January 2005
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S P E C I A L Each year many of our US students use the summer months to further explore areas of interest — or to discover new passions — to assist them with the exciting college and career decisions ahead. By asking their teachers for ideas, doing library and Internet research and talking with their peers, our students have found some fabulous programs and activities to enrich their summers. We asked them to write us about some of their adventures so we could share them with the Harker community. Many thanks to the students for sending us their thoughts.
Est. 1893 • K-12 College Prep
R E P O R T
F R O M
T H E
— Pamela W .
S C H O O L
■ Hillary B., Gr. 12 San Jose Magazine, San Jose
■ Joshua K., Gr. 12 Rackable Systems, Inc., San Jose
I chose to be an intern at San Jose Magazine for a couple of reasons. First, I thought that it would be a really fun experience learning about what goes on in the publication of a magazine. I also chose this internship because I am really interested in journalism, and I felt that this would be a great way to learn and experience this profession. I also thought that it would be a lot of fun to work at a magazine and see if this was a career that I would like to pursue. I learned so much from this internship. Not only did I learn, but I also experienced all of the work that is needed to put together an issue. I also learned about the short amount of time that is provided for each deadline and how close deadlines are to one another. I learned about how a magazine functions, and that it is not only the writers and editors that are a part of the process, but also the advertisers, the accountants, the photographers, etc. Everyone who works at the magazine is an important part of the whole process. I learned how to research effectively, write articles and complete assignments in a short amount of time. I was also able to edit some articles and I was really able to see the process of creating a magazine and the finished product before it is given to the public. I met a lot of very interesting people, and in all I really had tons of fun working at the magazine.
This internship involved a lot of testing with server hardware and computer programming with Perl and C. The company designs and ships “rackmount” servers that are meant to fit in a very small profile so that many can be in a single cabinet. I chose this internship because it applied to my field of interest, and I was offered a paid internship by someone who worked there. I was able to learn a new programming language (Perl) while on the job doing a database project tracking server stability and performance, and I learned much about the very latest computer hardware in the industry, some of which required me to sign a non-disclosure agreement because it was new and as of yet unreleased.
■ Julia H., Gr. 10 Lead America: Medicine and Healthcare
This summer I found out who I was and was then able to make more educated decisions regarding things such as college programs and potential majors.
H A R K E R
Lead America is a National Youth Leadership Conference with sites all over the country. It provides patient care simulations, discussions on medical ethics, and lectures on diverse medical issues. I chose this program because I wanted to find out more about the medical profession. Medicine has always interested me, so I thought that having a chance to talk to medical students and experience simulations of patient situations would be fascinating. The camp also included trips to Boston, a tour of Harvard University and shopping at Harvard Square. I really wanted to get a taste of the East Coast. The camp was only ten days long but made a huge impact on me. We had enough free time so the schedule wasn’t over whelming. The camp director, Professor Jack Pinnix, gave us most of our lectures, and he was amazing! The lectures were always interesting and he brought up such different views in the discussions. I hadn’t even thought about all of the tough decisions doctors have to make in relation to medical ethics. In our patient simulation, we interviewed, diagnosed and treated the patient as a group. I hadn’t really thought about neurology before the camp, but now the brain fascinates me! All in all, the camp was totally worth it. I met some really incredible people and learned a lot about the medical field.
■ Alan M., Gr. 12 The Center for Excellence in Education’s Research Science Institute This is a 6-week program hosted at MIT or CalTech which pairs students with mentors in order for them to conduct and present a research project. I chose to attend RSI because I wanted to experience scientific research. Also, RSI introduced me to a wonderful community of talented high school students and wonder ful alumni. I wanted to experience how real research in a professional or university laboratory was conducted, as well as to develop the skills involved in writing a research paper. The diverse and impressive collection of guest lecturers was also appealing. I learned a great deal about the nature and process of scientific research. Through experiences of my own, as well as others’ projects, I have developed a much broader knowledge of research. Not only did I learn about the research methods for my own field of botany, but I also learned about mathematics, all branches of biology, physics, chemistry, and computer science. The guest lecturers further broadened my scope of knowledge as speakers talked about everything from the engineering feats of the “Big Dig” construction project in Boston, to the mathematics behind music. Also, I made many good friends and will stay in touch with them throughout my career. ■ Pamela W., Gr. 12 The Student Conservation Association The SCA sends high school students to all parts of the country to work in the national parks as volunteers to help maintain the parks as they appear today. I chose to work for the SCA because they provided a chance for adventure. I got to see a part of the country I had never seen before and lived outside in a tent with seven people I had never met before. I also enjoy manual labor and the SCA caters to people who like to work with their hands. I learned my weaknesses while working with this program. The program
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SUMMER I learned many things living on my own in a different country. — Yagmur I .
