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

Humans of Harker: Bringing life to the screen

by Jessica Tang, Photo Editor March 26, 2023

BB Ajlouny (12): As a kid, there was some app on the App Store called Video Star, and it basically allows you to choose a song and then record clips and put it over it. So, as a nine year old, I made music...

“Ive always had this disconnect between which culture I really feel like I should belong to. With this set of self portraits, I want to acknowledge the fact that I have a lot of confusion as to my identity, and I want other people to understand that there are people who feel the same way and who arent sure, and thats completely okay because you don’t have to define yourself from one place, Lakshmi Mulgund (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Finding perfection in imperfection

by Olivia Xu, HoH Managing Editor March 23, 2023

On Aug. 19, the class of 2026 took their first step into high school. On Oct. 6, the class of 2023 decked out in bright yellow and cheered in their last high school homecoming rally. On Feb. 4, all four...

“My advice is to never give up, but also approach your problems from a logical standpoint and try to be as honest as possible with yourself. You have to think about what options you have and what path you can take in order to succeed,” Isaac Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Strategy and skill

by Olivia Xu and Charlie Folk March 23, 2023

With a quick step to the right and a slight flick of the wrist, Isaac Yang (12) hits the shuttle across the net. His intense focus on the shuttle’s trajectory allows him to react swiftly as it flutters...

“I started playing tennis when I was six years old. Its been a long time. I like being alone on the court with your thoughts and not having a game clock. You can always come back and win in tennis. Theres no time limit. Thats what got me really into it, and thats why I chose it over other sports,” Anushka Mehrotra (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Learning to ‘ace’ life

by Gabe Sachse, Asst. Sports Editor March 22, 2023

The thud of a tennis ball against the pavement reverberates across the Blackford tennis courts as Anushka Mehrotra (12) competes in a doubles match against the Menlo School tennis team. The intensity with...

“My mom says when life gives you lemons, you make lemon meringue pie. One of my strengths is definitely seeing the better side of situations. I make the best out of situations when things dont go well. Its about giving myself that room to breathe,” Gwen Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Practical optimism

by Vika Gautham, Asst. Features Editor March 19, 2023

Gwen Yang (12) recalls her intense focus as she carefully picked up spores of sordaria, a species of microscopic fungi. Pieces of the fungi lay strewn across trays, broken or popped from previous failed...

“What I’ve found more gratifying and more of an accomplishment than acting would be just being nice — being someone to lean on and being good to my friends, at least when I can be. I really make a point of trying to be easygoing because I think it has a positive impact on people I know,” Harper Brada (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Passion in compassion

by Jonathan Szeto, Reporter March 19, 2023

It was freshman year when Harper Brada (12) took a leap of faith and auditioned for the upper school’s fall play. Although he had a few years of prior experience with theater, he knew that acting at...

“If life is meaningless, why not just try something crazy? It’s this positive nihilism perspective: if the world means nothing, then you could do something out of it. What am I missing? Its all out there, so maybe, Ill try something just to gain a little more perspective in that area,” Richard Zhang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Positive nihilism

by Audrey Cheng, Reporter March 19, 2023

Colorful, lively fish dart around in a jungle of vibrant coral and rocks, their vivid hues accentuated by the sunbeams shining through the water. Among the endless sea of exhibits the aquarium has to offer,...

“Take advantage of opportunities. Harker has so many opportunities for you to explore what you love — as long as youre here and youre given these opportunities, definitely take advantage of them, Mike Sullivan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Dribbling towards new paths

by Lily Shi, Reporter March 18, 2023

Shouts ring through the Zhang gymnasium as Mike Sullivan (12), spotting a chance to shoot, receives the basketball and dribbles it forward. A defender from the opposing team jumps in front, attempting...

“Being able to help people who are extremely vulnerable and make a massive difference in their lives is something that you cant really forget, and something that I still cherish to this day. Continuing that into a career in medicine and building on the principles and values of ‘seva’ is something that has been pretty definitive of my life, especially when you combine it with the science studies that Im really passionate about,” Sunjum Sanghari (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Giving and growing

by Shareen Chahal, Asst. News Editor March 18, 2023

From Arctic science expeditions to reviving 24,000-year-old frozen animals, the field of science is progressing faster than ever before. Sunjum Sanghari (12) knows the ins and outs of these recent advances...

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. Life is really about going out and opening your mind and ears to new things and the rest of the world,” Ryan Chang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Fishing for peace

by Emma Li, Reporter March 17, 2023

Standing still at the edge of the bank, Ryan Chang (12) patiently watches the water’s glassy surface — and has been for well over an hour. Suddenly, a pair of tiny, round eyes appear and begin to rise...

“Its really challenging to go out on your own on the weekends and just research economics because it gets boring. One of the things thats helped me do that is understanding that its a vast field, but the more effort I put in to understand whats going on, the better,” Indigo Lee (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Score big

by Janam Chahal, Reporter March 16, 2023

One app. Endless possibilities. Indigo Lee (12) recalls the moment his father recommended that he download Robinhood, an investment app. He was given 100 dollars to experiment with on the app. After losing...

“The thing I enjoy most about basketball is meeting new people from different schools in the Bay Area because a lot of different people from different schools come to the park. People I otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to meet play basketball,” Mir Bahri (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Making change and making friends

by Isabella Lo, Asst. Opinions Editor March 16, 2023

Politics, programming and basketball are just a few of Mir Bahri’s (12) many and varied interests. He finds himself drawn to politics for its potential to make a positive social impact, while programming...

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