APRIL 2007 (VOL. 13, NO. 7) est. 1893 • K-12 college prep
A
M o n t h l y
inside LS Jump Rope for Heart keeps everyone skipping …......… 10 MS reports best Math Invitational ever ................ 15 Student-run US blood drive draws over 100 ................ 16 JETS teams sweep local contest ........................… 19 Fashion Show Supplement inside this mailing!
events Summer registration online now!
See back page and inserts in this month’s edition!
N e w s l e t t e r
f r o m
t h e
Ha r k e r
S c h o o l
Women’s History Class Celebrates Spirituality Women’s History courses are de rigueur for college class lists everywhere, but history teacher Ruth Meyer is teaching one right here. She recently brought Rev. Megan Wagner, M.A., a therapist, Kabbalah teacher, visual artist and interfaith minister, to speak to her students. Wagner’s work integrates traditional therapy with the sacred arts of drumming, chanting, storytelling and ritual. She also creates ceremonial robes for performance and ritual, and leads sacred journeys to Crete, Europe and Africa. In her presentation at Harker, she shared some of her skills, including drumming, and brought some of the robes she creates. Harker drama teacher Jeff Draper and his students attended Wagner’s lecture, too. “Personally, I felt the workshop was very educational because the spiritual concepts that were brought up incorporate mythology from many different cultures, from every continent, and from many periods in human history,” said Draper. “The right brain experiential learning style of drumming and singing helped teach the left brain facts and concepts on a deeper level of understanding,” he said. His students each found something
different to note. Emma Blickenstaff, Gr. 10, said, “the robes were amazing. The images showed that she values equality and the contributions of men and women in the world.” Emily Carr, Gr. 10, noted, “we didn’t know what to expect, but once she started drumming and chanting, she was glowing. It was great to see her so connected and strong. When she was talking about spirituality, she made the concepts accessible.” Joe Hospodor, Gr. 10, said, “I found it really interesting. We live in a society where we undermine women, and this woman was an
inspiration to women and showed how women have been valued in other cultures and in other countries.” Meyer’s own students were equally impressed. “I have always been interested in learning what is skipped by the conventional curriculum,” said senior Erin Newton. “I am taking the Women in World History course because I am interested in understanding the other half of history. Most history books focus on the male half. Megan’s visit really helped me learn about the roots of women’s spirituality. I learned that spirituality is universal and that Continued on page 18
The US Conservatory presents
Thurs., Apr. 19, Fri. Apr. 20 and Sat., Apr. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Sat. Apr. 21 at 2 p.m. Blackford Theater Tickets on sale beginning April 9 at all campus bookstores and through tickets@harker.org See page 17 for story! Harker News — April 07
IBM Engineer Don Chamberlin visited Gr. 7 science classes in March to help show the fun side of engineering using tic-tac-toe puzzles, the value in having engineers in our society and querying students on the coolness (or lack thereof) of engineers. See page 14 for full story.
The stars come out at CinéFest, Harker’s fourth annual fashion show event. See our special supplement this month!
editor’s note
important dates
annual giving
Visit the Web calendars for the latest detailed date information for each division.
Heartfelt Thanks!
n Mon.-Fri., Apr. 2-6 – Spring Break. No classes K-Gr. 12. n Mon., Apr. 9 – K-Gr. 12 classes resume.
The logo appearing at the end of some of our stories throughout the year indicates those activities or programs funded by Annual Giving. See page 5 for update.
chef’s corner Berries!
lucky day Students on all three campuses celebrated St. Patrick’s Day a day early, Mar. 16. On the LS campus, Killian Burke, Gr. 5 sang the Irish National Anthem in Gaelic over the school’s P.A. for the edification of LS community. Students who chose to wear green, top hats, shamrocks and other St. Paddy’s day-themed clothing, enjoyed a free dress day and goodie hunt. Teacher Pat Walsh (who sprouted whiskers for the occasion) created a leprechaun crime scene, topsy-turvy desks and spoor of leprechaun (shamrocks) that students had to puzzle out while cleaning up the scene. It was a fun – and lucky – day for all!
Harker Earns Prestigious AP Recognition for Top Scores
The fruit of the month for April is the berry! Straw, blue, black, you name it, Harker will have it. According to an article by Shereen Jegtvig on the About Nutrition Web site (http:// www.nutrition.about.com), berries are a good source of vitamins and phytochemicals, the components of fruits or vegetables that may help prevent diseases and treat some disorders.
