Winged Post Volume 20, Issue 4 by Harker Aquila

Pg. 3: GLITZ AND GLAMOR

Pg. 12: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ATHLETE

Pg. 13: TO GRIND OR NOT TO GRIND

Looking back on the “Red Carpet” Dance Show

Behind the scenes of a day of upper school athletics

A discussion on the merits of a balanced workload

WINGED POST THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL

500 SARATOGA AVENUE, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95129

VOL. 20 NO. 4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2019

IRINA MALYUGINA

LIGHTS, CAMERA, DANCE! FINE FINALISTS Harker’s 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists, all seniors, pose for a picture. From left to right: Ayush Alag, Natasha Maniar and Ruhi Sayana.

3 seniors named as Regeneron finalists aditya singhvi sports editor

NICOLE CHEN

Seniors Ruhi Sayana, Natasha Maniar and Ayush Alag were named three out of the 40 finalists for the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) announced on Jan. 23. The original list of the 300 “scholars” was announced on Jan. 9, and included seniors Cameron Jones, Katherine Tian, Cindy Wang and Richard Wang in addition to the three finalists. Each scholar received a $2,000 prize, with an additional $2,000 given to Harker for each of the seven semifinalists. The finalists earn the chance to compete nationally in Washington D.C. from Mar. 7 to 13 and showcase their work to professional scientists, as well as win up to $250,000 for a first place finish.

STEP BY STEP Sophomores Elaine Xiao and Austin Killam dance together in a tap routine choreographed by Timothy Wang (12).

irene yuan & lucy ge & varsha rammohan reporters & copy editor

The house lights dim as the curtain opens and the stage lights come on. Five seniors pose on stage, backs to the audience, wearing identical white robes. Olivia Esparza (12) stands center, flanked on either side by varsity dance seniors who pose on chairs in front of vanities. As the music begins, they turn around, the light reflecting off of the pink and gold sequins on their costumes. The annual upper school dance production took place on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, with one matinee show and two

READY FOR THE RETREAT Former PS-12 Library Director Sue Smith and workshop facilitator Lana Guernsey prepare for the faculty retreat on Feb. 9. Faculty members from all four campuses came to the upper school to participate in the retreat, which focused on increasing sustainability on campus and incorporating sustainable actions into daily life. The retreat featured discussions and a keynote speech from Climate Narrative Project Founder Jeff Biggers on environmental sustainability.

NEXT UP IN FEBRUARY Feb. 23

The 125th Anniversary Gala will be held in the athletic center and the Rothschild Performing Arts Center this Saturday.

Continued on 4.

Students attend inaugural Diversity Gathering Upper school hosts 70 students, 20 faculty from Bay Area schools varsha rammohan copy editor

The first Student Diversity Leadership Gathering took place at the upper school on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 8 to 4 p.m with more than seventy attendees from local independent high schools. Faculty members of the Diversity Committee, including co-chairs Tyeshia Brown, Lola Muldrew, Pilar AgüeroEsparza and Mark Janda, organized the school-sponsored event after they were unable to reserve a spot at the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), which was held in Nashville last December, for upper school students. “Bringing the schools together gives us an idea that even though we might think we’re diverse, we’re not as diverse as we probably can be,” Brown said. Throughout the day, students and faculty attendees participated in breakout sessions, open space conversations and

other activities. “The conference is to bring Rodney Glasgow, who is the SDLC extraordinaire, here on campus,” Brown said. “[Students] can come in and sit with Rodney, talk about affinity groups and speak with their peers around the area.” All student sessions were led by Glasgow, a nationally-recognized educational activist who has worked extensively in promoting diversity and inclusion within independent schools. Glasgow also delivered a keynote speech to all attendees. “When I take my shoes off, it is a remembrance that wherever I stand and put my feet firmly on the ground and there is nothing between me and it, I have the ability to create a holy experience,” said Glasgow as he stepped barefoot onto the stage. “Removing my shoes reminds me that the work I do is deeply spiritual.” Additional reporting by Catherine Feng.

VARSHA RAMMOHAN

IRINA MALYUGINA

Faculty across 4 campuses attend retreat

fellow dance teacher and assistant director Rachelle Haun, choreographed “Glam.” “I enjoy seeing this spark of an idea that I have at the very beginning of the process develop into a show that is performed by so many students,” Kuehn said. Along with Kuehn and Haun, guest instructors and students choreographed their own dances. Student choreographers were seniors Olivia, Sonal Muthal, Aditi Anthapur, Christopher Gong and Timothy Wang, and juniors Vance Hirota, Chloe Chen and Charlotte Blanc.

VARSHA RAMMOHAN

MOMENT OF THE WEEK

night shows. This year’s show marked the first year the event was held at the Patil Theater in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center, which finished construction shortly after last year’s production. This year’s theme was “Red Carpet,” with four acts showcasing different award shows like the Grammys and the Emmys. Each act consisted of four to six different dances, which embodied a specific piece of the respective award show. The show opened with Christina Aguilera’s “Glam” and members of JV Dance, Varsity Dance and Kinetic Krew. Upper school dance teacher and dance show director Karl Kuehn, along with

A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE (TOP) Student Diversity Leadership Gathering (SDLG) attendees participate in a “silent movement” activity. (BOTTOM) Keynote speaker Rodney Glasgow, a nationally-recognized educational activist, addresses the SDLG crowd. The student portion of the event was facilitated by Glasgow himself.

20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 NEWS VOLUME

ALL PHOTOS BY KATHY FANG

2 WINGED POST

kathy fang humans of harker and aquila managing editor

As comedian Mona Shaikh ascended the dias and took hold of the microphone before a crowd of marchers and protest signs gathered in San Francisco’s Civic Center, a surge of cheers and shouts rang across the plaza. Shaikh served as emcee for this year’s Women’s March in San Francisco, which marks the third annual Women’s March after its inaugural protest in 2017. This year, the rally was themed “Truth to Power” and was held in front of the San Francisco City Hall on Saturday, featuring a variety of speakers such as San Francisco mayor London Breed and Gilda Gonzales, the CEO of a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Northern California. “All of the speakers have a lot of interesting things to say, different points of view that you can’t really get just staying at home and reading articles about them, so it’s kind of nice to actually interact with the people in this community,” Cameron Jones (12), who attended the San Francisco march, said. In her opening remarks, Shaikh touched on numerous events, ranging from journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination in October to the midterms elections and the ongoing government

shutdown. These were repeatedly addressed in subsequent speeches and found their way to the protest signs that filled the square as well, incorporating and confronting a wide array of national issues throughout the course of the march, which began as a feminist protest against President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. This year’s march in particular honored the indigenous groups of the Bay Area, featuring a series of speeches and chants led by a group of indigenous activists at the very beginning of the rally. Following close behind were Breed and Rep. Barbara Lee, who helped lead the rest of the march with a banner that read “WOMEN’S MARCH” in bold red and blue font. Throngs of marchers waving homemade signs and posters joined in as the protest moved away from Civic Center and down Market Street. “You don’t have to do so many big things to be an activist or to be a feminist. You don’t even have to go to the march, but if you just raise your voice, just say one thing at a time, then that can make the biggest difference in someone’s life,” Farah Hosseini (10), who also participated in the march, said. To learn more about the third annual Women’s March in San Francisco, visit harkeraquila.com.

8 1. SPEAKING UP Members of an indigenous organization hold a banner to raise awareness of Missing Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). 2. RISING UP A woman holds a sign that advocates for a woman’s “fundamental” rights. 3. BEAMING San Francisco mayor London Breed waves to the crowd while marching. This year is her first term in office. 4. PLANTING THE SEEDS An activist raises a sign decorated with flowers and an array of colors high above her head. 5. FIERCE AND STRONG Farah Hosseini (10) waves a woman’s march flag while marching. 6. LOUD AND PROUD Two women raise their arms and chant during the march. 7. FUTURE FIGHTER A young girl with a “future president” t-shirt wields a sign that asks the public to “vote 4 me”.

8. LISTENING WITH INTENT Two women listen to speakers at the Women’s March in San Francisco. Marchers attended a rally with 19 speakers in total.

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20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2018 GLOBAL VOLUME

h t o e r m c g u n l i t c u a r r e b m E

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SAFFRON One of the world’s most used spices, saffron contains vivid crimson and yellow “threads.” Used for seasoning and color, it is one of the world’s most expensive spices by weight.

CORIANDER Also known as Chinese parsley, this spice is native to the Middle East and Europe. Used in both cooking and medicine, the seeds are sweet when ripe, and the leaves have a distinct fragrance.

PAPRIKA This spice is the ground form of paprika peppers which originated in the Americas. They can range from a mild to sweet to a spicy flavor making them a best seller in countries worldwide.

CUMIN Native to Upper Egypt, cumin grows in countries with hot climates such as N. Africa. Available dried or in powdered form, cumin has a pungent and bitter flavor, with a sweet and spicy aroma.

TURMERIC Used in cooking for several thousand years, turmeric is one of the healthiest foods in the world, proven to reduce cancer and lessen the severity of several forms of arthitis.

ALLSPICE Commonly known as pimenta, allspice combines the aromas of various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. Allspice berries are grown only inthe Western Hemisphere.

ASAFOETIDA Originating from a species of giant fennel, this spice has a strong smell and flavor, but emits a garlicky smell when cooked. Asafoetida is often used in Indian vegetarian cooking.

BLACK PEPPER Originating in South India, black pepper is grown mainly in tropical countries. Used in Greece as a currency centuries ago, the spice is used in cooking and garnishing dishes globally.

PHOTOS BY ARUSHI SAXENA

AND

AREL Y SU

PROVIDED BY NASTYA SUSHKOVA

five star cuisine Oven-Baked Duck

“An important part of Russian culture is the New Year. One of the reasons is because of the food! Family and friends gather and have a giant feast with lots of food, one such being oven-baked duck with apples, and another being “Spanish” style meat, which is essentially beef with onions, cheese, and mayonnaise layers,” Nastya Sushkova (12) said.

Collard Greens

IRINA MALYUGINA

essential spices and hidden flavors

ZHU

Wynter Chaverst (12) loves collard greens. Typically eaten during big family meals, these greens have origins dating back to slavery in America. “Collard greens were the leftovers in the kitchen on plantations,” Wynter said. “We took the scraps we were given and turned them into a magical food that we eat with our families.”

