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

“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...

“Something I really value about people is their character, not their accomplishments or what they do. I try my best to be kind to others, especially teachers and those that are younger than me, because I don’t want to be remembered as someone who isn’t kind,” Emily Novikov (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Serving up success

by Heidi Lu, TALON People and Seniors Editor March 16, 2023

A tiny green tennis ball flies across the net, spinning faster than the eye can track. On the other side, the opponent lunges for the ball, but it hits the ground before she reaches it, eliciting a chorus...

“With debate, its impossible to work by yourself. You have a partner, so youre forced to work with them. The only way for you to enjoy and get the most out of the activity is to work on your own skills, work on your team skills and understand that when things get rough, its okay to be vulnerable, trust your team and fall back on them,” Carol Wininger (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Canter and convince

by Shareen Chahal, Asst. News Editor March 15, 2023

Alongside her fellow debaters, Carol Wininger (12) gathers around a computer in the middle of a conference room. As announcers on the other side of the screen read out names, the team waits in anticipation...

“I want to create something that hasn’t been created before. Math is the way I find best to do it, partly because it’s enjoyable to do, but also partly because that distillation of pure logic is one that’s very powerful and very fundamental,” Jack Hsieh (12) said.

Humans of Harker: On the verge of discovery

by Jonathan Xue, HoH Profiler March 15, 2023

Three. Two. One. Happy New Year! While others celebrate the occasion around him, Jack Hsieh (12) types away, enveloped in his mathematics research. After two years of tireless effort, he stands on the...

“In baseball, you can get away with a fluke hit. In football, a quarterback can misread an assignment, but your wide receiver can still make a great play. But in golf, you cant really get away with anything because its just you. Youve got no one else to blame but yourself. A lot of times I dont want to take the blame for certain actions. Golf is a place where you cant not take the blame because nobody else played but you,” Freddy Hoch (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Adapting to the course

by Smrithi Sambamurthy, TALON Sports Editor March 8, 2023

Surrounded by the lush greenery of the Kula Forest and the majestic West Maui Mountains, Freddy Hoch (12) steps onto the green fairway of the King Kamehameha Golf Course. As he lines up his shot, the crashing...

“When I went to Korea and came back, it really made me recognize, in the U.S., a lot of the troubles that we faced in the past few years are because people are becoming more individualistic and too focused on ‘me’ and not the rest of the community. Coming back from South Korea, thats something that I really internalized, Michelle Jin (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Narration with nuance

by Emma Gao, Co-News Editor March 8, 2023

“How can the federal government address racial disparities within the U.S. healthcare sector?” “If the U.S. is to retain prominence in global influence, what investment policies should it pursue...

“The attitude I live by is to try new things even if I dont know how to do it. Ive been trying to push myself in general, and doing so has allowed me to experience a lot more things that I wouldnt have if I never tried it in the first place. Im really glad that Im pushing myself to go outside my comfort zone,” Deeya Viradia (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Waves of change

by Jasmine Hansra, Reporter March 8, 2023

Growing up in Maryland surrounded by cornfields provided Deeya Viradia (12) with few sources of entertainment. However, Deeya channeled her creativity into building go-karts from skateboards and booster...

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