This article originally appeared in the summer 2016 Harker Quarterly.
The Class of 2016 was officially welcomed into the Harker Alumni Association during an induction luncheon held in the upper school gym on May 18.
During the event, various speakers offered words of inspiration to the graduating seniors, including Chris Nikoloff, head of school, Matthew Harley, Class of 2016 dean and upper school biology teacher, and Tony Silk, upper school math teacher. Silk was the keynote speaker, offering inspiring words about his own journey, as well as on the importance of boredom as a prelude to creativity.
“The world needs you to be creative. There are problems out there that it will be up to your generation to solve,” said Silk, urging the students to put their electronic devices away, even if just for a little while. “Be bored. Be creative,” he advised. Dan Hudkins, Harker’s director of learning, innovation and design, then gave an overview of how to use the new alumni portal, allowing graduates to staying connected with each other and with Harker.
He also spoke about the Harker soci media tools available to alumni, and the importance of networking. The seniors were introduced to their class agents, who will act as liaisons between Harker’s alumni department and the Class of 2016. And the class announced that its parting gift will be something of use (as yet to be determined) for the new gym and theater buildings.
“As a fellow graduate, I know firsthand that once you’re a Harker alum, you will always feel at home here on the Saratoga campus,” said Karri Baker ’84, director of alumni relations, noting that she would be working in tandem with the class agents to help keep all the new graduates connected to Harker.
As the event drew to a close each student received what has become a fun Harker tradition: a laundry bag along with instructions on doing one’s own laundry. They were also handed a boba tea as they exited the gym to sign yearbooks and chat with one another.
This article originally appeared in the summer 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Many Harker alumni are applying their scientific know-how to contemporary issues, including improving women’s health, understanding obesity and helping to make commercial space flight a reality. Although their career paths differ, the desire to make the world a better place is the tie that binds these three Harker graduates.
Ruchi Doshi ’08:
Receiving Recognition as an Early Career Physician Back in April, as spring came into bloom, so too did the medical career of Ruchi (Srivastava) Doshi ’08, a student at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Doshi is currently pursuing a master’s of public health in epidemiology and biostatistics at the university’s Bloomberg School of Public Health and was a corecipient of the annual Junior Investigator Awards, a prestigious honor sponsored by the Annals of Internal Medicine and the American College of Physicians (ACP).
She was recognized for her article, titled “Efficacy of Commercial Weight-Loss Programs: An Updated Systematic Review,” published in the Annals April 7, 2015 issue. Doshi was presented with the award, given to early career physicians who are new to publishing in the journal, at the ACP’s annual scientific meeting in Washington, D.C., in May.
She said she was both surprised and delighted to receive the recognition. Established in 1927, Annals of Internal Medicine is the flagship journal of the ACP, the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. The publication is one of the most widely cited and influential medical journals in the world.
“As a result of winning, I had the privilege of being able to present my findings at the ACP conference, which was my first major presentation,” recalled Doshi, who received the award along with her mentor and co-author, Dr. Kimberly Gudzune, an assistant professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Their article provided a systematic review of commercial weight-loss programs available in the U.S.
“Several million Americans try to lose weight e h year, and as a country, we spend billions of dollars on the weight-loss industry. Our review aimed to look at which commercial programs had evidence supporting them – which programs actually resulted in long-term weight loss,” reported Doshi.
To that end, she and Gudzune looked through thousands of abstracts and more than 1,500 articles before including 45 in the study. Ultimately, they found that a few programs (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig) had some evidence of long-term weight loss and other programs had evidence of short-term weight loss (Nutrisystem, Atkins), but the majority of the programs didn’t have enough evidence to determine conclusively if they are, in fact, helpful.
Doshi also has conducted research regarding bias against obese physicians and other health professionals. She is currently working on a project regarding obesity treatment and medical education. “I’m obesity-focused, but I’m still working on finding my niche!” said Doshi, who took this year off from medical school to pursue her ma er’s and explore the topic – a pressing public health and medical problem – in greater depth.
After graduating from medical school next year, Doshi plans to train in internal medicine-pediatrics, with the ultimate goal of becoming a clinician investigator at a teaching-heavy academic center. She credits Harker with giving her many tools necessary for success. One learned lesson she would like to pass on to other alumni interested in going into medicine is to work hard but also to be sure to have a balanced, well-rounded life.
