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

“When I interact with people I want to make them happy and I want everyone to have a good time. It’s like when I’m playing cello I want to make the audience feel how I feel when I’m playing music, almost like I’m spreading the feeling that I have,” Henry Wong (12) said. “It’s hard to see sometimes because I’m very shy, but it’s really that interaction, working with other people, that makes me love what I’m doing.”

Humans of Harker: Committed, carefree and considerate

by Esha Gohil and Sriya Batchu April 24, 2019

His eyes focused intently on the sheet music in front of him, Henry Wong (12) begins moving his fingers along the strings of his cello with lightning speed and precision. As he continues to play, his eyes...

Getting past my own head—just being confident in what I say or do—I think that’s my biggest challenge… But I find that as long as I prepare, then I’m fluent enough and confident enough to be proud of what I’m doing. When I go into the [debate] round, the nervousness fades away as I give my speech. That’s when I don’t really care who I’m debating, because I’m confident in myself, Clarissa Wang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Curiosity and confidence

by Helen Yang, Reporter April 24, 2019

Standing in a brown knit sweater over a white dress shirt, Clarissa Wang (12) chooses her words carefully, speaking in an even, paced rhythm. At first glance, Clarissa in her everyday life is the epitome...

“I hope that I can have a significant impact on someone. I want to be remembered as the one who will be there for you through anything and everything. I want to be the person who people go to for a hug, or for advice or even just to sit silently with, Riya Gupta (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Lending a hand

by Anika Rajamani, Reporter April 23, 2019

Joking with her friends in Manzanita, Riya Gupta’s (12) sparkling eyes and bright smile radiate confidence and compassion towards everyone around her. At a very young age, her mom instilled in her...

I am a mix of an extrovert and an introvert. I like talking to myself, but I enjoy other peoples company. Ambivert, I guess, Neil Tipirneni (12) said.

Humans of Harker: One step at a time

by Catherine Feng, Reporter April 23, 2019

Wearing a Harker water polo jacket, Neil Tipirneni (12) sits, slightly leaning against the table, exuding a quiet confidence. Seeming sure of himself, he talks with a calm, steady voice. Despite his stoic...

“Dance allows me to access a creative side of [myself] that I dont usually get to experience when [I’m] in this routine of school and homework and tests and studying all the time,” Aditi Anthapur (12) said. “I think it pushes me in a different way, rather than how schoolwork pushes me to study harder. This pushes me to improve myself because I want to, not because Im being set against other people.”

Humans of Harker: Flexible to change

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Reporter April 22, 2019

Hair fluttering lightly in the wind, eyes thoughtfully looking into the distance, Aditi Anthapur (12) rests comfortably on the bleachers outside of Shah, smiling broadly as she recalls the fleeting memories...

“Stories of humanity inspire me. All of us have burdens and strengths and power and stuff that weve overcome in life. Everyone has a story to share. At coffee shops, the random person sitting next to you has a lot of cool perspectives on life, Shania Wang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Reaching out

by Ryan Guan, Executive News Editor April 21, 2019

Coffee shop lights shine in Shania Wang (12)’s bright eyes as she bursts out laughing, covering her broad grin with one hand and tossing back her hair with the other. It doesn’t matter whether her...

In freshman year, I was diagnosed with a heart disease, and I had a heart transplant in sophomore year. That experience has shaped my philosophy on things in terms of contextualizing the everyday problems that I face. I think it really put everything into perspective for me, Shaunak Maruvada (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Maintaining perspective

by Srinath Somasundaram, Opinions Editor April 18, 2019

Shaunak Maruvada (12) receives his friends with open arms at every occasion. For him, someone’s life is only as good as the connections that form it. “Especially in such an academically-focused...

“I started playing lacrosse because I wanted to play a team sport, and then I tried lacrosse, and I just absolutely fell in love with it. I love everything about it, and I love how you can be creative in something that’s not art. There’s so much freedom to express yourself in different ways. It’s not just something that has rules where you follow them; you make plays and you make something, which makes it such a personalized sport where I can truly play how I want to, Elise Mayer (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Roll, split and face

by Varsha Rammohan, Copy Editor April 17, 2019

From the green team ribbon tied around her hair to the Harker Athletics logo on her white shirt, Elise Mayer (12) screams lacrosse. She started playing the sport in eighth grade and now plays year-round...

“I want to have been the one to at least help create several organizations. I want to create more of a culture as well and change it towards one of collaboration, rather than competition. Everyone is trying to compete against one another, trying to get the best grade, trying to get ahead on this project, but what I’ve learned after taking all these classes and doing all these projects is that we can do a lot more working together than trying to be the best ourselves, David Melisso (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Calm and composed

by Vishnu Kannan, Reporter April 17, 2019

As David Melisso (12) sits in his Study of Visual Arts class, face resting on the palm of his hand, a sense of calm seems to surround him. Sporting a classic outfit - dark washed blue jeans, a dark blue...

“Both hacking and choreography are inherently creative things. With hacking and software development, you’re building something from the ground up; you start with nothing. You can create whatever you want and you end up with something that people can use and enjoy. Choreography is very similar. You start with nothing but an idea and you just build it up and see where it goes, Sonal Muthal (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The art of creation

by Delaney Logue, TALON Photo Editor April 16, 2019

Arms outstretched and toes pointed as she holds her relaxed but steady position, Sonal Muthal (12) holds an air of sophistication and grace as she begins to move across the floor of the dance room. Face...

Robotics started as my first exposure to the campus. It was a big part of my first few interactions at the school, but I think I almost immediately gravitated towards the teaching and collaboration aspect of it. And I think thats what makes me tick: building things, big or small, with others. I think its better to be valuable to a group of people or a team than famous in the whole world, Joel Manning (12).

Humans of Harker: Collaboration

by Srinath Somasundaram, Opinions Editor April 16, 2019

Joel Manning (12) speaks to a group of his peers using his arms to further emphasize his main points and putting everyone, himself included, to work on a new project. As executive president of Harker Robotics,...

“I really value honesty and being open with people that youre friends with. I think that the best way to have a healthy relationship with anyone is to be honest and kind of tell them how youre feeling in general, even if its something that you guys arent necessarily agreeing upon, Srija Gadiraju (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The impact of kindness

by Alysa Suleiman, Reporter April 15, 2019

Straight black hair tied back in a ponytail and a worn out white lab coat around her shoulders, Srija Gadiraju (12) diligently pushes back her lab goggles while gloved hands expertly dissect a cat in upper...

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