Harker Quarterly Spring 2014 by The Harker School

Varsity B’Ball Makes Harker History! Circus-Themed Summer Camp Promises Fun and Learning Computer Science Enhancements Consolidate Multi-Campus Program Eleventh Gala – and First Night on the Town – a Smashing Success

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Cover Photo This season marked the first in which any Harker boys varsity team has made it to the section finals, much less the championship game, and this photo of the team celebrating following their quarterfinal win over Soquel High was irresistible. The team was seeded sixth going into the playoffs and beat Carmel and Soquel, then clipped Seaside to make the championship game against Sacred Heart. This season, the boys had beaten Sacred Heart once and lost to them once, so hopes were high for the big game. In the championship, Harker stuck close to Sacred Heart through much of the game, but when time ran out, so did those hopes. The boys did qualify for the NorCal playoffs (also a first) where, in mid-March, they lost in the first round. The full story is in the Eagle Report (page 19) along with the stories of the girls varsity and lower school girls JVB (grade 5) basketball teams’ stellar seasons and the girls varsity soccer firstever league championship.

S P R I N G 2 014 / V O L U M E 5 · N U M B E R 3 Pam Dickinson Director William Cracraft Editor Catherine Snider Jenn Maragoni Copy Editors Kyle Cavallaro Photo Editor

Stefan Armijo Steven Boyle ‘06 Debbie Cohen Ellen DeBiase Lisa Diffenderfer Jessica Ferguson Edward Hejtmanek ‘06 John Ho Samantha Hoffman ‘13 Zach Jones Eric Marten Devin Nguyen ‘12 Heather Russell Tanya Schmidt ‘08 Catherine Snider Contributors Blue Heron Design Group Rebecca McCartney Triple J Design Design Diamond Quality Printing Printing

About Harker From its early beginnings in 1893 — when Stanford University leaders assisted in its establishment — to its reputation today as a leading preparatory school with graduates attending prestigious universities worldwide, Harker’s mission has remained constant: to create an environment that promotes academic excellence, inspires intellectual curiosity, expects personal accountability and forever instills a genuine passion for learning. Whether striving for academic achievement, raising funds for global concerns, performing on stage or scoring a goal, Harker students encourage and support one another and celebrate each other’s efforts and successes, at Harker and beyond. Harker is a dynamic, supportive, fun and nurturing community where kids and their families make friends for life.

Science Hat Trick Anita Chetty, upper school science department chair, revealed her Canadian, hockey-loving roots when she exclaimed that, “This year we have a science hat trick for the first time!” In hockey, three goals in one game is called a hat trick, and this year we have Harker finalists in three of the biggest science contests in the country. Harker once again had the most semifinalists on the West Coast in the Intel Science Talent Search with a whopping 10 students. Sreyas Misra, grade 12, was further selected as a finalist and just returned from the national finals in Washington, D.C. In this year’s Siemens Competition finals in December, Andrew Jin and Steven Wang, both grade 11, earned a $40,000 team scholarship, making them the first Harker students to win a scholarship at the national finals since we began entering the competition in the 2005. Finally, in the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, to be held this April, also in Washington, D.C., Neil Movva, grade 11, has earned a place to present on a project he’s been working on for two years. Our heartiest congratulations to all of the students who put heart and soul (and a lot of work!) into their projects. And kudos to our wonderful Harker faculty who inspire our children every day, and provide the knowledge, guidance, encouragement and moral support to help them find their passions!

Harker News Online (HNO) was launched in April 2009 and reports timely news on the activities, programs and accomplishments of The Harker School and its students, faculty and alumni. You can subscribe to HNO via RSS feeds or a daily digest email alert. Visit http://news.harker.org/.

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The Harker School is an independent, coed, college-prep school serving preschool through grade 12. Preschool: 4525 Union Ave., San Jose, CA 95124 K-Grade 5: 4300 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 Published four times a year, Harker Quarterly showcases some of the top news, leading programs, inspiring people and visionary plans of the greater Harker community. Produced by the Harker Office of Communication 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 communications@harker.org · 408.345.9273

NEXT EDITION: JUNE 2014 2

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inside

24 SPRING 2014

features

ew Lower School Program Empowers Students’ N Natural Resiliency for Learning ... and Life!

Fourth and Fifth Graders Expand Learning Opportunities with Chromebooks in the Classroom

32 42

DECA and Business and Entrepreneurship Continue at a Blistering Pace

Summer-Long Fun Planned Under the Big Top, Along with Sports, and Summer and English Language Institutes

Art School Specialty Classes Enthrall Preschoolers 22

11th Gala – and First Night on the Town – a Smashing Success 24

Computer Science Programs Carry Students from Lower Through Upper School 28

departments

Harker Speaker and Concert Series

13 Eagle Sports Report 19 8 19 Performing Arts 32 Global Education 36 Milestones 39 Advancement 40 22 Greater Good 42 Alumni News 45 14 32 H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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Headlines

By Christopher Nikoloff Head of School

Grimms and Grit: Teaching Perseverance to Our Children

n the parenting circuit these days there is much talk about resilience, grit and how these two characteristics contribute to success. Angela Lee Duckworth, an education researcher who studies non-IQ based competencies, has a popular TED talk on perseverance and grit. In Amy

Chua’s new book, “The Triple Package,” she and her husband, Jed Rubenfeld, argue that impulse control is one of three traits that contribute to success. Paul Tough talks about grit in his acclaimed “How Children Succeed.” It seems that parents and education researchers cannot get enough of “true grit.” But how do we teach such things as grit and perseverance? In educational research we periodically discover the secret to success and then try to figure out how to teach it. We pretend the secret to success is teachable and we react to its discovery as if we

creativity, entrepreneurialism or thinking skills. And how new an insight is this? Would our grandparents be surprised by the notion that grit and perseverance contribute to success?

Photo by

Kyle Ca

vallaro

found plutonium. Can we teach grit? It is not unlike asking whether or not we can teach

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April is Ogre Awards month at Harker, when the second grade celebrates stories from around the world. Many of the ancient stories – myths, folk and fairy tales – instruct in grit and perseverance, though they never use these terms. In these stories, heroes figuratively

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Headlines When “ into grit

children tap or persevere through difficulty, they are experiencing their own ordeal through which transformation happens.

”

transform their greatest weakness into their greatest strength; their fear into courage; their spiritual poverty into soulful gold. These transformations are demonstrated, not discussed, and they communicate straight to a child’s psyche, bypassing his brain. In this regard they are the opposite of algebra. In many of the stories by the Brothers Grimm and others, for instance, a hero faces the darker elements of nature, himself or experiences a humbling ordeal. Cinderella famously spends her days sweeping the hearth; the king’s son in Iron Hans apprentices himself to the gardener; Hansel and Gretel are taken to the witch’s home; Jonah is swallowed by a whale; Odysseus travels to the underworld. These structures persist in contemporary storytelling too. Luke Skywalker flies into the center of the Death Star. In “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” Flint Lockwood, the movie’s hero, journeys to the center of a giant meatball to thwart food hurricanes. There is something in the structure of these stories that resonates with the structure of our psyches. When children tap into grit or persevere through difficulty, they are experiencing their own ordeal through which transformation happens. There are parts of life that no amount of “helicopter parenting,” “snowplow parenting” or even “tiger mothering” can immune our children from, however well-intentioned. I think we sometimes fruitlessly try to bring our children all light and no darkness, but that is not how existence works. My father-in-law always says that we cannot walk in our children’s shoes – they will find their own way. On the search for the Holy Grail, Percival, one of King Arthur’s knights, must enter the woods where there is no path. The newly found awareness of grit and perseverance is probably good for parenting, education and kids, though like many other fads, I hope parents and educators do not take it too far. I can see courses and assemblies on grit. Better to have kids Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

discover their grit naturally and intrinsically. Lao Tzu said, “Mastering others is power. Mastering yourself is true strength.” It is the hope of education that each child, through grit and perseverance, finds true strength and takes the journey of a lifetime – her own.

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ct e j o r P x o olb o T l o o h c er S ncy e w i l o i s L e w R e l N tura a N ’ s hen t n e d Debbie Co y u B t S s Empower rning … and Life! for Lea Photos by

llaro

Kyle Cava

magine if children struggling to make sense out of confusing emotions could simply reach into a box and pull out the appropriate tools to help them better navigate social and academic situations. At Harker’s lower school, students are learning to do just that, thanks to an innovative new curriculum called The Toolbox Project. The award-winning program, involving all students and staff at the Bucknall campus, is designed to empower children with specific tools that will help guide them in managing their own lives – both at school and in the community at large. “The tools help you when you are mad because you can calm down and work out problems with your friends,” said grade 1 student Maya Baker, an enthusiastic supporter of the project. Giving an example of the “garbage can tool,” she explained that if your mind is too focused on a problem, you can use the tool to simply “throw it away.” On the other hand, she added, being shown the “listening tool” means to start listening to what someone is saying. “As a teacher, I appreciate that The Toolbox Project provides the children with effective ways to handle a variety of situations. It validates their feelings and gives them a common language to solve problems. Using

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the tools comes naturally to the students, and they are eager to put them to use!” noted Baker’s teacher, Cindy Proctor. At the heart of the ongoing program are 12 tools, practiced both in and out of the classroom: breathing, quiet/safe place, listening, empathy, personal space, using our words, garbage can, taking time, please and thank you, apology and forgiveness, patience and courage. The project was implemented at the lower school at the start of the school year. The tools were introduced one at a time, as part of a weekly lesson. During each lesson, students were given a picture of an icon representing that week’s tool, which were then cut out and added to the children’s individual cardboard toolboxes. Toolbox lessons, which continue throughout the year, are taught during character development sessions. These sessions are typically held in the students’ homerooms for K-2, but can take place in other settings for the older students depending on grade level scheduling. They often include roleplaying, fun projects, class discussions and references to literary stories. They are also reinforced with home/ connection letters and activities.

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In the fall about 140 parents enthusiastically attended an informational kickoff presentation about The Toolbox Project. That event was held in the lower school’s gym and hosted by Chuck Fisher, director of programs at Dovetail Learning Inc., which runs the program. “What impressed me most about Harker was the depth of interest adults had for using these tools in their own selfregulation practices,” Fisher recalled. “As adults, there is nothing more powerful than modeling to children how we use these tools to be the kind of teacher or parent we most want to be.” The Toolbox Project founder Mark Collin developed the curriculum more than eight years ago when he was

le Cavallaro

Photos by Ky

working as a school counselor. In his words, “The children were struggling with many personal and family challenges, in addition to the usual struggles of growing up. They had no tools to recognize and name their feelings and deal with them constructively.” Together he and his students began to identify and tap into their own inner capacities and strengths, promoting natural resilience. Collin used the metaphor of a personal toolbox and the symbols of real tools that translated easily into the idea of inner tools. The children immediately took to it and helped him identify and name the 12 tools, which led to the creation of The Toolbox Project, a nonprofit organization whose name was later changed to Dovetail Learning, with Toolbox as the flagship curriculum program. According to Sarah Leonard, primary school head, “Implementation of The Toolbox Project has been going quite well. Faculty and staff are fully

“As a teacher, I appreciate that The Toolbox Project provides the children with effective ways to handle a variety of situations.” Cindy Proctor, grade 1 teacher

own tool, he would call it the “healthy tool” and it would look like a carrot. He even came up with a saying for his new make-believe tool, which would state: “I will be healthy for my life.” “I felt that it was incredible that Aidan wanted to expand on the number tools and add more to help us with navigating our lives!” said his teacher, Katherine Chi. As a further part of the empathy training for the kindergarten students, Troy Townzen ’08, a current member of the school’s BEST staff, helped the youngsters create a special music video to visually illustrate the concept. “Troy and the kindergarten staff spent endless hours putting it together to help the children understand the meaning of empathy. And I really think it worked! The students are showing more empathy and kindness toward their friends. They’re even singing the chorus (from the video) out on the playground. A true success!” said Kim Cali, director of the lower school’s BEST program. “These tools have become our common language,” said Leonard, noting that lower school students of all ages have been increasingly peppering their everyday language with references to the tools they have learned.

supportive of the program and have embraced it with enthusiasm and commitment to achieve the desired results.” Indeed, even at the lower school’s youngest level, The Toolbox Project has been a huge hit. Of his experience using the program, kindergartner Aidan Okyar said, “The patience tool is really good for you. Pretend my dad is using my soccer ball and I want it, I could just use my football instead.” Okyar added that if he were going to make up his H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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Fourth and Fifth Graders Expand Learning Opportunities By Debbie Cohen

Handed out at the beginning of the school year to grade 5 students (and stored in class for grade 4 students), the Chromebooks have become second nature to both students and their teachers. The versatile devices are being used to do research, write essays, receive assignments, maintain calendars and more. Some students enjoy being able to communicate with one another directly by creating electronic walls enabling them to “pin” constructive feedback on each other’s presentations. Others enjoy working in a more collaborative environment, as they do when they complete projects in shared documents and presentations. And teachers can now comment directly on students’ soft-copy assignments, follow up on corrections in real time and interact via online commenting.

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Photos by Heather Russell

ew days go by that Harker’s grade 4-5 students aren’t using Google Chromebooks in their classrooms. From accessing comprehensive online Spanish textbooks and vocabulary programs to showcasing multimedia history and English projects, Chromebooks are revolutionizing the way the fourth and fifth graders learn.

“A Chromebook is an amazing device … Internet, email and Google Drive! It’s something to make you crazy with delight.” —Arohee Bhoja, grade 5

Photo by Lisa Diffenderfer

“A Chromebook is an amazing device … Internet, email and Google Drive! It’s something to make you crazy with delight,” enthused grade 5 student Arohee Bhoja. Though conceding that the “pop-ups and amazing learning software” can, at times, be distracting, Bhoja said, when it comes to Chromebooks, the good cancels out the bad. “When you have all the letters of the alphabet at your fingertips, and all the learning sites you can ever imagine, it’s impossible to criticize.” Bhoja’s classmate Sarah Raymond agreed. “I think that using the Chromebook has changed how we learn in the classroom for the better. It’s also a lot easier to collaborate with our peers on a Google Doc. At home we can still be working with our classmates even if we are not together. It is also more convenient for checking the homework calendar. Plus, it’s easily portable so we can bring it from class to class,” she said. Most recently, a new wireless network called MercuryFast was implemented for the grade 5 students to connect their Chromebooks to the internet. But, despite the name, the fifth graders won’t have a faster connection than anyone else on campus. Instead wireless traffic is being split on two separate channels to increase speed and stability for everyone at the lower school. S P R I N G 2 014

Fifth graders are particularly familiar with Chromebook online applications such as Membean, a vocabulary learning tool that helps students understand and remember words; Movenote, an app that synchronizes video of the students with their docs or presentations; and Google Docs, which allow users to create and edit documents online while collaborating with other users. At the lower school, a pilot program using Google Chromebooks began a couple years ago with a small group of students. The Chromebooks were then deemed so well-suited to Harker’s educational mission that it led to their now-standard issuing for grades 4-5. (There are also 50 Chromebooks available in the grade 3 classrooms, which are shared by students.) “Each of our 129 fifth graders has a Chromebook that they use almost daily at school and can take home as well. And each of our 120 fourth graders has a Chromebook which stays at school and is housed on carts in their classrooms,” reported Lisa Diffenderfer, the lower school’s assistant director of instructional technology. Chromebooks run on Google’s popular browser, are affordably priced and primarily intended for Internet use. Chromebooks

with Chromebooks in the Classroom

Over the past two years, some lower school teachers received funds from Harker’s technology grant program to find ways to get the most out of using Chromebooks in the classroom. Today, students in grades 4-5 are becoming adept at using the devices to learn and practice course material as well as showcase their newly found knowledge and skills.

“On any given day I can walk around the fourth and fifth grade classrooms and find students on their Chromebooks engaged in their learning.” —Lisa Diffenderfer, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology

Screen capture of www.padlet.com

also have great security features, which allow the school to enforce an Internet filter when the students are using the devices at home.

