Winged Post Volume 25, Issue 2 by Harker Aquila

WINGED POST

THE HARKER SCHOOL

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500 SARATOGA AVE.

SAN JOSE, CA 95129

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE HARKER SCHOOL

SOAR ING WITH SPIR IT VOL. 25 NO. 2

FRIDAY, OCT. 13, 2023

CART ARET MARG

ALISO

N YAN

KINNERA MULAM

ALISON YANG

500 SARATOGA AVENUE, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95129

PUT YOUR EAGLES UP (Left) Chelsea Xie (9) performs in the frosh class’s spirit dance themed “Mamma Mia.” (Left middle) Ananya Pradhan (10) yells in the scream-off challenge. (Right middle) Claire Anderson (11) awaits the announcement of the spirit rally winners. (Right) Kuga Pence (12) poses during the class of 2024’s “Wicked”-themed lip sync.

pper school students and faculty battled for first place at the Oct. 6 Homecoming Spirit Rally in the Zhang Gymnasium. The junior class came in first place at the end, followed by the frosh, the seniors and then the sophomores. Harker Dance Company (HDC) kicked off the event with an upbeat routine to “Comin’ In Hotta” by PowerHaus and Halo Sol. The competitions commenced with the scream-off: each class stood vertically along the bleachers and screamed for a couple of seconds to register the highest number on a decibel meter operated by upper school computer science department chair Dr. Eric Nelson. The class of 2025 took first place with 120.8 decibels, and the classes of 2024 and 2026 trailed close behind with 119.4 decibels and 118.4 decibels, respectively. In last place was the class of 2027 with 115.0 decibels.

inside the

ISSUE

news ...................... 02

opinions ................ 09

features ................. 05

stem ....................... 14

a&e/lifestyle .......... 07

sports .................... 17

To start the class lip syncs, the frosh performed a “Mamma Mia”-inspired routine to “Mamma Mia” by ABBA, “Give Up” from “Phineas and Ferb” and “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees. The sophomores followed up with a “High School Musical” lip sync to “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’” from “Teen Beach Movie,” “This Is Me” by Demi Lovato and “We’re All in This Together” from “High School Musical.” Complete with complex pyramid formations and lifts, the upper school cheer team performed their routine to “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer, “My Name Is” by Eminem and “Come Thru (Move)” by DMX and Busta Rhymes. “We owe it to the leaders of this grade for the lip sync,” lip sync and cheer performer Jessica Chen (9) said. “They spent a long time putting it together.” Members of the AM MUL Homecoming Court — ERA N IN K seniors Cynthia Wang, Claire Miao, Daniel Lin, Dhruv Trivedi, Harshini Chaturvedula and Ramit Goyal; juniors Claire Anderson and Leo Sobczyn; sophomores Timothy Deng and Suhana Bhandare and frosh Nicole Dean and Pascal Qin — competed in a series of relay races.

In the first relay race, which involved wheelbarrow race and cup stacking, the juniors came in first, followed by the frosh, seniors and juniors. The class of 2025 also won the next relay where members duck-walked and army-crawled to a hulahoop tossing station while the classes of 2024, 2026 and 2027 finished afterwards. In the final relay, students leap-frog to a bottle-flipping station before shooting foam darts. The class of 2025 took the lead again, and the classes of 2026, 2027 and 2024 coming after them. “Me and Claire have a really good chemistry — it just worked out,” Leo said. “In front of everyone it gets a little more stressful, but that stress makes me want to perform better. I’m looking forward to winning the spirit championship.” The rally proceeded with lip sync performances from the juniors and seniors. Juniors danced to a “Hamilton”-themed routine to “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, “My Shot” from Hamilton and “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. Seniors followed with a lip sync which narrated a “Wicked”-inspired storyline to a soundtrack of “Applause” by Lady Gaga, “FE!N” by Travis Scott,

07 opinions a&e/lifestyle 13

15 stem

From Roman Empire to your exbest friend: What's been on your mind?

Editorial: Lack of transparency creates danger

Power outage causes malfunctions in Nichols fish tanks

18 sports

Varsity football team suffers defeat in homecoming game

“Popular” from “Wicked” and “Beauty and the Beat” by Justin Bieber. “Lip sync Homecoming preparations this year were definitely a little bit tougher on account of the fact that we had less time than we usually do,” Harker Spirit Leadership Team (HSLT) Media Lead Shreeya Merchia (12) said. “Even though I attended some rehearsals that would get a little bit shaky, it came together for a super awesome final product.” Senior, junior, sophomore and frosh class deans Carol Green, Christopher Hurshman, Meredith Cranston and Jeanette Fernandez, respectively, played a small-scale soccer game. Hurshman emerged victorious for the class of 2025, with Green eliminated first, then Fernandez and finally Cranston. Classes continued to compete for spirit points on Harker Day on Saturday. After losing to the juniors and seniors on Oct. 3, the sophomores defeated the frosh for for third place in tug-of-war. The two semifinal victors, the seniors and juniors, faced off during halftime with the juniors winning first place. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. ALISON YANG

shareen chahal, ananya sriram, margaret cartee & felix chen

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOW

@harkeraquilaDIA DESIGN BY KINNERA MULAM

2 winged post

NEWS School unites for third annual Harker Day friday, oct. 13, 2023

ARIANA GOETTING

“

[The fundraising activity] is really fun because you get to spend time with your friends and get to know other people in your class

ISABELLE NIU (9) C

HARKER PRIDE A lower school student poses with the Harker eagle.

in two shows at 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. The theme of the shows was traveling around the world, and performances featured different countries such as Brazil, Australia, Japan and Mexico.

WISTEM ities. UR BOAT FLOAT YO st STEM-related activ o h rs e memb

COM MUN

FROSH FUNDRAISER PARTICIPANT

“Our performance went really well today,” Resham Lamva (7), who performed in Concert Choir, said. “Harker Day is really fun because after the performance I can spend time with my friends and have fun.” Following the shows, the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center (WERC) hosted a wildlife rescue presentation in Nichols Auditorium at 3 p.m. The talk educated Harker families about careful regulation and rehabilitation

of animals, tied together with a live display of owls, snakes, hawks and other creatures. WERC volunteer Kendall Lore explained the purpose of their presentation. “It’s important to introduce people to animals [that] have been misunderstood, like snakes or big hawks and eagles, and tell them why these animals are important to our ecosystem,” Lore said. “It’s super fun and I get to come out and show people cool things.” In front of the Athletic Center (AC), groups of frosh advisories sold pizza and drinks to passersby as a fundraising activity to bring the new class together early in the school year. Isabelle Niu (9) remarked on what she enjoyed about the experience. “[The fundraising activity] is really fun because you get to spend time with your friends and get to know other people in your class,” Isabelle said. “You also get to have a real-life experience of selling things, and it’s fun to try to make up marketing strategies.” The day concluded with the varsity football homecoming game against Crystal Springs Uplands School at 6:30 p.m. Members of both schools gathered on the bleachers, cheering their respective teams on and waving banners. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

D MEN

Campus compass: Festivities of Harker Day CLAI RE ZH AO

ETO

AT IO

IRA

BUCKS FROM BOBA Students sell boba from Happy Lemon for the 2027 fundraiser outside of the Zhang Gymnasium.

AT H

ETO

LOUD AND PROUD Rhapsody members Ishan Mysore (10) and Nelson Guo (11) perform “Tshosholoza” in the Patil Theater for the 1:30 p.m. Harker Day show.

AT H

ILL

TIME FOR LUNCH Students buy sushi from the MC Sushi food truck outside of Nichols rotunda. BLAST WITH BEADS Hannah Levanon (11) makes bracelets and pipe cleaner flowers with a lower schooler in Nichols.

WEAVING THREADS A lower school student weaves together string to create a friendship bracelet in the Quad.

ARIANA GOETTING

MARCHING AHEAD Downbeat members perform to “You Can’t Stop the Beat“ in the RPAC for the 1:30 p.m. show. They will next perform in their Holiday Tour on Dec. 1.

ARIANA GO

ETTING

RAISING MONEY Fro sh students sell pizza and water for the ir fundraiser.

JONATHAN SZETO

s FAMILY BONDING An artist draw caricatures for a Harker family.

ver 3,000 members of the Harker community gathered on the third Harker Day at the upper school on Saturday, with food, performances, sporting events and activities for all ages. The day commenced at 11:30 a.m. with booths run by student-led clubs and organizations stationed in the Quad and Nichols Hall. Student representatives from the clubs hosted interactive activities with Harker Day attendees to promote their respective initiatives and raise money. Upper school English teacher and WiSTEM volunteer Susanne Salhab helped WiSTEM raise money by selling popcorn and chicken and reflected on her excitement to contribute to their cause. “I really enjoy [volunteering with WiSTEM],” Salhab said. “I like that I can work with very driven students, as well as Ms. Chetty and Dr. Paskali, and pave the way towards supporting education for female-identifying people, [which are] things that I am passionate about.” Throughout the upper school campus, students, alumni, parents and staff engaged in numerous activities catered to the wide age range of visitors. The Auxiliary Gym and Quad contained an assortment of inflatable obstacle courses, ping pong tables, bouncy houses and interactive games. Harker Day also offered entertainment to younger students such as face painting, giant bubbles, a juggler and a caricature artist. The library also displayed Harker’s digital archives and allowed visitors to explore newspapers, yearbooks and magazines spanning Harker’s long history. Next to Dobbins hall, visitors gathered at the Furry Friends Forest to play with, walk or even adopt puppies. “I decided to take one of the dogs on a walk because I can tell he’s really active, and I felt bad when he was sitting there,” Lila Ozdemir (8) said. “The dogs are my favorite part of Harker Day, and I love playing with them every year.” Hundreds of singers, dancers, and actors from performing arts groups of all grades performed in the Patil Theater

CLAIRE ZHAO

ashley mo & lily shi

DESIGN BY ARIANA GOETTING AND ANANYA SRIRAM

NEWS

volume 25 • issue 2

Battle for presidency: jonathan szeto

Republicans compete in second presidential primary debate

presidential primary debate as candidates promoted their records and criticized each others’ policies. Former President Donald Trump was once again absent as he met with striking auto workers at an automobile factory in Detroit, as was former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, who failed to qualify in the polls.

Seven candidates vying to take on President Joe Biden as the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election battled each other onstage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Sept. 27. More than 9.3 million Americans tuned in to watch the second Republican

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perspectives AT THE PODIUM

Over the course of the debate, moderators Dana Perino and Stuart Varney, both Fox Business political commentators, and Ilia Calderón, an anchor for Spanish-language television network Univision, took turns regulating the event and asking the candidates questions. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

BURGAM

|| north dakota gov. ||

“

Every time I see a policeman, the first thing I say is, thank you [because] we have to respect the people that are out there defending us every single day

chris CHRISTIE

|| former new jersey gov. ||

“

Civil Discourse on elections

Explainer: Each step to election

nikki HALEY

presidency WIN THE

WHITE HOUSE

january to june of election year

S RES NG TO CO ETS L ME NT AL TES U O CO AL V

ELE CT CO ORAL CO LLE LL G FRO ECTS E V ME O LEC TES TO dec RS em b

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|| former vice president ||

“

I’ll be standing with workers, all across America, and I’ll be standing, for the right to work, of every American, to join a union or not join a union, as they decide

INDIVIDUAL STATES & PARTIES HOST PRIMARIES & CAUCUSES january to june of election year

CONVENTIONS FOR EACH PARTY HELD TO CHOOSE CANDIDATES july to early september of election year

N CTIO ELE IGIBLE IN : EL DAY S VOTE NS ZEN LECTIO CITI LE first ERA the r GEN e t af er mb day tues in nove t s r fi y a d mon

INFOGRAPHIC BY KINNERA MULAM

HOW TO

PENCE

vivek RAMASWAMY || entrepreneur ||

“

↴

Capitalism is still the best system known to man to lift us up from poverty. And we should not apologize for it. That’s what it means to be an American

tim SCOTT

ber and lec tion octob er yea r

PATH TO THE

INAUGURATION DAY: PRESIDENT ELECT TAKES OATH OF OFFICE

SOURCE: USA.GOV

spr to e ing p ri lec tion or yea r

of e

WAIT THR EE YE

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We need to move all the programs from the federal government down to the states and let states decide what [their] education looks like

FIC AN IAL CA N ND DE OUN IDA CIS C ION E TH TES TO EIR RU N in

CA ND ID C PRE OMP ATES ETE SID EN IN DE TIAL P B A sep ATE RTY tem S

ARIANA GOETTING

r prin n yea in s ctio e l to e

“

S CU E AU & C PLAC RY E IES AK MA PRI TES T PART EVA OTH

ER IST EG R AL TES IDA EDER SION D F N IS CA WITH OMM C ON CTI rior ELE gp

R CTO fter ya ELE uar year jan n ctio ele

Civil Discourse Club held its inaugural meeting on Sept. 28 to discuss the recent second Republican Party presidential debate in upper school history teacher and club adviser James Tate’s room. During the meeting, members analyzed the candidates’ performances, the role of public opinion in the debate, and future implications in the political landscape. Facilitators presented questions to elicit diverse viewpoints, reflecting the spectrum of perspectives associated with the nuanced intricacies of Republican debates and policies. “Different people have different takes on Republican debates,” Tate said. “You could get as many different perspectives on the importance of the debates as there are people who watch it because some expect it to be a trainwreck and others watch it because they want to hear specific candidates.” This meeting embodies the Civil Discourse Club’s mission to cultivate an environment where people can freely express their opinions and acknowledge differences with respect. “Even if two people disagree, they’ll have respect for the other person and appreciate their point of view,” former Vice President Ramit Goyal (12) said.

