This article originally appeared in the fall 2010 Harker Quarterly.
Good morning. I’d like to welcome the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff, and the classes of 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 to the Matriculation ceremony. I am honored to have the opportunity to open the new academic year with this Matriculation address, and I am sure you will be relieved to hear that I am continuing the tradition of brevity. Typically I deliver a two-page address at Matriculation; this year I am cutting back to one page of single spaced, size 12 font. At this rate, by the time I retire, I will be delivering one-word addresses, like “love” or “cheesecake.”
I would like to reflect upon the fact that an important group is not present today. The tradition of not inviting parents to Matriculation goes back to the founding of The Harker Upper School over a decade ago. When the school conceived of a Matriculation ceremony, during which the student body binds itself to common values by oath, parents were purposely left out. First, we didn’t have room for them. But secondly, I believe, we wanted you to commit to these values freely, and we wanted your commitment to wholly represent your will and no one else’s.
Now I know that some of you, perhaps many of you, most likely do not feel that you are here freely, but the truth is you are. Each and every one of you has the freedom not to participate. Yes, there would be consequences. We all can imagine Mr. Williamson chasing you over fences and across highways. But the presence of a consequence does not mean that you are not free to act. You are also free not to participate with your heart. Many of our greatest thinkers like Thoreau, Gandhi and King purposely broke laws and by doing so incurred severe consequences to highlight the immorality of the laws. They called this civil disobedience.
However, as excruciating as it is to listen to me, I hope that doing so does not call for civil disobedience. Now that we have established that you have free will, and that you can exercise that will even if the exercise thereof brings consequences, why do we care? I would argue that having free will is an exclusively human attribute. It separates us from the animals. Sure, there are glimpses of free will in the animal kingdom – an eagle choosing to soar above the mountaintops for instance – but most of the time animals respond to instinct.
Humans respond to instinct too, probably much more than we’d like to admit. But we don’t have to. Last year I spoke from this podium about academic integrity. I received some criticism, mostly deserved, for beginning the year on a sour note. But I learned through discussions with students, teachers and administrators that the community did not want to be defined by the poor decisions of a few. Last year saw, among other accomplishments, Paul Melendez of the University of Arizona’s High School Ethics Forum extend an invitation for that event to Harker students, the only out-of-state invitees at the forum. We are also proud to announce that the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education will hold a conference at The Harker School in February of 2011 titled “Honor Codes and Councils: From Nuts and Bolts to a Finely-Tuned System.”
These achievements do not mean that we have solved the problem of cheating in schools. Allan Meltzer, professor of political economy at Carnegie Mellon, said, “Capitalism without failure is like religion without sin.” We could say the same of high level academics and some form of cheating. But this is not to be complacent, and you as a community have chosen action over complacence.
I remember specifically one young lady telling me that students want to be informed of any problem in the community so that they can address it directly. She said that the students care about the community and want to protect it.
Which brings me back to free will and the absence of parents. You are taking an oath today, hopefully of your own accord, to bind yourself to the values of this community. You will carry that oath around with you in the upper school student handbook and planner, or at least two or three of you will. Your signature will be on display at the front of the upper school office. You will have many assignments in your academic career that you simply want to finish. I hope that taking this oath is not one of them.
One of my favorite stories comes from Arthurian legend as interpreted by the mythologist Joseph Campbell. The knights are charged with finding the Holy Grail, which symbolizes spiritual wealth, in the forests surrounding Camelot. The knights learn that they cannot find the Grail as a group; rather, each knight has to enter the woods alone where there is no path and find the Grail for himself. My father-in-law reminds me that as a parent I can do many things for my children, but I cannot live in their shoes. We are taking the oath today as a group, but each of you is beginning a journey that is uniquely of your making. You will enter the woods alone, without parents, friends, teachers, and we hope that you are taking this journey of your own free will. It is by following your path alone that you find the entire world. Thank you.