The use of Chromebooks in grade 4-5 was made possible as part of a $100,000 grant, which provided both Chromebooks and iPads for use in the lower school classrooms. The gift from the Paramitas Foundation was endorsed by parents Winston Chen and Phyllis Huang (Karina, grade 5; Nicole, grade 7), who are passionate about helping teachers use technology in meaningful ways to enhance learning. “On any given day I can walk around the fourth and fifth grade classrooms and find students on their Chromebooks engaged in their learning,” said Diffenderfer, adding that the future for Chromebook use at the lower school looks bright, based on the students’ demonstrated level of comfort and success using the resourceful devices.

Photos provided by Lisa Diffenderfer

Other fun-yet-practical ways Harker’s fourth and fifth graders have used Google apps include making notes about how to create Colonial-themed board games, tracking data from gummy bear experiments, creating a student tech help site, viewing rehearsal schedules for performing arts productions, and tracking nutrition and fitness information, according to Diffenderfer.

Screen capture of www.padlet.com

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DECA and Business and Entrepreneurship Continue at a Blistering Pace By Edward Hejtmanek ’06

fter hitting the ground running in the fall, the business and entrepreneurship department and DECA chapter have hardly stopped to take a breath. The B.E. department is launching a slate of ambitious

programs in the spring and the DECA chapter has been traveling and competing as conference season comes into its own. The B.E. department is set to launch CareerConnect in the spring. The program will unify three separate pillars under one umbrella - mentorship, professionalism and panels - with the goal of preparing Harker students to excel in the workplace. The first of the three pillars of CareerConnect is the mentorship program that will pair more than 100 sophomores and juniors with mentors in their desired fields to receive career advice. Over the course of the school year, they will meet with these mentors multiple times to learn about their mentors’ career paths and how they can begin shaping their own. The second of the three pillars, professionalism, involves attending and networking at exclusive conferences and events in various venues across the valley, including the Stanford Venture Lab and Computer History Museum. This will also include the hosting of a series of professional workshops where students will learn interview tips, networking 10

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skills and how to construct engaging resumes and LinkedIn profiles to help them jump to the top of the stack when applying for positions. Sarah Bean, grade 11, says, “Contacting and confirming the … speakers on our fast-approaching deadline has been the most challenging aspect [of starting the program].” Addressing the final pillar of CareerConnect is the career panel series that kicked off in March. The series will bring professionals from the law, medical, business, computer

science and engineering disciplines to Harker to present on their fields and entertain students’ questions as they decide which fields to pursue. Bean says she and the other five students coordinating the CareerConnect program are “working hard to assure our career panel month is a success.” The B.E. department sent nine students and department chair Juston Glass to the Stanford Venture Lab in January to hear from five entrepreneurs under the age of 30 who are running successful companies. Chirag Aswani, grade 11, said, “I was able to get … strong insight on the process of starting … a company, including the risks. Out of all the events I [have] attended [this year], the Stanford event is by far the best.” Before and after the panel and Q&A, the students were given time to network and meet with other aspiring entrepreneurs at the event. The Harker DECA chapter, which started the year with community outreach and exciting new programs, has continued its rapid pace as the year is hitting its halfway point. The Stock Market Game, run by the Securities Industry and Financial

Photos provided by Juston Glass

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Photos provided by Juston Glass

Markets Association (SIFMA), has concluded with impressive results. Three student teams finished in the top 25 in the nation. The game included a friendly competition between students and faculty teams which, as Glass relates, the students “dominated.” The combined virtual earnings of all three of these teams approached nearly $100,000 in three months. SIFMA also hosts the national essay competition InvestWrite. Thousands of students analyzed an investment opportunity and submitted portfolio allocation plans for short- and long-term returns. Manthra Panchapakesan, grade 11, was ranked first in the state of California and third in the country for grades 9-12.

DECA

The DECA students engaged in a different kind of competition this year when they took part in the Virtual Business Challenge. The challenge required students to pick one of four business categories (sports, restaurants, retail or personal finance) and run a virtual business in that industry. Once the students picked their industry, they were challenged to run their virtual business over the course of a simulated year, with the goal of maximizing their profits. Competing in the restaurant category, David Zhu and Peter Wu, both grade 9, placed first in the Western region and third in the nation. When asked about the event, Zhu said, “Restaurant appealed

to me most since it was more small-scaled and feasible.” When asked if he was considering translating his talents into becoming a young restaurateur, he replied, “[It] is always a possibility, but I believe the simulation gave me a preview on running all sorts of businesses.” The chapter continued its busy year when Glass and 90 students made the trek to Anaheim to attend the California DECA conference. Along with nearly 2,000 other students, the Harker chapter competed in 35 events over the course of three long days. Of the 35 events in which Harker students competed, 32 competitors finished in the top 10 and 13 resulted in top four finishes, thereby qualifying for the international conference competition. These accomplishments proved strong enough to make Harker No. 1 among all schools in California with enrollment under 2,000, fourth overall, out of 70 schools that participate in California DECA. While the chapter as a whole performed extremely well, chapter president Monica Thukral, grade 12, was singled out as California DECA’s student of the year from more than 4,500 members. While her achievements as a part of DECA are numerous,

she says she is “most proud of how I have contributed to the chapter’s growth at Harker and within Silicon Valley,” and that “DECA has made me a much more confident and responsible person.” The DECA organization as a whole challenged each individual chapter to grow by completing campaigns across multiple categories: DECA promotion, community service, global entrepreneurship week and recruiting. Glass said he was “extremely proud” of the DECA chapter for being the only chapter in California to complete all four campaigns and receive recognition from the international DECA organization. While the winter has not brought California enough rain, it has brought more than enough conferences, activities and new programs to keep the students of the business and entrepreneurship department and DECA chapter busy. This trend will continue to the end of the year and through the summer as monthly podcasts continue, CareerConnect kicks off, Harker hosts the TEDx conference and sponsors a Wharton/ Harker summer business program, and the DECA chapter continues to travel and compete at the international conference.

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Ninja Innovation and Start Up Culture

The evening began with refreshments, where students networked with business professionals. During the program, Robert Scoble, a tech evangelist, moderated the discussion with Shapiro, who spoke about his experiences with the Consumer Electronics Show and in the business world, focusing on disruption, determination, discipline and passion. Shapiro shared his knowledge and described key emerging trends that are helping direct startup “ninja innovation” in this competitive landscape. “Gary was great, very casual. He was very open about his opinions and not as political in his words as you might expect,” noted Glenn Reddy, grade 11. “The Computer History Museum is a great location and, thanks to the Silicon Valley Bank, there was a huge spread of food for all attendees,” added Reddy. “It was great to see Harker’s B.E. students in action; I saw students controlling conversations with various executives around the room. Harker students left an impression at the event and made a great showing.” This report provided by Shannon Hong, grade 10, director of PR for Harker DECA

Students Attend ‘Dress for Success’ Presentation by Men’s Wearhouse As February wrapped up, businessoriented student groups brought representatives from Men’s Wearhouse to the upper school to discuss how students should dress in professional environments.

Photo provided by Juston Glass

In mid-February, seven business and entrepreneurship department students traveled to the Ninja Innovation and Startup Culture Conference at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View to hear Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, discuss his book “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses.”

Photo by Sophia Luo, grade 10

Conference Outlines Strategies

“The presentation was informational, entertaining and useful, because I now know what to wear to an interview,” said Kevina Xiao, grade 10. Sponsored by Harker DECA, Career Connect, and the business and entrepreneurship department, more than 60 students attended, receiving valuable tips and guidelines to follow when dressing for job interviews and other formal events. They also learned how to tie ties and other necessary wardrobe skills.

“It helped me decide what to wear for interviews and how a simple blazer can be used for various events,” said Chirag Aswani, grade 11. The Men’s Wearhouse representatives not only instructed the attending students how to dress well but also gave advice on how to network and converse in formal settings. In addition, they talked about other valuable life skills that would help students to become more professionally responsible. This report provided by Sophia Luo, grade 10, intern to director of PR for Harker DECA

About The Harker School Business and Entrepreneurship Department At the core of Silicon Valley startups is the idea of rapid expansion. This rapid-growth philosophy has been taken to heart by Harker’s new business and entrepreneurship department, launched in fall 2013. The department encompasses six major components: DECA, TEDx, CareerConnect, a Wharton/Harker summer program, a podcast series, and business classes. Its purpose is to offer discussion opportunities to all who view the casts about the wide variety of fields and expertise that surround us in dynamic Silicon Valley. To share ideas. To educate. To inspire. To change the world.

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By Zach Jones Full reviews of both events are available at Harker News Online (news.harker.org).

Japanese Chef Demonstrates the Beauty and Flavor of Shojin Cuisine

Tanahashi trained as a Shojin chef and opened the acclaimed Shojin restaurant Gesshinkyo in 1992, and went on to oversee food preparation for the Japanese TV series “The Real Thing.” He has been featured in Vogue Japan, The New York Times and other publications.

A purely vegetarian cuisine, food made in the Shojin tradition uses authentic ingredients cultivated locally and without the use of industrial methods. Ingredients include vegetables, fruits, sesame seeds, nuts, fermented foods and other organic elements. Shojin adherents hold these ingredients and the methods used to craft them into Shojin foods in high regard. As Tanahashi began solemnly grinding sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle at the foot of the stage, he kindly asked the members of the audience to close their eyes and breathe deeply. This practice, he later said, could take up to two hours. Tanahashi discussed how he communes with his ingredients, studying the vegetables to see

what he believes are the “many messages” they are telling him. He uses this, he said, to decide what to make with them. One example of the reverence for the ingredients used in Shojin cooking is the vinegar he prefers, which takes six months or longer to ferment. By contrast, the fermentation process for store-bought vinegar takes a mere eight hours. Tanahashi invited attendees to grind sesame seeds the Shojin way. Trying to use proper mortal and pestle technique, audience members traded off slowly grinding the seeds into a paste. As they worked, Tanahashi instructed them to keep their backs straight, shoulders relaxed and eyes closed. “It’s not just finishing the job,” he

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

said, “It’s the process, the journey.” After volunteers ground the sesame seeds, Tanahashi added salt, vinegar, sugar, ginger and sake. “I’m sorry, but I do not measure,” he joked as he added and mixed ingredients. The audience did not seem to mind, as they exuberantly consumed the resultant paste as it was passed around the room with a variety of vegetables.

Speaker Series

he Harker Speaker Series brought renowned Shojin cuisine master Toshio Tanahashi to Nichols Hall on Feb. 20 to share his wisdom on the Zen Buddhism-inspired cooking philosophy. Brought to monasteries in Kyoto from China in the seventh and eighth centuries, principles of Shojin cooking were further codified by the writings of Dogen Zenji. The form greatly matured by the 13th century.

Miró Quartet Leaves Audience Wanting More at Concert Series Season Closer

fter a season that included a beatboxing flautist and possibly the most experimental performance in the short history of the Harker Concert Series, Austin’s Miró Quartet had a tough pair of acts to follow. They were more than up to the task.

Elizabeth Dwyer, who was attending her third Harker Concert Series event, said, “I love it. I can’t believe the precision.” Miró Quartet being from Austin was a point of interest for Dwyer, who said she had considered visiting the city for its vibrant arts scene.

“I think it’s fabulous,” said attendee Raiida Thompson, who said she enjoys live music. The social atmosphere of the event, she said, was “very impressive. I was not expecting this.” Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

Surely no strangers to audiences with high expectations, Miró Quartet wisely chose to include Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” as the closing piece. Though occupying a somewhat ironic position as a crowd-pleaser in the chamber music canon (it essentially outlines Schubert’s stages of grief as he neared his own death), it was nonetheless a welcome, if familiar, treat for an audience that had just

been taken through Dutilleux’s disorienting nighttime odyssey. The encore was a selection from Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, ending with an also-unfinished violin line that seemed to delight Ching to no end, leaving him smiling as the final note hung in the air along with all the possibilities of what may have come after.

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Concert Series

The bouncing staccato of Haydn’s “The Lark” went right along with the mood in the auditorium: airy and light, with Daniel Ching’s violin fluttering in and whistling like the titular bird on its favorite perch. Invoking a pastoral serenity, the quartet took flight through the first movement’s quick tempos, as each member exchanged flurries of notes. They maintained this feeling through the slower, more harmonically focused second

movement, with Ching’s melodies again appearing front and center, albeit in the shadow of cellist Joshua Gindele’s yawning basslines; violinist William Fedkenheuer and violist John Largess were the perfect complement to the outer voices. With amazing dexterity, they launched into the finale, handling the challenging passages with finesse and exuberance, ending the exhilarating piece to huge applause.

“We were thrilled and delighted at the incredible turnout for Harker summer last year … and are already seeing a jump in enrollment for this year!” - Kelly Espinosa, Director of Summer Programs

Harkeerr Programs Summ

ers Yet to p m a C f o r e b m u N en Draw Largest By Debbie Coh s ie it v ti c A d n a Variety of Classes Photo by Ky

Photo by Samantha Hoffman ‘13

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ved children’s the work of belo ill w ol ho Both programs Harker Sc ort months, The author Dr. Seuss. s m ra In just a few sh og mer pr e afternoon op-shop for sum feature the sam nd ou ar become a one-st d from arts and ts, both locally an options, including r fo e ris for K-12 studen e th ater play, wall ent is already on crafts, dance, w , gs the globe. Enrollm rin fe of y and array d varied summer climbing, archer r fo Harker’s rich an p m ca a de orts. n will inclu of other field sp which once agai for middle te tu sti in an n, young childre dents, fers school-aged stu The prog ram of school- and high n ar le er yone, to ev s r nt reign stude something fo a program for fo d an p Chung, m e ca Jo ts ac cording to and varied spor English, a large P VI l of Summer ia or ec ct sp acher. prog ram dire this year is a w Ne . ol puter sc ienc e te ho sc a swim is a preview elementary com d w lo an Be p+ s. ic m nt ot Ca de tri n stu e a pa tour for the foreig ings often includ On-site happen mer will offer. m Su sleepover for er a rk , al Ha iv at of all th sh, a water carn ba d es m ga n for parents an s theme rs, a presentatio ature a fun circu pe fe m ill ca w .” r ay p+ de “R m ol t Ca p masco Summer popular bration for cam e Big Top.” The a birthday cele called “Under th ty ous field trips, rie er va m e id nu clude a w so partake in al rs pe m K-6 camp will in Ca and lf, the Oakland g, miniature go activities, guests of circus-related including bowlin Point. Zoo and Coyote special events. er and other summ llment for camps school campus, ro er en w 0 lo ar e 74 ye th 2, st g on La in Held rd-break ning learning ocketed to a reco or yr m sk s es m id ra ov og pr pr n Summer Camp+ all campuses. opriate afternoo rticipants across wed by age-appr pa llo fo es nc rie e th pe ex will have at the incredible ts in grades 1-6 ic d and delighted electives. Studen le em ril ad y th ac e er nt w re e ffe “W … and are alread ng in two di summer last year er Learning option of enrolli rk d Ha an r s fo ed cu t us Fo ou th rn re tu year!” en ms called Co rollment for this morning progra eing a jump in en OL). (L se re mmer programs. tu ra su te of Li r in cto ngtime dire lo Opportunities , sa no pi Es lly Ke ol has offered more traditional a is s cu Fo re The Harker Scho Co er programs ent with extensive summ learning environm years. The ath and for more than 50 language arts, m program es for each Summer Camp+ academic electiv tionally features is accredited na grade level. LOL Camping s designed by the American academic course y theme. Association. around a literar on s cu fo ill This year LOL w

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Summer Institute Provides Academic Paths for Those in Grades 6-12 Come June, the upper school campus will be filled with students in grades 6-12 who are participating in Harker’s Summer Institute (SI), a unique program open to both Harker students and those from other schools.

The Summer Institute has two tracks, one designed for middle schoolers and another for high school students. Participants typically combine a morning academic program with afternoon activities, allowing them to earn credits and learn new skills, yet still enjoy summertime fun. The academic portion of the day offers rigorous for-credit courses such as algebra, economics and programming, as well as non-credit opportunities for enrichment and growth including creative writing, Web design, debate and robotics. A driver’s education course is available for students ages 15 and up. For middle schoolers (grades 6-8), SI’s afternoon activity program includes many specialty classes and recreational activities; students in grade 9 are also invited to sign up for the afternoon activities. Specialty classes include backyard games, volleyball boot camp and cooking. Other classes include art, jewelrymaking, magic, improv, dance, tech, junior lifeguard, chess and circus arts. There also will be off-campus field trips every couple of weeks to sites such as The Tech Museum and Capitola.