“

When they send me a bloating spending bill that’s going to cause your prices to go up, I’m going to take out this veto pen, and I’m going to send it right back to them

|| former South Carolina gov. ||

D B R ior FO r pr me r sum n yea rts tio sta lec to e

aryana bharali

|| florida gov. ||

WANT TO REGISTER TO VOTE?

Visit Vote.gov and register your information OR Use the National Mail Voter Registration

DISCUSS AND DEBATE Civil Discourse Club President Neo Alpha (12) leads a club meeting about the second GOP debate. The club convenes monthly to converse about various relevant topics.

ron DESANTIS

|| south carolina sen. ||

“

I have been discriminated against, but America is not a racist country. Never ever doubt who we are. We are the greatest country on God’s green earth DEBATE MODERATED BY FOX BUSINESS

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHAREEN CHAHAL

Club Corner

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANANYA SRIRAM

We’ve got to bring law and order back to this country and not just in our cities, [we] need law and order back everywhere

DESIGN BY FELIX CHEN

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GLOBAL

friday, oct. 13, 2023

Azerbaijan retakes Nagorno-Karabakh

mendy mao & vivek moorjani

Cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe A cholera outbreak has killed an estimated 100 people and caused 5,000+ cases in September. Cholera is found in water sources and spreads when infected water has been consumed. Zimbabwe also struggles with gaining access to filtered water. According to Africa’s . The government has limited the number of people allowed at communal meetings and enforced other restrictions in hopes to limit the spread.

US soldier released after dash to North Korea emma gao & emma li

U.S. soldier Travis King was released on Sept. 27 after defecting to North Korea on July 18. King’s motives are currently unknown, but North Korea’s news agency claimed that he “harbored ill feelings against inhuman mistreatment and racial

“

He went off his own volition to a country that is, by its own design, the enemy of the United States

Japan braces for tsunami OF

Japan issued a tsunami warning after an earthquake impacted remote Japanese islands throughout the Pacific Ocean on Oct. 5. The issued advisory was categorized under the second to last most dangerous and urges residents of the Izu chain to avoid approaching areas near the water. The Izu chain consists of islands off the larger Honshu island south of Tokyo. The warning was lifted in two hours, and no damage was recorded. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

stalemate, but tensions escalated again in September 2020. Both sides resisted calls to a ceasefire until a Russia-brokered deal succeeded in November 2020. When Azerbaijan moved again this year to take over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia gave much less assistance to Armenia. According to upper school Honors Modern International Affairs teacher Matt McCorkle, the war in Ukraine played a part. “The Ukrainian conflict has consumed Russia’s political and military attention,” McCorkle said. “They made an effort a couple of years back, and now they’re less inclined to get as involved as they once were, even though you still see statements indicating an alignment of interests.” ILLUSTRATION BY SHAREEN CHAHAL

A devastating monsoon season hit the Indian Himalayan region this year, and scientists warn that climate change caused it. The local government estimates that 428 people have died and others have lost billions in property damage in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The damage was made worse by poor architecture that ignored building codes or environmental assessments. Heavy rainfall also caused landslides and submerged key highways.

internationally recognized as a part of Muslim Azerbaijan, but was once home to many ethnic Christian Armenians. Both sides have claimed that the region is historically theirs and accuse the other side of encroachment. In the past, eighboring Turkey has supported Azerbaijan while Russia has backed Armenia, although tensions have surfaced recently between Armenia and Russia. The United States also supports Armenia, especially on issues such as the Armenian genocide, although Turkey is key to American interests in the region. In 1998, the First Nagorno-Karabakh War started between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Fighting escalated after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A 1994 ceasefire left the region under a

COM MUN

RAHUL SUNDARESAN (10)

MODEL UN MEMBER

discrimination within the U.S. Army," according to AP News. Model UN club member Rahul Sundaresan (10) felt that King’s arrest was somewhat deserved as he had consciously deserted his duty to protect. “He went off his own volition to a country that is, by its own design, the

CLOSE BORDER WATCH Soldiers from the U.S. and South Korea pace through the Demilitarized Zone in Panmunjom, South Korea, observing the joint security area.

enemy of the United States. His job was to serve the United States,” Rahul said. “Then, while in his capacity at that job, crossed the border and defected to a country that is a self-professed enemy of the United States. If that’s not treason, I don’t know what it is.” King joined the Army in January 2021 and was stationed in South Korea as a cavalry scout. On July 10, he was

released from a South Korean prison on assault charges, eight days before his dash across the border. Rather than boarding his intended plane back to the states, King joined a tourist group in the border village Panmunjom, or the Joint Security Area housing patrolling soldiers from both sides. There, he blended in with the group and suddenly ran across the border. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

PROVIDED BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Heavy rains fall over India

he separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh known as the Republic of Artsakh decided to dissolve on Sept. 28, ending three decades of wars between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region. The offensive began on Sept. 19, when Azerbaijani forces shelled the region. The next day, Armenian forces surrendered and a ceasefire was signed. Although Azerbaijani forces promised that Armenian citizens would be kept safe, over 100,000 ethnic Armenians representing 80% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population have left the region. Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in the Caucasus Mountains in Asia that is

An electric bus crashed in Venice, Italy, killing 20 foreign tourists and the driver on Oct. 4. The bus involved was only one year old, and the driver had a clean driving record. Investigators determined that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. Experts believe that the fire that followed the crash was worsened by the fact that the bus was electric. Many Venetians stopped at the site later that day to pay their respects.

andrew liang

21 dead in Venice bus crash

CONFLICT AT HOME Soldiers from Armenia pose with guns for a photo in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan

Pope Francis opened a synod on Oct. 4, where women’s voices are the central topic for the first time. A synod is a global discussion of the future of the church attended by Catholic bishops and laypeople. Women in the past have complained of their lack of power in church decision-making despite their large roles within the church. Now, women and other laypeople can vote alongside bishops for the first time. The synod will include other controversial issues like what to do with LGBTQ+ Catholics and priestly celibacy.

PROVIDED BY EDITORIALS.VOA.GOV

Vatican discusses women’s role

DESIGN BY ANDREW LIANG

FEATURES Embracing life with curiosity

winged post

volume 25 • issue 2

Raising Recognition

BIRD WATCHING Upper school computer science teacher Susan King stays curious about birds’ variety of flight and plumage.

“

Life can become this amazingly joyful experience. I’m glad to be alive and to be curious about people, to be curious about the world around me

SUSAN KING O

s the morning light strikes the lake, a curved, slender bill sweeps through the placid water, searching for any trace of fish. The sun casts its gaze onto the bearer of the bill, a lone avocet, pausing just long enough for the dawn to illuminate its golden-peach plumage. From afar, computer science teacher Susan King watches, taking in the majesty of the occasion. King took up bird watching at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, captivated by the medley of melodies and feather patterns. Where once the noise of bustling traffic had pervaded the streets, after the lockdown, the atmosphere of crowded cars was replaced with singing songbirds. “It’s fascinating to watch how birds either are kind of collectively together or how they spread themselves out,” King said. “Some birds are pretty cranky

with each other and some birds just seem to want to be together. It just is fascinating to me to watch and appreciate the differences. And besides, they’re gorgeous. Birds are gorgeous.”

jonathan xue

COMMUN

COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHER

While bird watching, King began to notice their great variety, especially in patterns of flight. While the nuanced

differences of bird flight might be imperceptible to some, now she can distinguish between species just by looking at their flights. The various flying formations that birds configure vastly differ from each other, something King has come to admire. To King, every flap of a bird’s wing, each subtle shifting of their feathers is a miracle of nature. Ever since she was a young girl in Montana, King developed a special appreciation for the natural world. In particular, that feeling of movement, whether it be through a human body or witnessing it in other creatures, has been magical. That fascination with the world later manifested itself into a natural curiosity. “I love asking questions,” King said. “I love listening to people. I love watching. I’m not a scientist, but I just like being curious. It’s just such a blessing that I’ve given myself to be curious.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

charlie wang & grant yang

PROVIDED BY HARKER ARCHIVES

Walking around Harker today, most wouldn’t guess that 2024 marks the school’s 130th academic year. It is easy to forget that Harker started as Manzanita Hall in 1893, but even if our school’s history lies tucked away during the school day, it is on display in Harker’s digital archives. The website showcases past MANZANITA Harker’s Palo Alto campus depicted the hall in a 1900 brochure. This publications, including newspapers brochure provided information for interested from 1924 and brochures from 1900. Still, the digital collection is only “When we first started doing this a a select portion of the larger physical couple years before COVID, we [had to archives stored near Mr. Hull’s classroom, decide] what we [wanted] to digitize,” Main 1. Library Director Lauri Vaughan. “What we decided to do is to digitize student publications. So, we’ve digitized all the school newspapers that we can find… yearbooks as far back as we can get them, [and] literary magazines.” The digital archive’s vast MAIN BUILDING A 1928 brochure featured the main building of the Miss Harker’s school for girls. collection will likely expand.

Yearbooks date back to 1930, when Miss Harker’s School and the Palo Alto Military Academy had not yet merged. The scans are currently not accessible because the copyright still belongs to the companies that created them. “We have to work out with them what we can put on a publicly av a i l a b l e website or the digital archives,” Vaughan said. “We want to make sure we’re doing things the right way, so HARKER HISTORY from Harker’s once we figure it Details long history lie in the out, we can just physical archives. unlock that.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

CHARLIZE WANG

See the past: Harker’s digital archived history

Connecting Harker’s past to its present, the flagpole that stands tall in the quad raises awareness about national affairs, past military affiliations, and Harker’s pride. Standing in the middle of the quad, the Flagpole is an iconic, and notable feature of the Upper school. Harker has always had a military history, and this flag is symbolic of that. The pole originally, is a ship flagpole. This allows for students to paint it, and contribute to a variety of meetings and contributions surrounding the flag. Fifteen years ago, the freshman class officers began their tradition of taking care of the flag raising. This was done as a way to welcome the freshman class into the traditions and way of life of the upper school, and give a specific, iconic task to the freshman class council. “It’s fun because the sophomore class now gets to train [the freshman] how to fold the flag, how to take it down, and so they raise the flag every Monday morning, and lower it every Friday afternoon.” Dean of Students Kevin Williamson said. Not only is the flag incredibly hard to miss, it connects Harker to our local, state and national communities. Every once in a while, on days of mourning such as 9/11, Pearl Harbor, and most recently the passing of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, government officials across the nation will call for the flag to be at “Half-Mast.” “[Half Mast] typically signifies that somebody has passed away or a time of death or remembrance.” Williamson said. “Whenever the president says this is what we need to do, we’ll follow their directives.” When students see the flag at half-mast, they receive a reminder to stop and think about the events that day allowing them to reflect over the events that have shaped this country. The flag also serves as a meeting spot for student clubs to congregate, and discuss various club meetings. Every once in a while veteran members of the Harker’s community will give talks, or present on veteran’s day at the pole which represents the flagpole’s importance to the Harker community. These talks include anything from how to fold the flag to the importance of why the flag should not touch the ground. The custom stands for protecting the flag from being soiled or damaged. Some other rules include how it’s not allowed to be shown upside down, nor can it touch any of the elements on the ground like objects and water. The pole holds a strong connection to Harker’s military past and is a symbol for the history this very school holds. Its presence is vital for a way to remember everything that makes Harker, Harker. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

HIMA THOTA

JONATHAN XUE

claire bauschlicher

DESIGN BY HIMA THOTA

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FEATURES

friday, oct. 13, 2023

A digital abyss inside the screen

What does ‘happy’ mean?

