Winged Post Volume 24, Issue 6

WINGED

POST

UPCOMING DATES

CLASS OF 2023 GRADUATION

THURSDAY, MAY 18

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

THURSDAY, JUNE 1

AP WEEK SCHEDULE

A/C DAYS

Period 1 8 - 9:25 a.m.

Period 2 9:55 - 11:20 a.m.

Period 3 12:30 - 1:55 p.m.

Period 4 2:05 - 3:30 p.m.

B/D DAYS

Period 5 8 - 9:25 a.m.

Period 6 9:55 - 11:20 a.m.

Period 7 12:30 - 1:55 p.m.

Final grab for choice

The Supreme Court announced a ruling that stripped women across the U.S. of their rights to their body, privacy and safety on June of 2022. Walgreens, an American pharmacy, announced in March that they would no longer be providing abortion medicine in states where republican officials threatened to take legal action. Now, the manufacturer of mifepristone, an abortion medication, is suing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent access to the drug. As more restrictions are applied, women are unable to speak up against the unfair laws created.

If the most basic of legislation supporting female bodily autonomy can be overturned after decades, what other human rights are at stake in America?

Continued on page 5.

School honors seniors via Baccalaureate

kinnera mulam

Seniors and juniors will attend the annual baccalaureate ceremony on May 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Quad. The event will honor the class of 2023 and their contributions through speeches by administrators, class leaders and faculty speaker Martin Walsh and performances by Harker performing arts groups. The ceremony also marks a transfer of leadership and responsibility from the seniors to the junior class.

THE UPPER SCHOOL

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE HARKER SCHOOL

OUR YEAR’S MOST PROM-INENT EVENT

Juniors and seniors attended the 2023 “International Spy”-themed prom on April 24 in Blanco Urban Venue, with around 400 participants partaking in the festivities.

Prom lasted from 7:30 to 11 p.m. and serves as the last major social event of the year for a majority of students. Blanco Urban Venue featured divisions into three major areas, with a dance floor and tables with snacks and refreshments below a deck with sweets and photo opportunities. The uppermost area, shaded by a large canopy, allowed students to mockgamble.

“The energy from the music was solid,” Andrew Smith (11) said. “There were a few particularly hype songs played at most dances that were missed at this one, but I [still enjoyed] ‘HUMBLE’ by

Kendrick [Lamar] and ‘Just Wanna Rock’ by [Lil Uzi Vert].”

Alongside the many students dancing and socializing, many adults helped make the event possible. Upper school English teacher Christopher Hurshman, who has attended Harker prom for over three years, commented on why he believes acting as an adult chaperone is so meaningful and essential to the event.

“[I chaperone dances] because chaperoning is an important role,” Hurshman said. “It’s something the school needs us to do. Ms. Enzensperger and Mr. Kallbrier work hard to find a group of adults who are able to keep our students safe while also allowing them to have a good time.”

In the month before prom, the Associated Student Board (ASB) held a promposal raffle for students. Participants submitted videos of their promposals, and seniors Samvita Gautham and Kris

Estrada won free flowers, a corsage and boutonniere.

As prom approached, upperclassmen set up promposals around campus or lurked in clothing boutiques downtown. Some attendees went with classic evening wear while others, like Lucy Feng (12), made their own outfits.

For the class of 2023, this year’s prom served as their last high school social, the culmination of a high school experience like no other. For some seniors, like Athreya Daniel (12), this was also their first dance.

“[My prom preparations] were pretty last minute,” Athreya said. “But I think that was the fun of it. The experience was new, but it was fun for me.”

Whether prom became the last dance or served as the first of high school for many, the night remains one to remember for all.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Students hear class council Q&A for student council elections

Why should I vote for you? How will you represent the student body? These are the questions students considered as they heard speeches from candidates running for Student Council and Student Activities Board (SAB) on Tuesday, with elections taking place on Thursday.

Prior to elections, students received the chance to ask candidates about pertinent issues. The Q&A for the class of 2026 session focused on a variety of topics including more diverse spirit events and, more specifically, what the candidates promised to do about ping pong tables. Sophomore candidates also discussed their spirit achievements and their goal of community involvement. Finally, the class of 2024 chose between the more lighthearted questions such as “What cereal would you be and why” to the more spe-

cific and time-sensitive issues like identifying better methods for communication.

By addressing such concerns, the candidates aimed to build trust with their fellow students and ensure transparency in their actions. Candidate Kabir Ramzan (11) emphasizes his community-oriented

motives and goals in running for a Student Council position.

“For me, I really feel like I have a close connection to my class,” Kabir said.

“So I really want to help all of [my class] as much as possible and make everybody’s school lives easier.”

ELECTION PROMISES Ananya Pradhan (9) answers a question during the frosh Q&A session on Tuesday. Before elections, students submitted questions to ask candidates.

vika gautham & hima thota

500 SARATOGA AVENUE, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95129

GAMBLING GAMES Harshini Chaturvedula (11) and Nika Lebedev (12) participate in a game of roulette to win raffle tickets.

PICTURE PERFECT Students mingle on the second floor of the prom venue, taking advantage of photo opportunities.

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

Associated Student Body (ASB) members, Student Council representatives and Dean of Students Kevin Williamson coordinated a breakfast buffet for over 70 teachers on April 28 from 7:15 to 8 a.m. in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Day on May 2.

Nationally, Teacher Appreciation Week runs from May 8 to May 12 and serves to highlight the dedication and support teachers across the country provide for their students everyday. The celebratory week stems from a 1953 policy advocated for by Eleanor Roosevelt, who convinced Congress to declare March 7 as National Teacher Day in 1980.

For around 20 years, according to upper school mathematics teacher Bradley Stoll, the breakfast event has invited teachers to Manzanita to enjoy the food and drink served by students. Other celebrations to honor the faculty included writing appreciation notes to teachers and a gift-card lottery drawing.

Former Stanford dean speaks to students

“It’s a nice gesture, [and we] teachers really appreciate it. It’s not just what they’re doing but [it is] also the thought behind it”

Former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford University and TedX speaker Julie Lythcott-Haims spoke to upper school students about living with purpose in a Living with Intent, Focus and Enthusiasm (LIFE) program assembly in the Zhang Athletic Center on April 19.

The author of The New York Times bestseller “How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success,” LythcottHaims’ recent work centers around her experiences working with young adults at Stanford as well as raising her own children. She began her speech with personal anecdotes about raising her children and how she helped them pursue their dreams. Then, LythcottHaims shared various pieces of advice for students as they transition into adulthood, including reevaluating how to measure success. She recalled her time at Stanford and how it influenced her perspective on students and their futures.

“[At Stanford,] I tried to ask other people’s kids, ‘Who are you? What do you

know to be true about yourself so far? What are you good at, and what do you love and what do you think you might want to make of this life?’” LythcottHaims said.

“She was really insightful and kept everyone’s attention,” Stephanie said. “I thought a lot of us could really listen to [her speech], and I feel like a lot of us could connect to it as students ourselves.”

Similarly, Angelina Hu (11) observed that Lythcott-Haims offered particularly valuable counseling to students about the significance of exploring new fields of interest and pursuing a future that they would enjoy.

“I think a lot of people, especially at Harker, struggle with finding something they want to do necessarily and not what their parents just tell them to do,” Angelina said. “[We learned that] sometimes that it’s not your fault if you’re struggling, but some people around you need to take responsibility and also take part in supporting you, too.”

Stephanie Bossolina (10) found her advice profound and noted that LythcottHaims’ lessons revolving around avoiding burnout and following one’s passions struck home, especially as a student attending an academically rigorous institution.

Lythcott-Haims closed with a message to the students of acceptance and self-respect.

“You’re not worth less when your grade and scores are lower,” LythcottHaims said. “You deserve to be cherished as the human you are.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Students prepare and take AP exams for next two weeks

and World History: Modern will all use a College Board app to test this year. Additionally, with student stress high due to testing, Trisha Iyer (11), who is taking AP exams this week, emphasizes the importance of mental health.

Harker students started taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams yesterday on campus and will continue to do so until May 12, the last day of testing. Today, students in AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Environmental Science and AP Psychology will test. For this week and the next, Harker administered a new schedule in which A and C days end at 3:30 p.m. while B and

D days end at 1:55 p.m. Additionally, open campus policies apply to students on their testing days, allowing students to miss classes on their testing days.

Last year, a few AP Exams such as AP World History: Modern used an in-person digital format for testing, and College Board has added more AP exams to that list. AP Computer Science Principles, English Language and Composition, Spanish Literature and Composition, European History, Seminar, U.S. History

“Sleep is really important, and [is] one of the best ways to prepare and make sure you’re emotionally and mentally stable,” Trisha said. “Focus on your personal well being. You have to have normal, healthy sleep [schedule] weeks before in order for it to actually pay off [for] the day of the exam.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

YOU MATTER Julie Lythcott-Haims speaks to students about their futures on April 19. Her speech served as the year’s last LIFE meeting.

kinnera mulam

“The time and energy that teachers put into their work is important, [so] we need to recognize their contributions towards creating a positive learning environment”

SANIA GUPTA (11) STUDENT

CHAYCE MILHEIM

KINNERA MULAM

CONTEMPLATING CHEMISTRY Juniors Amit Karoshi and Varun Fuloria study chemistry notes on April 24 ahead of their May 1 Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry exam. From April 18 to April 28, students in upper school chemistry teacher Dr. Mala Raghavan’s classes practiced AP questions in preparation for the test.

BRADLEY STOLL UPPER SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER

SAM PARUPUDI (10) SOPHOMORE STUDENT COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE

felix chen & kinnera mulam

felix chen, katerina matta & katie reed

“Teachers are often very underappreciated, so we wanted to show something bigger that reflects the size of our appreciation for them”

DEDICATION AND SUPPORT Director of Journalism Whitney Huang helps Young Min (10) with an assignment on April 22 in San Francisco. Teacher Appreciation Day, nationally celebrated on May 2, honors teachers’ endless efforts towards educating their students.

“Sleep is really important, and [is] one of the best ways to prepare and make sure you’re emotionally and mentally stable”

TRISHA IYER (11) STUDENT PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIION

“A lot of people struggle with finding something they want to do and not what their parents just tell them to do”

ANGELINA HU (11) STUDENT

PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIION

Near Mitra reception celebrates scholars

John Near and Mitra Family scholars and Chen Lin mentors presented brief overviews of their projects at the Scholar Grant Reception in Nichols Hall on Tuesday from 4:15 to 6 p.m.

Current seniors in the program recently showcased their research at the Near Mitra Salon on March 13, 14 and 16. This year’s salon featured five Near scholars and four Mitra scholars with each presentation consisting of a three-minute speech of gratitude and reflection during the ceremony. Projects under the Near program emphasize U.S.-related topics, whereas those under the Mitra scholarship concentrate on worldwide history and relations.

Students attend DECA conference in Orlando

READY

42 upper school students and five chaperones participated in the 2023 DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida from April 21 to 26.

Before the event, refreshments and food were provided, and students spanning all grades stopped by to support their peers. Associated Student Body (ASB) Vice President Gordon Chen (12) came to support friend and Mitra Scholar Emmett Chung (12), commending his work ethic and passion for his project.

“I remember I was out with Emmett, and he was working on his salon,” Gordon said. “I realized how much effort he spent on all this, but he still set aside some time for me. I admire how hard [the scholars] work, balancing this giant project with all their other commitments and still be amazing people.”

People then gathered in the Nichols Auditorium, where certificates and flowers were displayed on the stage.

Near Mitra Co-Director Donna Gilbert opened the event by giving thanks to the Near, Mitra and Chen Lin families, as well as Director of Office of Communication Pam Dickinson and Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Joe Rosenthal, for their contributions and support.

The Near Scholars then took the stage alongside their respective mentors. Rahul Mulpuri (12), guided by upper school vocal music teacher Jennifer Sandusky and upper school librarian Meredith Cranston, reflected on his exploration of how the evolving musicality of Japanese Americans in World War II influenced modern Japanese music culture. He recalled how integral of a role the mentors played in his year-long research journey.

