This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Upper School
The speech and debate team had a great showing at the state qualifying tournament in late February. Harker students participated in public forum and speech with students qualifying in both events. Eesha Chona and Sorjo Banerjee, both grade 12, will represent Harker in public forum debate, while Nikhil Dharmaraj, grade 9, qualified in oratorical interpretation. Sana Aladin and Divya Rajasekharan, both grade 11, qualified as a team in duo interpretation of literature.
The California High School Speech Association will host the state tournament at Mission College in Santa Clara April 15-17.
Middle School
Also in February, more than 60 Harker middle schoolers competed at the Cesar Chavez Memorial Tournament at Cesar Chavez Middle School in Union City. About 400 middle school students from 19 schools, including 62 from Harker, attended and the results were great! In Lincoln-Douglas debate, rishi Jain, grade 6, Montek Kalsi, grade 8, Annie Ma, grade 8, and Aditi Vinod, grade 7, were undefeated.
Avi Gulati, grade 8, took first place in congressional debate. Nikki Solanki, grade 8, took first in declamation and third in dramatic interpretation. Gulati and Bryan Wang, grade 8, tied for third in impromptu debate. Arusha Patil, grade 7, took first in original oratory, while Gulati took second.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Harker’s middle school students have enthusiastically welcomed the transformation of several classrooms into contemporary flexible learning spaces. The recent ergonomic make-overs provide positive in-class outlets for their natural energy – including the ability to stand, swivel, slide and even bounce while learning.
These innovative “moveable classrooms” were designed within the last couple of years to bene t middle schoolers, who often have a hard time sitting still for extended periods of time. The redesign has been a labor of love for three forward-thinking middle school teachers: Patricia Lai Burrows, English; Scott Kley Contini, computer science; and Thomas Artiss, biology.
Their students, meanwhile, report they nd it easier to stay on task and learn in class. Among the most popular items in the moveable classrooms are swivel chairs, stand-up desks, yoga balls, bouncy bands and podiums that students can use with either a stool or yoga ball.
“At some point in classes, you need to move around,” said Cameron Main, grade 6. He called the new moveable classrooms “relaxing” and said they help keep him focused, “unlike unmovable furniture.”
Classmate Minali Kapadia agreed. “I love it! I always feel really squirmy in classes and nd it hard to pay attention. The chairs make me feel comfortable. I feel like I’m more relaxed, and that is the reason my grades are significantly better than previous years,” she said.
Burrows said she was inspired to change her room after reading articles about people – both adults and children – spending so much time sitting. She wanted to create an environment that would enable her students to move and wiggle since “that is what their bodies want to do.”
So she brought in a variety of items that would allow students to expend energy in class without disturbing others, including yoga balls for students to use instead of chairs, bouncy bands (resembling giant rubber bands) and bicycle pedals that attach to the front legs of the traditional student desks.
She noted that some of her best classroom discussions now take place as students gather in a circle and sit either on yoga balls or on the floor. She also said she loves using swivel chairs on wheels because she and the students can easily wheel them around for small or large group discussions, or simply move them out of the way for added floor space.
Her classroom also contains podiums, which students can opt to use with a chair, stool or simply by standing. “The students seem jazzed about coming to class because it feels a little more like play than work, but at the same time, when they are working, they are doing so with focus and diligence,” she said.
Kley Contini, who in addition to teaching computer science is also the middle school’s director of learning, innovation and design, shared that he has been having much success using flexible space desks with moveable chairs. He said he appreciates that they allow for individual and group work to occur fluidly.
He first got the idea for the new classroom set-up after present- ing at the Merit Conference at the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College. “I fell in love with the center’s flexible classrooms. one item that I really liked was a moveable desk on rollers with an adjustable work surface. I was able to redesign the look of the room in minutes and enjoyed watching participants completely change the layout to their own comfort by either moving closer to the presentation, nearer to a window, toward an available outlet or to be closer to colleagues,” he recalled.
“By allowing students to have the mobility and flexibility in their own learning space, I feel that the needs of both the teacher and the students are best met. Students are able to swivel, shake, roll … whatever they need to stay focused without interfering with other students. By releasing them from the rigid rows of traditional desks, they have been allowed to relax, nd their best zone of focus and contribute to the learning more efficiently,” he said.