“I started college believing I needed to major in biology/biochemistry, do clinical or basic science research, volunteer in a hospital and be the top of my class in order to go to medical school. Instead, I majored in psychology and classical studies. So when I entered medical school, I had other interests outside of medicine,” she said.
Surbhi Sarna ’03: Winner of the 2016 Outstanding Alumni Award, Surbhi Sarna ’03 has dedicated her career to using STEM research to improve health care for women. Recently, in recognition of her groundbreaking efforts in that arena, she was named recipient of Harker’s 2016 Outstanding Alumni Award.
“The award honors a prominent alumna/ alumnus who exemplifies the very best of Harker,” said Karri Baker ’84, director of alumni relations, “whose contributions have led to extraordinary advances that benefit the greater good, who gives back to the community and to Harker, and who inspires others by his or her professional leadership and commitment.”
Sarna fits that bill as a previous keynote speaker at Harker’s annual research symposium, along with her past inclusion in Forbes magazine’s prestigious “30 Under 30” list of young movers and shakers in the fields of science and health care. It was Sarna’s personal experience with painful ovarian cysts in her early teens that left her determined to create better conditions in the field of female health.
To this end, only six years out of Harker, she founded venture-backed nVision Medical in 2009 to develop technology to lp gynecologists more quickly detect ovarian cancer. In November 2015, the company received FDA approval for its device, following a successful clinical trial. “It was lots of work, but it couldn’t be more worth it. … From a dream, to a slide deck, to a prototype, to raising money and hiring a team, to first use in a person, to 90 patients successfully treated, to FDA approval!” she said, reflecting back on her whirlwind of achievements.
Crediting her time at Harker with helping pave the way for her current success, Sarna said, “I know Harker has a lot do to with my drive to be an entrepreneur and I’m grateful for all of the teachers who inspired me while I was there. It has been a fantastic journey.” Offering advice to other recent graduates interested in pursuing STEM and research education, she stressed the importance of seeking out mentors and advisors.
“Take meetings with everybody, even when you don’t understand the direct benefit in doing so. Cast your net wide to open up doors,” she said. It is also important to follow your own passions, she added. “I started out as a patient, and I had to believe there were better options out there for women like me. I wanted to make a mark, and at the end of the day you have to follow your passions. It’s extremely rewarding to now be in a career providing service to others.”
According to Sarna, STEM careers for women are advancing, but as a woman “you still have to up your game. When you walk into a room, you have to do so with the knowledge that nobody knows their subject material better than you. Harker set the stage for future success, because the view at Harker is that a girl can do anything!” she said.
Evan Maynard ’09: Making Commercial Spaceflight a Reality The life of a rocket scientist is just another day at the office for Evan Maynard ’09, who works as a propulsion development engineer for Blue Origin, a privately funded commercial spaceflight services company. Maynard works at the company’s headquarters, a development facility near Seattle.
Owned by Amazon.com ounder Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin is making headlines by developing technologies to enable private citizens access to space by dramatically lowering the costs and increasing the reliability of spaceflight.
“To that end we have successfully launched, landed and reused our entire vehicle on several journeys past the Karman Line [the “line” at 100 km above Earth that defines the beginning of outer space]!” said Maynard. Named because the blue planet, Earth, is the point of origin, Blue Origin is developing a variety of technologies, with a focus on rocket-powered vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, for access to suborbital and orbital space.
In April, the company enjoyed a widely publicized third successful landing of its suborbital rocket named New Shepard. A video is on YouTube: http://bit.ly/1TvrmuW. Maynard graduated two years ago from Purdue University, a major research university located in Lafayette, Ind., known for discoveries in science, technology and engineering. There he obtained his master’s degree n aeronautics and astronautics, with a specialty in propulsion.
In his master’s thesis, he wrote about creating experiments to supplement more traditional rocket injector design techniques to better allow for quick performance prediction. “While at Purdue’s Zucrow Laboratories, I also gained experience in cryogenic and gaseous test stand integration and operation while training new students in the lab,” he recalled. It was Maynard’s thesis and work at the Purdue lab that caught the eye of Blue Origin, which was using the lab to do research of its own.