“The mentors provided great advice whenever I needed content fixes, to make the essay cohesive, or to help decide whether or not a passage needed alterations,” Rahul said. “They are really there

to guide you and steer you in the right direction rather than to give you a specific prompt for you to follow.”

Stephen Xia (12) also described his experience but through a video played at the ceremony after an introduction from mentor and upper school history and social science teacher Chris Gatto. He delved into low-income residents in San Francisco and how racial injustice led to the downfall of Manilatown in the 1970s.

Then, Austina Xu (12) presented her summary alongside upper school English teacher Charlie Shuttleworth and library director Lauri Vaughan. Her project discussed poems by Allen Ginsburg and T.S. Elliot and compared the post-war and post-modern stylistic choices in writing.

Sabrina Zhu (12) with Director of Journalism Whitney Huang and upper school librarian Amy Pelman concluded the Near Scholar portion. Sabrina focused on journalism’s coverage of the civil rights movement and the impact of reporting Black citizen’s rights.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Harker Journalism gathers awards at JEA/NSPA Convention

TALON secured sixth place.

During the trip, student journalists also participated in a variety of workshops to hone their journalistic skills. TALON Student Life Editor Shiv Deokar (10) hoped to gain new insights into the field of journalism. Through workshops focused on broadcast and video, he explored new aspects of journalism like multimedia.

“I wanted to expand my journalism skills and expand my experiences,” Shiv said. “I did a lot of on-the-ground interviews with a bunch of new people,

After arriving, students experienced DECA Day at the Epcot Center in Disney World, where they explored the park and met other ICDC qualifiers. Afterwards, they attended the grand opening ceremony at the Orange County Convention Center, which recognized all participating chapters and featured guest speakers such as Universal Orlando Senior Vice President of Sales Eric Marshall.

“It was really nice to network with people from across the country during the opening ceremony,” Evan Matvey (11) said.

On April 23 and 24, students competed in their respective written and roleplay events in the Orange County Convention center. The next day, wellperforming students gained recognition at the achievement awards ceremony, and competed in a final round before a new set of judges. The top competitors from the round received additional recognition at the grand awards ceremony, where the top teams from each competitive event received a DECA glass trophy.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Quiz Bowl teams advance to JEA ‘Elite 8’

Harker Journalism staff members participated in Journalism Education Association’s (JEA) National Quiz Bowl from April 21 to 22, earning top 16 seeds out of 24 teams total and making finals.

Harker Journalism students attended the Journalism Education Association (JEA)/National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco from April 19 to 22.

Attendees arrived at Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel convention center on April 19 and left after the April 22 awards ceremony. At the closing event, six Harker students won awards for individual contests: TALON Photo Editor Katie Wang (12) for Photography

Portfolio’s “Honorable Mention,” Harker Aquila Co-Managing Editor Desiree Luo (11) for Sports Writing’s “Excellent” honor, TALON People and Seniors Editor Mirabelle Feng (10) for Literary Magazine Illustration’s “Superior” category, CoOpinions Editor Jessica Wang (10) for “Superior” Editorial Writing and Co-News Editor Felix Chen (10) for Press Law and Ethics “Excellent” award. In addition to the individual awards, Winged Post, Harker Aquila and TALON entered the NSPA Best of Show competition, which judges an entire issue or edition of a student publication. Winged Post took fourth place, Harker Aquila won ninth and

and it opened my eyes.”

Several students hosted their own workshops, sharing their experiences with investigative journalism and Humans of Harker. Felix, who spoke as part of the “Immigrant Stories” presentation, described his aims for the presentations.

“What I loved most was sharing the story of how Harker created such an indepth package to so many other people, so many student journalists, at this national convention,” Felix said.

Harker’s participants split into two teams, the first team with members Katie Wang (12), Kinnera Mulam (11), Katerina Matta (10) and Anwen Hao (10). The second team composed of students Felix Chen (10), Grant Yang (10), Olivia Xu (11) and Aishani Singh (10). First, the students participated in the qualifying round of the Quiz Bowl where they took a one-hour test of 33 multiple-choice and short-answer questions that placed the top 16 teams into the elimination round. Harker’s two teams placed at both ninth and 13th seeds. The next day, the teams participated in live buzzer rounds with the both teams eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

SHAREEN CHAHAL

HISTORY TALK Kris Estrada (12) and Near Mitra Co-Director Donna Gilbert chat during the Scholar Grant Reception on Tuesday. At the event, Near Mitra scholars presented on their respective research projects.

WORDS OF THE WISE Co-News Editor Felix Chen (10) and Winged Post Editor-in-Chief Kinnera Mulam (11) interview keynote speaker Peter Hartlaub on April 20. Harker Journalism enhanced its skills in workshops and received awards in the JEA/NSPA Convention.

katerina matta & kinnera mulam

shareen chahal & alena suleiman

edward huang

FOR SUCCESS DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) competitors roam the convention center hallways and exhibit booths on April 23.

angelina burrows, vika gautham & aishani singh

BUZZ! Journalism students Katerina matta (10), Anwen Hao (10), Kinnera Mulam (11) and Katie Wang (12) prepare to answer the next Quiz Bowl question.

KEVIN ZHANG

ANGELINA BURROWS

“I admire how hard [the scholars] work, balancing this giant project with all their other commitments”

GORDON CHEN (12) STUDENT PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

“I came to [the conference] because I wanted to expand my journalism skills and expand my experiences”

SHIV DEOKAR (10)

TALON STUDENT LIFE EDITOR PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

EDWARD HUANG

Leaked documents reveal Ukraine war secrets

fall short of its goals. However, the U.S. government claimed that the impact of these leaks proved small, as Russian forces could deduce the information from their own intelligence.

aryana bharali & andrew liang

Armed forces clash in Sudan

Sudan’s paramilitary legal group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched attacks against the government-allied military group Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the capital of Khartoum on April 15. Fighting also erupted in the Darfur region, the site of a deadly war in the 2000s and 2010s that displaced millions of Darfurians.

According to the Associated Press, many of Khartoum’s over 6 million inhabitants are trapped in their homes without electricity or water. They cannot buy food and receive other supplies. The attacks occurred during the closing days of Ramadan, when most of the Muslim-majority population abstains from food and drink during the day. Furthermore, major hospitals in the city have shut down, preventing residents from receiving care.

Finland joins NATO as 31st member

Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, becoming its 31st member. This nation’s accession is a direct strategic setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continuously denounced the expansion of NATO prior to his invasion of Ukraine last year.

“For almost 75 years, this great alliance has shielded our nations and continues to do so today,” Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg declared at the ceremony. “But war has returned to Europe, and Finland has decided to join NATO and be part of the world’s most successful alliance.”

Myanmar military airstrike kills 165

Airstrikes launched by Myanmar’s military killed at least 165 people outside the village of Pazigyi on April 11. This attack is the deadliest since Myanmar’s military ousted control from State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in February of 2021.

“These violent attacks further underscore the regime’s disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in [Myanmar],” Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State Vedant Patel said in a statement.

Japan’s Kishida survives explosion

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida survived a targeted smoke bomb attack during a campaign stop on April 15 in Wakayama. Following the detonation, police subdued the suspect and attendees fled as Kishida was evacuated and protected with a bulletproof briefcase. Two local fishermen restrained the suspect as he prepared to ignite a second explosive.

The incident echoed the July 2022 assassination of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot during a political campaign speech.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Classified documents containing sensitive information about the RussoUkrainian war and American intelligence appeared on various social media platforms in early April. According to the Pentagon, the leaks present a serious concern to national security.

Although officials have not verified the leaked content, some of the information contained in the documents appears accurate to investigators.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Jack Teixera, a 21-year-

old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, on April 13 for posting photos of the documents to Discord. Although they surfaced in major channels recently, these photos had likely circulated in private chat rooms months before. The documents reveal that the situation in Ukraine is much more dire than public reports depict. In one section of a document, Russian casualties are estimated to be around 16,000 and Ukrainian casualties more than four times higher, at 70,000. Previously, American government officials claimed that Russia had suffered much more casualties. These documents also suggest that a counteroffensive aimed at taking back Russian-occupied territory may

Aside from information about the war, the documents also detailed how the U.S. spied on other people and countries. Ahead of a joint April 26 summit, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) wiretapped South Korean officials who were debating on selling arms shipments to Ukraine. South Korean policy does not allow the country to send arms to countries at war, but America has pressured the country to abandon this policy or ship weapons to Poland. American and South Korean officials have agreed that most of the documents are fake, but the allegations have led to further concerns.

“Both the U.S. and South Korea are allied and have strong vested interests that bind them together, so this type of distrust is bad.” Jason Shim (10), who identifies as Korean-American, said. “South Korea’s economy is heavily dependent on the U.S. market, so if South Korea loses confidence in the U.S., anything could happen.”

Besides South Korea, the U.S. also spied on U.N. SecretaryGeneral António Guterres. In July 2022, Guterres brokered a deal with Russia, Turkey and Ukraine to allow Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilizer to reach global markets. However, American officials believed that Guterres conceded too easily to Russian demands. The United Nations expressed concern about American spying on Guterres.

INFOGRAPHICBYKEVINZHANG

“We have made it clear that such actions are inconsistent with the obligations of the United States,” U.S. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement during an April 18 briefing.

France protests against Macron’s new pension reform

Over one million people protested on the streets against French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans for new pension reform that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Before 2023, Macron also tried introducing a bill in order to reform the pension system, introducing a universal points-based system to replace the old system, as the deficit would increase over the next 25 years. Under this proposed system, workers would need

to accumulate points throughout their careers. Each point would represent a certain amount of their total pension, a government reimbursement during their retirement for their work. The worker’s earnings and contributions would be used to calculate their total pension. However, the 2023 bill also included an increase of the retirement age by two years, inciting protests throughout France, especially in the capital city of Paris.

Similarly sparking widespread protests, the 2023 pension reform excluded the universal points-based system, instead focusing on the retirement age, which would increment by three months per year until 2030, when the retirement age would have increased by two years.

President Macron’s push for pension reform sparked outrage in France due to controversial proposals. People protested against their government to prevent the underminig of a fundamental part of France’s social welfare system.

“In the strikes I’ve seen, there were a few police, but I didn’t see any

fires personally,” Jess Jiang (‘20), who is currently studying abroad in Paris, said. “There are a ton of people playing music, chanting, clapping.”

France has a history of outward rebellion and protest. Several student protests occurred in the twentieth century, similar to the protests against the Vietnam War in the United States. However, these protests instead were about colonial wars, such as the Algerian War. Students fought back and protested against the government in order to show their disapproval against the government’s violent suppression of Algerian independence. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

UNITED FOR UKRAINE Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin III hosts a Ukraine defense meeting in Brussels. Officials say leaked documents will not affect support for Ukraine.

andrew liang

steven jiang

SOURCE: DEFENSE.GOV

Protesters march on the streets of Paris, waving flags and holding signs. They oppose President Emanuel Macron’s proposal to increase retirement age.

“In the strikes I’ve seen, there were a few police. There are a ton of people playing music, chanting, clapping”

JESS JIANG (‘20) STUDENT STUDYING ABROAD IN PARIS DELANEY LOGUE

“If South Korea loses confidence in the U.S., anything could happen”

JASON SHIM (10) KOREAN-AMERICAN STUDENT PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

Final Grab for Choice

Content Warning: Article mentions abortion, rape and incest.

In a historic moment, the Supreme Court announced a ruling in June of 2022 that stripped women across the U.S. of their rights to their body and safety. But that wasn’t enough. Walgreens, an American pharmacy, announced in March that they would no longer be providing abortion medicine in states where republican officials threatened to take legal action. And now, the manufacturer of mifepristone is suing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent access to the drug. As more restrictions are applied women are losing their voices, unable to speak up against the unfair laws created.