Jeanine Carpenter (pg. 4) and Debbie Liang (this page) participated in a 5-week program in Mexico.
I hadn’t really thought about neurology before the camp, but now the brain fascinates me! — Julia H .
Eight-hour days Monday through Friday for nine weeks gave me a really good feel for how much work and energy are put into being an actor. — Kimberley W . 2
internships makes it possible for one to view oneself in the most base and primitive circumstances – ultimately stripping that person of acquired traits from home surroundings – allowing for that person to find his or her true self. So this summer I found out who I was and was then able to make more educated decisions regarding things such as college programs and potential majors.
complete. Now aerospace, a field I had never considered before, holds a lot of appeal for me. In those eight weeks, I learned not to be daunted by what I didn’t know, but instead to embrace challenges with an open mind. I overcame my fear of programming and realized this early exposure will definitely prove useful later on. Most importantly, I came to trust myself and be confident in my ability to do my very best.
■ Yagmur I., Gr. 12 Pakize Tarzi Laboratories, Istanbul, Turkey
■ Debby L., Gr. 12 The Experiment in International Living, Mexico
The clinic where I worked per forms various blood, urine, sweat and sperm tests to determine whether or not a patient has a certain disease such as diabetes or cystic fibrosis. I chose this internship because I took AP Biology my junior year and decided that I wanted to go a bit deeper into the biology world. Becoming a doctor has always been a career choice of mine, but I was also interested in biochemistry. Thus, I found the internship at the clinic and decided to see what real biochemists and doctors do. I was also very excited to be able to work in a foreign country without my parents. I learned many things living on my own in a different country. Going to work every day using public transportation, speaking a foreign language, and basically living on my own for two months taught me to be more responsible. It also taught me what real work life is like; getting up early in the morning, working all day, and coming home tired. I also learned that being a doctor is very difficult and takes an immense amount of dedication. I do have a better understanding of biochemistry since I was able to per form some of the tests myself, so now I can easily decide whether or not I want to pursue this field in college.
This past summer I participated in a 5-week program in Mexico, consisting of travel, community service, and homestay with The Experiment in International Living organization. During the first week, I met about twenty other students from all around the U.S., and we went to various museums and historic locations in or near Mexico City; for instance, we visited the Museum of Anthropology, climbed the Sun and Moon Pyramids in Teotihuacan and saw a cultural dance performance. During the next three and a half weeks, my group went to Tenancingo, where we worked with children ages 4-12 at the local community center. The program was called “Learning While Playing,” and we often went on field trips to parks, museums, movies, and other cities. In total, we participated in about 100 hours of service. At the same time, I was living with a host family whose members were extremely kind and made me feel welcome in their home. My host siblings introduced me to their friends, hobbies, interests and regular activities. During the last week of the trip, we traveled to Oaxaco and Puerto Escondido, where we went sightseeing, went to the beach, shopped, went horseback riding and bonded more as a group.
■ Nicholas R., Gr. 12 Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Program, Pittsburgh
I chose this program because it would help me improve my Spanish, allow me to immerse myself in a completely different culture, take part in community service, and meet new people. At the end of the 5 weeks I was extremely sad to leave, but content in the fact that my experience completely surpassed my expectations, and that I expect to have lifelong friendships with my host family and my group members.
