In May some 29 grade 6 students boarded a Tokyo-bound plane for the much-anticipated annual trip to Japan. There, the students reunited with their buddies from Harker’s sister school, Tamagawa Academy.
“This was one of the biggest groups yet! The trip went really well and all the students had such a wonderful time in their homestays,” recalled Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.
Joining this year’s trip as a chaperone was Gayle Calkins, the middle school’s assistant to the counseling and global education departments. “After working on sending students and chaperones to Japan over the last nine years, it was great to actually experience the welcoming and friendly students and staff of our sister school Tamagawa! Japan and all its sites, people and experiences will be something I will cherish always,” said Calkins.
The Harker contingent first headed to Tokyo’s oldest temple, the Asakusa Sensoji Temple. Legend has it that two brothers, while out fishing one day, caught a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Although they put the statue back in the water, it continued to return to them, so the temple was built nearby in her honor.
Next up was a scenic drive was to Kamakura, a coastal town an hour south of Tokyo. The group’s first stop was at the Kotokuin (Great Buddha) Temple to see an enormous bronze statue of Buddha. From there, they drove to Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shinto Shrine.
The following day, the group arrived at Tamagawa Academy, where they were greeted by their buddies and host families, who waved signs and cheered while the school band played in the background. “After the students were introduced to their homestay parents and siblings, we were ushered into the auditorium for the morning’s entertainment, an energetic Taiko drum performance by their upper school students. The kids loved this! A group of sixth grade students then sang before our kids performed their speeches in Japanese. They did a great job!” recalled Walrod.
The Harker students accompanied their Tamagawa buddies to a number of classes, including math, Japanese, science and P.E. They also had an opportunity to venture over to the lower school, where they did some activities with the younger students. Later, they met with Yoshiaki Obara, president of Tamagawa, to share their experiences so far during the trip.
A highlight of their time at Tamagawa was visiting the Future Sci Tech Lab. Here the kids learned about Tamagawa’s research into developing horticulture technologies to provide food in outer space without soil or natural lights.
When it was finally time to say goodbye, the Harker group was led out to the bus by the Tamagawa students, teachers and parents. Their farewell was filled with hugs, photos and tears. As they departed, they passed many students lining the sidewalk waving goodbye.
On their last full day in Japan, the group visited Hiroshima. Their first destination was the Peace Memorial Park, where they visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, which marks the spot where the first atomic bomb landed in Japan. The ruins at the site (also known as “ground zero”) are dedicated to those who died at the site.
Continuing through the park, the group stopped briefly at the Flame of Peace, which has burned continuously since 1964. “This flame continues to burn as a symbol of the Japanese anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame until all nuclear weapons are gone from this earth,” said Walrod.
“The students took time to read personal stories of survivors and take some photos. We then walked along the river to the Children’s Peace Monument built to commemorate all the children who had died. We stood in a circle and talked about peace and what we personally could do to make the world a better place,” remembered Walrod.
They also had the opportunity to hear from the daughter of a woman who had survived the bombing. She talked to the students about the lead up to the fateful day and then shared her mother’s story. This marked the first time Harker students had an opportunity to listen to such a personal story in Hiroshima.
The group then headed off to the scenic Arashiyama monkey park, a popular tourist spot located just outside of Kyoto. At the top of the mountain, the students fed Japanese snow monkeys by going onto a special cage and giving them chestnuts through wired windows. Shortly after, everyone headed back to the airport for the long flight home, which gave them plenty of time to reflect and reminisce on all they had seen and done in Japan.
Shrish Dwivedi ’15 finished the golf season, and his career at Harker, with a great round, tying for second place – and missing first place by one stroke – at the California Interscholastic Federation State Golf Championships, yesterday!
Dan Molin, upper school athletic director, added another exciting accolade. “Shrish has gone further than any Harker athlete in any individual sport,” he noted, putting him solidly in Harker record books..
Dwivedi shot a 2-under-par 69 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, finishing with a birdie. He shot birdies at holes 7, 9, 10, 16 and 18, according to the San Jose Mercury News report.
Dwivedi qualified in May for the NorCal Championships after shooting a 69 to finish one shot off the lead at third, then tied for sixth place at the Northern California Championship at Corral De Tierra Country Club in Salinas to qualify for state. Dwivedi not only is the first Harker male golfer to compete at NorCals, he’s also the first Harker golfer ever to qualify for the state tournament.