Artiss agreed, reporting that his biology classroom has really benefited from the addition of standing desks. He had been thinking about incorporating the desks ever since his previous job as a department head at a private school in Seattle.
“Back then, we went through a complete redesign in the science department there. We were considering what desks to put into our newly renovated classrooms. At the time, there were stories in the news about desks that were high, had stools instead of fixed chairs and had foot swings, which we ultimately chose,” he said.
“Whoever made fixed chairs and desks has never taught middle school!” he said, adding that kids are restless and fidgety as well as really kinetic. “Forcing them to sit in immovable chairs and tiny desks doesn’t make sense. The foot swings also allow students to get rid of excess energy that might go other places. Kids love the foot swings. Students from other classes and other grades come into my classroom at lunch just to sit and try them out. And parents loved them at Back to School Night.”
Not only are the tall stools and option to stand at their desk better for students’ posture, but it also seems to keep them awake and focused, Artiss pointed out. Students particularly like standing at their desks while they are working together. “The desks are big – sort of like drafting tables – and students really like their space,” he said.
According to pediatric occupational therapist Angela Hanscom, the ability to sit still for an extended duration is counterintuitive to the middle school student’s normal need for movement. In an article (http://wapo.st/1PQE8E5) in The Washington Post, she reported that if middle schoolers have to learn by staying in their seats most of the day, their brains will naturally tune out after awhile. “Why do we assume that children don’t need time to move or play once they reach sixth grade?” she questions in the article, noting that “learning doesn’t have to be done in a chair.”
Although moveable classrooms are a deviation from more rigid traditional ones, Kley Contini believes they can be a welcome addition for both students and teachers alike. “I am looking forward to helping more teachers, when they are ready, to move into the flexible learning environment. They just need to roll on over and ask!” he said
Award-Winning Design Firm Visits Harker Classroom
Back in the fall, representatives from IDEO, an award- winning global design and consulting firm, visited Burrows’ classroom as part of their research into the various teaching environments of middle school classes both in the United States and abroad. Burrows recalled that during their visit, the IDEO team pointed out that the new chairs in her room had been ones they, in fact, had helped to create. “It was a complete surprise!” recalled Burrows.
“For this particular project, we are designing something to help students have a more individualized education,” explained Miki Heller, an educational designer at IDEO.
“At this early point, we are visiting schools to learn both what the needs are (from the teachers’ and the students’ perspectives) and to get inspiration by seeing what others are doing well.
“It was such a treat to visit Harker! We saw so many interesting and creative ways that Ms. Burrows and her students are innovating in their classroom. We all left incredibly inspired,” added Heller, whose visit to the middle school was arranged by fellow IDEO colleague Rohini Venkatraman ’06, a Harker alumna. Venkatraman began working as a business designer at IDEO last year.
“I collaborate with teams of designers to help clients solve customer problems in ways that also meet their business goals,” said Venkatraman. “The work has been both fun and challenging, and I am continually learning from and inspired by the people here. The Harker visit is a great example of what we do at IDEO; we go into the field to talk to real people and better understand the lives of the target customer. This project was one focused on the teaching space.”
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Violinist Jessica Lee and pianist Reiko Uchida teamed up for a crowd-pleasing night Feb: 19 at this season’s second Harker Concert Series performance, which featured the works of composers from a variety of eras.
As the first piece of the evening began, Lee stood still with her instrument at her side while Uchida marched through the solemn opening chords. A slow uplift gave way to a weepy melody, accentuated by Lee’s superb vibrato and interpretive clarity. Their interplay soon drifted into a jaunt of arpeggios, tempo changes and volume swells. Lee’s and Uchida’s mastery of tone and technique served them well through these challenging sections, maintaining astonishing accuracy without losing the emotional impact. This was most apparent just past the midway point of the piece, with Lee’s melodies sweeping across the tapestry created by Uchida’s colorful piano work.