“Roe v. Wade is probably the biggest Supreme Court case to affect abortion laws in general,” FEM (Feminism) Club vice president Carol Wininger (12) said. “[This] negatively harms the accessibility of abortions in many, many states, especially the conservative ones. I know that it’s already controversial to get abortions in those states, so it’s just going to make it worse.”

Issues with abortion date back to the 1800’s, when a few U.S. states defined abortion as a criminal offense. Since then, women pioneers in the field of reproductive rights have founded organizations such as the American Birth Control League and Planned Parenthood.

“A lot of people don’t really understand how important it is for something like [Roe v. Wade] to be changed, because Supreme Court cases are studied years later”

CAROL

WININGER (12)

In the 1970s, amidst the turmoil within the Supreme Court over the issue of Jane Roe, who challenged a Texas law that made abortion illegal except in cases where the woman’s life was at risk. The defendant, Henry Wade, alleged that the law held unconstitutional values. 30 states prohibited abortion without any exception, and 16 states banned it except in certain cases such as rape, incest, or health threats.

On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme court ruled to invalidate all these laws that forbid women to their own right of abortion. Roe established that a woman’s right to privacy

“is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” Consequently, Roe v. Wade protected the right to abortion in all 50 states, creating more accessible and safe methods throughout the U.S.

So, who is impacted by abortion? In the U.S., 75% of abortion patients are 250% below the federal poverty level, and more than 50% of those patients are women of color. Reasons for obtaining an abortion can range from childbirth issues, to their unborn child being a product of rape and incest. In denying abortion access, many women are forced to undergo the high medical risks that childbirth carries, and the risk of death with childbirth is 14 times as much as the risk of abortion.

However, there is also another side to the issue of abortion, which is the prolife sentiment. Wynette Sills, a prominent pro-life activist in Sacramento, feels deep empathy for these unborn children, especially since she spent her childhood aware that her mother initially wanted an abortion.

“The progressives in our culture think of themselves as a voice for the little guy, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, the poor,” Sills said. “They’re seeking diversity and equity and inclusion, and yet they discriminate against what we know to be a human being who in many ways doesn’t quite look like what we think of as a human being. ”

In addition, Sills shared that she’s painfully witnessed fetuses being aborted in pregnancies as late as 24 weeks. Sills also claimed that easy access to abortion is

falsely advertised to young women, when in reality, abortion is a painful and lifeimpacting experience.

“If you’ve watched videos about the chemical abortion pill — that is such a really unfair messaging to young women,” Sills said. “I have yet to encounter a single woman who’s voluntarily agreed to

Connecticut first to make abortion a criminal

WYNETTE SILLS PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE

undergo the chemical abortion procedure more than once. Once is typically too much for most women to endure because your whole body experience from head to toe is very traumatic.”

Abortion is a human rights issue, and each individual is entitled to their opinion on the topic. In America, the land of the free and the “most advanced nation in the world,” women are denied the most basic right, which is the ability to make a choice over their bodies. If the legislation supporting female bodily autonomy can be overturned decades later, what other human rights are at stake in America?

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

League becomes Planned Parenthood protecting the right to abortion in

Sanger founded the American Birth expand abortion rights

Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

75% of abortion patients are 250% below federal poverty level

50% of abortion patients are women of color

Look behind the screen: social media and eating disorders

Gwyneth Paltrow. Academy-Award winning actress, cookbook author and founder of a lifestyle company for women. Now, she’s also a health guru. Known for her commentaries on her diet and lifestyle, Paltrow recently drew criticism for her brief summary of what she eats in a day during her interview with podcast “The Art of Being Well,” she detailed a brief summary of what she eats in a day, which included bone broth and veggie salads.

“One cultural beauty standard we have is typically for people to be skinnier,” Medical Club officer Sahngwie Yim (10) said. “In terms of just societal pressure, we see a lot of very, very slim women who society says look great on the outside, but in reality oftentimes they’re struggling with eating disorders or have different kinds of illnesses.”

In America, 65% of women between the ages of 25 and 45 struggle with eating disorders, and these struggles exist across all racial groups. Even among athletes, over one third of female Division I National Collegiate Athletics Association athletes report anorexia-prone behaviors, and male athletes also pose a risk of developing eating disorders. Disordered eating can lead to life-threatening complications such as extreme weight or period loss.

“The notion that teenagers should die to change the way they look [is] really harmful,” Psychology Club Vice President Daphne Avkarogullari (11) said. “You can end up stunting your growth, but especially [with] women, it can cause a lot of hormonal issues that have long term effects. [With] one size fits all, diet culture for women is incredibly pervasive.”

Celebrity culture reaches young audiences all over the world through online mediums such as social media and podcasts. The online influence such as photos and commentaries on diets and workouts harms people’s mindsets towards their bodies through comparison and can lead to . In addition, most individuals tend to trivialize women’s struggles, especially in the medical world.

“For example, a hypothetical situation like a man comes into the ER with a stomach ache and he’s given opioids, versus a female comes in and she’s sent home with Tylenol,” Daphne said. “There’s this expectation that females have a higher pain tolerance, and that is to some extent true, [but] I don’t think that means their pain should be neglected.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

vika gautham & hima thota

ILLUSTRATION BY VIKA GAUTHAM

NATIONAL STRUGGLE Women grapple with the implications of the overturning of Wade in Roe v. Wade, with many losing the ability to make decisions about their own body.

“We can have strongly held beliefs, but my hope would [be] that we could still be civil towards one another”

PROVIDED BY WYNETTE SILLS

Haikus for National Haiku Day

A guide to your ASB Officers

Fun facts, goals and more from your 2023-2024 representatives

vika gautham

claire su & jessica wang

Sparse syllables flow

Haikus born in Japan’s past

Basho’s artistry

Seventeen sound bites

Five, seven, five, count just right

Nature themes take flight

Words on the paper

Haikus form syllable by Syllable, it blooms

Seasons come and go

Haikus capture nature’s flow

Transient beauty is shown

With meditation

Haikus grant contemplation

Zen inspiration

Kigo, kireji

Haiku’s vocabulary

Need for mastery

Shiki’s reforming

Haiku’s five-seven-five beat

Open to the world

Haikus honor life

About birth, death, joy and strife

The beauty of all

Minimalist’s aim

Haiku’s brevity, its game

Sharp words, a small frame

Ink flows from the pen Haiku emerges on page Beauty, brevity

Masters like Issa

Honored the form with prowess

Haikus spread their wings

Haikus in wartime

Offer solace to the mind

In moments unkind

Samurai poets

And haiku’s practitioners

Emphasized stillness

Edo period

Haikus for the all masses

Through printed pages

Modern haikus bend

Traditional rules, they blend

Old and new again

Haikus celebrate

Life’s moments, fantastical Haikus resonate

And now we see the Development of haikus

Across periods

National Haiku Day is April 17

Let’s all write haikus!

Happy National Haiku Day!

As the 2023-2024 school year approaches, the newly elected Associated Student Body (ASB) members shared their plans, hopes, advice and goals for the upcoming year, so that you can get to know your representatives. Each member expressed excitement and commitment to serving the student body and making the school year memorable for everyone. Whether it’s organizing school events, advocating for student needs or simply being a friendly face in the hallways, the ASB members are dedicated to making the upcoming school year a success.

The ASB members will include President Daniel Lin, Vice President Ella Lan, Secretary Cynthia Wang, Treasurer Gordy Sun and Spirit Coordinator Luke Mehta.

Previous ASB representatives were President Kris Estrada, Vice President Gordon Chen, Secretary Michelle Jin, Treasurer Abhi Namala and Spirit Coordinator Zubin Khera.

CYNTHIA WANG (11) Secretary

Goal: Make school meetings more entertaining and less time consuming Favorite spirit event: Spirit Dance

DANIEL LIN (11) President

Goal: New initiatives and meeting more with ASB members

Advice to underclassmen: Look at the bigger picture

ELLA LAN (11) Vice President

Goal: Hotline for students with encouragement from lower school students

Senior Bucketlist: Senior trip with friends

Advice to underclassmen: Pursue your passions and talk to people!

Fun Fact: Once fell into a river

Who do you want to be known as: The kind of guy people know and go, “What’s up, Luke”

Favorite harker lunch: “Those juicy tacos”

Vaisakhi: A day of commemoration and celebration

jasleen hansra, jasmine hansra & sidak sanghari

Sound reverberates off the walls of the main Divan Hall, as the shabad sung by Bhaiji on the front stage. The script, full of words of love, wisdom, and praise, fill my head and heart as peope walk down the long blue carpet to the front, where the Sikh holy prayer books, lays open.

On the day of Vaisakhi, Sikhs all around the world travel to their local Gurdwara to commemorate the event as a sangat, or community, on April 14. After paying their respects to the 11th Guru of Sikhism, families eat in the Langar hall, where a special meal and snacks are served in celebration.

Families traveled to the Gurdwara on Vaisakhi, which fell on a Friday in the United States this year.

After taking off their shoes, people sit for shabad and prayer in the Divan hall, while eating

parshad, a butter filled halva made of flour.

In the eating hall, volunteers served Indian snacks, such as samosas and a variety of other snacks. Food is prepared in large quantities to feed the community and whoever else comes to eat langar, which is free. Dishes include daal, a spicy lentil soup, kheer, a sweet rice pudding, rotis, similar to a tortilla, and dahi, spiced yogurt.

Vaisakhi

Pronounciation: Vai-saa-kee

Language: Punjabi

Date Celebrated: April 14

While Vaisakhi is commonly known as a spring harvest festival, the event also holds historical context for Sikhs.

On the day, in 1699, the 10th and last human Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, founded the Khalsa, a group of Sikhs who have been blessed through holy water, Amrit and have made a commitment and a

vow to keep the 5Ks: kes (long, uncut hair that is preserved as a gift from God), kara (an iron bracelet that Sikhs wear on their right wrist, to remind themselves to do good deeds), kachera (undergarments to protect sanctity of the person), kanga (a wooden comb to symbolize cleanliness and care for the kes), and kirpan (a small sword worn on a strap that reminds Sikhs of their fight against injustice).

In the Bay Area, one of the largest celebrations for Vaisakhi is the Stockton Nagar Kirtan, a religious procession where Sikh families come together as a community. From early morning,  prayer service is held in the Gurdwara, and langar, free food given to all no matter their background, is served by various vendors doing seva (service). During this time, people can connect with family, friends or others in the community.

Not only do people of the Sikh culture participate in this parade, but many people of other cultures are encouraged to watch the procession and engage in learning about Sikh culture.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

GORDY SUN (11) Treasurer

LUKE MEHTA (11) Spirit Coordinator

Out of the nest: See it all in Seattle

Putnam buzzes on:

Though Harker’s run of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” came to a close, the cast and crew remain a hive of activity. In between prep for the school year’s end and the August Edinburgh Fringe Festival, they will perform at the May 8 Rita Moreno Awards.

Selina Xu (11), who plays Olive Ostrovsky, is nominated for Outstanding Actress, and the musical is nominated for Overall Production. Selected from a pool of a hundred others, she discusses getting into Olive’s headspace. Though she first thought of her as just a shy speller, Selina grew to understand Olive’s quirky charm.

I’ve felt a lot of the struggles [Olive] faces,” Selina said. “Especially with the ‘I Love You’ song, I’ve been struggling feeling distant from others recently. The power of theater is that when you work with characters, you discover pieces of yourself in them. ”

It’s my first time in Seattle, Washington, the bustling city of coffee, greenery, planes, cherry blossoms, Pike Place, the Space Needle and tempestuous weather.

All it took was a simple itinerary template on Google Sheets, hours of looking through travel websites, a lot of necessary sacrifices for the time that we had, and a growing sense of anticipation to see and experience what my meticulous planning would really amount to.

