Traditions meet new beginnings at 2022 matriculation

Students gathered at Davis Field on Friday morning for the 2022 matriculation ceremony, which formally kicked off the 2022-23 school year and welcomed the Class of 2026 to the upper school.

After the ninth graders finished their procession (greeted by the applause of their classmates), Head of School Brian Yager gave his opening remarks, starting by thanking the faculty and staff who spent the previous two weeks preparing for the new school year. Speaking to the seniors, he mentioned the importance of their role as leaders and the legacy they will leave behind, referencing a Greek proverb: “Civilizations and schools grow great when old people plant trees, the shade of which they will never enjoy.” Turning his attention to the incoming ninth graders, he advised them to “enjoy and embrace the process. Look to the students in the grades above you for guidance and inspiration, as well as for examples of what will be expected of you in the years to come.”

Yager then introduced the upper school vocal group Cantilena, which gave a spirited performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” before recently hired Upper School Head Paul Barsky took the podium.

Barsky made special note of two concepts he felt would be crucial for students to understand in the coming year. The first, from the Danish, was samfundssind, which implores people “to think of yourself as part of a bigger cause,” Barsky said. The second, umwelt, is a term coined by German biologist Jakob Johann von Uexküll, which posits that, “We think our senses make up our reality, because well, that’s what we sense,” Barsky explained. “The wonderful gift of a Harker education is that it widens, deepens and enriches our senses. At Harker, our umwelt is expanded to include senses and realms that we did not know existed.” Barsky stated his hope that students would carry the lessons of these ideas into the coming year.

Senior Kris Estrada, the ASB president, gave a warm welcome to his fellow students, who responded in kind. Speaking to his classmates, Estrada noted the difficulty of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and the obstacles it presented. “Although we have unfortunately missed a number of class trips and opportunities to bond with one another, we’ve somehow accomplished just that together,” he said. “We have persevered through the toughest situations and we have come out united and closer than ever.” Addressing the Class of 2026, Estrada emphasized the importance of their first day as high schoolers. “Whether you have been at Harker in years prior, or perhaps today marks the beginning of your life’s chapter as a Harker Eagle, I advise you to simply cherish today and the rest of your Harker days because high school is such a formative experience.”

The members of the Student Diversity Coalition spoke to the students about their mission to “foster an inclusive space for all members of our community,” said senior KJ Williams.

“We in SDC work to provide a space that actively hears and supports students in all forms of their diversity,” said Fern Biswas, grade 10. “Whether through speaker events, collaborative events or implementing new systems, we also hope to keep this school a place where open conversations about these issues take place.” The group announced some of their plans for the next year, including a continuation of last year’s Culture Week and the hosting of town hall events and conferences.

SDC then introduced Brian Davis, Harker’s new DEI director, who thanked the SDC for all the remarkable work it had done prior to his arrival. Davis referred back to Yager’s mention of the Greek tree proverb, which he felt was very “future-oriented and really thinking about our accountability in our imagination.” He emphasized his mission to be resource for Harker’s student body, “but more importantly, making Harker a place where you all feel loved, where you feel safe, where you feel heard and where you feel valued,” he said. Davis also mentioned plans to expand Harker’s pre-existing affinity groups and help develop affinity groups that are newly established. “Lastly, I encourage you all to be an upstander, to speak up when you seeing things happening in our community, but also ensure the safety in our inclusive community,” he said. “It’s really important for you all to know that Harker is a place for everyone.”

Per tradition, matriculation also included the introduction of the year’s student officers, followed by a recitation of the matriculation oath, led by ASB vice president Gordon Chen, grade 12. As each of the ninth graders signed the matriculation book, the audience was treated to the Harker String Quartet’s renditions of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses and “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. The ceremony closed, as always, with a series of entertaining skits performed by officers of the student council and honor council, titled “Upper School 101.” Each skit featured students portraying characters from the popular TV shows “Phineas and Ferb,” “SpongeBob Squarepants,” “The Office” and “Squid Game,” with messages about school etiquette and resources available to upper school students, including the library, the advisory system, office hours and extracurricular programs. As a special surprise, Richie Amarillas ’22 made a guest appearance to promote the performing arts program.