“There are not that many propulsion labs in the world,” explained Maynard, adding that many leading companies use the teaching labs at Purdue, providing incredible learning and networking opportunities for students. Back when Maynard was a student at Harker, he had no idea he would go on to become a rocket scientist or work at a company on the forefront of making history with commercial spaceflight.
However, he believes the strong work ethic he learned at Harker has contributed toward his current employment. That, and “being exposed to critical thinking and coding early on,” he added. He also cited “learning from the ground up and being allowed to make mistakes” as a catalyst for future success.
His advice to current Harker students and recent graduates interested in a career off the beaten scientific track is to “just go out and start doing it … you don’t have to an expert in the beginning.”
This article originally appeared in the summer 2016 Harker Quarterly.
As the 2015-16 school year wound its way to a close, so too did the annual Keller Tours, led by Butch Keller, upper school head, and his wife, Jane Keller, an upper school math teacher.
The couple uses the tours, which occur throughout the year, as opportunities to visit with Harker alumni attending various colleges throughout the United States. The first Keller Tour occurred in spring 2009 when the couple headed to New York to attend a performance by The Harker School Orchestra at Lincoln Center.
Several alumni living in the area heard the Kellers were in town and asked them to stop by. Soon after, requests began flooding in from other alumni to “come out and see us,” recalled Butch Keller. Today, the tours serve as an opportunity not only to stay in touch with alumni, but also to visit with them while they are still in college, gaining invaluable feedback on how well Harker prepared them for university life.
In early September, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) junior Andy Perez ’13 traveled to he University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to play soccer against UCLA junior Michael Amick ’13 in a match between their respective schools’ teams. Before the game, the Harker Alumni Association sponsored a small gathering for Harker graduates and parents, held in UCLA’s Hall of Fame. About 15 Harker supporters attended, cheering on both teams in the game, which UCSB ultimately won. Later in the year, over spring break, the Keller Tours headed south again, this time to visit the University of California, San Diego and UCSB, which included an oceanfront dinner with various alumni. It was there that Perez shared the exciting news that he had been named a captain of UCSB’s soccer team for next year.
The largest Keller Tours gathering this year was at the University of California, Berkeley, where they met with more than 30 students who shared stories from their first quarter. After spring break the Kellers continued their trek of the UCs by visiting the University of California, Santa Cruz for a campus tour ith Nick Nguyen ’15 followed by dinner with him and Lydia Werthen ’13.
The final stop on the Keller Tours was the University of California, Davis. “We had a fantastic dinner with students of every grade, from senior Ila Dwivedi ’12 to freshman Jeton Gutierrez-Bujari ’15. Sophomore Huck Vaughan ’14 shared stories of his summer bike trek from Santa Cruz to San Diego while Michael Chen ’13 talked about his rafting adventures.
Andre Tran ’13 shared stories of club volleyball, while Dwivedi talked about her post-graduation plans to pursue a master’s at USC,” recalled Jane Keller. “This year it was again evident that Harker alums enjoy reminiscing with one another … in their current college environment. The Keller Tours reconnect them in a special way,” said Butch Keller.
Santa’s Winter Wonderland took place in early December, with more than 170 alumni family members and preschool friends enjoying the revelry! The gathering was held in the decked-out Bucknall gym. Attendees enjoyed a delicious breakfast and festive music, followed by holiday crafts and cookie decorating, a bounce house and basketball game, and photos with Santa. Of course, everyone mingled, catching up with old friends and making new ones.
Special thanks to this year’s alumni Christmas committee, Jeff Rogers ’84 and Kristin Marlow Quintin ’84, for organizing set-up and clean-up of this successful event!
Next fall, senior Niki Iyer will take her talents to UC Berkeley. Last week, she committed to run track and cross country for the Cal Golden Bears, a Pac-12 powerhouse. But initially Cal was not Iyer’s first choice. “Honestly, I didn’t start looking at Cal till probably September or October of this year,” stated Iyer. “In my junior year, I thought that I would most likely be heading to the East Coast, so I had turned my focus to a couple of Ivy League schools.” But after visiting a few of those schools, Iyer knew there was something missing. That’s when she visited Cal and knew she found her school. “The first thing I noticed about Cal … was the incredible team,” remembered Iyer. “I’ve never seen anything like it before, because the team is so unbelievably close knit.”