“We are all very proud of Shrish and his accomplishments this post season,” said Ie-Chen Cheng, Harker golf coach. “Since his freshman year, Shrish has always been a true student of the game, studying all aspects. His attention to detail, from his preparation leading up to match day, and his on course management is what separates him from others. He studies the course meticulously, then goes and practices the shots he needs to succeed. Over time, as he finetuned his swing, he had to learn how to play with the swing he has that day and grind out the round, whether or not his swing is working for him or not. That is one thing that younger players needs to learn: is to learn how to play with what you have that day and make the best of it.
“This year, we demanded a lot from Shrish in terms of being the team captain. Having him show the underclassmen what it takes to succeed allowed him to lead by example. He shared what worked and what didn’t for him so that others can learn. I think having Shrish lead the charge in the past couple years has allowed him to grow into the all-around golfer that he is today. Shrish had to learn that it’s not just about being concerned with his own game, but to show his teammates why it is more important to make others around him better.”
“He is truly playing at an elite level,” said Molin. “Please congratulate him on an outstanding year and Harker career as he continues to play golf at Duke University next year!”
Business Insider’s list of the year’s 20 most impressive high school graduates is hot off the press – and it includes four Harker alums.
In the case of our recent grads, their continued academic success – resulting in acceptances to some of the nation’s top research universities – is matched only by their commitment to furthering the future of health care. With a deeply ingrained foundation of community service, civic engagement and social justice, the high-flying foursome is giving back in a big way.
A freshman-year battle with hypothyroidism and a passion for mitigating global health inequalities led National High School Journal of Science peer reviewer Samantha Madala to establish the Healthy Scholars Foundation, a nonprofit that removes health-related barriers to education around the world through screening, treatment, awareness and research. Since its founding in 2013, Healthy Scholars has received a $250,000 multiyear grant from The Hans Foundation, raised more than $200,000 and provided free health screenings to nearly 10,000 schoolchildren in India.
Accepted into the University of California San Diego Medical Scholars Program for a combined B.S./M.D., Madala’s professional experience includes internships in neurobiology, immunology and health policy at Stanford University’s School of Medicine as well as the co-authoring of an abstract for the world-renowned Endocrine Society. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the recipient of Harker’s Love of Learning Award and Mission of the School Award.
Harvard University-bound (computer science and biology) Andrew Jin created a machine-learning algorithm that could help researchers better understand human evolution and potentially develop new gene therapies, vaccines and treatments for disorders like schizophrenia, earning him the first place Medal of Distinction for Global Good and a cash prize of $150,000 at the Intel Science Talent Search 2015, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math competition and a program of Society for Science & the Public.
No newcomer to the awards circuit, Jin previously won second place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest pre-college scientific research event in the world, and third place in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, the flagship initiative of the Siemens Foundation. He has secured a summer machine-learning internship at Facebook, based in Menlo Park, where he will assist the online social networking service’s search team.
Like Jin, Rohith Kuditipudi was named a finalist at this year’s Intel Science Talent Search based on his scientific research and overall potential as a future leader of the scientific community. His project, “Network-Based Integration of High-Throughput Gene Expression and Methylation Data Reveals New Insights into NAFLD Progression,” involved collaborating with researchers at the University of California San Diego to examine the evolution of fatty liver disease and analyze valuable data linking the disease to more serious afflictions such as liver cancer. He was also recognized among the top 10 competitors in both the Harvard Pre-Collegiate Economics Challenge and the Stanford Math Tournament.
Kuditipudi co-founded the India Literacy Project and volunteers at Breakthrough Silicon Valley, where he tutors underprivileged children in math. This fall, he will enter Duke University as one of just 15 Angier B. Duke Scholars, studying a combination of his three favorite disciplines: mathematics, economics and computer science.
Yale University-bound (pre-med) Daniela Lee and her 2014 Google Science Fair project partner, Sadhika Malladi, grade 11, developed a noninvasive imaging system for predicting test results in triple-negative breast cancer patients, leading to their standing as one of the top 15 global finalists representing the United States, Australia, Canada, England, France, India, Ireland, Russia and Ukraine.
A research intern at Stanford University’s School of Medicine for the past two years, Lee presented additional findings that could help to decrease treatment time and increase patient comfort at the 2014 Focused Ultrasound Symposium, where she was recognized by Vice President Joe Biden as the only high school student speaker.
