This report provided by Shania Wang, grade 10, DECA marketing associate.
TEDxHarkerSchool held its sixth annual event on Oct. 15. With over 200 attendees, the conference featured amazing speakers, interactive booths and inspiring mentors.
“TEDx was a very innovative and inspiring event, and I was really excited to hear some of the of the speakers,” said attendee Enya Lu, grade 10. “I really learned a lot about all of the speakers’ topics and enjoyed getting to see many innovative products from the booths.”
A total of seven speakers presented their talks at the conference throughout the day, sharing their ideas with the community.
One speaker was Stanford economics professor Raj Chetty, whose talk was titled “Improving Equality of Opportunity in America: New Lessons from Big Data.”
“It was an interesting opportunity to have an influence on talented young kids,” Chetty said. “I hope my talk showed them how you can use modern technology to tackle social problems and not just the private sector of problems that people usually focus on.”
Other speakers included piano prodigy Umi Garrett, UCSC professor Katherine Isbister, civil rights lawyer Shahid Buttar and artificial intelligence researcher and author Prateek Joshi. Aside from professional speakers, TEDxHarkerSchool also featured two student speakers, seniors Alexander Lam and Sarisha Kurup.
“I applied to be a student speaker because I was really passionate about sharing my experiences and my journey throughout high school, which is what I’m talking about,” said Lam, who presented about the pursuit of happiness and how ancient philosophy can influence modern thought. “My favorite part about speaking at TEDx was the ability to directly address the Harker community and share ideas that I felt are very important and valuable to me.”
In the morning, the Nichols Hall atrium also buzzed with students learning more about the corporate booths present: Alchema, VEX Robotics, XROUND, MOTA, PocketChef, Made In Space, HS Mixers and Puzzlebox. The startup Magnetic also supplied magnetic paper, allowing students to finish the prompt “TEDx Makes Me …”
“TEDx was a really good way to outreach since our product is really beneficial for students, and it provided us with great opportunity to maximize our interactions with the target market,” said Kedar Gupta, grade 12, co-founder of PocketChef.
The event then moved to the gym for lunch, where conversation filled the air as students interacted with mentors from a variety of fields who shared their personal insights and industry experience to engage and enlighten attendees.
“There’s a youthful energy here, so it was nice to see people that are in high school that had a curiosity and desire to grow and learn different things,” said mentor James Goheen, senior risk specialist for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and father to senior Jordan Goheen. “I talked to them about my career and shared with them briefly about the federal reserve system in general and more specifically about what I do there. I also got asked for some life advice, so I gave some insight on how important it is to be able to get along with others and write well.”
“I think the event went very well, and I was really excited to see so many students check out all that TEDx had to offer this year!” said curator Aditya Dhar, grade 12. “I think TEDx creates a fantastic environment directed towards spreading innovation in all areas, from art and entertainment to science and business, and that really parallels Harker’s spirit of ingenuity that drives so many of the wonderful programs around campus. “
About TEDxHarkerSchool
TEDxHarkerSchool is an innovative youth-only conference that aims to spread cutting-edge ideas throughout our community and reach out to embrace the culture of Silicon Valley. We provide guidance for some of the brightest minds of the new generation – the future of what TED stands for: technology, entertainment and design. Through the help of corporate booths, speakers, and mentors, TEDxHarkerSchool supplies the unique toolkit that enables our audience to imagine, innovate and inspire. Our overall goal is to bring students to greater intellectual heights and lead students to wisdom, revolution, innovation and passion. TEDxHarkerSchool fully believes that young people will make positive change in the world.
Construction on the upper school’s new gym and theater facilities continues to forge ahead. Have a look at the latest update from Harker facilities director Mike Bassoni, who shares information about the developing basement walls, plumbing, electricity and more. The video also features some up-close highlights of the construction, which Bassoni says is “moving along at a very good pace.”
Grade 8 students spent the week of Oct. 24-28 traveling through the Washington, D.C., area, getting an up-close look at many of the United States’ most historic sites. Assistant head of school Jennifer Gargano chronicled the daily travels of the students, and we updated this story as they came in.
