This article originally appeared in the summer 2011 Harker Quarterly.
The inaugural John Near Scholar Grant cycle is complete, and the first three reports were filed this spring for public access in the John Near Resource Center. Four new Near Grant winners were named in May, and a new endowment has been established by the Mitra family; the first grant winner from that endowment has also been named.
Harker parents Samir and Sundari Mitra (Shivani, grade 10) have established The Mitra Family Endowment for the Humanities, which will match gifts for the Annual Giving Campaign up to a total of $100,000.
“The subject matters taught under humanities such as history, languages, communications and philosophy are critical skills and knowledge that develop well-rounded Harker students,” said Samir Mitra. “Humanities is the bedrock of a superior education and will enable our students to stand out as recognized contributors in their future professions.”
“The Mitra family’s endowment offer, and every matching gift from others, will benefit our students every year, for years and years to come,” said Melinda Gonzales, director of development.
Justine Liu, Tyler Koteskey and Olivia Zhu, all 2011 graduates, were celebrated in the Near Center in Shah Hall by mentors, administrators, parents, history department members, Samir and Sundari Mitra and by Near’s wife, Pam Dickinson, director of the Office of Communication. The center reflects the late teacher’s love of American history. Near taught at Harker’s middle and upper schools for 31 years prior to his passing in 2009, and his legacy includes many hundreds of students left with a love of learning and history.
The John Near U.S. History Endowment, established by Near’s parents, Jim and Pat Near, was the first of its kind at Harker and funds grants to students or teachers each year for research on history projects and history-related databases for the school, as Near wished.
Liu first got interested in her topic, “The China Card versus the China Trade: Sino-American Economic Relations, 1972-1989,” covering the relationship between China and the U.S. from President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, while reading about it in class. In a different class Liu was writing a paper on the currency devaluation in modern China and mentally began tracing the historical line between the two events, focusing on the economic aspects.
“What I was really interested in was why Nixon thought that it was in the interest of U.S. foreign policy for Kissinger to make a secret visit to China,” said Liu. “I was interested in the economic background of that decision.”
Liu, who will attend Harvard in the fall, used grant funds to go to the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, Calif. “I was able to go into the archives room to read and handle the original documents, letters and memos relating and leading up to his 1972 trip to the PRC,” she said. “I think without the grant I would not have had the incentive to go out there and really write a comprehensive paper. That was the first time I got to be that close to documents that were that important to history, so that is something that I really valued that I couldn’t have done without the grant.”
Koteskey’s project, “High Water Mark: Discussing the Impacts of National Power on Confederate Military Strategy through the Lens of the Gettysburg Campaign,” analyzes the elements of national power as they applied to the Confederate States of America in 1863.
“It was the middle of the Civil War, and a crucial moment for the South,” Koteskey said. “They could reinforce the western half of the country,” but decided to make an offensive move against the North instead to try to force a call for peace. Koteskey used his grant to travel to the Gettysburg region.
“What I think was most valuable to me in this project was going to Pennsylvania last summer to do the research,” Koteskey said. “I was able to visit Harper’s Ferry and the Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields which, apart from being really awesome for a history buff, helped me form a better appreciation of some of the geographical factors constraining Civil War generals in their campaign planning,” said Koteskey, noting that he probably wouldn’t have done the research without the grant.
“My most defining memory, though, was probably my interview with Dr. Richard J. Sommers, the senior historian at the U.S. Army Military Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle. He embraced his time with me, turning our ‘interview’ into a Socratic discussion on Civil War strategy; it completely changed my mind, and the ultimate course of my paper, on many of the preconceived notions I had about General Lee’s best strategic option in the summer of 1863.” Koteskey, who will attend UCLA in the fall, noted the whole package, winning the grant and doing the research, “was really a rewarding experience.”
Zhu’s paper, “The UCMJ and Insubordination: Suitability of Military Judicial Responses during the Vietnam War,” was perhaps an outgrowth of her work on the school’s honor council but grew to explore the history of military justice. “I decided, ultimately, to settle on insubordination during the Vietnam War and how the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) addressed insubordination among soldiers,” Zhu said.
