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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

“I like exploring connections between very unrelated aspects of life or the universe. In this way, I feel like my love of art, as strange as this sounds, is very connected to my love of chemistry. I just enjoy putting two things together that don’t go together, understanding how things work from both the hard, analytical, scientific side and also the creative side. I find it so fascinating,” Nellie Tonev (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Balancing acts

by Anna Vazhaeparambil, Editor-in-Chief May 29, 2020

At 7:57 a.m. every day, without fail, a blue Mazda cruises into the upper school campus, music softly resonating from its speakers as the driver expertly maneuvers through the parking lot and into spot...

“A lot of people know me as the doughnut guy, but my main thing [is] kindness. The doughnuts were just a part of that. Sometimes people don’t have other people to reach out to or to get the assistance they need or the distraction they need. I want to be able to off-set the negative people in the world. It's easier to complain and be negative than be happy all the time, so I’d rather be the happy person that people can go to," Griffin Crook (12) said.

Humans of Harker: You’ve got a friend in me

by Nina Gee, Erica Cai, and Irene Yuan May 29, 2020

A bright yellow dress shirt reminiscent of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. A neon pink tracksuit with matching shoes. A long-sleeved shirt depicting an orange and black cat adorned in a blue cape, boldly...

“It's impossible to solve one problem with one dart on a target. [A problem is] so multifaceted that if you don't see the humans behind it first, then it’s impossible to solve. Whenever I see a problem that I want to fix, I want to ask myself, ‘Who are the real people behind this, and what do they need.' I think we all get this internal reward from helping somebody else, and when you connect your desire to do good with somebody that is actually affected, you can create a solution that benefits all,” Mahika Halepete (12) said.

Humans of Harker: A lending hand

by Esha Gohil and Erica Cai May 28, 2020

Clack, clack, clack comes the rhythmic clicking of Mahika Halepete’s (12) thrifted heels against the glitter covered floors of Moon Zoom, a small vintage store tucked between a used car dealership and...

“I wish people just cared more about themselves in the sense that they cared more about their own well being and mental health. I hope people realize the triviality of these different decisions or the assignments we complete or anything like that compared to the broader goals in life that you have,” Nakul Bajaj (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Life beyond the screen

by Pelin Unsal, TALON Reporter May 27, 2020

After spending days focused on formulating code, Nakul Bajaj (12) stands in front of his creation projected across his eyes, one of his many accomplishments on a screen being displayed as his joyful face...

“The cards are there to guide you and subconsciously influence what you think of a situation. They’re self-evaluative and focused on reflection. It's a great way of manifesting your intentions: [reading the cards] is a reminder to look out and make active choices to put yourself where you need to be,” Eva Chang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Unraveling the mystery

by Anoushka Buch, TALON Co-Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2020

Walk down Main Hall any Friday afternoon, and you’ll find one door at the end of the corridor wide open, exuberant chatter and bubbly laughter emanating from within. Inside English teacher Christopher...

“I want to be remembered for taking my skill set and doing something slightly out-of-the-box. I’m not just a STEM kid, I’m someone who sees the problems in her society and tries hard to develop solutions,” Emily Zhou (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Musical equations

by Amruta Dharmapurikar and Irene Yuan May 26, 2020

When asked to describe her younger self, Emily Zhou (12) chuckles as she remembers the various hysterical moments of her childhood. Looking at the roof as memories flood back, she recounts incidents from...

“People can have different views that I don’t agree with, but I don’t want to cast them away just because of that. You can be accepting of others even if you don’t share the same perspectives. By learning from others and just talking to more people, I’ve developed a more accepting mindset, rather than an extreme one,” Anvi Banga (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Introspection behind the surface

by Olivia Guo, Humans of Harker Profiler May 26, 2020

Among the chattering students in the athletic center, Anvi Banga (12) begins presenting the Green Team’s new campaign for Buy Better Boba at a school meeting. She confidently holds the microphone close...

Class of 2020: Humans of Harker compilation, part four

Class of 2020: Humans of Harker compilation, part four

by Saloni Shah, Humans of Harker Editor-in-Chief May 24, 2020

Due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19, our seniors cannot experience their spring semester and graduation in its traditional format. Yet, we want to honor the Class of 2020 and celebrate...

Humans of Harker: The world's a stage

Humans of Harker: The world’s a stage

by Nina Gee, Winged Post Managing Editor May 22, 2020

This is the first installment of the Humans of Harker 2020 video series. Through this project, the Harker journalism program aims to tell the story of the senior class, one profile at a time.

“As a sophomore, I was the little dog, now I am the big dog. I get to order people around, but I also remember how it was on the other end of things, so I tried to keep that in mind. I remember how supportive the seniors were when I was a sophomore, so I try to do the same,” Andrew Cheplyansky (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Journey with soccer

by Brian Chen, Reporter May 21, 2020

His eyes focus on the top right corner of the goal as he takes a few strides backwards on the sunny turf of Davis field. As if calculating the perfect trajectory of the soccer ball, he pauses for a moment....

“Something that's really been kind of underappreciated nowadays is just the art of improvisation, not having to plan out anything and just kind of living in the moment and playing whatever's on your mind. Oftentimes, people don't realize that that type of phrasing and even rap emerged from improvisation and from just taking risks. I guess that’s the world of music. It encompasses a lot of different colors. There's a lot of crossover between things, and that's what interests me about it,” Joshua Valluru (12) said.

Humans of Harker: The art of improvisation

by Emily Chen, TALON Co-Editor-in-Chief May 21, 2020

Softly strumming his guitar, Joshua Valluru (12) improvises as the acoustics in the lobby of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center round out his sound. “Guitar has been a huge part of my life at high...

“Constantly make sure you are always happy with yourself. I think a lot of people are pursuing something but not really reflecting enough on why and getting lost in actions. I think just taking those times and reflecting on what you're doing and making sure of the truth … will make all the difference,” Rakesh Nori (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Take a step back

by Saloni Shah, Humans of Harker Editor-in-Chief May 20, 2020

With a large grin lighting up his face and eyes crinkling with warmth, he drops his car keys on the table and strolls over to the counter to order a vanilla bean frappe. Tucking his left hand into the...

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