Sergei Prokofiev’s “Five Melodies” – “beautiful little jewels,” as Lee called them – began with a plaintive melody and chords that were written in sunny California but sounded more akin to a rainy day. Lee’s animated, dramatic interpretation lent a kind of imagery to Prokofiev’s melodies. The busy second movement brought to mind a busy city street, perhaps the kind the composer encountered while in 1920s Los Angeles. Speaking of busy, the frantic and anguished third movement called back to a Prokofiev quote Lee cited just before the piece began: “I am as ecstatic about California as it is about me.”
Lee prefaced her performance of Leoš Janácek’s “Sonata for violin and Piano” with a personal anecdote about her visit to the composer’s home in the Czech countryside. The piece, she said, contained “explosive fragments,” a result of Janácek’s interest in speech patterns, the various in ections of which found their way into this particular piece. Certainly, the piece often played out like a heated conversation between various parties, shifting moods, coming in ts and starts. It was unconventional material, rhythmically challenging and thematically complex, but Lee and Uchida were up to the task. The transition from the anxiety-fraught first movement to the more organized, daydream-like Balada: con moto was no trouble at all.
The pleasant, strong melodies of Beethoven’s “Sonata for violin and Piano in Major” welcomed the audience back from the intermission, Lee and Uchida going back and forth with delightful flurries and strolling melodies before drifting into the thoughtful and reflective Adagio. Though Lee’s violin was center stage, Uchida shined in the space provided with her steady rhythms and playful interpretation.
Ever the entertainer, Lee elected to close the evening with Pablo de Sarasate’s “Introduction and Tarantella,” displaying not only the technical ability of both musicians, but also their air for theatrics, sending a very appreciative crowd smiling into the drizzly evening. But not before stopping in the atrium for an autographed CD.
In early March, Judge John Owens ’85 came to campus to speak to upper school students at a morning assembly on “Honors and Ethics,” sponsored by the Honor Council.
Owens said that his time at Harker remains “the most significant professional and personal influence on me.” He went on to say that Harker provided him with the study skills necessary to succeed in school, and more important, the ethics and values to succeed in life.
Owens started out as a Harker student in 1979, graduated from grade 8 in 1985, and worked as a summer camp counselor/coach at the school from 1985 until 1991. Today, he remains active with the school in his capacity as a member of Harker’s distinguished board of fellows.
He was previously featured in Harker News when he was appointed to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the nation’s largest appeals court.
Prior to his talk at the upper school, Owens had returned to Harker’s lower school to talk with third graders about his life as a judge.
Remi Edvalson, grade 7, recently competed in the weeklong USA Diving Synchronized National Championships, held in San Antonio, Texas. Representing the Stanford Diving Club, she and her partner, Francesca Noviello, won both the girls 13-and-under platform and 3-meter events.
“I love the excitement of competition!” said Edvalson.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Harker DECA Excels at State Conference
Almost 90 students traveled to San Diego in early March to compete with more than 2,000 other California DECA members at the State Career Development Conference. Harker garnered six first place wins, a pair of second place wins, a quartet of third place wins and more than a dozen additional top 10 awards.
During the four days there, students competed, attended workshops, took protégé exams and went to Belmont Park for a little fun and relaxation.
A highlight of the trip was Harker’s chapter advisor, Juston Glass, passing on his 2015 Advisor of the Year award to the 2016 recipient.
Two days were dedicated to written events and role-play competitions. At the mini awards, 36 Harker students were recognized for achievements in their respective competitions.
At the grand awards ceremony on the final day of the conference, Harker DECA earned an astounding 26 top 10 wins. Additionally, 15 teams qualified for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC), which will be held in Nashville, Tenn., in April.
Overall, this conference was a huge success for Harker DECA, not only in terms of competitions, but also in terms of experience. Students had a lot of fun in the SoCal sun and achieved competitive excellence. Harker DECA proved once again to be a top competitor in the most competitive state in the nation. DECA members are looking forward to ICDC!
DECA Astounds with Record-Breaking Wins at Annual Conference
Harker DECA chapter members garnered 19 top three wins at the 2016 Silicon Valley Career Development Conference in early January and 42 teams received mini awards. In addition to the excellent competitive results, three members were elected to the Silicon Valley District Action Team for the 2016-17 year: Alisa Su, grade 10, as vice president of public relations; Erin Liu, grade 9, as vice president of fashion; and Haley Tran, grade 11, as executive vice president.