Day 5: The Capitol, Library of Congress, National Archives and Supreme Court
We began the day taking a group photo in front of the Capitol building, an eighth grade trip tradition. We then took part in an informative, guided tour of the Capitol building. We saw the two statues, that of Ronald Reagan and Saint (Father) Junipero Serra, donated by the State of California to the National Statuary Hall Collection. I was with bus three for this visit and their Capitol gallery tour guide was part comedian, part guide. As such, the students were engaged, learning and laughing, as they heard about the history and architecture of the Capitol.
We then sat in the gallery of the House of Representatives while our Academic Expeditions bus guide explained how a House session and vote usually proceeds. After, we participated in a self-guided tour of the Library of Congress. Some of our avid readers were excited to visit the largest library in the world and were surprised to hear that there was a librarian of congress. Since there is a “flame of knowledge” atop the Library of Congress, the students on some of the buses suggested we sing “The Harker School Song” during our bus ride. It was wonderful to hear those lyrics on the bus.
Later, during our quick visit to the National Archives, the students were able to view the original copies of the three main formative documents of the U.S. government: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
While at the Supreme Court, a docent gave us a very thorough presentation about the judicial branch. Many students commented how odd it was to only see eight seats at the Supreme Court. Our students were wonderful about answering the various questions the docent posed about all three branches of government.
The students of course enjoyed the dinner and dance cruise at the end of the day. Having all of the eighth graders together, singing and dancing was a great way to spend our last evening of the trip. My favorite part was seeing all of the eighth graders singing and motioning to YMCA, a song all the students are familiar with.
It has been a wonderful week. During this week, we learned that some students had personal connections to the various sites we visited. While some of the stories, such as those related to a relative’s involvement in a war, could be sad at times, the visits gave the students an opportunity to speak to their families about the connection and then share those connections and stories with their peers. It provided even more learning opportunities.
Our Academic Expedition guides – Tracy (bus one), Terry (bus two), Daniel (bus three) and Isaiah (bus four) – mentioned this evening how much they enjoyed the time with our students and can’t believe the week is already over. They too had bonded with our students. Tomorrow, students will see the White House, the new African-American museum, and the Smithsonian Museums their bus group did not yet get a chance to visit.
Day 4: Ford’s Theatre, Newseum and Holocaust Memorial Museum
Today, we visited Ford’s Theatre where President Lincoln was shot. As with all the locations we visit, our Academic Expeditions guides provided the students with the history and information needed to contextualize what they saw. We also walked through the Petersen House, the house across the street from Ford’s Theatre where President Lincoln died after being shot the previous evening. The students asked particularly thoughtful questions of our AE guides. We were lucky to have Nurse Nott there to add some texture to the medical-related questions students asked about President Lincoln’s death.
The students also visited the Newseum. The Newseum is an interactive museum of news and journalism that also highlights the evolving role media has played in our history and how it has affected many world events. They have an educational movie call “I-Witness: A 4-D Time Travel Adventure,” recreating a variety of significant events in journalism history. It is in 3-D and contains fourth-dimension special effects that helps take the students on a journalistic trip through time. I spoke to a number of students about the Newseum and they seemed to particularly enjoy the 4-D movie, the Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery, the compilation of 9/11 news coverage and the exhibit “First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets.”
We also explored the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I was impressed by how the students approached this very serious and informative memorial museum. I accompanied bus four for this stop and one student asked to address her peers on the bus after the museum visit. She spoke about how impressed she was with her peers. She was proud to be a part of a school where the students gave the respect necessary for this type of memorial museum. She was also proud of how they approached the experience with a desire to learn. She then spoke to the students about what she read about in the Holocaust museum regarding the hope one survivor had in the midst of his very difficult experience. She urged her fellow students to not only have hope but to have the courage to change injustice in the world since there is always hope for change. The chaperones could not have been prouder at that moment. I observed all buses exhibiting high levels of respect and a great desire to learn. Having the opportunity to spend time with students so informed, kind and respectful reminds the chaperones of how lucky we are to work with Harker students.
After dinner, the students explored the memorials their bus groups did not visit yet. I continue to be impressed by the quality of the presentations the students are giving about the site they researched. They often share a fact about a given site that the AE guides and the chaperones were previously unaware of.