Exploring the mindset behind online use

vika gautham & hima thota

CO M MUN

Shaila Tandon (11):

AN DO N ZAU

Chayce Milheim (11):

“

If it seems you’re starting to drift away from their platform, they’re going to try to send you something super eye-catching to try to get you back in”

JULIE TURCHIN CE

n the electric embrace of the 21st century, where every scroll is part of a journey and every click is a portal to another world, social media is woven into everyday life. Yet, beneath the glossy filters and stories lie people hiding behind their social media presence, their self worth deteriorating due to comparison and a growing desire for acceptance. The average person spends around 2.5 hours every day on social media platforms. Some seek social media as a platform to stay connected with friends and family, bridging geographical gaps and maintaining cherished relationships, while others use it as a hub for information, where they can react to news, trends and updates. Companies manufacture social media to keep a person glued to their screen, whittling away at users’ attention spans. According to psychologist Gloria Mark, the average attention span of users shrank from two and a half minutes to 47 seconds between 2004 and 2018. Intrinsic

features, like infinite scrolling systems, ensure users will remain online for hours without losing focus due to short videos usually ranging from a few seconds to minutes.

CO M MUN

UPPER SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

Beyond components like short videos, many apps’ algorithms customize content based on user preferences and interests. Features like ‘for-you’ pages and personalized information attract people, so they feed into the infinite scroll. “Social media companies understand that they are in the business of keeping you addicted to their product,” upper school

AP psychology teacher Dr. Julie Turchin said. “So they are in the back room asking what is going to bring [the user] back. The more you react to something, the more of that thing they’re going to show you. If it seems you’re starting to drift away from their platform, they’re going to try to send you something super eye-catching to try to get you back in. It’s creepy how good the algorithms are at doing that.” Algorithms play a significant role in today’s social media landscapenot only shaping feeds but also recommending trending posts, often leading to a surge in user engagement. These trending posts can attract a multitude of viewers, which, while boosting content visibility, also raises concerns about the potential for toxicity in the comment sections. People are also anonymous on social media, which can lead them to act differently to how they would in real life. “The internet allows us to behave in ways that we never would due to being anonymous,” Dr. Turchin said. “I definitely think that can [contribute to online harassment].” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

What’s in a name: How to name a company jonathan xue

ILLUSTRATION BY VIKA GAUTHAM

A fresh breeze whips through the air as the snaps and cracks of lacrosse sticks clashing together sounds outdoors. The players’ footsteps pound against the ground as they grip their sticks tightly. The ball flies quickly out of the stick. Yells echo from across the field as the team practices lacrosse. Captain of the girls varsity lacrosse team, Chayce has been playing lacrosse for six years. Winning and encouraging her teams’ improvement brings her the greatest joy. “My happiness comes from the feeling you get when you accomplish something,” Chayce said. “I never like leaving things unfinished because of this reason. I love just seeing all my hard work pay off.” Hard work and success in athletics come across as the obvious prize for any athlete, but the team-oriented aspects of lacrosse are what really comprise Chayce’s satisfaction and happiness with the sport. “I love spending time with my team,” Chayce said. “We all bonded a lot last year because of the hard work we all put in to improve and it paid off because we won our conference. I was so happy when that happened.”

vika gautham & emma li

KEEP SCROLLING Algorithms play a significant role in today’s social media landscape, not only shaping feeds but also recommending trending posts, often leading to a surge in user engagement. As more users view post, the more popular they get.

Click. As school starts, rather than arriving at campus, students open their computers. Their mouse drags to Zoom, barely five minutes before class starts. Days continue, bleeding into each other as people shelter in place. Same routine, same scenery. For some, it’s a monotonous routine. For Shaila, she finds it exhilarating and free. “The best days that I’ve ever had was during COVID,” Shaila said. “My family and I and some friends, we went on a bike ride through San Francisco, and that was really fun. Just going out and doing some type of activity really gives me joy because it’s separation from work and I have something to look forward to. So I would say doing anything that is work and this along with other people, I enjoy that.” Among the chaos that COVID presented, there are silver linings in people’s experiences as well. Shaila found unexpected joys within the isolation. Finding new hobbies and ways to spend her time, she enjoyed the days she spent with the people she loved.

What’s in a name? On the surface, names have no intrinsic value, just words we use to refer to things. But that’s not the entire story. Names hold meaning, a confluence of emotions and associations tied together. And when we use names, we share those ideas with others, conveying multitudes compacted into a single word. Names are the reason we can communicate so much while only saying so little. It’s why when someone says, “ I need a Kleenex,” or “Could you fetch me a Band-Aid?” we know exactly what they mean. Tissue. Bandage. Different words. Same meanings. The terminology has become s o c o m m o n that the brands themselves replace their products. For companies’ marketing teams, that degree

of association is coveted, the goal that they aspire towards. The value that a well-chosen brand name offers is indispensable, but sometimes, companies change their brands altogether. In general, such sudden changes are inadvisable, sacrificing large swaths of the consumer base and eliminating brand associations. Why then have two of the largest tech companies, Meta (formerly Facebook) and X (formerly Twitter), recently done so? One user, Chloe Lee (12), said she finds the name changes unintuitive and hard to grapple with. “I’d prefer it to have stayed as the original name,” Chloe said. “They can change their designs or group up with other companies, that’s fine, but in day-to-day conversations it’s just confusing. It’s inconsistent — one person using ‘X,’ one person using ‘Twitter.’” Despite the confusion that name changes can cause, in the case of both Meta and X, the desire to expand into a more generalist corporation influenced their decision.

For Meta, as companies like Instagram, WhatsApp and Thread were absorbed, the term “Facebook” no longer encompasses the parent company’s offerings. As for X, owner Elon Musk’s vision to create an everythingplatform influenced his choice of the generic “X” over “Twitter.” Both name changes have drawn controversy, with many people questioning the motives behind such moves. Criticism of Facebook’s shift to Meta followed failings of the Metaverse. The backlash regarding Twitter’s name change focused on the rationale behind the decision. For Twitter, well-known in the world of social media and microblogging by its “tweets,” completely shifting gears to the mysterious “X” disoriented many. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. DESIGN BY VIKA GAUTHAM

ILLUSTRATION BY MIRABELLE FENG

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA LI

Happiness is a tale woven through the tapestry of our lives, a radiant thread that when pulled just right, unravels into exciting moments. It dances in the golden moments after scoring the winning goal for your team and lingers in the warm embrace of spending time with loved ones. In a world of uncertainty, it provides simple pleasures to remind people of the moments that truly matter.

A&E/LIFESTYLE

volume 25 • issue 2

winged post

Wedding guitarist?

Moses Lin blesses couples with serenades

gabe sachse

This recurring profile series features stories and experiences of individuals with unique professions uests sit before pink and white flowers adorning the wedding chuppah. The song begins softly, sweetly, familiar to most; a solo guitar carries the melody. Destination wedding guitarist Moses Lin spends 30 to 40 hours on each song he performs, crafting the perfect backdrop to the couple’s special day. “I think of myself as the movie soundtrack,” Lin said. “If you have a great movie scene, but awful music, no one’s gonna feel anything. If you have a really awful scene, but you have that perfect soundtrack, people are just going to be weeping either way. So I’m the movie soundtrack, and I’m here to make them feel all the feelings on their day.” Lin’s parents sent him to piano lessons when he was three years old. In later years he also picked up the violin. Though a classically trained musician, he taught himself the instrument he fell in love with — the guitar. “The style that I do is my own technique,” Lin said. “A lot of it is watching other people on YouTube and figuring it out, but a lot of it is just, ‘Oh, I’m trying to play the song and I’m trying to do this

I DO Destination wedding guitarist Moses Lin strums his guitar between rows of wedding guests. “Everyone’s having a wild, great time,” Lin said. “When I get guests singing or dancing, those are just moments where I’m really connected with these people.”

and this at the same time, how about I just create a technique that allows me to do that.’”

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I’m really connected with these people, and I was able to give them an experience that they’ll never forget

MOSES LIN PR

PROVIDED BY MOSES LIN

FAMILIAR MELODIES Moses Lin adds vibrancy with his unique tunes at weddings.

Y M OSE

WEDDING GUITARIST

After leaving school, he privately taught students the guitar. While coaching twelve students, he tried to grow his YouTube channel on the side, posting videos of him playing the guitar. A single call diverted his plans. “I got a call one day from Disneyland,” Lin said. “They were like, ‘Hey, we saw your YouTube videos. We think you’re amazing and we’d love for you to perform it down to Disney. Would you be free to audition sometime?’ I didn’t even have

PROVIDED BY MOSES LIN

jessica wang

the equipment. So I went out, bought a bunch of equipment and just went to this audition. That was the first moment I realized that I could make money performing.” Many guests at the weddings he performs at tell him they’ve never experienced such a show, a live guitarist performing from reception to cocktail hour. He takes pride in being able to offer something unique to wedding performances. “I go home super fulfilled,” Lin said. “Because I made that happen. I created this experience. I’ve had couples that call me three years after the wedding and they’re like, ‘Yo, we had some friends over last night and we were talking about our wedding and your name came up,’ and they’re still talking about you three years later. That makes me really happy, where I’m able to be a highlight of their day.” Of course, he wouldn’t be working on his brand if he did not truly love the work that he does. With the vibrancy and energy during a wedding, Lin enjoys connecting with guests and newlyweds through his music. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Roars from both veteran fans used to the superstar singer’s antics and newer enjoyers of the band’s music surround the eccentric Healy. Controversial social commentary the modus operandi of the 1975. Four childhood friends: lead singer Matty Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel, founded the English band in 2002. As a more recent fan, I was excited to see what the group had in store, and hoped to be thrilled by the boldness of their work. The band entered the stage, elaborately decorated as atypical suburban house as a mashup of Elvis Presley’s“Love Me Tender” and John Legend’s “Flying” played. They set up their instruments and chatted with one another, as if they were characters on an idyllic sitcom. Eventually, Healy ambled to the piano, launching into “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” Once the upbeat tunes sufficiently exhausted the crowd, Healy crooned the lovestruck track “Fallingforyou,” followed by “About You,” where he was joined by Money for the famous bridge.

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Being able to experience such a performance and absorb these messages was a truly magical experience

Suddenly, the band rushed off the stage, revealing Healy sitting on a couch. To a recording of the 1975’s “Consumption,” Healy did pushups in front of the television, displaying internet content. Later, the singer explained on stage that the sequence was made to comment on masculinity and toxic trends in male media consumption. The show ended with two lesser known tracks: “Give Yourself A Try” and “People.” While both songs are from disparate eras of the 1975’s career, they share a clear message. Both admonish listeners to take a look around them and move through the world with purpose, a stark contrast from the laid-back teenager

What’s on your mind: Roman Empire or ex-best friend? ARIANA GOETTING

OUT OF 102 MALE RESPONDENTS...

