How will Harker’s students make the world a better place? This question especially occupies our thoughts as we reflect on Harker’s mission and future, and prepare to celebrate our 125th year.
We recognize that for our families and our students, the primary benefit of a Harker education is the preparation it gives to each student. The first line of our mission statement reflects this clearly: “Our mission is to educate students for success at college and beyond.”
By any measure, Harker’s teachers, programs and culture bring out the best in our students to a remarkable degree. The successes of our students in their endeavors after Harker – “at college and beyond” – are equally phenomenal and reflect just how effective the school has been in meeting this important component of its mission.
Additionally, our mission concludes with the promise that we seek to prepare our charges “to take their place as global citizens,” a mission directive that is germane to my opening question. Indeed, it is this promise that seems to hold the most power to motivate and shape our continued evolution in the future.
To be sure, there are always things that we can and will do to optimize the experience for each individual student. However, our collective impact – and the potential of it – is especially exciting at this moment, as we find our school at the nexus of Silicon Valley innovations and exciting crossroads in education, technology, finance and government. We see the impact of our efforts in many of the things our students do, from the classroom to the stage, from the field to the laboratory.
Sometimes, though, it is small acts – or little details – that both inspire and reflect our larger purpose. The Harker community’s response to the fires in the North Bay provides a recent example.
As the fires broke out, our attention focused on the needs of our school community: how would they mpact our planned middle school trips, our daily routines and activities, and even our classes? However, in the same moment, we began to look beyond ourselves: who was impacted besides us and how could we help?
One of our first realizations was that Camp Newman, the destination of our grade 6 trip, was in the vicinity of the fire and that we wouldn’t be able to take our students there. Yet, rather than dwell on our own disappointment, a number of teachers’ and parents’ first questions were: “Is it possible for us to go up there and help them clean up?” Unfortunately, the fire destroyed the camp completely, rendering any direct clean-up assistance sadly unnecessary. Nevertheless, the sentiment expressed, and the speed and energy with which it unfolded, reflects a remarkable collective ethos of citizenship and caring.
As the smoke and particulate matter from the fires settled over the Bay Area, we understood that the Family & Alumni Picnic could be affected. Despite a favorable forecast for the planned day of the picnic, we realized that the preparations themselves would necessitate asking our staff and community members to spend time in the unhealthy conditions.
So, with great disappointment and not a little trepidation, we made the decision to cancel the picnic. The responses from our community reflected yet again an outward–focused perspective that was, in the simplest terms, kind. “Why don’t we shift our efforts to those who need it?” a chorus of Eagles asked, so the Harker advancement office and our volunteer network refocused to collecting funds and donations for those impacted by the fire. And the school made the decision to direct the funds from any unreturned ticket sales to the relief effort.
In his work studying the factors that motivate human behavior, Harvard professor Michael Sandel has examined what drives our enthusiasm for certain actions. His book, “What Money Cannot Buy,” describes fascinating circumstances in which entire communities have been motivated to enhance the lives of other communities, even when they themselves have no direct ties to that community.
It is our inherent desire to make the world around us better that motivates us to serve others. We saw this in our community’s response to the North Bay fires. And, it is this pillar – this inherent desire to make the world around us better – upon which we focus our efforts, both current and future, as we prepare our students “to take their place as global citizens.”
Clifford Hull, upper school Latin and history teacher, spoke to fellow faculty members recently about his six-week summer experience at the American Academy in Rome, made possible by a Vegesna Teacher Excellence Endowment grant. Hull noted how the experience has informed his teaching, and how he will share his experiences so other Latin and history teachers and classes can benefit.
In 2015 Harker parents Raju and Bala Vegesna founded the Teacher Excellence Program to “enhance and further teachers’ abilities in a manner that has a direct and demonstrable impact on student learning.”