Harker’s programs and students recently garnered top recognition in several categories in Advanced Placement results. n Harker was singled out as the only school in California to win Siemens Foundation recognition for its “commitment to students and leadership in AP participation and performance,” according to Foundation notices. Harker will receive a $1,000 grant from the Siemens Foundation to be used to support math and science education. The foundation was established in 1996 and provides nearly $2 million in college scholarships and awards each year for talented high school students in the U.S. n Harker’s AP Psychology program, led by psychology teacher Naomi Schatz, was named in the College Board’s Annual Report to the Nation as an exemplary AP Psychology program in grades 10-12, in the medium-sized schools category (300-799 students). The criteria for recognition requires that “these schools led the nation in helping the widest segment of their total school population achieve an exam grade of 3 or higher in AP Psychology,” according to the nationwide, widely respected report. Results are based on last year’s tests. Schatz took over the AP Psychology program last year and said she was, “very excited about the high scores. I had BIG shoes to fill because (former teacher) Ray Rogoway had created such a strong program. I knew the students were motivated and bright, but didn’t really know how that would transfer to their AP exam scores. I’m psyched that the students did so well and hope this year’s students can maintain the high standard set by their peers!” n California’s only student state winners named by the College Board were Harker students. Winners, both seniors, are Tiffany June Lin, who scored the maximum score of 5 on six of the math and science tests, and Arkajit Dey, who scored the maximum in all seven subjects: Biology, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science AB, Environmental Science, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism and Physics C: Mechanics and Statistics. Only two students are selected from each state for this prestigious award and Dey and Lin will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship.
“For instance, cranberries and blueberries contain a substance that will help prevent or treat painful bladder infections,” Jegtvig notes. She stated that extracts from blueberries, strawberries and red raspberries have been shown, in laboratory settings, to have anti-cancer properties. A cup of strawberries contains over 100 mg. of vitamin C. Eat berries! Along with all the fine and nutritious food that comes out of the Harker kitchen comes something else fresh: new chefs. See this month’s Staff Update on page 8 and we’ll introduce you to our three newest interns! —Steve Martin, Executive Chef
Impressive results and a validation of the entire Harker AP program!
Harker News — April 07
HEAD
lines
The Study of History Best Prepares Students for World of Change The study of history, perhaps more than any other subject, goes the furthest towards teaching us about ourselves. Of course, any subject can teach us about ourselves – the process of learning involves, among other things, confronting our own weaknesses. But the study of history is the study of ourselves di-
ten percent of the world existed under the auspices or jurisdiction of a state. Margaret MacMillan’s “Paris, 1919” details how leaders struggled to reshape the world in the vacuum created by the collapse of four major powers after World War One: the Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman
“...the study of history is the study of ourselves directly - more so, I believe, than any other subject.” rectly – more so, I believe, than any other subject. Neil Postman, author of “The End of Education,” argues that any subject can be taught well as history. Imagine mathematics taught as the history of mathematics or science taught as the history of science. Could we still learn geometry by reading Euclid? Throughout the course of history, the world’s maps have been redrawn many times over. The concept of statehood or nationhood is relatively young in human history. Jarod Diamond, in “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” tells us that as late as the 1500s only about
world will be transformed, possibly beyond the recognition of our generation. Will Quebec still be Canadian? Will Russia reabsorb some of its former satellites? Will NATO still exist, or the U. N. for that matter? Will China claim Taiwan? Will the E.U. dissolve? Will the Southwest be reclaimed by Mexico? Will India and China be the new superpowers? Will California secede? I am not a futurist, so I really don’t know what kind of world our children will face. I do know, however, that history teaches and re-teaches a tried and true proverb: The only constant is change.
young people history well. I believe that understanding how the world has changed over time will help students interpret the world around them and will give them comfort in knowing that the human condition involves dynamic, historic change.
“...history teaches and re-teaches a tried and true proverb: The only constant is change.”
David McCullough, the great American historian, said, “History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” Some times are more perilous than others, and I hope that all of our youngsters will inherit a peaceful, prosperous planet. But if they do not, history, I believe, will be their greatest comfort and greatest teacher.
When I consider the world our young people will face, I believe that history teaches us that whatever the outcome, it is likely the
—Christopher Nikoloff, Head of School
empires. We know in our own time how the world has been redrawn after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. The Mongol Empire was once one of the largest in human history.
How best to prepare the young people among us for the changes in the world they will inevitably face? Yes, we ought to give them all of the knowledge and skills we
can. We may even try to predict the changes our youngsters will face and prepare them for those changes. But another way is to teach
Guest Expert Diffuses Internet Safety Myths,Cautions Students About Internet Use Harker’s instructional technology department strives to educate students and their parents on the dangers that accompany the wonderful benefits of the Internet. To that end, Katie Koesner, founder of Campus Outreach Services, addressed our MS and US students (and the entire faculty at the March retreat) in order to diffuse the myth that young people are safe to say and do whatever they want on the Internet.
of their lives than is really safe.
There is no doubt that the benefits of using the Internet are enormous and have helped our society grow tremendously. Koesner illustrated, however, that the Internet can be dangerous if misused, and noted that young adults have a strong tendency to deny the dangers of the Internet. They have a false sense of security because there is no immediate threat; thus, they are much more open about personal details
ber that anything posted on a public site is available for a very long time – maybe decades – and thus the danger of that information being used against the poster remains as long as the posting.
Harker News — April 07
She stated that the anonymity of being online also leads people of all ages to say and do things that they would never have the nerve to do in real life. Users should remem-
discovery of inappropriate online behavior. • Downloading copyrighted music without paying for it is a crime, just like stealing a CD from a store.