“I really enjoyed this entire research process – it’s been so much fun,” she added. “I think the most important part of this grant was coming to realize that all my teachers helped me so much. It was just very much a community effort going into this paper.” Zhu, who will also attend Harvard in the fall, noted, “Without the grant there is not that impetus to pursue (a topic), and there is not the support system.”
Five more students will walk the path of discovery next year. Sarah Howells, grade 11, is the first Mitra Family Scholar and will join the four Near Grant recipients, Max Isenberg, Cole Manaster, Dwight Payne and Laura Yau, also all rising seniors, in pursuing a chosen historical topic they are passionate about.
“We had 11 applicants this year, and it was not an easy decision to choose from them — we were so impressed with the quality and variety of applications,” said Donna Gilbert, chair of the history and social science department.
As the ceremony wrapped up at the Near Center reception, the students received resounding applause for their presentations. “You three – and your work – perfectly embody what Mr. Near intended with this grant,” commented Dickinson. “He would be so incredibly proud of all of you.”
Read the full story of the Near Grant reception at news.harker.org. Search on “Near Grant.” Those interested in contributing to either endowment can contact Melinda Gonzales, director of development, at melindag@harker.org.
Harker’s long-held commitment to environmental issues informed every decision in the current capital expansion project, and environmentally focused features have been incorporated into the design of the new science and technology center, Nichols Hall, which is designed to be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
According to the U.S. Green Building Council’s website, “LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.” LEED certification is based on a point system recognizing performance in the aforementioned five areas. XL Construction Corporation and DES Architects + Engineers, Inc. have designed the building so that it is on target to become LEED silver certified, which ranges from 37 to 43 points.
During production, 95 percent of the construction debris generated by demolition and construction were sent to recycling facilities instead of landfills. Additionally, more than 10 percent of the materials – steel, concrete, carpet, casework – used for construction are manufactured from post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled content. Eighty percent of the steel content itself is recycled. All of the paint, adhesives, sealants, carpet and other products used are low VOC and the wood products used have low urea-formaldehyde, earning the building four points for improving the indoor environmental quality. Air quality was also monitored during construction and before occupancy. All the air handlers were cleaned and capped after each day of work to prevent dust collection and no combustion vehicles were allowed on site during construction. Once the construction was done, there was a flush-out period to ensure good air quality.
Since the area where Nichols Hall stands was originally a field and no buildings were demolished for the construction of the new science center, the location selected earns the building one point under sustainable site development. Nichols Hall also earns another point for community development, because the school has pedestrian access to residential neighborhoods and shopping centers. The proximity to bus stops, availability of bike racks and locker rooms, limited parking capacity and preferred parking for carpools and low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles encourage the community to use alternative transportation, giving the building an additional four LEED points.
The building also has bioswales, turf cell paving and a green roof that provide a storm water management system. The bioswales, located around the building and alongside the parking lot, act as a natural earthen filter for the rainwater before it goes to San Tomas Aquinos Creek on its way to the bay. The turf cell paving effectively absorbs rainwater into the ground and minimizes storm water runoff and also preserves the soil from human activity. The green roof has a two-fold purpose: while the vegetation filters rainwater particulates and reduces storm water runoff, the green roof also acts as a natural insulator, keeping the heat in the building during the winter and out during the summer. The green modules as well as the surrounding reflective white coating on the roof help minimize the heat island effect caused by solar absorption of traditional black rooftops.
Nichols Hall also uses targeted exterior lighting and low-contrast yellow lighting to reduce undesirable light and night sky pollution. The interior lighting is designed to maximize brightness throughout the building while minimizing excessive energy use. For example, the recessed lighting used in the atrium decreases glare and also lights up large areas without taking up a lot of space. XL Construction has also installed occupancy sensors in all the rooms to minimize power consumption, improving the indoor environmental quality.
The use of water-efficient features allow the building to use 40 percent less water than a typical building of the same size. These features include low-flow sinks, also included in the labs, as well as dual-flush toilets and ultra-low flush urinals, which use only 0.125 gallons per flush.
Additionally, the building operates 27-33 percent more energy efficiently than a baseline building of the same size due to features like the improved air handling system, heating, lighting, photovoltaic cells and building envelope.
