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

Humans of Harker: Exploration of expression

Humans of Harker: Exploration of expression

by Lily Shi, Co-Assistant STEM Editor January 24, 2024

A man sits alone on an airplane, his face just visible from across the aisle; a warm light illuminates his features while those around him are shrouded in darkness. Precise brushstrokes depict every...

“Water polo helped me shape who I am today because at first it helped me open up socially. Im a little bit more introverted, so it helped me make friends really easily. Also, water polo helped me with several things outside of that as well. It helped me become a better listener, helped me stay in shape, helped me set and achieve goals,” Lachlan Rossi (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Pooling friendships

by Alvira Agarwal, TALON Reporter January 24, 2024

Shouting echoes through the otherwise silent Harker Aquatic Center, water splashing onto the ground from the pool. The intense game livens the atmosphere, and members of the audience yell support for...

“You have to be patient. When youre restraining an animal for it to be tube-fed, you have to trust that the people around you will keep you safe from the other animals in the pen. If you flinch, it could really hurt the animal or you could get hurt yourself, so you just have to trust,” Neel Handa (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Testing the waters

by Claire Zhao, Co-STEM Editor January 22, 2024

On a peaceful afternoon in Sausalito, Calif., pristine, emerald waters stretch for miles in every direction, and jagged rocks dotted with barnacles line the sky’s fog-blanketed edges. But volunteering...

“I always try to put others in front of me and make sure that I can be there for as many people in my life as possible. Even if Im going through something I make sure to give people my undivided attention if they need it. When I volunteered at the Marine Center in Santa Cruz, I encountered so many people with so many different opinions. Just meeting new people with unique personalities taught me to have an open mind in any situation,” Medini Halepete (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Fostering connection

by Disha Gupta, Co-Assistant Opinions Editor January 21, 2024

Towering redwood trees and biting winds characterize the road to Santa Cruz: now Medini Halepete’s (12) weekly commute. Whether she is visiting biochemistry labs on the UC Santa Cruz campus or volunteering...

“Even though a car as a whole can seem super complex, when you break one down into its individual parts, it becomes a lot simpler. Taking stuff apart and seeing how it all works together really helps me learn how things work, not just cars. I need to see something in action and work with it before I completely understand how to solve a problem,” Ashwin Kuppahally (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Racing to rescue

by Jonathan Szeto, Co-Assistant News Editor January 15, 2024

With the intense sun shining down and his hands stained with oil and grease, Ashwin Kuppahally (12) looks down at the intricate maze of pipes, bolts, gears and tubes that lay before him. For the past day,...

“Everyone has something to offer, something interesting about their lived experiences. That in itself sparks a connection that you have with different people. Ive received so many messages about how people feel like their voice is represented with their work when it’s spotlighted, and how they’ve been engaging with the work were putting out. Thats my proudest moment,” Sydney Ling (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Spice of life

by Claire Zhao, Co-STEM Editor January 12, 2024

One pandemic can change a lot for an Asian-American teenage girl yearning for change. Nearly four years ago, Sydney Ling (12) sat at her desk, pondering the issues within her community as her eyes darted...

“You have to recognize that this isn’t always going to be fun. You’re going to have to train really hard to do well. If you can do that, that’s how you get good at competitive programming,” Thomas Liu (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Optimism and optimization

by Jessica Hu, Co-Assistant Copy Editor January 12, 2024

An unruly, knotty behemoth of a coding problem stands before Thomas Liu (12). He’s taking the United States of America Computing Olympiad, and time is ticking away. Wondering how to wrangle the gargantuan...

“Pick something that you want to do better the next day. It could be as simple as drinking an extra cup of water or as hard as going to bed on time. Just pick something that you want to focus on. Youre going to get this thing done, and youre going to improve by just that much, Aeliya Grover (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Engine of entrepreneurship

by Emma Gao, Co-Managing Editor December 6, 2023

When people hear the term “robotics,” they might imagine students crowded around computer screens filled with lines of code, or maneuvering eclectic, whirring machines through a series of tasks. But...

Humans of Harker: Shining on stage

Humans of Harker: Shining on stage

by Jessica Wang, Co-Opinions Editor November 28, 2023

What makes a stage? Wood paneling, stage lights, and red curtains that collide. But a stage does not have to be restricted to its physicality: Metrica Shi (12) would argue that a stage can be the backdrop...

“I want to be remembered as the person who was really easy for everyone to talk to. Thats something I pride myself on. I like to make a lot of friends, and I want to be seen as someone who is super approachable, no matter what class or activities youre in. I want to be a potential friend for everyone, Sriram Bhimaraju (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Aiming for amiability

by Charlize Wang, Reporter November 24, 2023

Jimmy Fallon’s voice fills the crowded theater as he announces the next segment of “Fallonventions” on a 2019 episode of “The Tonight Show.” From behind the red curtains of the stage, eighth-grade...

“You learn so much in the process, whether its a skill like 3D printing, or machining, or how to use AI. You also meet a lot of people who are doing similar things, or who are interested in what youre doing. That all is much more meaningful than anything that youve built yourself because no project is ever really finished. You cant reach a perfect outcome,” Omkar Govil-Nair (12) said.

Humans of Harker: Innovating for impact

by Eva Cheng, Reporter November 22, 2023

A smattering of applause echoes through the dark theater as a lone eleven year old strides confidently across the stage with a proud smile on his face. The enormous projector screen hanging behind...

Humans of Harker: Flash through the past

Humans of Harker: Flash through the past

by Claire Yu, Reporter November 17, 2023

A black and white film flickers, illuminating the room as the sounds of the TV echo softly. Christina Rex (12) lounges on a couch in the living room with her parents, watching the scenes flash across...

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