Iyer hopes to pursue biomedical engineering and gives a big “shout out to Dr. Koodanjeri and Mr. Pistacchi for inspiring me to pursue this field!”
During her time at Harker, Iyer was a WBAL league MVP three times in cross country and once in track; she was a top three CCS finisher in cross country all four years and a top five CCS finisher in the 3,200-meter three years in a row, including a CCS championship last spring; and she has finished as high as fifth at the state finals in cross country and third in the 3,200m. Iyer also holds the school record for the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m.
Iyer still has the spring track season to look forward to before heading off to Berkeley. “It’s going to be so bittersweet to wear the H jersey for one last season, but I hope to go out with a bang.”
Special to Harker News from Shania Wang, grade 10, Harker DECA director of communications.
Harker DECA attended the first conference of the year, the Silicon Valley LACE (Leadership and Competitive Excellence) Conference, in mid-November. This conference included keynote speakers, event and industry workshops and many opportunities to network with other schools.
As a non-competitive conference, LACE is a great opportunity for underclassmen new to or less experienced with DECA to become more familiar with the organization and increase competitive excellence.
“DECA LACE helps freshmen ease into the DECA atmosphere,” said Rahul Mehta, grade 11, Harker DECA’s director of written events. “It gives them a chance to get a feel for the competitive events as well as learn some handy tips to help them in competition.”
On day one, the officer team hosted a competitive preparation session, giving each student an opportunity to practice an exam, and role-play in their chosen events, with members of the officer team.
The opening ceremony began with an introduction from the Silicon Valley District Action Team (SVDAT), which includes three Harker students: Haley Tran, grade 12, executive vice president; Alisa Su, grade 11, vice president of communications; and Erin Liu, grade 10, vice president of fashion. Keynote speaker Scott Greenberg then shared his message, which included an interactive activity for students to meet new people from other schools.
On Saturday, DECA members heard from keynote speaker Chef Jeff, a former felon who discovered a passion for cooking and became an award-winning chef and best-selling author.
“In general, the motivational speakers really encouraged me to go out there, have a competitive mindset and learn,” Sukrit Ganesh, grade 10, said. “The next time I go to a competition, I’ll be way more focused and dedicated, and I’m really going to put my mind to it and try to win.”
Students attended workshops including Team Decision Making and Marketing Representative and Principles, hosted by Harker DECA’s own Enya Lu, grade 10. Available choices for the second round included Operations Research, Online Events and Professional Selling.
“I really like how they clarified what role-plays were during the teaching sessions,” Adhya Hoskote, grade 9, said. “Before I had an understanding of them, but now everything makes a lot more sense.”
Afterward, everyone listened to two industry workshops, with topics including finance, health care, technology, fashion and entrepreneurship, the last of which was presented by Harker DECA’s advisor Michael Acheatel. The last mandatory event for the day was The DECA Difference in College, which gave students an opportunity to ask DECA alumni about their college experiences and the role DECA had. This session also featured Harker alumni Shannon Hong ’16.
Later that night, Harker DECA attended the ever-popular LACE Fashion Show, which was hosted by Liu and sponsored by Group USA and Men’s Warehouse. Four Harker students participated: all three SVDAT members, along with Bryan Wang, grade 9. Su and Wang were later announced the winners of the show! Afterward, everyone enjoyed the LACE Dance, which featured a live DJ and free pizza.
Sunday morning began with the closing ceremony, including a keynote speech from last year’s California DECA president. The session also consisted of chapter goals, with Harker DECA’s co-CEOs Riya Chandra and Alexis Gauba, both grade 12, sharing Harker DECA’s accomplishments and continued plans for improvement.
Overall, LACE proved to be an awesome experience for all who attended. “I think DECA LACE was a really great opportunity for all the students to come together as a chapter and experience their first DECA conference,” said Gauba. “They were able to gain valuable knowledge through the leadership workshops from students who had previously competed network with students from the other schools.”
Many freshmen, who are all first-year DECA members, especially enjoyed their first taste of a DECA conference while improving competitively and gaining industry knowledge.
“I think that LACE was especially beneficial to our freshmen who got to experience what the conference environment is like,” Acheatel said. “Aside from hearing industry workshops and the benefit of listening to some really interesting speakers, they got a little introduction to what the competitions will be about and how to compete well.”