“...the anonymity of being online also leads people of all ages to say and do things that they would never have the nerve to do in real life.”
Here are just a few of the dangers Koesner shared with Harker students: • Students have had college acceptances revoked based on the
• Defamation of character has realworld consequences – be careful of what you say about others. • Threats to kill made online are illegal and e-mail and postings can be traced to your computer. Many police departments have specialists for tracing online criminal activity. • Future career opportunities have
been dashed based on information discovered from Internet sites – be careful what you post! • There are thousands of pedophiles online and they are skilled at luring young people into sharing personal information. • Sharing private information online can attract predators. Don’t put your address in postings! • Home robberies have occurred when young people have posted their addresses online along with vacation dates. Students were also educated on the fact that in the workplace and in schools, less freedom is allowed as it relates to the first amendment. In other words, when making decisions on Internet crime, the law often considers student and employee safety more important than free speech rights.
SPORTS
briefs
LS & MS Sports The LS and MS winter sports season will be drawing to a close at the end of March, and it has been a good one! The girls basketball and boys soccer seasons have been wonderfully successful. All of the teams have been working hard to improve and each has come together as a team to compete and have fun. There have been a number of exciting games in the gym and under the sun. Read on! n Boys Soccer The boys A soccer team, rich in talent with a number of experienced club players, is currently 2-1 with convincing victories over St. Simon (6-0), and C.T. English (7-3).
soccer season! n Girls Basketball The girls A1 basketball team recently played a fantastic game against St. Simon, winning a hard fought game 18-13! The B1 girls basketball team is having a solid season at 3-2. Their victories have come against St. John Vianney (20-19), Holy Family (2315) and Carden (30-13).
The B boys soccer team has been improving daily and the players are looking forward to their next match, against San Jose Christian. The C boys soccer team has played some extremely exciting matches this season. They are 0-3, but have fought every match right down to the end. Close scores such as 1-3 against St. Simon, 1-2 against San Jose Christian and 2-3 against Resurrection have made this season a whole lot of fun!
The girls C1 basketball team is currently 3-1 and enjoying a spectacular season. The scores speak for themselves: they’ve notched victories over Holy Family (27-6), St. Simon (25-1) and St. John Vianney (33-15). Their only loss was to St. Leo’s 17-18 on a last-second shot!
The D boys soccer team is currently 2-0 and the boys are looking forward to their next match. They have two victories over St. Simon with scores of 3-2 and 4-1, and are continuing the unbeaten streak from the basketball season to the
The girls D1 basketball team is 2-1 and are having an impressive season with victories over Carden (26-4) and St. John Vianney (32-12). The MS spring sports – tennis, swimming, volleyball and baseball – start on Mar. 20. LS spring sports – softball, baseball and swimming – start on Apr. 9.
US Sports n All-League Honors All-League recipients this year are: boys basketball - Abarca, Second Team AllLeague; girls soccer - Kristina Bither, Gr. 10, First Team All-League and Julia Price-Madison, Gr. 12, honorable mention; girls basketball - Faustine Liao, Gr. 12, Second Team All-League, Natasha Sarin, Gr. 12, and Melissa Chen, Gr. 11, both honorable mentions. n Boys Basketball In early February, boys basketball had a great week. After losing to The King’s Academy in a first round, our boys defeated the Knights at their gym 57-42. Alex Abarca, Gr. 10, scored 24 points and Lucas Motro, Gr. 12, added 11. The hoopsters defeated Fremont Christian 62-40, with Abarca scoring 21, Motro scoring 10 and Rohan Narayen, Gr. 12, adding 11. Varsity is now 6-7 in league play with two games remaining. The CCS playoffs were in sight at press time. The JV team ended the season as league champions, a Harker first for any upper school basketball team! n Boys Baseball Harker has seen some early triumphs. In early March, the team fired up and won a season-opener victory over Jefferson, 9-8. Harker trailed 6-1 early on, but fought back to secure the win. The game ended when we tagged out their runner at the plate trying to score the tying run! In their Mar. 7 match against Anzar High School (San Juan Bautista), the team had a decisive 10-1 victory in their home opener. Gregg Ringold, Gr. 12, had three hits including a home run. Junior Alan Wong had a triple with three RBI’s. Please congratulate the team for a couple of wellearned wins! n Girls Softball Softball victorious! Our softball girls defeated The Bay School 9-0 in early March for their first win in two seasons. Shelby Drabman, Gr. 10, pitched for the win and classmate Sarah Christiano went three for three. This season they’re competitive in every game behind
the coaching of Raul Rios and Keith Hirota. Their first game was against St. Francis-Watsonville, where Christiano went three for
three including a double. Although coming up short in the run department (6-3) they showed great promise, which was realized in the win against The Bay School. Their game against Fremont Christian at Blackford was too late to report.
