Harker Aquila

The official student-run online publication of The Harker School. Read more at harkeraquila.com!

12/06/2025

Only one more Friday Fit-check until winter break! Check out what students are wearing to stay cozy and fashionable today!

Videography by Eva Cheng and Lily Shi
Editing by Eva Cheng

12/03/2025

You stare at the essay draft on your screen. It’s a mess: the wording is awkward and cluttered, the structure is underdeveloped, the ideas are half-formed. You can already see the hours slipping away as you painstakingly revise sentence by sentence, all in pursuit of something barely passable. Or you could simply open a new tab, paste the draft into ChatGPT and watch it return a polished, articulate essay that says everything you struggled to express. With just a few edits, it’s ready to turn in, returning a higher grade without the exhaustion.

The thought has crossed my mind, too, especially during my busiest weeks, when it feels like I can’t squander even a minute. Like many students, I’ve asked myself: why would I spend hours on something that can be accomplished in a few minutes?

The rise of chatbots has undeniably transformed how we work and learn: AI has probably saved me hundreds of hours of reading dense papers and debugging thousands of lines of code. It’s no surprise that people now turn to chatbots for everything from cheating on assignments to conducting groundbreaking research.

However, research published this year has revealed a dangerous consequence of this growing reliance. In a UK study of 666 participants, heavier AI use correlated with significantly lower scores on critical thinking measures. In an MIT study, 54 participants wrote essays either unaided, with Google Search or with ChatGPT while wearing EEG headsets. The results showed that ChatGPT users displayed the weakest and least distributed brain connectivity. Over repeated sessions, they demonstrated lower neural activation and weaker memory recall.

Full article: https://harkeraquila.com/92977/opinion/the-cost-of-effortless-efficiency/ #

Reporter: Lily Shi
Illustrator: Emma Li

11/26/2025

‘Tis the season to be jolly…but when is it acceptable to start listening to Christmas music? Let’s hear from some Harker students and staff to share their takes on this widely-debated holiday question!

Videography by Chelsea Xie
Editing by Chelsea Xie

11/24/2025

Beyond the bustle of student life at the upper school lie dozens of individuals who keep our campus running smoothly. From maintenance staff who ensure our facilities remain clean to the Office of Communication connecting us with the broader world, these individuals are the backbone of our daily operations.

As the season of giving thanks approaches, we encourage you to show gratitude to those
who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Their contributions often go unacknowledged but remain essential to our school operations. Let us pause to recognize and celebrate these members of our Harker community. They are the hands that build and sustain Harker every single day.

Full article: https://harkeraquila.com/92854/features/hands-of-harker/

Reporting by Tiffany Zhu, Kairui Sun, and Dyuthi Vallamsetty
Photography by Tiffany Zhu and Kairui Sun

11/22/2025

Happy Thanksgiving break from Harker Aquila! Today, the Class of 2026 held an “Anything but a backpack”themed spirit day! Here are just a few of the creative vessels students brought to carry their school supplies.

Videography by Eva Cheng and Lily Shi
Editing by Eva Cheng

11/21/2025

When varsity girls soccer defender Audrey Yang (12) stepped onto the field for her first practice this season, many aspects of the game felt familiar: the bonds with teammates, her pregame rituals and the drive to win. But the new voices calling out from the sidelines and foreign warm-up drills marked a shift from previous seasons.

Audrey noted how frequent coaching changes have forced players to constantly adapt to new systems and expectations.

“Switching a head coach every single year is really hard because every single coach has a different perspective of playing,” Audrey said. “I’ve had to adjust to each coach’s liking. Our coach freshman year was more tough because I had to run more, but then last year the defenders didn’t have to work as much because the emphasis was more on the midfielders.”

Over her four years on the team, four different head coaches have been in charge of varsity girls soccer. Other teams, including football and cross country, have also experienced high rates of coach turnover.

Full article: https://harkeraquila.com/92943/sports/caught-in-a-coaching-cycle/

Reporters: Eva Cheng and Jonathan Szeto
Photographer: Eva Cheng
Illustrator: Lily Peng

11/15/2025

We’re back with another Friday Fit-check! As the weather changes, check out what these students are wearing to soak up these last few weeks of fall.

Videography by Lily Shi, Chelsea Xie and Cynthia Xie
Editing by Eva Cheng

11/14/2025

Across the United States, recent federal funding cuts are weakening government organizations nationwide.

President Donald Trump issued emergency executive orders aimed towards rerouting or freezing existing funds that were almost immediately implemented, constituting a mass withdrawal of millions of dollars from a variety of programs supporting initiatives from child protection to food stamps.

“This government has voiced that they feel like some of this money is being mismanaged or not going to something that is fully representative of all of the American people,” History and AP Government teacher Bronwen Callahan said. “The general idea of the government spending less could be seen as, ‘Great. That’s less taxes for me.’ People usually only start thinking about cons if they’re economically minded, or if all of a sudden the services they have relied on are getting cut.”

Certain executive orders are being challenged by lower courts, many of which believe Congress should have approved the cuts first. California itself has been pushing back against the executive orders on the Department of Education, with the state and multiple school districts suing the government for taking away grants and firing education staff.

Full article: https://harkeraquila.com/92294/features/pulse-of-the-people-federal-funding-cuts-immediately-affect-everything/

Reporting by Mendy Mao and Wenjie Zou
Illustration by Emma Li

11/09/2025

Meet the performative male. In a white tee and baggy jeans, adorned with wired earbuds and a colorful Labubu, he walks confidently, matcha latte in one hand and his latest light reading — a feminist book — in the other. His unique appearance begs the question: is this genuine self-expression or manufactured compassion?

Over the summer, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram exploded with references to the “performative male,” a stereotype coined for men who engage in “feminine” activities, from liking artists like Laufey’s music and enjoying matcha. They usually present themselves in a less dominant, softer light to attract the female gaze. On TikTok, videos about the topic have gained over 28 million views. The trend has even inspired “performative male” contests at colleges like Columbia and NYU.

Full article: https://harkeraquila.com/92376/arts-entertainment-lifestyle/supportive-or-performative-how-the-performative-male-impacts-gender-dynamics/

Reporting by Lily Peng and Saria Lum
Illustration by Lily Peng

11/03/2025

Varsity girls water polo player Alana Brill (12) shares items from her sports bag, including her swim suits, swim cap and slides.

Reporting and editing by Lily Peng
Videography by Liana Barooah

11/02/2025

Varsity girls tennis player Angela Li (9) shares items from her sports bag, including a new cap, sunglasses and two tennis rackets.

Reporting and editing by Liana Barooah
Videography by Lily Peng

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween everyone! Take a look at how students put together their costumes in our latest Friday Fit-check!

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San Jose, CA
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http://harkeraquila.com/

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