Hull attended the Classical Summer School program at the American Academy in Rome from June 14-28, participating in weekly classes, including From Prehistory to the Early Republic, ca. 1000-500 BCE in week one, through the centuries, to the week-six class, Late Antique & Early Christian Rome, 312-500 CE.
Classes included lectures, Latin reading groups and a number of field trips, including one to Pompeii to observe the relics from the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 A.D. Hull noted, among other statistics, that he walked 246 miles exploring ruins and Rome, and took more than 8,500 photographs.
“The program also helped me to gain further evidence to support the influence of Roman culture in our contemporary society,” Hull said. “This will further help me develop a greater appreciation and sense of relevance of the study of Latin, and that of the ancient Romans, in my students who live in the 21st century.”
Hull noted he created an extensive visual library of Latin inscriptions and other realia to help him develop a curriculum to disseminate the information on different knowledge and interest levels. He plans to present to seventh and eighth graders in Lisa Masoni’s Latin classes and has a standing offer to speak in any class covering related topics.
He added that he has been invited by the California Junior Classical League to offer two workshops for students and teachers at its annual State Conference held in Palo Alto in April 2018.
Harker faculty apply for the grant by submitting an application detailing the enrichment project they would like to complete. Teachers have studied in groups, by themselves, in the United States and abroad, and each has returned with a fresh perspective on his or her subject and lots of stories to tell! Harker provides several ways for returning grant recipients to share their knowledge with their colleagues, so it is not just the students who benefit from the learning that the teachers bring home.
Charles M. Salter Associates, instrumental in designing the acoustical elements of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center and its Patil Theater, tweeted our Harker News story on the acoustical elements of the building.
Charles M. Salter Associates, instrumental in designing the acoustical elements of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center and its Patil Theater, tweeted our Harker News story on the acoustical elements of the building.
Charles M. Salter Associates, instrumental in designing the acoustical elements of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center and its Patil Theater, tweeted our Harker News story on the acoustical elements of the building.
Over the last few weeks, the girls basketball team was defeated by Woodside and was victorious over Yerba Buena. In the 40-51 loss to Woodside, Akhila Ramgiri, grade 11, led the offense with 17 points. Then, in their inaugural game at the new Athletic Center, the girls defeated Yerba Buena 59-19 behind 13 points from Ramgiri and 10 points from Maria Vazhaeparambil, grade 9. This week, the Eagles travel to Notre Dame San Jose on Wednesday and host Mercy SF on Friday.
Boys Basketball
The boys basketball team stayed busy during the holidays as it went 2-2 over the last few weeks. The Eagles stared off with a 55-70 loss to Woodside, with Richard Wang, grade 11, leading Harker with 17 points. The boys bounced back with a 63-53 win over Monta Vista with Eric Jeong, grade 12, dropping 22 points, and Jarrett Anderson, grade 11, adding 17 points. The Eagles then played their first-ever game in the new Athletic Center, but were defeated by Redwood Christian 62-54. Wang scored 12 points with Anderson adding 11 points. Finally, the Eagles ended their break with a 58-37 win over Del Mar. Jack Connors, grade 10, led the Eagles with 10 points. This week, the boys host Crystal Springs on Wednesday and Priory on Thursday.
Boys Soccer
The boys soccer team improved to 4-0-1 as it defeated Valley Christian Dublin 15-0. This Wednesday the Eagles host The King’s Academy on Wednesday.
Girls Soccer
The girls soccer team was defeated by Alisal 0-4 before the break. This week the girls host Eastside College Prep on Tuesday and travel to Mercy SF on Friday.
This week, grades 1-3 staged their annual holiday shows at the Bucknall Theater to celebrate the season as the community headed into the winter break. Attendees were delighted to hear the voices of grade 1 students singing odes to the holiday season at Tuesday’s Grade 1 Holiday Show, where the homeroom students of teachers Imelda Cantu, Cindy Proctor, Larissa Weaver and Grace Wallace performed an assortment of tunes. In keeping with the show’s title, “All I Want This Holiday,” students sang several songs about holiday wishes, including “I Want to Be an Elf,” “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” and “That’s What I Want for Christmas.” Other songs performed that afternoon included “My Favorite Time of Year,” “Spin a Little Dreidl” and “A Gift for Santa.”
