Emma Li

6th February 2026

There’s mental health stigma. Let’s talk about it.

By Tiffany Zhu, Lily Shi, and Eva Cheng

An anonymous student recalls walking through campus during the first semester of their junior year with a weight in their chest they couldn’t explain. From the outside, their life seemed to contain all the right pieces. But that heaviness remained, and asking for help felt far out of reach.

13th December 2025

Humans of Harker: Sprinkles of love

By Tiffany Zhu

The scent of vanilla lingers in the kitchen as senior Tanvi Sivakumar pipes the last swirl of cream cheese frosting to her red velvet cupcakes. Pearly white sprinkles fall delicately from her fingers onto the desserts before she nestles each of them into a hand-decorated box. She ties the box with a white ribbon and writes a heartfelt note on the tag to her neighbors, the recipients of her edible creation.

Kairui Sun and Tiffany Zhu

21st November 2025

Hands of Harker

By Tiffany Zhu, Kairui Sun, and Dyuthi Vallamsetty

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

10th October 2025

Editor’s Note: Claiming center field

By Tiffany Zhu

We all have our “center field:” the exposed position where we feel unqualified or vulnerable, where every play we make can show that we don’t belong. For some, it’s the class that intimidates them, and for others, the role they never imagined taking on. For me, it was joining the sports section in journalism.

Elizabeth Zhang

28th March 2025

Parental pressure dampens sports passions

By Tiffany Zhu, Wenjie Zou, and Claire Xu

Sitting on the bench during the game, a basketball player locks eyes with his dad on the bleachers, his gaze fixed. The player’s shoulders tense as he waits to enter the match, knowing that each minute on the court will be scrutinized on the drive home.

Emma Li

5th February 2025

From sports courts to controversy

By Tiffany Zhu and Lily Shi

When Dutch beach volleyball player Steven Van de Velde stepped onto the court at the 2024 Olympics, he faced boos and jeers from the stands. In 2016, Van de Velde was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl. His inclusion in the Olympics sparked widespread outrage among those who called for greater accountability, but others defended him by arguing he deserved a chance to move forward.

Provided by Chris Booth | Edge of Adhesion

18th January 2025

Fueling dreams full throttle

By Tiffany Zhu

Hugging the track with precision, the white Porsche Cayman whirs in the wind. Red and blue stripes decorate its exterior, blurring as Eric Liu (‘06) pushes the car to its limit, over 150 mph. He grips the wheel, feeling the vibration through his gloves as he carves around the corner. In this high-speed blend of an athlete and his car, Liu finds his element.

11th October 2024

From academics to athletics: Staff take on dual roles

By Tiffany Zhu and Leah Krupnik

3:05 p.m.: Students enter math teacher Victor Adler’s room as office hours begins. Dr. Adler scrawls calculus formulas across the whiteboard as he answers his students’ questions.

3:30 p.m.: Without a moment to spare, Dr. Adler heads out the door. In mere minutes, he arrives on the other side of the campus at the Singh Aquatic Center. He steps onto the pool deck and begins coaching the junior varsity water polo team. This is the rhythm of Dr. Adler’s fall season.

7th October 2024

San Jose residents talk criminal justice, prison reform at community forum

By Tiffany Zhu and Jonathan Szeto
Best of SNO

Panelists informed and encouraged San Jose residents to vote yes on California Proposition 6 and no on Proposition 36 at a Silicon Valley De-Bug-hosted community forum aiming to spread awareness about criminal justice on Oct. 2.

Emma Milner

20th September 2024

Staging productions through possibilities

By Tiffany Zhu
Best of SNO

The spotlight illuminates the performers on the stage, capturing the audience’s attention. But behind the scenes lies a hidden realm full of bustling activity. In tech theater, students embrace a variety of roles, with each production serving as a canvas for displaying their creativity and skills.

17th September 2024

Apex: Discipline over discomfort

By Tiffany Zhu and Aryana Bharali

Sophomore Tanishk Konduri stands on the verge of victory at the Easter Bowl National Championship, four hours into the match and just points away from seizing the win. The rally intensifies, both players exchanging fierce shots, but the momentum of the match shifts as Tanishk’s arm cramps, his grip on the racket slipping. A stabbing sensation shoots through his leg. For a moment, his mind flashes back to three years earlier on the same court. He had been just as close to winning, but missteps cost him the victory. Not this time.

3rd May 2024

Tech industry layoffs incite uncertainty in post-pandemic world

By Tiffany Zhu

Since the start of the year, tech companies across the globe have extinguished approximately 75,000 jobs according to layoffs tracker layoffs.fyi. Engineers in the computing world prepare for the new wave of layoffs as prominent companies like Cisco, Google and Amazon’s Audible each plan to eliminate 5% of their entire workforce this year.

12th January 2024

Athletes run down the clock against climate change

By Tiffany Zhu and Claire Zhao
Best of SNO

Temperatures fluctuate, rising and falling by unprecedented degrees. Wildfire smoke fills the air. Sports practices are canceled. These realities may seem apocalyptic, but it remains true that outdoor sports face an imminent risk of decline — and climate change is the culprit.