After a quick breakfast at Subway, we drove to Chihuly Garden and Glass, an open studio showcase of American glass artist Dale Chihuly’s works. As soon as we stepped foot into the first exhibit, I was blown away by the mesmerizing and almost ethereal beauty of the flowy glass sculptures. It was raining when we enjoyed the outdoor gardens of the museum, adding another layer of cozy ambiance that enhanced the scene.

It was my birthday that day, so we finally drove to Joule after resting in the hotel for another hour. The Korean fusion steakhouse’s atmosphere was toasty and lively, with fairy lights hanging on strings right outside of the window. We ordered beef tartare, bone marrow, toothpick pork belly, geoduck black rice and grassfed ribeye. Everything from this restaurant went well above and beyond my expectations, especially for a place I hadn’t heard of. Pike Place Fish Market’s energetic shouting drew our attention. One of the oldest running seafood markets in the U.S., vendors are known as “the guys who throw the fish.” Fish-throwing is one of their daily traditions, which actually started as a prank before it became a regular part of their routine due to popular demand.

Our last destination of the day was the Washington Park Arboretum, a public park on the shores of Lake Washington. Spanning 230 acres, this park is sure to captivate with all of lush scenery and wildlife. I found myself taking deeper breaths than usual as I soaked in my surroundings and started to tune into the sounds of nature.

I wish we could have spent more time in some places for a more well-rounded experience. Otherwise, this was a great trip to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. I’ll be sure to “sea” it again!

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article

Artstravaganza celebrates artists, premieres films

Where can you find china vases, search poems for meaning and learn your peer’s deepest, darkest thoughts? Where can you find kintsugi clay tablets, study models of cities and watch a movie premiere? At Artstravaganza, of course!

The upper school held its annual arts exhibition Artstravaganza during long lunch on Tuesday April 25. Works from all visual arts classes and those honored in the 2023 Scholastic

Art & Writing Awards appeared at the exhibition.

Harker Eclectic Literary Magazine (HELM) kicked off the reception with the unveiling of “bloom,” their print issue. This year, Film Production and the Acting for the Camera classes also collaborated to create short films for the first time.

Visitors flocked to the reception, looking for both snacks and a place to escape the bustle of AP season. Upper School Visual Arts teacher Brian Caponi speaks to the appeal of Artstravanza.

“It’s nice to go in and just appreciate the hard work that went into the objects,” Caponi said. “It’s important for anyone going into [an exhibition] to be open to the work. Everytime you pass by it it’ll be a different experience, and it’ll continue to reveal more about itself.”

Writers honored by Scholastic Art & Writing Awards also read out their work. As the crowd of students and visitors flowed in and out of Nichols atrium and auditorium, the spirit of celebration and appreciation only grew.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article

Furthermore, the theater also allows for the discovery and development of a community. After their run at the upper school ended, the entire production gathered at Zubin Khera’s (12) house for a cast party.

There, the seniors gave speeches to the directors and production crew. The juniors gave returned the favor, giving speeches to the seniors in a heartfelt and tearjerking demonstration of “Spelling Bee’s” bond.

“Everyone has worked so hard this year,” Selina said. “I’m so grateful we get to go to Scotland together and just be in each other’s presence. Everyone is so willing to support each other, to watch each other grow.”

In a few days, they will return to the stage for seven minutes. They will hold hands and bow under the heat of the stage lights. Yet when finals move into the spotlight, the hype may become more of a drone.

But the buzz will return. In three months, the cast and crew of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” will bow to cheers and applause again, this time across the ocean in Edinburgh.

“[Fringe] is like candy for artists,” Performing Arts Director Laura-Lang Ree said. “We’re showing our work to the world. It’s a big honor to have one of the 33

claire zhao

A force to bee reckoned with alison yang

CHIMERIC CHEER Olive, Selina Xu (11), and her parents, seniors Sawyer Lai and Alan Jiang, in “I Love You.” The ballad is her fantasy of a complete and happy family.

ATRIUM ALIVE Pieces from all visual arts classes as well as written work sit in Nichols Atrium. Conservatory premied short films.

BRICK BY BRICK A Lego recreation of the Space Needle which stands 500 feet above the city and offers a view stretching miles.

PRETTY IN PINK A house finch pinches a cherry blossom in its beak at the Washington Park Arboretum.

BEAUTIFUL BETHANY Ruby Johnson (11) made two porcelain fish, Bethany and Shadow, for her AP 3D Art and Design class.

JESSICA WANG ALISON YANG

CLAIRE ZHAO

CLAIRE ZHAO

alison yang

PIKE PLACE

WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM

CHIHULY GARDEN & GLASS

JAZZ CONCERT

Students dress to impress at prom

Prom fashion evolved over the years, as the first proms made waves with Victorian-style dresses, followed by loose and androgynous silhouettes during the fashion reform of the 1920s and later dresses with intricate designs and beading in the 2010s.

(11) and Johnathan Mo (12) play the saxophone in the Evening of Jazz.

Jazz and lab bands from the middle and upper school collaborated for the April 14 Evening of Jazz. Warming up the audience, the middle school jazz band performed Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk.”

The upper school jazz and lab band united to honor their graduating seniors with the song, “When the Saints Come Marching In” by Louis Armstrong. After brief introductions of each senior, the sound of Armstrong’s hymn permeated Patil theater as it incorporated solos from seniors Atri Banerjee, Nina Franz, Riya Gupta, Will Lee, Johnathan Mo, Jia Parikh, Vishal Rohra and Rahul Santhanam.

CHORAL CONCERT

Students at prom dressed with inspiration from all eras and cultures as they formed their own outfits to display.

Some students added sophistication to their dresses by including symbols and styles from their own cultures. Anika Mantripragada (10), styled herself with inspiration from Indian clothing, sporting a piece of traditional outfits called a Lehenga.

“The top part of my dress has a lot of flower designs, but if you look closely they’re inspired by cell cultures,” Anika said. “I had the pleasure of designing my own dress and speaking to a designer in India, so I took a lot of inspiration from my work with medical illustration. A lot of Indian dresses are very detailed, but for events like prom, dresses are a solid color, so I combined it with some western elements by including gloves

inspired by Audrey Hepburn.”

Other students chose a minimalistic style, opting for a remix of their outfits from last year. Tyler Beede (12) used his prom outfit from his junior year and added final touches to update it to this year’s trends.

VIBRANT VOCALS Senior Ayla Apsey and juniors Sonya Apsey and Arushi Sharma sing during the choral concert.

The uppers school vocal groups performed their Spring Concert in the Patil Theater on April 21. As well as performing various songs, the department acknowledged their honorary seniors: Ayla Apsey, Ava Arasan, Kris Estrada, Lucy Feng, Jacob Fernandez, Samvita Gautham, Jack Hsieh, Aria Jain, Alan Jiang, Sukrit Kalsi, Sawyer Lai, Anika Pandey, Gwen Yang and Anthony Zhao.

To end the night, all of the vocal groups came on stage together to perform their first gospel-style song, “Up On the Mountain Shouting” by Caldwell and Ivory, with Melissa Lin on piano.

ORCHESTRA CONCERT

SWEET SPRING Seniors Cassie May and Sawyer Lai lead the violinists in the concert.

The upper school Orchestra hosted their year’s last performance, the Spring Orchestra Concert, in the Patil Theater on April 28 to highlight the seniors’ talents.

Cassie May (12) opened with a violin solo performance of “La Mer” by Claude Debussy, and Richard Zhang (12) closed with a self-composed piece featuring a solo from each senior and references to pop culture and past pieces. Guest Composer Peter Shin also performed Relapse, his own composition, and Sawyer Lai (12) conducted the concert.

Prom outfits are an expression of creativity for various students. The wide range of fabrics, cuts and cultural backgrounds make prom not only a school dance but a place to make a statement on personal style and diversity.

Book Corner: Tragic blessing of humanity

“Mine has been a life of much shame. I can’t even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being.”

These opening sentences of “No Longer Human” by Osamu Dazai accurately summarize the theme of the entire novel. Split into three sections labeled as notebooks, the novel tells the story of Oba Yozo, who narrates his life while portraying himself as a soulless failure of a human. Ningen Shikkaku, the book’s original title, translates to “Disqualified from Being Human”, as translator Donald Keene mentions in his preface.

“No Longer Human” is not an easy book to read. No Longer Human is the type of book that sweeps into the reader’s mind, grabs their consciousness and then leaves, taking any strong feelings or opinions of the story with it. The emotions described in each notebook are not written as if the author actually felt it. Instead, the entire story feels as if it is told from another perspective. He has, inexplicably, disassociated himself from his own life.

Days after completing the book, I realized that the nothingness and hopelessness left after reading might have been the author’s intention—to show the reader just how empty Oba Yozo himself felt, and then to try to pull something out of the story.

Not a book to read all at once, “No Longer Human” is not a book that will inspire and motivate its readers. It is the story of a man alienated from society who puts on the false front of a careless clown to please others, even as he is terrified to the very core of the complex and corrupted

nature of humanity. However, throughout his life, he is blessed with a few glimpses of light, the few sincere moments of love and care he feels from others.

Though the novel is a despairing description of exclusion from society — a life filled with misery greatly emphasizes any joy — such descriptions help the reader understand the luck of simply being human. “No Longer Human” is a sort of twisted comfort, a book that says, ‘people are lucky to feel human’; it is a book that screams for help, saying ‘I can’t escape’; it is a book that personifies the phrase “misery enjoys company”, and it is a book that will change your perspective on life depending on how you choose to interpret it.

My interpretation is only one of thousands. Perhaps you will lose faith in humanity after reading this. Perhaps you will lose hope and motivation. Or maybe, you will peer into the darkness of Oba Yozo’s thoughts and find something in them. Maybe you will see the moments of genuine, tender human connection that he had with others, and then you might feel grateful for the people who make you human.

Eagle ranking

Visit harkeraquila.com for full

BRASSY BLUES Ben Cha (11), Isha Kotalwar

mia tang

young min

chayce milheim

margaret cartee

SOULLESS “No Longer Human” tells the tale of a man with no emotions or soul.

“The only truly personal emotion that we see Oba experience is the feeling that he is inhuman”

CHAYCE MILHEIM

PROVIDED BY SAMVITA GAUTHAM

PROVIDED BY SAMVITA GAUTHAM

Appropriation vs. Appreciation

What’s the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation? Based solely on the definition, appreciation is about honoring a culture while appropriation is the inappropriate adoption of aspects of a culture. However, in practice, that definition leaves a lot of room for interpretation, where different people may view the line separating the two in vastly contrasting ways.

In cultural appropriation, someone usually from the dominant culture profits from taking an aspect of another subdom inant culture without giving credit to the original ideas and inspiration. Cultur al appropriation also has the potential to exotify other cultures, where tradi tions are reduced to simple stereo types.

Certain items like a Native Ameri can headdress hold religious significance in a culture, so wearing it can convey a sense of disrespect due to their customs. Thus, in order to appreciate a certain dress, it is necessary to understand the significance and culture of a particular dress or traditions.

However, cultural appropriation does not refer to all instances of using another’s culture. For example, when a high school student wore an adaptation of the tradi tional Chinese qipao as her prom dress, people online criticized her ignorance of Chinese culture while many, from main land China, actually supported her wear. Her motivation for wearing her dress was unlikely to be for profit or mocking anoth er’s culture, but many still accused her of cultural appropriation.

With social media, any video or pho to can randomly go viral, leaving people open to more scrutin. Each aspect of ev

ery post is analyzed, and innocent gestures can be overblown into offensive symbolism. Culture should be shared and understood, but the quick accusations online can have the negative effect of turning many away from learning about other cultures.