Barth – who joined Harker in fall 2000 and has been a class dean and served on the Honor Council – said he

Photo by

Jessica Fe

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Keith Hirota will reprise his role as SI middle school director and Evan Barth, upper school dean of studies, has enthusiastically taken on the role of SI principal for the upper school students.

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is looking forward to working with SI’s older students this summer. In his present capacity as the dean of studies, he meets with each incoming student to create an academic plan for high school.

Both Hirota and Barth agreed that the variety of choices and flexibility of the SI program allows students to design their own perfect schedule, taking into consideration individual academic needs and personal interests.

New VIP Tour to Complement this Year’s ELI Program Applications are now being accepted for Harker’s long-running and highly successful English Language Institute (ELI), held on both the lower and upper school campuses. ELI provides overseas students with the opportunity to learn and practice their English skills, enabling many participants to go on to attend top American and international schools. New to the program this year will be an optional “Very Interesting Places” (VIP) tour available to all ELI students (ages 6-16). After receiving a number of requests, Wood decided to introduce the VIP program, to allow students to discover California outside the classroom. The tour will take place at the end of the regular five-week session and will take students around Silicon Valley and the Bay Area to visit theme parks, museums, companies, school campuses and more, capped off with an overnight trip to Yosemite. Wood said that enrollment

for the VIP tour is expected to fill up quickly. He also noted that ELI teachers will accompany the students on the tour and provide a specialized curriculum to continue with their language learning. To help get the word out about ELI, current Harker and alumni families are sponsoring receptions around the world including Russia, Turkey, China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Joe Rosenthal, Harker’s executive director of advancement, who directed the school’s former elementary boarding program for 20 years, will be on hand as well. Rosenthal is a frequent guest lecturer at the current ELI program on the topic of studying in the United States. ELI initially began as a year-round boarding school program, which closed in 2001 due to Harker’s upper school expansion. It evolved into the current summer program, which launched in 2004. Last summer, more than 60 students enrolled for the secondary division and a record-breaking 55 enrolled in the primary division. “The goal is to keep the program small and offer a very high-quality experience,” explained Wood.

Summer Sports Programs Give Students a Competitive Edge By Zach Jones Students who want to learn a new sport, improve as athletes or simply work on their overall fitness will have plenty to choose from at Harker’s summer sports camps. Harker’s staff of experienced, well-trained and caring coaches will ensure that students gain the skills they need in a positive, fun and nurturing

Photo by Jessica Ferguson

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Wrestling

team at Cal ifornia State University, Fullerton, w here he late r was assistant co ach. Heneb ry finished first place in the 85kg ca te gory at the 2012 Veterans U.S . National Ch ampionship s and his coaching su ccesses incl ude a CC S champ ion and seve ral state qualifiers.

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

environmen t. For more information and to regis ter for Harker’s su mmer sports ca mps, please visit www.harke r.org/ summer.

Stinson wil l be joined by Shawn Hen ebry, a thre etime CC S w inner and fo rmer captain of th e wrestling

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Photo by Samantha Hoffman ‘13

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After a succ essful first ye ar, Harker’s summer wre stling camp will have students in grades 4-12 taking to th e mat once again to bru Swim School sh up on bot h beginning and advance Harker’s su d technique mmer swim s. Catering to a wide ra school has nge of skill for everyon something levels, the ca e looking to p will have st mp udents worki articipate in q u in te ss reversals an ng on taked ential summ one of the d other imp owns, ertime activi looking to im ortant skills. ties. Wheth will train on St p ud ro er ve en a TRX system ts also their overal upcoming co , work on m l skill, prep weight, sett m ar an p e ag et for an ing goals an ition or just ing the Californ d being men enjoy a goo prepared. In ia d ta su ti lly m n e in , both child addition, stud programs ta ren and ad ents will hav opportunity ults will fin ilored to th e the to learn from d ei r n eeds and p college coac wrestlers w references. hes and ho will visit Experienced the camp. swim instru ctors will of lessons that fer half-hou Among this w ill help swim r year’s specia mers build sequentially l guests is A Robles, who their skills an d n thony heighten co won the 201 nfidence in Ten differen 0-11 NCAA championsh their abilities t skill levels ip in the 12 have been . ac co 5 -p m designed to m ou odate the w nd weight cl despite bein id ass es g born with t p os sible range from those just one leg who are un of swimmer . comfortable s, experienced “One of the being in wat freestyle co new things er to m p ab etitors. Priva out camp th lessons are year is we h te and grou is available fo ave more co p r students ag aches to hel said camp d es 5-18. p,” irector Karri Fo r sw em immers in g out and got Stinson. “I w rades 3-8, some of the ent team portion the junior sw best coaches in of the camp im [the Central is a co great way to m C oa p et st itive swimm Section]. Tw gain ing skills in o of them h atmosphere, a fun and su ave been CC S h w h pportive er e students onor coaches their techn will focus on of the year iq u im e an proving d endurance and one has . Students w to participat been named h o wish e in the jun Mercury News coach ior swim te am must of the year.” be able to sw im unassist ed freestyle for a length Stinson is Har of 25 meter ker’s middle s and show a b asic underst school assist anding of th ant athletic e four co m p etitive stroke director and s. the middle an d upper schoo The swim sc l wrestling hool will of coach. Durin fer weekly sessions from g his time Ju ne 16 to Au at Harker, h g. 7 at the beautiful Sin e has coach gh Aquatic ed three members of Center at H upper schoo the Californ arker’s l campus. T ia national wre he aquatic 25-yard poo stling team ce nter’s l, which feat and many other ures 13 sw lanes, provi wrestlers w im ming des an idea ho have gone on l area for sw learn, pract im to placemen mers to ice and hav ts in CCS. e fun!

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Water Polo

For students interested in learning a n sport while ew also enjoyin g ou tdoor summ fun, Harker’ er s water pol o camp is an choice. Gea ideal red toward students w new to the ho are sport, the ca mp will offe primer in th ra e sports his tory, rules, basic

Due to its popularity in past Harker summer programs, there will now be two sessions of the water polo camp, one from June 16-20 and another from July 14-18. Coaches Allie Lamb and Ted Ujifusa will return to direct the camp. Having played for such illustrious coaches as University of California, Berkeley’s Rich Corso, Santa Clara University’s Keith Wilbur and former Olympic coach Ricardo Azevedo, Lamb draws on a wealth of knowledge gained during her 15-year water polo career. She was captain of the SCU water polo team in 2009 and has coached Harker’s water polo team for the past two seasons. Ted Ujifusa, currently the head coach of Harker’s boys water polo team, brings nearly 50 years of water polo experience to the camp. During his senior year at UC Berkeley, his team won the NCAA championship. Since he began coaching in 1974, he has coached two

Central Coast Section public high schools to championships, the only coach in CCS history to do so. Other accolades include being named Coast Conference coach of the year during his time with De Anza College and winning the National Master’s Championship.

Basketball Young basketball enthusiasts will have the opportunity to solidify their fundamental skills at Harker’s summer basketball camp. Designed to prepare students for team competition, the camp will have students focus on important skills such as ball handling, shooting, rebounding and fundamentals on both offense and defense. Camp sessions include shooting and stretching daily. Then, students will rotate between stations that focus on different fundamental aspects of the game. The camp also will feature daily five-on-five games and fun activities to liven the atmosphere. Directing this year’s camp is Harker varsity basketball coach Mark Collins, who spent 10 years in Denmark as a professional player, being named an All-Star player five times. He also directed the Golden State Warriors training camp for six years.

Soccer Harker’s elite soccer camp is back and registration is live! This coed camp for students in grades 4-12 is ideal for players of all abilities, whether new to the game, looking to try out for a team or preparing for upcoming competition. Instruction at the camp will teach and bolster fundamental skills and also help to build students’ skills through psychomotor training, tactical development and a variety of team games. Students who enroll in the soccer camp will be placed in groups appropriate to their skill levels to ensure

that their abilities are properly matched and challenged by other players. They will be grouped according to age, current skill level and gender (in that order). Each day, a different age-appropriate skill will be emphasized and incorporated into team play. Enrollees can also look forward to special visits by professional players and other notable guests each week, as well as a fun all-camp gathering with students and staff.

Photo by Samantha Hoffman ‘13

Skills taught during the camp include shooting, passing, eggbeater kicking and other essentials of the sport. Campers also will play scrimmages to employ the skills they’ve learned.

Photo by Samantha Hoffman ‘13

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

techniques, water and dry land conditioning and more. Those who are interested in signing up for this camp must be able to swim 25 yards.

Returning to direct this year’s soccer camp is Harker varsity soccer coach Shaun Tsakiris, who played in four straight NCAA tournaments, winning a national championship in 1997 and receiving an MVP award from University of California, Los Angeles, in 2000. Tsakiris spent four years as a professional player in the United Soccer Leagues, playing for the Rochester Rhinos from 2002-06. Joining Tsakiris will be a team of experienced coaches who will work directly with attendees of the camp.

Volleyball Harker’s summer coed volleyball camp will provide a fun learning environment for volleyball players in grades 4-9. Designed for players of all levels, the camp will help students build their skills through drills, exercises and team games. Skills emphasized include passing, setting and hitting, blocking and serving, as well as offensive and defensive strategy. Students will be evaluated both individually and as teams. The camp will feature special visits by college coaches and players. The morning routine will start with warmup exercises followed by ball control drills. Students will then work on individual player skills, followed by team skills such as working in formations and transitioning. The day will conclude with students forming teams and playing games to put the skills they have learned to use. The camp will be directed by Harker volleyball coaches Dan Molin and Theresa “Smitty” Smith. Molin, Harker’s upper

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“One of the ne some of the w things about camp th is year is we best coaches ha in of the year a nd one has b [the Central Coast Sect ve more coaches to help een named M io . ercury News n]. Two of them have be I went out and got e co n CCS honor a ch of the year.” school athle coaches - Karriem St tic director, inso h

Photo by Ky

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n, Camp Dir as more than experience ector 20 years of coaching vo lleyball at a F o levels in Cal o tb a va ll ri et y of ifornia and Hawaii. Duri Harker’s yo as a player, ng his year uth football he was nam s fo camp is an ed on r gridiron en e by Volleybal of ideal oppor th e “F ab 50” thusiasts in l Magazine tunity grades 6-8 an ov d is er the American all ability an recognized to improve by d prepare fo Volleyball C r competitio coming sch oaches Assoc as a 200-w n in the ool year. Th iation in coach. Sm e camp is g it in h te , a rm ea 22-year Harker vete ed re ia d te to ward to advanced p ran, was a layers, so ca member of expected to Amateur Oly m th p h e er av U.S. s are e at least on mpic volleyb e year of ex full-contact all team in and in 1992 perience in football. 1990 was honored for her year St. Francis H s at igh School b Each day of y being ind the weeklon into the sch ucted g camp beg ool’s hall of dynamic war ins with a fa m-up and st me. In 2007 she was nam retch sessio , ed b y C ro C ta S th ro ti vo n, followed on e lla lle ye th va yb ar a rough statio all coach of by the San Kyle C ns emphasiz Jose Mercury Photo by and agility ing speed News. drills specia lized for foot TRX will then m ball. Camper ove on to d s rills for spec The Harker Linemen w ific position TRX trainin ill run throu s. g g camp will re h live inside second year players at sk turn for its drills and , offering st ill positions udents a co will run seve workout wit d ri lls mprehensive . Campers w n-on-seven h the TRX su ill then split spension tr Developed on-11 game. into teams fo aining system by former N r an 11. avy S EAL R the TRX syst andy Hetrick em allows , Students w users to fin level of chal ill have the e-tune the lenge by ad option of re fu ju ll day or a h sting their p gistering fo resistance se alf day, and osition and ra ttings. can enjoy lu extra fee. A nch for an camp practic e jersey will “It is a good all students be given to camp for th who registe ose who w r for the cam from the trad ar e encouraged ant a chang p . Players itional weig to bring thei e ht room,” sa director Stin r own helm shoulder pad id camp ets and son, who is s and must p a certified T rovide some and will co equipment. RX instructor other ach the pro gram. “We work muscle have fun an s that you n d The footbal ever knew l camp is le existed.” d by Harker Offered to co ach Ron Forb head footbal students in es, a 15-yea l grades 6-1 r collegiate w ill help b 1 ve 2, the cam te ra n . Division uild a solid H is ca p re er in co cludes succ re, develop endurance the Universi essful stints muscular and boost ty of Florida at their athleti and Stanford w ill focus o co ac hing more th c abilities. University, n learning “W an e 6 0 g ood positio future N FL d bodies and on hand will n w ith our raftees. Also work our co be certified res,” Stinso sports medic w ill provide wat n said . al staff, who er and Gator ade to keep healthy and campers hydrated.

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by Steve M. Boyle ‘06

EagleReport

hat an amazing winter it was for Harker sports! While the East Coast was blanketed in snow, the sun shone bright on California – and nowhere did it shine brighter than on Harker’s athletes, who pushed further and, for some, achieved more than they ever had before. That’s right, while California faced a drought, Harker’s athletes ended two droughts of their own, with one team winning a league championship for the first time in school history and another becoming the first the boys team of any sport to qualify for the section finals. After a fall that saw Harker athletes take home a CCS Division IV cross country league championship, WBAL cross country championship and a WBAL women’s golf championship, Harker’s teams kept rolling all through the winter, making this a year to remember for Harker athletics. Let’s get to it!

SOCCER This was one of the greatest girls soccer seasons in Harker’s history, as the team won the most victories ever for a Harker girls soccer team en route to a 12-3-1 overall record and a league championship. The season ended when the team lost a heartbreaker to King’s Academy in the last 30 seconds of the game. A King’s Academy goal gave Harker’s rivals a 2-1 win and catapulted them into the CCS tournament, stunning Harker.

The girls, meanwhile, averaged a jaw-dropping 4.75 goals per game, which befits a league champion. More than a third of those goals – a staggering figure – were scored by Joelle Anderson, who scored 27. Kailee Gifford scored 18. Anderson also had 19 assists, giving her an average – an

Harker students are not just talented athletes, they are also incredible people, whose sportsmanship and character unite the community. With their season over, the girls had one last great act left in them. The squad changed the start time of its year-end banquet to be able to travel to watch the varsity boys basketball team in its CCS tournament game. The gesture was just the latest reminder of the great work Harker’s athletes do both on and off the field. Meanwhile, the boys finished the year with a tremendous 11-6-2 record. Despite winning nearly two-thirds of their games, the boys missed the CCS tournament. Sophomore Omar Hamade led the team for the year with 15 goals, and sophomore Oisin Coveney cracked double digits as well with 10. Jeremiah Anderson, grade 11, led the team with 10 assists, while Hamade and Kevin Moss, grade 12, had 8 and 7, respectively. That means that Hamade led the team for the year with 38 points, finishing with an average of more than two points per game, while Coveney and Anderson each averaged more than a point per game. Overall, the team averaged about 2.7 goals per game. Photo by Stefan Armijo

Photo by Robert Boucher, parent

Photo by Stefan Armijo

Harker’s achievements in the WBAL were well-recognized this year. Out of four All-League team awards, Harker received three. Freshman Joelle Anderson won forward of the year, junior Gabi Gupta won defender of the year and senior Alicia Clark was recognized as goalkeeper of the year. Harker also saw five athletes make First Team All-League and another make Second Team All-League, with two honorable mentions. On First Team All-League was senior Julia Fink, juniors Safia Khouja and Nikita Parulkar, and freshmen Kailee Gifford and Lyndsey Mitchell. On Second Team All-League was junior Alyssa Amick, while sophomore Sadhika Malladi and freshman Anuva Mittal were each awarded honorable mentions.

average! – of 4.6 points per game, while Gifford had 11 assists and an average of 3.1 points per game. Nikita Parulkar averaged 1.3 points per game.