I believe my future will most certainly be in a technological field, so I decided to apply to one of my college choices, which offers a wide variety of computer science and engineering programs. The two programs, Electrical & Computer Engineering and Advanced Programming, were quite different. The engineering class dealt with mostly hardware and electrical circuits whereas the programming course was strictly software. Since the students resided in the dormitories, the program was an opportunity to meet different people from around the globe who were interested in my possible majors. Through this program I have grown a very strong love towards Carnegie Mellon University, which I now consider one of the top universities on my college list. By the different labs and programs exercised in the classes, I have found myself more attracted to software as opposed to hardware. I was sad to leave all the friends I made at CMU, but at the same time excited about my bright future in computers. ■ Suman S., Gr. 12 NASA: SHARP (Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program), Moffett Field I knew I wanted to pursue engineering but was undecided about a particular field. I hoped that after eight weeks at NASA I might be able to narrow down my options. My mentor majored in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace, so I was introduced to numerous projects she hoped to
■ Kathy P., Gr. 12 Symbiotic Project on Affective Neuroscience, Stanford I wanted to find out what working in a psychology lab would be like, since I’m considering a career as a professor/researcher. This wasn’t any particular program or internship; I e-mailed many psych professors at Stanford, asking them if I could volunteer in their labs over the summer. I only got a few positive replies back, and SPAN lab turned out to be the only one to follow through. I’ve learned that working in a research lab – probably in any field – is enjoyable because you are surrounded by people passionate about learning and about their field. In addition to the technical experience I got from volunteering in the lab, I’m also grateful for the exposure to the breadth of sub-areas within the field of psychology and the people with whom I normally don’t get a chance to interact. ■ Arjun N., Gr. 12 Mother Teresa’s Missions of Charity, Calcutta & Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, India I chose both of these programs because I was going Harker News — January 05
SUMMER
internships
to visit my relatives in India for a couple of months, and since they had school all day, I thought I could spend my time doing this. I always visited Calcutta, but until Mother Teresa’s had never seen the poverty-stricken side of it before. I figured that if India is like a second home to me and I want to be a doctor when I’m older, this would be the perfect experience to combine the two. I chose the research institute because I’m not a big fan of physics and I wanted to see what all the hype was about before locking in on my biology-based future. I learned a lot during my two-month stay in India. I got over my initial fear of seeing people in terminally ill situations. Once I started talking with the patients I learned, amongst other things, that it is important to learn at least some Hindi if I plan on marr ying an Indian girl and that compassion is better treatment than all the medicine in the world. As for SINP, I have now decided to stick to biology and get as far away from physics as I can, but the experiments were pretty cool and the staff members were all really great. ■ Kimberley W., Gr. 12 American Musical Theatre’s Theatre Artists Institute (TAI), Santa Clara This was a nine-week intensive pre-professional training program where we studied jazz, tap, acting, scene study, Meisner, Shakespeare, monologue audition, musical theatre audition, vocal intensive, private vocal coaching and numerous workshops. I chose to go to TAI for two reasons. First of all, I wanted to really work on my skills in an intense environment. Secondly, I wanted to see what it would be like to work in the industry. Eight-hour days Monday through Friday for nine weeks gave me a really good feel for how much work and energy are put into being an actor. I wanted to make sure that musical theatre was something I really wanted to do and that I could handle it. I learned a lot about myself by simply being around all these people. Almost all of them were older than I am, many of them in college already studying theatre. Many were also going into college next year. Also, the teachers were amazing— they were a great source of knowledge and they really cared about what they were doing. I learned that I really do want to study theatre in college and make it into a career, and that I can handle it (the pressure, the energy required, the focus, etc.). I also learned a lot about theatre in general. My skills have improved so much, and I have also learned a lot about working in the industry — the people, the business, how to get along, and theatre in the real world. ■ Theodore L., Gr. 11 National Young Leaders Conference, Washington D.C. My experience in the NYLC program was a truly enjoyable experience and the highlight of my summer. The eleven days I spent in Washington, D.C. were filled with realistic simulations of governmental processes as well as exciting sightseeing opportunities to some of our nation’s most impressive monuments and locations. Best of all, the NYLC experience gave me a chance to meet students my age from all over the countr y. Although the program is especially geared towards students with an interest in politics, the various leadership activities are still both fun and instructive for those Harker News — January 05
interested in meeting new people in a setting that offers them an opportunity to practice expressing their ideas and taking on a leadership role. The NYLC program is a great combination of education and experience and a worthwhile investment of your summer. ■ Tavishi A., Gr. 12 PharmQuest I chose to work at PharmQuest because biotechnology is a new and upcoming field and I wanted to learn more about it so I can make an informed choice for college courses. For five weeks I became an adult and had the experience of being employed; and it felt like a full-time job. I learned I could be responsible and reliable. I got to interact with the CEO of the company and I learned more about the work that the company does and how it affects our lives.
