Category: Lower School

Grade 5 artistic swimmer wins four golds at intermediate championships

Over spring break, artistic swimmer Alina Zhu, grade 5, competed at the Pacific Association Intermediate Championships at the Miwok Aquatic Center in Novato, Calif. Zhu took home four gold medals for competing in figures, solo, trio and team routines. “It isn’t an easy sport, but I like the challenges,”said Zhu, who started artistic swimming with Santa Clara Aquamaids as a fourth grader. “[Artistic swimming] combines gymnastics, dance and swimming, and previously I had experiences in all three separately.” Zhu won her first gold medal in a mixed duet last June, followed by her second gold medal in a team routine in February. This was the first time she competed in every individual and team event in a single day and she was happy for both her and her team’s success.

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Grade 1 donation drive delivers hundreds of goods to animals in need

Last week, first graders sent more than 500 items and more than $300 to the Humane Society Silicon Valley to cap off their annual donation drive. The effort ran from Feb. 28-March 10, collecting food, linens, toys and other goods for the many animals in HSSV’s care. “Our team was thrilled to receive the donations,” said Kristi Mack, HSSV’s human resources director. “Our team loved meeting all of your amazing first graders and their teachers. What a fun way to start a day learning about helping animals!”

Founded in 1929, HSSV is notable for being the world’s first model shelter, a distinction earned by meeting all of the more than 500 guidelines for animal care identified by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. It operates 365 days a year, providing services such as adoption, affordable spaying and neutering, vaccinations and microchipping.

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Students receive 256 awards in Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Last month, Harker middle and upper school students received 256 regional awards in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, comprising 107 awards for art and 149 for literature. All of Harker’s 30 Gold Key winners are eligible for national awards, which will be announced in March. A national ceremony to honor all of this year’s national award winners will take place in June.

The full list of winners (some named multiple times to denote the number of awards they received) is as follows:

Art

Gold Key

Iris Cai, grade 10   

Iris Fu, grade 11    

Ramit Goyal, grade 11    

Angelina Hu, grade 11   

Siddhi Jain, grade 11   

Raeanne Li, grade 8  

Yueyao Li, grade 10    

Sydney Ling, grade 11    

Sophia Liu, grade 10    

Ashley Mo, grade 9    

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12    

Teresa Song, grade 7

Claire Su, grade 11    

Alena Suleiman, grade 11    

Cynthia Wang, grade 11   

Benjamin Xia, grade 9   

Austina Xu, grade 12   

Connie Xu, grade 9   

Selina Xu, grade 11   

Alison Yang, grade 10   

Albert Yao, grade 9   

Linda Zeng, grade 9   

Elizabeth Zhang, grade 8  

Silver Key

Iris Cai, grade 10

Jillian Cheng, grade 8

Laurel Davies, grade 11

Iris Fu, grade 11

Ariana Goetting, grade 11

Ramit Goyal, grade 11

Joy Hu, grade 9

Trisha Iyer, grade 11

Siddhi Jain, grade 11

Ally Lee, grade 12

Catherine Li, grade 11

Colin Li, grade 8

Raeanne Li, grade 8

Yueyao Li, grade 10

Sydney Ling, grade 11

Desiree Luo, grade 11

Ashley Mo, grade 9

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12

Julie Shi, grade 11

Teresa Song, grade 7

Alena Suleiman, grade 11

Brittany Tsui, grade 11

Cynthia Wang, grade 11

Michelle Wei, grade 11

Isabella Wu, grade 7

Vivian Wu, grade 8

Austina Xu, grade 12

Celina Xu, grade 9

Selina Xu, grade 11

Alison Yang, grade 10

Audrey Yang, grade 9

Albert Yao, grade 9

Linda Zeng, grade 9

Evan Zhang, grade 9

Sophia Zhu, grade 10

Honorable Mention

Ananya Bammi, grade 12

Iris Cai, grade 10  

Shareen Chahal, grade 11  

Jessica Chen, grade 8  

Karina Chen, grade 12  

Nanxi (Nancy) Chen, grade 8  

Keren Eisenberg, grade 10  

Mirabelle Feng, grade 10  

Iris Fu, grade 11  

Ariana Goetting, grade 11  

Ramit Goyal, grade 11  

Angelina Hu, grade 11  

Trisha Iyer, grade 11  

Siddhi Jain, grade 11  

Ally Lee, grade 12  

Catherine Li, grade 11  

Emma Li, grade 9  

Raeanne Li, grade 8

Yueyao Li, grade 10  

Helena Liang, grade 8

Sydney Ling, grade 11  

Sophia Liu, grade 10  

Claire Luo, grade 11  

Desiree Luo, grade 11  

Ashley Mo, grade 9  

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12  

Smrithi Sambamurthy, grade 12  

Julie Shi, grade 11  

Teresa Song, grade 7  

Claire Su, grade 11  

Alena Suleiman, grade 11  

Kurtis Tong, grade 12  

Cynthia Wang, grade 11  

Michelle Wei, grade 11  

Isabella Wu, grade 7 

Vivian Wu, grade 8 

Austina Xu, grade 12  

Celina Xu, grade 9  

Connie Xu, grade 9  

Olivia Xu, grade 11  

Selina Xu, grade 11  

Alison Yang, grade 10  

Cecilia Yang, grade 11  

Chloee Yang, grade 9  

Albert Yao, grade 9  

Linda Zeng, grade 9

Elizabeth Zhang, grade 8

Katelyn Zhao, grade 11  

Sophia Zhu, grade 10  

Literature

Gold Key

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry  

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry  

Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay  

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry  

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry  

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry  

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry  

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir  

Ashley Mo, grade 9, Poetry  

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Writing Portfolio  

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry  

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Writing Portfolio  

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry  

Ananya Pradhan, grade 9, Poetry  

Jessica Wang, grade 10, Flash Fiction  

Austina Xu, grade 12, Poetry  

Alison Yang, grade 10, Poetry  

Albert Yao, grade 9, Journalism  

Linda Zeng, grade 9, Personal Essay & Memoir  

Linda Zeng, grade 9, Short Story  

Ariel Zhang, grade 9, Poetry  

Ellie Zhou, grade 8, Short Story  

Silver Key

Tyler Beede, grade 12, Short Story

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry

Felix Chen, grade 10, Flash Fiction

Jillian Cheng, grade 8, Short Story

Emma Gao, grade 11, Journalism

Helen Gu, grade 9, Short Story

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry

Joy Hu, grade 9, Critical Essay

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Humor

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Short Story

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Journalism

Eden Kelly, grade 9, Critical Essay

Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay

Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry

Desiree Luo, grade 11, Journalism

Anaya Mandal, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Katerina Matta, grade 10, Critical Essay

Edis Mesic, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry

Ananya Pradhan, grade 9, Personal Essay & Memoir

Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Critical Essay

Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Critical Essay

Ashley Ruan, grade 12, Short Story

Tanisha Singh, grade 11, Humor

Kairui Sun, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Cynthia Wang, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Jessica Wang, grade 10, Flash Fiction

Jessica Wang, grade 10, Poetry

Selina Wang, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Selina Wang, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Michelle Wei, grade 11, Critical Essay

Austina Xu, grade 12, Critical Essay

Selina Xu, grade 11, Poetry

Alison Yang, grade 10, Personal Essay & Memoir

Tiantong Yang, grade 9, Short Story

Albert Yao, grade 9, Critical Essay

Medha Yarlagadda, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Ella Yee, grade 11, Critical Essay

Linda Zeng, grade 9, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Ariel Zhang, grade 9, Poetry

Evan Zhang, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Honorable Mention

Varun Bhupathi, grade 10, Critical Essay

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry

Iris Cai, grade 10, Poetry

Ainslie Chen, grade 10, Flash Fiction

Varun Fuloria, grade 11, Critical Essay

Varun Fuloria, grade 11, Critical Essay

Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay

Emma Gao, grade 11, Critical Essay

Cyrus Ghane, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Ariana Goetting, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Ramit Goyal, grade 11, Critical Essay

Helen Gu, grade 9, Poetry

Shayla He, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Critical Essay

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Humor

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Trisha Iyer, grade 11, Poetry

Siddhi Jain, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

David Jang, grade 11, Journalism

Ally Lee, grade 12, Flash Fiction

Catherine Li, grade 11, Critical Essay

Catherine Li, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Poetry

Lindsay Li, grade 9, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Raeanne Li, grade 8, Poetry

Raeanne Li, grade 8, Flash Fiction

Raeanne Li, grade 8, Poetry

Jingjing Liang, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Daniel Lin, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Critical Essay

Sydney Ling, grade 11, Poetry

Claire Luo, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Spencer Mak, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Katerina Matta, grade 10, Poetry

Katerina Matta, grade 10, Journalism

Katerina Matta, grade 10, Critical Essay

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Poetry

Sarah Fathima Mohammed, grade 12, Personal Essay & Memoir

Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Critical Essay

Ameera Ramzan, grade 8, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Kabir Ramzan, grade 11, Critical Essay

Tanvi Sivakumar, grade 9, Poetry

Alena Suleiman, grade 11, Critical Essay

Cynthia Wang, grade 11, Poetry

Cynthia Wang, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Jessica Wang, grade 10, Flash Fiction