Day 3: Arlington National Cemetery, Alexandria and Mount Vernon
We have had really wonderful weather in Washington, D.C., thus far. Today was no exception. It has been fairly warm for D.C. We began our day in a very solemn way, visiting the Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the eternal flame of the Kennedy grave site and a few significant headstones. The highlight, of course, was watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by the laying of the wreath ceremony. We were very proud of Jason, Elizabeth, Arusha and Arjun, our student council officers, for laying a wreath inscribed with “The Harker School” at the tomb during this ceremony. After, all of the buses went to the Iwo Jima U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.
We visited Old Town Alexandria for lunch. We then proceeded to Mount Vernon, the home and plantation of George and Martha Washington. We visited the mansion, the residence that George Washington’s father built in 1735 and George Washington expanded to its current 21-room size with bright wall colors and intricate architectural details. We also saw Washington’s tomb and toured the education center that traces Washington’s life story through art gallery displays and videos. Most notably, the education center features a multimedia 15-minute video detailing George Washington’s life as a general. To illustrate the cold winters during some battles, it actually lightly snows for a brief period. The 4-D aspects of that movie was a surprise and treat for our students.
After dinner at Buca di Beppo, we watched “Sheer Madness” at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the busiest performing arts center in the United States. “Sheer Madness” is an interactive comical play with improvisational aspects where the audience is given an opportunity to solve a crime. Since the audience is involved, a unique performance is delivered each night. The students found it quite humorous to say the least.
Day Two: Pamplin Park and a very special meeting
What a first day in D.C.! We learned so much and met some amazing individuals.
We began our day at Pamplin Park, one of America’s best-preserved battlefields. The students first went to a Civil War museum on the Pamplin Park grounds, where they learned, via an audio guided tour, about the living conditions of soldiers as well as about the lives of a few specific soldiers who fought in the Civil War. We then visited Tutor plantation, the house that was home to the Boisseau family, ancestors of the Pamplins, and during the Civil War was used as the headquarters of a Confederate general. The plantation features a reconstructed working kitchen and slave quarters; learning more about the lives of the slaves on this plantation proved to be a wonderful way to further and solidify what the students learned last evening at the African-American music program. Students ended their time at Pamplin Park by participating in military drills and visiting the park’s recreated military encampment, where students were able to experience elements of a common soldier’s life.
Once we departed from Pamplin Park, we visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps on our way to D.C. The museum contains many Marine artifacts including the second American flag raised over Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi.
I accompanied bus one today and was able to hear many student presentations on the bus. As many of you may know, the eighth grade history teachers had each of the students briefly research one of the sites we will visit. Prior to each visit, a student reports on that site. I have spoken to many students who are excited about visiting the specific site they researched.
The highlight of the day for many students was our dinner at the Capitol Hill Club. After dinner, we celebrated our three birthdays. We brought Emma-Leigh Stoll, Karina Chen and Chance Hewitt to the front of the room, sang each a birthday song, and presented them with a dessert with candle so they could make a wish. It was a fun way as an eighth grade class to end our dinner. We then had the privilege of hearing presentations from Dr. DJ Patil, the United States’ first chief data scientist at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Maheen Kaleem ’03, human rights advocate and Harker alumnus. While both speakers do very different things, their themes were similar: Use the skills and knowledge you gain from your Harker education to positively impact the world. Both spoke about service to others and having the courage to do what is right.
Eighth grader Anna Arnaudova introduced Ms. Kaleem. Ms. Kaleem, a lawyer and social advocate, currently has a position at the Human Rights Project for Girls, where she is working with federal policy related to improving the juvenile justice system’s treatment and response to girls, with a specific focus on domestic minor trafficking. She also co-founded Pennsylvania Lawyers for Youth. Ms. Kaleem encouraged the students to respectfully stand up for what they believe and to explore their goals and values. She told the students that what will take them far in life is being the kind of person others trust, who follows through on promises and works hard, and who is believed to be generally good. While the skills she learned at Harker and the universities she attended allowed her to become a lawyer, it was those personal qualities that she believes led her to her specific path of helping so many young girls and woman. The students then had an opportunity to ask Maheen questions. Many students asked her about her work as well as about her experiences at Harker.