Students were jazzed by the results and support they received from fellow students.
“The energy when a Harker DECA member won was unprecedented, and all the other students in the room were shocked by the amount of energy our chapter brought,” noted Vanessa Tyagi, grade 10, director of communications for Harker DECA.
“The support for each competitor was unbelievable,” added Alexander Mo, grade 11, director of written events. “I really think that Harker DECA impressed schools not only with our competitive results, but also our bond as a chapter.”
Changes within the chapter have improved results. “We’ve had the best competitive results this year since the inception of the business and entrepreneurship department,” said Sophia Luo, grade 12, Harker DECA CEO. “Thanks to our newly formed officer mentorship program, many of our members worked one-on-one with experienced officers and achieved competitive excellence. I’m so proud of everyone, mentors and mentees alike.”
Winning gave participants a huge charge. “The feeling when I heard my name being called up on to the stage was amazing,” noted Ashna Chandra, grade 10, Harker DECA director of membership. “All the late nights and hard work were definitely worth it. Just thinking about being on stage and receiving the trophy gives me chills, it was such a surreal experience.”
Not all the successes were from beating competitors; some came from just participating. “I had a really good time at SVCDC this year,” said Shaan Gagneja, grade 10. “I was a finalist in both events that I competed in, and an overall finalist in my written event. I got to meet new people and expand my social network. This conference was an overall success for Harker DECA, and I can’t wait for the rest of the competitive season.”
DECA Out and About on Campuses
DECA is keeping busy back on campus, too. Starting early in the school year, the chapter sponsored an Idea Challenge on the middle school campus to bring DECA to middle schoolers. Middle school teams were assigned an item – in this case, a cardboard box – from which to create a product. Each team then had to promote the product via a video.
In late February, Glass and Logan Drazovich, grade 12, DECA vice president of public relations, went to the middle school campus to announce the winners of the Idea Challenge. Each team was judged on innovation, the value of their new idea, sustainability of the product and the effectiveness of their teamwork and communication.
Later in February, the DECA public relations team went to the middle school to meet with the members of the Stock Market Club. Drazovich led a discussion on the basics of the stock market, and gave the members valuable advice on how to play The Stock Market Game, an online simulation of the global capital markets. The middle school Stock Market Club members were enthusiastic and eager to learn new tips and tricks on how to further their “investments.”
DECA also connected with the upper school student body at an informal “lunch and learn” gathering hosted by Sanil Rajput, grade 12, DECA director of finance. Rajput talked about the basics of insurance: how it works, the different types of insurance, and why it’s essential. “I believe the lunch and learn went flawlessly,” said Rajput. “Students came in ready to learn and excited and asked many questions throughout. Overall, it was a great experience for everyone.”
The chapter also hosted a showing and discussion of Shark Tank, the popular reality show that encourages entrepreneurship. Alisa Su noted, “It was not only fun to watch the show in a classroom setting, but the discussion was insightful and invigorating. Who knew you could learn so much about business from a TV show!?”
Finally, DECA pitched top government officials in our area to promote programs like DECA. As part of its public policy- makers outreach, the group contacted Gov. Jerry Brown, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. In emails to each, DECA addressed the importance of career technical education programs in high school, hoping to engage the leaders in a dialogue.
For the full list of winners and additional details for each conference, go to news. harker.org and search “DECA.”
Over spring break, a group of 16 Harker history students in grades 9 and 10 took an amazing trip through Italy and Greece, absorbing the rich history and culture of both countries. The journey gave the students the rare opportunity to see many historical sites in person and hear the fascinating stories behind them.
The students, accompanied by upper school world history teacher Andrea Milius and upper school dance teacher Karl Kuehn, arrived in Rome after a 12-hour flight. They checked into their hotel, then headed off to dinner, which included authentic Italian pizza and fried mozzarella. The next day they ventured to the famous Trevi Fountain and Piazza Venezia before heading to Piazza Navona for gelato. After trekking through the city and sampling more local food, they headed to the Spanish Steps for a bit of shopping, then to the Piazza Del Popolo to take in some local scenery.