STILL ... AT THEIR VERY BEST The stage at the 1975 concert during their performance of their hit song, “I’m In Love With You.”

t o p i c s relevant to our lives. Our private obsessions unveil our IC BY YO interests. UN GM IN So what’s your “Roman Empire?” H

out on Oct. 1, 33.3% of the 102 maleidentifying respondentes think about the Roman Empire more than once a day with over 75% of them overall reporting that they contemplate the topic at least once a month. In the survey, popular responses to the question “Why do you think about the Roman Empire as often as you do” included answers about the empire’s legacy as a dominating society. While the trend focuses on men’s private obsession with this empire, it gave rise to people’s own versions of the Roman Empire. In the same survey, the 89 respondees that did not identify as male ranked alternate “Roman Empires” in terms of how often they think of the options. 21.3% of the participants ranked “Your ex-best friend” as their top option, with “pregnancy/ motherhood” following closely behind in second place. While the Roman Empire theory appears odd at first, the trend reveals our tendency to obsess over certain

Ever wondered what men think about? According to a recent TikTok trend, men are likely pondering over a certain centuries-old society: the Roman Empire. This trend emerged when non-male identifying social media users began questioning men about how frequently they thought of the Roman Empire in early Sept. The most common responses, shocked many. “I think it’s really weird,” Katherine Fields (12) said. “I feel like they t h i n k about it so much because men have a superiority complex, and that time in history is when men were at the upper echelons of hierarchical society.” In a Winged Post survey sent

ILLUSTRATION BY ARIANA GOETTING

kinnera mulam

Healy described himself as in the opening song of the night. As someone who started listening to The 1975 last year, I could have never anticipated that a band with such upbeat, car karaoke songs could put on such a compelling, interesting show. I will remember every second of the concert for the rest of my life. This is what it looks like! Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. DESIGN BY YOUNG MIN

08 winged post

A&E/LIFESTYLE

friday, oct. 13, 2023

F a a g r mer's o t a r Sa Market

To consider:

Matthew Shepard alison yang Content warning: This article mentions assault and death. 25 years ago yesterday, Matthew Shepard died. A 21-year-old University of Wyoming student, he was tied to a fence, beaten with a pistol and left for dead on Oct. 7 1998. His tragic death, and the subsequent trial of his assailants, sparked a nationwide conversation about hate, intolerance, and the need for understanding and forgiveness in the face of violence. With the uproar regarding his murder, both deeply supportive and violent, also came a movement of books, documentaries, plays, albums and more commemorating Shepard. Two of those pieces inspired recent Bay Area performances: Craig Johnson’s album “Considering Matthew Shepard” and Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project’s “The Laramie Project.” The former was a collaboration between The Choral Project and the San José State University Choraliers on Apr 14. and 15. Harker will perform the latter from Oct. 26 to 28.

vika gautham, katerina matta & jessica wang

rom ripe peaches to freshly-caught salmon to steaming pupusas, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market boasts a wide variety of produce and foodstuffs. Tucked into the parking lot of West Valley College, the 50-vendor market is an unassuming local favorite. Attracting a vibrant mix of visitors of all ages, many families come to the market. The market opens every Saturday

from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is a staple of the weekend routine for many locals. Whether you're an early riser seeking the freshest produce or prefer to stroll in later for a leisurely brunch, this market caters to all schedules. Fruits and vegetables are a highlight at Saratoga Farmers' Market. From juicy watermelons in the summer to crisp apples and colorful pumpkins in the fall,

the market mirrors the natural rhythm of the region's produce. Even as the seasons change and summer turns to fall, the Saratoga farmers’ market is here to stay. Take a weekend to check out their new fall picks and enjoy a cornerstone of the Saratoga community. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

PRODUCE People of all ages visit the market to buy groceries for the week. From little kids running around the pathways to their parents and grandparents running after them, the market is full of bustling life.

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PREPPING PRODUCE A worker at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market refills the tasting sample bin for his stall’s yellow watermelon. Farmers markets provide access to fresh, locally grown produce that is often picked peak ripeness, making it more flavorful and nutritious compared to items that have been shipped long distances.

ALOUPE MEL NT

HAMI M E

The Saratoga Farmer’s Market provides a variety of plants from flowers to vegetables. Many stalls sell seeds so people can grow new plants on their own, or pre-grown flowers for others to enjoy.

FINDING FLOWERS A vendor at the Saratoga Farmer's Market prepares a selection of fresh flowers at a stall. The Saratoga Farmer's Market provides a variety of plants, ranging from succulents to exotic flowers.

Saratoga’s farmers market offers many different foods, ranging from quesadillas and El Salvadoran food to steamed buns, which are available at the Dumpling King stall in the market. For those who want

BAO BUNS

a more filling meal, the market provides options such as pesto crepes or chicken wings. For those looking for a sweet treat, there are options like strawberry creme crepes or snow cones.

CR E P E S

PU P U S A

TAKE YOUR PICK Saratoga Farmer's Market customers peruse a selection of fruits to choose from. From little kids running around the pathways to their parents and grandparents running after them, the market is full of bustling life. DESIGN BY ALISON YANG

PHOTOS BY JESSICA WANG & VIKA GAUTHAM

QUICK BITES DATA FROM THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

Anti LGBTQ bills introduced in 2023

D EN OL

N LO

501

FLOWERS

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In a case as prominent and rooted in contemporary issues as Shepard’s death, it is impossible to use the distance of time to bandage a national wound. “Considering Matthew Shepard” stage director Amy Young found solidarity and comfort in conversations with Shepard’s family and her peers. “How do we find closure?” Young said. “How do we find forgiveness and understanding [in this violence]? One of the hardest parts of the story is having to confront our feelings about the perpetrators…The divine is present in all of us. You could be me, I could be you, and we really need to look out for each other with that in mind.” Members of the LGBTQ community still face the same dangers Shepard did. A record amount of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in 2023, a majority targeting youth. The Choral Project Director Daniel Hughes emphasizing contextualizing Shepard when revisiting his death. “We cover all the different aspects and perspectives of grief,” Hughes said. “How it spills out into the rest of the world. How the murderers were feeling in the moment. How it affects a community. Instead of just remembering Matthew, we need to consider everything that’s spun out from the orbit of the event.” Visit harkeraquila. com for full article.

Instead of just remembering Matthew, we need to consider everything that’s spun out from the orbit of the event

OPINIONS MBTI’s pseudoscientific labels

winged post

volume 25 • issue 2

suhani gupta

brightly-colored page sits in front of me, promising guidance on the path towards understanding my personality in less than 20 minutes. My personality type emerges on the screen, accompanied by a geometric, pop-artesque character. I read the description that accurately aligns with my perception of my personality, shocked that an online test seems to know me so well. The MBTI is one of the world’s most popular personality tests, with around 50 million test takers. It sorts you into one of 16 personality types using a four letter code: extroversion (E) or introversion (I), intuition (N) or sensing (S), feeling (F) or thinking (T) and judging (J) or perceiving (P).

According to 16Personalities, the most popular MBTI testing site, my type is ENFP, and based on the descriptions of the personality on the website, the categorization is spot-on. So if the test is not based on psychology, why did my

“

Four letters can only reveal so much about someone, a cursory and inadequate view that fails to tell the full story

designated type seem so accurate with my personality? My naivety at the time led me to believe that because this one description felt true to me, the test must be accurate. At first, I let the label define me, reducing my originality to a stereotype. Instead of trying to grow my character authentically, I tried to copy the personality description as much as possible because it felt like a concrete categorization of my identity. After more thorough exploration, though, I discovered the flaws in the system. A little bit of pseudoscience

FRIDAY FIVE:

Childhood mobile games

may not seem that harmful on the surface, but I grew attached to the box I placed myself into, making it difficult to let go of the personality label. The MBTI test can turn a person’s personality into an algorithmic category, the model of efficiency and certainty that many of us crave. Nevertheless, the black-andwhiteness that comes with this systematic thinking can lead to a fixed mindset towards growth. While my type does describe some parts of me, it misses so much more. After all, four letters can only reveal so much about someone, a cursory and inadequate view that fails to tell the full story. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ashley mo Whether you’ve left these games in the past or still have them on your phone, let’s take a trip down memory lane and rediscover the happiness and excitement they once brought us!

5. Cut the Rope A game full of candy, cute animations and interactive elements. The goal? Feeding Om Nom, an adorable green monster, by cutting strings that dangle a piece of candy above its head. From trying to figure out which rope to cut first or how to avoid the candy-shattering spikes, each level comes with new challenges that require strategic planning and perfect timing.

4. Dumb Ways to Die “Dumb Ways to Die, so many dumb ways to die …” I hum the infectious tune of the theme song for the game Dumb Ways to Die. What’s fascinating is that this app was created by an Australian railway company to educate teenagers on safety measures — crazy, right? Whenever I need a good laugh, Dumb Ways to Die never fails to bring a smile to my face with its humorous scenarios.

3. Candy Crush It’s pretty much impossible to talk about childhood games without mentioning Candy Crush, and to be honest, I still have it installed on my phone. As implied by the name, Candy Crush is a puzzle game that involves matching colorful candies in rows or columns to score points. It’s no surprise that this game has become a cultural phenomenon, drawing millions of players worldwide.

ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA WANG

2. Plants vs. Zombies

This I believe: I believe in killing pain

1. Subway Surfers Subway Surfers: a perfect combination of timeless gameplay, exciting features and endless fun. I’ve been hooked since day one, and I’m currently on a mission to beat my personal best of 103,550 points. What really sets the game apart is its global competition: players from all around the world can compete against each other for the top spot, making every playthrough an adrenalinefueled race to achieve the highest score. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WANG

My belief in painkillers first started when I got Invisalign a few months ago. I never really needed to use them before that, but I’m glad that I was able to start using them. The first few days of my Invisalign journey were pure torture. Every time that I bit into anything, my teeth would ache. The first night that I wore my Invisalign, I couldn’t sleep and had to take them out; but the second night, I was determined to wear them throughout the whole night. As I laid down and relaxed into my pillows, I suddenly became very aware of the pain that had been somewhat tolerable during the day. After pulling myself out of bed and consulting my mother, I decided to take a Tylenol to try and ease the pain. I couldn’t remember the last time I had taken a Tylenol before this. After around 45 minutes of laying in bed, unable to sleep, the Tylenol kicked in. Thankfully, I managed to sleep through the night while wearing my Invisalign. Making the decision to take a painkiller was extremely worth it. Other than being very effective in diminishing my pain, both in my teeth and

in my head, painkillers have helped me become more comfortable with accepting help from outside sources. To me now, accepting help from other people seems trivial; but when I was younger, I would refuse to admit that I needed help because of the foolish sense of pride that I had. Due to this, I would always silently work and try to deal with my problems in a slightly less logical way thaen I probably should have. Learning to accept help from outside sources is a skill that has benefited me greatly in life, and saved me a lot of time. I have learned that a lot of times, it is not the best choice for myself to force my way through things, instead of taking the easier route and getting help from someone else, which I unfortunately was not able to do when I was younger. To be able to effectively receive and utilize help from other people is something that will be useful in the future, and I will always believe in painkillers, for helping me minimize pain, and for helping me become more comfortable with accepting help from others. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

BRANDON ZAU

katie tcheng

In this game, the player takes on the role of a homeowner who must strategically place a variety of plants on their lawn to prevent a horde of zombies from devouring their brains. Players can unlock and upgrade to new, advanced plants that are more effective during zombie battles. Plants vs. Zombies is one of the most innovative mobile games ever created!

DESIGN BY JESSICA WANG

10 winged post

DOUBLE TRUCK

friday, oct. 13, 2023

Exploring signs of fall, fall fashion and fa

how does you

red, gold, brown

change

hues of autumn

STUDENT A

A G O E T TIN

street to take a picture of the trees on both sides of the neighborhood street,” Jack said. “The colors are very pretty.” In addition to changes in nature, many teachers have also begun to decorate their classrooms for fall, whether it be with pumpkins, bat cut-outs or fall leaf garlands. These subtle transformations signal the arrival of autumn, a season loved by many for its cozy ambiance and vibrant celebrations such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Halloween and Thanksgiving. “I’m excited for fall holidays, like Halloween and Thanksgiving,” Zoe Cammer (9) said. “I like dressing up a lot, because it’s always fun.”

A RI A N A

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PHOEBE CAST

KATIE TCHENG (10) CH

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EIM

Though some students enjoy Halloween for wearing costumes, others enjoy the more intimate, familial themes of Thanksgiving. Katie Tcheng (10) expresses her excitement for Thanksgiving, seeing it as a time to reunite with her loved ones. “I’m super excited for Thanksgiving because my sister is coming back from college,” Katie said. “It’s also a really fun time for me to be able to meet with family and friends and to be able to gather around and be thankful.” However, to some, the fall season is not only a hint that holidays are coming, but also a sign that finals are approaching, bringing a sense of anxiety. Fortunately, fall and Thanksgiving breaks are also times to alleviate the stress that students may experience when studying for their impending exams.