PROVIDED BY MELODY YAZDI

Peking duck wrapped in pancake. Shirin polo. Gulab jamun. Whether it’s crispy, sweet, fried or cheesy, food can be found in family traditions and history of cultures all around the world. We grow up eating the food of our cultures, whether it be a new recipe our family discovered when moving to a new country, or rather, a decades-old tradition passed down from an ancestor. Many of us associate these foods with good memories which connect us to our family. As we grow up, our traditional foods turn into comfort foods, holding a special value to us and serving as a sanctuary from the troubles of daily life.

LORIA

During Nowruz, the first day of spring and New Year’s in Iran, Melody Yazdi (9) fondly recalls her whole family sitting down together and enjoying a dish of mahi and sabzi polo, consisting of fish and white rice with herbs. A food that holds special meaning in Persian culture is shirin polo, shirin meaning “sweet” and polo meaning “rice” in Farsi.

ARUSHI SAXENA

reporters

Food also translates into an essential part of our cultures. Passed down from one generation to the next, foods serve to preserve and express one’s cultural identity. With over 100 types of cuisines available globally, it may seem odd that a tiny fried coating with vegetables or a layered cake can hold so much value. According to UCLA Professor Michael Owen Jones, humans “define events through food.” While people associate feelings with special cuisines, food is further embedded in our cultures. However the cultural significance of food was ingrained into our culture, it’s embraced by people worldwide. Next time you travel, try some of the local cuisine. You never know what you could discover.

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For April Sun (9), Peking duck covered in hoisin sauce and green onion and wrapped in pancake is a tasty treat that her family enjoys together when they visit her grandparents in Beijing. They usually go to a restaurant or order takeout, and the dish brings back memories of spending time with her extended family.

ARUSHI SAXENA

lucy ge & sriya batchu & esha gohil

ION

A WORLD OF FOOD Whether it brings people together or holding historical significance, cultural cuisine is an essential element of many global cultures.

When Kimayani Butte (10) describes gulab jamun, her eyes light up – cheese balls deep fried in syrup, this dessert is a special treat for occasions like birthdays. She remembers that for her birthday a few years ago, her mother made it to celebrate. Because this snack is not particularly healthy, it is best to be eaten on rare occasions.

Sabzi Polo Mahi

Peking Duck

Gulab Jamun

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20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 NEWS VOLUME

DAZZLIN ING THE RED CA ARPET

Over 150 upper school students perform in annual dance show irene yuan & lucy ge & varsha rammohan reporters & copy editor

KEEPING IT COOL (TOP) Charlotte Blanc (11) does a tilt during a number choreographed by Aditi Anthapur (12). (BOTTOM) Timothy Wang (12) strikes a pose during his self-choreographed tap dance.

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Continued from page 1 “Choreography is a really fun process for me because it often starts with me just listening to the music and saying, ‘well, legs, do what you want’ and then just feeling from there and saying ‘well, that’s a cool rhythm, let’s try it with this’ or ‘let’s try it with that,’ and then I find something that feels both natural and sounds really good,” said Timothy. Students have been preparing for the show for over four months since they were assigned to their respective dances after auditions. Nageena Singh (9) performed in the dance show for the first time this year to “Cell Block Tango” from the Broadway musical “Chicago.” “It’s fun learning choreo[graphy] and getting to know new people, having a team bond”, she said. With more than 20 freshmen performing in the show and over 60 seniors, dance show includes students from all grades, some with no dance experience and others who are on Harker dance teams. “I love seeing kids that you may not think would be a dancer up on that stage just having so much fun and enjoying [themselves],” said Kuehn. “My favorite part [is] seeing all the different types of kids that get to participate [in the show].” Vance, who is also a member of Kinetic Krew along with choreographing a dance, has been performing in the dance show since third grade. “My favorite part are the runthroughs, when all the dancers in the show get to support all the other dancers who perform,” Vance said. “It’s a very friendly

environment and I like it a lot. My main goal is for everyone in my dance to have fun and also to just have fun myself.” The week before dance show, performers ran through the show everyday, which not only ensured perfection but also brought the entire cast together in one place. “I love run-through week because it’s really exciting to see everyone else’s dances for the first time. Everyone is really excited and hyped about watching all of their friends perform,” said Chloe Chen (11). “It’s just really cool to see the entire theme come together for the first time in a coherent fashion.” After Saturday’s show, dancers went to the restaurant BJ’s to celebrate their months of hard work into orchestrating a massive performance that created a family of more than 150 students. “It’s been a fun ride,” said Timothy. “I’ve enjoyed myself these last twelve, thirteen years doing dance and I hope to continue doing it through college, too.”

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1 1. OPEN ARMS Seniors Andrea Simonian, Christopher Gong, and Aditi Anthapur raise their arms during the show’s finale. 2. EN POINTE Karina Chen (10) and Anastasiya “Nastya” Sushkova (12) leap. The two performed in a dance featuring ballet.

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3. MEN IN BLACK Attendance coordinator Sue Prutton claps her hands during a dance featuring faculty members. This routine was choreographed by dance show director Karl Kuehn. 4. GET LOW Sonal Muthal (12) performs a ponche during a dance choreographed by Aditi Anthapur (12). Student choreographers took choreography classes. 5. REACHING OUT Senior Tiffany Zhao reaches towards the audience. This routine featured the five seniors on the Varsity and JV dance teams.

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6. HANG LOOSE Christie Chen (12) poses onstage during a routine. Several dances were choreographed by guest choreographers.

7. PUSH THROUGH Charlotte Blanc (11), Emiko Armstrong (11), Aditi Anthapur (12), Arely Sun (9) and Tiffany Zhao (12) surround Michelle Si (10) onstage. Dancers participated in full rehearsals of the show over the course of a week. 8. MTV MADNESS Kenya Aridomi (11) gestures during a dance featuring the MTV show Total Request Live. Over 150 dancers were featured in the show.

9. BE MY NEIGHBOR Dancers in a Sesame Street-themed routine point towards the audience. In order to accomodate student schedules, they rehearsed on Saturdays.

Little Big Man (1970)

Monster’s Ball (2002)

Halle Berry

Y EL

“[W]e need to stop giving the spotlight to men. That is not to discredit the many genius male artists out there, but the internal misogyny of awards panels needs to go.”

SARAH RAYMOND (10) ACTRESS AND SINGER

Kathryn Bigelow

ALEXANDER KUMAR (10) ACTOR

Sandra Oh

The Hurt Locker (2010)

First and only AfricanAmerican woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress

EMIL Y TAN EE & INA G BY N ION

“I’m looking forward to a time when no one will bat an eye at a character being black or gay or transgender without crying about ‘the liberal special snowflakes.’”

First Native American actor to receive an Academy Award Nomination

TRAT

Director of the Stanford University Diversity and First-Gen Office Dereca Blackmon shared her perspectives on the mindset of the American public as it attempts to bring in a mass era of new inclusion, reengineering the status quo after centuries. “I think that progress happens in cycles, so we’ll have a moment where we’ll see a lot of progress, and then there’ll be a backlash against this progress, which I think is already happening,” said Blackmon. “Systemic change is much harder and takes a much harder time than simply raising awareness, so I do not think that that will happen to this degree.” In a 2019 report by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, in a sample of 1335 directors, only 80 were black and 42 were Asian. The organization also found that between the years 2017 and 2018, there were only 46 individual female directors, with only seven being women-of-color. The report also details a list of solutions directors and producers can take in order to increase inclusion in media, which range from target inclusion goals or quotas as well as more transparency in the interviewing and hiring process in Hollywood. “The power always comes from who has the money. Always, always, always, always,” Blackmon said. “When you’re talking about something like the movie industry, it has to do with access and making sure that there are programs that create specific access for communities that are under represented in the media. That is the only way we can create systemic change.”

ILLUS

As Oh became the first Asian host of the Golden Globes, she also became the first woman of Asian descent to win multiple Globes, the one for best supporting actress on a television series for her portrayal of Cristina Yang on “Grey’s Anatomy,” according to NBC News. However, Oh’s achievements didn’t set her apart that night. As she concluded her acceptance speech, she finished with “Omma, appa… Saranghaeyo” and a bow to her parents. Nodding to her roots, Oh’s declaration, meaning “I love you” in Korean, earned a standing ovation from her several members in the crowd, including Joon-Soo Oh and Young-Nam Oh, her parents, who were tucked into the back of the awards ceremony. Oh’s comment left the Golden Globes with the powerful aftertaste of social change as awareness was brought to the significant lack of increase in racial representation, according to a 2017 study by USC Annenberg. Sophomore Sarah Raymond, a Korean-American actress and singer who has participated in several Harker performing arts shows, hopes that people can begin to adjust to seeing diverse casts featured on screen. “Moving forward, I think the next big issue to tackle is the idea of “forced diversity” in media. People are still holding on to this antiquated idea that cisgender straight white males are the default,” Sarah said. “I’m looking forward to a time when no one will bat an eye at a character being black or gay or transgender without crying about ‘the liberal special snowflakes.’” In 2018, national conversations surrounding inclusion and the #MeToo movement dominated mainstream media and served as a recurring theme for the spotlight of the 2018 Golden Globes, laying a red carpet for a discussion on diversity in 2019. Ethan Choi (10), a budding filmmaker who is on his way to releasing his third movie, has embraced the newfound interest in diversity in the industry, which inspires him in his own filmmaking journey every day. “Whether or not I decide to go into filmmaking in the future, a big part of [my decision], unfortunately I have to say was about my race. Hollywood has such a stub-

ma,” o R ,“ NO ricio t R a A p A a s SC litza s the fir receive 9O a 1 Y 0 2 ya to ess Actr e histor oman tion. w a mad enous nomin born culg s i ind Actres ture against or t rect rst i change,” said d Bes n Ethan. “I’d just rica ed his fi e m love to see more ceiv n for an-A Afric e Lee re inatio Asian actors and m actors of all ethSpik ting no sman.” c nicities come todire KkKlan gether and see them c “Bla cast into these big, r” re lead roles, and seeing nthe st Pictu a P e ck cultures that haven’t “Bla ived a B been explored, on the big rece ination. screen.” Associate Dean and nom

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copy editor & global editor & columnist

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varsha rammohan & arushi saxena & saloni shah

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The image of Canadian actress Sandra Oh filled the television screen as she took to the 2019 Golden Globes stage to accept her award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama. Clad in a floorlength milky dress framed by aureate sleeves, she shattered two records that night.

