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

Throughout comedy’s history, humor has been used as a way to reinforce power dynamics, with women usually being the target of sexist jokes. Despite strides in gender equality in the entertainment industry, the belief that “men are funnier than women” persists, solidifying comedy as a male-dominated field where women struggle to gain visibility.

More than just a punchline

by Ashley Mo March 28, 2024

“It’s just a joke.” “You’re too soft.” “Stop being so sensitive.” These commonly heard phrases dismiss the effects of hurtful humor and imply that it’s normal to “laugh off” problematic...

Social media and online trends’ growing popularity isolates Generation Alpha from the childhoods of generations before and instills a desire to appear older than one’s true age.

10-year-olds at Sephora reveal dangers of social media

by Charlize Wang, Assistant Opinions Editor February 3, 2024

When I look back on my childhood, certain precious and routine moments spring to mind. American Girl dolls wrapped neatly under the Christmas tree. The loud clicking of plastic Disney princess heels on...

The generational gap between Gen Z and millennials and now Gen Z and Gen Alpha is merely the product of cultural and societal changes throughout the years, further widened today by the internet’s ever-shortening trends. (Emma Li and Jessica Wang)

Who’s cringe?: Internet’s generational divide

by Emma Li, Assistant A&E/Lifestyle Editor January 15, 2024

Outspoken, rebellious against the norm and open to experimentation, young people stand at the forefront of societal trends. Young generations hold the most relevance within society with their passion,...

 While popular culture associates Gen Z with short attention spans and addiction to technology, Stanford research shows that Gen Z strives to address current issues and solve them, whether through protests, activism, and more. “It’s our collective responsibility to ensure that we hear a variety of distinct and diverse perspectives in order to produce the most holistic and effective policy,” Gordon Chen (12) said.

Pulse of the People: ‘Our collective responsibility’

by Vika Gautham and Desiree Luo March 28, 2023

Content warning: This article mentions gun violence and abortion.  When Sara Bhowmick (12) became a political intern for Saratoga City councilmember Rishi Kumar the summer before her junior year at...

As Gen-Z trends towards normalizing casual and authentic posting on social media, apps such as BeReal gain traction, fostering a more intimate view into people’s lives. Whether the app will continue its success or fade away remains unclear, but sustaining the app’s mission could be a step towards a healthier approach to social media.

What does it mean to Be Real?

by Selina Xu and Medha Yarlagadda September 27, 2022

“It’s Time to BeReal.” The notification appears on millions of phones once a day. Whether walking around the hallways, waiting in the lunch line or sitting on their couch at home, students flock...

Each member of our journalism staff has approached the pandemic in their own way, sometimes together and sometimes separate. Hear the voices of our program and experience how we overcame the unknown of 2020.

Growing up ahead of the curve: Gen Z on living through a global pandemic

On March 12, 2020, Head of School Brian Yager announced through the speakers that the upper school would be closing due to the public health threat of COVID-19. Though we celebrated in the hallways and...

What do we look like through our own eyes? We have been endlessly defined by a time range, compared with analyses of older generations and their defining moments: wars, disasters, crises. But what about by ourselves?

Editorial: Gen Z defines itself through adversity

by Editorial Board September 29, 2020

Completely reliant on technology. The “snowflake” generation. A lack of focus. A short attention span. Such common stereotypes may pervade characterizations of Generation Z, but the reality extends...

Biology teacher Thomas Artiss, at a thrifted typewriter that he brought to his classroom for students to experiment with. In his Heart of Harker guest column, Artiss responds to the newly popularized phrase "OK Boomer."

Heart of Harker: OK Millennials!

by Thomas Artiss, Guest Writer December 16, 2019

There’s a new meme in town. Like all memes, it is catchy, memorable and even mildly amusing. Although the origins of the phrase are debatable, the phrase “OK Boomer” seemed to have gained traction...

The recent shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton have inspired students and teenagers to take a stance against guns.

Gen Z Rises: Mass shootings push students to stand up and speak out

by Alysa Suleiman and Varsha Rammohan August 28, 2019

Fifteen-year-old Adrian Palomares flees from yet another result of America’s growing gun problem: the Gilroy Garlic Festival mass shooting, which left three dead and 13 injured on July 28. Six days...

Load More Stories