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I’m excited for fall holidays, like Halloween and Thanksgiving. I like dressing up a lot because it’s always fun ZOE CAMMER (9) STUDENT KE

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STUDENT

VIN Z H A N G

“Generally, fall means finals, but I do enjoy the occasional fall break days we get,” Katie said. “Thanksgiving break being our first actual break is a monumental occasion because it’s such a great break for us to be able to rest academically and to be able to have set times to study for finals and to alleviate that stress.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

I enj different discoveri Musician people a m

RYDE

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Summer is very loose, very relaxed, and then for fall, you add a couple more layers and long pants because it gets colder. They’re both laid back but fall has more room for additional stuff

AARON BAO (11)

AISHANI SINGH

JACK YANG (12)

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I’m excited for Thanksgiving because my sister is coming back from college. It’s a really fun time for me to meet with family and friends

ING

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Sometimes when I drive, I park to take a picture of the trees on both sides of the neighborhood street because the colors are very pretty

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Normally in a sweater or jean California fall, I try a light shirt and lig because it’s really

GOETT

ith the weather peaking at 95 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s hard to believe that fall is already upon us, but there are some telltale signs that even the late summer heat can’t disguise. The mornings are crisp, with many students donning sweaters and hoodies until the day warms up, and evenings carry a slight chill. The days are becoming shorter. Trees, although still predominantly green, are starting to show hints of red and gold at their tips. Jack Yang (12) appreciates the change in scenery and often pauses to take it in. “Sometimes when I’m driving, I just go in a neighborhood and park on the side of the road and go into the middle of the

ARIANA

ariana goetting & mia tang

ariana goetting, shaina cohen

DOUBLE TRUCK

volume 25 • issue 2

winged post

all food in our upper school community

ur style

e in the fall?

pumpkin spice & everything nice ashley mo

Whether homemade or from Starbucks, a hot pumpkin spice latte never fails to brighten my mood. As an autumn classic, the beverage contains espresso, milk, pumpkin puree and a variety of fall spices, making it a sweet, creamy beverage. Wafting from the steaming drink cupped in my hands, the soothing smell of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg brings back my fondest fall memories— playing in the colorful leaves with my sister, carving pumpkins with friends and hand-picking Granny Smith apples at orchards with my family. Every sip feels like a hug, warming my entire body from head to toe. And of course, no matter the occasion, I always ask for extra whipped cream with pumpkin spice sprinkled on top.

ER HEWITT (10)

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Start slow, just take a few pieces that you like and add a couple of accessories and then you can figure out your individual style and start buying more unique pieces

EMMA LI

MARYANNE DAVIES (10)

apple pie

lily shi A sweet, tangy aroma wafts to my nose and my mouth begins to water as I grab a warm plate and sit down at my kitchen table. In front of me is a flaky, buttery crust surrounding a mound of juicy apples, covered in a thick layer of steaming cinnamon-spiced sauce. As I stab my fork into the slice to gather the perfect bite of pastry and filling, more steam drifts upward, and the heightened smell brings me back to Thanksgiving dinners with my family and cozy fall evenings. With every new scoopful, I am reminded of the love and memories baked into each wonderful bite.

hannah jeon Contrary to an ordinary pancake, which is covered with sweet syrup, mung bean pancakes are a savory dish, often filled with ground pork and assorted vegetables. The golden-brown outside, with colorful vegetables hiding in the crispy shell, makes an appetizing crunch. The soft inside is loaded with bean sprouts and kimchi, and my mouth fills with the mung beans’ subtle nutty flavor as I take a bite. The kimchi paired with soy sauce provides an additional layer of spicy and salty taste, tying the dish together. Mung bean pancakes are simply too good to be reserved for “Chuseok,” a Korean mid-autumn festival, so I’m always glad when I see a plate of them on the dinner table.

mung bean pancakes

DESIGN BY ARIANA GOETTING

BACKGROUND PHOTO BY ALENA SULEIMAN, ILLUSTRATIONS BY ARIANA GOETTING

GABE SACHSE

joy thinking about medias as a way of ing my own fashion. ns, movies and the around me influence my fashion

ARIANA GOETTING

TLE (12)

pumpkin spice latte

KINNERA MULAM

fall I wear ns, but in y to wear ght pants y hot here

HANNAH JEON

, aishani singh, n & emma li

OPINIONS

Where ink meets innovation Digital notes make paper notes obsolete aishani singh

n biology class, I sit ready and prepared to learn with my notebook open to a fresh new page and my pencil sharpened to a perfect point. As my teacher starts to review the lecture notes, I begin to write slowly and patiently. Just a few minutes in, my pencil starts to dull; the graphite is smudged all over the page and my diagrams look messy and barely legible. I silently groan to myself, ripping out the page and crumpling it between my hands. I open my backpack and pull out my iPad, which is fully charged and ready for use. I launch Notability, grip my Apple Pencil in my hand and refocus my attention back on the lecture, refreshed and ready to take notes again. A debate that has been going on since the Big Bang, paper notes versus iPad notes is always a contentious discussion. While some people prefer paper over an iPad, using an iPad to take notes is not only more efficient but also helps out with organization.

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With a tablet, you can make the straightest of graphs, the neatest of diagrams. With paper notes, you cannot say the same By using an iPad to take notes, you don’t need to bring six different notebooks for six different subjects, so your back doesn’t break every time you pick your backpack up. Many note taking apps, like Notability and Goodnotes, allow you to efficiently organize your notes by creating folders. There’s also no risk of losing your digital notes as most note taking apps save your notes on iCloud. While digitally taking notes, whether during a lecture or on a textbook

chapter, I can effortlessly switch between pen and highlighter and even choose whatever color I want to write in. With paper, it takes more time to switch between different writing instruments, and even longer if you want to color-code your notes. Paper notes limit your creative freedom, especially when you have to keep up with the lecture in the classroom. Using my iPad to write down information also comes in handy if I want to include diagrams or graphs. While using a ruler on paper is fine, the diagrams are often distorted and not drawn to scale, and I find myself stuck in an endless cycle of erasing and redrawing. On a tablet, I can just search up the concept on Safari and add the image to my notes, saving me both time and effort. As a result, my notes immediately become much cleaner. Beyond the organization and simplicity of digital notes, taking notes digitally is more enjoyable than working with paper. The smooth glide of my Apple Pencil over the surface of my tablet feels way better than the rough, scratchy surface of a paper notebook. I can add in any design I like, implement any writing medium and draw whatever I want. The only limit is your imagination. Lastly, while paper notes might help you with memorization in the short term, the iPad’s ability to add in neat drawings and diagrams could do much more. A 2016 study published in the National Library of Medicine shows that visual learning and explanations improve spatial ability as well as understanding. With a tablet, you can make the straightest of graphs, the neatest of diagrams. With paper, you can’t say the same. Everyone has their own preferences and peeves when it comes to taking notes, but for me, taking notes using a tablet undoubtedly comes out on top. No matter where I am or what I want to do, my iPad is right next to my side. With its sleek simplicity and efficient organization, I’m always ready to learn. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

friday, oct. 13, 2023

Pen to paper, mind to heart Paper provides a more authentic experience claire zhao

t’s late at night. My laptop and iPad illuminate my face with a blue glow. I’ve finished the mountainous heap of homework upon me… well, almost. There’s a dull headache brewing between my temples, my eyes ache and, regrettably, there’s still one assignment left for me to complete: “Read and take notes on Chapter 3 of the textbook.” So, I mull over my options. I anticipate what’s in store for me right now and tomorrow morning. And finally, I whisper to myself: I can do it, as I unplug my devices and put them away for now. I’ve got this, as I take out my trusty spiral notebook and open it up to a fresh page. Of course, when I say I prefer taking notes on paper over using my iPad, I can’t discount the convenience of using an iPad. After all, many teachers at the upper school allow or even encourage students to take notes on tablets. Notebooks and tablets may seem like two sides of the same coin. Paper and pencil, screen and stylus: what’s the difference, anyway? A 2021 study published in “Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience” may offer an answer to that question. According to the scientists’ data, there is a difference between the spatial information offered by paper notebooks and by electronic tablets. University students who wrote on paper scored slightly better and also had higher activations in memory-related brain regions when asked to remember details from what they wrote compared to the tablet group. In other words, paper helped these students encode information more effectively and thus store it or retrieve it from their memories more effectively. From experience, this comes in handy for memory-intensive academic subjects like history where I have to rely on notetaking to quickly learn the content. At the

end of a long Quizlet study session or right before a test, I still find it helpful to return to my physical notes as a way of refreshing my memory. Taking notes on an iPad may be easy, but I always find myself one step away from becoming sidetracked by another app on my home screen. Notifications from group chats, new posts on Instagram and the like — the next thing I know, I’ve lost track of my priorities. With paper notes on the other hand, it’s just writing and learning, with no risk of distraction attached.

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Paper helped these students encode information more effectively and thus store it or retrieve it from their memories more effectively

Statistics and academics aren’t the only reasons why I turn to paper notes. As an avid stationery collector, it’s always rewarding for me to unzip my seemingly endless rainbow selection of pastel highlighters, sticky notes, soft brush pens, washi tapes and more. I just can’t let go of my favorite Mildliners, Supertips and Tombows. The soothing satisfaction of gliding a thick, juicy highlighter across my paper and feeling the rough texture of a pen as it scratches against the surface remains an irreplaceable experience to me, no matter how many virtual writing utensils I can store in the compact screen of my iPad. It’s a welcome respite from the glaring blue light that pervades our everyday lives and with that, our bluelight-caused headaches, too. Though iPads do have their advantages, no device measures up to the authentic and enjoyable experience of taking notes in a physical notebook. That’s when an Apple Pencil can’t beat an actual pencil — and it becomes clear which has the “better point.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ILLUSTRATION BY MARGARET CARTEE

12 winged post

DESIGN BY ISABELLA LO

OPINIONS

volume 25 • issue 2 Editors-in-Chief Kinnera Mulam Ariana Goetting Managing Editors Edward Huang Ananya Sriram Shareen Chahal News Editors Felix Chen Andrew Liang Features Editors Vika Gautham Hima Thota

winged post

Editorial: Lack of transparency creates danger

A&E/Lifestyle Editors Alison Yang Young Min Opinions Editors Jessica Wang Isabella Lo

Video/Podcast Editors Aishani Singh Anwen Hao Sports Columnist Gabe Sachse Adviser Whitney Huang, CJE Aquila Editors-in-Chief Ella Yee Alena Suleiman Aquila Managing Editors Margaret Cartee Emma Gao Desiree Luo Kevin Zhang Medha Yarlagadda Selina Xu 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 Reporters Claire Bauschlicher Gemma Chan Mirabelle Feng Lindsey Tuckey Chayce Milheim Grant Yang Shaina Cohen Disha Gupta Suhani Gupta Hanna Jeon Emma Li Mendy Mao Ashley Mo Vivek Moorjani Lily Shi Jonathan Szeto Mia Tang Katie Tcheng Charlie Wang

ILLUSTRATION BY MARGARET CARTEE

STEM Editors Victor Gong Claire Zhao Sports Editors Emma Milner Katerina Matta Copy Editor Saahil Herrero Photo Editor Brandon Zau EDITORIAL: THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST

editorial board Students crouched on the floor as they waited in silence during the lockdown on Sept. 13 without knowing the events taking place beyond the classroom walls. At 3:25 p.m., the public address (PA) system alerted those on campus to initiate lockdown procedures. Immediately, students and teachers locked doors and turned off lights to comply with procedure. During the 30 minutes of shelter-in-place, which the school later classified as a false alarm, students received no information or updates about the incident. Teachers received a notification from Assistant Head of School Ken Allen at 3:40 p.m. first notifying them of the lockdown. Afterwards, Head of School Brian Yager gave updates every five minutes, informing faculty of the arrival of police cars and telling them to continue locking down. In total, faculty received nine emails on Sept. 13 about the lockdown.

The Harker emergency alert system sent parents alerts which indicated the start and the end of the lockdown. Students on-campus received the same information through the PA system. Students who were off-campus did not receive any firsthand communication about the lockdown, which could have created unsafe conditions for those returning to campus during the event. Critical information about campus lockdowns should circulate to everyone impacted by the lockdown, not just teachers. Leaving students out of the circle of communication means leaving them entirely in the dark during a potential life or death situation. This policy allows secondhand rumors to spread among students and parents unchecked. The emails that teachers received contained information that would have alleviated fears and reassured students. A day after the lockdown, students received an email containing details on

the situation from Head of Upper School Paul Barsky. He attached a message from Yager, which detailed how an “inadvertent prompt” caused our lockdown system to activate, and he affirmed that the school would continue to “make adjustments to the system.” Just a year earlier, on the exact same day, Sept. 13, students engaged in a lockdown for the same reason, and the school promised to make changes, “modifying the code to avoid this in the future.” Yet, since the same issue occurred, it seems as if the school has made minimal changes to their process. We need an update to our emergency responses, where we have a designated system to notify students immediately through email or text about an alarm. In addition, with these situations, the lack of transparency erodes the community’s trust in the emergency system. We should expect a better line of communication between administrators and students. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Visit The Winged Post online at www.harkeraquila.com Follow us on Instagram @harkeraquila

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NEWS 2: • HSLT photo credit should say "Chayce Milheim"

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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

Corrections TO ISSUE 1

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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.