With their season over, the girls had one last great act left in them. The squad changed the start time of their year-end banquet to be able to travel to watch the varsity boys basketball team in their CCS tournament game.

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EagleReport BASKETBALL This winter the boys, led by coach Butch Keller, made their first-ever appearance in the section finals. This was the first time any Harker boys team has qualified for the section finals in any sport! Here’s how they got there: After going 15-9 in league play in the regular season, the boys earned a first-round bye in the 2014 CCS Boys Basketball Division IV Championship. In the second round, the boys met Carmel at Harker and outplayed them for a 46-40 victory. Next, they packed up and headed down the winding, sylvan road to Santa Cruz to defeat Soquel 46-40 in a quarterfinal matchup at Kaiser Arena. That win catapulted them into the semifinals, where they returned to the Bay to face off against Seaside at Menlo School. There, the boys walked away with a sound victory, trumping Seaside 7161. That set up a finals game between Harker and Sacred Heart Prep. The event united the Harker community, and a generous donor stepped up to sponsor the admission fee for all students, faculty and faculty spouses. Fans poured in to watch Harker compete to bring home the title, but the Eagles dropped a heartbreaker, 48-37.

Earlier in the year, for only the third time in 10 years, the boys varsity basketball team defeated rival Sacred Heart on the road. The

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Photo by Stef

an Armijo

The boys went on to compete for the first time in the Northern California Playoffs in a singleelimination tournament at St. Patrick/St. Vincent of Vallejo, where they finished their season with a 60-42 loss.

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Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

boys’ dramatic upset earned a full report in the San Jose Mercury News, where they were written up as exciting spoilers to Sacred Heart’s title hopes. Huck Vaughan, grade 12, was commended for his “huge game,” and Coach Keller was quoted. The girls, meanwhile, went all the way to the third round of the CCS tournament, losing a heartbreaker by three points to MercyBurlingame. After the regular season ended, the girls met Oceana at Harker for a firstround matchup for the right to continue on in the tournament. The girls crushed Oceana 58-49, sending them to Archbishop Riordan for a second-round matchup against Immaculate Conception Academy. They walked away again with a large victory, trouncing Immaculate Conception 52-44. From there, it was on to the third round, where the girls lost 3027 to Mercy Burlingame

at College of San Mateo. Nithya Vemireddy, grade 12, led the girls with 12.4 points per game and 323 total points. Jordan Thompson, grade 9, was second in both categories with an even 11.0 points per game and 287 points on the year, and Regina Chen, grade 12, finished third with 7.6 points per game and 182 total points. Chen also led the team with 4.8 assists per game. For the boys, Wei Wei Buchsteiner, grade 12, led the team with 270 total points, giving him an even 10 per game, while Eric Holt, grade 11, who was limited to just 18 games this season, led the team with 12.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, meaning that he nearly averaged a doubledouble per game.

WRESTLING It was another great year for Harker wrestling. Davis Howard became only the third freshman in Harker’s history to qualify for the CCS tournament, after he and senior Darian Edvalson each competed in the league championships and finished sixth in their respective weight classes, earning them places in the tournament. Danny Reidenbach, grade 9, placed fourth in the junior varsity championships.

EagleReport Lower and Middle School Sports The late winter sports season is coming to an end. Congratulations to all the boys soccer, girls basketball and wrestling teams for a great season!

finished 1-8, ninth place in the WBAL. Team awards went to Haley Arena (MVP), Annabelle Ju (Eagle), and Cassandra Ruedy (Coaches), all grade 6. Junior Varsity B girls basketball, coached by Coli Simmons and Jon Cvitanich, finished 9-1 overall, 7-1 in league, co-champs of the WBAL and champions of the WBAL tournament! Team awards went to Courtni Thompson (MVP), Maria Vazhaeparambil (Eagle), and Anna Vazhaeparambil (Coaches), all grade 5.

went to Andrew Cheplyansky (MVP), Asmit Kumar (Eagle), and Karthik Nukala (Coaches), all grade 6. Junior Varsity B boys soccer, coached by Jared Ramsey and Walid Fahmy, is currently 4-1, and should finish as co-champs of the WBAL! Team awards went to Ryan Tobin (MVP), Arjun Virmani (Eagle) and Srinath Somasundaram (Coaches), all grade 5.

Junior Varsity C girls basketball, coached by Michelle Hopkins, finished 2-3, fifth place in the WBAL. Team awards went to Brooklyn Cicero (MVP), Ashley Barth (Eagle) and Anishka Raina and Angela Jia (Coaches), all grade 4.

We had two league champions this season (grade 5 girls basketball and grade 5 boys soccer), a tournament champion (grade 5 girls basketball), and a near league championship, lost by just one point (grade 6-7 girls basketball). Read on for details! Varsity A girls basketball, coached by Allison Burzio and Chrissy Chang, finished 1-7, eighth place in the WBAL. Team awards went to Tiffany Shou (MVP), Selin Sayiner (Eagle), and Megan Huynh (Coaches), all grade 8.

Varsity B boys soccer, coached by Matt Arensberg and Joe Newman, is currently 2-2-1 in the WBAL. Team awards went to Edwin Su (MVP), Krish Kapadia (Eagle), and Alex Rule and Rahul Goyal (Coaches), all grade 7.

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Junior Varsity A girls basketball, coached by Gus Cordova and Therese Wunnenberg,

Varsity A boys soccer, coached by Brighid Wood, finished 4-2-2, third place in the WBAL. Team awards went to Nicolas Acero (MVP), Mason Menaker (Eagle), and Erik Tran (Coaches), all grade 8.

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Varsity B girls basketball, coached by Dan Pringle and C.J. Cali, finished 7-1, second in the WBAL. Team awards went to Jennifer Hayashi, grade 7 (MVP); Prameela Kottapalli, grade 7 (Eagle); and Alexandra Janssen, grade 7 and Charlotte Blanc, grade 6 (Coaches).

Intramural girls basketball is coached by Vanessa Rios, Miles Brown and Laura Wolfe. Team awards went to Advika Phadnis and Aditi Vinod (MVPs), Anvitha Tummala and Vidya Jeyendran (Eagle), and Arusha Patil and Suman Mohanty (Coaches), all grade 5.

Junior Varsity A boys soccer, coached by Cyrus Merrill and Sean Kamkar, is currently 0-6 in the WBAL. Team awards

Intramural boys soccer is coached by Jim McGovern and Scott Rudolph. Team awards went to Sasvath Ramachandran (Eagle), Dhruv Saoji and Aaditya Gulati (Coaches), all grade 4. Wrestling is coached by Karriem Stinson and Jason Mendel. Team awards went to Anthony Contreras (MVP), grade 8; Kobe Howard (Eagle), grade 7, and Arjun Kilaru (Coaches), grade 7. H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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Art Studio

Specialty Classes Provide Perfect Outlet for Preschoolers’ Natural Creative Talent

By Debbie Cohen

t’s art studio day, and the budding young artists filing into Harker Preschool’s beloved specialty class are eager to put their natural flair for all things creative to use. Taking spots on a comfy rug in the meeting area, they listen attentively as the art specialist, Alexandria Kerekez (aka Miss Alex), patiently explains the projects they will be working on. Before too long the spacious, sunny art studio bustles with activity, as the children move to various project stations while in the background soft piano music plays. This week in the studio they are exploring areas set up for printmaking, mixed media paintings, sponge stamping, ceramics, overhead projector drawings and creating tints using shades of yellow on the easel. “Does this look like a good guy or a bad guy?” inquires 4-year-old Brian Le, holding up a purple painting. Then, deciding for himself, he says “I know … it’s a superhero face!” During the art studio sessions, held at least twice a week, students like Le (who attends the preschool’s Feather Cottage classroom) can select which projects to work on. Over at the ceramics table, Le’s classmate Ameera Ramzan, also 4, is keeping happily busy making a “pinch pot.” Sounding very 22

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much like a teacher herself, she proudly explains that to create the pot you “first roll the ball … and then you pinch it!” According to Kerekez, preschoolers of all ages are invited into the studio to paint, work with clay, hone their pencil skills, and gain a greater ability to observe the world around them while working in a variety of media. Meanwhile, the school’s outdoor art area further allows for creative expression, where everyday things such as the sun, water and leaves can become part of a project. Kerekez’s art classes always begin with an introduction to the day’s project and end with a fun, song-filled cleanup time followed by a reflective period where the children look back at what they have created and accomplished during their visit. Sometimes the youngsters exit the art class by cheerfully parading around the room doing a routine they now have down pat called “the studio stomp.”

“Alexandria is effervescent when discussing her work with the children. She recently put up a wonderful exhibit in our gallery as well,” says Andrea Hart, director of Harker Preschool. The exhibit, called “The Faces of Harker Preschool,” was a self-portrait show on display in January and February. Included in the exhibit were offerings from all of the preschool’s children – from the Pebble, Clover, Acorn and Feather cottages to the transitional kindergarten (TK) crew. “I invited each and every child to join me for a one-on-one exploration of their own unique facial features,” recalls Kerekez, noting that even some faculty and staff got in on the action by doing self-portraits for the show. “Preschool-aged learners have captured my curiosity and heart, for they often share many of my philosophies on how to live life artfully, inquisitively, and with all of one’s senses,” adds Kerekez. The art studio is one of several specialty classes offered at Harker Preschool. The others are the STEM lab (which was covered in the fall issue of Harker Quarterly) and music and movement. All of the specialty classes are broken up by ages, and are rich with activity centers and

A former lead preschool teacher for the San Jose State University Associated Students Child Development Center, Kerekez was named a plein air artist for the Art Box Project, commissioned to design and paint utility boxes as part of a local anti-graffiti initiative. She was awarded the 2012 Frances Guillard Award for Excellence in Music and the Arts and is co-creator of a musical, visual and creative arts program in the greater Bay Area.

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Photo by Alexan

dria Kerekez

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

– Pablo Picasso (quote on display in the preschool art studio)

All photos provided by Alexandria Kerekez & Lynda Sutton

educational materials in each particular subject area, offering a balance between child-directed exploratory learning and teacherdirected activities. Look for further articles on specialty classes at Harker Preschool in future issues of Harker Quarterly.

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Gala a smashing success our first night on the town By Catherine Snider

asino chips clicking, hopeful bidders on the edges of their seats during the live auction, the clink of silverware, laughter and conversation – these

were the sights and sounds of Night on the Town, Harker’s

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The Marriott’s ballroom and two large lobby areas provided lots of room for the elegantly attired guests to socialize and meet up with friends. A silent auction, which opened for bidding a few days before the gala, offered vacation getaways, homecoming and graduation packages, the chance to shadow business professionals, and video software. Lucky live auction winners will enjoy a Hawaiian vacation, a visit to the San Francisco 49ers Winter Fest and – for the night’s highest winning bid of $15,000 – a trip to Los Angeles for the “American Idol” finale, to name just a few.

11th annual gala, held this year at the San Jose Marriott.

Out in the lobby, Harker students sold raffle tickets to patrons, who then dropped those tickets in boxes promising everything from beauty products to picnic baskets filled with goodies. Also in the lobby were several casino tables and refreshment stations, allowing guests to mix and mingle with friends and try their hands at some Vegas-style games.

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Harker Board of Trustees member Christine Davis, who was one of three chairs for the inaugural fashion show gala 11 years ago, attended Night on the Town and said, “I congratulate Harker on the outstanding event on Friday.”

Over dinner, Chris Nikoloff, head of school, and event chair Tina Najibi (Mary, grade 10) welcomed the crowd and introduced the show portion of the evening, which was a montage of video and live performances that showcased the school’s talented students, faculty and parents, and helped the audience understand the purpose of the evening: to raise funds for the construction of a theater and gym complex on the upper school campus, as well funds for financial aid.

After the show and dinner, some guests returned to the casino games in the lobby while others hopped up on stage and danced the night away to tunes spun by a DJ. Harker Board of Trustees member Christine Davis, who was one of three chairs for the inaugural fashion show gala 11 years ago, attended Night on the Town and said, “I congratulate Harker on the outstanding event on Friday.” The event was produced by the advancement office, and the show was directed by Laura Lang-Ree, chair of Harker’s K-12 performing arts department, with production management by Larsen and set design by Paul Vallerga. 26

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A particularly charming set of dances were the mother/son and father/ daughter numbers, performed by both faculty and non-faculty parents and their kids, to “Good Times” by Chic and “My Girl” by The Temptations, respectively.

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Dance Fusion, Downbeat and Varsity Dance Troupe performed show-stopping numbers, and middle school teachers Mark Gelineau and Keith Hirota, with their many backup dancers, wowed the crowd with a terrific Blues Brothers imitation and lip sync. A faculty/student rock band showed off the versatility of many: Brian Larsen (K-12 production manager) channeled his inner Huey Lewis by fronting a band comprising guitarist Chris Florio (upper school music); keyboardist Evan Barth (dean of studies); trumpeter Dave Hart (middle school music); drummer Nikoloff; and student musicians and singers in a rousing version of “Hip to Be Square.”

We are very grateful to our generous sponsors, whose support helped us put on this fabulous event. PLATINUM SPONSORS

Christine & John Davis/Michelle & John Keller The Gholami Family - Shahram S. Gholami, MD FACS Kangli Consulting Corp. The Liu Family Paramitas Foundation Pharmacyclics Nandini & Atiq Raza (Reveti Jewels, Inc.) Rector Motor Car Company Tanya & Gordon Ringold Cheryl L. Young, CPM, CFP, ChFC, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley

GOLD SPONSORS

Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Bakan Alice Chi, M.D. & John P. Siegel, M.D. Kim & Tracy Hailey Anonymous (2)

SILVER SPONSOR

Ajay Chopra & Shyamoli Banerjee

BRONZE SPONSORS

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Rudy M

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Blue Heron Design Group Benjamin Chung & Tandy Aye Paul & Kori Dagum Diamond Quality Printing Charles Huang & Lillian Qian Tony & Tai Iantosca The Koehler Family Fabio & Robin Marino Lesley Matheson & David Rossi Jaideep & Radhika Tandon David & Gabriela Wehner Anonymous

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Computer Science Program Expands By Debbie Cohen and Zach Jones Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

ven Democrats and Republicans agree on the crucial need for American students to become computer literate. To help meet that need, Harker, which already

promotes computer science (C.S.) education in all grades, has been systematically upgrading its C.S.

Photo by Lisa Diffenderfer

Students begin learning key concepts related to computer science as early as kindergarten. 28

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program at the middle school. A new required programming class for grade 7 and an advanced programming elective were added at the start of the school year. Harker also beefed up various elements of the C.S. program for the middle school’s entire student body (grades 6-8). The expanded C.S. program aims to provide students with a foundation to become well-rounded programmers in the future, according to Abigail Joseph, middle school computer science teacher. “Courses at each grade level provide students with not only foundational programming concepts, but also curriculum that develop students’ critical thinking, problem-solving and design abilities,” she said.

As with the upper school, understanding computer science on a conceptual level is important to the lower and middle school computer science programs.

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

“We are definitely seeing an upswing in interest in computer science,” reported Jennifer Gargano, assistant head of school for academic affairs. Since Eric Nelson became the chair of the upper school computer science department in 2010, that program has matured significantly, now offering a number of pathways to students interested in entering the field as a career. Nelson said his desire to create a comprehensive and effective C.S. program stretches back more than two decades, when he found himself unsatisfied with the level of competency he saw in many of his coworkers. “At that time I remember swearing if I was ever, ever in a position where I could teach students computer science, I would make sure I didn’t have people like this walking into my office,” he said. He began taking copious notes. When the time finally came for him to develop a curriculum, “I already had the framework, and so that’s what we ended up with.” Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

Upper school students fulfill their C.S. requirements in the Digital Worlds class, which covers basic concepts, how computers work and algorithmic thinking. Those who are

interested in furthering their C.S. education can take either an introductory or advanced programming class. Depending on their choice of class, students may then enter one of two Advanced Placement classes, one for introductory students and another for those who have completed advanced programming. Both AP classes lead into more advanced topics. The program is also designed to allow teachers freedom to move students into different areas of the program as necessary. “If a kid says they’re interested in computer science, the first thing I ask is, well what have you done?” Nelson said. If their experience is limited, they are directed to either of the starting programming classes. Those students who demonstrate a certain level of experience become eligible to take a challenge exam to determine whether they can skip the programming courses entirely. “It’s not an exam on Java or any other language,” Nelson said. Instead, it tests the student’s ability to think algorithmically and their understanding of key concepts. “How they approach a problem will tell us that.”