Kallie Wang, grade 9, Personal Essay & Memoir

Austina Xu, grade 12, Poetry

Olivia Xu, grade 11, Journalism

Olivia Xu, grade 11, Journalism

Selina Xu, grade 11, Personal Essay & Memoir

Selina Xu, grade 11, Poetry

Alison Yang, grade 10, Poetry

Alison Yang, grade 10, Poetry

Alison Yang, grade 10, Flash Fiction

Cecilia Yang, grade 11, Critical Essay

Albert Yao, grade 9, Critical Essay

Albert Yao, grade 9, Critical Essay

Albert Yao, grade 9, Critical Essay

Linda Zeng, grade 9, Poetry

Linda Zeng, grade 9, Flash Fiction

Ariel Zhang, grade 9, Poetry

Eddie Zhang, grade 9, Humor

Eddie Zhang, grade 9, Short Story

Eric Zhang, grade 10, Critical Essay

Sophia Zhu, grade 8, Flash Fiction

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Grade 5 robotics team head to regionals after successful weekend

Fifth graders Sophie Cai, Natalie Deng, Ariana Siamwalla and Alina Zhu had a successful run at Saturday’s VEX IQ Robotics tournament in Morgan Hill, where the team (known as Actuatorly Awesome) took first place in both Teamwork and Skills and also won the event’s Design Award. Their performance qualified them for the Northern California Regional Championship, set to take place March 4. The team thanked the members of another Harker VEX IQ Robotics team (Techtoro, made up of fifth graders Jolie Chao, Sophie Croswhite and Laura Zhang), who also qualified for regionals and offered their insights with other teams.

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Gr. 5-6 robotics team takes first at FLL event

Last month, sixth graders Ethan Hao, Randy Hui and Terry Zhu, and fifth graders Isabella Du, Richard Li and Aixuan Sun, took first place at a First Lego League Northern California Qualifier event held at Piedmont Middle School. Known collectively as Tierra Bots, the team scored 360 points, and presented an innovation project for a robot that specializes in cleaning solar panels. The team plans to enter the regional competition in February.

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Art teachers gain firsthand experience with Thai art and culture

This past summer, K-5 visual arts chair Gerry-louise Robinson and middle school art teacher Sofie Siegmann traveled to Thailand to learn more about the country’s art, culture and history, and how they can be integrated into Harker’s visual arts programs. The trip was part of the Raju and Bala Vegesna Teacher Excellence Program, which supports teachers seeking exciting professional development opportunities.

“Thailand is a rich melting pot of art and culture that has embraced traits from all the countries that border it,” said Robinson. “There are so many visible connections with India and East Asia, cultures that are part of our Harker community.”

The excursion began with a three-day stint at the University of Fine Arts in Bangkok, where Robinson and Siegmann gave a presentation and participated in a project with the university’s teachers and students. “We got to explore the many disciplines that the college has to offer and chatted with many professors who are practicing artists in their own right,” said Robinson.

“It was the most rewarding experience, because it brought everybody together,” said Siegmann “The students worked at home, and in the end we all created a wall with over 500 pieces!”

They then visited temples in the northern and southern regions of the country, admiring and analyzing the many different techniques that made each of the temples unique. The trek also included stops at places where locals were creating ceramics in a variety of styles, as well as visits to art studios to meet with and learn from local artists. During the several workshops they attended, Robinson and Siegmann took part in soap carving, paper making and mask painting.

Robinson said she hopes to use the striking scenes she experienced in Thailand’s floating markets into her instruction, in addition to paper making projects and works involving elephants, which are icons of Thai culture. Siegmann said she planned to integrate at least two pieces inspired by what she learned in Thailand into each of her classes, including paper making, soap carving and printmaking.

The teachers thanked global education director Jennifer Walrod for organizing the trip. “Jennifer Walrod did an outstanding job in putting this trip to Thailand together,” said Siegmann. “It was such a smooth, adventuresome experience.” Sakchai Boon-Intr, a professor at the University of Fine Arts, was also instrumental in making the experience so worthwhile. “He did so much to enable us to be at the college and engage with the students and staff,” Robinson. Finally, they thanked the Vegesnas, whose endowment granted this unique opportunity.

“Thank you to the Vegesna family for making this possible,” Siegmann said. “What an opportunity!”

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Kudos: Kindergarten pianist receives accolades in music competition

Kindergartner Sophia Gu was a first place winner and received a Judges’ Distinction Award in American Protégé’s spring 2022 Music Talent Competition. This distinction earned the young pianist a trip to New York City next year to perform her original composition, “A Dream with Dinosaurs,” at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. A video of Gu performing “A Dream with Dinosaurs” is available on YouTube.

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Kudos: Chess players take top spots in state championship

Last month, fifth graders Rohan Rajaram and Dylan Tang, and third grader Ethan Guo participated in the California State Chess Championship, where over 400 players competed across various sections. Rajaram won the K-5 section, with Guo taking second place and Tang taking fourth. Together, their strong performance enabled Harker to win the K-5 section! Great job!

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