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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

“[Golf] has taught me how to overcome challenges and how to perform under pressure. When you’ve played for an hour or an hour and a half, and you get out of the moment, you’re just like, 'Huh?' because it feels like it goes by in just a moment,” Sophie Zhang-Murphy (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Putt-ing in the effort

by Kinnera Mulam, Reporter December 16, 2021

Sophie Zhang-Murphy (12) remembers the numerous times she and her family drove to a driving range to play golf when she was 6 years old. At the time, she aimed to simply hit the ball with her golf club,...

“Being able to see both sides of an argument for debate really helped to expand my worldview. Being able to analyze, even if I don’t agree with one side, how I would think about it from [that] perspective gave me more nuanced thinking. This is helpful even in interpersonal situations: being able to recognize what other people are thinking and see things from other people’s perspectives," Arnav Jain (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Power in perspective

by Ella Yee, Reporter December 15, 2021

Arnav Jain (12) laughs as he recalls the joy he felt after realizing he had won a round at an Arizona State University debate tournament last year. Though winning any round would already come as good news,...

“‘You['ve got to] step into the daylight and let it go’ is a line that I really like because I didn't realize how much I’ve been holding in me until hearing it. When I was young, I remember knowing [Taylor Swift] was the kind of person I wanted to be in the future. How she can bring smiles to everyone — in some way, I want to be able to do that as a dentist," Trinity Chan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Leaving a blank space

by Trisha Iyer, Reporter December 15, 2021

Whenever she has a free seventh period, Trinity Chan (12) heads over to a Spanish-tiled building surrounded by green trees in Cupertino: the dentist’s office. Don’t worry about her teeth, though —...

“[My motto is] shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. There's unexpected benefits in everything that you do. Whether it's skating or science research or life in general, [when] I'm not so successful, I would like to remember that there's always still hope and if I keep trying, I'll be able to get to a better place," Alice Feng (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Spinning with positivity

by Olivia Xu, Reporter December 14, 2021

In a video of her routine for the U.S. Figure Skating Central Pacific Regional Championship in October of 2018, Alice Feng (12), dressed in a sky blue costume adorned with silver embroidery, glides backward...

"[My passion for music] was playing with others and being a part of a group, simply making music together. Those things are the main reasons why I enjoy playing in orchestra, mainly because I really like playing the music I listen to and then trying to recreate it,” Austin Wang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Beats and bats

by Carter Chadwick, TALON Co-Photo Editor December 14, 2021

Recalling one of his favorite memories in baseball, Austin Wang (12) describes his experience during Central Coast Sections (CCS) Championships last year, where the varsity baseball team made a comeback...

“The initial period of when I’m standing and waiting for the music to begin [is when] I’m incredibly nervous. But during the song, it's liberating in a sense. I become a different person. I feel like a lot more of my personality shines through when I'm on stage that a lot of people may not see," Gabriella Gary (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Positively performing

by Alena Suleiman, Reporter December 13, 2021

With her finger gliding across the shelf, Gabriella Gary (12) pauses as she reaches for a turquoise-colored book with bright pink lettering dancing across the cover. Settling herself into a comfortable...

“Having to always adapt to a new environment quickly and frequently allowed me to carry myself in a way that I know who I am, and I will always be the same person no matter what environment I am in. That also made me want to be with people, wherever I was. I wanted to have friends and know people, know teachers, talk with others about experiences or just have fun," Clarice Wang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Habit of hugs

by Lucy Ge, Aquila Co-Managing Editor December 13, 2021

According to Merriam Webster, an idealist is “one guided by ideals, especially one that places ideals before practical considerations.” According to Clarice Wang (12) during the first Language and...

“What I do is worth it because of my injury. It means a lot to me personally that even being injured, I can still help other people and in the process, learn more about myself and what I like to do,” Leyla Artun (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Same court, different position

by Anika Mantripragada, Reporter December 8, 2021

A wide smile appears on Leyla Artun’s (12) face as she twists around her fingers the vibrant light blue beads and shining gold chains of her handmade necklaces and bracelets influenced by her Turkish...

“Soccer has grounded me. It has brought me back to the people that have been with me throughout my life, even after leaving friends from middle school to high school when I came to Harker. It has given me the space to keep those same friends from soccer and be able to turn back to them," Arthur Kajiyama (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Kicking the best foot forward

by Sarah Mohammed, Features Editor December 7, 2021

Everything grows still, quiet. The turf heats in the sun, grasses brushing the footsteps of the varsity boys soccer team as they slip onto Davis field, a place they have returned to so often it has become...

“I like to laugh, and I like to make other people laugh because then they’re happy. When I’m with my friends, I feed off their energy and it makes me happier. Surrounding yourself with good people is very important. If you have people around you who are also happy and don’t put you down, life becomes a lot easier," Syna Gogte (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Heart, happiness and a helping hand

by Ella Yee, Reporter December 7, 2021

The friend you can count on to respond to your texts within minutes when you need help on your math homework. The one people immediately turn to when they’ve had a hard day and need comfort. Someone...

“I’ve always believed that hard work is the key to success. That sounds very cliche, but things don’t necessarily come naturally to me. I’ve had to put in a lot of work to become good at something, but I’m willing to put in that work because over the past 18 years of my life, I’ve started to figure out what I’m passionate about,” Ashley Barth (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A sports sensation

by Anika Mani, TALON Co-Editor-in-Chief November 10, 2021

Sunlight streams through the trees on a Sunday afternoon at Los Gatos Creek Trail. Grabbing her soccer ball, Ashley Barth (12) juggles her ball at the entrance of her favorite running trail. The faint...

"Sometimes, you don't feel like you're actually living, and you're just going through the motions. If you don't feel satisfied with one of your days, it's like you're slowly dying instead of really thriving. That made me change my perspective on how I could actually do things I am happy to do, instead of doing what I think I should be doing according to society's norms,” Alina Yuan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: One panel at a time

by Katelyn Zhao, Reporter November 9, 2021

For hours on end during the summer, Alina Yuan (12) sketches and panels numerous pages, filling up her storyboard. She dedicates every day to her character, Lucian, a boy with synesthesia. With paperclip...

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