The expanded C.S. program aims to provide students with a foundation to become well-rounded programmers in the future.

Although the program has not yet reached K-3 in earnest, students do begin learning key concepts related to computer science, such as algorithmic thinking, problem solving and logical reasoning, as early as kindergarten. This year, kindergartners also will begin playing a board game that introduces some programming concepts. In the coming years, actual teaching of computer science will be slowly integrated into the lower grades.

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Computer Science

Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

Currently, grade 2 students are learning computer science concepts by working with robots that can be programmed by placing cards in a certain order. Next year, grade 3 students will use Pro-Bots that will be programmed manually to execute more complex instructions. Grade 4 students learn to program simple games, and grade 5 students go deeper into programming while also learning binary code and searching and sorting algorithms. “We do all of that with very little use of the technology,” said Lisa Diffenderfer, K-8 computer science chair. “We learn binary sort with a deck of playing cards. We learn some searching algorithms by playing ‘Battleship’-type games.”

“When part of a highquality academic program, computer science classes add an element that helps all students navigate our complex, technologically driven world. It also gives our graduates an edge over those who are not taught these increasingly essential skills.” - Dan Hudkins, K-12 Director of Instructional Technology 30

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As with the upper school, understanding computer science on a conceptual level is important to the lower and middle school computer science programs. “We really stress the underlying principles and fundamentals of programming and not one specific language,” said Diffenderfer. “We don’t want to teach one language because we don’t know what the language of the future is going to be. It used to be C++ and now it’s Java. Who knows what it’s going to be 10 years from now?”

Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

According to the National Science Foundation, just 40,000 college students are graduating with computer science degrees.

In fact, C.S. curriculum is so sorely lacking in many other schools that both President Barack Obama and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-VA, have united to support the recent launch of the “Hour of Code,” a massive publicity campaign to promote scholastic computer science education. Due to the global effort, more than 33,000 schools in 166 countries dedicated time to computer science education as part of Code.org’s initiative, which was timed to coincide with Computer Science Education Week in December. The Hour of Code was part of Code.org’s broader campaign to encourage computer science education in more classrooms. “The impact of the Hour of Code to change communities and propel computer science education to a new level of awareness globally is tremendous,” affirmed Joseph. The Bureau of Labor estimates that more than 140,000 computer science jobs are added to the American economy every year, making it one of the fastest-growing occupations. Yet, according to the National Science Foundation, just 40,000 college students are graduating with computer science degrees. “When part of a high-quality academic program, computer science classes add an element that helps all students navigate our complex, technologically driven world. It also gives our graduates an edge over those who are not taught these increasingly essential skills,” Dan Hudkins, Harker’s K-12 director of instructional technology, was quoted as saying in an article that originally appeared in the summer 2013 issue of Independent School Magazine, and also was printed in the summer 2013 Harker Quarterly. H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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PerfomingArts

by Zach Jones

Upper School Students Celebrate “Peace, Love, and Dance” Students took charge as both dancers and choreographers to celebrate “Peace, Love, and Dance” at the 2014 upper school dance production, directed by dance teachers Amalia De La Rosa and Karl Kuehn. The production was staged in three parts, with each word of the show’s title corresponding to a section of the show. “Peace” followed a thread from conflict to unity, with dancers performing to works such as the pensive “Heartbreak Warfare” by John Mayer, choreographed by De La Rosa, and the more energetic “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic, choreographed by Erika Olsen, grade 11. In “Love,” Kuehn’s choreography for “Coin-Operated Boy” by The Dresden Dolls featured an inventive use of props, as the titular boys emerged from boxes as though they were action figures come to life. Other visuals elements included Natti Pierce-Thomson’s

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lighting design, which heightened the mood and atmosphere of each performance, and the costumes by De La Rosa, Kuehn and the student choreographers. The final portion of the show, “Dance,” featured some of the most upbeat performances of the evening, with complex and spirited routines set to the likes of Groove Factory, Robyn and Photos by Kyle Cavallaro the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This stage of the production also featured the Technical director Paul Vallerga and lone solo performance of the show, as production manager Brian Larsen Angela Ma, grade 12, danced evocamade sure the show ran smoothly, tively against a black backdrop to Clint with the help of student crew memMansell’s “Lux Aeterna.” bers Sean Knudsen and Nicky SemenThe show closed on an exhilarating note, with the production’s entire cast gathering on stage for the final number, and the excitement moved into the crowd, punctuated with a cascade of confetti.

za, both grade 12; Alexander Thomas, Steven Wang and Harry Xu, all grade 11; and Justin Culpepper, grade 9.

PerfomingArts Grade 5 Brings Classic Cartoon to Life at “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” On Jan. 30-31, grade 5 students came together on one stage for “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” a tribute to the classic educational cartoon series. The show, directed by lower school performing arts teacher Kellie Binney-Smart, followed the young Tom Mizer (played by students Srinath Somasundaram, Levi Sutton, John Lynch and Chance Hewitt, who switched off during the show) amid preparations for his first day as a teacher. As he goes about his business, he notices his thoughts materializing in front of him. He turns on the TV to calm his nerves, and the lessons of “Schoolhouse Rock” leap from the screen to show him all the fascinating things he can teach.

The show featured many of “Schoolhouse Rock’s” most famous songs, including “A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing,” “Interplanet Janet” and “Just a Bill,” each with unique choreography and costuming. “The Great American Melting Pot,” for example, featured a student dressed as the Statue of Liberty, while “Interplanet Janet” had students dressed in gleaming robes representing the different planets.

stage managers, while Danny Higgins Dunn’s work as technical director kept the show running tip-top, with her technical theater students indispensable as the show’s crew and costume assistants.

Scenic artist Whitney Pintello’s creative set design transformed the entire Bucknall Theater stage into a massive TV set – complete with color bars – in which most of the action took place. Karoli Clever and Ken Boswell acted as the show’s Photos by Stefan Armijo

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PerfomingArts Winter Concert Brings Middle and Upper School Musicians Together In mid-January, San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater played host to the annual middle and upper school Winter Concert, which featured the talents of a wide selection of musicians from Harker’s various music programs. Middle and upper school music teacher David Hart directed all but two of the evening’s groups, leading performances by the Grade 6 Photos by Kyle Cavallaro Orchestra, Grade 7-8 Orchestra, Middle School Jazz Band and, now in its second year, The Harker School Lab Band. The grade 6 winds group kicked things off with the up-tempo “I’m

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Walkin’” by Fats Domino, followed by Joe Zawinul’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.” The grade 6 strings group then performed three pieces, including a rendition of the “Spring” section of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” which included solos by Jun Lin, Ahn My Tran and Gabriel Chai. Winds and strings then joined forces to perform Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” and the iconic “Star Wars” theme by John Williams. Soon after, the evening audience was treated to a special appearance by the middle school chamber group, which performed a haunting version of the traditional favorite “Scarborough Fair.” The show then shifted gears to feature the Middle School Jazz Band, which performed selections by Horace Silver, Billy Strayhorn, Oliver Nelson and Joe Henderson before the Grade 7-8 Orchestra performed pieces by Johannes Brahms and Russian composer Nikolai RimskyKorsakov, finishing their set with the theme from the film “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

The Harker School Lab Band was the last of the groups directed by Hart. Their set included Thelonius Monk’s “I Mean You” and “Manteca” by the great Dizzy Gillespie. Upper school music teacher Chris Florio took over to direct The Harker School Jazz Band, leading them through four songs, including Dan Gailey’s “The Cheese That Time Forgot” and the swing classic “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” by Count Basie. Capping off the night was The Harker School Orchestra, also directed by Florio. It began with Franz von Suppé’s “Poet and Peasant Overture” before moving on to a grand performance of the suite from Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.” Helen Wu, grade 11, then took the stage for a stirring solo performance of excerpts from “Fiddler on the Roof.” Concluding the show was an exciting rendition of Stravinsky’s “Scherzo a la Russe.”

PerfomingArts Students Learn Challenges and Rewards of Directing Three Harker seniors made their directorial debuts at this year’s Student Directed Showcase in January. The show features three one-act plays directed by Harker students, the culmination of years of hard work in Harker’s Conservatory and one very intensive yearlong class, offered by Laura Lang-Ree to seniors through an application process. The plays featured in this year’s production were “Beyond Therapy,” directed by Ian Richardson, “The Case of Alex Hansen,” directed by Namrata Vakkalagadda, and “The Wonderful World of Dissocia,” directed by Shenel Ekici. “Being a SDS director was really a goal I had for myself around freshmansophomore year,” said Richardson. “The idea of directing a show using the talents of your fellow classmates really drew me to the program. Also, just being in control of your own show, having your own interpretation, blocking, lights, sound and stage for your choice of play was just too good to pass up.”

The directors of each play are heavily involved in every step of the process from the planning to the premiere. All of the elements necessary for the play to be a success, from auditioning and choosing the cast to managing props and costuming, fall under the director’s purview. One lesson Vakkalagadda learned was that unexpected circumstances are part of the process. “No matter how much planning is done, I always had to be open to sudden changes and twists and turns, but by doing so, I was also able to take in so many new and exciting ideas I may not have had the chance to experience if I was solely set on my initial plan,” she said.

of ours rather than just mine.” Despite the frequent challenges and months of hard work, the students found the experience useful and fulfilling. “I really learned that you stick to what you love, no matter the hardships,” said Richardson. “Especially when directing a show, it’s all up to you and what you make of it.”

She also learned that often it is better for directors to trust the people they’ve chosen. “Being in charge does not necessarily mean controlling every aspect,” she said. “In reality, by letting my cast come to the conclusions I had come to on my own and wanted them to finally come to, we were able to grow together and make the show all

Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

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GlobalEducation by Debbie Cohen

Gerry-louise Robinson, Harker’s lower school art teacher. “All the students warmed quickly to Maruko’s wonderful smile and gentle approach. Both grades 2 and 3 embraced this project with enthusiasm and determination!”

Visiting Japanese Exchange Teacher Observes Classes, Creates Art Projects with Students Maruko Ishigami, a visiting exchange teacher from Tamagawa Academy K-12 School & University – Harker’s sister school in Tokyo, Japan – was touched by the warm welcome she received from students and faculty during her visit to Harker Jan. 7-18. “This has been a very good experience. I am impressed by the children’s artwork here,” said Ishigami, who teaches art at Tamagawa’s elementary school and spent time observing classes at Harker’s lower, middle and upper school campuses. She also helped teach art classes for grades 2-5, showing the second and third graders how to make traditional Japanese wood coasters and instructing the fourth and fifth graders in various painting techniques used in her country. Grade 2 students Emi Fujimura, Shayla He and Shareen Chahal agreed that the best thing about making a wood coaster with Ishigami was “building it” from scratch, noting that the process reminded them of putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Classmate Vivek Nayyar said he especially enjoyed having a “visiting teacher” come to the classroom.

Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

“It has been a truly fantastic experience having Maruko here,” agreed

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Ishigami also observed ceramics classes at the middle school and sat in on graphic arts, stone carving, drawing, photography and other art courses at the upper school. Because her English is not fluent, Ishigami was aided by several Japanesespeaking faculty members who offered to be interpreters, joining her for meals and serving as friendly faces around campus. From the moment her plane touched down at the San Francisco International Airport, Ishigami was kept engaged and busy. In addition to spending time observing and teaching classes at Harker, highlights of her visit included lunch with the administration, a visit to the San Jose Museum of Art, and sightseeing expeditions to Monterey Bay and San Francisco. “I’ve really enjoyed showing Maruko around. She is very interested in everything that we do at Harker and is eager to learn all she can about our school and students. As an art teacher, she enjoyed viewing all the types of artwork our students are doing. It’s been fun seeing the students enjoying showing her their work,” noted Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education. Tamagawa, a K-12 school and university, was founded in 1929 as an elementary education organization. Secondary education divisions were

added later, and in 1947 Tamagawa University received approval for establishment as an “old system” (pre-war) university. As a comprehensive institution (gakuen), they currently provide education from kindergarten to graduate school on a single campus.

Clean Tech Club and Student from WFLMS Unite to Promote Environmental Awareness The global water and pollution crisis was the subject of an informative talk jointly hosted by the upper school’s Clean Tech Club and Venezia Wee, a visiting student from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS), Harker’s sister school in Shanghai, China. Held at the end of January during a long lunch in the Nichols Hall auditorium, the collaborative effort promoted the use of clean technology and importance of water conservation. Steven Wang, a grade 11 student and president of the Clean Tech Club, opened the seminar, which attracted nearly two dozen students. He introduced Wee, noting that the WFLMS junior was using her winter break to go on a self-funded, self-organized worldwide tour to bring attention to the global water crisis. “I’m super excited the two of us connected,” said Wang, adding that Wee contacted him about doing the talk together. Each year the Clean Tech Club chooses a new theme; this year’s theme was “A Solution to Pollution,” Wang explained. During his address, he noted that air pollution was the basis for global warming and stressed that there is an urgent need to develop new technologies to combat air pollution.

GlobalEducation “I’m honored to be joining hands with the Clean Tech Club,” said Wee from the podium. She discussed her work as founder of the Global Water Crisis Awareness (GWA) international movement, of which Harker is now an ambassador.

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“In the past I used water like it was nobody’s business. Why? Because I took it for granted,” said Wee, who later learned about the lack of safe drinking water worldwide, including the a lro d shocking statistic that a child rW ife n dies every 21 seconds from Jen y a water-related illness. That, and other findings, prompted her to take on the global water crisis as her “personal project.” She kicked off her talk by showing a powerful video about the international water shortage, citing it as particularly relevant to Harker students currently impacted by California’s drought, which has been declared a statewide emergency.

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

“We are going to run out of water before we run out of oil,” said Wee, who ended her talk by offering practical water conservation tips. Back at WFLMS, Wee launched a five-day GWA exhibition about her movement, which works to both increase awareness and raise money to help impoverished schools in Africa, Latin America and Asia improve their water hygiene. She said she used her own scholarship money to help finance her recent speaking tours at schools and other locations throughout Asia, the United States and Europe. “I was thrilled that this took place!” enthused Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education, who has encouraged such global student-tostudent collaborations.

Visiting WFLMS Students Meet Harker Buddies, Become Immersed in American Culture Learning how to make Native American dream catchers was one of many exciting activities students from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS) in Shanghai, China, enjoyed during their visit to Harker in mid-January. While patiently working on her dream catcher, WFLMS student Liza Xiao looked up for a moment to exclaim, “I’m having an awesome time visiting Harker! And my buddy is really sweet. The teachers are all kind and the classes are fun.” Xiao was one of 18 students visiting from Harker’s sister school in China. The students learned all about the dream catchers (a generations-old part of Native American culture) before making their own to take home as cherished souvenirs. The traditional dream catcher was intended to protect sleeping individuals from negative dreams, while letting positive ones through. This year, there was an emphasis on deepening the Chinese students’ understanding of Native American culture, according to Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education. Harker’s unique partnership with the school in the People’s Republic of China began in 2003 and is the first of its kind. The visiting students were accompanied by several chaperones (all teachers at WFLMS). They were welcomed to Harker and introduced at a morning meeting at the middle school

before embarking on a tour of Stanford, including a visit to university’s museum to see the Native American collection. Harker’s middle school students and their WFLMS buddies had been corresponding since the fall. Come spring, a contingent of Harker students will head to China as part of the reciprocal exchange program, which is an annual highlight of the middle school experience for many grade 7 and 8 students. “This year, the students participated in a wide range of activities where they had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of American culture and the surrounding area. They learned all about football and tailgating, watched American movies, created their own lunch of ‘California cuisine,’ and participated in a walking tour of San Jose,” reported Walrod. While here, the exchange students observed and attended several middle school classes, including history, art, drama and dance. They also enjoyed a scavenger hunt on the middle school campus and a field trip to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The WFLMS students’ visit ended with a fun farewell party – and a promise to see their buddies again in the spring!

