Now on display at the middle school campus is a wall highlighting words that are meaningful to the exhibit’s participating students – powerful words like respect, imagine and awesome.
The exhibition, which showcases photographs of various students holding up signs with their favorite words, is sponsored by Activity Avenue, a project of the BEST (Blackford Enrichment & Supervision Team) program.
“The project is going really well. We asked students, ‘What is the most important word to you?’ … We have roughly 44 photographs so far for the wall that we are developing, and more people interested in participating,” reported BJ Hathaway, assistant director of BEST.
“Enlight’ning,” an art and literary magazine published each spring at the middle school, is in the running for the much-lauded Gold Crown Award, given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA).
The publication, which showcases artwork, poetry and prose created entirely by middle school students, is one of only three such magazines nationwide to be short-listed for the award.
“While Enlight’ning has won several gold and silver medals from CSPA during its 12 years of publication, we have only won the Gold Crown Award once, in 2008,” reported Sabina Grogan, middle school expository writing instructor.
“I’m truly so honored and humbled to have been a part of this talented team to create such an amazing magazine,” said Carissa Chen, who was the lead editor of the magazine, which was published in spring 2013 and which she worked on last year as an eighth grader.
In addition to The Harker School, the two other middle school magazine Gold Crown Award finalists are the Kealing Middle School in Texas and Pierce Middle School in Michigan.
Finalists will be presented with either a Gold or Silver Crown Award during the 90th annual convention held in March at Columbia University in New York City. Remaining awards will be mailed out at the beginning of April.
The CSPA is an international student press association uniting student journalists and faculty advisors at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges and award programs. The organization has been owned and operated by Columbia University since 1925.
Grade 5 students got a preview of life as a middle schooler during Step-Up Day on Nov.19. That day, the eager fifth graders were given a tour of the middle school campus. While there, they were introduced to the faculty and staff, and learned about the various academic and extracurricular activities they will experience next year. The students also were treated to a special vocal performance by Dynamics, the grade 6 choir. Middle school mentors acted as hosts and hostesses to each grade 5 homeroom by leading the students on tours and answering questions about middle school. “Each year, the fifth graders revel in the new campus and expanded options, especially in the lunch line! This ‘taste’ of middle school sets the stage for the many decisions students will be making in the near future, such as elective and language options, and, most importantly, laptop platform for the one-to-one laptop program,” said Cindy Ellis, head of the middle school. Last month, in preparation for Step-Up Day, the grade 5 students were treated to a special visit by the middle school mentors, 6-8 graders who volunteer to help make the transition to middle school as smooth as possible. They also enjoyed a visit from middle school art instructor, Elizabeth Saltos, who spent the day with the students at lower school campus. “While there, she engaged with the students, doing some projects and generally ‘advertising’ for art in the middle school,” explained Gerry-louise Robinson, Harker’s lower school art instructor.
The first weekend of December, the middle school forensics program hosted its Second Annual Speech and Debate Tournament at the upper school campus, where 13 schools brought more than 300 competitors. The three teams recognized as being the top in the country, including Harker, were present.
Many Harker students, parents and coaches were in attendance to help the students and run the tournament. Several students did double duty as competitors and hosts. Despite the extra duties, the entire team had a great showing, with four first-place finishes and many students in the top five.
In Original Oratory, Ashley Duraiswamy, grade 6, took fourth place. Cynthia Chen, also grade 6, finished sixth and Katherine Zhang, grade 7, took seventh. In Dramatic Interpretation, grade 6 students Avi Gulati earned first place, Nikki Solanki took third and Sachin Shah finished in sixth.
Grade 7 students Akshay Ravoor and Anjay Saklecha netted second place for their Duo Interpretation speech on surviving a zombie apocalypse. In Storytelling, Amla Rashingkar and Maya Shukla, both grade 6, took first and third place, respectively. Sanjay Rajasekharan, grade 6, also finished in second place in Humorous Interpretation, in which Rashingkar took fifth place and Saklecha took seventh.
Harker saw continued success in the debate events, with Praveen Batra, grade 8, winning first place in Congressional Debate. Eighth grader Alan Hughes was undefeated in the preliminary rounds, winning all five of his debates. He was also recognized as the Top Speaker of the tournament. He advanced to the top 16 in the elimination rounds of the tournament. Matthew Lee, grade 8, won four of his five debates in the preliminary rounds and advanced to the elimination rounds and placed in the top 8 of the tournament. Sagar Rao, grade 8, won four of his five debates in the preliminary rounds and advanced to the top 16 in the elimination rounds of the tournament.