This semester, Julia Lambertz of Germany is not only attending Harker as a junior, she is playing on the girls volleyball team, too. Julia discovered Harker through the organization international Experience (iE), which coordinates exchanges between high schools.
Lambertz has been busy with her volleyball and class schedule (which includes Spanish, psychology, sculpture and U.S. history), plus there have been a number of outings with the family of her host student, Neda Ghaffarian, grade 11. So far, they have toured San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Cruz, with possible plans to visit Los Angeles for Thanksgiving and a vacation at Lake Tahoe during Christmas. Lambertz also visited kindergarten classes to give students a brief lesson on the German language and culture.
Since arriving at Harker, Lambertz has noticed several differences between the lifestyles of students in the U.S. and Germany. “There are no spirit events in my German school and the school is not like a big community there,” she said. In addition, high school students in Germany don’t take finals at the end of the semester. Instead, they take exams at the end of their high school careers that cover the previous 13 years of study. Students also favor biking, walking or public transit instead of driving.
The Harker School has long supported the YWCA of Silicon Valley’s annual luncheon each year hosting a table of Harker students who have a special passion for that year’s topic.
This year some of Harker’s budding historians will hear keynote speaker Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, talk about leaders who have shaped the United States. Goodwin wrote what reportedly is one of President Obama’s favorite books, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” She won the Pulitzer Prize for “No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II.”
The 20th annual luncheon will be held Tues., Nov. 16 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Event proceeds will support the programs and services of the YWCA of Silicon Valley. The networking social will begin at 11 a.m., with the luncheon following from noon to 1:30 p.m.
“Our guests have expressed a great deal of excitement around having Goodwin speak,” said Sharon Winston, 2010 event chair, “and the YWCA is delighted to have so many new and returning guests at the luncheon providing support for vital programs and services.” Winston added that this year, more than 1,500 guests are expected.
Each year, more than 40 companies and hundreds of individuals sponsor the YWCA’s luncheon. Past speakers have included Isabelle Allende, Gloria Steinem, Sally Ride, Janet Reno and Mary Lou Retton.
This is a non-ticketed fundraiser; guests attend as an individual or sponsored guest. An appeal will be made during the event, requesting a minimum donation of $150. To reserve a seat, please contact LaDonna Curteman at 408.295.4011, ext. 216 or events@ywca-sv.org. More information can be found at www.ywca-sv.org.
The mission of the YWCA Silicon Valley is to empower women, children and families, and to eliminate racism, hatred and prejudice. They provide programs in the areas of sexual assault intervention and prevention, counseling services, domestic violence, child care, youth programs, family services, and social and racial justice. The YWCA of Silicon Valley serves nearly 18,000 Santa Clara County residents each year, and has provided services in the county for more than 100 years.
This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly
Costa Rica
In late July, Anita Chetty, upper school science department chair, and Gary Blickenstaff, upper school biology teacher, traveled to Costa Rica with seven students for the annual summer trip to Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (National Biodiversity
Institute, or INBio for short). They toured the institute’s wonderful facilities, including its restricted areas.
Wildlife sightings were, of course, frequent and always exciting. Students were able to see such local fauna as sloths, bullet ants, monkeys and a family of screech owls. They also experienced weather that at times caught them off-guard. “The humidity was oppressive,” Chetty said in one of several travelogues from the trip. “I reminded everyone that people pay a lot to go to spas so they can [similarly] sweat and expand their pores. They did not seem to care.”
Adventure was in great supply during the trip. Whitewater rafting in the Sarapiqui River was one of the highlights. “The river did not disappoint us as we negotiated raging rapids and tried hard not to fall in or capsize,” Chetty reported. “We did not want it to end!” The group also took a night hike, during which the students made the screech owl sighting. “Some people travel to this area for decades in search of this owl,” Chetty wrote. They also trekked to Arenal Volcano, which has experienced eruptions since 1968. “It just blew a plume of smoke about five minutes ago,” wrote Chetty as the group peered from an observation deck.