A&E 7: • "Wanted" misspelled as "anted" for Selina Chen's (12) in text quote DOUBLETRUCK 10: • JiaJia Jiang is in grade 11 not 10 STEM 16: • Travel time to Strawberry Park Plaza is a 9-minute walk instead of three

ariana goetting, kinnera mulam, shareen chahal, edward huang & ananya sriram Welcome to the second issue of the Winged Post for the 2023-2024 school year! Our staff is so excited to present the first 20-page issue of the year, made possible by the combined efforts of all our new reporters and editors. In this issue, we offer coverage of our bustling community life, from spirit week competitions to our riveting Homecoming game. We’ve also included content for you to branch out; from a deep dive

into Saratoga Farmer’s Market to a an exploration of GOP debate, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the aspects that make our community so diverse. Have a story you want to write for Winged Post? Our staff welcomes all guest writers! Feel free to email harkeraq@ gmail.com, contact a member of our staff or respond to the QR code to the right with any ideas you may have. Thank you so much for supporting our publication — we look forward to providing thorough and engaging content in all future issues to come!

OPINIONS 11 • Feedback QR code now works CORRECTIONS POLICY: Our staff strives to represent our community fairly and conduct accurate, truthful storytelling. We list all errors of an issue, along with the page number of that error, in the next issue’s corrections box. Feel free to provide feedback via the QR code to the right. DESIGN BY ISABELLA LO

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STEM

friday, oct. 13, 2023

Rainbow of elements lights up Nichols

OLIVIA XU

VIVEK MOORJANI

Selenium glass bear

victor gong & lindsey tuckey

GREEN HYDROGEN INITIATIVE

ILLUSTRATIONS BY CLAIRE ZHAO

Radioactive radium clock

OLIVIA XU

India increases spending towards a source of clean energy

Scientists restore man’s movement with Bluetooth electrodes

Biobot plans to limit opioid overdoses with wastewater

COM MUN

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT HEAD

“You’ll see there are some elements which we don’t have a sample of because they only exist in nuclear reactors or in laboratory conditions for very brief periods of time,” Chetty said.

According to Chetty, the exhibit took approximately four months to construct. Chemistry was also the only major scientific field without an exhibit in Nichols Hall, which motivated the department to create one. For instance, the Foucault pendulum in the Nichols Rotunda acts as a physics display, and both the saltwater reef and freshwater aquariums in the Atrium serve as biology exhibits displaying assorted fish species. “We’ve been trying to make the building a place that invites students to come and learn more than what we’re teaching them in the classroom,” Chetty said. “We want to extend the learning, [and] find things that are more interactive.” To install the periodic table, the department found a vendor, ran electricity through the concrete wall and installed LED lights in the exhibit with a circuit to light up each individual box in the display. “[We] went back and forth [with the company] in the design process, and they put together this wonderful display,” Irvine said. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ANDREW IRVINE C

unconventional breakfast, evoking thoughts of crunchy toast or flaky pastries. The familiar insect now gleams with newfound culinary allure. You may have never experienced such a transformation, but it is helpful to think about a future where this is the reality: a world where insects are not stigmatized and are instead a viable alternate source of food. It is time to confront the absurd, especially when we are facing seemingly intractable environmental issues. In Western culture, there is a pronounced taboo associated with eating

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIRABELLE FENG

found in bugs

It gives attention to things, and makes the [students] think a little bit deeper about the source of their animal protein in their diet

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UPPER SCHOOL SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR

Anita Chetty proposes that it is possible to make the process of eating bugs conform to society’s current tastes. “If you [add other things] like all the spices and avocado to it, that’s really good,” Chetty said. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

INFOGRAPHIC AND ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE ZHAO

Spacecraft delivers pieces of asteroid to US research center

protein dry weight

ASTEROID SAMPLES RETURN TO EARTH

SOURCE: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

30% to 60%

bugs. Unlike other cultures, there is no culinary tradition of cooking and eating bugs, a practice known as “entomophagy.” Others may find insects repulsive simply because of their appearance. For these reasons, the “yuck” factor associated with eating bugs is strong. Is our aversion truly warranted? We deem ourselves too sophisticated to consume something perceived as unclean or rudimentary like insects. We pride ourselves on the emblematic cuisines of the West, from the French to the English, believing that is the standard we ought to maintain. So at first glance, opting for insects might seem solely an environmental consideration. Yet, deeply embedded within this choice is a profound reflection of a culture’s societal humility. Playing on this very notion of shock and societal self-reflection, upper school Sustainability Coordinator Andrew Irvine employs entomophagy as a way to make people reconsider their source of energy. He believes that jolting people out of their comfort zones can highlight deeper sustainability issues. “It gives attention to things, and makes the [students] think a little bit deeper about the source of their animal protein in their diet,” Irvine said. But sometimes, you do not need to force people to eat bugs they find repulsive. Science Department Chair

You wake up in the middle of the night with a strange craving. The ant on your windowsill transforms from a mere creature to a tempting bite, an

anwen hao

ILLUSTRATION BY VIKA GAUTHAM

Eating bugs: Debugging the yuck factor

Wastewater surveillance company Biobot plans on working with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to sample wastewater and collect data on opioid use. Biobot will scan wastewater for traces of opioids such as cocaine and fentanyl through mass spectroscopy, a process which allows the company to identify substances based on their molecular weight. Biobot plans to send data to local officials to aid them in the fight against the ever growing opioid epidemic.

Rubble from the asteroid Bennu was returned to Earth on September 24 by the Osiris-Rex spacecraft. After the samples landed in the Defense Department’s Utah Test and Training range uncontaminated, they were flown to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, scientists will study the carbon-rich, 4.5 billion year old asteroid rubble to better understand the chemical composition of the early universe and potentially even how life formed. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft will continue through space towards its next target asteroid.

ANITA CHETTY FI

FIGHTING OVERDOSES

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Gert-Jan Oskam gained the ability to stand, walk and climb stairs again after neurosurgeons implanted electrodes in his brain and spinal cord. The electrodes are connected through bluetooth, linking Oskam’s brain and spinal cord together. After the electrodes were implanted, Oskam re-learned how to control his hips and legs while the scientists studied how to correlate his brain signals with the proper movements.

We’ve been trying to make the building a place that invites students to come and learn more than what we’re teaching them in the classroom

he upper school science department installed a new periodic table exhibit on the upper level of Nichols Hall after the 2022-2023 school year’s final exams. The table offers students an opportunity to see physical samples of a vast array of elements. Students often gather around the table to observe the elements and engage with chemistry concepts. Over the past summer, upper school chemistry teacher Andrew Irvine collaborated with upper school science department head Anita Chetty and administrators, including upper school division head Paul Barsky and head of school Brian Yager, to install the new periodic table exhibit. Irvine had been collecting the elemental samples for the past 17 years of his career, and he wanted a place to showcase them. “I love materials, and most chemistry and science teachers [do] too,” Irvine said. “If you see a piece of paper as a periodic

PARALYSIS-FIXING SURGERY

table, that’s one thing. But if you can see it in real life, it’s [a] different thing.” The periodic table currently contains physical samples of about 100 elements. For elements which are physically unobtainable, Chetty notes that scientists that are named after the elements are showcased instead.

olivia xu & vivek moorjani

India recently approved the spending of $2.3 billion to produce and export green hydrogen created through renewable means. The International Solar Alliance, the government association behind the initiative, advocated for this potential clean energy solution in the G20 New Delhi Summit held last month. Despite concerns from scientists regarding costs, green hydrogen still trumps hydrogen produced by fossil fuels and poses as a potential candidate for future clean energy.

DESIGN BY CLAIRE ZHAO

STEM

volume 25 • issue 2

winged post

Nichols fish tanks suffer malfunction

Power outage leads to deoxygenation in both tanks

edward huang & claire zhao Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have taken the world by storm — and that includes the upper school’s selection of AI-related clubs. Alongside the pre-existing AI club, the Artificial Arts and Beats & Bytes clubs have joined the lineup for the 2023-2024 school year.

As such, power shortages pose serious dangers. The tanks themselves have a history of about 12 years, according to Chetty. The coral species were specially selected for the tank in order to support the

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The fish tank can manage without power for about four hours. That’s not enough time for us to be aware that the power is off

ROBOTICS TEACHER

MARTIN BAYNES OF

COMMU

C NI

tangs, a type of marine aquarium fish that the school purchased. The school also remains in contact with an external aquarium maintenance person who is in

charge of servicing the tanks’ chemical balance, salinity and water quality. When the tangs first arrived, they were small, but each of them lived to be around 10 years old before the accident. “[The fish tank] allows students to really appreciate the intricacies of a coral reef ecosystem, how fragile it really is; appreciate the dynamics, the beauty,” Chetty said. Power failures have happened in the past, which the school handled by dedicating a power circuit to the fish tank to prevent overloading, as well as a new emergency backup power generator for the tank. Usually, Baynes receives a notification when the upper school’s main power supply shuts off, in which he can bring his manual gas-powered generator to hook up to the tanks. However, this time the independent power supply was impacted rather than the main power supply, so Baynes received no warning that the tank’s power had been cut. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Deepfakes: If seeing is deceiving, can you believe it? researchers published a paper describing the intricacies of human blinking. They Seeing something can no longer intended to help the general public mean believing it. A decade ago, the idea discern which videos were fake by paying of Artificial Intelligence (AI) manipulating attention to blinking patterns, but this humans sounded far-fetched. Today, approach backfired. The study allowed deepfake technology makes it a programmers to improve the model, and plausible reality. the following deepfakes were Deepfakes are a type of much more realistic. deep AI that can synthetically In addition to their generate convincing videos by increasing sophistication, manipulating facial features deepfakes are becoming and voices. The danger easier to create. In the associated with this AI comes past, one would need from the technology falling a facial recognition into the wrong hands. are community notes or algorithm and an With off-year elections other mechanisms where autoencoder. Now, anyone approaching, deepfake the audience can tell can build a reasonably technology could have whether a video realistic generated major implications for is real video through political campaigns. or fake,” integrated software In 2017, a fake video Joe said. and applications. of former President “If the All a user has to PROVIDED BY WHITEHOUSE.GOV DEEPFAKE BY REFACE.AI Barack Obama do is provide some constructed by American actor and community collectively agrees that a form of training data. director Jordan Peele surfaced. Last year, video is fake, then we can counter the The increased accessibility a hacker posted a video of the Ukrainian spread of misinformation.” of deepfake technology makes it a president calling on his soldiers to lay AI-generated media is becoming bigger threat to people. Even a single down their weapons and return to their dangerously harder to distinguish from compromising video holds potential to families. People easily recognized this real content. Oftentimes, research ruin reputations, sway opinion and end deep fake and social media platforms conducted to detect differences actually someone’s career. removed it, but the hoax still caused mass helps the AI perform better. As soon as “I think [deepfakes] show how far confusion on Facebook, YouTube and a well-intentioned researcher publishes AI has come,” Joe said. “If we use our Twitter. a study pointing out a flaw in the deep knowledge of AI in other fields, then we Most recently, President Biden learning networks, deepfake creators can bring a lot more advancements. has been the target of many deepfake promptly correct the issue. In 2018, Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. disha gupta

programmers. In early February, a video of him calling for the mandatory drafting of American troops to fight in Ukraine was doctored, and the general public was enraged. After the truth was exposed, the video shed light on the growing issue of deepfake technology. Programming Club President Joe Li (12) notes the importance of validating information in these changing times. “On several social media platforms, there

Creating detailed art with AI The Artificial Arts club, advised by upper school physics teacher Dr. Mark Brada, aims to take a deep look into how AI-generated creativity manifests. For AI to mimic inherently human abilities, like making art, proves no easy task. Especially with such an experimental genre of technology, Artificial Arts Club Vice President Jonny Xue (11) emphasizes his interest in the unique topic, fueling the club’s goals going forward. “There’s a niche intersection between AI and arts that we want [to explore],” Jonny said. “We want to create a space where we can see how AI generates various forms of art and creative content.”