Hollywood steps into inclusivity

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OF THE PEOPLE

Chief Dan George

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VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019

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First and only female winner of a Directing Academy Award

Killing Eve (2019)

First Asian-American Golden Globes host and winner of Best Actress in 40 years

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The international student journey 4 Harker students share stories of living and learning abroad

“Especially at Harker, [it’s] really memorization-focused, and there’s a lot of facts [to know]. Over [in Thailand], it’s more understanding things and problem-solving, so we don’t have history there; we had world studies which is examining present day problems and solving them. Things like math, we didn’t have to memorize any formulas; they’d give them to you.

HELEN “JIN YI” LI (10) AGE: 15 FROM: CANADA AND SHANGHAI, CHINA ATTENDS SCHOOL IN: SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.

“I left behind friends and family– most of our family friends are in China and Canada. The move was sudden and unplanned for me. On finals day [at my school in Shanghai], we were crying in a group of friends.”

NEMO “LI ZHI” YANG (12) AGE: 18 FROM: SHANGHAI, CHINA ATTENDS SCHOOL IN: SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.

“I need to manage my own bank account [and] medicial insurance. I need certain finances, so I need to report to the IRS showing I’m a foreign national. I don’t have to pay taxes, [but] I have to pay rent, pay electricity bills and car insurance. All these things you have to keep track of.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILY TAN AND NICOLE TIAN

EMILY TAN

International student Nemo “Li Zhi” Yang (12) found himself in a predicament with one of the most bothersome adulthood chores: tax returns. After filing his documents, Nemo did not notice their disqualification due to misfilled information. And a series of unfortunate events proceeded, ultimately leading to Nemo’s near eviction from his rented house and the pay of a costly fee. The United States hosted the most international students of any country in the world, with about 1.1 million in 2017, according to the Migration Policy Institute. While not all of these students’ experiences resemble Nemo’s, many become more aware of what it is like to be self-sufficient. When Nemo moved to the U.S. alone at age fifteen, he learned to do chores as well as handle financial activities, like insurance, bills, rent and tax returns. His legal guardian and family friend Connie Sheng pointed out Nemo’s strength and independence. “I have to give Nemo credit,” Sheng said. “He did all the heavy lifting himself—by going on websites and finding the availability of host families and scheduling meetings to meet those families and making the decisions.” Not all international students move in with a host family. Some come to America with their parents and siblings for various reasons. Helen “Jin Yi” Li (10), was one of these students. She was born in Canada, and lived in China from two years old to 11 years old. She moved to California with her family during the summer before seventh grade after her sister Tina Li (‘17) was accepted to Harker. What she misses the most about China is the transportation. “Transportation is a big thing for me because I usually go out on the weekends with my friends by myself because we didn’t really need cars,” Helen said. “Here, I need to contact my parents every single time I need to go out because you need a car everywhere.” Although both Nemo and Helen moved to America in search of a better education, freshmen Shrey Khater and Caden Lin’s experiences were reversed: born in America, they traveled to foreign countries, lived as expatriates and attended international schools. Despite only being 15 years old, Shrey has lived in three countries, from Bangladesh to Indonesia to America, and visited 20 more. He recalls little of his time in Bangladesh, but when he turned ten, he departed for the metropolitan city of Jakarta, Indonesia. “Jakarta is a really big, bustling city with lots of skyscrapers. There’s more than a hundred malls, and you can go to a lot of places,” Shrey said. He deeply appreciates the experiences he gained from living in Asia. “I learned a lot from my travels, because while in Asia, I also visited 20 to 30 [other] countries, and I became a lot more world-aware.” Shrey said. “I understand a lot more about people and feel more empathy towards different cultures.” Similarly, through his time living internationally, Caden has gained a first hand account of global diversity. “You get to experience different cultures and learn more about the world through doing things rather than learning about other places at school. Even though it’s a difficult transition process, in the end, it really helped me as a person,” Caden said.

SKYSCRAPERS Some international students miss the scenery at home. “I miss the city,” Shrey Kharter (9), who is from Houston, Texas but has lived in Jakarta, Indonesia and Dhaka, Bangladesh, said. “Jakarta, is a really big metropolitan, bustling city with lots of skyscrapers. There’s more than a hundred malls, [and] you can go to a lot of places.”

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CADEN LIN (9) AGE: 14 FROM: SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S. ATTENDED SCHOOL IN: BANGKOK, THAILAND

features editor & reporters

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“One of the [challenges from moving] is [that] all your stuff takes a few months to arrive, so you’re kind of living off of not that much. And it takes time to make new friends, but in international schools people are already accustomed to that, so it’s easier, but still— just adjusting and fitting in to new school life are difficult.”

gloria zhang, jessie wang & erica cai

SHREY KHATER (9) AGE: 15 FROM: HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S. ATTENDED SCHOOL IN: DHAKA, BANGLADESH AND JAKARTA, INDONESIA

SOUP DUMPLINGS Xiao long bao, also known as soup dumplings, are a popular dish in Chinese cuisine. “Mementos and interests [that I hold dear] from China [were the] food and places I would go,” Helen Li, who was born in Canada and lived in China for nine years, said (10) said.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Some international students yearn for the efficient public transportation back at home. “Living in Shanghai is so easy—you could take a subway to anywhere,” Nemo Yang (12) said. “I can’t take the subway [here, and] I couldn’t drive until last year.“

FAST FACTS Top countries of origin for U.S. international scholars: 1. China 2. India 3. South Korea U.S. colleges with the most international students: 1. Harvard 2. Stanford 3. University of California, Los Angeles *DATA FROM THE 2017 OPEN DOORS REPORT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS

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20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 FEATURES VOLUME

Doing little bits of good every day

PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

Custodian Johnny Lockett’s contagious energy inspires Harker community

A SMILE THAT INSPIRES (LEFT) Johnny Lockett poses for a portrait at a table near Manzanita. ON THE JOB (TOP) Lockett reaches for another spray bottle in his cart in Main after school on Feb. 8. Lockett has worked as a custodian at the upper school for seven years.

jessie wang reporter

Whether he’s vacuuming the carpet of Main, mopping the floor of Manzanita or getting a ladder for a staff member who needs one, custodian Johnny Lockett is a familiar face to all who wander through Main’s hallways sometime after 2:30 pm. Lockett was born in Louisiana and joined the military after he graduated from high school in 1979. “When I was growing up at 15, maybe 17, I lived in an environment of fear. So I changed for the better as I graduated and went into the military. I said, ‘I’m not going back to fear. I’m going to move on with my life,’” Lockett said. Lockett’s experience in the military had a long-lasting effect on him, and the instincts it ingrained in him are still present today. When lightning struck a tree in the parking lot last year, Lockett immediately took cover and ushered other people to cover too. “When I went into the military after I graduated out of high school in 1979, that changed my whole life around,” he said. “It lets me do what I do and be what I want to be, which is a man, what I am today.”

He began working at Harker in 2012, having been introduced to the job by his younger brother Tyrone Lockett, a member of the kitchen staff. “I never had the experience being a custodian when I came to Harker,” Lockett said. “They trained me, and I love the job.

“One of the things I look forward to in the day is when Johnny enters this building to get his afternoon work done,” Abel Olivas, Spanish teacher and department chair of Modern and Classical languages, said. ”Usually he peeks in to my classroom, and we just have some fun chit-

“I love the job. This is one of the best jobs I’ve ever had in my life. It’s really worth it. Come to work happy, leave happy, go home happy. Before you know it, eight hours is done.” JOHNNY LOCKETT UPPER SCHOOL CUSTODIAN

This is one of the best jobs I’ve ever had in my life. It’s really worth it. I love getting up in the morning, working, being around faculty, staff and the kids. I love the environment.” He shows his love for his job and the Harker community through his daily interactions with other faculty members. Every day when Lockett clocks in for work, he greets the teachers in Main and talks a bit with them.

chat.” At the end-of-the-year faculty party, Lockett always takes pictures with his various friends and acquaintances throughout Main. Diana Moss, Spanish teacher, is one of these. “The best thing about having him in our hallway is he always is friendly and positive and greets you with a big warm smile. He’s a really positive presence in our hallway.” Moss said. “He’ll do any-

thing extra or above in terms of cleaning or procuring things that we need for the classroom.” Lockett tries his best to support everyone, be they students or faculty, in as many ways as he can. “When the [Gender Sexuality Alliance] asked the community to wear red as part of National Coming Out Day, he came completely in red to support the LGBT community,” Olivas said. “If we have fundraisers, either GSA or Spanish [National Honor Society], he always buys something from us, because he’s very good about wanting to support the kids and their efforts here.” Sometimes, Lockett spends his Saturday working at the Japanese school in Blackford. When working with the kids there, Lockett hopes to be seen as a role model. “They see me walking down the hallways here doing the trash and someone says, ‘Hey, that guy really inspired me. I’m gonna try to be like him.’ Kids look up to you when you do good work,” he said. “They thank you, and that makes you want to do more. You want to please the teachers and the students if you work at The Harker School. That’s my main goal.“

Watercoloring the past anoushka buch TALON Co-People and Seniors Editor

A brush makes an organic, watery magenta stroke on thick paper, the first line on an otherwise pristine sheet. As time goes on and the color dries, the brush retraces its strokes on the paper and creates new ones, each swirl of color part of a bigger piece: a woman’s face, her beautiful eyes focused upon the viewer in a powerful, unwavering gaze. Now look up, and you’ll see Aryana Far (12) working on her latest watercolor portrait. The woman on paper looks almost exactly like Aryana herself with her defined eyebrows, shapely nose, and full lips, save the cloth covering her hair and the expression on her face. After taking AP 2D Studio Art in her junior year, Aryana has committed herself to exposing the flaws in society that she observes, specifically the repression of women, through her art. Aryana’s paternal grandfather was liberal and non-religious, and he served as a general in the former Shah of Iran’s army. As a result of his position, he was forced to go into hiding and his family fled the country.