For the service part of their trip, the students traveled to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where they worked to protect the area’s sea turtle population. They did so by helping to build a new nursery, moving more than 100 eggs to new locations to keep them safe from poachers and even releasing hatchlings into the ocean. “All of these activities are new for the Harker program, and our students have had ample opportunity to directly engage in conservation practice,” Chetty wrote.
The group then visited a one-room schoolhouse with five students, aged 6 to 12. Chetty “was very impressed with [our students’] Spanish-speaking skills! Harker’s students performed a skit in Spanish on preventing dengue fever, and created art projects with the young students. “I was moved by the thought that here we were from such a privileged school, offering something to young children in a very remote location,” Chetty said.
The next stop was the University of Georgia’s Costa Rica campus where students were given the opportunity
to work on their independent research projects. There, Dr. Diana Lieberman, ecology instructor, provided them with the tools and knowledge to conduct their studies. The students participated in group activities in addition to research they performed on their own. “These are not the tried-and-true labs that students are accustomed to doing,” Chetty said in an e-mail. “Much of the learning comes from dealing with unpredictability. Equipment fails or the weather does not cooperate.”
Students went beyond the call of duty for their projects. Michael Prutton, grade 12, journeyed into an enclosure at a bat exhibit to retrieve echolocation signals, while fellow senior Appu Bhaskar was so eager to work he had to be ushered out of the lab at closing time when working on his project on arsenic concentrations in geothermal springs.
During the final stage of the trip, the students presented their research at a symposium held at the UGA Costa Rica campus, and each student received a certificate in tropical biology from UGA.Chetty wrote that Lieberman was “very impressed with not only how clever our kids are, but how committed they are to their individual studies.”
Galapagos
Matthew Harley, upper school biology teacher, and Mala Raghavan, upper school chemistry teacher, headed to the Galapagos Islands with 10 students in July for a special “ecotourism” trip, meant to introduce the students to the archipelago’s unique animal and plant life.
The group began with a stop in Quito, Ecuador, where they took a tour of the “old city” and its many fantastic churches. They enjoyed a great lunch while also learning about Amazonian culture, including such rituals as head shrinking.
After arriving in the Galapagos, the students and teachers met with their guides and boarded a boat to travel to the various islands for the next seven days. They saw many kinds of wildlife, and even snorkeled alongside sea lions and dolphins. “While on the cruise, we snorkeled almost every day and sometimes twice a day,” said Harley. Other times they shared paths with iguanas and lava lizards, and while walking in the highlands, saw dozens of tortoises. One highlight was a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where they sighted Lonesome George, the last known specimen of the Pinta Island tortoise species, estimated to be anywhere from 60 to 90 years old. Following the cruise, the group went to Santa Cruz, the Galapagos’ second largest island, to visit the FUNDAR (in English, the Foundation for Alternative Responsible Development in Galapagos) station, which helps to educate local farmers and aid them in restoring their land. “Invasive species, poor farming practices, poachers and the tourism industry in general are dramatically changing the ecosystem and threatening the extinction of species like the tortoise,” Harley said. “We helped the station remove invasive blackberry brambles and feed native seedlings for planting.” The students and chaperones ate “very well,” he added. “Most or all of the food was grown or raised on Santa Cruz Island.”
After their lengthy stay in the Galapagos, the teachers and students headed back to Quito for one final round of shopping at the bazaar and sampling the exotic flavors of Quito cuisine serenaded by the Ecuadoran version of a mariachi band – a memorable end to a great trip!
Journalism Trips
Summer was full of fun and work for Harker journalism students, who traveled to Hawaii and New York for workshops. The first contingent, made up of 17 editors, flew to Hawaii in early June. While enjoying the breathtaking scenery, students scoured the area for potential stories, interviewing locals and tourists for articles they would later publish online. They also worked on their photojournalism skills by taking on photography assignments. Group projects and planning for the 2010-11 year were also on the agenda. The students attended a talk by journalist C.W. Henderson, who is, among other things, a former movie executive with TriStar Pictures and founder of the medical and pharmaceutical publishing company NewsRx. Under Henderson’s direction, the students worked on exercises in phenomenological writing, or the practice of relating through prose the human observations of scientific phenomena.