The building envelope includes the low-emissivity glass windows used for the atrium and rotunda and the green roof. The polycrystalline solar panels will generate more than 2.5 percent of the energy used, offsetting a significant amount of greenhouse gases. The efficient HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system will help the building consume $30,000 less in electricity annually with the help of features like the directive/indirect evaporative cooling air handlers that use one-tenth the amount of electricity generated by regular air conditioners that use compressors. Instead of using Freons, the air conditioning system uses enhanced refrigerant made entirely of water, so no ozone-depleting chemicals are used within the building. Also, the HVAC system uses air circulated from outside and has more air changes than required by code, ensuring good air quality indoors. To increase thermal comfort, each room has individual temperature controls to maximize energy efficiency and comfort for building occupants.
Additional points will also be considered for educating the community and going above and beyond the requirements in energy efficiency. With a rolling display of the solar panel energy production as well as displays explaining all the LEED-certified features of the building, students can learn just how “green” the building is.
March 2009
In only the second year that Harker has sent teams for all three levels, Harker’s Japanese program swept all three first-place team prizes at the National Japan Bowl in Washington, D.C., over spring break. The top-level team and their teacher were awarded a 10-day trip to Japan this summer where their itinerary includes the honor of meeting Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado.
The Japan Bowl is an annual team competition for high school students across the U.S. studying Japanese as their foreign language. There are three levels of competition – II, III and IV, with level IV being the most challenging – and three students per team. The competition tests not only the students’ language skills but also their knowledge of history, geography, politics, current events, U.S.-Japan relations and variety of cultural aspects such as arts, festivals, religions, pop culture, etiquette and gestures.
“Although it is a very challenging competition, we have shown very steady improvement every year,” said Masako Onakado, Japanese teacher. “Last year, we earned second place in both level II and level III and fourth place in level IV, which was our best record until then. Earning the first place in all levels in this 17-year-old competition this year was truly remarkable.”
Chris Nikoloff, head of school, also noted, “This is an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to the students and thanks to Masako for all of her efforts on their behalf.”
Student winners were: Level IV Sarah Wang, grade 11, team captain; Roslyn Li, grade 11 and Kevin Wang, grade 12. Level III Kelly Chen, grade 11, team captain; Jerry Sun, grade 10 and Katie Liang, grade 10. Level II Nirupama Gadagottu, grade 12, team captain; Tiffany Jang, grade 9 and Victoria Liang, grade10.
In early June, recent graduate Vladimir Sepetov and rising senior Jessica Lin attended a special ceremony held at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the national winners of this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Sepetov received a silver medal award for mixed media, and Lin won a silver medal in the novel writing category.
“It was awesome,” Sepetov recalled. “A lot of really talented students were there and it was really amazing to see the breadth of work that won and was exhibited.” One of the highlights for Sepetov was seeing famed conceptual artist John Baldessari speak at the ceremony. “I was actually able to meet him before the ceremony for a quick handshake,” Sepetov said. “It was super cool.”
“It was really magical to be surrounded by other young artists who share amazing dedication and passion for the arts,” Lin said. “Everyone became friends really quickly, and we took turns telling the crazy stories behind our projects.”
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk also appeared as a surprise guest speaker, as he was one of the judges for new video game category. The Empire State Building was also illuminated during the night of the ceremony.
The day after the ceremony, Scholastic’s “Talk & Tours” program gave attendees the opportunity to view lectures and get a better view at various art and design programs. Sepetov went to a lecture at the School of Visual Arts that discussed how the arts could be used to benefit society. “I plan on majoring in design next year so it was really cool to get another look at design professionally,” Sepetov said.
Both students looked back fondly on their experience participating in the competition. “As a young writer/painter/sculptor/etc., there’s a lot of uncertainty about your work and you don’t really know where to start,” said Lin. “The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards gives young artists an opportunity to gain recognition and confidence.”
After a long overnight train to Venice, Italy, the traveling journalism students and teacher Chris Daren arrived at a new city and country. “We took water taxis to San Marco Square and rolled, carried and dragged the luggage about 300-400 yards to our hotel,” said Daren. “Some students are wishing they would have listened about what size of luggage to bring!”
After quick showers, students went off to find food groups of four or more. “Of course, many decided that the perfect way to finish their meals was with gelato,” said Daren. “So far one student is up to 10 scoops (they are small)!” The group later went to dinner at the new Hard Rock Café in preparation for a tough day on the streets where finding a story, photo work and sightseeing are on the agenda, said Daren.