Eighth grader Rosh Roy then introduced Dr. Patil. Dr. Patil spoke about what he does in his role as chief data scientist. Like Maheen, he also gave our students many important messages that I know students will be reflecting on during the trip and hopefully throughout their lives. He spoke about having the courage to do what is right and to serve others. Dr. Patil emphasized that these students will be the next leaders and it will be important for them to be educated, to embrace the future, and positively impact the lives of all people. He admitted that is not always easy to do, but it is important work. Dr. Patil was extremely generous with his time and allowed the students to ask many questions. Our students asked many thoughtful questions about Dr. Patil’s role and in some cases, asked him to expand upon the topics and ideas he spoke about during his opening remarks. His stories about his work at the White House captivated the students and his message about the importance of public service was well-received.
After hearing the presentations at the Capitol Hill Club, the bus groups began a visit of the memorials. While at the World War II memorial, the students of bus four were able to meet, interview and thank a 90-year old WW II veteran. That was quite a treat for them.
Day 1: Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, the College of William & Mary
In good health and good spirits, the students were eager to begin the activities of the trip. The students were interested in learning about Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. After viewing an educational video at their museum center, specialized guides showed us what it was like to live in Jamestown in the early 1600s. We were able to see how settlers prepared their food, how they made their clothes and the types of living quarters they had.
We then traveled to Colonial Williamsburg, an interpretation of a colonial American city. Highlights included visiting the capitol, the court and the governor’s palace. Students also visited a variety of shops such as the wig maker and the apothecary. At Colonial Williamsburg, students enjoyed a variety of colonial games they were able to play. I was with bus two most of the day and was able to play trap-ball with them. As we did, I saw other groups playing hoop and stick, a game where you try to roll a hoop with the use of a stick in lieu of one’s hands, to a given point on a field faster than anyone else.
While at Colonial Williamsburg, we also ate lunch at the King’s Arms Tavern at Colonial Williamsburg, a re-creation of a restaurant once considered one of the town’s most refined establishments. We were greeted and served by a variety of individuals dressed in the fashion of the 18th century.
We ate dinner at the College of William & Mary, one of oldest universities in the country and alma mater to three of our presidents. After dinner, we attended an interactive African-American music program. We were able to experience the diverse nature of African-American musical culture in colonial Virginia. Not only were the students able to learn about the importance of music at this time, but they also actively sang and danced with the family during this program. I accompanied buses two and three and was impressed by the level of participation in the dancing and singing we all did in one large circle. We danced a lot and we sang a lot. It was a great way to finish our first full day.
Harker seventh graders recently took an eye-opening journey through several national parks. Middle school dean of students Alana Butler accompanied the students and sent periodic updates during the trip, which we have included below.
Day Three: Goulding’s Lodge, Mystery Valley and Skull Rock
Students and chaperones started our day with a breakfast at Goulding’s Lodge. After breakfast, chaperone groups were split into different Monument Valley Groups; that is, everyone was placed into different groups to experience this magnificent day with other people. Each group received colored bandanas, made group names and boarded open-air trucks to begin our adventure.
Our adventure started with a tour of Mystery Valley. When we entered this area, we entered a place both historical and mystical. While driving through Mystery Valley, guides from Goulding’s pointed out buttes that looked similar to specific objects or fictional characters. Upon arriving to Skull Rock, students and chaperones climbed it very slowly and carefully using three points of contact (both feet and one hand). Darrell spoke to the students about Navajo culture and the mysterious Anasazi people who disappeared many years ago. After coming down Skull Rock, Wally Brown (a famous Navajo historian) gave a brief presentation to students and chaperones about Navajo tribes. He also talked about the circle of continuous growth. Navajo people follow the same direction because they were told the universe rotated in this particular direction. Mr. Brown also encouraged students to learn multiple languages. In fact, his grandfather was a code talker in World War II.
Once we left Skull Rock, we drove to Honeymoon Arch to climb some more. Darrell and the Academic Expeditions guides provided some listening activities to reflect on the day and the surroundings.
We ate lunch at the BBQ cookout to re-energize for the second half of the day at Moonlight Springs Ranch owned by the Holiday family. While at Moonlight Springs Ranch, groups rotated through different stations to learn about the Navajo way. The Holiday family members traveled from three states to set up and run these stations in order to enhance our learning of their beloved culture. Students and chaperones learned to make a customary dwelling known as a hogan. They made fry bread, which is the bread for the Navajo taco and great tasting with honey. Students and chaperones also learned to clean wool and weave a blanket. We are the only visitors and school to experience these activities.
At the end of the experience, students and chaperones returned to Goulding’s Lodge for dinner.