In their free time, the students tried their hands at snorkeling, canoeing, surfing and boogie boarding, in addition to taking advantage of the innumerable sightseeing opportunities offered by the island of Maui. Local cuisine, deep-sea fishing and a luau were also part of the festivities.
During the second half of June, a group of nine Harker journalists headed to New York City for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Summer Journalism Workshop. The program gave students an opportunity to sharpen their writing, editing and design skills through classes plus individual and group assignments. Five Harker students received awards at the workshop: Lorraine Wong, grade 10, for best review and best page design (team); Kevin Lin, grade 10, for best page design (team); Sanjana Baldwa, grade 11, for best layout; and Alisha Mayor, grade 11, for best feature.
Fun was obviously on the agenda as well, with students photographing celebrities at a movie premiere, catching a musical and visiting staple NYC landmarks such as Central Park and Coney Island.
As in Hawaii, the students in New York also published stories about their experiences. Be sure to view them at http:// www.talonwp.com/category/summer/.
This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly
The 2010-11 school year officially began on Aug. 23, when the annual Matriculation ceremony took place in the Saratoga quad. Faculty and administration first took their seats behind the podium before each class, starting with the seniors and working downward, filed into their respective rows.
When the students of the class of 2014 made their way to their seats, they were greeted by loud applause from their fellow students, a warm welcome to their first year as high school students.
Christopher Nikoloff, head of school, then welcomed the faculty, administration, Harker’s Board of Trustees and each class (greeted by enthusiastic cheers) to the new school year. Saying he was “honored” to welcome everyone to the new academic year, he promised to keep his remarks comparatively short and sweet, compared to previous years. “This year, I am cutting back to one page of single-spaced, size 12 font,” he joked. “At this rate, by the time I retire I will be delivering one-word addresses.” (For the complete text of Nikoloff’s address, see the article The Exercising of Free Will.) Nikoloff emphasized that the students appeared at Matriculation of their own free will, a point accentuated by the fact that their parents were not present at the ceremony, a tradition that began with the founding of the upper school in 1998.
“We wanted your commitment to wholly represent your will and no one else’s,” Nikoloff said. He concluded by declaring his hope that the incoming students did not take their declaration of the Matriculation oath lightly: “We are taking the oath today as a group, but each of you is beginning a journey that is uniquely of your making …. It is by following your path alone that you will find the entire world.”
Cantilena, the all-female classical vocal group directed by Susan Nace, then performed a lovely rendition of the madrigal “In These Delightful Pleasant Groves.”
Butch Keller, upper school head, began his speech by addressing each class directly, commending each for their accomplishments and expressing his faith that they will successfully meet the challenges ahead. Addressing everyone in attendance, he said, “I wish you the very best year possible, and together we will accomplish things we never dreamed of.”
Keller then introduced associated student body (ASB) president Santosh Swaminathan, grade 12, who gave a brief speech to his fellow students, in which he talked about the transformative nature of the high school experience. “You learn how to handle tough situations, how to manage stress and, most importantly, you learn how to be independent,” he said. Following the speech, Swaminathan introduced the representatives from each class and the rest of the ASB council.
After the students recited the Matriculation oath, the new students signed the Matriculation book as the Harker String Quartet performed their version of “Viva La Vida” by the English band Coldplay.
Then it was time for the ever-popular “Freshman 101,” when ASB members performed a humorous skit based on the popular movie “Avatar”; their goal was to teach the new students a variety of useful lessons about high school life, such as how to manage their time, dress properly and, though it needn’t be mentioned, how to have fun as well.
This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly
The many additions to the Saratoga campus in recent years have made the start of the year a particularly exciting time for upper school students at Harker. Since 2007 the campus has grown to include such key facilities as Davis Field, the Singh Aquatic Center and Nichols Hall. This year both returning and new students had their first look at the new upper school library, which was completed this summer. With more space for both students and books, as well as areas for classroom instruction and studying, the new library will provide important amenities to students for years to come.