n Boys Volleyball The boys volleyball team began their season on their home court with a win again Monta Vista High School. They have also competed in their first tournament of the spring season at Leigh High School. The team played very well in the Leigh tournament, making the upper-level playoff bracket for the first time in school history. They ended up tied for third in the tournament. The team traveled to thirdranked Mt. Madonna and pushed them to the limit in a three-game Harker News — April 07
harker loss. Brian McEuen, Gr. 11, had 20 kills in the loss. Seventh-ranked Leigh was next, too late to report. n Boys Tennis Boys varsity tennis is currently 3-0 and has since played Pinewood at Blackford. n Girls Lacrosse Girls lacrosse played very well in their first game, though chalking up an 8-2 loss at Sacred Heart Prep. Menlo-Atherton was next at press time. n Swimming Swimmers did extremely well in their first meet at St. Francis, where they also competed against Menlo School. The following swimmers qualified for CCS: Vivian Wong, Gr. 9, Cole Davis, Gr. 9, Justin Chin, Gr. 12, Andrew Chin, Gr. 10, Raymond Paseman, Gr. 11 and Senan Ebrahim, Gr. 11. n Boys Golf The golf team has gotten off to a fast start, beating St. Lawrence Academy in its first match of the season. Medaling for Harker was James Feng, Gr. 9, shooting a 42 at Santa Clara Municipal Golf Course. The strengths of this year’s team will be depth and youth, with seniors Jonny Chang and Chris Liang, sophomores Kyle Hall, Rahul Ahuja and Sean Doherty, Jr, and freshmen Feng, Jeremy Whang, Aaron Lin, Yash Khandwala, Sri Seeni and Vinay Kumar all expected to see action in varsity matches. A key match was held Mar. 14 against Woodside Priory, one of the pre-season favorites – watch for results in the May HN! n Press Time Addition At press time, Dan Molin, US athletic director, shared this latebreaking news: Sabrina Paseman, Gr. 10, qualified for the CCS diving competition – congratulates to her! The boys volleyball team defeated Valley Christian-Dublin in three games to none. Tennis defeated King’s Academy to extend their record to 4-0. Softball continues to grow, defeating San Francisco Christian 15-5 to extend their win streak to three in a row. Shelby Drabman, Gr. 10, pitched again for the win, and went four for five batting! Baseball had a back and forth loss in Watsonville vs. St. Francis. It was a great battle although they lost 11-9. Spring is off to a great start…Go Eagles! Harker News — April 07
fund
Last Call for Senior Gifts
Student Thanks
The Class of 2007 voted on their Senior Class Gift in the fall: a water feature with native plants to be located in Graduates’ Grove (between Manzanita and Dobbins halls). The amount of money donated by parents of seniors to Annual Giving, over what they gave last year, will help fund this gift.
“Before now, I never
Families who participate in the Senior Class Gift will have their names included on a commemorative plaque at the site of the water feature. Parents of students in the Class of 2007 will have until Apr. 20, 2007 to make their gifts and be included as part of the Senior Class Gift.
and how much of a role
If you are interested in taking part in this legacy of the Class of 2007, you may make your gift online by clicking on “Giving” from the Harker home page. If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Gonzales at MelindaG@harker.org.
Remember to Pledge by May 1! Thank you to all of our families who have made their pledges to Annual Giving this year. Your support means so much to our students and teachers. Please make your pledge payment by May 1, 2007, so that your gift will be included in this fiscal year. You may make your pledge payment online by clicking on “Giving” from the Harker home page. Or you may send a check to Harker Advancement Office, 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose, CA 95117.
realized how few aspects of school tuition covers Annual Giving plays in privileges such as school dances, the new campus, the technology used on campus, and the library.” —Anne West, Gr. 8
Cereal Box Tops Make ‘Cents’ Helping Harker is as easy as eating cereal! Harker participates in General Mills’ Box Tops for Education, a free and easy program that brings in dollars at virtually no cost to the school – with your help. Here’s how it works: clip and save the pink box tops found on General Mills products (everything from Cheerios to Ziploc bags to Nature Valley granola bars and more). Each box top has the distinctive Box Tops for Education logo; all parents have to do is tear off the box top before recycling the container. When you have a half dozen or so, send them to school with a student. The box tops can be dropped off at the collection box in the front office on any campus. Twice a year, parent volunteer Chris Gustafson (Mark Taboada, Gr. 7) collects and mails in the box tops. Each box top is worth about 10 cents, and they do add up! If you want more information about the program, you can visit: http://wwwboxtops4education.com/index.aspx.
“Without you the children who stay after school would not have anything to play with. We also would not have been able to visit the Tech Museum. Thank you very much for all the money that you have donated.” —Michael Leung, Gr. 7
schoolwide
news
Strong Showing at Latin Convention
Harker Bids Farewell to Global Guests
Harker students from the US and MS participated in the 2007 California State Latin Convention in mid-February at Menlo School. About 1,800 students attended from 44 schools.
Our guests from Shanghai completed their three-week visit and returned safely to China in time to join their families for New Year’s festivities. According to the U.S. State Department, Harker’s global education program, directed by Bill Bost, has again set a new standard: this year’s group was the largest group from China to be granted a visit since the group that visited us last year.