Beats and Bytes Club Merging AI with music

Another new AI-related club this year is the Beats & Bytes Club, which focuses on generating music using AI technology. Though music and AI seem like two seemingly separate concepts, Beats & Bytes Club Vice President Varun Thvar (11) finds himself immersed in the potential of merging the two into a new medium. As a cellist in the upper school orchestra, Varun has always held a passion for music, and he’s excited to share that with others through the club. “The aspects of combining the best of our emotion and our nature with the best of technology is very interesting to me. I want to share what I enjoy with other people and get to know the people who like it too,” Varun said.

AI Club Learning the intricacies behind AI technology Last but not least is the AI club, advised by upper school computer science teacher Marina Peregrino. In its meetings, the club hopes to teach attendees about Python and how certain AI algorithms can be implemented in research. While these topics may intimidate students who are inexperienced in AI research, Peregrino hopes the club can also shed light on more underappreciated AI training models that not many people prioritize. Though the AI club isn’t new, Peregrino looks forward to possible collaborations with any other AIrelated clubs in the future. At this rate, she emphasizes, AI can go anywhere. “How much is it really going to stay hands-on like this? Our goal is still the same, to support students who want to use it. It doesn’t have to be for research, it could be for whatever project they want.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHAREEN CHAHAL

DELICATE ECOSYSTEM The Nichols fish tanks host various aquatic species. Oxygen pumps and heating units maintain the tank’s welfare.

CLAIRE ZHAO

Artificial Arts Club

ower to both fish tanks in the Nichols Atrium mysteriously shut off overnight on Sept. 17 due to a malfunction in the power supply. Among the casualties of the malfunction include a couple large tangs, hermit crabs and water anemones. Surprisingly, the smaller clownfish, coral and starfish all remained alive and well. “All of the invertebrates, the brittle stars, the sea urchins, they all lived,” upper school Science Department head Anita Chetty said. “That tells you that they’re able to survive in low oxygen levels. The larger vertebrate animals, which are the large fish in the tanks, perished.” Although the exact reason for the malfunction remains unclear, upper school robotics instructor Martin Baynes, who maintains the fish tanks, believes that a disruption to the tank utilities’ power supply sent the tanks into a state of pitch darkness and left the water lacking ample oxygen for the fish. Because of the sudden nature and unfortunate timing of the incident, the tank remained in this blackout state for several hours before upper school computer science chair Dr. Eric Nelson noticed the discrepancy. “The [saltwater] fish tank can manage without power for about four hours,” Baynes said. “Then, after that, the fish start to get distressed, beginning with the larger fish. That’s not enough time for us to be aware that the power is off and get somebody here with an auxiliary generator.” When it comes to the survival of the fish, the oxygen pump isn’t the only aspect of the tank that needs to function. There’s also the water filtration system, heating system and lights, all of which need to run smoothly in order to support the fish living inside. In the larger saltwater tank, an algae extraction system also uses power to clear the tank of algae build-ups.

victor gong & claire zhao

DESIGN BY VICTOR GONG

16 winged post

STEM Global Reset: Fires flourish, fumes follow

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GREEN TEAM TREASURER

The California Air Resources Board estimates three types of wildfire emissions, which depend on the type of vegetation and fuel burned. Fires fueled

California Air Resources Board estimated that wildfires released approximately 9

increase in burned areas from 1996 to 2021

SOURCE: CALMATTERS

PROVIDED BY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

SMOKY SCENE Wildfires across California release heavy amounts of smoke, polluting the cities that it crosses path with. Smoke particles can lead to serious respiratory conditions.

million metric tons of CO2, amounting to the CO2 released by nearly two million cars within the same time frame. “That [recent] smoke is from a fire way north of California,” Summer said. “These forests are burning, and the CO2 that it’s producing is turning forests into more of a contributor of CO2, when forests are normally a sinker of CO2.”

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The impact of PM on climate change is ambiguous. While PM contains black carbon, which contributes to temperature increases, other components of PM such as nitrates and sulfates conversely contribute to temperature decreases. On the whole, though, PM negatively affects the environment by changing the composition of water and soil. In addition, because PM is so small, it can enter the lungs and even the bloodstream, leading to respiratory irritation as well as heart and lung disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infants, children, the elderly and people with existing heart or lung disease are most at risk. To reduce risk from wildfires, the CDC recommends checking local air quality reports. When pollution levels are high, particle pollution can get indoors, so it is recommended to use an air filter and avoid opening windows. Normal dust masks are designed to trap larger particles like sawdust and will not filter the air. Instead, use N-95 or P-100 respirators for protection. Smoke from these fires not only impacts human health, but it is erasing years of progress in reducing air pollution. According to a new study in Nature, smoke from wildfires has erased 25% of those air quality gains and more than 50% in many western states. Besides releasing particulate matter, the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass emits greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2). Consequently, wildfires not only worsen with climate warming;

increase in number of wildfires

25%

of air quality progress wiped out by recent wildfires

Although wildfires constitute a significant cause of climate warming, ranking second only to transportation in 2020 greenhouse gas emissions, scientists debate over whether they should be considered net contributors. Some argue that wildfire emissions should be viewed as part of the natural

9 MILLION

cycle where plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and release the compound through cellular respiration or decay. Others believe that because climate change has worsened the frequency and intensity of wildfires, wildfire reduction should be included in strategies to combat climate warming. Either way, the path forward involves prevention of future burning to protect our health and our environment. Nathan Liu (12), who founded a non profit charity to raise money for families of firefighters, noted recommended ways to reduce the occurrence of human-caused wildfires. “I think raising awareness is a big [deal],” Nathan said. “You can’t solve a problem without people being aware of a problem, so just people being aware when they’re going out, not to leave campfires unattended, just to take care of the main causes. For the natural causes, it’s going to be more of a long term solution, but everything you can do to prevent global warming also helps.” Wildfires are a worsening problem that needs to be brought into the spotlight. Not only do they damage the forests and ecosystems, but they also reverse much of the progress towards a cleaner future. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

2nd

most significant cause of climate change

metric tons of carbon dioxide released by wildfires in 2022

ILLUSTRATION BY ANANYA SRIRAM

SUMMER ADLER (11)

273%

SOURCE: NATURE

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The wildfires are coming in waves, and the number of wildfires is definitely going to increase with more global warming

SOURCE: CALMATTERS

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ildfires in Oregon and Northwestern California in mid September caused a sharp reduction in air quality as the smoke spread. Upper school students were advised to stay indoors on Sept. 20 and the Bay Area Air District issued a Spare the Air Alert from Sept. 20 to Sept. 23, which barred residents from using wood-burning devices. The recent wildfires are not an isolated event but a worrisome trend. Around the world, wildfires are burning longer, more frequently and more intensely, largely due to increased drought, heat waves and high winds caused by climate change. In California, burned areas have increased five fold during 1996 to 2021, and of that increase in area, nearly all of it is due to human caused climate change. This year, California has already experienced 56 wildfires that reached at least 300 acres, marking a 273% increase from the fiveyear-average to date. Green Team treasurer Summer Adler (11) spoke on how climate change affects the wildfires. As California experiences more dry weather, the parched plants burn more easily, allowing wildfires to spread faster and making fighting them more dangerous. “[The wildfires] are coming in waves,” Summer said. “Because a few years ago we had those really bad [smoke], it was like red outside and everything. But it wasn’t so bad last year. But [the number of wildfires is] definitely going to increase with more global warming.”

by gasoline, oil, diesel fuel or wood release particulate matter, classified into particles with diameters below 10 microns (PM10) and below 2.5 microns (PM 2.5). Burning dust from construction sites, waste, plant matter, pollen and small pieces of bacteria further contributes to PM10 release. ILLUSTRATION BY EDWARD HUANG

ella yee & isabella lo

friday, oct. 13, 2023

DESIGN BY VICTOR GONG

winged post

Harker Day sports recap

Varun Fuloria delves deep into the details of squash to deliver wins and take away life-long lessons

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KEVIN ZHANG

READY FOR FIRE Nikhil Chadha (11) passes to a teammate in a match against Archbishop Mitty High School.

VARUN FULORIA (12)

SQUASH PLAYER

“It was a really good experience to play a 90-minute match,” Varun said. “I left it all out on the court, and that’s all I can really ask for. I was trying to stay focused on the game and also not hit errors, but also thinking about trying to tire him out [and] trying to drag the game on.” Varun acknowledges the game’s volatility, highlighting how each and every point can determine the difference between a win and a loss. Nevertheless, he appreciates the grit he has developed as a result of his various on-the-court challenges. “For squash, mental [strength] is just a huge aspect of it because even one lapse of concentration can result in a lost game,” Varun said. “It’s really hard to come back if you’re down one-love or two-love. I just have to try to bring it back, which is always harder than starting strong in the first place.” Visit harkeraquila.com full article.

Soundtrack of sports: Tour athletes’ pre-game beats

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For varsity girls golf captain Emi Fujimura (12), music is a part of her pretournament routine, listening to playlists in the ride to the golf course and before her round. While the playlist she listens to on the bus ride helps her and the team

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usually, rap,” Emi said. “I have a specific playlist I listen to all the time before I start my round. Another thing is that I’m really superstitious when it comes to golf, so I have specific things I have to do and one of them is listening to that playlist before I play. If I don’t, I think that I play bad, and I end up playing bad, so it’s this thing that I have to do.” Varsity cross country athlete Robinson Xiang (10) has a different approach to pre game music, often

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listening to slower-paced breakup songs and pop songs by artists like Taylor Swift, Beyonce and wave to earth to help him stay concentrated on running for himself amid the distractions of his competitors. Athletes commonly use music to motivate themselves. “[The playlist] gets me focused on what I need to think about, like running good and what I need to do in every stage of the race,” Robinson said. “When I don’t got my music going, I start thinking about stuff I shouldn’t think about: like ‘Those guys look pretty fast.’ When in reality, I should be focusing on what I can do with myself.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

ONS BY KA TERINA M

Whether they’re listening to sad breakup songs or upbeat rap music, athletes have many different ways of setting the mood before a game. Music, in all of its variety and diversity, can be both a way for athletes to take their mind off the game and a way for them to focus on the competition at hand.

relieve stress, her individual playlist helps her concentrate on winning. “Before tournaments, I usually listen to upbeat, hype music to get me in the mindset of playing golf and winning, so

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Varsity boys and girls water polo teams as well as the girls varsity volleyball team competed on Harker Day, each sport taking on Archbishop Mitty and Evergreen Valley High School, respectively. The boys water polo team edged out a win 17-16, and the girls water polo team decisively beat their opponents 11-5. Girls varsity volleyball took down Evergreen in three straight sets, 25-12, 25-21, 25-22. Aggressive plays from both sides punctuated the boys water polo game, including a a tip-in shot from Sasha Ivkov (12) in the third quarter. After an

inadvertent whistle led to a Mitty point in the fourth quarter, bringing Mitty to a 14-14 tie, Harker scored two quick goals for a 16-14 lead. Mitty came back to tie the game 16-16 with two minutes left in the fourth, but a final Harker goal gave the Eagles the 17-16 win. “It was super exciting,” Sasha said. “We started in the first half a little rough, we let up 10 goals, but we managed to bring it back in the second, locked them up, and we won by one.” The girls water polo team came out strong and never let up, gaining a

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It’s really hard to come back if you’re down one love or two love. I just have to try to bring it back, which is always harder than starting strong in the first place

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any athletes have an idol, from basketball star Stephen Curry to Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. But for Varun Fuloria (12), it’s squash three-time World title holder Ramy Ashour — “The Artist.” Nicknamed for his smooth movements and precise finishes, Ashour carefully crafts each rally to his advantage, dialing up his aggression as needed. Varun tries to do just that in his matches, extending rallies and pouncing when opportunity strikes. Varun’s passion for squash goes back nine years, when his mom first introduced him to racket sport. In the Under-11 (U11) age group, he was ranked number one in the US, and he is currently nationally ranked number seven in the Under-17 (U17) category. Recruited by Columbia University, which he will be attending in the fall of 2024, Varun looks forward to meeting his future teammates and developing new connections through the sport. “To me, going there is a dream,” Varun said. “I really love the environment at Columbia. I love the campus, the team is super nice, and I’ve got some friends from the East Coast, so I’m really excited about that.” He explains how the training and playing conditions differ from his current setting. Playing at Columbia will shift his focus from an individual to a group setting. “It’s more of a team environment at a college, whereas right now it’s really individual,” Varun

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said. “When colleges play, there [are] nine players versus another nine players, so it’s really team-oriented, and you always have your teammates cheering for you when you’re playing.” Over the summer, Varun traveled to Cologne, Germany to participate in the European Junior Open. Varun competed in the U17 category, which included 79 other players from around the world, many of whom were highly ranked in their respective countries. He recalls the difficulty of his third-round match, which tested his fitness and mental strength under pressure as the game came down to the wire in the fifth set.

emma milner

DIALED IN Girls varsity water polo players listen to head coach Cristian Tanase.