“[After my grandfather was released] he worked as a lawyer [in Iran] to help the common people. He had to pretend that he supported the Islamic regime, but he wanted to help people, so he made [those] personal sacrifices,” Aryana said. “Every time I visited him when I was younger, everyone knew my grandpa – the grocers, the bakers, the bankers. He was always helping others, even when he faced hardship.” Growing up in a family who struggled through and fought in the Iranian Revolution, which spanned from Jan. 1978 – Feb. 1979, helped Aryana detect the remnants of emotional impact still influencing her relatives’ everyday acts. “People who’ve experienced the revolution [react] in different ways. My family leans towards rejecting oppression,” she said. “The women in my family work, [are] artists, vote, and raise their children like badasses. They’ll always remember their history, and it’ll affect how they act, but I couldn’t be happier to be raised by such resilient women.” The revolution was the transition from authoritarian monarchy to a totalitarian Islamic theocracy. The U.S. did not support the change in government, and its

violent aftermath affected the women in Aryana’s family tremendously. Though she didn’t experience the event firsthand, Aryana noted that specific cultural traditions highlight the revolution’s ramifications, as its leaders placed heavy emphasis on the hejab and imposed strict legislation that further restricted women’s rights. “Whenever we visited Iran, I had to wear a hejab to cover my hair, [and] as a kid, I never understood why,” Aryana said. “I realized, through reading and asking my parents questions, that it was a symbol of repression of women. I wanted to represent that [repression] in art, because it was so prevalent in my family.” As one of Aryana’s closest and earliest friends, Heidi Zhang (12) observed the impact of the revolution on Aryana and her family. “On the first day of kindergarten, we became best friends because we were both wearing pink dresses, and we’ve been friends ever since,” Heidi said. “[The Iranian Revolution] is a really big part of her identity because she sees [the aftermath] every day.” Visit harkeraquila.com to read more Humans of Harker profiles.

ANOUSHKA BUCH

Aryana Far (12) uses art to examine societal flaws

“People who’ve experienced the [Iranian] revolution [react] in different ways. My family leans towards rejecting oppression. The women in my family work, are artists, vote and raise their children to be badasses. They’ll always remember their history, and it’ll affect how they act, but I couldn’t be happier to be raised by such resilient women.” ARYANA FAR (12)

8 WINGED POST

20 • ISSUE 4 LIFESTYLE VOLUME FEBRUARY 19, 2019

NOT IN CLASS

ALL PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

SMILES AND STICKERS Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) co-presidents Emmy Huchley (12) and Raphael Sanche (12), along with club member Ellie Lang-Ree (12), hand out rainbow stickers outside of Manzanita during their club week (Feb. 4-8). As part of this week, the GSA hosted a student-led Q&A panel and held a fundraiser. 1. LET’S TALK LITERATURE Librarian Amy Pelman recommends a book to Meilin Yen(10) during the Book Party on Feb. 8. Pelman, along with librarian Meredith Cranston, organized the party, which included snacks and bookmark crafting.

2. PIECE OF POLITICS AP U.S. Government teacher Carol Green and seniors Mahi Gurram and Ryan Adolf participate in Pizza and Politics on Feb. 8. The event’s conversation focused on political polarization and the State of the Union address. 3. GREAT IDEAS Speech and debate teacher Scott Odekirk converses with Jason Lin (10) at the Ethics in Technology Forum on Feb. 7. The lunchtime event was held as a dual meeting between Philosophy Club and Ethics in Technology Club.

4. PROJECT TRIO Members of music group Project Trio (including bassist Peter Seymour, shown) gave a special class to upper school music students. Before the class, Project Trio performed in the Patil Theater as part of Harker’s Concert Series. 5. SWEET STORIES Sophomore Helen Zhu reads a children’s story book to her third-grade Eagle Buddy. The sophomore class visited the lower school on Feb. 4 to spend time with their buddies and take part in pajama day festivities.

6. READY TO RETREAT Computer science teacher Susan King prepares for the Feb. 9 faculty retreat. After a busy week that ended in students leaving for February break, faculty from all four campuses came to the upper school for the retreat.

WINGED POST 9

20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 A DAY IN THE LIFE VOLUME

BOOM AND BUST Economics teacher Samuel Lepler teaches his third period AP Economics class.

THE FRIENDS LOOKING BACK

MARK HU

MUNCHING AWAY Freshmen Shahzeb Lakhani, Shounak Ghosh, Aditya Tagore and Aaron Lou eat lunch in the auxiliary gym.

NINA GEE

LOOKING

THE CLASSES BACK

MORNING STROLL Anthony Xu (11), Mihir Sharma (11), Daniel Wang (10), Ethan Cao (9) Alicia Xu (11), Katherine Tian (12) and Riva Saksena (11) cross Saratoga Avenue to get to campus before first period.

A DAY IN THE

LIFE

GLORIA ZHU

THE MOMENTS

Six hundred and sixty minutes, 39,600 seconds–from campus opening at 7 a.m. to it closing at 6 p.m. Every single day, 792 students, 90 faculty members and 150 staff members walk our hallways, learning and working in the minutes that fill class periods and the moments that lie in between, before and after. So much happens in a day– and that’s why over 30 Winged Post reporters assembled on Jan. 30 to cover it all and capture a day in the life of Harker.

1.30.19

10 WINGED POST

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 6, 2019

A DAY IN THE LIFE

C s c J

PERIOD 1

DAY IN THE

T p

8 - 9:25 a.m. What’s your favorite campus study spot?*

3. MAIN HALLWAY 4. SHAH HALL 5. MANZANITA

6. RPAC

MORNING MUSICMAKING Orchestra director and music teacher Dr. David Hart (above) conducts the musical group during morning rehearsal. NINA GEE

From the time cars start pulling into the upper school’s loading zones to the time the last gate closes at 6 p.m., the campus bustles with classes, club meetings, sports and all types of activities. Find out how Harker students spend their time on this journey through a day in our lives.

2. TEACHER’S ROOM

GLORIA ZHU

LIFE

1. LIBRARY

HISTORY IN THE MAKING Katy Rees teaches her Period 1 Honors US History class about the New Deal.

LUNC

AFTER SCHOOL

11:10 - 11

3 - 6 p.m.

3. MANZANITA

5. DOBBINS

4. MAIN HALLWAY

6. SHAH HALL

HEADING HOME (LEFT) Senior Sumantro Banerjee leaves school soon after 3 p.m. dismissal. (RIGHT) Security guard Brendan Carroll ushers a school bus onto campus in the evening. Campus closes at 6 p.m. every day.

MARK HU

3. AUX GYM

2. QUAD

LUNCHTIME CONVERSATION (LEFT) Melody Y together on a picnic table in the quad. They visi counseling Nicole Burrell, music teacher Jennife campus librarian Meredith Cranston and math t while eating lunch. Students and teachers can s

PERIOD 4

JESSIE WANG

GLORIA ZHU

7. ATHLETIC CENTER 7. ATHLETIC CENTER 8. NICHOLS

TAKE A SEAT Freshmen Gianna “Gigi” Chan, Clarice Wang, Melody Luo and Alina Yuan talk as they sit in the auxiliary gym. Picnic tables were set up for students.

SRIYA BATCHU

THE DAY GOES ON (TOP) Senior Jacob Kim and the cast of the “Red Carpet” Dance show practice the finale routine during an after-school rehearsal on Jan. 30. (BOTTOM) Sophomore Shreeya Vaidya discusses an assignment with English teacher Dr. Beth Wahl.

1:35 - 3 p.m.

WORK OF ART Freshman Camilla Lindh sculpts a clay vessel during Study of Visual Arts class. The project, led by visual arts teacher Pilar AgüeroEsparza, focused on the elements of ancient Greek scuplture and style.

CAPTION HEAD Each caption will begin with a short “hit phrase” or “hit word” in CAPS and bold. The entire caption is in Avenir Next size 9 font. Atiatur, te ANNAMMA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

1. LIBRARY

2. RPAC

EMILY TAN

Favorite after-school hang-out spot?*

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

NINA GEE

NICOLE TIAN

SCHOOL’S OUT Alex Shing (11) goes for a friendly high five with Sana Pandey (11) as the last bell of the school day rings. Classes end at 3 p.m.

LAST CLASS OF THE DAY translation in Honors Adva Sophomores Benjamin Gic in Honors French 4, as Fren

*ALL SURVEY DATA GATHERED FROM 145 STUDENT RESPONDENTS.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

WINGED POST 11

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 6, 2019

CALLING IN Sue Prutton, attendance coordinator, speaks on the phone with a parent. The parent was calling to inform her of their child’s late arrival on Jan. 30.

9:35 - 11 a.m.

ALYSA SU

SALONI SHAH

Q&A Marcos AceroBlyshak (10) and Nicholas Bereznak (10) raise their hands as Emma Boyce (10) looks on. The sophomore-year English curriculum focuses on British literature.

RUSH HOUR Students head to their second period classes.

EMILY TAN

ARELY SUN

SRYA BATCHU

GLORIA ZHU

PASSING PERIOD

NUMBERS Harshil Garg (9) demonstrates the solution to a math problem up at the board in Bhaswati Ganguli’s second period Honors Precalculus class.

LUNCH PREP Head Chef Steve Martin mixes a bowl in preparation for the upcoming lunch rush. Every day, the chefs begin prep in the morning.

Favorite place to eat?*

1. MANZANITA

PERIOD 3

Yazdi (9), Zeel Thakkar (9) and Aryav Bharali (9) all eat lunch ited the Fresh Mex station. (RIGHT) Director of college er Sandusky, history teacher Roxana Pianko, upper school teacher Dana Lieberman sit and converse in Manzanita sit at a number of tables inside Manzanita Hall.

(LEFT) Sara Min (12) leads a class anced Latin Literature: Prose. (RIGHT) cqueau and Chloe Affaki work on a project nch teacher Galina Tchourilova looks on.

SING YOUR HEART OUT Senior Mathew Mammen and Downbeat member of three years sings “Our Time” from the musical “Merrily We Roll Along”. The show choir has prepared “Our Time” and “Come Alive” from the Greatest Showman to rehearse for the upcoming Harker Gala on Feb. 23.

NINA GEE

Noon - 1:25 p.m.

