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

The bottom line is this: students need to like the books they read to nurture their love of reading and procure the best results learning-wise. Administrators who decide each class’ reading list should focus on choosing books that will be popular with students.

School kills love of reading

by Mendy Mao, Co-Features Editor August 29, 2024

I step into my room, glancing at the piles of books littering the floor. Most are assigned reading for English class. A few are books that I’ve selected for myself, untouched and collecting dust. I sit...

Meet Your staff: Dialogue on diversity

Meet Your staff: Dialogue on diversity

by Kairui Sun, Photo Editor August 23, 2024

A pair of geckos lazily lounge in their cage. Two cups of freshly steeped peppermint tea effuse a refreshing aroma. Past visitors smile from a wall of polaroids over several plush armchairs. Director...

The Language and Linguistics Club meet in upper school French teacher Galina Tchourilova's room on Feb. 27. The presentation focused on sociolinguistics and the diversity of dialects.

Discussing dialects: Language and Linguistics Club discovers sociolinguistics

by Vivek Moorjani, Humans of Harker Profiler March 6, 2024

Language and Linguistics Club held a meeting on Feb. 27 discussing sociolinguistics and how it connects to modern day life after school from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m. in upper school French teacher Galina Tchourilova’s...

Dhanya Ramanan (9) recites "Love Song of the Bat with Vertigo" by Martín Espada for Harker's Poetry Out Loud competition on Jan. 31. Of the eleven contestants, Eric Zhang (11) and Iris Fu (12) advanced to the Santa Clara County regional round.

Contestants recite for Poetry Out Loud

by Jeremy Peng, Assistant Copy Editor February 9, 2024

Eleven students competed in Harker’s annual Poetry Out Loud contest in Nichols Auditorium on Jan. 31 during long lunch.  Each contestant recited a poem of their choice to three judges, English teachers...

Upper school English teacher Charles Shuttleworth poses with his recent book titled “Desolation Peak: Collected Writings," a collection of Beat Generation poet Jack Kerouac’s writings. “I did some good investigation, and it was really fun,” Shuttleworth said. “I love [Kerouac's] writing, I really respect it, so to be able to transcribe it just for myself was worth it. Overall, I felt I got to know and understand him better than I ever had.”

Taking a peek into “Desolation Peak”

by Olivia Xu, Humans of Harker Managing Editor February 16, 2023

With $14.57 in his pocket and 900 miles to travel, Jack Kerouac hitchhiked to the North Cascades National Park in July of 1956. Beyond fulfilling his role as a fire lookout, he sought enlightenment, an...

As a Chinese-American, I initially admired BTS as a beacon of Asian representation in America. But with “Dynamite,” BTS directly negated these ideas, and I could no longer see them as positive figures for Asian representation.

“Dynamite” disappointment: Rise of English songs by BTS hurts Asian representation in the west

by Emma Gao, Reporter November 10, 2021

Blinding white lights illuminate the backs of the seven still silhouettes on stage, creating an almost halo-like glow. As the crowd chants their names and the first notes start playing, they hop out of...

Upper school English teacher Charles Shuttleworth poses with "Desolate Angel," a biography of Jack Kerouac. Shuttleworth, who was chosen as the annual Moses Greeley Parker lecturer, presented his research on American novelist Kerouac in a virtual lecture titled “Kerouac: The Buddhist Years.”

Upper school English teacher delivers lecture for Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival

by Lucy Ge and Sarah Mohammed October 16, 2020

Hands clasped together, leaning on a wooden podium in his classroom, upper school English teacher Charles Shuttleworth, who was chosen as the annual Moses Greeley Parker lecturer, presents his research...

English teacher Ohad Paran poses for the camera each day of the week. "No matter what you choose to wear, be yourself," he said.

Meet your teacher: English teacher flaunts colorful, unique style

by Tiffany Wong, Aquila News Editor November 16, 2017

With his color-coordinated dress shirts, endless drawer of patterned socks and rainbow of Apple Watch wristbands, English teacher Ohad Paran takes on every day in style. Whether he’s sporting his...

Charles Shuttleworth at Monarch Pass, Colorado, on the 39th day of the trip. The ride, lasting a total of 62 days, started in Yorktown, Virginia, and spanned across America, ending in San Francisco.

Meet your teacher: English teacher completes summer charity ride across US, raising $5595 for MS

by Kathy Fang and Nina Gee September 6, 2017

 After two months of biking through lush farmlands dotted with livestock and llamas, arid canyons dotted with wildlife and forested mountain ranges, upper school English teacher Charles Shuttleworth has...

Load More Stories