The students’ excitement and eagerness to begin the 2010-11 school year were palpable during the Matriculation ceremony, which was frequently punctuated by enthusiastic cheers whenever a class was mentioned. Freshmen received a special greeting from their classmates as they walked the aisle to take their seats, met by applause from the classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the faculty and administration.
Students gathered the following day, the first official day of instruction, for the year’s inaugural assembly, where they were introduced to the new faculty members and learned about what was in store for them during the coming months, such as the Conservatory’s kick-off event and Cantilena’s February trip to Spain. Meanwhile, upper school sports teams began training for their first contests of the season, hitting the turf at Davis Field to prepare for another exciting season of games.
This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly
For several students, summer presents many exciting learning opportunities in the form of internships. Last year students interned at places such as Kaiser Permanente, U.C. Davis and Riedel Labs, where they were involved with projects that included analyzing the chemical makeup of far-off galaxies, assisting with virus screening tests, working in a bioengineering lab and more.
This year, several students again embarked on exciting internships at a wide variety of places, including microbiology and psychology at Stanford University, the department of chemistry at U.C. Santa Cruz and Artificial Muscle, Inc., a Sunnyvale-based company that specializes in creating components for touch-based devices such as smartphones, PC mice and touchscreens.
Roshni Bhatnagar, grade 12, interned at the Stanford psychophysiology lab under Dr. James Gross. She and her colleague, a graduate student putting together her dissertation, “studied the relationship between local brain volume and emotion regulation strategies.” She also learned about various brain structures and took a class on affective neuroscience, “which really complemented the work I was doing in the lab.” Bhatnagar particularly enjoyed delving into the literature about the part of the brain that was the focus of her project, the insula. “Reading papers about the insula and its function was really fascinating,” she said.
Another senior, Jerry Sun, was an intern at Artificial Muscle, where he helped put together an experiment that compared the tear strengths of two types of polymers. “With guidance from our mentor as well as other employees at the company, we planned the experiment and collected and analyzed the resulting data,” Sun said. “I learned a lot about what corporate research was like, particularly in the material science field. This was also my first job, so going to work every day was a new experience for me.
This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly
As the students return, pumped up for the coming year, Saagar Sarin, grade 11 and Erica Woolsey, grade 12, copresidents of Harker’s chapter of Junior State of America (JSA), gear up for a year filled with various ways to engage the Harker community in current events and politics.
Looking back on the last few years, Sarin and Woolsey noted a recent decrease in participation, and the duo hopes to turn things around. “More than anything, JSA leadership has been getting ready for what we think will be a ‘comeback’ year for the club,” said Sarin, who was elected Speaker of the Assembly at the Northern California Spring State 2010 convention in April. “We are looking forward to laying the foundation that will bring JSA back to prominence.”
There is no time to rest for the returning members of Harker JSA. Woolsey and Sarin aim to engage students in active discussion through both chapter and statewide activities. Kicking off with the club fair, JSA will be hosting various events throughout the fall semester, including the annual Pizza and Politics event.
“Our main goal with [Pizza and Politics] is to encourage everyone in the student body to be politically aware, not just members of JSA,” Woolsey said. “We want to increase membership in the upcoming year and keep JSA interesting.” The chapter will also be participating in the annual Fall State Convention, “Energizing America: Capturing the Winds of Change,” in Santa Clara the weekend of Nov. 20-21.
Sarin looks forward to leading the movement in increasing participation. “JSA has made a huge impact on my life, and it’s one of the things I enjoy most about high school; I really want to spread that joy to my peers,” Sarin said.
Similarly, Woolsey is excited to explore creative ways and innovative ideas to keep the student body interested in politics. “Our generation has a lot of political apathy, and JSA attempts to fight that,” she said. “We want to make politics interesting.”