In what has been an outstanding year for Harker in the performing arts, seeing both individuals and groups recognized for dedication to their art and excellence in execution, another Harker student is being honored. Rising junior Nina Sabharwal has been recognized for her vocal excellence and will be singing with the All National Honor Choir in Washington, D.C., this June.
Sabharwal will perform under the direction of former San Jose State University professor Dr. Elena Sharkova at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Sabharwal enjoys singing classical and jazz pieces and prefers lyrical and story-centered pieces. She is currently a member of Camerata, directed by Susan Nace, and will be singing with the Harker Jazz Band, directed by Chris Florio, next year.
Of the event, Sabharwal has said that she is “excited to take what I’ve learned from my lessons and from singing in Harker choirs and build on that with this opportunity.” Sabharwal will be singing alongside fellow Harker student James Seifert.
Rising senior Jessica Lin has been recognized for her piece “The Road to Pieces,” contributed to the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Lin was awarded the national silver medal in the 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify “teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and bring their remarkable work to a national audience.”
Lin can now count herself among distinguished company; the Alliance has recognized the work of many young artists who went on to become extremely successful, including revolutionaries such as Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Robert Redford. Out of the thousands of submissions it receives every year, the alliance has chosen to recognize Lin for her creativity, and so do we … congratulations!
A total of 37 Japanese students took a crucial step in their understanding of the language in December after passing the first two levels of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). The test has been offered since 1984 and has become the most relied-upon Japanese language test in the world, with as many as 770,000 people taking the test in 2009. There are five levels of the test, with N1 being the highest level and N5 the starting level.
Students who passed the N4 level are: recent graduates Ashley Hejtmanek and Victoria Liang, rising seniors Noah Levy, Mark Taboada and Tiffany Jang; and rising juniors Erik Andersen, Catherine Manea, Indica Sur, Aileen Wen, Lorraine Wong, Iris Xia and Wilbur Yang.
Students who passed the N5 level are: rising seniors Crystal Chen and Shilpa Nataraj; rising juniors Meera Madhavan, Christian Lantzsch, Justin Yang, Joseph Wang, Michael Chen and Ryan Hume; and rising sophomores Adarsh Battu, Brandon Yang, Viram Naidu, Daniel Pak, Monika Lee, Albert Chu, Nathan Dhablania, Kristine Lin, Jeffrey Hanke, Srikar Pyda, Darian Edvaison, Maya Madhavan, Benjamin Chu, Kevin Monhanram, Krish Sanghi, Kiana Bisla and Arman Mortazavi.
In May, the Saratoga campus and several Harker students made guest appearances in “Mary’s Song,” a short film produced by a group of students from Santa Clara University. The film relates the story of a girl learning to live with her autistic sister while also struggling with the pressures of teen life.
Scenes were shot in places such as the main classroom building, Manzanita Hall and outside the front entrance of Dobbins Hall. Harker students appeared as extras in classroom scenes, and graphic design teacher J Gaston even had a speaking part as an English teacher.
“Mary’s Song” was shown at the SCU Genesis Student Film Festival on June 9, alongside several other student-made short films and documentaries.
The Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) has recognized a newly-graduated Harker student, Olivia Zhu ’11, with a scholarship as one of two students across the country who have “exceptional dedication and participation in Future Problem Solving.” In order to win the scholarship, students had to submit a completed application, essay and two letters of recommendation.
Zhu is a six-year future problem solving veteran. Among her many accomplishments with the Harker FPS club is competing at FPS competitions every year, mentoring younger students, raising funds for California FPS clubs and founding the Harker FPS branch. Zhu is also involved in an ongoing project to enable the different FPS clubs to collaborate on research.
Years ago, when asked whom he would want to found the Harker FPS club with, Cyrus Merrill, middle school history teacher, half-jokingly replied, “Olivia Zhu,” who turned out to be an excellent choice. When writing about her, Merrill said, “I technically coach her in terms of Future Problem Solving, but in a real sense she coaches all of us in both FPS and in personal ethics and selfless dedication to others.” We’d like to congratulate her on the award and look forward to hearing of her future efforts post-Harker.