On Thursday, grades 2 and 3 teamed up for their holiday show, “This Joyous Holiday,” where they performed holiday staples such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Winter Wonderland” and “O Chanukah, O Chanukah.” During grade 3’s rendition of “Auld Lang Syne,” they were joined by classmate instrumentalists Lucas Lum, Vera Sorotokin, Annabel Huang and Billy Liang on violin and Ayden Grover on cello. Other special guests included grade 2 teachers Andi Bo, Hillaray Carroll, Sejal Mehta and Ayesha Tahir, who recited the famous poem “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
This article originally appeared in the winter 2017 issue of Harker Magazine.
After Charlottesville, Va., erupted in violence during a white supremacist rally in August, Jessica Dickinson Goodman ’07 donned her Captain America shirt, made a sign that read “You Lost in 1865, You Lost in 1945, You Will Lose in 2017” and attended a solidarity event at San Jose City Hall.
“It’s heartbreaking, because there are people whose bodies and minds are damaged by racist violence in Charlottesville today,” Dickinson Goodman told Univision when she was interviewed for a story. “Being American means always trying to do better – acknowledging the abuses without celebrating abusers, understanding the worst parts of our history and doing everything we can to avoid repeating them. Always trying to do better.”
Dickinson Goodman has a thing for superheroes, in fiction and in real life. Her own superpower is passion, which she puts to work every day.
“She is irrepressible, well-reasoned, and always addressing inequality and injustice!” raved Susan Nace, a music teacher at Harker. “She is willing to put in the work necessary to foment positive change.”
Dickinson Goodman took classes with Nace and was a member of Cantilena, Harker’s classical women’s choir, which sang songs in different languages.
“She let me put other languages in my mouth and I learned how much I enjoyed this,” remembered Dickinson Goodman, who speaks Arabic and Spanish, and claims that her ethnicity is “geek.”
While at Harker, Dickinson Goodman was also captain of the wrestling team, secretary/treasurer of the Gay Straight Alliance and a participant in National Junior Classical League. She met her husband, Matthew Holmes ’07, at Harker and the two have been together since.
After Harker, Dickinson Goodman moved to Pennsylvania to attend Carnegie Mellon University, while Holmes trekked to Virginia to study at William & Mary.
While at Carnegie Mellon, Dickinson Goodman studied abroad in Doha, Qatar, participated in the Taekwondo and Shito-Ryu Karate Do Club, and earned a minor in vocal performance. She was invited to participate in the college’s prestigious Fifth Year Scholar program, which allows distinguished students to continue their studies for an additional year tuition-free. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in ethics, history and public policy.
Armed with an education and a passion for learning, Dickinson Goodman launched her career by working in the nonprofit sector and politics, in Washington, D.C., Washington state, and back home in California for Attorney General Kamala Harris.
“Though Jessica is extremely brilliant and hard-working, it is her genuine selflessness and desire to help others grow that sets her apart,” said Brady Dempsey, who worked with Dickinson Goodman at Washington, D.C.-based Polaris, which fights human trafficking.
Her ability to approach life with an open heart and a strong mind has led her to present workshops around the globe, from “How to Get Involved Politically” in the Bay Area to “Technology 101” in the Middle East.
“She relates to everyone and that ability is not limited to language, geographical, political, and socio-economic or other boundaries,” said Nace. “She is always able to find common ground!”
Last summer Dickinson Goodman and her mom/role model, Katy, went to Sierra Leone to teach web design and internet research to youth and women.
Her Instagram feed is teeming with striking images and philosophical musings about her trip, including, “Sierra Leone is one of the most religiously welcoming countries I’ve ever been to – we bought bowls yesterday at a storefront sandwiched between ‘Christ In Me Enterprise’ and ‘Allah is Great Enterprise.’”