MS students placed third in the middle school division, with 15 students holding their own against the top two schools, who had three times as many students earning points, noted Latin teacher Lisa Masoni, the group’s sponsor. Continuing Harker’s tradition of domination of the Certamen (quiz bowl) competition, the MS1 team of Nikhil Baradwaj, Richard Fan, Anuj Sharma and Pranav Sharma, all Gr. 6, placed third and the MS Advanced Team of Jessica Lin, Christophe Pellissier and Ramya Rangan, all Gr. 7, placed first in the state. With three upper school teams also placing first, Harker had top teams in five of the six levels, Masoni added. For the second year in a row, Rangan was the top student at her level, winning the academic, arts and overall sweepstakes.
“This past year also was the first time for a group this size to be given a three-week visa,” noted Bost. “So, all of our hard work in getting the U.S. to allow the Chinese students and faculty to come has been worth it. ”I wanted to take this time to say a very special thank you to Lana Morrison, MS dean of students, and Mark Gelineau, MS English teacher, who gave up a large portion of their Presidents’ Day holiday to take both Shanghai and Harker students down to Los Angeles. They did a great job with the visitors and I am grateful for their help,” Bost added.
“This past year also was the first time for a group this size to be given a three-week visa.” Akira Hasebe, the brass band director from Tamagawa Academy in Tokyo, arrived in early February to spend two weeks at Harker. “He was a delight,” said Bost, “and was excited to be visiting Harker and to have the opportunity to work with our students.”
Individual awards for MS Level 1: Jenny Chen, Gr. 6, first in Impromptu Art; Anuj Sharma, first in Mottoes, Quotations and Abbreviations; Pranav Sharma, second in Pentathlon, third in Latin Oratory; Suchita Nety, Gr. 6, second in Mythology, third in Mottoes, Quotations and Abbreviations; Laura Pedrotti, Gr. 6, fourth in Mottoes, Quotations and Abbreviations. Individual awards for Middle School Advanced: Rangan, first in Piano, first in Dramatic Interpretation, first in Reading Comprehension, first in Grammar, second in Essay, third in Strings, third in Sight Latin Reading, first in Individual Academic, first in Individual Arts, first in Individual Combined; Lin, first in Essay, first in Sight Latin Reading, first in Daily Life, third in Dramatic Interpretation; Pellissier, first in Mottoes, Quotations, and Abbreviations, second in Mythology. Other attendees were Michael Cheng, Jonathan Tayro Cho, Sean Fernandes, Matt Giammona and Molly Wolfe, all Gr. 6. The US had a good day, as well. For the fifth time in eight years, Harker’s Junior Classical League has won its division at the convention! Harker’s JCL, represented by 35 students competing in academics and arts, garnered 36 first-place awards, six second-place awards, 16 third-place awards and three fourth-place awards. In addition to the first place in our division, three of four Certamen teams won their levels, and three US teams made the finals. “This is a significant accomplishment in the annals of our JCL participation at state convention,” noted sponsor John Hawley, US Latin teacher. In addition, two students won Overall Awards at their levels. Alex Han, Gr. 12, won a medal for being first overall at the High School I level and was first overall in academic contests. Ketan Ramakrishnan, Gr. 10, was first overall academic at level three.
The goodbye luncheon on Feb. 21 was a thank you for Hasabe, but also for Chidori Okubo for her many years of service to Harker in Japanese translation. Okubo has been translating since her son, Sho, Gr. 12, was in kindergarten. “She has gone above and beyond on every program that we have with Japan,” said Bost. Bost said Harker is awaiting word from the Marina School in Moscow as to whether or not they will send a delegation to San Jose for the big science fair in March. A group of students from our sister school, College de Gambach in Fribourg, Switzerland, arrives in April, wrapping up our hosting of scheduled visitors for this year.
Another equally significant result was that in the eight sets of the Dramatic Interpretation competition, Harker students earned first place in six. In Girls Advanced Poetry, Harker swept the first three places. Each of the four levels has a boys and a girls competition. At level 1, Han and Anjali Menon, Gr. 9, earned first places. At level two, Justin Iso, Gr. 10, won first. In Advanced Prose, Ramakrishnan won first. In Advanced Poetry, Aseem Shukla and Ashley Dang, both Gr. 12, were first and Margaret Woods, Gr. 9, and Avanika Krishnaswamy, Gr. 10, were second and third respectively. Hawley and Masoni were accompanied by US Latin teacher Trudy Stevenson. Parent Pratibha Sharma, (Pranav, Gr. 6) graciously offered to chaperone.