CLEANUP Chef Adam Albers spoons out condensed milk onto a baking sheet for Oreo Bars. The upper school kitchen’s version of the bars contains a base of Oreo powder with layers of coconut, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips layered on top.

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

PASSING PERIOD WALK AND TALK Sophomores Alex Baeckler and Kat Fenner engage in a conversation on the way to fourth period.

MARK HU

IRINA MALYUGINA

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS Sophomores Shreya Srinivasan and Sarina Sharma work together in AP World History class. The students worked on presentations in two to three person groups.

ESHA GOHIL

1:50 a.m.

PERIOD 2

BILINGUAL Juniors Katie Chang and Madison Huynh hold a conversation in Japanese. In the AP Japanese class, students prepare to be tested on listening, reading, and writing the language on the exam.

IRENE YUAN

NINA GEE

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK Arun Sundaresan (11) peers into a microscope in Dr. Artiss’s biology class in Nichols. Labs are a common occurrence in the upper school’s science department.

12 WINGED POST 8 a.m. Davis Field

A DAY IN THE LIFE

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ATHLETES 11 a.m. Auxiliary Gym

WALK AND TALK Assistant to lower and middle school athletic director Brighid Wood and lower and middle school athletic director Theresa “Smitty” Smith walk laps around Davis Field before school begins.

MARK HU

GLORIA ZHU

1 p.m. Athletic Center

PLAYING TIME Elvis Han (9) shoots during an informal game of basketball in the auxiliary gym during lunch.

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Noon Training Room

IRENE YUAN

JIN TUAN

INJURY PREVENTION Athletic trainer Jaron Olson tapes Gene Wang’s (12) ankles ahead of the varsity boys basketball practice. Athletes with injuries often approach Olson for help.

3 p.m. Track Practice

NO PAIN NO GAIN (LEFT) Rahul Goyal (12) squats as athletic trainer Jon Marques watches on. (RIGHT) Varsity girls basketball freshman Alexa Lowe (9) works out in the kinesiology room as part of the physical therapy process to recover from an injury.

LUCY GE

MARTIAL ART MOVES Mestre Due instructs Melody Yazdi (9) on a capoeira move in the dance room as Elizabeth Chen (10), Anthony Shing (11) and Johnny Wang (12) look on. Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, is offered as an after school P.E. class at Harker.

ARYA MAHESHWARI

3:30 p.m. Capoeira

GETTING WARM The track team warms up by running two laps of the Blackford track. Track practices usually last from around 3 to 5 p.m.

5 p.m. Basketball Practice

DRIVING SUCCESS (TOP) Assistant junior varsity girls basketball coach Joan Marciano analyzes film during a practice. (SIDE) Arjun Virmani (10) dribbles past Giovanni Rofa (11) during a varsity boys basketball practice as coach Butch Keller watches.

ASSIST Sophomores Shaunak Narain and James Pflaging fight for the ball during a junior varsity boys soccer practice. The boys end the season with a record of 4-3-7.

IRINA MALYUGINA

ANNA VAZHAEPARMBIL

4 p.m. Soccer Practice

WINGED POST 13

20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 OPINION VOLUME

A less extreme academic approach maximizes productivity jin tuan lifestyle and A&E editor

*National Sleep Foundation

Staying on that grind

A challenging courseload can enhance the academic experience kushal shah sports columnist

Every decision has lasting implications for the rest of life. In high school, this seems especially true; every grade is recorded, and after accumulating for a semester, is tallied up to form a class average. From there, it is the same story that every student has heard at least once during high school -- work hard, get good grades, go to a good college, then graduate school and finally become that rich, hotshot doctor, engineer or CEO.

Transitioning into high school, my mindset changed. Everything I did: every class, every test and every quiz I took mattered. But while it is easy to feel that our grades seem to matter for the rest of our lives, what is truly important is the learning that grades should reflect. Sure, this is definitely a harsh and no-nonsense attitude in terms of its ramifications on our daily lives, but it certainly is not without good reason. Growing up, my friends used to claim that high school was the ultimate test—it sculpted our future in almost every facet: it would determine which college we would go to, but more importantly, it would impact our career decisions and what mistakes we would make and which lessons we would learn. At first, this seemed blasphemous. I

mean, how could just four years of high school define my entire life? Transitioning into high school, my mindset changed. Everything I did: every class, every test, every quiz I took mattered. Although this mentality may have led to stressful nights or less time to relax, I realize that, especially now, it would be worse not to adhere to it. From challenging myself this year in taking AP Spanish Language where I was introduced to Hispanic countries’ cultural nuances to signing up for AP Economics in my junior year to explore the various academic disciplines previously unknown to me, my philosophy has been to push the limits of my knowledge and expand my horizons. After submitting next year’s Course Selection Form, I received an email from Mr. Thiele, informing me of the estimated amount of time it would take to complete my homework every day. Rather than hesitating at the thought of hundreds of minutes I would spend on homework each night, I saw it as an investment in my learning and my growth as a student. After all, I chose the courses I did out of genuine interest knowing that my hours of homework would ultimately only serve to enrich my education. Only by constantly challenging ourselves with difficult, but valuable courses and stepping into a proactive role can we make the most out of the various opportunities on campus.

national average for MINUTES of hw PER WEEK NIGHT

HOURS OF HOMEWORK EACH NIGHT

*National Center for Educational Statistics

HA N

Hours of sleep recommended

There are times when I don’t want to do work for the entire evening, so I go to bed at oddly early hours, like 7 p.m. When I wake up naturally, I get all my work done, starting with the most repetitive tasks that have a clear goal, then moving on to those that could take me anywhere, like researching and writing essays. When all these necessary tasks are finished, I kick back on the sofa and think about what TV show I’ll waste my time on next or just zone out to music. I’ve found that the best path is to take the most efficient way through schoolwork. I try my best but never lament a bad grade. In short, I’m lazy.

8 -10

Lazy often has a bad connotation. But when the lazy mentality is applied in the right way, it’s called being efficient.

Data in charts gathered from 145 student respondents

R VA

O MM

Lazy often has a bad connotation. But when the lazy mentality is applied in the right way, it’s called being efficient. In my experience, taking a chill pill in terms of grades helps me focus on what’s important: actual learning and my passions. I’m not advocating for anybody to completely blow off school. My lazy means that I sleep as much as possible and relax as much as possible. But in the time I have left, I study as hard as possible, too. And if I know that I’ve tried on an assessment or an assignment but didn’t receive the grade that I wanted, I don’t sweat it. Here at Harker, doing your best means pushing yourself to your limit but still putting your all into every single activity that you do. To me, that’s inefficient. Stretching myself thin for prolonged periods of time doesn’t ensure that I’ll have loads of awards and positions to fill my resume up with. It ensures that I’ll do a mediocre job at everything I do and have no particular shining point. I’ve grown sick of the stress and drudgery that the extreme approach to school entails. Now, doing my best is finding a few things I’m passionate in and working my heart out for those activities.

I’ll put a passing effort into everything else, and, here’s the amazing part: when I don’t want to work anymore, I just stop working. My previous self is screaming at me that that’s not a good work ethic. Simply stopping work without even trying to push myself would have been inconceivable. But I find that taking frequent breaks and just relaxing is so much more efficient than trying to use my pencil to write through a mental brick wall impasse that I’ve created for myself.

ALL DRAWINGS BY NINA GEE

Hours of sleep EACH NIGHT

Staying chill at school

SH A

Maximizing success in high school and beyond

A few weeks ago, students chose their courses for next year. Some opted for a heavy course load, while others had a different focus. Which of these options is better? Junior Jin Tuan and sophomore Kushal Shah debate.

VA R

Perspectives

In this repeater, two authors with contrasting viewpoints discuss an issue of prominence within our local community.

14 WINGED POST

20 • ISSUE 4 OPINION VOLUME FEBRUARY 19, 2019

KATHY FANG & NICOLE TIAN

Female president could fuel culture shift prameela kottapalli & katherine zhang editors-in-chief

KATHY FANG

Taking things local

FOR THE PEOPLE Senator Kamala Harris waves to a crowd in her hometown, Oakland, to officially announce her 2020 presidential bid.

bodies much of the diversity that our executive branch has lacked for generations. She is accompanied by other women who have announced their intention to run in the Democratic primary, including New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and

EDITORIAL THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST In the recent weeks, a number of Democrats have announced their bids for the 2020 presidential election, hoping for a chance to lead the party and oust the current administration. Although the race is still in its infantile stages, about half of the current candidates are women. According to a February poll from Quinnipiac University, California senator Kamala Harris is the state’s current frontrunner, with support from 58 percent of state voters. And as a woman-of-color and a first-generation American, Harris em-

A female president could help further an ongoing national cultural shiift, promoting justice and opportunity for more people. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. The country is evidently making strides with female representation in politics as there were only three female presidential nominees in the 2016 primaries overall, a stark contrast from today’s six in the early

stages of the Democratic one. The country needs more female representation in government, and we need it soon. In recent years, global culture has begun to transform as movements like #MeToo– which shed a light on sexual harassment in areas spanning from Hollywood to Capitol Hill– were launched. In a time when toxic masculinity is finally being met with resistance and “just locker room talk” is no longer considered a valid excuse for harassment, the federal government must let all voices be heard, respected and acted upon. Change will happen whether or not a female president is elected in 2020. We’ve begun to see this with the results of the 2018 Midterms– according to the Pew Research Center, more women are serving in Congress now than ever before. Yet a female president — regardless of who she may be— could help further an ongoing cultural shift, promoting justice and opportunity for more people.

At Sen. Harris’s Oakland rally in the Frank Ogawa Plaza, a supporter hoists a “For the People” sign.

An attendee of Sen. Kamala Harris’s launch rally cheers during Harris’s speech, holding up a sign.