Dickinson Goodman has helped with a U.S. State Department program called TechWomen that brings women from the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia to Silicon Valley for month-long internships. She’s traveled on a delegation with them to Jordan and this year she is the impact coach for a cohort of Palestinian women.
She is also the outreach and marketing coordinator for Child Advocates of Silicon Valley where she recruits volunteer mentors for more than 1,000 foster youth in Silicon Valley.
Although she doesn’t earn a living in politics anymore, she’s still passionate about being involved in the political process and is constantly advocating for people to work on a campaign.
“There’s nothing better than helping someone get elected,” said Dickinson Goodman, who has canvassed multiple neighborhoods for more than one candidate. “When you get involved, you are not just a volunteer but a change agent, and there’s incredible energy from serving your community.”
She has a passion for life – one that’s filled with action, hope and belief that we can all be change agents.
Contributor Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2017 issue of Harker Magazine.
Alumnus accepted his need for structure, discipline and went from rebellious teen to passionate police officer
Today, William Courchesne ’07 is a police officer with the Charleston Police Department, a cum laude graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, and a married man. But if you knew Courchesne when he was a student at Harker (2003-07), that might surprise you.
“He was a wild child,” said Tony Silk, mathematics department chair and Courchesne’s freshman Algebra II teacher. “I remember Will very well as he was a unique student who brought so much to the classroom.”
Courchesne’s rebellious side was complemented by a sly sense of humor, which came out in a variety of ways, including addressing Silk by his first name. “I would be walking across campus and hear Will yelling ‘Tony!’,” remembered Silk with a smile. “I would remind him to address me as Mr. Silk, but I also understood that this is who he was.”
Silk, a former military man, found Courchesne’s antics amusing rather than frustrating and, as long as it didn’t disrupt the classroom, he was willing to allow him his freedom. It was this understanding and acceptance that connected Courchesne to Silk. “I kept coming back to him for advice,” recalls Courchesne. “He is a lot of the reason I went into the military.”
At Harker, Courchesne was on the yearbook staff, ran track and field, and participated in the Junior State of America. These activities helped Courchesne stay busy and focused. He remembers that he “wasn’t the greatest kid,” but he had an epiphany his junior year. He accepted that his academic record may not get him into a top-tier school, and realized that military school, in particular The Citadel, was a good option for him since he needed structure and discipline.
When he strode in to Silk’s office to ask for a recommendation, he was greeted with shock. Silk said he never would have connected Courchesne with the military. But then Courchesne explained that if there are strict rules and firm boundaries, he would commit to those rules.
“The summer before Will’s senior year, I visited a friend at The Citadel and realized that this would be a great fit for Will,” remembered Silk. “After he started college, we talked on the phone and he asked if he should refer to me as Commander Silk and I told him, ‘At this point, you can actually call me Tony.’”
The two stayed in touch and Courchesne even invited Silk to attend his graduation from The Citadel. Silk couldn’t make it, but Courchesne’s identical twin, Steven ’07, and his parents were there cheering him on. After graduation, Courchesne returned to California to pursue a career in business, which he had studied in school.
The economic downturn made job offers sparse, but a friend from The Citadel told Courchesne that the Charleston Police Department was always looking for strong candidates. Courchesne certainly qualified with his Citadel credentials plus his work in the California National Guard as a military police platoon leader, which is where he met his wife, Kristyne.
The two decided to start fresh in the South and have found a wonderful community. They got married in June 2017 just after Kristyne finished her undergraduate degree. It’s been a busy time for the newlyweds, but Courchesne is committed to his career in the police force. “Police work is an underrated profession,” he said. “My goal every day is to go work, keep the public safe and never have to use my gun.”