All the students who attended, from upperclassmen to underclassmen, also appreciated the opportunity to bond as a chapter and form new friendships.
“I think LACE really helped grow my network,” Mahi Kolla, grade 9, said. “I met a lot more people, and I think getting so many more contacts was one of the best and most beneficial parts.”
“LACE really helped create this sense of family amongst the members of DECA,” said Alex Chen, grade 11. “We really got to connect in a way that wasn’t present before.”
Following LACE, Harker DECA is in full preparation for the first competitive conference in January, the Silicon Valley Career Development Conference (SVCDC), and hopes to once again have an amazing DECA season this year.
Harker DECA is an international competitive business organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in four fields of business: marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Our DECA chapter integrates classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition in order to prepare the next generation to be academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible and experienced leaders.
In October, senior Meilan Steimle and junior Jacqueline He we named as two of the 166 national finalists in the 2017 YoungArts competition, which received more than 8,000 entries. Both students submitted entries in the short story writing category.
As finalists – the highest honor offered by the National YoungArts Foundation – Steimle and He are eligible to participate in National YoungArts Week, which will take place in Miami in January and provide the opportunity to engage with and learn from industry professionals. They also will be eligible to win up to $10,000 in cash prizes, and considered for nomination to become a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts.
In addition, He recently had her poem, “Death as a Mother,” published in the online literary journal Eunoia Review.
The girls soccer team went to a 3-0-1 season record after defeating both Gunderson and Yerba Buena 6-2 last week. In the win over Gunderson, Joelle Anderson, grade 12, had five goals and Julia Amick, grade 10, had one goal. In the win over YB, Anderson added three more goals, with Cameron Zell, Sara Min and Alycia Cary, all grade 10, adding the other three goals. Anderson now has 15 goals in the first four games. The Eagles take on Saratoga this Friday on Davis Field.
Boys Basketball
The boys basketball team went 1-2 at the Lynbrook Winter Classic over the weekend. In the team’s opening 58-34 loss to Monta Vista, Peter Connors, grade 11, led the Eagles with 6 points. Harker then picked up a 68-42 win over Andrew Hill, with both Jack Connors, grade 9, and Eric Jeong, grade 11, scoring 10 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The boys finished the tournament with a 48-37 loss to Woodside, with junior Brando Pakel and seniors Justin Jia and Jordan Goheen, grade 12, each scoring 7 points. This Saturday, the Eagles take on Redwood Christian at Blackford.
Girls Basketball
Last week the girls basketball team defeated Kirby Prep 62-31 behind 33 points from Jordan Thompson, grade 12, and 12 points from Satchi Thockchom, grade 11. Later in the week, however, the Eagles fell to Leland 74-59, with Thompson scoring 30 points in the loss. This Saturday, the girls take on Pacific Collegiate at Blackford.
Boys Soccer
The boys soccer team picked up two wins last week, defeating San Mateo 4-1 and Woodside Priory 4-0. The Eagles are now 2-2 on the young season. The boys travel to Wilcox this Friday.
Wrestling
The Harker wrestling team starts its season after the winter break.
In November, Harker’s Green Team – an upper school organization that promotes sustainability and awareness of environmental issues – held a clothing drive to benefit Sacred Heart Community Service and Empowering World Change. Green Team member Kunal Bhandarkar, grade 11, said about eight to 10 large bags full of clothes were donated. “The clothing donation drive was started to give people who need clothes something warm and comfortable to wear as the days get increasingly colder,” he said.
Middle school students also got involved in the effort, as the advisories of science teacher Raji Swaminathan, Japanese teacher Kumi Matsui and English teacher Rebecca Williams contributed at least three more large bags of clothes.
Special to Harker News from Shania Wang, grade 10, Harker DECA director of communications.
Harker DECA celebrated November (National DECA Month) this year with several chapter events. Along with hosting numerous activities, Harker DECA also completed the #DECAMonth Social Media Challenge by posting daily on all handles, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
MDA Muscle Walk On Oct. 23, the Harker DECA officer team attended the MDA Muscle Walk in Los Gatos to support and raise awareness for muscular dystrophy. The officers all enjoyed walking together for a good cause and listening to the speakers share their inspirational stories.