KATHY FANG

eart of Harker: A positive snowball effect krishay mukhija guest writer

Two years ago, I was debating against a talented opponent at the California Debate Tournament. While waiting for the judge’s decision, I asked if I would see him at an upcoming tournament. Shockingly, he answered no, explaining that he did not have a suit and felt “out of place” at these events. This student was brave enough to say it out loud, but I imagined hundreds of others who avoided important academic opportunities for similar reasons. Realizing that I had an undersized suit in my closet, I wondered how many other people had a surplus of suits in their wardrobes. I shared the idea of donating suits to less-fortunate aspirants and was given an opportunity to speak at a school assembly and start a donation drive. Soon after the assembly, my inbox was overflowing with emails from parents and staff wanting to help,

and Suits2Empower was born. The Suits2Empower journey has been challenging, yet gratifying and a great learning experience. At every roadblock, doors have opened and presented me with new opportunities. These ulti-

It may feel overwhelming to look at the big issues that plague society, but focusing on one small thing that can be fixed will naturally attract a collective energy to help tackle the larger problems. mately allowed me to learn valuable skills in effecting change. However, the most valuable lesson I have learned is the ability to empathize with others and develop human connec-

tions. The photo of the first student who wore one of our suits decorates my back wall and the smile on his face and the poise and confidence in his posture is the reward that I get. At times, an empty donation box disheartens me, and I believe that the project is futile. But after meeting the youth at these events and hearing their inspiring stories, I feel reignited and have a stronger passion to continue. Our motto at Suits2Empower is “clothes that are too small for you can make a big difference in the lives of others.” It may feel overwhelming to look at the big issues that plague society, but focusing on one small thing at a time will naturally attract a collective energy to help tackle the larger problems. One of the most famous equations in physics is Momentum = Mass x Velocity. At Harker, we are a unique, creative, and passionate student body, “the mass.” All we need is an intention to bring a change, “the velocity” and we will inevitably tackle the larger problems.

Last issue, we made a big change to the look of our newspaper — we said goodbye to our old broadsheet format. And thanks to much of the positive feedback we received after Issue 3, that change is here to stay. But in the long run, we’re still moving to improve the content of the newspaper– and for that, we need you. In the last few years, the Winged Post has expanded to include broader topics, from international news to climate change. But what lies at the core of our mission is the school community– the faculty, staff and students that walk our halls every day. We’ve realized that there is so much more that we can do to better represent our campus, and we’ve begun this step of the redesign with this issue. On Jan. 30, every member of our staff– from first-year reporter to senior editor– came together to cover a Day in the Life of Harker. As an initiative to represent more community voices, we covered each class period, each minute of lunch, each passing period and each after-school activity. It was a project that not only brought our staff together, but also emphasized how much further we have to go when it comes to capturing the diversity of experiences within our campus. Moving forward, we intend to become a more inclusive paper. And to turn our intentions into change, we need your suggestions, your ideas, your thoughts– and while you can always email us at wingedpost2019@gmail.com, we hope to receive more hands-on feedback through focus groups. Within the next month, we’ll be inviting multiple groups of community members to join the discussion on how we can improve our paper. These conversations will help fuel the next steps of our redesign, and we will implement what we learn from you into our later issues. And so, the next step of our redesign is the most important one– because it involves you. We can’t wait to take the Winged Post to new heights with your input.

CORRECTIONS FROM ISSUE 3

News 2, “Quadchella”

William Rainow plays the bass, not the cello.

Features 4, “For art teacher, there’s no place like home”

Jaap Bongers’ daughter’s name was incorrectly reported as Michelle. Her name is Melissa.

Lifestyle 7, “So you want to be a tattoo artist” The name of the tattoo studio is “Diving Swallows.”

News 10, “Beyond the Midterms”

There are 198 Republican representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, not 200.

WINGED POST 15

TEA M1 072 : BU ILD SEA SON

20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 STEM VOLUME

4 - MECHANICAL

Though the mechanical team still has a couple of parts to put together, they are close to wrapping up: “We’ve got these robot frames -- we have our drivetrain, which moves the robot, pretty much finished and we’ve got the shell of our elevator,” Joel Manning (12), the team’s Executive President, said.

reporters

RAHUL GOYAL (12) TECHNICAL PRESIDENT “The environment is really comfortable, especially in software, where we are all pretty close and people are willing to ask questions and help other people out.” ANGELA JIA (9) ROBOTICS TEAM MEMBER

KAITLIN HSU

reporter EMILY TAN

In 2018, carbon emissions spiked in the U.S., increasing by 3.4 percent, the largest increase in eight years. The Rhodium Group, an economic data research provider working with UC Berkeley, estimates that by 2020, California’s second-largest emissions producer will be the industrial sector, which includes refineries and construction work.

GLORIA ZHU

POLYMERS

F=MA EXAM NICOLE TIAN

In the late evening of Jan. 20, a super wolf blood moon occurred, according to the Nation Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Being the first full moon of the year, it was a wolf moon. It was also at its closest to the Earth, making it a super moon. Finally, the moon passed behind the earth which projected a red hue on the moon’s surface thus creating a blood moon the last of this decade.

Over the weekend of Jan. 26, nine Harker students attended the United States Invitational Young Physicists Tournament in Rye, New York. where they debated with other teams on four physics experiment questions, placing fifth in the competition. “It’s a really good high school model for how a ‘real scientific conference’ works,” Dr. Mark Brada, the team’s mentor, said. On Feb. 6th, junior Aditi Ghalsasi gave a talk on her research experience over the past summer in polymer chemistry, as the upper school’s Research Club’s second student speaker of the year. Aditi discussed her research in developing and successfully producing a biocompatible material for the 3D printing of various parts and organs in the human body. On Jan. 23, upper school students participated in the F=ma test, a 25 question, 75 minute physics entrance exam for the United States National Physics Olympiad (USAPhO). “The problems [are] really fun to think about and interesting to work through,” Kaushik Shivakumar (12), a four time test taker who has qualified for the USAPhO in the past, said. “Practice problems are real key to do well.”

1. SCREWING AROUND Alivia Li (9) drills a wooden slat to create the makeshift field. Members of the mechanical subteam used various tools to create the robot.

ALL PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

mark hu

NICOLE TIAN

“There’s a lot of communication between the electrical engineering and mechanical people, and the software people are coding stuff that the mechanical people have to build.”

7 The FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships, which the team won in their division last year, will take place from April 17 to 20 this year. “[We want to] really showcase that we are using our engineering knowledge to create a robot that can compete at a high level,” Rithvik Panchapakesan (12), the Operations President, said.

The latest news in STEM

EMILY TAN

HARI BHIMARAJU (10) VP OF OUTREACH

5 - ELECTRONICS One of the primary focuses of the electronics team this year has been improving and beautifying the “e-plate,” an electronics board which controls the robot. “It looks so much nicer than it has ever looked before. Hopefully, this means that it will be more reliable and better to work with,” Joel said. “[But] once the elevator is in because wiring things such that they can go up and down without breaking is important.”

USAYPT

CARBON EMISSIONS

“We prioritize the learning aspect. We try to have more well-rounded [team members] and dabble in everything.”

3 - DESIGN The design team recently finished their full online design for the robot, pictured to the left.This year, the team is placing more emphasis this year on simplicity of design and preparation. “Before, we tried to accomplish everything, and that didn’t work out the best for us,” Rahul Goyal (12), the team’s Technical President, said. “This year we’re being a lot more specific in knowing our limits, and that [has] definitely helped.”

BLOOD MOON

JOEL MANNING (12) EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

1 During “build season” before competitions, the Harker Robotics team meets every weekday apart from Wednesday from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ultimately, its goal is to have two replicas of their competition robot ready by the end of build season, as their real competition robot will have to be packed away after six weeks by competition rules.

6 - SOFTWARE The task of the software team is to program the robot’s mechanical and electrical parts to function as required. “[The software team has]made the robot code they’ll need to run the robot, but they haven’t been able to test much of it yet,” Joel said. “The main challenge for them this year will be coordinating the arm movements and the [robot’s] elevator.”

“In this [year’s] game, there are these 2 distinct game pieces that needed to be handled. It’s taken a while to figure out how to integrate them into our design.”

sriya batchu & vishnu kannan

ALL GRAPHICS PROVIDED BY CHRISTOPHER LEAFSTRAND

2 The team is broken up into four main subteams: Mechanical, Design, Software and Electronics, with each team asynchronously working on the robot. Despite the distinct roles of each subteam, collaboration between subteams is essential in having a successful build season. From the design team’s specifications to the software team’s code to the mechanical and electrical teams’ building capabilities, the four teams are in constant communication.

WORDS FROM THE MAKERS

Upper school robotics team turns up the gears during six-week build season before competitions

2. FIELD DAY Anishka Raina (9) and Victoria Han (9) mark out the makeshift field, which is used to test the robot. The robot was built and tested in the robotics lab. 3. ON THE GRIND Elizabeth Fields (10) and Daniel Fields (9) collaborate in the robotics laboratory to develop a Computer Aided Design (CAD) model. Members of the team are organized into several different subteams.

STEM CALENDAR

recent and upcoming events FEBRUARY 16: Chapter MathCounts competition for middle schoolers held at upper school 22-25: USA Computing Olympiad February competition held online 28: DECA four-day State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Anaheim begins

MARCH 3: 18th annual Harker Math Invitational held at middle school 13-14: Student researchers compete in Synopsys Championship 2019 17: Programming Club hosts Harker Programmming Invitational at upper school

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STEM

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Local efforts to be environmental

Students and faculty perform environmentally-driven action on the community level news editor & reporter

How can we replace plastics in our schools with compostable material? How can we reduce idle energy? What are some activities that may get students more interested in the environment? Attendees of the Students for Green High School’s Conference on Jan. 26 brainstormed solutions to these questions in small groups, as they addressed common environmental issues in their community and thought of ways they can inspire change at their own schools. During the conference, organized by the Los Altos High School Green Team, students from 20 high school Green Team chapters in the Bay Area listened to keynote speakers and met with other attendees to discuss ways to increase sustainability. The Harker Green Team shared their Buy Better Boba project with the other chapters and encouraged them to implement other realistic solutions to bring about change. Green Team president Anvi Banga (11) explained the club’s efforts to adopt reusable glass jars and straws in place of the plastic alternatives traditionally used to sell boba.

Buy Better Boba

A Harker Green Team project •

Inspired by the “Straws” assembly in September.