Harker News — April 07
Longtime Librarian Tunes Into New Musical Called “JEANS!” Enid Davis has been the head librarian at Harker since 1993. She is the author of two books on children’s literary criticism and her writings have appeared in several library service journals. She founded Harker’s Gender Equity Committee and its History Committee, and she chairs the Information Literacy Committee. A self-described “children’s librarian at heart,” Davis enjoys sharing her love of stories with Harker’s youngest students. She also delights many by writing amusing parodies of songs, a teaching tool designed to help students memorize important facts. We spoke to Davis about libraries, lyrics and leisure time.
my husband, infant and graduate library degree. I became a children’s librarian so I could have my own audience and still work in libraries. You are known on campus for your song parodies. How do you begin? A parody works best if people are somewhat familiar with the original song, enabling the appreciation of the play on words. For example, I wrote “I Wanna Be Baba Yaga” (a Russian witch) based on “I Wanna Be a Producer” (from “The Producers”) for the Ogre Awards… and “You Can’t Get a Man with a Bun,” based on Irving Berlin’s “You Can’t
Why did you decide to become a librarian? I grew up in New York City adoring libraries, museums and Broadway musicals. At 17, I decided to become a museum librarian and spend my salary on Broadway tickets. However, I moved to San Jose in 1969 with
kudos n Vishesh Gupta, Gr. 7, Rahul Sridhar and Urvi Gupta, both Gr. 5, were all part of a Lego League team that won second place in the Robot Per formance category at the 2006 Northern California First Lego League Championship Tournament in late January at San Jose City College. The team, coached by parent Vivek Gupta, first qualified in the Regional FLL Competition in December, then went against 64 teams from all over Northern California in the January competition. Hurrah for these artificial-intelligence explorers!
Harker News — April 07
Get a Man with a Gun.” What prompted you to begin using songs as a teaching tool? One of my own childhood memorizing devices was to set the facts to a tune. Words in a song stick to one’s brain like peanut butter on the tongue. You wrote the lyrics for all 14 songs in “JEANS!” – a new musical play all about the invention of blue jeans. What makes this story a good musical? It’s such an American success story! Two immigrants, one rich (Levi Strauss) one poor (Jacob Davis), collaborate on producing America’s top fashion symbol – the versatile, comfortable pair of jeans! Scenes from the gold rush also add to the lure. Can you share a few verses of a favorite song with me? I like these words to the song “Everyone’s in Jeans” sung to the tune of “Sidewalks of New York.” It includes the fact that Jacob
n Congratulations to Harker graduate Andrea Nott ’96 (daughter of Director of Nursing Debra Nott) on being selected as one of the first two athletes for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team! Rules for naming athletes are complex, but synchronized swimming requires so much careful practice, the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Association is allowed to name two athletes early in order to begin forming the team. Nott and her fellow-appointee and duet partner, Christina Jones, will each swim a technical and free program at the Olympics in Beijing for both duet and team (four swims total). Between now and the opening ceremonies on Aug. 8, 2008, Nott and the U.S. team will compete in the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, in March and the
Davis, the poor immigrant tailor and would-be inventor, was the man who put the rivets on jeans, thus making the workpants strong enough for miners and construction workers. East Coast, West Coast, all that’s in between, The freedom that is America is symbolized by jeans. Everybody wears them – San Francisco to Queens – We all feel so splendid in our fav’rite pair of jeans! Once worn just by miners, farmers, cattlemen too, Now they’re bought for fashion and worn by me and you. What a grand invention this great land did unfurl, When Jacob’s innovative tap was heard around the world. How do you spend your free time? I spend time with my husband, grown children, their mates and my grandchildren. My fiveyear-old granddaughter, Kylie, and I are especially close. She appreciates art and stories as much as I do. —Jennifer Maragoni, Harker News
Pan American Games in Rio De Janeiro in the summer. Nott attended K-Gr. 8 at Harker, before there was a high school. “She began swimming for the Santa Clara Aquamaids when she was in fourth grade,” her mother noted. “Andrea took the regular swimming classes in the Saratoga campus pool, beginning in spring of her kindergarten year. While she was already a pretty good swimmer as a toddler, I’m sure her years of lessons with Miss Mel (Robinson) and others helped perfect the strokes that form the foundation of synchronized swimming,” she added.
In addition, Nott pointed out, “Andrea is the third Harker graduate to go to the Olympics in synchronized swimming. Kristina Lum ’90 was on the 2000 team in Sydney, Australia, and Kendra Zanotto ’95 was on the 2004 team in Athens, Greece. Not many schools can boast three Olympians!” Good luck, Andrea!
