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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

An illustration representing the process of nuclear fusion. In December, researchers completed the first nuclear fusion experiment yielding an energy surplus.

Nuclear fusion: Powering a brighter future

by Victor Gong and Andrew Liang March 2, 2023

It begins with a single pulse of light. The pulse first separates into 192 separate beams, amplified and adjusted so their power distribution is even while traveling a distance of one and a half kilometers....

Snow lays on the mountains of Mission Peak in Fremont yesterday. A historic California winter storm brought snow and hail to the Santa Cruz Mountains starting Thursday, closing Highway 17 and preventing up to 104 students and faculty from attending school yesterday.

Historic snowfall strikes Bay Area mountains

by Emma Gao, Desiree Luo, Katerina Matta, and Sally Zhu February 25, 2023

Additional reporting by Shareen Chahal, Kinnera Mulam and Isha Moorjani. A historic California winter storm brought snow and hail to the Santa Cruz Mountains starting Thursday, closing Highway 17 and...

“It's really worth it because of the feeling when you get a big accomplishment. Whether that's in the form of funding, like that $20,000 we won, or whether it's just when you see today, 10 people ordered TuffToy toys, that's the feeling that keeps us motivated and keeps us wanting more. That's what makes it worth it, that feeling of accomplishment — whether it's big or small, it just feels good, because it's yours,” Arin Jain (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A philanthropic pawprint

by Sidak Sanghari, HoH Profiler February 25, 2023

Heart beating, nerves racing. It’s the last pitch of the INCubatoredu National Pitch Competition in Chicago. Four teams have already pitched their apps and other technology platforms. The last group?...

“My favorite thing about journalism is just the culture. There are not many programs where there are so many students from different grade levels and different perspectives. There's a very strong mentorship aspect to it all, and ever since I became a junior, and now as a senior, I've been able to be that mentor to some of the younger students. It’s taught me a lot about what leadership means and what community means,” Sabrina Zhu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Courage in curiosity

by Lavanya Subramanian, TALON Co-Editor-in-Chief February 25, 2023

“Through the rally, what kind of impact do you hope to leave on other members of our generation?” Sabrina Zhu (12) asked. With her pen in hand, notebook open, and phone sitting on the table, Sabrina...

“The main [draw of hiking] is disconnecting from whatever's going on. I usually think about how I'm doing and reflect on how I've changed recently compared to before and also on any specific goals I should work on. There’s a lot of thoughtfulness while I hike, and I like enjoying the views, which are amazing,” Robert Zhang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Trailblazing the way

by Young Min and Tiffany Chang February 25, 2023

Looking for a hiking trail recommendation? Robert Zhang’s (12) got your back. He frequents Bay Area trails Mission Peak, Vista Point and Saratoga Springs, and, further north, Mount St. Helena and Mount...

AP Art History recreates Georges Seurat's 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.' The AP art history tableau is a beloved Hoscars tradition.

Trip down memory lane: Nostalgia-themed Hoscars return for fifth annual run

by Jessica Wang February 21, 2023

Spotlight. To thunderous applause and a dramatic backing track, on saunters Gordon Chen (12) carrying Kris Estrada (12) to the center of the stage. And so begins the fifth annual Hoscars performances,...

Hundreds of notes are posted on the wall in the alley way where the Itaewon incident happened. 158 lives were taken away by this catastrophe during a Halloween celebration.

Look behind the alleyway

by Young Min, Assistant A&E Editor February 8, 2023

The Itaewon the world knew was full of flashy nightlife and home to the trendiest clubs in South Korea. This forever changed after the crowd crush on Oct. 31 last year in a small alleyway in the city took...

Although empty space during the day may not seem to help students’ productivity, it actually trains them to allocate their time wisely. In particular, the absence of a mandatory activity during the morning block can shorten the long list of tasks students must complete each day, lessening their burden bit by bit.

Editorial: Leave more open space in schedule

by Editorial Board February 6, 2023

Of the 75% of Harker Journalism Editorial Board members who voted, 92% agreed with the stance of this editorial. What was supposed to be a fun spirit event to celebrate student athletics at the end...

An illustration depicting various injuries that commonly occur within sports including a concussion, a strained meniscus and an ankle sprain. “Injuries are part of the game,” varsity boys basketball coach Alfredo Alves said. “Every injury [is] different, but the longer you're out, the longer you're away from playing, so just mentally, [players are] adjusting and understanding that it's going to take time.”

Searching for the silver lining: Athletes persevere through injuries

by Emma Milner and Hima Thota February 3, 2023

The past few months have brought some of the most eventful moments in sports, with audiences worldwide coming together under the universal interest for highly anticipated events such as the World Cup and...

Harshini Chaturvedula (11) plays the viola with Orchestra during the Winter Instrumental Concert. Held on Jan. 13, the concert invited audiences to watch multiple upper school instrumental groups and soloists perform various musical styles, ranging from upbeat Latin jazz to slow ballads.

Annual Winter Instrumental Concert showcases diverse musical styles and performances

by Ariana Goetting and Young Min February 2, 2023

Warm orange lights illuminate the stage as Lab Band settles into their chairs, carefully preparing their instruments. With the flick of the conductor’s wrist, music flows and reverberates throughout...

An illustration of two martial arts students with one performing a kick and the other breaking bricks. "Taekwondo has taught me to be disciplined, dedicated and confident in all I do," martial artist Anika Pallapothu (10) said.

Student to sensei: Mastering the art of self-defense

by Katerina Matta and Kevin Zhang February 2, 2023

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, Chloe Lee (11) stands with one cloth-wrapped hand, facing three concrete bricks. The slabs stared back at her, the final obstacle between her and the ultimate achievement:...

California Republican House Representative Kevin McCarthy was elected House Speaker on Jan. 7 after an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting. McCarthy finally achieved the win with 216 out of 428 votes.

Kevin McCarthy elected House Speaker after unprecedented 15 rounds of voting

by Shareen Chahal and Katerina Matta January 28, 2023

California Republican House Representative Kevin McCarthy was elected House Speaker on Jan. 7 after an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting. Following the recent midterm elections, the Republican Party...

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