Skip to Main Content
The Student News Site of University Preparatory Academy

Aquila

The Student News Site of University Preparatory Academy

Aquila

The Student News Site of University Preparatory Academy

Aquila

Junior Trip Returns!
Junior Trip Returns!
Shibani Ghosh, Team Editor • April 16, 2023

From Feb. 13 to 16, 99 juniors visited seven colleges and saw first hand what campus life is like. The itinerary included the following colleges: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Cal State University Fullerton, UC Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona and UCLA, in which students went to two per day and one on the last day. Students started the trip by arriving at UPA campus at 5:00...

Sebastian demonstrates the functionality of her jack-in-the-box costume by going in and popping out of her cardboard box, per the emcees’ request.
ASB hosts scavenger hunt and Costume Day to celebrate Halloween
December 6, 2022

With the end of Marking Period 2 on Friday, Oct. 28, the following Monday was scheduled to be the usual Data Day, a day off for students. However,...

On March 23 Jennifer Rojas led a Parent University webinar on "Emotional Regulation Part 1: Recognizing What's Wrong.” It covered why people have emotions, why emotions being too high or too low can be harmful, tools to understand students emotions and the impact of inward emotions on mental health. (Photo by Haylie Yee.)
Parent University program holds six courses to support student guardians
May 20, 2022

UPA Founder Jackie Guevara and math teacher Jaz Dhillon created Parent University in 2011. Initially called Parent Workshops until a name change...

Nahum Hinsta (12) promposes to his girlfriend Tiffany Tran (12), and all of the male pageant contestants celebrate with him. (Photo by Mariah Myers.)
Seniors raise over $1,000 during Nuit de Monsieur
April 19, 2022

Sophomores, juniors and seniors all came together to be a part of UPA’s 2022 Male Pageant, located in the amphitheater on March 25. Director...

The two exits in the student parking lot lead to a traffic jam as it is a common place where students are picked up. (Photo by Christopher Alvarez.)
Parking Situation Frustrates Students
March 13, 2022

As you walk towards your car slowly after a tiring school day, you notice the abundance of cars lined up, fighting over parking spots and parked...

Samira Madden, Multimedia Manager
May 29, 2024

The UPA handbook states, “Students take a breadth of courses that help to prepare them for the future, such as Project Lead the Way (our math, engineering, bio-med, and science pathway)” UPA handbook. UPA is an academic focused school, striving to help students succeed and attend all kinds of universities with different majors. However it seems there are more opportunities at UPA for STEM majors.    UPA’s...

Continue Reading
Should we Pay for VTA?

Cece Le Messurier, Copy Editor
May 28, 2024

Many UPA students and teachers alike utilize public transport daily to commute to school. Whether it’s to decrease their carbon footprint or because they don’t have any other option, the VTA—Valley Transportation Authority—has been a source for many people across the bay. According to the official...

Continue Reading
Bottled Up

Samira Madden, Multimedia Manager
May 22, 2024

Microtrends are niches, products or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population. Do not get it confused, microtrends and trends are very different!    To put it simply, microtrends are changes in social norms that last typically only a few months, whereas trends...

Continue Reading
View All
Laufey in the Bay

Kara Luayon, Design Editor
May 1, 2024

From the start, Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey has captivated audiences around the world with her fresh take on Jazz music.    The music style originated in the 1920s and was popularized in the cities of New Orleans, Chicago and New York City, and was highly promoted in the African-American...

Continue Reading
A Gilmore Girls Story: The Downfall of Rory

Shibani Ghosh, Team Editor
February 28, 2024

Gilmore Girls, an American comedy-drama directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, follows the lives of Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory Gilmore through seven seasons. As the show progresses, viewers learn more about their complex lives. I started watching this show in eighth grade, and haven’t stopped...

Continue Reading

Isaac Rios, Copy Editor
January 31, 2023

Since I can remember, my mother always read my school announcements in Spanish. I always found it ironic that she made me practice my reading and comprehension in Spanish but she still chose to read the original English versions of the announcements because it communicated information more accurately. “All [Spanish flyers and ads] I read are half-translated,” my mother said, explaining her rationale...

Continue Reading
View All
Pick & Roll Podcast Quarantine Edition ft. Jason Plasschaert
Pick & Roll Podcast | Season Conclusion 2020

Pick & Roll Podcast | Season Conclusion 2020

July 26, 2020

View All
On Wednesdays We Watch Mean Girls
Once Upon A K-Drama

Once Upon A K-Drama

May 20, 2024

Top Picks for Flicks

Top Picks for Flicks

May 10, 2024

View All