•

Items: repurposed 24 oz. glass jar, waterproof sticker, glass 15 mm diameter straw, straw cleaner

•

Projected cost: $2 PROVIDED BY NATASHA YEN

“We’re trying to find a sustainable way of drinking boba because we know that so many people love it,” Anvi said. “Except, the plastic that comes from boba is produced in mass quantities and is harmful to the environment, so we’ve developed a mason jar, glass straw combo, which helps people avoid using plastic products.” In addition to the Buy Better Boba project, Green Team representatives spoke with Head of School Brian Yager and Chef Steve Martin to implement changes in how the cafeteria operates during lunches. Starting from March, everything the kitchen produces will be edible, washable

and reusable or compostable. In other words, the kitchen will no longer be using plastic dessert cups or utensils. “There’s just not enough people out there right now who are willing to maybe take a slight inconvenience from their normal day-to-day life to do something that will make a difference in the long run,” Anvi said. “We are trying to encourage people to do something now rather than be like, ‘it’s more convenient for me to take a plastic fork.’”

“There’s just not enough people out there right now who are willing to take a slight inconvenience in their normal day-to-day life to do something that will make a difference in the long run.” ANVI BANGA (11) UPPER SCHOOL GREEN TEAM PRESIDENT Aside from the efforts of Green Team, students and faculty engage in environmental acts large and small for the betterment of their community. Zain Awais (10) is one student who often walks to school a few times a week throughout the year. Although the 20-minute walk can often be time-consuming, he believes in the larger benefits of his actions. “It feels good to walk to school in the mornings or walk home in the afternoons because I feel like I’m doing my part to reduce pollution,” Zain said. English teacher Charles Shuttleworth takes a different approach in his effort to become more environmentally friendly. As someone who deeply appreciates and values the importance of paper, he worked with school administrators and the facilities staff over the past year to address the problem of bond paper, or durable writing paper, being thrown in the “Dry Bin” along with food in plastic containers and bottles that are still full. “I think it’s really important for our community to be more conscious of and sensitive toward paper,” Shuttleworth said. “To me, paper is something that we should hold just with a little higher respect. It should be able to be treated better and more directly recycled, and by saving

that extra step, I think that ends up saving energy.” Diana Moss, the teacher advisor of the Green Team, notes that even these individual efforts can still make a substantial difference. “[Environmental work] is about creating awareness and educating people, so [there is] a lot of one-to-one talking about it,” she said. “Like I’ll tell you, ‘Hey, you need to go home and tell your parents [about a voting measure],’ or if you lived in the city of San Jose, you’d call your city council rep and you’d say, ‘You need to do something.’” Anya Gupta (12), the co-president of the Los Altos High School Green Team, who helped organize the conference, adds that she hopes that hosting an event “for high schoolers, by high schoolers,” can help strengthen the culture of sustainability in schools across the Bay Area. “I think what’s important is to realize how lucky we are to live in an area where we have electricity and we have cars, so learning from a young age to use only what you need is really important going on into the adult world,” Anya said. “Even though [your efforts] seems to be on such a small scale, if you are living your life the most green you possibly can, there’s nothing better than that.”

GLORIA

eric fang & anna vazhaeparambil

PLASTIC CONSUMPTION

• •

Avoid single-use plastics by:

Using reusable water bottles, utensils, straws Buying food in bulk

“Try to think about where things come from and then how your actions will create an impact. [I think], ‘how much plastic waste will be used if I take this thing?’”

NATASHA YEN (10) UPPER SCHOOL GREEN TEAM OFFICER

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

AIR POLLUTION

• •

Minimize air pollution by:

Walking, biking, carpooling, or using public transit over driving Burning less fuels in general “Always, always, always drive carpool when you can. Ride your bike, use public transportation. Talk your parents into buying an electric car.”

DIANA MOSS UPPER SCHOOL GREEN TEAM ADVISOR

• •

Save energy by:

Turning off the lights when you leave a room Setting your thermostat lower “Knowing to turn off the lights when we leave our homes or doing other little things to save [electricity] can add up.”

ANYA GUPTA (12) LAHS GREEN TEAM CO-PRESIDENT

WATER CONSERVATION • •

ALL GRAPHICS BY ARYA MAHESHWARI

MICHAEL ENG

Conserve water by:

Taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet Limiting the use of sprinklers

“A lot of the biggest things that we can do are just changes in day-to-day habits: not letting the water run while you’re brushing your teeth, limiting your showers, making sure that your watering system this time of the year is turned off.”

DR. KATE SCHAFER UPPER SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHER

WINGED POST 17

20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019 ARTS VOLUME

1 SUE SMITH

ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY JIN TUAN

FORMER LIBRARY DIRECTOR, PS-12

“The thing that really drew me to this place and kept me here is working with an incredibly engaging faculty that’s very supportive of the library program.”

NEW IN TOWN Amy Pelman mastered in librarian information science. She looks forward to discussing passions and building new bonds here.

staff illustrator & photo editor

If you’ve been at Harker for more than a year, chances are you’ve probably had contact with the campus librarians. They evaluate your interpretation of a literary theory or find obscure primary documents for that history essay. They are a significant part of school life, yet the details of their job often go unnoticed here at school. So what do our librarians do? “[A good librarian is] somebody who both loves and can find information expertly, but I think that that’s really only half of it,” PS-12 Library Director Lauri Vaughan said. “You’ve got to be able to somehow hand over part of that skill and not just hand over the information, but also hand over the skill and the enthusiasm for finding good information.” Like the details of the job itself, the path to becoming a librarian is more complex than meets the eye. “Everybody that’s a professional librarian has to get a Masters degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS),” Sue Smith said. “Often times, I’m in a class and I’ll make a joke about, “Yeah, I went and got a graduate degree for this’ because I’m doing a menial task, and kids are like, ‘You went to graduate school?’ So I think it’s a misunderstood profession.” Sue Smith, the former PS-12 Library Director who retired mid-January, began her journey towards librarianship as almost an accident. After leaving her company job for 23 years, she decided to try working at the Harker Upper School’s library as a parent volunteer. “I had always been interested in libraries and research even though that was so different than what I had been doing,” Smith said.

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Smith soon discovered that she enjoyed her work as a librarian, and decided to wade a little further into the waters of librarianship by getting her MLIS at San Jose State after attending Duke University. After working as an archivist and graduating from library school, Smith was able to work as a full-time librarian at the Harker Upper School and eventually became the library director. The newly inducted upper school campus librarian, Meredith Cranston, was set on becoming a librarian from a young age. Attending Stanford University as an undergraduate and receiving an MLIS from UCLA, Cranston decided to pursue a career in Special Collections. Though she was impressed with her university’s archives, Cranston found the work a little empty of the human interaction that was important to her idea of librarianship. “What I enjoyed about my high school librarian was [the way I was taught] to answer my own questions, and that’s kind of the gift and the skill that I wanted to pass on to other people,” she said. Qi Huang, Harker’s electronic resources librarian, had a more indirect path to her current career. An electrical engineer by training, she gravitated to librarianship due to her previous experiences with librarians, eventually attending library school at the University of British Columbia . “For me, I fell in love with libraries gradually,” Huang said. “I used to work with them, they helped with those research jobs. [Then,] I spent a lot of time in the library school to get this knowledge and [these] skills.” Meanwhile, Vaughan recalls encoun-

tering librarianship as a child. “I remember actually getting a little pink book from my grandmother, when I was like, eight, ‘someday, you want to be a librarian,’” Vaughan said. “I kind of went a different direction, but that was kind of always in the back of my brain.” After years of experience as an English teacher, Vaughan stepped towards librarianship after moving to New Jersey from California. When her husband, who was then attending Rutgers University, suggested that she enter the library school there, she jumped at the chance. “It was a wonderful experience,” Vaughan said. “I had been a school teacher, so I ... had all the credentials for teaching so I added the librarian credential.” Although she wasn’t seeking work when she first returned to California, after applying for a job at the Harker School by chance, Vaughan decided to work there. “When I came and interviewed with Ms. Smith and the previous director Mrs. Davis, it was like ‘Oh, my God, I have never wanted a job more in my life than this job at Harker,’” Vaughan said. The Library Department’s newest hire, Amy Pelman, also found her way there through other careers. After attending UC Berkeley as an undergraduate and majoring in communications, Pelman held several jobs until she became a college library assistant. This job led her to go to UCLA for her MLIS. Having served as a librarian for Kent Denver School in Colorado, Pelman then moved to Harker. “I’m looking forward to learning developing new relationships and learning more kids’ names and knowing them better and understanding more of the rhythms of the day and the school year,” Pelman said.

LAURI VAUGHAN

LIBRARY DIRECTOR, PS-12

“It is the best job in the world. We sense that people realize what they’ve got with our library program. And we feel appreciated, and that’s good.”

3 MEREDITH CRANSTON UPPER SCHOOL CAMPUS LIBRARIAN

“I can’t count the number of times I have an ‘only at Harker’ moment. Recently, one of my Mitra scholars came up to me and told me about an update to the Chicago manual.”

4 QI HUANG

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES LIBRARIAN

“You need to learn a lot of new things, especially now that information explodes every day. As the electronic resource librarian, I need to get new technology to do my work.”

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5 AMY PELMAN

UPPER SCHOOL LIBRARIAN

“I think people associate [librarians] with reading, but I wish this association was more about providing resources and information and helping people navigate whatever information need they have.”

ALL PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

nina gee & irina malyugina

GIRLS BASKETBALL Varsity basketball captain Sara Lynn Sullivan (11) is closely guarded by a Castilleja defender. The girls hosted their senior night on Jan. 29 against Mercy Burlingame, winning 44-40.

BOYS SOCCER Varsity boys’ soccer captain Jared Anderson (12) dribbles downfield. The team held their senior night on Feb. 7, when they defeated Eastside College Prep 4-2.

GIRLS SOCCER Varsity soccer captain Ria Gupta (12) chases down a Menlo player during the girls’ senior night game on Feb. 5. The girls won that game 5-1.

BALLIN’ Center Trevor Thompson (12) scores against the Menlo Knights on Feb. 5. The team lost 51-40.

IRINA MALYUGINA

KATHY FANG

Visit harkeraquila.com for more sports updates.

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

IN THE MOMENT

SPORTS

IRINA MALYUGINA

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

18 WINGED POST

WRESTLING Eric Fang (11) and wrestling coach Alvin Cacdac practice ahead of the Del Mar tournament. The team competed at the CCS championships last Friday and Saturday.

THEN EARLY WINS Chisam wins a race as a runner for UCLA in college. Chisam has been coaching at Harker for the past five years.