He recently went on a call to help a woman who was threatening to commit suicide. When the police arrived on the scene, she was clearly distraught and had multiple weapons. Courchesne and his partner calmly communicated with her and ultimately saved her life. This is the police work that rarely gets reported but is what being a police officer is all about for him.
“I want to help people and my career allows me do that every day,” said Courchesne.
Contributor Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2017 issue of Harker Magazine.
Every night Sehba Ali ’90 and her family – her husband, three children and two parents – go around the dinner table and share how they helped someone or how someone helped them that day. The importance of giving back and helping others is etched in their family story. This passion can be seen well beyond the dinner table, as Ali is the CEO and superintendent of KIPP Houston Public Schools, a network of high-performing public charter schools located in educationally underserved communities.
“It’s such an honor and privilege to work with our families and KIPPsters,” she said. “I get way more than I give, and I’m definitely a better person because I get to be around these students who have such persistence and grit.”
Her path to KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) began after she graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and decided to apply to Teach for America. She walked into the career office and saw the vision statement: “One day all children will have the opportunity to have an excellent education.”
“This really stood out and resonated with me,” she remembered. “I knew that’s exactly what I wanted to do.” So she taught in the classroom, earned her master’s degree from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education and founded KIPP Heartwood Academy in San Jose.
When Ali was founding KIPP Heartwood Academy, she tried to incorporate the best aspects of her experience at Harker and Castilleja School. “She was a wonderful young lady who worked hard and was always positive,” said Howard Saltzman, one of Ali’s elementary school teachers. “It doesn’t surprise me that she has gone on to have such success in her career.”
Ali attended Harker from kindergarten through eighth grade and then went to Castilleja for high school. (Harker did not have its upper school yet.) “I credit Harker with setting me up for success in life with a phenomenal education and great teachers who helped me love learning,” Ali said. “I often imagine the impact that Harker students could make in the world, and I hope they challenge themselves to think about what they can do to build a better tomorrow.”
Ali said Harker truly made a difference in her family’s life. When her father lost his job and they couldn’t pay the tuition, Harker president Howard Nichols and his wife, current board chair Diana Nichols , met with her parents and worked out a plan to keep Ali and her brother at Harker. “It was incredibly pivotal for me to watch Harker step up and help our family in our moment of need,” Ali remembered. “This kindness followed by community service when I was at Castilleja truly inspired me to help all students from every background.”
And that is what she does each day when she goes to work representing 28 KIPP schools that serve about 14,500 students in Houston. College graduation among KIPPsters is nearly 50 percent compared to 10 percent of students in the communities they serve. KIPP teaches its students that both academic and character skills are necessary to thrive in college and lead choice-filled lives. KIPP students achieve their dreams by following two important rules: Work hard. Be nice. This philosophy is infused in KIPP, from the youngest student to the most hard-working superintendent.
When John Holt left his job as a communications assistant with the Houston Spurs to work for KIPP nearly a year ago, he wrote an insightful blog post titled “From the Spurs to KIPP.” He talked about a message given by Ali on his first day.
“Her words were warming to hear, especially as she closed by encouraging each of us to reach out to our families and let them know how much we love them,” he wrote. “When I walked toward my car and prepared to head home following [Ali’s] words, I took a few seconds to reflect on the overall day. No matter how I tried to view or portray it, the day’s entirety circled back to a common theme of family.”
Ali’s love of family, whether her KIPP family or her immediate family, is what leads her to work hard, be nice and make a difference.
As we were preparing our story on Sehba Ali, Hurricane Harvey caused devastating floods in the Houston area. Ali said that KIPP is providing aid directly to the 1,400-plus KIPP families impacted by the floods. Those who would like to help may donate at www.kipphouston.org/donate (“family emergency fund”). Ali partnered with Mark DiBella, the CEO of YES Prep Public Schools, and Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP, to pen an editorial for the Houston Chronicle, which was published on Sept. 27, 2017: “After Harvey, we shouldn’t expect any less of our schools ” http://bit.ly/2jrmqdq
Contributor Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.