Football
The football team continues to break records advancing to 6-0 on the year and setting the record for the best start in Harker history with their 27-6 win over Capuchino High School. Quarterback Rishi Bhatia, grade 12, had a hand in all 27 points, accumulating 228 yards passing and 117 yards rushing. Senior Gautam Krishnamurthi pulled in 150 yards receiving, while Eagles’ sophomore Michael Chen had 10 tackles.
This night was special for another reason as well; Senior Appreciation. The Eagles will graduate 14 seniors this year and sent them off in style. They are Rishi Bhatia, Greg Cox, Karthik Dhore, Ejaz Haque, Alex Kablanian, Gautam Krishamurthi, Isaac Madan, Chris McCallaCreary, Jason Mendel, Arko Mukherjee, Troy Sambyal, Justin Shamlou, Jeremiah Shteynberg, and David Wu.
Tennis
The girls posted two victories last week both in impressive fashion. The girls beat Castilleja 6-1 and Notre Dame 7-0 bringing them to 4-0 in league play.
Water Polo
The boys split their week last week going 2-2. This included an intense triple overtime victory over Fremont High school. The Eagles also competed at the Live Oak Tournament over the weekend where they went 1-2. Karan Das-Grande, grade 10, had seven goals and Cole Manaster, grade 11, had four.
The girls also posted a win over Fremont this week, 8-7, avenging a loss from earlier in the season.
Volleyball
The girls have had a tough start in league play this year but have been very competitive overall. Their losses to Castilleja and Menlo both went to five sets with several sets being decided by only two points. The girls are in an especially tough league this year as Castilleja is ranked 15th and Sacred Heart Prep 12th. While their league record is 0-3 their overall record is still a commendable 13-5.
The junior varsity squad took second place in the Del Mar Tournament going an impressive 4-1 on the day.
The freshman team has come back strong after their initial two game losing streak and is currently on a three game winner. The girls had two home games last week posting big wins over Immaculate Conception Academy and Castilleja. The girls won 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Golf
The girls lost two tough matches last week to Castilleja and Sacred Heart. Kristine Lin, grade 9, had a notable performance in the match against Castilleja shooting a 44. The team’s record is holding strong at 3-3 and they hope to improve with matches against Notre Dame and Menlo this week.
Cross Country
Cross country ran against some of the top schools in the area last week at the Crystal Springs Invitational. The girls placed an impressive 13th overall and the boys came in at 20th. Sophomores Ragini Bhattacharya and Tyler Yates were the top runners for Harker in the girls and boys races respectively. Go Eagles!
As the weather reached triple digits Sept. 27, the class of 2012 set out to sea for a day of sailing and kayaking in Santa Cruz and Elkhorn Slough. The annual junior class trip offers a chance to enhance team building techniques and allows advisories to bond outside of their weekly Thursday get-togethers.
Students who went sailing at Santa Cruz learned to rig sails, time turns correctly and tried their hand at steering the boat. Noel Witcosky’s favorite moment of the day was when fellow advisee Bradley Araki made a sharp turn and the boat tipped because she forgot to loosen the mast. “At least I know how to flip a sailboat now,” Witcosky said.
For Daniela Lapidous, the afternoon race was the highlight of her trip. Spanish teacher Daniela Rozanes’ advisory enjoyed the friendly competition and their boat finished in 44 minutes. “We turned on the radio, took a lot of pictures, and of course tried to keep up with our real sailor’s, Jeff’s, instruction,” Lapidous said. “I think it was the best class trip I’ve been on.”
Other students went to Elkhorn Slough, where they split into small teams and kayaked among rush and pickleweed. “We rowed through this winding creek and we spotted sea lions, harbor seals, multiple jellyfish, pelicans, sea otters and seagulls!” Laura Yau said.
“All in all, I’d say it was a fun experience, even though it was pretty tiring,” Revanth Kosaraju said. “The fact that all of us were getting tired together and spending a day with each other outside of school was a really good bonding experience.”