I felt that by joining this internship I could help create a change in our community’s future. — Sherwin J .
■ Jamie T., Gr. 12 Church Expedition, Vietnam I wanted to go on this adventure since I knew that I would open up and let go of my inhibitions to serve the poor and rejected. Our leader challenged us for about 4 days of our trip to humble ourselves and immerse ourselves amongst the poor. One day, a friend and I ate lunch with two cyclo-drivers (those human-drawn carriages), our group raised money in America to distribute to specific families in the countryside, and we spent a couple of hours in a leprosy home. It was an experience where it was impossible for one not to have sympathy, but a task where one also had to put aside one’s emotions to lessen the inferiority that these impoverished people most likely feel. I’ve learned that democracy and freedom are HUGE rights that seem mundane to me, but are lacking in many countries. Because the government claims to be aiding the people, it is terrified of foreign groups coming in, realizing the reality of the situation, and completing a job that is supposed to be theirs. We were stopped by the police several times, but for tunately, never caught. I definitely want to have this aspect of traveling and ser ving as a par t of my career, which as of now is pediatrics. ■ Fiona L., Gr. 12 Creative Writing Program at The University of St. Andrews, Scotland. I am interested in pursuing a writing career, plus I always wanted to visit the country of my ancestors. This program allowed me to explore both writing creatively and touring such a beautiful country. The one-month course was highlighted by lectures and workshops with university professors and acclaimed Scottish writers. The month I spent in Scotland will serve as a helpful transition between high school and college. Staying in a dorm and walking to all my classes are such a different experiences from living at home and driving to school. Through the classes, I was exposed to not only the various styles of the famous writers that lectured us, but also those of my very talented and unique classmates. It was also just a lot of fun to get to know the other participants from across the U.S. and Canada as well as the Scottish staff and townspeople.
Fiona Lundie attended a one month writing course in Scotland (see this page).
I was involved in the direct building of a house for a schoolteacher in a poor village. — Danyal K .
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■ Ashley M., Gr. 10 Camper in Leadership Training (CILT) Program, Soquel
Mexico this past summer significantly changed who I am today. I feel much more connected to the rest of the world, a true global citizen.
This two-week program at the Kennolyn Resident Camps is for students entering Gr. 10. It is a summer of elective outdoor activities in the morning and leadership training with the other Campers in Leadership Training (“CILTs”) in the afternoon. CILTs assist an adult counselor with a younger cabin at camp. I chose this program because I have gone to Kennolyn each summer since Gr. 7 and love the outdoors. After graduating, I would like to teach, so this was one of my first experiences working with children, and it was worth every minute.
■ Danyal K., Gr. 10 Viviendas Leon, Nicaragua
I now truly appreciate the creativity young children bring to the world. Because I participated in the CILT challenges and helped teach youngsters skills like teamwork, I learned to make good decisions quickly and be open-minded about solutions to a problem. It was awesome to see campers, many of whom had not been away from home overnight before, form new friendships and gain confidence. After the two weeks were up, I was sad to leave but proud of my work because I felt I had made a difference in campers’ lives. Kennolyn’s CILT program showed me that working with children is overwhelmingly rewarding. ■ Sherwin J., Gr. 12 Vision New America, Sacramento I chose to intern at Vision New America, a program dedicated to promoting Asian-American civic participation in mainstream politics, because I had recently seen a statistic that of all demographics, Asian-Americans are the least likely to vote. With this year being a pivotal election year, I felt that the lack of participation in politics was just not acceptable. With the increasing cultural diversity of the United States, this trend of voter apathy would soon make the voices of thousands of Asian-Americans unheard. Since I am a first generation Asian-American immigrant, I felt that by joining this internship I could help create a change in our community’s future. Through this program, I was placed in the office of Assemblywoman Sally Lieber for a summer internship. It was a fun and invaluable experience, enabling me to experience firsthand the issues that our elected officials deal with. I worked with constituents on a variety of cases that were products of legislation that Assemblywoman Lieber supported or was going to support. The highlight of the internship experience was probably when we went on a tour of the capital, visiting the Senate and Assembly floors. I