Furthermore, wearing dresses from

FRIDAY FIVE: RELAXING BEFORE AP‘S

As long as there is mutual benefit, cultural exchange can build a greater sense of community. Culture itself originates from many different influences, and America is a prime example of the mixing of different cultures with immigrants from all over the world. With a greater appreciation of other cultures, we can form a greater under-

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

In recent months, celebrity innovators of the tech industry once seen as the cutting edge of the future have fallen from grace. From Elon Musk and his recent debacle of a Twitter acquisition, to Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX collapse, to Elizabeth Holmes’s sentencing late last year,

centric lone innovator, taking credit for the successes of his companies, to the point where the names of Tesla’s co-founders are hardly known. Holmes deliberately dressed in the manner of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple and seminal tech genius, attempting and succeeding to replicate his image. Bankman-Fried’s invariably pearance of the uncomplicated,

To their cult followings, these tertaining no disagreement and forming bandwagons of believers attracted by their visions. But they themselves grew to believe the image they

creasingly arrogant and cure in sitions among the tech elite, which enabled

fied personas. Both their and our refusal to admit their many imperfections and faults led to a veneer of respectability thinly masking achievements riddled with cracks and deficiencies.

Advanced Placement (AP) tests. A standardized exam that quantifies how well you’ve mastered certain content pertaining to a specific subject. It’s the season of cramming and stressing about scores. For me, the pressure feels like a ticking time bomb that’s ready to explode at any moment, which is why I look for ways to relax and reduce any nervousness. Here are five ways to relax before the AP exams:

5. Make instant noodles

I find that I often get hungry while studying, maybe because I’ve been too busy to eat, or because I want a distraction. So I embrace my future struggling college student life and resort to making instant noodles. The warm and soft texture, the occasional splash of hot soup on your face — instant noodles allow you to loosen up. With a variety of flavors to choose from, you can have an adventure every time with the dish.

4. Take a walk

Walks are a means to go outside and breathe fresh air. I like to take a 15 minute walk around my neighborhood, admiring the nature. Taking walks allows you to reset your mind, and it’s great for your health. It’s also interesting to look around your favorite place and observe your surroundings. Take advantage of this time you have to yourself, and you may be surprised at what you notice in your neighbourhood and community.

3. Draw

In the desperate times where I can’t seem to grasp a certain free response choice during my AP Computer Science practice test, drawing relieves me of the urge to give up. I like to open my windows and draw whatever I see. Sometimes, it’s great to just scribble as well. The feeling of my graphite pencil on the gray-toned paper give me confidence that I will improve my score next time. And if I don’t, back to the drawing (board) I go!

2. Organize desk

Imagine you just finished your practice test, opening up your answer key, you look to check the answers and — oh you didn’t do that well. During times like these, I find that organizing my desk can improve my mood. It may seem like a small thing but knowing where to put my pencils, papers and other items gives me a sense of control. The gratifying feeling of looking at a clean desk is like scoring highly on your stimulus based multiple choice. Well, almost.

1. Listen to music

Ultimately, the world began to recognize the fact that these people could and had made mistakes, and that they had not followed through with their ambitious and yet once-so-believable promises. For far too long, however, their personalities and appearances overshadowed their flaws, and so we ignored them, a mistake and lesson we must learn from.

Though greater caution is necessary, we must be careful to ensure it does not become stagnation, instead striking a balance between diligence and daring in industry. We must encourage those with ideas and visions while being sure to never see someone as any more than human and fallible. In these situations, we must hold these figures accountable for their actions. There will always remain those seen as geniuses, who captivate the minds of those around them. It thus remains the responsibility of others and of us to exercise heedful caution.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Music is the key to life. It can lift your spirits, drown your sorrows or make you wish you never met a man who you don’t even know. So, I make it a priority to have a jam session at least once every hour. It can be one song, or five, but I find that I relax after listening to my favorite songs. I often listen to music while doing homework as well, so it feels routine to me. I try to play different genres each day, like classical and R&B. Of course, whatever fits your own taste is what will suit you best.

couraged these images. Musk

vika gautham

“Their personalities and appearances overshadowed their flaws”

“Cultural exchange can help build a greater sense of community”

felix chen

ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA WANG

CELEBRATING THE WOMEN

TINY LOVE STORIES

ALENA SULEIMAN VICTOR GONG

‘GILMORE GIRLS’ TV SHOW CREATED BY AMY SHERMAN-PALLADINO

Spanning seven seasons, the 2000 TV show “Gilmore Girls” follows 16-yearold Rory Gilmore and her single mother Lorelai Gilmore as they navigate the ups and downs of life in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. In stark contrast to the free-spirited Lorelai, Rory leads her life with diligence, yet the two uphold

a close relationship with one another. From gossiping about their boyfriends to arguing about Rory’s poor life choices, the two women’s bond illustrates mothers’ ability to always act as a caring confidant. Personally, Lorelai covers the show’s message best: “We are best friends first and mother and daughter second.”

‘LADY BIRD’ FILM DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG

A poignant 2017 coming-ofage dramedy, “Lady Bird” explores the tumultuous and complicated relationship between high school senior Christine ‘‘Lady Bird” McPherson and her mother Marion. Marion often expresses her love through criticism, causing Lady Bird to long for her mother’s approval while struggling to

assert her own independence. The movie highlights the moments of tenderness and conflict which often characterize relationships between teenage girls and their mothers. “Lady Bird” serves as a reminder that while no perfect motherchild relationship exists, we should remember to show gratitude for the women who raise us.

‘IF WE HAVE EACH OTHER’ SONG BY ALEC BENJAMIN

“I will be your mother, and I’ll hold your hand. You should know I’ll be there for you.” An affectionate ode to familial bonds, Alec Benjamin’s 2018 single “If We Have Each Other” emphasizes the struggles of young mothers. The first verse opens with a story of a pregnant 19-year-old single mother attemping to

simultaneously balance her work and home life while preparing for her baby. By describing the mother’s eagerness to have a baby in spite of her exhaustion, Benjamin stresses the sacrifice that mothers make in order to provide for their loved ones, reminding to us to honor their endless dedication.

‘CRYING IN H MART’ BOOK BY MICHELLE

ZAUNER

Michelle Zauner takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster in her 2021 memoir centering around the death of her mother, Chongmi, due to cancer. Zauner relays the complexity of their relationship as she loathes Chongmi’s “tough love” while grieving her death.

As a Korean-American, Zauner primarily

bonds with Chongmi over Korean food, but Chongmi’s cancer prevents them from continuing their tradition. Zauner’s heart-wrenching story over the death of Chongmi — and part of her identity — stresses mothers’ impacts on their children and the unfortunate situation of those who share Zauner’s loss.

When I was five or six, I would always carry around a blue stuffed dog named Blue. One weekend, my mom decided to take me to Gilroy Gardens, a garlicthemed amusement park, and of course, I brought Blue with me. However, at some point during the endeavor, I dropped my favorite stuffed toy, either by mistake or by my own clumsiness. Neither my mom nor I realized until about an hour later, and being a 5-year old, I began to whine. My mom and I scoured the entire park for my beloved blue toy. After an hour of fruitless searching, my mom decided to call it a day to my dismay. Flash forward a few days, during a car ride back from kindergarten, she suddenly surprised me with the very same stuffed toy that I had lost at the park, claiming that she paid a visit to their lost and found. Years later, I would come to find out that Blue was never found; my mom had bought me a new one.

Two summers ago, my mom and I traveled to Palm Springs. August’s arrival surprised us—so much so that we decided to make a spontaneous trip to the desert. With two compact suitcases and a 12-pack of Costco water, we set out on the eighthour journey. Hours passed, and fields of dry grass slowly became replaced by heaps of sand. As the swelteringly hot air permeated the car, my dry throat stimulated a particular craving: boba. Arriving at the best and only boba store in town, we ordered our regulars: brown sugar milk tea for me and fruit tea for my mom. To our surprise, the barista handed us two neon concoctions—one purple and one green—that tasted like pure syrup. Sipping our terribly sweet boba, we chuckled as the desert sun sank below the horizon. My mom fills every moment I spend with her with joy and laughter, no matter what we’re drinking.

FACULTY PARENTS REFLECT ON THEIR

RAJ UPPER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ORGANIZER

Dear Mom, 2013 and 2019. I despised celebrating Mother’s Day those years because the holiday landed on my birthday. Any other year I was more than happy to celebrate by creating a breathtaking card featuring an elaborate drawing of you complete with wobbly lines for limbs and two strands of hair. But for those two years on my supposedly special day, we split everything: the celebration, the attention, the festivities. Last time, I turned 14, the middle of my “I refuse to associate with my parents” phase. But now, I no longer see our overlapping holidays as a divide, rather I view it as a double celebration honoring your dedication as a mother and another year of my life with you by my side, a unique holiday just for us. “Our holiday” comes up again next year when I’m a senior, likely the last year I’ll spend at home. As I move forward into the next phase of my life, I look forward to doublecelebrating with you for many more decades to come and creating one last card — this time, I promise to draw you with more hair.

Love, Kinnera

ariana goetting & kinnera mulam

RITU

“ I appreciate that [I’m] someone they can trust and someone they can count on when they need it. It’s amazing to have that bond, and as a mm, I love having my best friends right at home”

WOMEN WHO RAISE US

how to show your

JONATHAN XUE

The warm scent of home-baked cookies wafts through the air, a golden glow emanating from the oven. Inside lie two sheets of balled-up dough, the efforts of my mother and I’s foray into cooking. As I flit about in an air of anticipation, my mother patiently waits nearby, both of us waiting for the timer to tick down. A sudden ding signals the cookies are finally ready. At six-years-old, it’s far past my bedtime, but tonight, we make an exception. What’s life without excitement anyways? Taking in the sights and smells, I eagerly gaze over the cookies. My mother smiles, happy for me, and indulges my childish consumption. It’s not too long until I descend into a sugar-induced haze, running about in a feverish bout of sudden energy. And as my glucose-fueled rampage reaches its end, I collapse into my mothers’ arms, the same warmth as the cookies we baked embracing me into sleep.

KATERINA MATTA

Sweeping red and orange arcs came to life before my eyes as I brandished my crayons, artfully crafting an elaborate map on our once-pristine walls. Three-year-old me worried my dad would get lost each day as he navigated from the kitchen to his office, a daunting 50 feet. Naturally, a built-in map along the path was the only solution. Soon enough, billowing swathes of Crayola colors blanketed the walls, each new layer another line of defense against the white walls’ confusing monotony.

Crayons fell to the floor as I drove on, collecting in haphazard neon piles along the floor. My mom suddenly came around the corner, stopping with a jolt as she took in the carnage. After I explained my intentions, she took my smeared hands in hers.

“I promise Daddy will be fine,” she said.

“Things aren’t so scary when you’re big, like he is.” Pressing a kiss to my forehead, she stood and set off to find a sponge.

EXPERIENCES AS MOTHER FIGURES

SUSAN KING UPPER SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER

GRATITUDE

WRITE A CARD

Let your creativity shine and make your mom’s day with a personalized card! A heartfelt card can go a long way in showing your mother figure how much you appreciate her. Write a heartfelt message expressing how much you appreciate her. Add a per sonal touch by including a favorite mem ory or inside joke.

GO FOR BRUNCH

Who doesn’t love brunch? Treat your mom to a delicious brunch at her favorite spot or somewhere new and exciting. Take the time to catch up over coffee and pancakes, reminisce on memories from your time together and make new ones. Make sure to order some drinks to toast to your amazing mom!

GIVE A HUG

Sometimes the simplest gestures can

“ It’s an amazing gift to be appreciated My children are wonderful human beings. They’re interesting, smart, kind, curious and respectful. They embrace life and I relish the time I can be with them ”

PICK FLOWERS

again As doubleone

Dear Amma, “Amma.” It means mom in Tamil. I love the way the word sounds, the perfect mix of vowels and consonants. I love the way it looks, with the symmetric organization of letters. When I say the word “amma,” I think about traveling back home in my mom’s car with cream-col- ored seats and the word “amma” on the windows, the result of letters I traced on a foggy, cold day 10 years ago. When I think of “amma,” I think of her tamarind rice or spicy fried taro, the perfect combina- tion after a long day. When I hear “amma,” I remember how she let herself lose in ‘Parcheesi’ for me. And when I see “amma,” I smile. “Amma” is the perfect word, not because of the symmetry, but be- cause it represents my mom, the person who hugs me when I fail a test and beams with pride when I win a competition. No matter how many times we fight or how many times we cry, “amma,” you’re my miracle, and that will never change.

