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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

“I've had a lot of life experiences, good and bad, so I really try to help people as much as I can in situations where you need someone to talk to. I want people to remember how much I tried to help people and be there for others,” Nick Delfino (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Rounding the bases of success

by Smrithi Sambamurthy, TALON Sports Editor February 11, 2023

Nicholas “Nick” Delfino (12) recalls the pivotal final game of the Central Coast Section (CCS) baseball championship. The team entered the last inning down by nine runs but rallied to secure an impressive...

“If all of us want to be remembered in the future for all our nuances, that starts with first remembering everyone else. Everyone who came before us had these complex and intricate lives that deserve to be remembered in the same way all of us right now do in the future,” Ariya Reddy (12) said.

Humans of Harker: One book at a time

by Jasleen Hansra, TALON Organizations & Co-Student Life Editor February 11, 2023

Stacks of rainbow-colored books line the floor-to-ceiling shelves as Ariya Reddy (12) meanders through endless aisles. Perusing the selection, she searches for her next social science read. Next door is...

“I pride myself on sharing [our team’s] ideas and designs with other members of the robotics community. I could be sharing a design with someone, and then the next day we would have to go and compete against them. It's very important because it not only helps other people, but it also helps you learn by trying to explain your ideas to other people,” Nidhya Shivakumar (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Building robots, building futures

by Katerina Matta, Asst. Features Editor February 10, 2023

Hands shaking, Nidhya Shivakumar (12) carefully presented her robot’s results to the judges, aware that she was only moments away from leading her robotics team to victory. But this was no ordinary win....

“The cool thing in the books is science versus tradition. [The characters] use a lot of cool tricks to gain influence and power instead of just doing what's been done before. I think that's a good way to live instead of just following along with what’s considered normal," Tanay Sharma (12) said.

Humans of Harker: From buzzer to bookshelf

by Yifan Li, TALON Reporter February 10, 2023

As the moderator begins to read a question about a historical figure from the 1700s during a Quiz Bowl meeting, the sound of a buzzer slices through the room. All eyes shift towards the source of the sound,...

“At school, we all have tests, and we're all comparing ourselves constantly. We have all these different measures of comparison that we use against each other. But when it comes to spirit, I feel like it really unifies the classes together in a way that no other discipline can do. Spirit is the one time we can come together and celebrate high school," Anja Ree (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Pointe perfect

by Sabrina Zhu, Winged Post Co-Editor-in-Chief February 8, 2023

The panels of mirrors in upper school performing arts director Laura Lang-Ree’s room sparkle under the afternoon sun, reflecting the energetic movements of dozens of seniors. With Celine Dion’s “My...

“I want to be remembered as a person with varying interests that might not always align but I hope that [people] can see that this is what is important to me. When people look at me I hope they know the things that I value,” Aria Jain (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Transcending tradition

by Anika Maji, Copy Editor February 6, 2023

A couple of years ago, during one of her first weeks as a yoga instructor, Aria Jain (12) found herself facing a class of middle schoolers. Only, her new pupils seemed indifferent to her efforts to teach....

“Any process of introspection challenges what you already hold to be true. For example, you can argue whether global warming is a threat to human civilization or whether we're going to get killed by asteroids. Or you can figure out what moral philosophy you believe in, like in the trolley problem: would you pull the lever and kill two people or let three die?” Rahul Santhanam (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Jazz it up

by Jessica Wang, Asst. Opinions Editor February 4, 2023

The Duke of Illyria, Orsino, once proclaimed, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Rahul Santhanam (12) mirrors this sentiment as a saxophone player in the upper school Jazz Band, enriching the...

“With collaboration, you can expand your insight, you can expand your own knowledge. Sometimes the coolest ideas come from pooling ideas from different people together. Your peers are your biggest tool. They have their own experiences that they can draw from, and they're just a good tool to collaborate with and to learn from," Nupur Gupta (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Fusion of styles

by Aishani Singh, Asst. Multimedia Editor February 4, 2023

Silence and darkness fill the Patil Theater as the audience quietly waits in anticipation for the next routine in the upper school’s 2023 Dance Production. Suddenly, Macklemore’s “Can’t Hold Us”...

“I like considering the viewpoints of people who I disagree with. I’ll go to the Heritage Foundation to read news articles even though I expressly disagree with their views. [In debate], I can’t tunnel vision into one side of the argument; I have to understand not only how to make my own claims, but also the intricacies of the other side," Muzzi Khan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Finding the middle ground

by Arjun Barrett, Managing Editor February 3, 2023

There aren’t too many people who are willing to confront global issues head-on. Most of us would rather let political leaders make the decisions that will shape our future. But instead of standing by...

“In Esperanto, you have the example of a group of people who have an amazing idea and want to share it with the world. Regardless of the obstacles that they face along the way, regardless of the challenges that they encounter, they continue believing in Esperanto’s mission and they continue working towards their goal. I find that really inspiring. Optimism and hope have a lot of power," Rupert Chen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A journey through time

by Felix Chen, Asst. News Editor February 2, 2023

Flipping through yellowed pages, reading words written hundreds of years ago and leafing through archival sources, Rupert Chen (12) peruses the lines of faded print. As he peers through this written window,...

“Science is intimidating. This is where the word conduit comes in: it's acting as a teacher to bring the information such that they’re prepared to seek it out for themselves. But the thing about teaching is it comes down to how well you can captivate the audience. Can you make sure that they're listening to you, that they understand you? That's the essence of learning: just going out, absorbing information without a purpose, having fun exploring by yourself," Rohan Bhowmik (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Critical thinker, community builder

by Angelina Hu, TALON Student Life Editor January 29, 2023

As lunch approaches its peak, a group of students congregates at the chocolate milk machine — only to realize the dispenser is clogged. A buzz of disgruntlement grows among the crowd as they wonder what...

“Art classes create a community with other artists. It's much easier for me to talk and be more outgoing when I'm talking about something I'm passionate about. Even when we’re working on projects, everyone’s talking or having conversations. Looking at art also starts conversations. It's a way to start talking," Avery Olson (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Symphony of colors

by Desiree Luo, Co-Features Editor January 28, 2023

A white sailboat rests atop a tranquil sea, its reflection shimmering on the dark navy surface. Behind it lies an island with lush green hills, on top of which sit white houses with bright red rooftops....

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