Business Insider editors solicited nominees for this list via a post and sought out notable students for consideration via news searches, said Melissa Stanger, associate editor of lists for Business Insider. “We were also surprised by the incredible range of talent at The Harker School,” Stanger said. “I think this is the first year we’ve had more than two high school graduates from the same school appear on our list!” Stanger noted those listed were “chosen for their above-average accomplishments in a number of fields,” and in finalizing the list, they strove to diversify the selections to include those “doing impressive things in science, the arts, philanthropy, tech, etc.”
Parents, teachers, family and friends made their way into the Mountain Winery concert area Saturday, cameras and leis in hand, to witness the next leg of the Class of 2015’s journey into adulthood: graduation.
It was a beautiful Northern California day. Moving addresses were delivered by valedictorian Samyukta Yagati and keynote speaker Hannah Allam, foreign affairs correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers.
Graduates marched down the steps into the amphitheater, a sea of black robes, caps bejeweled with the crests and names of their prospective schools, ushered in with a steady stream of congratulatory cheers. Watch for full graduation details in the next issue of Harker Quarterly, coming to mailboxes in the late June!
“This has been correctly labeled a journey,” said Butch Keller, upper school head. “Take a deep breath. Enjoy this moment. This is a class that has achieved so much.”
Heartiest congratulations to 12 students who have committed to playing their sports when they go on to college! At a lunchtime ceremony for the athletes, parents, coaches and others today, athletic director Dan Molin said, “These students have received admission to their college of choice because of their work ethic, athleticism and their ability to balance their training with the academics of Harker.”
“These are all outstanding student athletes. At high schools across the country, signing ceremonies such as this are performed to recognize these special young people. This group of seniors have represented Harker exceptionally well over the years and we want to thank them and wish them well as the represent their new schools,” Molin concluded.
Here are our 2015 committed athletes:
Jeremiah Anderson (Westmont College, soccer)
Aadyot Bhatnagar (California Institute of Technology, water polo)
Billy Bloomquist (California Institute of Technology, water polo)
Shreya Dixit (Yale University, volleyball)
Shrish Dwivedi (Duke University, golf)
Keanu Forbes (San Jose City College, football)
Aaron Huang (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, swimming)
It was easy to understand the “Sky’s the Limit” theme of this year’s Night on the Town gala, held May 9 on the top of a hill with spectacular views of the mid-Peninsula, at the home of Susan and Scott McNealy (Scout, grade 8; Colt, grade 10; Dakota, grade 11; Maverick ’13).
The 300 attendees moved throughout the home visiting areas including the champagne patio, “view of the valley” swing spot, theater, casino and silent auction table. Guests enjoyed dinner under a beautiful sunset, and performances by several of Harker’s dance, show choir and instrumental ensembles.
Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement, capped the dinner portion of the evening with the announcement that an additional $7 million had been pledged to the new gym and theater buildings from an anonymous donor who had already pledged $3 million during the initial Rothschild Challenge phase of the campaign. (Look for full coverage on the new gym and theater buildings in the advancement section of the summer issue of the Harker Quarterly.)
In April, Mike Tirabassi accepted a new position as Harker’s head football coach. Tirabassi joined Harker as a defensive coordinator in 2012 and in 2013 served as offensive coordinator. Previously he was JV offensive coordinator at Santa Margarita High School and head coach at Pinewood High School.
“My coaching philosophy is very simple,” Tirabassi said. “Use football as a medium for developing life skills.” He believes many of the skills taught in football can be applied to other areas of a successful life, and that paying close attention to the reasons behind learning these skills can result in people who better both themselves and their communities. “As long as we stay true to that vision, competitive success will take care of itself,” he added.
Tirabassi also will continue developing an environment where players feel both safe and comfortable with their skills. “I believe in removing any chance of players being put into a situation in which they aren’t ready,” he said. One system he’s implementing will separate new players from experienced ones to ensure new players can learn the fundamentals of football at a suitable pace.
New players are given a white jersey, while players returning to the team wear green jerseys, Tirabassi explained. “During practice, no player wearing a white jersey will have any padded contact with a player in green,” he said. Players in white jerseys must have a form signed by the player, a parent or guardian, and an athletic trainer to certify that they are ready to wear a green jersey. Only players practicing in green jerseys will be allowed to play in varsity football games. This new program, Tirabassi said, “will allow players to learn these skills slowly and without pressure.”