learned a lot about government at the local level and what it would be like to enter a career in politics. ■ Janine C., Gr. 12 The Experiment in International Living, Mexico Between the months of June to August, I traveled with The Experiment in International Living through Central and Southern Mexico. We traveled to Mexico City, Oaxaca, Toluca, Taxco and Puerto Escondido. We mingled with the people, explored pyramids and visited museums. For three and a half weeks, our group of twelve volunteered at a summer center for young children. I was responsible for a group of thirteen eleven-year-olds to whom I grew extremely close. I still send them letters to this day and plan to visit them when I return to Tenancingo, Mexico, this December. While volunteering at Casa de Cultura, I also lived with the Sanchez Bautista family. I now consider Silver, Emi, Maria Yvette, Dania and Isaac to be my family. They are the reason why I’m returning to Mexico this winter. I miss them so much! Although this was not my first time volunteering in Mexico or my first host family experience, I can definitely say that the five weeks I spent in
The Harker News is published nine times per year by the Harker Office of Communications. Current and archived issues are also available on the Parent Home Page on the Harker Web site at www.harker.org. Editor: Pam Dickinson; Photo Editor: Mark Tantrum; Reporter: Ali Abdollahi; Design: Blue Heron Design; Printing: Harker Copy Shop; Mailing Coordinators: Ashley Sukovez, Jerusha Hew Len
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I traveled with Viviendas Leon, an organization based in San Francisco that helps communities surrounding the Nicaraguan city of Leon build houses. I was involved in the direct building of a house for a schoolteacher in a poor village. I mixed concrete, grounded steel bars for the foundation and used rammed earth technology to build walls. We worked for about 6 hours a day for 2 weeks. It was extremely difficult physical labor, but it was definitely worth it. In addition to the service, I had a lot of fun bonding with our group of 10 high school students from around the country. We would go to the beach, museums, and learn about the rich culture and history of Nicaragua during day trips. At night, we would often go to the clubs to dance, and the trip was a lot more fun than I had thought it would be. The most enjoyable part was staying with my host family. They were the most generous and openhearted people I’ve met. Every day they would feed us, wash our clothes and spoil us just like our parents back home. I was so grateful for the great care they treated me with. I was a little nervous about traveling to a strange land before the trip, but afterwards, I was longing to go back. I am still longing to go back, actually. Overall, this experience opened up my eyes to a new land, culture and people, and I will never forget the friends that I made. ■ Natasha S., Gr. 10 Junior State of America Summer School, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. I spent three weeks this summer at Junior Statesmen summer school in Georgetown. It was an amazing experience. I took an AP US Government course with an experienced professor, met other students interested in politics and returned to California invigorated about politics and ready to get more involved. Weekly visits from politicians and those who work with them gave us a taste of what working in politics is really like. I met Christina Rocca, the Secretary of South Asian Affairs, and she offered me an internship in the State Department because of my knowledge of Hindi. The highlight of my trip, however, was my private tour of the West Wing. I saw the Oval Office, the office of National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and even got to stand at the press secretary’s podium in the briefing room. It was amazing, and I hope I get to go back again next year. ■ Casey N., Gr. 11 MexArt, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico My friend Lauren Gutstein and I both were interested in doing something fun, exciting and new over the summer. When my mom found this, I was immediately drawn to it because I would be able to practice my Spanish and dance every day. When Lauren and I boarded the plane, we were both ner vous, but thrilled — we were travelling by ourselves to a foreign country to stay for a month! Our dance classes were every day for five hours, and then later in the afternoon we took Spanish classes. Our advanced Spanish class consisted of walking around town and visiting the Artisan's Market to practice our conversational skills. The focus of the program was dance, and we both improved dramatically. Overall, I learned how to be independent and find comfort in new surroundings. After four weeks, I felt like I was home; we had developed so many routines like our daily stop at the market across the street or the panaderia for freshly baked cookies. When we performed our dance show for the whole town, I wanted to keep per forming and stay in San Miguel forever!
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Harker News — January 05