schoolwide
news
Staff Update n Middle School Head Cindy Kerr tied the knot with James Ellis on Valentine’s Day, in Campbell. The event was attended by family and a few close friends. The couple honeymooned on a whirlwind driving tour of California including locations such as Lake Tahoe, Death Valley, Yosemite, San Francisco and the Carmel Highlands. They will reside in Saratoga. The groom is a retired political and union activist from Connecticut, anxious to get involved in political and environmental causes once settled in California. The new Mrs. Ellis announced the event to middle school students on Feb. 26, during a school meeting, cautioning them that even though they would experience a name change during third quarter, they should not expect any personality changes with the new identity! Best wishes to the happy couple from all of Harker! n Jesse Lara, whose deft handling of all things technological has made Harker a better place, has been promoted to technology support manager. As Mac specialist and lead technician for the past seven years, Lara has been a familiar face in and out of offices and classrooms. In his new role, Lara will be will be the main contact for technical support, responsible for managing technicians’ daily tasks, assisting the director of IT with special projects and overseeing the US and MS student help desks, noted Andrew Hansen, director of information technology. Far from deskbound, Lara will continue to be the Mac specialist, thus out and about on the campuses. Congratulations! n LS art department chair Eric Hoffman participated in a workshop at the San Jose Sikh Temple in late February. At the workshop, arranged by temple member and Harker parent Kalwant Bisla, (Kianna, Gr. 5 and Aaron, Gr. 7) Hoffman joined three other artists in demonstrating painting techniques and explaining the elements of art. Hoffman’s focus was to paint scenes from Sikh culture with tempera paints and paper. Hoffman worked with 20 eight- and nine-year-olds. About 60 young people, ages 6-17 attended the workshop. “The theme of the art workshop is to express the culture of the Sikh Indian community and encourage the value of art in the community,” said Bisla in an e-mail about the event. Hoffman noted, “This experience opened a door into another culture I was curious about. Everyone welcomed me with open arms, kindness and a sampling of Sikh cuisine. Does it get any better than that?” n Welcome Baby Drew! Master Drew Diffenderfer arrived on Feb. 9, at 9:48 p.m. This blue-grey-eyed doll weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19 1/2” long. “During my visit he was most gracious, with only tiny peeps when the nurse insisted on examining this happily sleeping baby!” said LS teacher Anitra Sudderth. “Robbie and I are really enjoying parenthood and getting to know our little boy,” said Lisa Diffenderfer, the proud mom and the LS assistant director of technology. Congratulations to the Diffenderfers! n US music teacher Catherine Snider has won a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle award for Outstanding Musical Direction for “Urinetown: The Musical” at Foothill Music Theatre (FMT) last year. The Circle often awards more than one winner in each category, and Snider, who was nominated
for two of the five musical direction awards (for “Urinetown” and for “Annie Get Your Gun,” also at FMT) was one of two winners. The BATTC award is a kind of Tony Award for the Bay Area, and critics attend professional and non-professional, local and touring productions to search out nominees. In her past 11 shows, Snider has been nominated eight times, and has won four. n Welcome back, Don Barnett! The accomplished teacher, who retired in 1997 after nearly 30 years at De Anza College, including a long stint as dean of the language arts department, is making an encore appearance as the permanent substitute for Patricia Lai Burrows, now out on maternity leave. Barnett began substituting at Harker after his retirement. Barnett has spent time teaching in the Harker summer program and has had a couple of long-term assignments with the school. Aside from his scholarly pursuits, Barnett has run marathons and has recently transmuted his love of woodworking to the equally creative hobby of quilting. Due to his previous association with the school, Barnett is comfortable with the Blackford community and Harker philosophy, and we’re glad to have him anchoring Lai Burrows English classes! n Congratulations to Natalie Philpot, Gr. 5 creative writing teacher and Jason Pergament, Gr. 4-5 science teacher, officially engaged in early March. “She said no at first, but after I threw her in the river she changed her mind. My mom was proud,” said Pergament, tongue in cheek, in response to a congratulatory e-mail.
Welcome To Our New Interns Harker has long had an internship program that brings students from Johnson & Wales University, Chef Steve Martin’s alma mater, to Harker kitchens. In early March, three new interns arrived at Harker for a threemonth stay. Welcome! Toni Marie Caccioppoli, from West Caldwell, N.J., said she is already impressed with the friendly students and dedicated staff at Harker. Like the other two interns, Caccioppoli will receive her associate’s degree upon completion of the 11-week internship, and she intends to continue on to get a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts. Cory Benz, from Springfield, Ill., is a vegetarian and sought an internship that would give him a chance to work with a lot of produce. He noted that he not only had seen a lot of produce in the few days he’d been at the school as of press time, but that the quality of the produce impressed him. Benz also intends to get a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts. Ezra Juskewitch, from Bangor, Maine, has a different plan. After graduation he intends to go to a traditional university for a liberal arts degree and wants to write about food, either as a cookbook author or a food writer for newspapers or magazines. He was already impressed at the amount of food processed in the Harker kitchen and looks forward to deepening his knowledge of hands-on food preparation. Harker News — April 07
Innovative Food Service Program Emphasizes Fresh Food and Fresh Ideas Like everything else at Harker, the food service program is on the cutting edge. Executive Chef Steve Martin, who has directed the program for the past 16 years, puts a high priority on the quality and variety of food offered to students. He uses only the freshest ingredients and incorporates healthy options into each day’s menu. “We don’t try to force the kids to eat things that are healthy but unappealing,” Martin explains. “We try to feature popular, but healthy, items that they will enjoy. We allow kids to make healthy choices and, for the most part, they do.”