A highlight of the day was a trip to Vatican City, where the group toured the lovely gardens and a museum filled with papal carriages that had been used in the last several centuries to protect the pope on international visits.
While visiting the Vatican’s renowned art galleries, the students viewed works such as the sculpture of “Laocoon and His Sons.” They also got an up-close look at the many paintings adorning the walls and ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, including the famous works of Michelangelo and Botticelli, and took a stroll through St. Peter’s Basilica, which houses Michelangelo’s sculpture of “Pieta.”
Following lunch at St. Peter’s Square, they explored the Domitilla Catacombs, which Milius observed “were comprised solely of volcanic ash, which we could scrape off with our fingernails.”
Day three started with an extensive guided tour of the Colosseum, followed by a walk past the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Vesta, the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Senate House and more.
Their hike through Rome continued with stops at the Castel Sant’Angelo (the burial site of Hadrian, one of the “Five Good Emperors”), the Palazzo delle Esposizioni museum and Via del Corso. The day was capped off by another delicious meal.
On the fourth day of the trip, the students traveled by bus to Naples, where a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea awaited them. The group took a boat to the nearby island of Capri, where they admired its amazing rock formations and learned about its history as a popular vacation spot for Roman emperors and home to authors such as Norman Douglas, Friedrich Alfred Krupp and Axel Munthe.
At Capri Village, the group explored the various shops and purchased products made from lemons, a fruit for which Capri is particularly famous. They then boarded a boat bound for Sorrento, where they stayed the night. After unloading their luggage, they enjoyed dinner and a sampling of Sorrento’s nightlife.
“It was awesome,” reported Nikhil Dharmaraj, grade 9, “We bought many different things, like ties, tea cups, leather gloves, sunglasses and clothes for great prices. We even saw a mini puppet show!”
The next day, everyone traveled by bus to Pompeii, the city famous for being buried under ash and rock during the 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The students viewed casts of some of the bodies discovered by archaeologists. Their tour guide gave them a look into Pompeiian daily life and commerce. Later, in Bari, the group boarded a ferry to Greece to begin the second stage of their trip.
On their first day in Greece, the group took a lengthy trip to Delphi, where they explored the narrow streets and local shops, and purchased food to feed the stray dogs they encountered. After dinner, they retired to bed to prepare for the full day ahead.
The next day they saw more of Delphi’s historical sites, including the Temple of Apollo, and learned that Delphi was originally more of a religious center than a city. It was unique in that it was administered primarily by priestesses, who received divinations by inhaling gases and then shared their insights with visiting diplomats and rulers. The group also explored the ruins of the stadium, which was the site for many Olympic games.
En route to Athens, the group admired the Greek countryside and stopped a local restaurant for lunch. Upon arriving, they enjoyed a short walk through the town square and briefly explored the city. Following dinner, they took a guided tour of the legendary Greek Orthodox church, the Metropolis.
While in Athens, the group toured numerous landmarks, including the statues of important Greek Civil War-era politicians and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. At the Acropolis, known first as a citadel for Athens and later as a place of religious significance, the students saw many statues and other sculptures that once sat in the structure.
“While many of the statues were damaged in some shape or form, we were able to see how careful the sculptors were in constructing them,” observed Brian Park, grade 9.
It was a busy week for the Harker track team as it competed in two meets. Early in the week, the Eagles faced off with their WBAL rivals and had one of their best-ever meets, achieving 38 personal bests. Kevin Wang, grade 12, won both the shot put and discus; Demonte Aleem, grade 9, set two freshman school records on his way to two second place finishes in the 100m and shot put; Anthony Contreras, grade 10, took first in the 400m, and is now the sophomore school record holder in the 100m, 200m and 400m; Davis Dunaway, grade 11, won the 300m hurdles and was second in the high jump; and Niki Iyer, grade 11, won the 1600m with her season-best time of 5:04.