Always and forever,

Ananya

MAKE A GIFT

Spoil your mother figure with a thoughtful gift that she’ll cherish for a long time. Think about her hobbies, interests or something that she’s been wanting for a while. You could get her a new book, a piece of jewel ry or a luxurious bathrobe. Whatever you choose, make sure it shows your love and appreciation for her.

A classic gesture of appreciation, buying your mom a beautiful bouquet of flowers can brighten her day and show her how much you care. Choose her favorite flowers or pick a colorful arrangement that will bring a smile to her face. Sneak them into her room or office for an

ariana goetting

JESSICA TANG OLIVIA XU

WELCOMING WINTER

BLOSSOM INTO SPRING

Everything anew, bid the cold winter adieu

from around the world to witness the stunning beauty of the cherry

Even though spring brings along allergies, they are just symbolic of ‘no pain, no gain.’ Spring allergies are the result of the abundance of pollen in the air, which is also responsible for the blooming of flowers and trees. Spring allergies may cause some discomfort, but they are a small price to pay for the beauty that

It’s the time to start fresh and set new goals. The sense of renewal and hope that comes with spring can inspire us to make positive changes in our lives. Spring provides the perfect opportunity for

The warmer weather, longer days and the beauty of nature can all contribute to a feeling of happiness and positivity. Many people feel more energized and motivated during the spring months, which can lead to increased productivity

Between gardening, cycling or playing sports, there are simply too many ways to enjoy the outdoors. The mild temperatures and longer days make it easier to be active and enjoy the fresh air. Spring provides the perfect opportunity to explore new places, be it a nearby town, going on a road trip or simply

Comfort in the chill, winter’s wonderland brings a thrill

Editorial: Diverse thinking promotes inclusivity

Managing Editors

Edward Huang Ananya Sriram

Shareen Chahal

News Editors

Felix Chen Andrew Liang

Features Editors

Vika Gautham Hima Thota

A&E/Lifestyle Editors

Alison Yang Young Min

Opinions Editors

Jessica Wang Isabella Lo

STEM Editors

Claire Zhao Victor Gong

Sports Editors

Emma Milner Katerina Matta

Video/Podcast Editors

Aishani Singh Anwen Hao

Photo Editor Brandon Zau

Aquila Managing Editors

Margaret Cartee

Emma Gao

Desiree Luo

Selina Xu

Medha Yarlagadda Kevin Zhang

Humans Of Harker Editors-in-Chief

Olivia Xu

Katelyn Zhao

Humans of Harker Managing Editors

Michelle Wei Sidak Sanghari

Jonathan Xue

Humans of Harker Profiler

Aryana Bharali

Columnist

Gabe Sachse

Reporters

Claire Bauschlicher

Angelina Burrows

Mirabelle Feng

Jasleen Hansra

Jasmine Hansra Steven Jiang Chayce Milheim

Claire Su

Mia Tang

2022-2023 Strategic

Editors-in-Chief

Sarah Mohammed

Sabrina Zhu

Managing Editor

Arjun Barrett

Aquila Editors-in-Chief

Isha Moorjani

Sally Zhu

Humans of Harker Editor-in-Chief

Tiffany Chang

Photo Editor

Jessica Tang Katie Wang

Visit The Winged Post online at www.harkeraquila.com

Follow us on Instagram @harkeraquila

The Winged Post is published every four to six weeks except during vacations by the Journalism: News and Advanced Journalism: News courses at Harker’s upper school, 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, California 95129.

The Winged Post staff will publish features, editorials, news, sports and STEM articles in an unbiased and professional manner and serve as a public forum for the students of The Harker School. Editorials represent the official opinions of The Winged Post. Opinions and letters represent the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Winged Post. All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Winged Post in no way reflects the official policy of The Harker School. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not the Harker board, administration, faculty or adviser.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted to Manzanita 70 or emailed to harkeraq@gmail.com and must be signed, legible and concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to Post style. Baseless accusations, insults, libelous statements, obscenities and letters that call for a disruption of the school day will not be considered for publication. Letters sent to The Winged Post will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff.

The Winged Post is the official student newspaper of Harker’s upper school and is distributed free of cost to students. It provides a student voice forum for members of our community. Students hold the copyright to work published in Harker journalism publications.

NSPA Pacemaker Winner: 2019-2020, 2017-2018

NSPA Pacemaker Finalist: 2020-2021, 2018-2019, 2016-2017

CSPA Gold Crowns: 2023, 2019, 2018, 2016

CSPA Silver Crowns: 2022, 2021, 2017

EDITORIAL:THE OFFICIALOPINION OFTHEWINGED POST

Are schools places of free inquiry and safe harbors for learning? Schools across the country grapple with the balance between promoting ideas reflecting the beliefs of their entire student body and preventing threats to certain demographics. The result? A student population that follows homogeneous thinking to avoid judgment from their peers.

As the Harker administration and students try to promote a more diverse campus, rather than encouraging an open-minded community, our efforts can restrict the sharing of different perspectives on campus. When we are only exposed to the same viewpoints, we become overconfident in our beliefs and less tolerant of those who hold different views. Lack of empathy for others and reluctance to engage in meaningful debate results in a school community, which creates an echo chamber: without alternate viewpoints and ideas, the Harker environment cultivates a student body that is uniform in its beliefs.

In an anonymous survey sent out to all students and staff on a Schoology post on April 19, 87.9% of the 189 respondents agreed that our community is at least slightly left

leaning, with 32.8% agreeing that Harker is very left leaning, from a political standpoint. Furthermore, only 27.0% of respondents agree that they are exposed to diverse viewpoints at Harker. Perhaps in the same way that we choose to stress the importance of diversity, we limit it.

Narrow-mindedness regarding others’ opinions also leads to the prevalence of “cancel culture,” which creates an environment where simple statements become perceived insults. Of the surveyed students and staff, 27.0% disagreed with the idea that individuals in our community approach disagreements with defensiveness and hostility.

Respect is a critical component of healthy discourse. When we engage with others, we must do so with the view that everyone bears the right to their opinions and beliefs. Avoid personal attacks and focus on the issues at hand while remaining open to listen to others’ perspectives; even if we ultimately disagree with them, we can foster more respectful discourse.

Though respect serves as an important aspect of promoting a more inclusive environment, adopting a more proactive approach is necessary for real change. We need to actively seek out other opinions. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Corrections TO ISSUE 5

A&E 8:

Images by Jessica Tang (12) on the February break travels piece should not say provided by

• There should be no periods at the end of quotes for February break travels piece and Talk around campus

• Photos from Alena’s art exhibition should not say photo by

DOUBLETRUCK 11: Karina Chen (10) should be Karina Chen (12)

STEM 15: The word “community” is cut off

SPORTS 18: Unintentional use of profanity in reference Rihanna’s song

ariana goetting, kinnera mulam, shareen chahal, edward huang & ananya sriram

Welcome to the last issue of The Winged Post for this school year! We are honored to bring you this paper as our staff enters new roles and assumes leadership responsibilities. We would also like to sincerely thank all of our readers, and we look forward to bringing you more coverage next year.

As we flip to a new page in The Winged Post’s story and embrace the season of new beginnings, this issue features pieces centered around the school year ending through coverage on the last Quadchella

and the athletic department’s collegiate athlete signing ceremony. If you’re looking for a more light-hearted story, head to our STEM pages to read about why AI art fails to draw hands or learn about your new ASB members in the Features section. We’ve chosen to include in-depth articles to highlight impactful issues like abortion and the importance of opinion diversity.

Lastly, we would like to thank this past year’s editors, who continue to play an instrumental role in mentoring the staff. They truly did an amazing job in meticulously shaping the paper into what it is today, and as we move forward to create more issues of the paper, we aim to carry their strong legacy into the future.

BACKPAGE 20: The word “[include]” from the quote from Anu Aiyer is mispelled

CORRECTIONS POLICY:

Our staff strives to represent our community fairly and to conduct accurate, truthful storytelling. However, if you do find any errors in an issue of the Winged Post, please let us know by emailing harkeraquila@gmail.com. We will list all errors of an issue, along with the page number of that error, in the next issue’s corrections box, which can be found in the Opinion section.

editorial board

Aquila Editors-in-Chief Ella Yee Alena Suleiman

Editors-in-Chief Kinnera Mulam Ariana Goetting

Adviser Whitney Huang, CJE

Copy Editor Saahil Herrero

Harker Robotics competes at Worlds

Transistors: Stem cell of technology

How a 75-year-old semiconductor device transforms our world victor gong

Ever wonder how humans went from the massive computers of the 1940s to the compact, handheld smartphones of the modern era? The answer lies within a tiny component — the transistor. Present in virtually every device from cell phones to smart fridges, these electronic components serve as the fundamental building block to modern technology.

75 years ago, around Christmas Eve in 1947, two physicists, Walter Brittain and John Bardeen, demonstrated the first working semiconductor transistor as a Christmas present to their executives. In January 1948, William Shockley, the lead physicist of the group, further developed the model, creating the junction transistor. These devices replaced bulky vacuum tubes. Nowadays, integrated circuits (ICs) contain billions of transistors on one chip.

Harker Robotics participated at the FIRST Robotics Competition’s (FRC) championship in Houston, Texas during their trip from April 18 to 23.

The championship hosted eight divisions, each consisting of 70 to 80 teams, with teams competing against each other through practice matches, qualification matches and playoffs. During the Sacramento Regional (SAC), the team qualified for the championship through the FIRST Impact Award; however, this weekend, the team did not win the Impact Award or the playoffs. Despite the setback, Robotics members view the championship in a positive light as they received the opportunity to interact with over 600 teams from across the globe.

Aside from the competition itself, Robotics members attended team events including Roboprom, a prom for robotics teams, and talked to other teams about their new development, The Purple Warehouse (TPW), a collaborative outreach project between the team’s scouting and app development subteams that helped the robotics program win its award at regionals. TPW is FRC’s first collaborative scouting program allowing teams to submit their own scouting data that compiles into a database that any team can access for their use.

“For the first time, [the scouting analyzer, TPW] was easily accessible to any team who wanted to use it,” Scouting Director Aeliya Grover (11) said.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

600 attending teams in FIRST Robotics Worlds

35,000 attendees across all divisions

139.5 average points per match by Harker’s Team 1072

“We used to build things with either relays, mechanical switches or vacuum tubes, which are electrically controlled switches, but they’re big and finicky,” upper school computer architecture teacher Marina Peregrino said. “A transistor is just a crystal. If you use them properly, they don’t wear out, because there’s nothing moving. There’s no vacuum to break, so they’re very reliable.”

silicon wafer, and then a rotating machine coats the circular wafer with photoresist, a substance that softens upon exposure to ultraviolet light. Next, they shine light through masks, containing circuit patterns, onto the wafer, similar to how graffiti artists use stencils to paint specific shapes onto a surface. After a chemical wash removes the soluble sections of photoresist, scientists fill the gaps of the imprinted patterns with a conductive metal like copper, completing the design.

“I think Moore’s law will continue to hold because it’s not a physical law,” Baynes said. “It’s a law of business behavior. For a while, we’ll be able to keep doing that. Not sure how long, but in another decade probably, where we keep pushing the technology. For a number of decades, people have been saying you can’t pass this point, and we keep passing them. So I think it will hold. It may tail off a bit, but it’s going to hold on by and large.”

So how exactly is this astronomical feat possible? First, scientists produce a

Moore’s Law, named after Intel’s co-founder Gordon Moore, empirically predicts that the number of total transistors on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. The law itself has essentially developed into a self-fulfilling prophecy, as engineers base their advancements off these expectations. But, like everything else in nature, growth inevitably slows down. The debate over when exactly Moore’s law will die has long since existed within the scientific community. Upper school robotics instructor Martin Baynes, who worked in the semiconductor industry for almost two decades, shares his perspective on the law.