5-0 lead with key plays like a tip-in shot from Captain Keren Eisenberg (11) and a backhand from Zoe Cammer (9) in the first half. They continued to play aggressively, ending the third quarter up 9-3 with a sweep goal from Keren. In the final quarter, a fastbreak from Zoe put the Eagles up 10-3, and a final deep far shot for Summer Adler (11) ended the game 11-5. “The approach to this game was pretty different than other league games,” Keren said. “Of course we came wanting to win against a team that we hadn’t faced in

HUDDLE UP The girls varsity volleyball team regroups after winning a point.

ARIANA GOETTING

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SPORTS Playing the game of patience

volume 25 • issue 2

years, but we also wanted to have fun and enjoy playing in front of a larger audience.” Girls volleyball also dominated their first set against Evergreen Valley, ending with an emphatic 25-12 score. Although the next two sets the momentum was more back-and-forth, with the Eagles even down by four points in the third set, they pushed to take the win and ended the game with a 3-0 sweep. “I thought it went great,” Elie Ahluwalia (10) said. “I thought we played well, the vibe we had from the crowd and all the people at Harker Day was great.” Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. DESIGN BY KATERINA MATTA

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SPORTS

friday, oct. 13, 2023

“

They did a great job of pushing through. Playing both sides of the game is tiring but they overcame many challenges DAPHNE AVKAROGULLARI (12) AR

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A G OETT

STUDENT ASSISTANT COACH

It’s important to just be out there and demonstrate support for the community. Simple presence and school spirit goes a long way in ensuring the strength of the community KRIS ESTRADA (‘23) O

GAME ATTENDEE VI

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arsity football lost 30 to 52 to Crystal Springs Uplands in the annual homecoming game last Saturday on Davis Field. The game’s momentum shifted between the two teams in the first half, but the Gryphons dominated the second half, achieving their largest lead with 52-20 to start the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Daniel Lin (12) scored the first touchdown at 7:01 p.m. The Gryphons responded with a touchdown on the next possession and a successful two-point conversion to bring the score to their advantage 8-6. Daniel ran into the endzone for another touchdown to give the Eagles a 12-8 lead, but a subsequent Gryphons touchdown left the Eagles trailing 12-14. The Eagles trailed the Gryphons for the remainder of the game. “The mental mistakes we made throughout the game caused errors that eventually cost us the game,” head coach Sid Krishnamurthy said. In the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Gryphons blocked multiple Eagle touchdown passes despite the Eagles being within scoring range. Although Daniel scored his second touchdown on a 4th down and 6, the

Gryphons defense stifled the Eagles’ other fourth down attempts. The Eagles saw a strong defensive performance from defensive back Ryan Barth (12), defensive lineman Kevin Bettencourt (12) and running back Jackson Powell (10). Jackson also rushed the most yards for the Eagles on offense and broke several Gryphon tackles.

“

Right when I got [the second touchdown], all of my teammates ran at me. We did a little shoulder bump, it was a great feeling

DANIEL LIN (12) S E LI N A X U

FOOTBALL CAPTAIN

Kevin sacked the Gryphons’ quarterback, causing a safety. A ceremony before the game honored five seniors, Ryan Barth, Kevin Bettencourt, Jack Ledford, Jerry Li, Daniel Lin and team manager Daphne Avkarogullari, marking their last home game of the season. Friends and family held handmade signs for each senior.

AIM AND THROW Quarterback Rayan Arya (11) prepares to pass. Rayan passed to Daniel Lin (12), who scored a touchdown.

“Senior night is important because the team puts a lot of time into the sport they love,” attendee Om Tandon (12) said. “There’s a lot that we as fans can’t see.” During halftime, senior class dean Carol Green crowned Daniel and Cynthia Wang (12) Homecoming Royals. This year’s Homecoming Court representatives are frosh Nicole Dean and Pascal Qin; sophomores Suhana Bhandare and Timothy Deng; juniors Claire Anderson and Leo Sobczyn and Daniel and Cynthia along with fellow seniors Harshini Chaturvedula, Ramit Goyal, Claire Miao and Dhruv Trivedi. The juniors won the tug-of-war championship round after defeating the seniors in 48 seconds during halftime, cementing them as spirit champions. The sophomores clinched third place over the frosh in the pre-game show. “We got a little behind in the beginning but we leaned our body weight back and it worked,” tug-of-war competitor Kylie Anderson (11) said. “It was awesome. Two years in a row!” Harker Dance Company (HDC) and the upper school cheer team performed during halftime. The cheer team also led students in chants throughout the game. The upper school jazz band, which played before and after the game, topped off the evening’s performances.

Game Talk with Fantasy football fanatics forge friendships Gabe: Deion Sanders AM

Turning a college football team into a consistent winner is an immense and stressful job, especially for historically poorly performing programs. With that being said, new Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion “Prime Time” Sanders is no stranger to the impossible. The NFL Hall of Fame cornerback is highly regarded by many as one of the most talented athletes of all time. “Coach Prime,” as the national media has dubbed Sanders, is off to a rocky start in his new position. Sanders built immense hype for this year, and talked a big game about his new squad, which is now coming back to bite him. Colorado has lost two straight games to ranked opponents, leading many to debate whether Sanders is going to bring his program back to national relevance or completely flame out. However, the real answer probably lies somewhere in between the two extremes. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article.

Jonathan Rim, 14 teachers and staff compete for the ultimate bragging rights — and a massive golden belt. “I started a lower school [teacher’s league] about 22 years ago,” said Mr. Rim. “We really had fun, and were able to build a really good rapport. I thought it would be a good idea to bring it to the upper school. ” Along with the grand finale of prizes, the week-by-week anticipation that fantasy football brings creates excitement around individual matchups. Beyond camaraderie for the purpose of work, discussion topics or material prizes like money or giant World Wrestling Entertainment-style accessories, the uniting force of fantasy football strengthens existing friendships and even creates new ones, explaining its immense popularity. Visit harkeraquila.com for full article. IR YA SR

gabe sachse

For many members of the Harker community, weekends are a time of recovery from the grind of school and preparation for the week ahead. But for some avid football fans, weekends, along with Monday and Thursday nights present more stress than any other event in their busy schedule: their fantasy football teams. Fantasy football is a competition where players “draft” active NFL offensive skill position players and defenses onto personal rosters to see whose team earns the most points. Points are determined based on the stats of selected players. While rules are generally standardized, individual leagues are often composed of groups of friends, family, or sometimes even random fans online who compete for bragging rights, money or both. “For me, fantasy football makes the entire football season more interesting,” Kylie Anderson (11) said. “Instead of just focusing on your favorite team, you have a reason to watch all of the games and root for your players. It’s also just a fun way to compete with my friends. I know some

people play for money, but my entire motivation for playing is entertainment.” Football is America’s most-watched sport and brings together large groups of people to root for their favorite teams. Similarly, fantasy football league-mates bond within their group, leading many companies and teams to found leagues as an outside activity. Harker’s own football team plays fantasy football every year in an attempt to build camaraderie outside of practice. “The league definitely helps us bond as a team,” Pedro Castro III (9) said. “The way that [fantasy football is made], it’s just friendly competition. It brings us together, and it’s fun to talk friendly smack to one another.” While many members of the student body and various student groups take part in fantasy football, Harker’s teachers’ established their newfound standing as the most notorious and competitive league at school. Founded this year, and led by upper school history teacher

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SHAREEN CHAHAL

gabe sachse

DESIGN BY EMMA MILNER

BRANDON ZAU

RUNNING TO THE END Sophomore Jackson Powell drives past a Crystal Springs defender. Jackson scored a touchdown for the Eagles in the second quarter. The Eagles scored four touchdowns throughout the game, but eventually lost to the Gryphons 30-52.

KEVIN ZHANG

CHEER AND PRIDE (Top) Cheerleading team members strike a pose. (Bottom) Senior Ryan Barth and his family walk out onto the field.

BRANDON ZAU

ALISON YANG

Football suffers defeat on homecoming

volume 25 • issue 2

SPORTS

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Behind the ball: Varsity football gear and traditions E

gabe sachse & brandon zau

very athlete knows the significance of owning the perfect personal equipment. From golf clubs to basketball shoes to volleyball knee pads, sports gear serves as a core part of the experience of athletic competition. Equipment helps support and protect athletes, especially in the context of preventing injuries. Nevertheless, most fans do not recognize the distinctive stories behind each particular garment or tool used by athletes in game and during practice. Any extra personal piece of trappings an athlete dons goes hand in hand with the essential equipment needed to perform at an athlete’s best. This includes stickers, accessories to help jazz up one’s personal look on the field or court, or hunting for gear in particular colors. This issue, come along with football captain Jack Ledford (12) to see both the useful and meaningful equipment that the team employs.

“

I only wear the left glove. When I’m playing quarterback, I like to have a bare hand on the ball to get a good feel. It helps me throw a better spiral. Sometimes that ball comes at you quick, and it’s got to be a quick motion of getting that to where you want it to be, or hand it off

“

There’s Eagle stickers, which are for scoring plays. There’s hammer stickers, which are for good defensive plays. I have to protect that helmet and the stickers, because they represent good plays that I’ve made. It’s a way to signify my best moments so I can remember them

PHOTOS BY BRANDON ZAU

GAMEDAY GEAR The varsity football team players Charlotte Ludlow (10), Rayan Arya (11) and Jackson Powell (10) utilize their different gear like pads, arm sleeves or gloves for defense and offense against Turlock Christian on Sept. 2. DESIGN BY KATERINA MATTA

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BACK PAGE

friday, oct. 13, 2023

SELF-CARE SECRETS TO SUCCESS:

a guide to personal wellness

s we approach the middle of the semester, stress starts running rampant in our minds whether it’s college apps, final exams or grading a long list of assignments and assessments that’s weighing over you. In this stressful

what’s on your plate?

1.5-2 cups fruits focus on eating mostly whole fruits

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dinner

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5-6.5 oz protein switch up your protein routine often

lunch

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3-4.5 oz grains make half of your grains whole grains

breakfast

3 cups dairy aim to consume low-fat/fat-free dairy

time to unpack the organization of your day with our guides to steady sleep and staying on track. Closing off our guide, explore the variety of skincare options to tackle your concerns. Self-care isn’t just a trend—it’s a way for the community to navigate the ups and downs of life while priorizing its well-being.

take control of your life

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

SLEEPY? HERE’S A SOLUTION

HOW TO GET BACK ON TRACK

Stay off your screens 30 minutes before sleeping Avoid caffeine at night

Manage meetings with Google Calendar List reminders with Notion

Establish a consistent sleep schedule

WEEKLY WORKOUT IDEAS

Use a physical planner

1 Go on a run for some cardio 2 Strengthen with Pilates 3 Take a shot at strength training 4 Stretch your muscles 5 Don’t forget a rest day

skincare essentials

Cleanser designed specifically for the face

bang for your buck: cetaphil all-rounder: cerave splurge: ranavat

Sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15

bang for your buck: alba botanica all-rounder: innisfree splurge: ahava

Moisturizer regardless of skin type or concerns

bang for your buck: lubiderm all-rounder: la roche-posay splurge: dermalogica

Lip balm for hydration and comfort in the cold weather

bang for your buck: vaseline all-rounder: summer fridays splurge: laneige DESIGN BY ANANYA SRIRAM AND KINNERA MULAM

PHOTOS BY ARIANA GOETTING, ANANYA SRIRAMAND AND SELINA XU, ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANANYA SRIRAM AND KINNERA MULAM

5-6.5 oz vegetables try to eat a variety of vegetables

time, you deserve an opportunity to step away from the whirlwind of daily activities to focus on yourself and your health. In this guide, we highlight a variety of ways to stay healthy, from diet, to daily self-care and even skin care. Find inspiration for meals throughout the day while considering the break down of necessary daily nutrition values.Take

kinnera mulam & ananya sriram