JUNE 2009 (VOL. 15, NO. 9)
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M O N T H L Y
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N E W S L E T T E R
est. 1893 • K-12 college prep
F R O M
T H E
H A R K E R
S C H O O L
Hilbrich and Gowda Win National Debate Tournament
Dean For a Day and More Picnic News.........................5 Performing Arts Groups Wrap Up Year...........................9-11 Creative Writing Group Includes US, MS................14 Math Competitors Tally Up Big Wins............................18 Opera San Jose Visits LS....28 Student Gets Silver in Cal State Science Fair..............30 Medical Emergency Puts Student to Work.................35
Inserts in this issue: n Picnic Save the Date n Alumni Supplement
events
Congratulations to Public Forum debaters Kelsey Hilbrich, Gr. 11 and Kaavya Gowda, Gr. 12, for their win at the National Tournament of Champions (TOC) held in May at the University of Kentucky. The TOC is considered to be one of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation. Students compete on the national circuit all year against some of the best teams in the country to earn qualifying legs to the TOC. For most students, just qualifying to the TOC is a high school dream. Once at the TOC, debaters are pitted against the best, since every team in the tournament had to make it to late eliminations at other elite national tournaments. This means that every preliminary round (there are seven) is essentially a semifinal or final round at a regular season tournament. continued on pg. 34
Two Speakers Inspire Students to Help Solve Water Crisis It all started with author/photographer Rick Smolan’s visit as part of the Harker Speaker Series. That visit spurred the founding of the MS Blue Planet Group and culminated with the visit of Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water.
Save the Date! Sun., Oct. 11, 2009
Gr. 8 science teacher Lorna Claerbout and many of her students went to hear Smolan speak. “Smolan’s talk opened my eyes to the need for clean water worldwide,” said group member Emily Wang, Gr. 8. continued on pg. 33
The 59th Annual Family & Alumni Picnic Blackford Campus 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. See news and more details inside!
Harker Has Third Presidential Scholar in Four Years Senior Daniel J. Kim has been named a 2009 Presidential Scholar, making him the third Harker Presidential Scholar since 2006. This marks the first year Harker has had two semifinalists in the Presidential Scholar selection process; Vikram Nathan, Gr. 12 was also a semifinalist. continued on pg. 18