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 can look over at other people for silent encouragement and you can smile. If I was by myself on stage, I wouldnt have that. I would just be me in the spotlight. Its easier knowing that there are that many people in the audience when you have everyone else whos going through it with you,” Saloni Shah (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Shining in solidarity

by Hima Thota, Co-Features Editor March 13, 2024

Spotlights shine down onto the stage as an announcer presents the winning dance team in the garba dance contest, an event dedicated to celebrating Gujarati folk dance. Saloni Shah (12) and her teammates...

“When you’re a perfectionist, you just want to delete everything and start over constantly. Even though it’s a bad thing, doing that helps me parse out my thoughts more and helps me understand what I don’t want to include in my writing, and what I like about my writing, which helps me narrow down my ideas into a final draft that I am happy with, Anika Maji (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Writing the right

by Claire Bauschlicher, Reporter March 8, 2024

Enveloped by dozens of books that line the shelves around her, Anika Maji (12) pours the stream of words in her mind onto the screen. With her hands dancing across the keyboard, she uses imagination...

“Generally when I try to get into an activity, I try to gain experience and use that experience to help others. I really enjoy helping people and providing guidance to them. I want people to remember me as someone whos willing to use my knowledge for the better and make an impact on others’ experiences,” Justin Chen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Ace-ing analytics

by Aryana Bharali, Humans of Harker Profiler March 8, 2024

In a world dominated by specialists, Justin Chen (12) stands as a remarkable outlier. Not only does Justin excel in the corporate realm, but also on the tennis court, where the demands of strategy and...

“Speech and debate is a wonderful way for people to find their voice, learn how to speak up, how to think quickly on their feet and how to articulate their ideas extremely clearly. Talking through arguments, what makes a good speech, what are some aspects of public speaking such as eye contact or expressiveness, or changing the tone of your voice — these are all aspects that I strive to pass down and spread to people around me,” Max Xing (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Forums of confidence and connections

by Kevin Zhang, Aquila Managing Editor March 8, 2024

Frantic thoughts raced through Max Xing’s (12) mind as one last competitor unleashed a barrage of arguments through the computer screen during the online 2022 Tournament of Champions (TOC) semifinals....

“Both sports and art teach you how to fail and not get caught up on overthinking things, like, ‘How could I have done this better?’ You move on to the next point, you move on to the next day. You move on to the next piece. Its very challenging to just not lose motivation and abandon it,” Catherine Wong (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Whims of creativity

by Hima Thota, Co-Features Editor March 8, 2024

Click. Catherine Wong (12) turns on her drawing tablet, the screen lighting up. She quickly clicks on the drawing app, which presents a screen with rows of pens of varying color and inks at the bottom...

Humans of Harker: Tackling challenges through teamwork

Humans of Harker: Tackling challenges through teamwork

by Shaina Cohen, TALON Reporter March 4, 2024

As the clock counts down, just a few seconds remain in the first half of the 2022 Homecoming game. The football team prepares for the last play at dusk, and Kevin Bettencourt (12) readies himself,...

“I love folklore, I love fairies, and I love Lord of the Rings. I want to make art that feels magical because that’s what I like, but it was also at that point where I knew that it had to have depth,” Maya Cheshire (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Blooming in art

by Young Min, Co-A&E Editor March 4, 2024

Maya Chesire (12) sweeps her brush from side to side, covering the canvas with bursts of browns and greens. Framed by two tall trees on either side of the painting, an Irish Bog Man stands in a hole dug...

Humans of Harker: Playing songs of happiness

Humans of Harker: Playing songs of happiness

by Angelina Burrows, TALON Co-Sports Editor February 9, 2024

Hands grasping a microphone, Ben Cha (12) looks toward the blinding lights of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center. Though he performed with Jazz Band many times before, this show was different. Instead...

“Leading is about being confident because you have to learn to tell people what to do, and thats not something that I was used to. But by the end of it, youre like, ‘Okay, I have to do this because this is my job.’ You can tell the actor, ‘Hey, can you do that again?’ or ‘Move over here. Were going to shoot that again’ or ‘You did great. Just do it again so we can get a different angle,’” Emily McCartney (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Creative director, directive creator

by Ella Guo, Humans of Harker Profiler February 9, 2024

With the sun gradually setting, the sky suddenly began to darken, creating an atmosphere of pressure as light faded. Noticing the change while shooting a short horror film, Emily McCartney (12) knew...

Humans of Harker: Stepping into the spotlight

Humans of Harker: Stepping into the spotlight

by Shareen Chahal, Winged Post Managing Editor February 7, 2024

“Top of the show, everyone!” Isabella Ribeiro (12) scans the expansive stage in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center as her cast finds their places in the wings. Through her headset, she addresses...

“Musical theater gives me more of a creative rush, and I feel excited to be expressing what I want to express, and theres no real direction I have to go. I get to choose, and thats fun in and of itself. Math on the other hand, I enjoy the opposite. I find joy in that idea that theres one way to do it, and boom, you found it and youve solved it. Theres a satisfaction there,” Ian Ogden (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Balancing equations and harmonies

by Mendy Mao, Co-Assistant Copy Editor February 7, 2024

Ian Ogden (12) remembers walking across downtown Las Vegas with a group of fourteen other mathletes after a long day of problem-solving. They talk and laugh together in the night as they walk out of a...

“The fact that there’s no right or wrong answer — it’s just your perspective — is really beautiful, and it’s also very reminiscent of the real world. At one point there’s no right or wrong answer, there’s just which path you want to go on, Alice Tao (12) said.

Humans of Harker: In Wonderland

by Margaret Cartee, Aquila Co-Managing Editor February 1, 2024

Many people feel most comfortable dancing when no one is watching, but very few feel comfortable dancing freely in the bustling streets of a foreign city. But at Edinburgh Festival Fringe over the summer...

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