Whether or not transistor development stands strong or slows down, transistors remain the cornerstone of technology. Besides everyday devices, transistors also drive the AI revolution, providing the necessary computational power. Without it, intelligences such as ChatGPT and OpenArt wouldn’t be able to process and train on large data sets.

“I have a feeling transistors will stay important just because they’re so versatile,” AI club lecturer Anniketh Tummala (11) said. “You can make logic circuits out of transistors, memory too, so they’ll definitely play a heavy hand. I don’t see us phasing them out anytime soon.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

so handy: Why AI art can’t draw

ryAI and Fotor art generators to see this in action myself. My prompt was “a girl wearing a blue shirt and eating ice cream at a park.” It seemed fairly straightforward; across both models I used, the colors and focus were crisp as ever and there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her face

But as soon as I took a closer look at the hand holding the ice cream, things started to take a turn for the worst. From the indistinct, crooked bright pink fingernails and a nondescript floating pink blob to what seemed like an awkwardly-inserted extra finger and a thumb that seemed to be split in two, it was a hot mess to be-

“Imagine an AI is like you, but trapped in a museum from birth,” Phil Edwards said. “All the machine has to learn from are the pictures and the little placards on the side.”

ments, among many others, that curi ous individuals like me brought up while scrolling through Artificial Intelligence (AI) art showcases on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google Images and more. In just one minute and minimal typing, anyone can generate their own images for a wide variety of purposes.

Page after page of uncannily human faces filled our screens, which we consis-

my mind as I clicked on a YouTube video by Vox, a popular video explainer channel.

“A postapocalyptic giraffe astronaut? Generated. Genghis Khan playing a guitar solo, pixel art? Generated. A man holding a delicious apple? Uh, what’s with his hands?” producer Phil Edwards said in the YouTube video.

These comments summed up my thoughts perfectly, so I visited the Star-

AI art works by analyzing patterns from an image bank provided to the model by humans. Like Edwards mentioned, AI categorizes each image by its associations with certain phrases or words so it can regurgitate these patterns later. Humans, however, take a different approach. We have the unique ability to experience the world for what it really is. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Not

yifan li & kinnera mulam

“A transistor is just a crystal. They don’t wear out. There’s no vacuum to break, so they’re very reliable”

MARINA PEREGRINO COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER

BY

claire zhao

ILLUSTRATION BY FOTOR AI AND CLAIRE ZHAO

STAY SAVVY Team 1072’s bot picks up a yellow cone during the competition. The team visited Houston, Texas for FRC.

Letting campus talents bloom

Earthchella excites with lively performances in honor of Earth Month

Harker’s second Earth Day-themed Quadchella, dubbed “Earthchella,” returned on April 21 to showcase the talents of students and faculty while educating the community with sustainability-related facts and tips.

The last Quadchella of the year, “Earthchella” also serves as Associated Student Body (ASB) Student Events Committee’s final organized event for the 2022 to 2023 school year. To kick off the

Earth Day Speaker Events

APRIL 12

Factory Farming Awareness Coalition (FFAC) Educator Erin Zhang presented on the U.S. food production process and shared her interest in educating students about sustainable foods and animal welfare.

OAHZERIALC

ERIN ZHANG FFAC EDUCATOR

APRIL 13

“I had learned to play the ukulele in middle school, and then I stopped,” Ishan said. “But as Earthchella was coming up, I realized that it would be a great opportunity to perform in front of my friends.”

show, upper school English teacher Dr. Beth Wahl sang “Ain’t Necessarily So” by Bronski Beat, followed by Ritu Belani (11) with entertaining stand-up comedy. Upper school psychology teacher Dr. Julie Turchin performed next, singing “You’re Aging Well” by Dar Williams. Ishan Mysore (9) drew applause and cheers from the audience with his performance of “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I, where he complemented his singing with his ukulele playing.

After Ishan, seniors Lucy Feng, Ashley Ma, Nina Franz and Kyle Chang delivered a vocal performance of Yuuri’s “BETELGEUSE.” Afterwards, Nupur Gupta (12), Selina Chen (11) and Rei Binkley (10) danced to Ariana Grande’s “Greedy.” To close the performances, ASB scheduled upper school English teacher Christopher Hurshman and Learning, Innovation and Design Director Diane Main to perform “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, but Main was unable to attend, so Lucy filled in.

At the event, Green Team hosted a raffle for any community member who attended one of the club’s numerous Earth Day events, and winners could receive gift cards or other sustainable prizes. Between performances, upper school chemistry teacher Andrew Irvine shared Earth Day-related facts, and at the end of the event, Irvine ate a boiled and dehydrated tarantula, bringing attention to the insect consumption market as an alternative to the conventional meat industry. As Green Team moves forward to their last events of Earth Month and reflects on this year’s activities, they hope to engage an even larger audience next year. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Share and shop: Green Team hosts clothing and book swap

side the RPAC in preparation for the swap starting on Tuesday. Club members will donate any leftover clothing items and books to various donation sites with re-

Middle school English teacher Marjorie Hazeltine spoke about fast fashion and thrifting, emphasizing how organizations like Goodwill should serve as a last resort for used clothes as those items often end up in landfills.

ARENNIK

UM

HAZELTINE ENGLISH TEACHER

APRIL 17

Bay Maples Wild California Gardens worker Alan Hackler shared about his experience using greywater and rainwater to fuel more effective irrigation systems and reduce carbon footprints within the home.

ANILEGNA

UB R R OWS

ALAN HACKLER BAY MAPLES WILD CALIFORNIA WORKER

JOELLE

(11) GREEN TEAM PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

maining clothing going to the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, a group who used to inhabit the grounds Harker stands on today. As someone who has thrifted in the past, Joelle hopes the clothing swap will incentivize others within the community to try

“My favorite part is watching people go through the clothes and find things that they’re excited about or think look really cute, but it’s also nice knowing that we’re diverting these articles of clothing from the landfill,” Joelle said. “It teaches people who don’t normally use second-hand clothing that thrifting is a viable option and how much more sustainable it is.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

APRIL 19

Good Karma Bikes CEO Jim Gardner talked to the club about buying second-hand bikes and donating old bikes to non-profits such as his company, which serves as a second-hand bike shop to the public.

JIM GARDNER GOOD KARMA BIKES CEO

andrew liang

MARJORIE

POOF! At the end of Earthchella on April 21, Green Team President Gary Ding (12) pulls out a single raffle ticket from the pile of entries and announces the winner of the draw. The two winners received sustainable gifts like plants or gift cards to places such as Starbucks.

“I realized that it would be a great opportunity to perform in front of my friends”

ISHAN MYSORE (9) EARTHCHELLA PERFORMER

CHAYCE MILHEIM

“It teaches people who don’t normally use secondhand clothing that thrifting is actually a viable option”

WENG

KINNERA MULAM

kinnera mulam

STEM Scene

edward huang

Blooming from the STEM: Artistry in dentistry

Dr. Sheena Vaswani (‘04) delves into the combination of art and dentistry

Like most Harker students, Dr. Sheena Vaswani (‘04) is a native to the Bay Area, born and raised in Los Altos. However, after finishing high school, she felt the need to explore outside her bubble. And so she did, traveling through her education as she pursued her dream of being a dentist. After working for 14 years in New York, Tennessee and Chicago, she eventually realized that the Bay was her home. Dr. Vaswani returned with her own dental practice right where she grew up.

SpaceX Starship ex-

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket exploded on April 20 just minutes after its launch above the Gulf of Mexico. In an attempt to send the world’s most powerful rocket to outer space, SpaceX planned to send the spacecraft on an unmanned test flight around the world starting from Texas.

When it came to deciding a career path, Dr. Vaswani knew healthcare was her primary interest and began exploring in high school with a neuropsychology internship. However, after observing a lack of patient–doctor connection and witnessing how doctors stopped regularly engaging with patients after treatment, she realized she wanted a profession that allowed her to check in with her patients on a more

New COVID-19 boosters

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on April 19 that citizens over 65 or with compromised immune systems can take a new bivalent COVID-19 booster shot in the spring. Eligible citizens can receive an updated booster two or four months after their first shot.

consistent basis. She found exactly that in dentistry. She visited her dentist for her first cavity filling with apprehension, but she immediately felt greeted with comfort and care during the process.

“I made the dentist show me everything in a mirror,” Dr. Vaswani said. “As each step happened, I made them explain to me what is happening. Why does the needle have to be used, and when a needle is being used, why are you going there versus somewhere else? It took a whole different spin on what I felt going to the dentist was, and so I saw it for the first time

Twitter removes blue

Twitter removed its blue verification badges from thousands of public accounts on April 20, and the social media platform is now charging $8 per month for users to keep their checkmarks in a subscription service called Twitter Blue. The new policy intends to minimize the number of fake accounts with verification checks on Twitter.

Biden pledges climate

U.S. president Joe Biden promised $500 million towards limiting deforestation in the Amazon rainforest on April 20, and he plans to spend over $1 billion to help foreign countries adopt renewable energy sources. The money will be donated to the Amazon Fund. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

as something more sciencey. I also saw it as she was trying to build a connection with me.”

During her filling, Dr. Vaswani developed another connection to dentistry, one that encompassed the other part of her life: art. When Dr. Vaswani joined Harker in her sophomore year, she found herself drawn to design, painting and sculpting, which she knew she didn’t want to give up when she chose a career.

“I realized that dentistry was a marriage between my interests, and I didn’t necessarily have to give up the artistic side of things. Now I see it in a very different way than I did before at that time,” Dr. Vaswani said. “The filling is a mini sculpture, doing a temporary crown is a mini sculp-

ture … you’re using your hands to create something.”

In 2004, Dr. Vaswani’s class became the third to graduate from the upper school, and she chose to study at University of California, Berkeley. There, she majored in Nutritional Sciences, exploring a world she found to have an impact close to home.

“I grew up with my grandmother in the house, and my grandmother had diabetes, so I’ve been exposed to diabetes since I was five years old,” Dr. Vaswani said. “I would see her poke herself on a day to day basis, I saw how diligently she handled her own foods and diet ... and how compliant she was about it.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

WiSTEM holds 17th annual Research Symposium

curious and innocent, and so interested in what’s going on, and it just makes my day better.”

Attendees could also had the opportunity to listen and talk to over 60 middle and upper school presenters in the Auxiliary Gymnasium, where project topics ranged from solar panels to bees’ health. Harker faculty and university professors sponsored many of these projects.

Women in STEM (WiSTEM) club hosted the upper school’s 17th annual Research Symposium centered around the theme of “STEM for all, all for STEM” on April 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the upper school campus.

Throughout the day, around 800 Symposium attendees, who consisted of students and parents both from Harker and from schools around the Bay Area, visited activities like interactive STEM Buddies booths and corporate exhibitors

representing companies from all over the Bay Area. The STEM Buddies program, organized by WiSTEM, featured eight booths that included STEM activities for children such as making Alka Seltzer rockets and pinecone bird feeders. Each activity earned a participant a stamp and those who collected all stamps by the end of the event earned a prize. WiSTEM Officer of Communications Ananya Das (10), who helped with the chromatography booth, noted how kids enjoyed the experiments at various stations.

“I love interacting with little children,” Ananya said. “They’re always so

13 keynote speeches also took place throughout the day from alumni and student speakers as well as expert researchers. Award-winning journalist Simar Bajaj (‘20) spoke about his experience with research and shared tips for students interested in pursuing journalism.

“I can reach people [through journalism],” Simar said. “That’s something I’ll never have the impact of in research.”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

EARLY BIRD Dr. Sheena Vaswani (’04) discovered her interest in dentistry as early as high school. “I realized that dentistry was a marriage between my interests,” Dr. Vaswani said.