Words truly cannot describe the magnificent day we had on the Navajo Reservation. It was simply AMAZING.
Tomorrow, we will drive to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes before going to Bryce Canyon. We are halfway through our trip, but have so much more to see and do!
Day Two: Northern Arizona University and the Grand Canyon
We started out day two of the national parks trip by returning to Northern Arizona University for a delicious breakfast. With a variety of food, we ate well and packed our lunches for a day at the Grand Canyon.
After driving 45 minutes or so, students and some chaperones participated in a blindfolded trust walk led by the Harker and Academic Expeditions chaperones. With so many people visiting the Grand Canyon, they were very curious about our activity. In fact, some stayed to watch as students held one hand on a rope and the other on the backpack in front of them while listening to directions on where to step. Once they arrived at the rim, they took off their blindfolds as a group and were amazed greatness of the Grand Canyon.
At the Grand Canyon, bus groups rotated into different activities. Some groups started the day by hiking around 2 miles. Others started the day with step-on guide Darrell (a naturalist, survivalist and professor in Utah) who demonstrated how the Navajo people lived on earth many years ago. The remaining groups started the day with a geology program. The bus groups rotated so that they could participate in all of these activities either before or after lunch.
After leaving the Grand Canyon, we drove to Cameron’s Trading Post. At Cameron’s some students were brave enough to try the traditional Navajo taco (vegetarian or non-vegetarian). The Navajo taco’s base is a fry bread with beans, cheese and veggies on top. For non-vegetarians, ground beef was added.
We will stay at Goulding’s Lodge for the next two nights. You may not know this, but Goulding’s has been the background for many films such as Stagecoach, Forrest Gump and Cars.
We had a great day! Even though weather reports stated there would be scattered thunderstorms today, the weather held out long enough for us to enjoy our day at the Grand Canyon. We were very lucky!
Harker sixth graders spent the week of Oct. 24-28 exploring the North Bay and the many sights and thrills it has to offer. Middle school division head Cindy Ellis sent updates during the week, and we added them to this story as they came in.
Day Three:
The sun yesterday was a glorious break from the rain we have encountered this week. Rain returned today, but so far it is very light. The promise of heavy rain tonight led us to have our campfire last night.
Award-winning skits were performed by each group followed by roasting marshmallows for s’mores! Hard to beat that combo!
Tuesday we celebrated Rahul Mulpuri’s birthday, and yesterday, Sarah Mohammed’s birthday. Today we will celebrate our last trip birthday with Sukrit Kalsi. One a day worked out nicely.
Today, I’ve attached some pics of the kids and a shot of the Bay Model – a part of the kayak day in Sausalito that has been very interesting and exciting for the students. The Bay Model is overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, so the kids have been greeted by a docent who assertively states the expectations for a “military” level of focus and respect then she leads them on a fascinating tour through time in the Bay Area. The kayak groups for today are Caruso, Chang, Gao and Masoni.
We have received rave reviews from the staff here who have offered to just keep the kids since they have been so polite (lots of “pleases” and “thank yous”) and the dining hall is now looking as good when we leave as it did when we came in. All those lessons on clearing the table and wiping it down are paying off!
Day Two:
The rains took a break yesterday afternoon and it looks like today will be dry. The kids enjoyed a smooth day on the water yesterday and were very fascinated by and impressed with the Bay Model.
The zip line, climbing wall and ropes course engage everyone and challenge each to try something new. The naturalists are great at bringing the groups together to work on various activities and projects.
Lasagna for dinner last night and it was so cheesy good, the line for seconds was extensive. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies put big smiles on many faces.
Another big breakfast, lunches packed (we’re getting the hang of making lunch and cleaning up) and the kids set off in their groups. Kayaking today will be the Huntley, Anderson, Morrissey and Morgensen groups.
I am so proud of this group! They exhibit both stamina and resilience! They also show signs of having a lot of fun; their laughter and screams of joy echo through the hills here. I’ve attached several pics of the different activities and will try now to focus on some of those happy faces.
Day One:
We started our first full day here in Santa Rosa. Group B (Schmidt, Chow, Pazirandeh and Peng) are off to Sausalito for some kayaking (weather permitting) and the Bay Model.
