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 want to leave an impact where I can show that its okay to make mistakes. Its okay to stumble as long as you pick yourself back up and learn from what youve done, and its possible to continue growing as a musician no matter what, Anoushka Khatri (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Upbeat off stage, Downbeat on stage

by Sally Zhu, A&E and Lifestyle Editor March 15, 2022

A bright smile, jazzy dancing feet. A twirling golden dress, curly brown hair in a cozy black scarf. A lit-up stage, further illuminated by the joyful spirits and lively singing of upper school show choir...

“[My favorite moments] in some sense are those general feelings of conversation. They open your mind just as much as those competitions where youre really studying or working hard. In every facet of your life, youre trying to find ways to broaden your way of thinking, William Zhao (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Expanding new horizons

by Margaret Cartee, Assistant Opinions Editor March 14, 2022

Leaning attentively over a navy blue desk as he listens to a Science Bowl question, William Zhao (12) grasps his pen in his right hand with intent, ready to start writing at any moment, and holds his buzzer...

“The golden rule is important — treat others the way you want to be treated. But [we] also need to understand that sometimes, people act out of anger. People have things going on in their own lives that they don’t talk about. [We] all deserve to be respected the same way and all need to respect other people in the same way,” Saumi Mehta (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Taking center and back stage

by Desiree Luo, Assistant Sports Editor March 13, 2022

She walks onto the stage with elegance and aplomb, dressed in a shimmering magenta dress sprinkled with specks of gold. Her hair is tied into a graceful knot, and earrings dangle next to her expressive...

“Its very valuable to be confident in your own ideas. But at the same time, I think people should recognize their limitations. Especially when working with other people, it’s very valuable to get ideas from many perspectives, Rohan Rashingkar (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Devil’s advocate

by Sydney Ling, Reporter March 12, 2022

Imagine running on the green expanse of Davis Field, your eyes tracking a bright orange frisbee soaring through the air. It’s a sunny day with a slight breeze. “Here, over here!” It’s Rohan Rashingkar...

“Whether it be debate, DECA, or teaching, I have to make sure that, yes, I have these ideas, but how do I give these ideas out? Everyone Ive met has brilliant ideas, but its about how you express those ideas so that people will think its cool, and thats something Im still trying to learn, April Sun (12) said.

Humans of Harker: To teach with trust

by Katelyn Zhao, Assistant Sports Editor March 12, 2022

Standing in her mellow, mint-green room, clad in a loose, navy T-shirt, with the glare of a fluorescent light behind her, she begins her speech with the quiet confidence of a seasoned speaker, even in...

“I like creating things — its very nice to know that for what I made, nobody else in the entire world has made the exact same thing. Its uniquely my own product that Im making, Ayan Nath (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Jokes and jamming

by Sarah Mohammed, Features Editor March 10, 2022

Head bobbing to the bass of his first tune, Ayan Nath (12) remembers the earliest song he made, an announcement to keep backpacks within green lines so that students would not trip over them. Middle-school...

“Not everyone can relate to everyone even within the same community. I know that my experiences as an Indian American are different from my friends. There are definitely things that we have in common, but each persons perspective is different and important. With every book Ive read, I get a bigger and better visual of that, Sriya Batchu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Search, grow and identify

by Tina Xu, TALON Co-Sports Editor March 9, 2022

Immersing herself in the aisles of Barnes & Nobles, Sriya Batchu (12) searches around for her next read. Inheriting her mother's affinity toward books, Sriya perused the Magic Tree House and Geronimo...

“My mom tells me, ‘Always remember those who have served you. Whenever Im upset or frustrated with menial things throughout the day, I remember how good my life is. Its always good to put things into perspective and remember all the people who have done so much for you, Kailash Ranganathan (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The calm beneath the chaos

by Olivia Xu, Reporter March 8, 2022

“Hello from the outside…” Adele’s voice reverberates throughout the quad, where dozens of students and teachers gather, their eyes fixated on Kailash Ranganathan (12) as he catches a bright...

“Sports are very symbolic of real life: you have a team and people who need to work together in order to complete a goal. That translates into life in a lot of ways. You need to have trust with the people you’re working with and be able to take leadership. With soccer, that’s something that’s helped me, Sarah Leafstrand (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Adventures just for kicks

by Rachel Ning, TALON Organizations Editor March 7, 2022

As she walks toward the uphill slope, senior Sarah Leafstrand squints her eyes to look up at the sun just beginning to beat down on the muddy grass of the serene Saratoga Gap. Tucking her hair behind her...

“If I commit to something, I want to see it through. Once I become invested in something, I really want to see something wonderful come out of it. I feel like I owe it to not only myself, but the people around me. I want to leave a lasting impact,” Shounak Ghosh (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Ready, set, role

by Angelina Hu, Reporter March 5, 2022

Propping his bike on its rear wheel in a move called a manual, then balancing on the front wheel as he executes a nose manual, Shounak Ghosh (12) deftly handles his bike, performing tricks and jumps effortlessly...

“Im fine with not knowing whats going on next; Im fine with going with the flow, [and that’s my strength]. Focus on what you can control. You cant [change] anything about [the future] unless you have a time machine, so why worry about it?” Simren Kocchar (12) said.

Humans of Harker: 1,000,000,006 times better

by Claire Su, Reporter March 3, 2022

Concentric circles of ripples expand as Simren Kochhar (12) takes her first steps into the clear, cylindrical sanctuary, as shown in a video from her trip to Australia before sophomore year. Waist-deep...

“I live by smiles per gallon. If you think about life in terms of miles per gallon, you’re thinking about how you can maximize being efficient. You’ll be on cruise control the whole time. But by looking at the smiles per gallon, you’ll have so much fun on the road trip there. You’ll enjoy the journey to the fullest, Dhruv Saoji (12) said.

Humans of Harker: This moment

by Muthu Panchanatham, Opinions Editor March 2, 2022

With light filtering through the car windows, Dhruv Saoji (12) expertly maneuvers through traffic, not taking his eyes off the road as he continues his energetic conversation with a close friend. Brilliant...

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