STARTING SMALL WiSTEM member Sidak Sanghari (10) helps a STEM Buddies participant create a pinecone bird feeder in the Rotunda on April 16 at Research Symposium.

andrew liang & sidak sanghari

“I realized that dentistry was a marriage between my interests”

DR. SHEENA VASWANI (‘04) DENTIST

kinnera mulam & aishani singh

AISHANI SINGH

PROVIDED BY DR. SHEENA VASWANI

“I love interacting with little children. They’re always so curious and innocent, and so interested”

ANANYA DAS (10) WISTEM OFFICER OF COMMUNICATIONS

FENG

A PEX

The APEX repeater profiles Harker athletes who compete at the highest level within sports. This installment spotlights junior Edis Mesic’s high school and club volleyball career.

Competition as collaboration

Edis Mesic serves up success on the volleyball court

local club Bay to Bay Volleyball, where he met his future coaches, he knew the sport was a perfect match.

“I was like, ‘this is the sport for me, this is so much fun, [this] community,” Edis said. “Without even knowing anyone there, I just felt [...] a sense of brotherhood. I knew that was the club I wanted to play for [and] the sport I wanted to pursue.”

Student athletes sign off to the future

country. Known for its intense, condensed training regimen and top-tier staff, which largely consists of college coaches and national team affiliates, the program greatly impacted both Edis’ level of play and his view of the game.

“The atmosphere is so intense,” Edis said. “There’s a really strong rivalry. [I realized that] even though maybe we have been rivals in the past, they’ve always that that I was

to play not only alongside them, but against them, because being able to go against so many really talented guys

Edis brings his invaluable experiences and skills to Harker’s varsity boys volleyball team as well, which he joined his freshman year. His contributions to the team in his first season helped propel the Eagles to a Division 3 Central Coast Section (CCS) title, and his impact on others continued to expand throughout the following years.

Edis’ focus on teamwork matured after his experiences in NTDP, shifting his mentality from one of constant competition to viewing each match as an opportunity to grow as a group. While at times opponents can seem like nothing more than an obstacle on the path to victory, Edis has developed a new Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

The upper school honored nine seniors during the athletic department’s college singing ceremony in the Zhang Gymnasium at 12:45 p.m. on April 25.

Upper School Athletic Director Dan Molin started off the ceremony by commending the seniors for their devotion to their respective sports and their ability to balance both athletics and academics.

“We all admire any individual that pursues a passion in life,” Molin said in his speech. “These young men and women are fortunate enough to be able to pursue their athletic passion at the collegiate level next year. At this point in their young lives, they will get to experience something not many are able to do, which is to compete at the collegiate level.”

Following his speech, each of the seniors presented themselves and the school of their commitment, as well as thanked those who have helped them.

Emily Novikov and Claire Chen will further their athletic careers in Division 1 (D1) sports, tennis and golf, respectively, at Georgetown University, Lexi Wong has been recruited to play soccer for the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, while Abhi Namala for basketball.

Thomas Wisdom has committed to Santa Clara University to further his career playing D1 water polo.

Arman Thakker will pursue D1 track at Columbia University, while Andrew Fu will run track at Yale University.

Amrita Pasupathy will play soccer at Caltech, and Kyra Hawk will continue her lacrosse career at Smith College.

To end the ceremony, each senior signed a piece of paper to replicate their official signing off to play in their respective colleges.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have returned. For the next two months, stalk ESPN, fret over your stars health and National Hockey League (NHL) Twitter as your favorite team tries to climb to the top.

But what if you don’t have a team to support? Perhaps your team was too busy trying to win the Connor Bedard tanking race, perhaps they’re stuck in the doldrums of rebuilding, or perhaps their general manager quit as the trade deadline approached. Maybe you just don’t really care all that much about hockey.

Not having a team to support opens up so many doors. Some of neutrality, others of pure, total hating. But if you do want a team to support, even fleetingly, wait no longer. Here we present our bandwagoner’s guide to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Boston Bruins are the perfect team for those who want the adrenaline

of a playoff series but none of the anxious suffering and vomiting. Their blowout 135 point finish at the top of the division leaves them an easy choice for people who want to win something. As their team approaches the age of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Bruins are like your dog as it packs up for the farm upstate. Better get in one last hurrah.

If you’re in the playoffs for big emotional underdog upsets and team beefs, don’t pick them. If your team is one of 31 that has beef with Brad Marchand, don’t pick them. But if you want goalie goals and hugs, beloved veterans and potential fairytale endings, the Bruins are the one for you.

The Carolina Hurricanes have nerves. Rod Brind’Amour leads this team in his glorious camouflage suits hiding clever tactics but not the organization’s admirable disdain for old traditions. Despite their youth and success, the past decade of suffering still places them in fun underdog territory.

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

katerina matta

emma milner

alison yang & angelina burrows

EMMA MILNER

PEN TO PAPER Emily Novikov (12) signs off to Georgetown University, where she plans to pursue collegiate tennis.

Game Talk with

Gabe:

gabe sachse

Welcome to the Russell Westbrook resurgence. The all-time triple-double leader and former Most Valuable Player (MVP) joined the Los Angeles Clippers mid-season, after a rough stint with the Lakers, the Clippers’ crosstown rival. Since then, he has shown the ability to adapt to a role as a secondary scorer with great defensive energy and a veteran poise that elevates the team, especially in the fourth quarter. Many critics of Westbrook have said that his aggressive style of play, even when his shot isn’t falling, is indicative of an attitude that prioritizes stats over winning. However, partnering with superstar forward Kawhi Leonard, he has proven that he can be a key contributor to a championship-level team.

One primary example of this newfound style of play happened in Game One of the Clippers’ playoff series against Phoenix. Facing his former teammate, Kevin Durant, and a team filled with stars like Devin Booker and Chris Paul, Westbrook overcame a tough night of shooting where he went 3-19 with great defense, passing and rebounding. With eight assists and 11 rebounds, Westbrook displayed his all-around prowess, especially on the boards, where five of his rebounds were offensive. Defensively, he made several key plays down the stretch to seal the game for the Clippers.

Westbrook’s resurgence, along with Leonard’s continued excellence and the potential return of fellow star Paul George from a knee injury, make the Clippers a dangerous team to look for in a tightly contested Western Conference side of the NBA playoffs bracket. Currently down 3-1 in the series, the team now looks to surge back from the deficit and put the rest of the league on notice.

On the basis of sex: Title IX’s impact

1972 marked a pivotal year for female athletes with the passing of Title IX, which calls for no discrimination “on the basis of sex” in any educational program receiving federal funding. This June marks the 51st anniversary of this historic piece of legislation; however, with the world taking a new look at transgender athletes’ participation in sports, Title IX’s scope and gender inclusivity has come under question.

Track and field athlete Anjali Yella (11) highlights the impact that Title IX has on female athletes, as they often face limited opportunities to pursue their athletic careers.

“[Title IX is] important since in the past, women haven’t really been able to play sports or participate in as many things as men,” Anjali said. “It’s important now that if any girl wants to play sports, she [doesn’t] feel [that] because she’s a girl, she’s not able to do something, or she’s not as supported or doesn’t have the same resources.”

Anjali notes how she feels a small distinction between the way that female and male accomplishments are announced and treated. In her experiences, male sports are typically given preferred treatment.

“I know especially accomplishments for boys sports get a lot more publicity in general. Harker has been pretty good with publicity for the girls teams, but it’s more ‘exciting’ if the [boys] win something or if a boys team accomplishes something.

If the girls team does it, it’s good, but just usually not as much.”

Currently in the US, 21 mostly Republican states ban transgender athletes from playing on the team that aligns with their gender identity.

Transgender Affinity Group (TAG) Leader Fern Biswas (10) notes how transgender athletes switching teams in youth sports does not constitute a detrimental change to the sport itself. Rather, it is typically a matter of change in identity.

“Within the transgender community, the majority of people I know personally tend to stay with the team that they were in anyways,” Fern said. “So if they switch teams, that does usually have to do with a strong identity and wanting to be identified with the other team. We’re usually talking about people that maybe started

hormone blockers. We’re talking about people who aren’t going to be experiencing as many physical changes that would massively affect the sport.”

Fern calls for Harker to voice their stance on transgender athletes participating on the team that aligns with their gender identity in an effort to be more inclusive regarding transgender athletes.

“We are a private school which means when it comes to government funded sports, we aren’t affected by that,” Fern said. “It’s basically within our entire control what we do with our sports. [If] there was a statement that Harker [made] so people [knew] that there is the option [to] play on the team of the sport with the gender you identify with [it would be more inclusive].”

Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Wrestling with expectations: Q&A with Afsoon Johnston

Q: What drew you to wrestling?

A: My father was a wrestler. Growing up, I really had that connection with my dad. I also just loved the sport. I liked how physical and competitive it was and that wrestling is an individual sport. It truly puts you to the test.

Q: What inspired you to give the talk at school meeting?

A: I really love reaching out to the younger generation, especially immigrants and girls that I can really connect with, inspire and empower. What was special for me is the fact that Harker is in San Jose because that is where my story took place.

SRIRAM

Q: What is your message to young girls?

A: Speak up, find your voice, and if there’s something that you like but it hasn’t been done before, then start the path and be the trailblazer. Be the pioneer and start it up.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIKA GAUTHAM & EMMA MILNER

Q: How are you involved in wrestling today?

A: I sit on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee for USA Wrestling. We want to make sure that we have diversity within our sport, whether it comes to officials, coaches, athletes [or] administrators.

emma milner

“It’s important now that if any girl wants to play sports, she doesn’t feel because she’s a girl, she’s not as supported”

ANJALI YELLA (11) TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

ILLUSTRATION BY SHAREEN CHAHAL

EMMA MILNER

FREEZE FRAME

PHOTOS OF THE MONTH, CURATED BY OUR SPORTS TEAM

CELEBRATORY STICKS Running past her cheering teammates, Katelyn Abellera (12) high fives her stick as she makes an entrance for the senior celebration ceremony. Three senior athletes were honored at the varsity girls lacrosse senior night game on April 17.

MAKING WAVES Alana Brill (9) draws in a breath between butterfly strokes while racing at the Singh Aquatic Center during the swim meet on March 23.

HUDDLE UP Coach Doug Hawk discusses a game plan with the varsity girls lacrosse team going into their match against the Notre Dame Tigers. The Eagles defeated the Tigers 8-7.

HURLING HEAT Pitcher Adi Jain (11) throws a fastball for a strike during the varsity baseball team’s first game of the season.

SLAM IT HOME Ryan Chang (12) leaps and reaches up for a serve during the boys varsity tennis senior night on April 11.

READY SET GO Eyes down, Sophia Liu (10) prepares to run a sprint at a track and field practice. The track and field team often holds their practices at Prospect High School.

FIRST TO THROW Nick Delfino (12) throws the baseball to home plate during a pregame drill.

RETURN TO SENDER Anthony Tong (12) concentrates on an incoming tennis ball as he prepares to execute a forehand swing. The boys varsity tennis team hosts games and practices at the Blackford campus.

LINE IT UP Austin Liu (10) carefully sets up a putt. The varsity boys golf team plays their final league match today.

BRING THE ENERGY Spencer Mak (11) cheers out loud with his teammates as they huddle up after scoring a point in their boys varsity volleyball game against Cupertino High School.

KEVIN ZHANG

KATIE WANG

KEVIN ZHANG

JESSICA TANG

KATIE WANG

JESSICA TANG

MARGARET CARTEE

1, 2, 3, SELFIE!

Take in the blooming flowers with your family or friends.

SPOTLESS SESSION

Clean your workspace, dig through the storage and take out the trash.

TURN OVER A NEW LEAF

Buy a new plant or take care of the flowers in your home.

SOAK IN THE SUNSHINE

Go out with your siblings or pets. Breathe in the spring air!

PLAY PAUSE REWIND

Hit play on your favorite songs and relax to the sound of familiar tunes.