The team of Anusha Kuppahally, grade 7, and Megan Huynh, grade 8, won four of their five preliminary rounds in Policy Debate. Huynh was named the second-best speaker of the tournament. Aliesa Bahri and Millie Lin, both grade 8, won three of their preliminary debates. Both teams advanced to the elimination rounds and closed out the tournament winning first and second place in the division.
In Public Forum, eighth graders Derek Kuo and Kevin Xu were undefeated in the preliminary rounds, winning all five of their debates. They advanced to the elimination rounds and finished in the top eight of the tournament. The teams of Solanki and Amanda Cheung, both grade 6, and seventh graders Cindy Wang and Clarissa Wang each won four of their five preliminary debates and advanced to the top 16 in the elimination rounds.
This fall, many middle school students departed for several exciting age-appropriate, weeklong class trips, providing hands-on learning outside the classroom. In late October, grade 6 students visited the Santa Cruz Mountains; grade 7 toured national parks around the Southwest; and grade 8 journeyed to Washington, D.C.
Below, Harker News Online takes a look at all three adventures.
Grade 6 Students Head to Mt. Cross for Action Packed Outdoor Activities
The Santa Cruz mountains provided the perfect backdrop for grade 6 students to actively bond during their class trip to Mt. Cross. A camping and retreat site located in the redwood forests, Mt. Cross provided plenty of opportunities for kayaking, bird watching, completing a ropes course, swimming, and enjoying the area’s gorgeous weather and scenic beauty.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, one of 28 such reserves established nationwide as field laboratories for scientific research and estuarine education. Following the reserve visit was an excursion to nearby Moss Landing, a quaint, historic fishing village known for its shopping, fresh seafood, fine art studios, bird and whale watching.
One night the naturalists at Mt. Cross surprised and delighted the students by leading them through a haunted house built from items on hand. That was followed by eating s’mores and sharing skits around a huge campfire.
“I had an awesome time at Mt. Cross!” recalled student Jack Hansen. “I was able to stretch my comfort zone and try new things while having fun at the same time.”
Hansen said he particularly enjoyed going kayaking and doing the ropes course. “Flying in the air (on the course) was scary at first, but later I decided it was the best part of the trip. The trip also gave me a chance to get to know my friends better, since I am new to Harker this year,” he added.
Grade 7 Students Take In Scenic and Historic Southwestern Sites
Grade 7 students started off their visit to the country’s scenic and historic national parks with a memorable visit to Arizona. There they enjoyed a jeep tour of Sedona, famous for its red rock formations and wildlife.
Next up was a visit to the Grand Canyon’s south rim, where students participated in an organized trust walk (listening to directions while walking with eyes closed) as they headed toward the rim of the canyon.
They also toured Monument Valley, known to many as “the eighth wonder of the world.” Monument Valley has been a significant place for centuries, and houses ruins that some believe belong to the mysterious Anasazi people who disappeared from the area hundreds of years ago.
This year, for the first time, the students took a brief break from hiking and sightseeing to visit the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, which is a state park in Utah. There they simply let loose, running, rolling and playing in the sand. Towards the end of the trip, the seventh graders traveled to Zion National Park to hike the Emerald Pools, Whistling Rock, and several other well-known trails.
“The national parks trip was an amazing experience, where we got to visit many different places. I’ll cherish all the fun and educational memories from this trip forever!” enthused student Shafieen Ibrahim. He noted that the blind trust walk in the Grand Canyon was a particularly “challenging and thrilling activity,” and an experience he will never forget.
Grade 8 Students Explore the Nation’s Capital During Journey to D.C.
Harker’s eldest middle schoolers have a newfound appreciation for the nation’s capital after experiencing life in Washington, D.C., firsthand on their unforgettable class trip.
Accompanied by Jennifer Gargano, assistant head of school for academic affairs, the group’s tour of the city began with a visit to the Jamestown Settlement, the first permanent English settlement in North America, and Colonial Williamsburg, an interpretation of a colonial American city. While there they visited the capitol, the court and the governor’s palace, as well as a variety of shops such as the wigmaker and the apothecary. Another highlight was participating in an interactive African-American music program held in a slave quarter, where students sang and danced alongside their guide.