NOW SCOTT’S TOTS Chisam watches on as Andy Koonmen (12) jumps through mini-hurdles in an agility drill during a track & field practice at the Blackford track.

BRUINS Chisam poses with the UCLA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field team in the early stages of his coaching career. Chisam, along with his wife Roberta, coached the outdoor women’s track & field team to two NCAA championships in 1982 and 1983.

IRINA MALYUGINA

Standing in the center of Blackford’s track with a baseball cap over his head, Scott Chisam chats with a few seniors as the other runners finish their warm-up lap and sit cross-legged in front of him in the grass. Once everyone settles down, he launches into the week’s agenda in a calm yet energized voice, occasionally light-heartedly teasing the team. Scott Chisam is no stranger to running sports. Extending beyond his five year tenure as a Harker coach, Chisam has been working with track athletes for 48 years, initiating the Arcadia Invitational and working with Olympic athletes at UCLA, such as Florence Griffith Joyner who set the 1988 world record in both the 100m and the 200m dashes. Before that, Chisam also competed for the University of California - Los Angeles as a student-athlete. After transitioning to Harker, Chisam eventually became the head coach for the school’s cross country and track teams. He said he appreciates Harker’s unique environment. “I think the interaction with the students and the parents [is my favorite part about working here,” Chisam said. “It seems that at Harker, every year, I just really enjoy coaching everybody, enjoy having the people around.” Senior Noah Lincke, who has been a member of the cross country team for four years, admires Chisam’s awareness and enthusiasm with his team. “He’s really understanding of the Harker community, and he knows there’s

PROVIDED BY SCOTT CHISAM

reporter & news editor

varying degrees that people are into track and cross country,” Noah said. He’s helped people get into the states and championships and everything if you’re aiming for that and [or] just if you’re trying to get out and run for exercise.” Beyond the thrill and glory of watching his team win medals, Chisam enjoys witnessing the tremendous growth of athletes throughout a season. “I have had fun watching athletes who [on] the first day of cross country practice could not make it a mile and a half run without stopping and walking,” he said. “That’s the good thing about track and cross country: it’s individual, but, there’s a place for everybody.” With an extensive career like his, Chisam has truly left his mark in the cross country and track community. “When I first realized who the Harker cross country and track coach was, I was honestly awestruck,” assistant cross country coach Amy Varsell said. “People routinely stop me at meets to tell me how lucky I am to work with him.” Chisam plans to move to El Dorado Hills with his wife in order to spend more time with his family. However, Chisam’s family extends much farther in the community, as he is still connected to his former students and even their children. “I will be at a track meet somewhere and one of my former athletes will come up from the sides and say, ‘Mr. Chisam! Mr. Chisam!’ and it’s just I haven’t seen them in 30-40 years, so that’s always been a thrill,” he said. “When I [find out] they have children that are running track and field, I call ’em my ‘grand runners,’ they’re special.”

ERICA CAI

erica cai & eric fang

PROVIDED BY SCOTT CHISAM

After 48 years track coach Scott Chisam hangs up spikes

HANGING UP THE SPIKES “At Harker, every year, I just really enjoy coaching everybody, enjoy having the people around, we don’t have a lot of pains in the [butts],” Chisam said. Chisam has been a track coach for 48 years.

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

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20 • ISSUE 4 SPORTS VOLUME FEBRUARY 19, 2019

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

KICKS AGAINST

CANCER

5-0

The varsity boys lost to Menlo

1-2

awareness and raise funds for Camp Okizu, a program which supports families affected by childhood cancer. All three soccer teams played during the event and sold baked goods, t-shirts and raffle tickets to raise funds. The varsity and junior varsity boys teams both lost their games against Menlo 1-2 and 0-4 respectively, while the girls team defeated Pinewood 5-0, with Megha Salvi (9) scoring two of the five goals. Varsity boys soccer coach Jeff Baicher acknowledged how challenging the game was after Menlo scored early in the game. “It was a difficult game—Menlo is a very good team,” Baicher admitted. “It’s sometimes a little bit like pushing a rock uphill once you give up that early goal.” Despite the loss, varsity co-captain Jeffrey Fung (11) noted how proud he was to play on behalf of Camp Okizu. “[Kicks Against Cancer] is a great event, and I’m really happy to do

$1,500 raised for Camp Okizu

NINA GEE

The varsity girls defeated Pinewood

9th year of the annual fundraiser

small thing for them.” The administration provided behindthe-scenes support to help the soccer team with all the logistics and planning. “It’s actually a lot of work in here too, but it’s for a great cause,” athletic director Dan Molin said. “It’s bigger than sports. [The players] are still going to compete and try to win the actual games, but the ultimate message is wonderful.” During halftime of the varsity boys game, players from both varsity teams presented a faux check of $1500 to Okizu representative Julie Garrett. She noted that the money raised will be enough to send one child to camp for a week. “We are so appreciative of your soccer team,” Garrett said, speaking on behalf of Camp Okizu. “Rather than just fundraising, it’s just so nice to see the heart behind the money and to see the kids behind it and how hard they worked to do it — it’s really something else.”

ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

reporter

Roars echo from the bleachers as the varsity girls soccer team scores yet another goal during their Kicks Against Cancer game. Smiles adorn the faces of students, parents and faculty alike as lavender balloons wave from the stands, serving as a reminder of what the teams are playing for. Kicks Against Cancer, hosted by the Harker soccer teams on Jan. 26, is an annual schoolwide event to spread

something to support the children,” Jeffrey said. “I love the crowds and all the support we gathered, so [I had] a great time.” Both varsity captains coordinated with representatives from Camp Okizu to organize a pizza party with the families of the camp on Jan. 11 in addition to planning the main Kicks Against Cancer. “[The pizza part] was a lot of fun because you get to meet the children and you get to hear their stories,” Ria Gupta (12), co-captain of the girls varsity team, said. “It’s just great to see the cause that you’re raising money for and to do this

NINA GEE

anna vazhaeparambil

NICOLE CHEN

Soccer teams help raise $1,500 for Camp Okizu

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GO FIGHT WIN Kate Leafstrand (9) controls the ball as a Pinewood player chases after her. Goals were scored by Megha Salvi (9), Ria Gupta (12), Emma Boyce (10) and Julia Amick (12). FLY EAGLES FLY Balloons adorn the sidelines during the event. Games started at 3 p.m. and ran until 8 p.m. on Jan. 26. HONOR Ashley Jia (12) wears a shirt honoring a person affected by cancer. The t-shirts sold could be customized with names of loved ones.

TEAM CHEMISTRY Mateo Wiener (10) passes the ball forward during the varsity boys game. The varsity boys fell 2-1 to Menlo.

SPIN CYCLE Aria Wong (10) weaves through a pair of Pinewood defenders. The varsity girls won 5-0.

6 7

LETS GET PHYSICAL Marcos Acero (10) tussles for the ball during the varsity game. The junior varsity team succumbed to Menlo 4-0. GOALS Players pose with a Camp Okizu representative at halftime of the varsity boys game. The teams collectively raised $1,500.

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INSIDE OUR

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The Rothschild Performing Arts Center opened on Feb. 2 following over a year of construction.

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VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 4 FEBRUARY 19, 2019

AL C O

YEAR IN REVIEW

Homecoming, an alumni reunion and the annual Picnic marked Harker’s 125th anniversary in October. The upper school welcomed faculty Dr. Thomas Artiss, Bhaswati Ganguli, David Hart, Dean Lizardo, Lyndsey Nelson, Rosalyn Schreimann, Nikolai Slivka and Dr. Julie Turchin.

BE Y

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The 2018 Winter Olympics took place in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea. More than 2,000 winter athletes competed in over 100 events at the Olympics.

PYEONG CH A

IRINA M

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After a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February, survivors began the March for Our Lives movement.

A YEAR IN REVIEW

NIA R O LIF

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GLO RIA

global editor & copy editor

TH KA

arushi saxena & anjay saklecha

ALYUGINA

A C D

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The November Camp Fire scorched Northern California and brought poor air quality to the Bay Area. Students were asked to A N stay inside when possible.

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerburg, testified before Congress in April about Facebook user privacy and security.

RD DA OD G

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SPACE CEN TE R

Hurricane Florence brought severe flooding to the Carolinas in September. Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court in October. Kavanaugh was accused by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and two other women of sexual assault before the confirmation, and denied the allegations.

GL O

NA SA

• Kofi Annan, 80, UN Secretary-General 1997-2006 • Anthony Bourdain, 61, U.S. First Lady 1989-1993 • Barbara Bush, 92, U.S. First Lady 1989-1993 • George H. W. Bush, 94, 41st U.S. President • Aretha Franklin, 76, soul singer-songwriter • Stephen Hawking, 76, theoretical physicist • Jamal Khashoggi, 59, Washington Post journalist • Ursula K. Le Guin, 88, fantasy and sci-fi novelist • John McCain, 81, senator and presidential candidate • Kate Spade, 55, prominent fashion designer • Sridevi, 54, actress and producer • Nancy Wilson, 81, jazz singer and performer

The year’s top-grossing films were “Avengers: Infinity War” with $2.05 billion worldwide, “Black Panther” with $1.35 billion and “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” with $1.31 billion.

LOOKING AHEAD

IN MEMORIAM 2018 saw the passings of figures across the globe:

NASA’s InSight Lander arrived on Mars in November. Its two-year mission will study Mars’s interior and look for “Marsquakes.”

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In the 2018 midterm elections in November, Democrats gained 38 seats in the House and Republicans gained two in the Senate. In California, Democrat Gavin Newsom was elected California’s governor over Republican John Cox, and Senator Dianne Feinstein was reelected over Kevin De Leon.

GL O

In November a Chinese scientist announced, without evidence, that he had created the world’s first genetically modified babies using the tool CRISPR-Cas9.

U ZH

NA SA

A RI

Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump held historic talks in June, being the first U.S. President and North Korean leader to meet.

And close to our community:

Diana Nichols, 76, Harker School leader

Antoinette Gathy, 61, retired French teacher

Here are a few events we’re looking forward to in 2019:

May 23

The senior Class of 2019 will graduate in May at the Mountain Winery.

Aug. 22

The Class of 2023 will matriculate, marking the start of Harker’s 126th academic year.