Video Conferencing and Online Forums Keep Global Ed Students Connected Between Visits The Harker School is known for its unique student and teacher exchange programs with educational institutions around the world. But Harker’s rich global education doesn’t stop in between such visits. Throughout the school year, middle school students keep connected virtually with their foreign pals via interactive video conferences and online forums. In grade 6, video conferences between students and their same-age buddies H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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from Harker’s sister school in Tokyo, Tamagawa Academy K-12 & University, help build excitement for future visits. And in grades 7 and 8, two separate online forums fuel dynamic conversations between Harker students and their peers in both Kazakhstan and China. Here’s a look at how Harker keeps globally connected through video conferencing in grade 6 and online forums in the older middle school grades. Grade 6 Video Conferences In mid-December, grade 6 students enjoyed connecting with their buddies from Tamagawa Academy during a series of interactive, game show-style video conferences, held on the middle school campus. “After emailing each other this past semester in their computer science classes, students came face-to-face with their email buddies in a ‘Family Feud’-style game show!” reported Jennifer Walrod, director of Harker’s global education program. “Questions (ranging from discovering favorite desserts to best after-school activities) were generated by students with a focus on interests of middle school students,” said Walrod, explaining that half of the grade 6 students participated in the conferences, with the remaining half slated for next semester. “Designing an educational yet fun game was a very interesting task. I also had fun at the video conference talking to the Tamagawa students and playing ‘Family Feud,’” said student Sejal Krishnan.

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The video conferences set the stage for the grade 6 trip to Japan in the spring. Grade 7 Online Poetry Forum Last year grade 7 students in Mark Gelineau’s English class launched an online poetry forum with a school in Kazakhstan. Using the forum, Harker seventh graders connected with peers from the Nazarbayev Intellectual School (NIS) to discuss selected poetic works. Gelineau created the forum in conjunction with Lauren Gutstein ’06, who works at the NIS school in Astana, one of seven state-funded selective schools for middle and high school age students spread throughout major cities in Kazakhstan. Through their online postings, students from both Harker and NIS share insights and observations about posted poems. Using the forum, more than 100 students recently read and discussed American and Kazakh poems about winter. Grade 8 Online World Issues Forum Where we live and how it affects our perspective on global issues was the topic of a recent grade 8 World Issues Forum with the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS) in Shanghai. Other topics covered have included personal choices and the global ecosystem; global perspectives; issues preventing access to the global community; and leadership in today’s society. “This is not new as we’ve been doing it for numerous years. However, it has really strengthened over the past couple years and the forum now gets hundreds of posts throughout the semester,” Walrod said.

Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

GlobalEducation In fact, the middle school’s annual trip to China was originally based around the grade 8 computer science class’ global issues forum. Last year the trip also incorporated the grade 7 historical component of learning about ancient China. Including seventh graders on the China trip was such a success that it will be repeated again this year. “I really enjoyed participating in the forum with the students from WFLMS. By talking to them, I learned totally different perspectives on some things that I had never even heard before. I also learned a lot about the cultures of China. Now, I have left the class with a greater knowledge of the world than I had before,” said student Megan Huynh. “It is indeed exciting and interesting to communicate with people from the other side of the world and the discussions are supposed to be diverse and offering an insight on both sides’ point of view,” agreed fellow student Nastya Grebin. “Adding the online forum discussions to my computer science curriculum has provided a great opportunity for students to combine their technical knowledge to global issues related to the world they live in. The students’ forum discussions have been compulsory to their studies of systems that are the basis for their computer science final project applications,” noted Abigail Joseph, middle school computer science instructor.

By Zach Jones

Freed Presents at Google Apps for Education Summit

In early January, upper school chemistry and astronomy teacher Rachel Freed presented at the Google Apps for Education Summit in Napa Valley. Hosted by the Ed Tech Team, a self-described “global network of education technologists,” the summit brought together a wide variety of education experts to share how they use technology in the classroom. Freed’s presentation demonstrated how she uses a Web-based tool called LiveBinders to organize the teaching materials she uses in the classroom, including Google docs and online resources. Students also use it to submit their work. In addition, Freed’s session covered the use of LiveBinders to create a project-based environment and how she teaches students to maintain and maximize their online learning experiences.

Berry Receives Outstanding Educator Award

In late December, Harker Quarterly received word that Jason Berry, the highly regarded English teacher who died suddenly in August 2013, had received an outstanding educator award from the University of Chicago in 2012. First-year Photo by Mark Tantrum University of Chicago students nominate candidates by submitting letters detailing how teachers have changed their lives by inspiring and challenging them to make the most of their educational experiences. The prestigious award has been given

Milestones for three decades. Berry was nominated by Rachelle Koch ’12, who wrote in her letter that Berry taught her the value of writing. “Before I met Mr. Berry, English was just another class. I read when I had to. I wrote when I had to. I analyzed (if it could be called that) when I had to,” she wrote. “Once Mr. Berry became my teacher, I began to recognize and appreciate the beauty of literature and writing.” More about Berry’s life and teachings can be found in the Milestones section of the fall 2013 issue of Harker Quarterly.

Russell Named Finalist in Video Contest

Heather Russell, lower school English teacher, was recently named a finalist in the Next Vista for Learning Super Thoughts video contest. Next Vista For Learning is an online library of useful videos produced by teachers and students. Russell’s video, made after her visit to Japan for this year’s teacher exchange with Tamagawa Academy (K-12) & University, briefly covers some of the things she learned about the similarities and differences between the cultures of Japanese and American students. For example, though Japanese students learn how to read and write English, gather for story time and use computers, they also exercise as a group every day, practice Japanese calligraphy and keep Legos in their desks. “I received a $50 gift certificate and am now going to help my students submit some videos they are making for the next contest,” Russell said.

Pistacchi Earns Esteemed Certification

Congratulations to upper school biology teacher Mike Pistacchi, who recently received National Board Certification in teaching young adolescents and young adult science. This advanced teaching credential is awarded to teachers who Photo by Kyle Cavallaro demonstrate their ability and dedication to advancing the learning goals of their students. National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are widely recognized for their ability to improve student learning and achievement. To receive this accreditation, Pistacchi spent nearly two years extensively documenting his teaching methods, which were then measured against the high standards of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. This process included closely examining student needs, recording videos of teaching sessions and submitting examples of student work that showed their growth in understanding the material and principles being taught in the classroom.

Gelineau Becomes Newly Published Fiction Author

Middle school English teacher Mark Gelineau recently made his debut as a fiction author in “High Adventure History,” a collection of historical fiction stories told with classic pulp aplomb. Gelineau’s story, “The Hanged Man: The 13 Coils,” takes readers to medieval Wales, weaving a thrilling tale of murder and revenge that fuses historical detail with supernatural fantasy. It is available in paperback and on mobile devices via Amazon.com.

Photo provided by Heather Russell

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Advancement Annual Giving Provides Critical Funding for Harker’s Margin of Excellence By Debbie Cohen There is not a single student on any of Harker’s four campuses who doesn’t benefit directly from the school’s annual giving campaign. These charitable contributions fund Harker’s Margin of Excellence – programs not completely covered by tuition and fees. “These are items such as athletics and clubs, performing arts, visual arts, technology, library, teacher training and day field trips,” explained Melinda Gonzales, Harker’s managing director of advancement. Annual campaign funds aid the entire Harker community, including students of all ages, as well as their families and teachers. Even everyday activities such as enjoying a class party or simply checking out a book from the library are made possible by the annual campaign. “The Margin of Excellence is what makes the Harker experience so exceptional,” said Gonzales. At the new Harker Preschool, for example, annual campaign funding will enable the purchase of a chicken coop and bunny hutch for the farm, as well as light tables, outdoor play kitchens, library stations, xylophones and color printers. At the lower, middle and upper schools, annual giving has funded many unique items during the past couple of years, including a tuba, trombone and harp for the upper school orchestra; a 3-D printer for STEM students; child-sized art tables for the lower school; equipment

for middle school biology and physical education classes; and professionalgrade DSLR cameras and lenses, GoPro video cameras and a drone for upper school journalism students. “This equipment is transforming our potential and capacities for telling our stories, as well as giving journalism students experience with and training on high-end photojournalism gear,” said Ellen Austin, upper school journalism teacher. Austin added that her students have started winning individual awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for the writing, videos and design work they’ve done using the new equipment bought with funds from the annual campaign. Meanwhile, Chrissy Chang, P.E. department chair for K-8, said, “Thanks to the monies from annual giving, we have been able to purchase new fitness equipment. Some of the items are kettle bells, body bars and battle ropes. Also, we have been able to restock balls and hockey equipment. This has allowed the P.E. staff to create new fun fitness lessons. We, the P.E. department, are very appreciative of all the funds received from annual giving.” At the lower school, art teacher Gerrylouise Robinson said that the new tables have been an amazing addition to the her classroom. “Having the tables has not only opened up the art room’s space but also changed the way that the students are able to work.”

May 9 is Grandparents’ Day! On this charming day, grandparents and grandfriends tour the lower school and participate in activities with the special children in their lives. Stay tuned for more information about this year’s event, which will be held May 9 and feature a fun circus theme. Photo by Kyle Cavallaro

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“We are expecting more than 450 visitors,” reported Teré Aceves, Harker’s director of preschool-5 volunteer programs and event fundraising.

As an independent private school, Harker does not receive funds from government, religious or other organizations and must cover all operations and capital improvements through tuition and fees, and charitable and capital contributions. Having a high percentage of participation is important, as it puts Harker in the best possible position to receive foundation and corporate grants. “We are grateful to our many families who have already participated in annual giving this year. Their contributions benefit every student and teacher here at Harker!” said Gonzales.

Harker Board Member and His Wife Honored for Local Fundraising Efforts

During its annual luncheon in November, the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Silicon Valley chapter recognized Harker Board of Trustees member Dr. Jeffery Lee and his wife, Susan Lew Lee, for their fundraising efforts and service to the local community. The Lees are parents of Jeffrey ’92 and Kathryn ’04. Lee is an Honorary Council member for Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI). He and his wife have worked tirelessly collecting much-needed toiletries and other daily necessities for abused women and children staying at AACI’s shelter. Michele Lew, AACI president and CEO, was quoted in her organization’s recent newsletter as saying, “I’m honored to know Jeff and Susan and thrilled that they were given this recognition. They are a model couple when it comes to giving back to the community.”

Advancement Planned Giving Enables Harker Families to Extend the School’s Legacy By Ellen DiBiase The Vashist Family

Rajesh and Rohini Vashist (Mallika, grade 6) embody both the philosophy and mission of Harker to develop not only lifelong learners but also well-rounded, caring citizens. “Like many parents, we want our child to do well and go to a top school. More than that, however, we want her to be a lovely and confident, good human being,” said the couple. Several years ago, when considering schools for their daughter, the Vashists noticed that many of their friends’ children attended Harker, and they found Harker students to be exceptional in both their intellectual curiosity and character. The Vashists appreciated that at Harker they would be surrounded by a mix of parents who are serious about education. Upon joining the Harker community, the

Margaret Peterson

As the founder of Harker’s visual arts program, Margaret Peterson introduced a variety of techniques and art forms to the school’s students over the course of 22 years, both as a teacher and a volunteer. Introducing art to the Harker community was a gradual process, as appropriate spaces had to be identified to house an art studio, display student pieces and store large equipment, such as a kiln. Through the years, student artwork gained prominent displays around campus in an effort to showcase the diverse talents of Harker students. “Display of our art at school and out in the community was important because it gave students pride in their work and because it would be a visible addition to Harker’s strong academic program,” said Peterson, who began teaching at Harker in 1982.

Vashists began to contribute their time and resources in a number of meaningful ways. Each year, they have supported the annual Harker Family & Alumni Picnic as well as the Harker Fashion Show (now called Night on the Town), and Rohini has volunteered in her daughter’s homeroom and with various performing arts programs. On top of their annual giving contribution, the Vashists also have made a very generous commitment via a planned gift of privately held stock to the school. In doing so, they became members of the Entrepreneurs’ Circle within The Nichols Family Planned Giving Society at Harker. “We want to do everything we can to support the quality of teachers, programs and classrooms in order to perpetuate the Harker experience for as many children as Peterson first taught art after school and to grades 6-8 and later added K-5 art classes. Her classes featured lessons in clay, block prints, sculpture and watercolor, and her students were known for using repurposed wire frames each year to build large papier-mâché models including a dinosaur and a Volkswagen car, which were then featured in Harker’s annual Halloween parade. Peterson retired from Harker in 2002 but continued to volunteer in the after-school program for two more years. Upon her retirement, she pledged to make a planned gift to Harker’s general endowment fund with the intention that, as the administration sees fit, the proceeds could be used toward scholarships and, in particular, scholarships to visual arts students who might not otherwise be able to attend or continue to attend Harker.

possible,” said Rohini, who especially values the great learning opportunities Harker students have beyond the classroom. Formerly in international hotel management with the Sheraton Group and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, she appreciates the trips and excursions that supplement the students’ education. Her husband, a fellow avid traveler, has spent the majority of his career in the semiconductor industry and since 2007 has served as the CEO of SiTime Corp., the fastestgrowing semiconductor company.

Photo by Pam Dickinson

Daughter Mallika currently participates in the Spirit Club, dance and basketball at Harker. “We see the phenomenal product of Harker, and we feel blessed and lucky to live close enough to be a part of this community,” said Rohini. Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement, commented, “We are deeply touched by Ms. Peterson’s bequest. The work that she has done in building the art department has been an important component in structuring Harker’s whole-mission philosophy.” In 2007, Peterson was awarded the Phyllis Carley Service Award by the Harker Alumni Association in recognition of the legacy she left within the Harker arts program. She remains active in the arts community and stays current in design by taking classes in programs such as Photoshop, InDesign, Print Shop and AppleWorks. Using her computer, she creates patterns to knit hats for babies and cancer patients at Kaiser. Moreover, she remains a strong example of the ideals of lifelong learning and global citizenship promoted within the Harker community.

Photo by Mark Tantrum

Harker’s Annual Golf Classic Date Changed to April 14 Save the date for the Harker Golf Classic, which will again be held at the beautiful Stanford University Golf Course. This year’s event will be on April 14. Various packages for single players, couples and foursomes are available. The day also will include some impressive

add-ons for avid golfers and wine enthusiasts, including a wine reception at the home of Scott and Susan McNealy. All proceeds will benefit the Harker Endowment Fund. H A R K E R Q U A R T E R LY

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GreaterGood Lower School Student Honored for Philanthropic Work at Children’s Hospital Bryan Zhang, grade 5, recently received a certificate from the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in recognition of his philanthropic efforts.

Four years ago, when the Los Altos resident was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, his nurses brought him a stuffed teddy bear, which he found Photo by Lucy Xiang, parent very comforting. Zhang began thinking about all the other sick children at the hospital and wondering whether they also received such gifts to help ease their hospital stays. He donated some of his own souvenirs, then, with his parents’ help, formed the World Toys for Children Foundation to support the hospital with donations that “educate, inspire imagination and comfort sick children.”

Lower and Middle School Raise $8,096 for Typhoon Victims

The week after Thanksgiving break, the lower school’s student council sponsored a hot chocolate sale to help raise money to aid relief efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Along with the the hot chocoPhoto by Kathy Richmond, parent

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By Debbie Cohen

late sales, there were some exceptional gifts made to the fund. “The fundraiser was a huge success. We were able to raise $726 from the hot chocolate sales. In addition, we had some special donations, which brought our grand total to $6,996,” reported Kristin Giammona, elementary division head. Proceeds from the sale were then combined with funds previously collected by the middle school for donation to Habitat for Humanity to help typhoon victims rebuild their homes and provide clean-up kits. The boost from the middle school drive brought the grand total up to $8,096.12 raised on behalf of the people of the Philippines.