On a more somber note, the group paid a visit to the Martin Luther King Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Iwo Jima U.S. Marine Corps memorials and Arlington Cemetery.
“All the chaperones were very proud of the entire grade 8 group as they were extremely respectful during our time at Arlington,” recalled Gargano. “Unbeknownst to us, a middle school group from Tamagawa (Harker’s sister school in Japan) was also visiting there and joined in our laying of the wreath ceremony,” she added.
There was also a visit to Ford’s Theater where students learned about what occurred on the day of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and were able to view the balcony where he was shot. The trip concluded with visits to, among other sites, Pamplin Park, one of America’s best preserved battlefields, the capitol building, and tours of the House of Representatives, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.
“I really enjoyed every part of the trip. Luckily, the government re-opened before we came, so we were able to visit all the planned stops on our itinerary. My favorite part was being a part of the wreath-laying ceremony because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity .… I learned so much about the history of our country,” recalled trip participant Megan Huynh.
A Fun Filled Week for Those Students Who Remained on Campus
Middle school students who were unable to attend the class trips were treated to lesson plans which ensured that they, too, had an exceptional week. Among the offerings for them were classes in current events and practical economics and finance, world cuisine, chemistry, engineering, and literary interpretations for the stage.
In the current events and economics offering students learned fundamentals such as inflation and deflation, interest, investing, taxation, and a “wealth” of other “valuable” resources. In the cooking class students brought out their inner chefs as they traveled the globe, studying cultures and foods of different countries. In chemistry, they were led through the “reactionary” world of chemistry by making slime, candy chromatography, Mentos and soda. Meanwhile, the engineering course allowed students to imagine themselves as the CFO or lead architect in charge of a huge construction project, designing, building and testing a toothpick bridge. Finally, in the literary offering students were able to take a classic literary piece and see it transformed into live theater.
“We had another successful trip week under our belts. It was an exciting and safe week for all the students, whether they stayed on campus or attended one of the class trips,” said Cindy Ellis, middle school head.
It’s that Tamagawa time of year again over at the middle school – when excited grade 6 students first meet their buddies from Harker’s sister school in Tokyo, Japan.
Come fall, as part of a long-running student exchange program, peers from the Tamagawa K-12 School & University arrive at Harker for a much anticipated weeklong visit.
During their stay here they live in homestays with Harker students and their families, go sightseeing around the Bay Area, and spend time visiting and observing classes at the Blackford campus. This year 23 students from the Tamagawa academy were accompanied by several chaperones for their visit in early October.
Highlights of the Tamagawa visit included: a field trip to a pumpkin farm, a fun scavenger hunt, creating T-shirts, playing Pictionary, participating in art, drama and dances classes, making Halloween desserts at a cooking school, working on a story/origami project and enjoying a bittersweet ice cream farewell party. New this year, Harker students were also given special permission to use Google Translator on their personal electronic devices during their time with their Tamagawa buddies.
“Being a part of the Tamagawa exchange program has shown me the characteristics, culture and interests of Japanese students. I have not only learned new things, but I have made a new friend. A friend who can tell you things you never knew… A friend who you can visit in a foreign country,” recalled Harker student Grace Hajjar of her experience being a Tamagawa buddy.
“My buddy’s name is Kanta Okura,” added another Harker student, Avi Gulati. “We had lots of fun. He brought waterproof UNO cards and we played with them. We went to the Japanese market together and Kanta enjoyed talking to the people who worked there. We bought his favorite food: sushi,” Gulati finished, noting that he looks forward to a lifelong friendship with Kanta.
Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education, explained that the popular student exchange program between the Tamagawa and Harker schools is just one example of Harker’s rich global education program, which strives to weave global activities into its students’ daily lives.
“Before you meet your buddy, they are your pen pal. You get to know them and what they like until the day you meet them … and then you take them different places to have fun and get to laugh and enjoy their presence in your life. You gain a new friend you will cherish forever,” said Hajjar.
The Tamagawa School has a stated international focus on allowing students to experience differing cultures via exchange programs. “By giving opportunities for students to communicate with children overseas of the same age, global sensibilities will be fostered among our students,” states the school on its website.