Last night we had a great dinner of roasted chicken or a delicious ragu of eggplant and tofu over rice or pasta along with a green salad and green beans. The crowning glory was the freshly baked (still warm) chocolate brownies!
We celebrated Saahil Thoppay’s birthday and he enjoyed the acknowledgment along with the birthday hat he wore through dinner! The kids are real troopers as they get accustomed to staying dry or drying out. We are promised dry skies this afternoon and all day tomorrow. Yesterday they all went through the training needed to stay safe on the ropes course.
This morning we were greeted with a light rain and an amazing breakfast off scrambled eggs, French toast, hot oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh fruit, cold cereals and juice.
The kids all packed their lunches for the day’s activities, filled their water bottles and headed out for the day.
Each year Harker holds a Halloween parade for its littlest trick-or-treaters. Check out the photos of these little bunnies, superheroes and other fantastic costumed characters!
Classical guitarist Wilson Zhang, grade 8, performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in July as a winner in the American Protégé competition. Each year, American Protégé evaluates video submissions from young musicians around the world and rewards the best submissions with the opportunity to perform at one of the world’s most prestigious concert venues.
Zhang currently performs with the middle school jazz band, which is a shift from his normal activities as a classical guitarist. “Playing classical guitar…is very different stylistically to what he is playing currently in jazz band,” said Dave Hart, middle school music teacher. “Wilson is doing a great job learning this new music style! He is a fantastic musician and is a pleasure to work with each week. We are all thrilled to have him in the program!”
Niki Iyer, grade 12, was recently named an Athlete of the Week by The Mercury News for her amazing performance at the second WBAL meet held last week. Iyer set the fastest girls time of the season among CCS runners at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale, finishing the 3.1 mile course in 18 minutes, 9 seconds. Her time was also the fifth-fastest ever on the course. Next up for Iyer and the cross country team is the WBAL Championships on Nov. 4 at Crystal Springs Cross Country Park.
The boys volleyball and girls lacrosse teams will welcome new head coaches this spring as Alex Jones and Alyssa Dunlap take over the reins in their respective sports.
Jones will take over boys varsity volleyball; last year he was an assistant coach. He will continue as the varsity girls assistant coach. Jones played Division 1 volleyball at Cal State Northridge and the University of Hawaii, as well as for the USA Volleyball Junior National Beach Team.
On the coaching side, Jones led the bronze medal winning team at the Junior National Championships, as well as the boys and girls championship teams at the Beach High Performance Championships.
“My expectation for the boys team this season is to compete with every team in our league,” stated Jones. “This year our league schedule is much tougher and it will be great for the boys to play against high-level teams.”
Upper school athletic director Dan Molin is delighted to have Jones stepping up. “I’ve been involved with volleyball most of my life and I can say with confidence that Alex is among the finest young coaches I’ve seen,” he said.
Dunlap also brings an impressive resume to her new role as head coach for girls lacrosse. She led her high school lacrosse team to three straight Pennsylvania State Championships and was a two-time first team High School All-American. She was then a four-year starter at Vanderbilt University where she was an All-West Region selection and named to the All-American Lacrosse Conference first team.
More recently, Dunlap coached at Stanford University and Treelax Lacrosse Club. “I want to give these girls a really good fundamental foundation,” stated Dunlap, “and every game we should see some progress.”
“Alyssa has a wealth of experience already at such a young age,” stated Molin. “She has a contagious energy and enthusiasm that will generate more of a buzz around girls lacrosse.“
Boys volleyball opens its season at home against Monterey on Feb. 28, and girls lacrosse opens at home against Mitty on March 10. The spring season is still a ways off, but the excitement is already high for the two newest Harker head coaches. Go Eagles!
Late last month, storyteller and frequent Harker guest Jim Cogan made an appearance at the lower school, regaling the students with his upbeat and animated performance style. Cogan told stories at two separate assemblies, one for students in grades K-3 and another for grades 4 and 5. As in years past, several of the tales he shared were from Native American and African cultures, including the Inuit yarn of a boy whose selfishness leads his community to go hungry, and a story from Ghana about a girl who teaches her adoptive family about the importance of compassion.
As always, the audience of students and faculty greatly enjoyed the performances and tales of kindness. “Jim is fantastic at tailoring his stories to the character trait that is the emphasis for all the students,” said lower school librarian Kathy Clark.