes or filters. This is BeReal, a social media platform which has skyrocketed...

An illustration of history textbooks. When we deliberate contrasting viewpoints as well as the hard facts of the situation, we develop better understandings of each other and a more complete view of the world.

Forbidden history impacts our lives. We should talk about it.

by Isabella Lo, Reporter October 16, 2022

Trigger warning: This article includes discussion about human deaths, racial injustice, the Tuskegee syphilis experiment and the Tulsa race massacre. We advise readers who may be sensitive about these...

In the aftermath of countless mass shootings and an intrusion on our own campus, we cannot be passive bystanders and wait for a more dangerous situation to happen to us in order to enact change. Our system for responding to school shootings needs an update.

Editorial: Responses for school safety require an update

by Editorial Board September 14, 2022

This June, Harker encountered an unarmed intruder on campus — one of the rare times when a shelter-in-place was not a drill. With this incident and the heartbreaking school shooting at Robb Elementary...

We should not seek a “new normal,” as expansive and ambiguous that term may be, and rather focus on the small freedoms allowing connections that are again available to us. That can look like passing goggles to a lab partner in chemistry class, stealing half a cookie off of an unsuspecting friend’s tray or focusing all your affection for a person into the magical world in the space of a tight hug.

Magic in a post-lockdown hug: Staying grounded in small joys

by Trisha Iyer, Copy Editor June 6, 2022

I wanted to be Belle when I was little. Here was a Disney princess that gave me the representation on the silver screen that I needed: she would actively avoid social interaction to read books all day,...

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