Later in the week, the Eagles traveled to San Mateo for the Bearcat Invitational. Highlights included Aleem placing fourth in the varsity 100m, which was also the top frosh-soph time of the day. Contreras ran personal bests in the 200m and 400m, placing third in the 400m; Dunaway medaled in the pole vault with a jump of 11’0”; and Rohan Daran, grade 12, Grace Koonmen, grade 10, Ananya Krishnan, grade 10, Lev Sepetov, grade 12, and Norman Garcia, grade 11, each set personal bests at the meet. The Eagles will compete at the St. Francis Invitational on Saturday.
Boys Tennis
The boys tennis team dominated last week, defeating Pinewood, Priory and Evergreen Valley all 7-0. They have another busy week as they face Crystal Springs Uplands on Wednesday, Sacred Heart Prep on Thursday and Evergreen Valley on Friday.
Swimming
Harker hosted its largest WBAL meet of the season last week, welcoming Notre Dame San Jose, Priory, Sacred Heart Prep and Mercy Burlingame. Highlights included wins in the girls 200 medley relay with Taylor Kohlmann, grade 10, Grace Guan, grade 12, Vivian Wang, grade 10, and Angela Li, grade 9; first place for Wang in the girls 200 IM and 100 free; first place for Ihita Mandal, grade 9, in the girls 500 free; a win for Alex Yu, grade 9, in the boys 200 IM; Michael Auld, grade 11, winning the boys 500 free; Jack Farnham, grade 11, taking the boys 100 back; and a win for the boys 400 free relay team of Farnham, Auld, Yu and Justin Culpepper, grade 11. Up next for the Eagles is an April 27 meet with King’s Academy at Singh Aquatic Center.
Girls Lacrosse
The girls lacrosse team dropped two games last week, 8-6 to Carlmont and 9-4 to Aragon, despite playing very well. Next up the Eagles host Woodside on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Boys Golf
Last week the boys golf team suffered only their second head-to-head loss of the season as they fell to Palo Alto by just one stroke, 179-178. Leading the way for the Eagles was Avi Khemani, grade 11, who shot an even 33. It’s another busy week for the Eagles as they compete in the Aptos Tournament on Monday, take on Valley Christian on Tuesday and face off with Crystal Springs Uplands on Friday.
Softball
The softball team went 0-2 last week, falling to Mercy Burlingame and Pinewood. In the 9-4 loss to Mercy, Anika Rajamani, grade 9, drove in two runs. In the 14-5 loss to Pinewood, Grace Park, grade 11, had two hits and two RBIs. The girls host Castilleja on Tuesday and Yerba Buena on Friday, both at 4 p.m.
Boys Volleyball
Last week, the boys varsity volleyball team lost its matchup with Pacific Collegiate in four games, but rebounded with a three-game win against King’s Academy. The boys volleyball team is 6-9 on the year, but it sits in first place in the SCVAL El Camino League with a 4-0 league record. The Eagles travel to Wilcox on Wednesday and host Fremont on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Baseball
The varsity baseball team lost two games to a tough San Mateo team last week, 10-2 and 9-1. This week the Eagles face Jefferson on Tuesday at Blackford at 4 p.m., then travel to Jefferson on Thursday, and host Lincoln San Francisco on Saturday at 11 a.m..
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
With hundreds of grade 5-8 students competing on dozens of teams and using facilities at three campuses, the lower and middle school sports program has become a force to be reckoned with. The program is a finely tuned machine that helps produce well-rounded Harker students, many of whom will move on to the upper school. It balances competitiveness, hard work and learning, all while emphasizing the love for the game.
Theresa “Smitty” Smith has the task of managing 55 lower and middle school teams in 16 sports, as well as coaching the upper school varsity girls volleyball team – for which she recently eclipsed 300 career wins. But it is all in a day’s work, she says. “There are a bazillion kids in the program, there are tons of teams. It’s a huge undertaking. But we have a really good program and I’m proud of that.”
Dedicated Coaches
Gazing around the middle school gym just outside of Smith’s office, one can see the source of her pride in the many championship banners.