Grade 5 Food Drive Helps 750 Families Celebrate Thanksgiving

This story was submitted by Harker parent Heather Wardenburg (Frederick, grade 5; Amy ‘13). Hundreds of families’ Thanksgiving feasts were made better by the generosity of the Harker community. The grade 5-sponsored food drive, under the leadership of longtime Harker math teacher Pat Walsh, collected 400 bags of food and $4,332.77 for the St. Justin’s Food Pantry. St. Justin’s Community Outreach Program serves about 2,900 people each month. Harker’s donations helped fill Thanksgiving baskets for 750 families. Walsh, who has been organizing the annual event for 30 years, was thrilled by the donations from the lower school community. “I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of the Harker Community,” he said. Many thanks to the grade 5 student council for promoting the event, the

Photo by Heather Russell

grade 5 teachers and administration for their support, grade 4-5 division head Kristin Giammona for her help and support, lower school dean Ken Allen for his help in loading, unloading and driving the truck, and the wonderful parent and student volunteers. Walsh’s enthusiasm and dedication to this program inspired all involved to make the Thanksgiving of these 750 families even better!

Senior Receives Community Service Spotlight Award for Volunteer Efforts

Senior Alicia Clark was awarded Harker’s Community Service Spotlight Award at a recent Monday morning school meeting. At the gathering, she received a $200 check from the Harker Upper School Community Service Program, which she in turn donated to

Photo provided by upper school journalism

GreaterGood the Ronald McDonald House in Palo Alto. The Community Service Spotlight Awards are sponsored by Harker’s outreach department and take place several times during the school year. They were created to celebrate and honor the outstanding community service completed by upper school students. In her acceptance speech at the meeting, Clark explained that she began doing community service in grade 7 when she joined the National Charity League, a mother/daughter organization that helps less fortunate community members. Since then she has completed more than 500 volunteer hours with more than 15 organizations. Clark went onto say that community service can be a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family while also helping others in need. “I can’t imagine my life without all of the organizations I have volunteered with

and I really encourage those of you who have not had the opportunity to get involved in the community to start now,” she concluded.

Junior Raises Money to Build Shelter for Family Living in Afghanistan

In the fall, Sidhart Krishnamurthi, grade 11, launched a fundraiser for The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, which raised more than $2,000 to help build a refugee shelter for a family living in Afghanistan.

He then explained that he set a fundraising goal of $2,000 – enough to build a shelter for a refugee family of six. With assistance from the foundation, he was able to make a plan to accomplish the mission through fundraising efforts at Harker. Krishnamurthi’s parents generously donated funds and he also raised money through a club called Interact, a youth rotary club. He assembled the goody bags with candy and bookmarks handmade by Afghan women in refugee camps in Pakistan (provided by the foundation). His book sales then attracted the attention of the administrators at Harker, facilitating a visit

Krishnamurthi said that he got the idea to do the fundraiser in April 2012 after reading the novel “The Kite Runner” by author Khaled Hosseini (Haris, grade 7; Farah, grade 5). “The plight of the people in Afghanistan as described in the novel really touched me, and I wanted to somehow support the cause of rebuilding futures for families torn by war, poverty and unimaginable living conditions,” wrote Krishnamurthi.

Photos by Deepa Iyengar, parent

from Hosseini to speak about his books and the foundation. “Through this experience, I have learned that my life is privileged compared to most people in the world. It really changed me by helping and supporting families facing dire living situations. It also made me realize that people are genuinely kind-natured and willing to help others in difficult situations,” Krishnamurthi said.

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GreaterGood Photos by Kyle Cavallaro

gram matches up grade 3 students with grade 10 students, who then meet periodically until the sophomores graduate and the third graders move on to the middle school.

Eagle Buddies Meet During Pajama Day Assembly By Zach Jones

The annual Pajama Day assembly on Jan. 17 was special for the Eagle Buddies of grades 3 and 10, who met at the lower school gym and shared some of their favorite books with one another. It was also a special day for Rishi Narain, grade 10, who started Harker’s pajama program while he was a student at the lower school. The program collects and distributes pajamas, books and other goods to underprivileged children all around the world.

As in previous years, faculty and staff were invited to pledge money for the number of goals the teams scored. There was even a silly half-time “butts-up” game in which students paid money to try and kick a ball at their favorite teacher’s backside. Game officials also donated their fees to the cause by officiating the games probono.

Upper School Students Get a Kick Out of Raising Money for Camp Okizu

Boys varsity defeated Pinewood 6-0 and girls varsity won in another 6-0 shutout over Summit Prep. To donate directly to Camp Okizu, visit www.okizu.org.

The fifth-annual Kicks Against Cancer boys and girls varsity soccer games raised more than $5,000 for children who attend Camp Okizu, a camp for cancer patients and their families.

Jump Rope for Heart Season Kicks Off in March

“Camp Okizu provides peer support, respite, mentoring and recreational programs to meet the needs of all members of families affected by childhood cancer. The amount raised this year will help send five children to camp this summer,” reported Dan Molin, upper school athletic director.

The beginning of March officially heralded Jump Rope for Heart season at the lower school. On March 7, K-5 students took to the blacktop in an annual effort to raise money for the American Heart Association.

This year’s fundraising efforts included a bake sale and T-shirt sale (the $12 T-shirts served as tickets to the games). The soccer teams also used long lunch periods leading up to the games as an opportunity to sell beanies, full-sleeve purple shirts, visors, bracelets and pens. Donations also

Photo by Stefan Armijo

The Eagle Buddies program was started during the 2010-11 school year as a means of establishing a bond between the students of the lower and upper schools. The pro-

were accepted during lunch periods.

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Students had been collecting donation pledges for some time, and spent the day on a variety of stations set up to celebrate their efforts. They had a field day jumping rope, high jumping onto soft mats, doing the limbo, leaping over makeshift hurdles, crawling through obstacle courses, shooting baskets and participating in other fun activities. Some teachers got in on the action, too, by helping to turn a rope, supervise the jumpers for a class period and jumping alongside them. Donations were still rolling in after the jumping activities ended. As of press time, $4,012 had been raised, with Rohan Gorti, grade 3, responsible for $1,610 raised in online donations.

AlumniNews Alumni Home for the Holidays

tudents from Harker’s Class of 2010 up through its most recent graduates returned to campus for Home for the Holidays. The informal, intimate gathering was held on the upper school campus on an afternoon in early January. The annual event is timed to welcome college-age alumni, who are back in town for their winter breaks, back to campus for a reunion with each another, faculty and staff. Participants at this year’s gathering, held in the festively decorated Nichols Hall atrium, enjoyed refreshments and catching up with one another. Sonia Sidhu ’13 said she enjoyed coming to the Home for the Holidays event and reuniting with her Harker community. “The people here are wonderful!” she said. MaryEllis Deacon, director of alumni relations, said alumni are always welcome back on campus, any time of the year. “They will always be a part of the Harker community,” noted Deacon.

All photos by Kyle Cavallaro

By Debbie Cohen

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AlumniNews Harker Alumni Make “30 Under 30” Lists of Rising Young Stars

By Debbie Cohen

Three Harker grads made Forbes magazine’s coveted “30 Under 30” lists, which showcase young movers and shakers working in various fields.

On the cover of its "30 Under 30" issue, it calls the individuals who made the lists "450 game-changers in 15 industries who are building tomorrow - today."

haring the spotlight with notable young celebrities such as snowboarder Shaun White, actress Olivia Wilde and activist Shiza Shahid are three talented Harker grads: Neil Mehta ’02, Surbhi Sarna ’03 and Ilya Sukhar ’03. The thirdannual issue was released Jan. 6. To compile the prestigious lists, Forbes consulted with experts in 15 industries to select the top 30 in each category, totaling some 450 individuals (all under 30 years of age) who are making things happen. The magazine started working on the project in the fall, by choosing the categories and assembling the panel of judges. A leading source for reliable business news and financial information, Forbes is well known for its listings and rankings. On the cover of its “30 Under 30" issue, it calls the individuals who made the lists “450 game-changers in 15 industries who are building tomorrow – today.”

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Here is a look at the three Harker alumni who made the “it” lists:

NEIL MEHTA ’02, Founder of Greenoaks Capital Neil Mehta ’02 is the managing director of Greenoaks Capital Management LLC, a global principal investment firm dealing in private equity, venture capital, real estate and public market opportunities.

Prior to that, 29-year-old Mehta was a senior investment professional at Orient Property Group Ltd., a Hong Kong-based real estate investment and development firm financed by D.E. Shaw, a premier $20 billion global hedge fund and investment firm based in New York.

“I owe a lot to my colleagues, friends and family.” -Neil Mehta ’02

Forbes listed Mehta in its finance category, crediting him with managing some $600 million, investing in industries ranging from e-commerce to insurance. The magazine also noted that he “hit home runs” with early investments in a Palo Alto-based software company called Palantir and a South Koreabased e-commerce company named Coupang. “I owe a lot to my colleagues, friends and family. We still have a long way to go at Greenoaks, though,” said Mehta, adding that he was proud and impressed to see so many Harker alumni on the list. ■

Surbhi Sarna ’03, Founder of nVision Medical

Surbhi Sarna ’03 was last year’s alumni speaker at Harker’s eighth annual Research Symposium, which drew more than 400 attendees. There, she shared the story of how she suffered from painful ovarian cysts in her early teens, which caused her to later become determined to create better conditions in the field of female health. To this end, the 28-year-old founded the venture-backed nVision Medical in 2009 to develop technology to help gynecologists more quickly detect ovarian cancer. To date, her company

Photo by Michele Beckwith

Photo provided by Ilya Sukhar ’03

AlumniNews

“I know Harker has a lot to do with my drive to be an entrepreneur, and I'm grateful for all of the teachers who inspired me while I was there.” -Surbhi Sarna ’03

has raised some $4.5 million from Catalyst Health Ventures, Draper Associates and Astia, a group that assists female entrepreneurs. “It is a great honor to be chosen as one of Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30.’ I know Harker has a lot to do with my drive to be an entrepreneur, and I’m grateful for all of the teachers who inspired me while I was there,” she said of her placement in the medical category. ■

Ilya Sukhar ’03, Co-Founder and CEO of Parse

Ilya Sukhar ’03 made the news several months ago when Facebook acquired his company, Parse, of which he served as co-founder and CEO. Currently, Sukhar runs the Parse business at Facebook, where he also works on platform products. “There’s a lot of people I really admire on that list, so it’s a nice honor for me to be included,” reported 28-year-old Sukhar, adding, “I got back to work pretty quickly, though.” Sukhar, who is listed in the tech category, said he got the idea for Parse after he experienced the pains of building a mobile app. According to Forbes, he has since turned Parse into a critical service for mobile developers that now provides the back-end infrastructure for more than 180,000 apps, including those

built by Ferrari, The Food Network and Sesame Street. Facebook bought Parse in April 2013 in a deal reportedly valued at $85 million.

“There's a lot of people I really admire on that list, so it's a nice honor for me to be included.” -Ilya Sukhar ’03

Sukhar delivered this year's alumni address at the Harker Research Symposium. To read more about Sukhar and his work, see http:// news.harker.org/entrepreneurialalumni-forge-their-own-careerpaths/ where he is featured in a previous HNO story. ■ To view the Forbes “30 Under 30” lists, see http://www.forbes.com/lists/.

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AlumniNews Alumna Passionate About Career as Broadcast Journalist

arker alumna and broadcast journalist Tiffany Liou ’08 doesn’t know the meaning of a “typical day at the office.” And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Photos provided by Tiffany Liou ’08

Life on the job as a news reporter/ producer is always an adventure for Liou, who just two years ago graduated from Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business and soon

after landed a job as the overnight assignment editor at the Oaklandbased KTVU (channel 2). It was at the Fox affiliate (serving San Francisco and the greater Bay Area) that Liou honed her journalistic talents by finding story ideas, researching, interviewing and factchecking. She quickly put those skills to use by going behind the scenes, providing back-up research, which

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aided in such breaking stories as the deadly San Mateo limousine fire and the controversial Zimmerman trial and protests. “I used to listen to scanners overnight and make beat calls to every police station in the Bay Area. I would find breaking news that would air first thing on the morning show. I gathered all the facts of a story and gave information to our writers, producers and reporters. Being part of the assignment desk sharpened my news judgment. It taught me how to be a thorough investigator and reporter. And, working with the pros at KTVU taught me how to be a better writer and speaker,” recalled Liou. After a year and a half at KTVU, Liou was recruited to work as a reporter/ producer at KTVE/ KARD, an NBC affiliate in Louisiana. She wrote and stacked stories (ordering them based on themes and segues) for the three-hour morning show, as well as covered stories in the field for the station, whose signal can be seen in 18 counties throughout Arkansas and Louisiana. While a great career move, Liou concedes that relocating to Louisiana wasn’t easy. “I spent 23 years in the Bay Area. I’m born and bred Californian, and it’s true … you can’t take

the California out of me. But I look at it as a temporary adventure. It’s a lot slower paced, the food is fried and delicious, and Southern hospitality is very comforting,” she said.

“I was always that girl from Spirit Club standing at the front giving announcements.” -Tiffany Liou ’08

Still, her ultimate goal is to return to the Bay Area as a reporter. (Just at HQ press time, Liou started a new job in Iowa. See related story for details of her eventful first day!) Liou first got bitten by the reporting bug after graduating from Harker, while simultaneously attending Santa Clara University (studying business and communication) and Ohlone College in Fremont, where she was part of the school’s television broadcasting program. At Ohlone, Liou gained practical, hands-on experience working for The Ohlone Network News, which is broadcast live on a local Comcast channel and is run entirely by students. While in college she also did a marketing internship at KGO-TV, an ABC-owned and operated television station in San Francisco. There, much of her time was spent doing Nielsen analysis about the news broadcasts. “That’s when I realized I wanted to be the one delivering the news and not analyzing it,” she said.

AlumniNews

Reflecting back to her time at Harker, Liou said she wasn’t directly involved in journalism, but was part of other extracurricular activities like the Spirit Club, student council and Junior State of America (JSA), all of which likely paved the way for her future career in broadcast journalism. “During the weekly school meetings, I was always that girl from Spirit Club standing at the front giving announcements. I would emcee events like

homecoming,” she explained. “Being part of so many different clubs and sports was amazing, and I honestly don’t think I could have had that experience at any other school. I was able to study, play basketball and golf, and be part of all these different clubs. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Harker,” she affirmed. Liou fondly recalled how, before getting that first breakthrough TV reporting job, she would shadow

reporters at KTVU and shoot standups, essentially working as if her stories would really air. “Sometimes I would just bring my DSLR [digital single-lens reflex camera] and go out to an event and cover it. All of these mock stories actually built up my news reel, which is what got me my first job!” said Liou, adding that reporting is her passion and she will “go anywhere at any time to cover a story.”

Liou Survives Emergency Plane Landing En Route to New Reporting Job

crew of three, landed safely in Greenville, Texas, just 15 minutes into the flight. A failed electrical component is suspected of causing the smoke.

The plane, with 45 passengers and a

“The bond I share with the other passengers and three American Airline crew members is different than I have ever felt before,” said Liou, recalling that “reporter mode” kicked in after

ust as this issue was going to press, we learned that Liou, on her way to a new job as a reporter at KWQC-TV in Davenport, Iowa, was on board American Eagle flight 3400, which was forced to make an emergency landing after pilots reported smoke in the cockpit.

she and her fellow passengers had landed safely. At that time she sent a single tweet about the incident which went viral, prompting the Today show, CNN and NBC Dallas to contact her for an eyewitness account. “And that's when I went from being a scared and helpless passenger to being a reporter,” she said.

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ClassNotes

Submitted by Class Agents

Alumni from all classes through 1997 are listed under the years they would have completed grade 8 at The Harker School, Harker Academy, Harker Day School or Palo Alto Military Academy (PAMA). For all classes after the Class of 1997, alumni are listed under the class years they would have graduated from high school, regardless of whether they completed high school studies at Harker. For unlisted classes, we invite you to email alumni@harker.org if you are interested in becoming a class agent or would like to nominate a classmate.

1966

1977

Margie Harris reports that Shirley Temple Black’s only son, Charles Black, Jr., was a 1966 graduate of Harker. “I know this to be the case because I went to school with [Linda] Susan Agar, Mrs. Black’s oldest daughter, and would see her younger brother in his uniform when he would attend school plays at Castilleja,” she recalled.