In the spring, Harker students will head over to Japan as part of the reciprocal exchange program. Look for further coverage on that from Harker News Online!
This past summer, Shivani (grade 9) and Mohan (grade 6) Awasthi had the opportunity to visit with India’s president, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at his home in New Delhi. During the meeting the Harker siblings presented a bouquet of flowers to the president and addressed him in Hindi. They also told him about Harker and how much they enjoy attending the school.
Mukherjee assumed office as the 13th president of India on July 25, 2012, crowning a political career of more than five decades of service in the country, working in both the government and parliament.
Middle school students joined communities worldwide in celebrating the International Day of the Girl Child Oct. 11 – a day which raises awareness about the issues girls face both in the United States and on an international scale. Two years ago, in an effort to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face, the United Nations General Assembly officially declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. This year, the theme of the day was “Innovating for Girls’ Education.”
To mark it, middle school student Aliesa Bahri, grade 8, took it upon herself to organize a commemorative event on campus. She urged eighth graders to show their support for the cause by dressing in blue, and asked that sixth and seventh graders wear some type of blue accessory.
“I wanted to raise awareness about girl’s rights … and I chose the color blue since it is typically associated with boys and goes against the ‘pink is for girls’ stereotype,” explained Bahri.
She said she got the idea to organize the event from her affiliation with an organization called The Girls Leadership Institute (GLI), which seeks to help motivate girls to become leaders. Co-founded by educator and social entrepreneur Simone Marean and bestselling author and educator Rachel Simmons, GLI is a national nonprofit providing transformational programs to girls, their parents and their educational communities.
Bahri used the campus’ lunch hour on the Day of the Girl to hold a special video presentation for grade 7-8 students about the plight of girls in Pakistan, where just over half of all girls make it to a primary school classroom, and only 12 percent make it to secondary school.
A large group of students turned out for the video viewing, where plenty of snacks were on hand.
“Aliesa spearheaded the event and worked with me to see what could be done to raise awareness about this important issue,” recalled Cindy Ellis, middle school head.
According to the United Nation’s website, there is overwhelming evidence that girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, is a powerful transformative force for societies and girls themselves. And, while there has been significant progress in improving girls’ access to education over the last two decades, many girls, particularly the most marginalized, continue to be deprived of this basic right.
Ellis cited some shocking statistics about girls, both here and abroad: one in three girls around the world is denied an education; in the developing world, one in seven girls is married before age 15; some 54 percent of girls in grades 3-5 worry about appearance and 37 percent about their weight; 57 percent of music videos feature women portrayed as sexual objects; and only 15 percent of top corporate American jobs are held by women.
This story originally appeared in the fall 2013 Harker Quarterly.
Middle school science teachers Ben Morgensen and Daniel Sommer accompanied 18 students from grades 6-8 on a trip across the bay to Point Reyes National Seashore for a five-day trip of hiking, camping and cooking. All of the students were required to bring and carry their own supplies as well as make their own food.
“That is the only way to get stuff into the wilderness,” Sommer said, pointing out that roughing it had the added benefit of teaching the students to be independent and gave them a glimpse of what it was like to be an experienced outdoor explorer. During the course of the 16-mile hike, the students worked on their camping skills, learned how to navigate through their surroundings by reading maps, set up their own tents, worked on their communication skills and prepared food such as quesadillas and pasta. Some additional excitement arrived in the form of a wind storm that damaged two tents!
The students of course also enjoyed playing on the beach at Point Reyes, experiencing the great outdoors with their friends and taking on new challenges that taught new ways of collaboration.
This story originally appeared in the fall 2013 Harker Quarterly.
Middle school students embarked on an exciting language immersion trip to Costa Rica in late July. The journey started with ziplining through Costa Rica’s lush rainforest. Later, the students headed to the ACCE language school, where they sat in with the local students and impressed the instructors with their level of Spanish usage.
Among the more eye-opening parts of the trip was the visit to La Carpio, an area outside the Costa Rican capital city of San Jose that houses approximately 34,000 people, mostly poor immigrants from Nicaragua. There, the students helped the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation by painting buildings and helping to promote a health fair to the local population.
Other highlights included a visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, participating in a talent show at a local K-12 private school and a fun scavenger hunt in the city of Grecia, where students were required to speak to the citizens in Spanish to complete their tasks.