Ice Cream Social
To kick off DECA Month, Harker DECA hosted an ice cream social after school in early November, outside Manzanita Hall. The officer team handed out free ice cream and toppings for dozens of students to enjoy. This event successfully brought the Harker community together while also exciting members for the upcoming DECA season.
Mock Conference
Harker DECA held a mock conference in early November. This event offered all members the opportunity to practice their event presentations and improve their competitive excellence. Because none of the first-year members had experienced a conference, the mock conference simulated the real-life competitive environment. All attendees competed in tests and role-play events, while also working on and receiving guidance for their written plans.
Kits for Kids On Nov. 9, Harker DECA partnered with Harker’s Red Cross Club to assemble Care Kits, an annual tradition. These kits were filled with Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, toothbrush, granola bars and stuffed animals. Many members from both clubs helped out to pack 66 total bags, which will be passed on to the Safe Kids Committee of Silicon Valley Red Cross to hand out while teaching children about safety.
Middle School Announcement
Three Harker DECA officers visited the Harker middle school campus to promote the Idea Challenge. Aside from encouraging the middle schoolers to participate in the Idea Challenge, they also answered any questions that students had. Many students already interested in the Idea Challenge found their visit to be helpful in their brainstorming process. This visit was also to encourage students to consider joining DECA when in high school.
Hustle for Muscle
DECA’s most popular event during the month was Hustle for Muscle, a student vs. faculty soccer game. Held during lunch on Nov. 17, a large majority of the school community, including many DECA members (82 percent of the chapter) and even more students not involved in DECA, gathered on the field to cheer on their fellow classmates and teachers. This event was meant to raise awareness and funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). In order to earn proceeds for the MDA, the officer team decided to sell milk tea from Fantasia to eager attendees, with great success. We also invited a representative from the local MDA office, Elyse Anderson, to attend the event. Anderson set up a booth for students to learn more about MDA’s mission and how to become more involved.
During halftime, DECA member Chris Hailey, grade 12, performed his original rap and dance, which brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to attendees. “I always like to bring the community together with my performances, and I wanted to have little fun,” Hailey said. “I really like how Hustle for Muscle brought the community together.”
The soccer match itself was lots of fun for everyone. “It’s fun to support school activities, and I like soccer,” said Evan Barth, academic dean, who played in the game. “It’s a good opportunity get some exercise, run around and have fun.” The faculty ended up victorious with a final score of 5 to 1.
Hustle for Muscle not only provided Harker with a fun community event before Thanksgiving break but also raised money for a great organization while inspiring students to become more involved in nonprofit organizations in general.
“This event and events like this really help to spread awareness that MDA exists, who MDA is and what we do,” Anderson said. “It also helps fundraise for our MDA Summer Camp, which sends over 80 kids to summer camp, so events like this really help make a huge difference.” Through the milk tea sales, the Harker chapter successfully raised over $500 to support the MDA.
“The MDA stands for so much,” said DECA member Bryan Wang, grade 9. “People already love going out to sports, so once you put sports together with an amazing cause, you get a lot of awareness, which is ultimately what we’re aiming for.”
Movie Night
In mid-November, Harker DECA hosted a movie night at the local AMC theater. In the evening, the chapter watched the recently-released “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” with all proceeds going to the MDA.
DECAgrams
To show appreciation for the support from faculty, Harker DECA individually thanked staff members by handing out DECAgrams. Each teacher received a “thank you” mug containing a succulent and personalized note. The note not only thanked teachers for their unending support but also explained what DECA is and encouraged them to chaperone.
DECA Shine
A new recognition program for Harker DECA, DECA Shine is meant to honor and recognize members that the officer team deems as outstanding and exceptional. After each DECA event, the officers come together to nominate and select one member who has truly shown what it means to be #DECAEpic. This chosen member then receives a limited-edition DECA Shine T-Shirt and is featured in a video.
As the DECA competitive season approaches, Harker DECA continues to prepare at the remaining study sessions and looks forward to having a great year!
About The Harker School DECA Harker DECA is an international competitive business organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in four fields of business: marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Our DECA chapter integrates classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition in order to prepare the next generation to be academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible and experienced leaders.