Class Agent: Mike Pons (michael.pons@gmail.com)

1972 Steve Worsley sends his regards from Bonn, Germany, where he is working as a chef. During the course of his career, he has traveled to some 134 countries.

1973 Class Agent: Alan Stevens (alanclassreunion@earthlink.net)

1975 The Class of 1975 mourns the loss of John DeLucchi who died in October of brain cancer. He worked as a firefighter in Las Vegas.

1978 Class Agent: Silvia Malaccorto (smalaccorto@contoural.com)

Class Agent: Chip Zecher (chipzecher@hotmail.com)

1980 Class Agent: Greg Argendeli (slackmaster@gmail.com)

1981 Class Agent: Kristin (Scarpace) Giammona (kristing@harker.org)

1982 Class Agents: Tina (Johnson) Murray (tinammurray@earthlink.net); Pauline (de Vos) Aasen (thedutchfox@gmail.com); Keil Albert (kaalbert@geo-consultants.com)

Marcus Sharei reports that he got married in November.

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1983 Entrepreneur Chris Kelly gave an address at the State of the Valley, Silicon Valley’s annual town meeting. Nearly 1,300 people packed the 2014 conference on Feb. 7 at the

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1990 Class Agent: Chris Yamashita (iamtheyamo@yahoo.com)

1991 Class Agent: Ashley Anderson (anderbruin@gmail.com)

1992 Class Agent: Amanda Mathias Bonomi (amandambonomi@gmail.com)

1979

1976 Class Agents: Joy Aliason Younes (joycyounes@yahoo.com); Cindy Cottrell DeAngelo (cldeangelo@yahoo.com)

Santa Clara Convention Center. The day began with an update on the region’s economy and Chris addressed whether Silicon Valley’s innovation could solve social and political problems. A number of current Harker students were in attendance, and had the

Photo provided by Joe Rosenthal

opportunity to chat with him after his talk.

1984 Class Agents: Karri Baker (karribaker@me.com); Kristin Quintin (kquintin@intevac.com)

1988 Class Agents: Eric Xanthopoulos (eric.xanthopoulos@gmail.com); Aileen Eveleth (a_eveleth@yahoo.com)

1989 Class Agent: Katie Wilson (mkate_wilson@yahoo.com)

Liz Williams Itterly has been busy at work making the "top 10" agents list in her office at Alain Pinel Realtors in Saratoga. In December, she sold a new home to classmate Alfred Viola and his wife, Erica. Liz and her husband welcomed their second son, Loukas, in January.

1993 Class Agents: Joy Paterson (joypaterson@gmail.com); Tala Banato (tala.banato@gmail.com); Kelle Sloan (kelles@harker.org)

1994 Class Agent: Leyna Cotran (leynacotran@gmail.com)

1995 Class Agent: Lisa (Bowman) Gassmann (lisagassmann@gmail.com)

ClassNotes

Michael Berger said he is living it up in Seattle, working in construction as an engineer/project manager for Sellen Construction (currently working on Tacoma General Hospital). “My son is now 6 and he keeps me busy! When I'm not preoccupied with him, I'm checking out the sites/ challenges around the Puget Sound, i.e., climbing Mount Rainier last summer, doing the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride, hitting the slopes,” he said. Danielle Holquin had a baby. Please see the Celebrations section for details! Kate Stober had a baby. Please see the Celebrations section for details!

1996 Class Agent: Ashley S. Franke (ashley.franke@gmail.com) Jerome Keene bought a house in Fresno, where he was hired as a senior planner for a land-use and engineering firm, Quad Knopf. He is finishing up his master’s in community development with an emphasis in building economic capacity

from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Worldwide Campus program, which he will complete this fall.

2002

Andrea Nott got married. Please see the Celebrations section for details!

Yasmin Ali (yasminfali@gmail.com); Isabella Liu (isabella.a.liu@gmail.com)

Ashley Sukovez Franke had a baby. Please see the Celebrations section for details!

1997 Class Agents: Chelsea Gilliland (cgilliland@gmail.com); Lindsey Hochrine (lynn.laka@fireskyresort.com)

1998 This spring, Alexander Wang will be appearing as a guest lecturer at the Stanford Arts Institute. He will be welcomed to the CEMEX stage on April 10, and will be discussing design and Balenciaga. Alexander was also recently featured in the February issue of Vogue, which included details and a photo of a beanie he designed as a statement of solidarity for gay rights. The black knit hat spells out “P6,” shorthand for Principle 6 of the Olympic charter, and it speaks to a strategy by gay rights advocates to get spectators and athletes in Sochi to register their opposition to repressive anti-gay laws in Russia. Alexander was also featured in the December issue of the Connecticut Cottages & Gardens holiday gift guide, which included a yoga mat he designed.

Class Agents: Akhsar Kharebov (axarharebate@gmail.com);

came from acquisitions, so it's a collection of startups all under the same roof. I'm super excited to join a scrappy and impactful team at a company leading a mobile software renaissance,” she said.

2005

2003 Class Agents: Julia N. Gitis (juliag@gmail.com); Maheen Kaleem (maheenkaleem@gmail.com)

2004 Class Agents: Jacinda A. Mein (mjacinda@gmail.com); Jessica C. Liu (jess.c.liu@gmail.com) Anjali Vaidya reports that in late 2013, she left Google's NYC office to take a senior role on Yahoo's growing mobile products team. “At Yahoo I'm learning the language of product and that is fun. The spirit in the Yahoo NYC office is lively and young – most mobile product managers

Photo provided by Anjali Vaidya ’04

Heather (Kelly) Wright reports that she recently took a new job as director of merchandising at Fabletics, a new activewear brand that's quickly growing. She has been living in El Segundo with her new husband, Ethan, and their dog, Jenna, for the past five years with “no plans to leave in the foreseeable future.” For information about her wedding, please see the Celebrations section!

Class Agent: Erika N. Gudmundson (erika.gudmundson@gmail. com)

2006 Class Agents: Meghana Dhar (meghanadhar@gmail.com); Jeffrey Le (Jeff87@gmail.com); Casey Near (caseylane@gmail.com) Mina Lee recently took a social impact year away from her job at BCG Singapore and spent six months with the World Bank in Washington, D.C., working on a crowd-funding platform and seed fund for entrepreneurs in the Caribbean. With the remaining time she traveled throughout Peru, Shanghai and Japan. Amira Valliani is running the Boston marathon this April! On top of training to run 26.2 miles, she's also raising $10,000 for the Aga Khan Foundation, one of the world’s largest international development organizations and one that’s taking an incredibly innovative approach to alleviating global poverty. Training has been a tough journey so far, especially since she's been training on the East Coast in the middle of the polar vortex,

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ClassNotes but it’s taught her a lot about the power of perseverance combined with a killer playlist.

2007 Class Agents: Cassie Kerkhoff (ckerkhoff@ucsd.edu); Audrey Kwong (audmusic@gmail.com) Laura Sanchez (Hartzell) Murillo has joined the Taipei American School as a Spanish teacher.

2008 Class Agents: Stephanie Syu (ssyu363@yahoo.com); Senan Ebrahim (sebrahim@fas.harvard.edu) D.J. Blickenstaff graduated from USC with a BFA in acting last spring and is now working in Los Angeles pursuing an acting career. He made his television debut with a small role on the NBC sitcom “Sean Saves the World,” as a delivery person. Last year he was featured in an article in the Harker Quarterly about his role as Elliot Grey in the parody musical production of the bestselling novel “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which opened in an off-Broadway theater in New York.

2009 Class Agents: Rachel Wang (rachel.serendipity@gmail.com) Stephanie Guo (stephanie.j.guo@gmail.com)

2010 Class Agents: Kevin Fu (kf800@yahoo.com); 52

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Adrienne Wong (adriee@gmail.com) Vivian Huang and Christine Hsu are both in the second of a three-year program at the University of the Pacific's Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. As student pharmacists, they have been given the opportunity through various introductory internships to serve patients in many different settings including free health fairs, community pharmacies, hospitals and assisted-living facilities. These internships have given them experience with administering vaccines, consulting patients on proper therapy, and communicating with physicians to provide advice on optimal drug treatment plans. They are looking forward to returning to the Bay Area for advanced rotations at the end of this year and will be graduating in May 2015. Exercise science major Ryan Cali enjoys playing basketball for Linfield College, a private undergraduate institution located in the Pacific Northwest. He credits his father, his brother and his coach as his basketball mentors. Daisy Lin reports that she recently acquired, and is intent on learning to solve, a Skewb (a combination of a puzzle and a mechanical puzzle in the style of a Rubik’s Cube). Sumeet Sharma is looking forward to beginning a master’s in computer science starting in September. Mark-Phillip Pebworth will be graduating in June with two bachelor of science deS P R I N G 2 014

grees, one in bioengineering with a minor in French, and the second in biochemistry with a minor in biotechnology. “For graduate school, I've been interviewing at UCSF, Stanford and MIT in medical engineering or stem cell biology,” he said. Esther Belogolovsky enjoyed traveling to Europe during winter break. “I went to Dublin, Edinburgh, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest and Prague in two weeks!” she recalled. Victor Chen writes that he graduated early from Caltech and is now in his first year of medical school at the UCSD School of Medicine, along with fellow Harker Class of 2010 members Yash Khandwala and Ashish Mittal, both of whom graduated early from undergrad at UCSD. “Another first-year medical student classmate of ours is Jayasree Sundaram ’05," he said. Kelsey Chung is keeping busy creating some paintings for her senior show at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She is also working at a local art museum. Srikrishna Seeni shared that his Bollywood dance team, SLU Shakti, began its journey on the road to Bollywood America (the nationals equivalent for Bollywood/fusion style dance teams). “As a second-year team, we have taken what we learned last year in the circuit and took the stage by storm on Feb. 1 in Atlanta when we took third place at a competition there. While not enough to qualify for nationals yet, Shakti is poised to strike at our next competition, and I hope that the team can bring me home: BA will be held

in the Bay Area this year. On a related note, a special congratulatory shout-out to Class of 2012 students Neha Kumar and Piku Mody. They are a part of Anubhav, the Northwestern University team that took first place in Atlanta. They'll be coming home for BA for sure,” he said. Andrea Lincoln is preparing a paper for publication in May on adaptivity research. She is graduating in May with a double major in math and computer science. Sarah Newton started her own crochet fashion line called Puzzled Heart Designs (PhD for short). The line features custom crochet hats, scarves and pillows, all handmade by Sarah. You can check out her line at puzzledheartdesigns. com and order your own piece from her Etsy store! Vinay Kumar is going to be moving to New York City after graduation and rooming with Sean Morgan. “Actually there are a ton of us working at Goldman Sachs together in New York next year,” he said. Jeremy Chung is working as a research assistant in the sleep lab at Santa Clara University, preparing a lit review and presentation for the Association for Psychological Science conference, which is the flagship organization for psychology. Adriee Wong, along with Molly Ellenberg ’13, are members of Finesse Dance Company, a studentrun contemporary dance organization at UC San Diego. They are currently working on choreography for their annual

ClassNotes showcase in late May and are having a blast continuing to dance in college.

Photo provided by Kacie Kaneyuki ’10

Alex Creasman studied abroad in Budapest and met up with Kacie Kaneyuki, who was studying abroad in Italy and Hungary last semester. He will be working full time at

Oracle starting in September. Kacie noted that she traveled a lot during weekends in Rome and that “Alex was a great tour guide."

Davis. “We won first place in our annual Davis dance competition in the spring of 2013 and are currently preparing for the next one," he said.

Guadalupe Briseno is part of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. “I'm the Seattle University branch treasurer of ALPFA. I work part-time as the assistant accountant at Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute," he said.

Ally Axelrad just got a job as a writing teacher and college counselor in Bangkok, Thailand, for the next two years. The company is called Top Scholars and is a full-time college prep program for high school students.

Johnny Lau shared that he is continuing to breakdance and that he is the president of his breakdancing club at UC

2011 Class Agents: Rani Mukherjee (rani.mukherjee18@gmail.com); Hassaan Ebrahim (hassaan.e@gmail.com)

2012 Class Agents: Will Chang (12williamc@students.harker. org); David Fang (12davidf@students.harker.org)

2013 Class Agents: Kathir Sundarraj (13KathirS@alumni.harker.org); Nikhil Panu (13NikhilP@alumni.harker.org); Nicholas Chuang (13NicholasC@alumni.harker.org) Neeraj Baid has launched his fourth app, called “Take Me Away.” This app lets you travel the world through the eyes of Instagram.

Alumni Celebrations Kate Stober ’95 and her husband, Rob, welcomed their first child, son Alexander, on Dec. 10.

Danielle Holquin ’95, her husband, David, and son, Jackson, welcomed baby Sloane into their Provided by Danielle Holquin ’95 family on Oct. 24. Here Jackson is pictured with his new sibling.

Andrea Nott ’96 married Gary Miles at the El Cerrito Country Club on Dec. 28, 2013 at sunset, and Lisa Hall Hagen ’96 was matron of honor. Debra Nott, Harker’s director of nursing, was there as mother of the bride. Ashley Sukovez Franke ’96 and her husband, Justin, welcomed their third child, Cora Lee, on Jan. 16. Cora joins older siblings Cadence and Callum. Photo by Alex Johnson

Provided by Heather Wright ’95

Heather (Kelly) Wright ’95 was married on the beach at sunset on Thanksgiving Day, 2013 in Negril, Jamaica, to husband Ethan Wright, surrounded by family and friends.

Provided by Kate Strober ’95

Please join us in congratulating the following alumni:

Provided by Ashley Sukovez Franke ’96

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LookingAhead Coming Attractions K-12 Spring Instrumental Concert The Wedding Singer Kindergarten Show

April 18 April 24-26 May 1-2

In Concert

May 2

Bucknall Music Concert

May 8

MS Musical Senior Showcase Bucknall Dance Concert

May 16-17 May 23 May 30-31

Sat., March 22 | 8 a.m.

Saratoga Campus Visit tedx.harker.org for more details. This event is for high school and college students only.

SAVE THE DATE!

Sat., March 29 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Nichols Hall | Saratoga Campus

Jackson Katz, Ph.D. Tickets and Info: www.harker.org 54

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SPRING 2014

Tough gh Guise:

Bringing Up Boys of Character Tue., April 29 | 7 p.m. | Saratoga Campus

LookingAhead Mon., April 14

Stanford University Golf Course Wine tasting at home of Scott and Susan McNealy

Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya

Kenyan advocate for the education and empowerment of girls; founder of the Kakenya Center of Excellence

Mon., May 12, 2014 | 7 p.m. RSVP required: www.harker.org

Sports Camps

GRADUATION Class of 2014

Sat., May 24 | 9 a.m. The Mountain Winery Senior Families Only by Reservation

mps Sports Ca

lleyball all • Vo • Basketb olo • Water P • Football g • Wrestlin r e c c o S • RX

•T hes tailor nced coac s ur O experie pers need m ca ur fit yo quality training to d, re tu uc ell-str in a fun, w are held at e. All camps and upper atmospher e dl id autiful m Harker’s be ies. lit ci fa ic et school athl

tails!

ite for de

webs Visit our

summer.harker.org campinfo@harker.org | 408.553.5737

Harker Sports Camps Locations Upper School: 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose Middle School: 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose

Harker Quarterly (USPS 023-761) is published four times per year (September, December, March and June) by The Harker School, Office of Communication, 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Jose, CA and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Harker Quarterly, 500 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129.

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1978-1979

Harker Science

Photo courtesy of the Harker Archives

h, the science classroom of yesteryear, with a diorama of planets, a display of mollusk shells, a periodic table and a student demonstration using posters. How far we have come! Harker labs today feature sophisticated equipment that rivals many university labs. However, it's the

symbiosis between teacher and student that gives scientific discovery its impetus, and Harker has always fostered that bond by hiring caring, highly qualified, passionate teachers. And with Harker prize winners in the Intel Science Talent Search, the Siemens Competition and National Junior Science & Humanities Symposium this year – a scientific hat trick – we’re grateful for what our students bring to help the world. See page 2 for a summary of those winners and go to Harker News Online (news.harker.org) and search on those contests to read the full stories!

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