are treated to nutritious age-appropriate options. Martin consults with a nutritionist to ensure that all three campuses offer a variety of healthy selections. Students are enthusiastic about the array of choices. “I love the stuffed grape leaves (Greek dolmades),” says Sarah Payne, Gr. 10. “I’m glad there’s healthy food, especially the stuff at the veggie
Martin and his crew serve 52,000 meals a month to Harker’s K-Gr. 12 students and staff from bustling kitchens at each of the three campuses. The team also caters on-campus events. Martin is quick to credit his permanent staff and cadre of interns for their fresh ideas. He launched an internship program 12 years ago when he had trouble finding good help. Since then, the program has welcomed more than 100 aspiring
At the upper school campus, for example, the food court features gourmet pizza, handcarved meats, deli sandwiches, a vegetarian entrée, a pasta station, soup, a salad bar, fresh fruit and more – every day. Recently, the eclectic menu featured items such as baked haddock, feta and tomato bruschetta, and samosas, alongside more traditional items such as pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches and French fries. “We offer pizza every day (at the upper school), but the same kids aren’t eating pizza every day,” says Martin, adding that students look forward to sampling the multicultural offerings. The middle school food court is smaller, but also emphasizes quality and variety, with a few differences. For example, pizza is only offered once a week, as younger students are less disciplined in their eating, he explains. Lower school students, meanwhile,
arts and expanding their palates. Even the changing seasons bring new and exciting options. For example, in the spring, upper school students can dine al fresco. A patio grill features grilled veggies, chicken, meat and seafood.
bar. I go there every day and there are always good options.” Fellow sophomore Karlene McCallaCreary says the sushi, pita bread and hummus are among her favorite foods. “And I love Harker oranges!” she exclaims. To promote healthy eating and encourage students to try new things, Martin recently began featuring a “Fruit of the Month.” In February, for example, students could sample six to seven varieties of pears prepared many different ways.
chefs from three renowned culinary schools: Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island (Martin’s alma mater), the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell. “My vision is for our whole food service program to be chef-driven,” Martin explains. “(Our interns) are passionate about food, and
bring their energy and new ideas (to Harker).” The interns are as enthusiastic about the food service program as the students. They say they enjoy the upbeat and professional kitchen atmosphere and are impressed with the food offerings. This is not the school cafeteria of yesteryear, they insist. “Chef Steve doesn’t skimp on anything,” says intern Shirlene Reed. “He wants generous portions and he wants everything presented well.” Fellow intern Nurit Leshem adds, “There is beautiful produce every day. (There are) fresh melons, peaches and more even when they are not in season. It’s amazing!” Intern Katie Case says she enjoys seeing the students trying new things. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see young kids learning about food and how it’s prepared,” she says. Thanks to Martin and his crew, Harker’s food service program has become one of the most innovative K-Gr. 12 food service programs nationwide. And, if the past 16 years are any indication, great things are still to come. —Jennifer Maragoni, Harker News
Thanks to Harker’s ever-changing menu, students are becoming familiar with the culinary Harker News — April 07
Harker
summer
Visit the Web site now and sign up for your favorite programs before they fill up! See the special flier in this month’s mailing about some of our offerings this summer, but you won’t want to miss these special offerings for Harker students only. —Kelly Espinosa, LS Dean of Non-Academics and Summer Programs Director kellye@harker.org
California Baseball Adventure The perfect trip for baseball fans and adventurers alike! See a game in every California baseball park, travel on a snazzy bus, check out batting practice, learn how to be a great baseball fan, visit other sites in Southern California, sample the food at each park, spend a day at Disneyland and so much more! Fri., June 15 – Fri., June 22; Cost $1,350 Staff: Pat Wash, Jason Pergament, Natalie Philpot This program is part of the Summer Program but is not listed on the paper application or the online form because it is only available to Harker students. If you wish to apply, please download a paper form and write in the trip on the payment line. Spaces on both trips are limited, and spots are filled on first-come, firstserved basis. Full payment required with registration.
Grab a Friend, Win a Trip to Raging Waters! The best thing about summer is spending it with friends, so we’re encouraging Harker students to talk to each other, make a plan, and spend some time at Harker this summer! When you sign up for camp with a friend, you will both receive a very special 2007 Camp Travel Pack that includes a 2007 Passport to Summer T-shirt, water bottle and dog tag! Plus, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a trip with your Harker friend to Raging Waters! Visit the division home pages on our Web site for the special sign-up form! Please let us know if you have any questions about Summer@Harker – lots of choices, and something for everyone!
The Harker School is a K-12 independent, co-ed, college-prep school. Grades K-5: 4600 Bucknall Rd., San Jose, CA 95130; Grades 6-8: 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose, CA 95117; Grades 9-12: 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 Harker believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age (over 40), marital status, political affiliations, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by state or federal laws, local law or ordinance.
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The Harker News provides timely information, news and features about the Harker community to current and alumni Harker families. Editor: Pam Dickinson; Lead Writer: William Cracraft; Copy Editors: Catherine Snider, Jennifer Maragoni; Production: Crystal Boyd, Blue Heron Design Group; Photos: Mark Tantrum, unless noted; Printing: Carol Sosnowski; Mailing Coordinator: Desiree Mitchell. Harker News — April 07