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 somehow get people to truly care about real world topics outside of the limited hour, two hours that they spend watching something. It’s a lot of work. It takes a lot to just improve. But it’s also wonderful if I can somehow give that out to the world through my art. That would be everything I would ever hope to accomplish,” Alisa Grebin (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Creating for a cause

by Mirabelle Feng, TALON Reporter February 19, 2023

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved the world of fiction, where creativity and imagination ran amok like wild beasts and birds. One day, the girl discovered a fantasy world built from creativity...

“The fun part of orchestra is being part of a community. Everyone’s really supportive, and everyone gets to know each other. We all get to make music together combining our individual talents,” Rylan Yang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Personalizing the performance

by Katerina Matta, Asst. Features Editor February 18, 2023

Rylan Yang (12) recalls facing a sea of nearly 2000 faces as he stood confidently on stage, his shiny golden French horn raised to his lips, poised and ready to play. A mix of nervous adrenaline and excitement...

“Scuba diving is a lot of excitement, like being in a giant aquarium, and your senses are also different. Here on Earth, on land, we have a lot of different ways to perceive space and sound, but it’s all very different underwater because the sound gets mixed up. Above water, its a lot easier to distinguish between noises. You can’t tell that apart easily underwater,” Nika Lebedev (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Diving into the depths

by Victor Gong, Asst. STEM Editor February 17, 2023

Corals of pink, green and brown shades dot the sandy seabed, swinging back and forth as fish of all shapes and colors dash in and out of hidden crevices. Hundreds of miniscule air bubbles emerge from the...

“A big challenge that I had to overcome for percussion was becoming less afraid of mistakes. When youre the loudest in the room, every mistake you make is going to be amplified a hundredfold. But in order to play your part, youre going to have to just go for it. That spirit has really developed because of percussion, but has carried over to other areas of my life,” Jacob Huang (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Orchestrating community

by Felix Chen, Asst. News Editor February 17, 2023

Staring intently at a small triangle, Jacob Huang (12) strikes it with a metal rod, sending a rich, resonant ring throughout the orchestra room. He wears a look of concentration as a mellifluous rhythm...

“Guitar tells you that you have to gauge your progress against not what youre doing now, but what you tried to do in the past. If you feel like you havent improved at something, or if you feel like youre not getting better at something, you have to gauge yourself against how you used to be and keep an open perspective. That also carries over to life in the sense that you can always check how much youve improved. Chances are, you have improved even if youre not aware of it,” Vikram Mani (12) said.

Humans of Harker: In tune with the mind

by Kevin Zhang, Asst. Sports Editor February 16, 2023

Vikram Mani (12) recalls how the melody of a Frank Sinatra song “My Way” resonated in the atmosphere as he played his guitar, performing for his grandfather’s 80th birthday in front of nearly two...

“I stuck with computer science because it has so many real world applications that other disciplines don’t. You can make so many different inferences about a real world situation like basketball given just a bit of data,” Rishi Cherukuri (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Programming positivity

by Edward Huang, Co-STEM Editor February 16, 2023

For Rishi Cherukuri (12), computer science extends far beyond the tedious grind of coding competitions and idle entertainment. Instead, the subject represents a gateway to meaningful insights, an opportunity...

“I like photographing people a lot because of the connection you can form with them, especially if you have a conversation with them. While youre taking photos of them, youre able to get to know them a lot more. After taking the photograph, that acts as a bond between two people,” Vasudha Subramanian (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Heart for service

by Emma Milner, Asst. Sports Editor February 15, 2023

Whether it be striking up a conversation with people on the street, helping peers in the classroom or even simply bringing her friends their lunch, Vasudha Subramanian (12) always has her eyes open for...

“As a freshman, I was a really shy person and scared to talk to new people. Cross country is the main reason why I have improved my social skills and became more confident in who I was as a person. I enjoy it so much because although it can be draining and painful, the feeling you get after you complete a hard workout or race is the best reward,” Kara Kister (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Chasing personal bests

by Vivian Chen, TALON Reporter February 15, 2023

Whether you’re sifting through emails from upper school athletic director Dan Molin, browsing through the Harker Athletics instagram page or listening to the Eagle Update during school meetings, you’re...

I dont have it all boiled down to a motto. I dont really go with the flow. One of my favorite things about myself is how much time I take to consider things. I like being very intentional and thoughtful. I stay focused on what I can control, which is the present and the future, Aneesha Asthana (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Intentionality in identity

by Alison Yang, Asst. A&E and Lifestyle Editor February 14, 2023

What defines a person? Some would argue their actions. Others would say their peers. CollegeBoard would say 5 awards and 10 extracurriculars. Is it their path to the present? Aneesha Asthana’s (12) journey...

“[Foreign policy has helped me think] more outside of my personal bubble. When I see something now, I think more about not just how this is affecting us, but how this affects the world more broadly. Recently, there was the economic crisis of gas and oil — that doesnt just affect the US, it affects Europe,” Dilsher Dhaliwal (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Thinking beyond borders

by Margaret Cartee, Opinions Editor February 14, 2023

While international relations meetings occur every day, only the most important ones become mainstream enough to capture the general public’s attention. But these decisions have far-reaching impacts...

“Golf is a controversial sport with stereotypes attached to it. Growing up, I was always embarrassed to say I [play] golf because of that. Being an Asian girl in the sport is my way of trying to change the game and inspiring other people to hopefully get into golf. Its interesting when I have to play with others and I can hit further than any of them, and that’s when they start thinking that I’m somebody worthy to be their competition,” Claire Chen (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Swinging with style

by Katelyn Zhao, Sports Editor February 14, 2023

On any given day, Claire Chen (12) could be spotted wearing a neutral-colored knit, baggy pants and leather jacket paired with a messenger bag and black leather boots. Or a babydoll dress with cream and...

“Everyone has to do their job and everything needs to work together for the team to be successful. On and off the court, its always fun to be around the team. Off the court, were making jokes and having fun, and on the court, we know how to be serious and play,” Tyler Beede (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Positivity packs the points

by Claire Zhao, Asst. Copy Editor February 13, 2023

It’s the final playoff round of the varsity boys volleyball Division 3 Central Coast Section (CCS) tournament. Zhang Gymnasium carries an air of anticipation and nervousness, with only the squeaks of...

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