Spring practice will begin May 15. Anyone interested in playing football is welcome to give the sport a try, Tirabassi said. “This is a great time for players who haven’t played before to come and see if football is for them,” he said. “It’s also a great time for me to see the progress that our returning players have made in the off-season.” Tirabassi hopes to field a team of dedicated players who are committed to the vision of football as a means of personal and social betterment. “If we have a group of players that are committed to the vision, every member of our team has the potential to have a life-changing experience and we have the potential to be a source of pride for the entire Harker community,” he said. “This is what matters to me.”
Tirabassi also is excited to be more involved with the Harker community. “I have already had multiple interactions with members of the faculty and administration and can honestly say that there is no place that I have ever seen that is like Harker,” he beamed. “The unadulterated care that the faculty and staff have for the students is amazing.”
On Friday, April 24, a new Harker tradition was born: Green & White Day. Eagle pride was shown on all four campuses that day as students, faculty, staff and parents dressed in green and white. Green & White Day is slated to become an annual event for the entire Harker community so start planning next year’s garb, now!
Enjoy these fun photos taken at the preschool, lower, middle and upper schools, capturing an array of green and white looks. Go Harker Eagles!
Harker’s elite summer soccer camp, one of its most popular summer sports programs, provides a comprehensive, fun and supportive environment for soccer players from a wide range of ages and skill levels. Enthusiasts in grades 2-12 will engage in daily activities including Futsal, psycho-motor training and full- and half-court games, in addition to stations that emphasize key soccer skills such as passing, receiving, dribbling and shooting.
To ensure that the camp appeals to a as many players as possible, campers are grouped by order of their age, playing ability and gender, and are taught a new age-appropriate skill every day, which they then practice and integrate into daily game play.
This year, to better meet the needs of individual players, camps are being offered separately at two of Harker’s San Jose campuses. Players ages 10-16 will be assigned to the Harker upper school campus at 500 Saratoga Ave., and players aged 6-9 will attend the camp the middle school campus, located at 3800 Blackford Ave.
This camp will be held in three sessions: June 15-19, July 6-10 and July 13-18. Each day begins at 8:30 a.m. with a warm-up session and ends at 11:30 a.m. with small-sided games.
Harker varsity soccer coach and two-time UCLA MVP awardee Shaun Tsakiris will head up the camp, bringing with him a team of dedicated and highly qualified coaches. A veteran of four NCAA tournaments, Tsakiris played professionally for the United Soccer League’s Rochester Rhinos from 2002-06.
For more information on this and other summer sports camps, including pricing, please visit the Harker Summer website.
Applications are flowing in for Harker’s world-renowned English Language Institute (ELI), held on both the lower and upper school campuses. The program, which begins on July 6, will bring top-level English instruction to international students.
ELI offers two tracks, with multiple academic levels. The program provides a nurturing environment for students looking to improve their language skills or prepare for admission to American boarding schools and English-speaking international schools. Small classes and experienced teachers help foreign students develop speaking, reading and writing skills to ensure their readiness.
The elementary division is for ages 6-11 and the secondary division is for ages 12-16. After a full day of instruction, students in both programs interact with Harker’s regular summer participants to make new friends and practice their English with native speakers.
New to the program last year was a week-long “Very Interesting Places” (VIP) tour. This option, available to all ELI students, proved successful and will be offered again this year at the conclusion of ELI’s regular five-week academic session.
During the VIP trip, students follow a specialized course of study to continue developing reading, writing and speaking competency while visiting university campuses, Silicon Valley businesses, places of interest and treasured landmarks. The tour will be capped off with an overnight trip to the scenic California coast.
The VIP tour was born from widespread interest from ELI participants in having more excursions to enhance their American social and cultural experiences, explained ELI director Anthony Wood last year. Wood said that enrollment is again expected to fill up quickly.
Fun outings on this year’s VIP tour will include attending a professional baseball game, whale watching in Monterey, hiking in Big Sur, touring the Jelly Belly factory, attending an outdoor performance in Carmel and going to Great America.
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. For the past few summers ELI has steadily grown in attendance, especially in the primary division.
International students come to Harker accompanied by a parent or local guardian and stay in nearby apartments or with area family and friends. At the end of the ELI session, students receive an English proficiency certificate based on academic performance and progress, as well as a comprehensive teacher report and testing evaluation.
For more information about the ELI program: ELI@harker.org.