Since 2008, the middle and lower schools have won 56 league titles. Smith gives the credit for the program’s success to her amazing coaches. “Any extra help that I need, all hands are on board. It’s a great unit of people to work with,” Smith said. “All are willing to jump in and take initiative, and it makes my job easier.” There are plenty of hands to help, too, as Smith has more than 40 devoted coaches and assistants, with about a 50-50 split between walk-on coaches and Harker employees.
One of those coaches is Raul Rios, who has been working with Harker athletes for a decade. During the fall and winter, Rios can be found with the middle school athletes; in the spring he works with the upper school students. “I coach because I love sports and working with kids,” said Rios, who also heads up the shipping and receiving department at Harker. “It’s very rewarding seeing somebody using something you taught them and succeeding with it.”
Dan Pringle is another loyal coach, who first began coaching at Harker in 2000. Pringle is involved with four different middle school sports and also assists the upper school’s girls varsity basketball team. One might think that kind of schedule would take its toll on a coach, but not Pringle. “Every year coaching at Harker, there has been a special memory of a team, player or season that brings a smile to my face and shows me how lucky I am to be coaching at such a great school,” stated Pringle.
The sound of dozens of basketballs beating against the pavement as three girls teams practiced on the blacktop was almost deafening, but Charlotte Blanc, grade 8, loudly stated, “Coach Pringle is the best basketball coach I’ve ever had. He’s really serious and he’s really funny. He pushes you to work really hard.”
Hard Work On and Off the Field
Hard work is a common theme in conversations with Harker athletes, and is clearly something they do not shy away from. When asked for a favorite Harker sports memory, Ryan Tobin, grade 7, said, “We were playing soccer against Menlo last year and it was back and forth all game. The whole team worked their hardest and never gave up and we eventually won.”
So what makes Harker athletes wantto work and try so hard? “Our students are unique, because at a very young age they are motivated to be successful in the classroom,” said Brighid Wood, coach and assistant to the middle school athletic directors. “We have been able
to extend that focus onto the eld and have seen some amazing results.”
Dhruv Saoji, grade 6, thinks the influence sometimes moves in the opposite direction. “Sports help you focus. It lets you clear your mind and then you have a fresh mind when you go back to academics.” Whether it is academics influencing sports or sports influencing academics, Harker students seem to enjoy bringing the same intensity into both arenas.
The work ethic displayed by Harker students produces an amazing effect in that the student athletes actually grow and evolve in their sports, and as people. “My favorite part of coaching is getting to see the progression in the kids,” said first year Harker coach Brittney Moseley. “Just seeing how much they’ve grown on and off the field is beneficial and shows that I’ve done my job.” Wood added. “As [the students] grow in our system, we’ve seen some great strides on and off of the field. I feel like the success is found in development of character alongside ability, and that is always our goal.”
The Element of Fun
But the middle school athletic program isn’t only about work ethic and personal growth, it is also about the athletes enjoying themselves. According to Smith, one of the philosophies of the program is “the element of fun.” When asked why he plays sports, Saoji answered just as one would expect a sixth grader to: “It’s time to have fun!” Though a little older, Blanc answered the question similarly: “It’s always so much fun. Even if your teammates aren’t your friends regularly at school, you connect as a team.”
“Last year we won the championship and all had an amazing time,” said basketball player Ashley Barth, grade 6. “We bonded as a team and became really close friends!”
Pringle hopes his coaching style encompasses all these qualities. “I want all my student athletes to gain confidence and self esteem while learning how to work as a team, and build lifelong relationships while having fun.”
Preparing for High School
The results of the middle school sports experience are evident at the upper school campus. Jared Anderson, grade 9, is one of the stars of the boys varsity soccer team this year and a product of the Harker sports program. “The middle school sports program prepared me for high school sports because it led me to understand the competitiveness of high school sports without too much pressure being placed on me,” Anderson noted.
Joelle Anderson, grade 11, who has been lighting up the scoreboard this year for the girls varsity basketball team, partially credits her success to her Harker middle school coaches. “They help you develop your skills. Those skills come in to effect when you play at a higher level,” she said.
In addition to the sport-specific preparation the Harker athletes receive in middle school, the variety of sporting opportunities also serves students well at the next level.
This year, Rachel Cheng, grade 11, earned a West Bay Athletic League first team honor in volleyball, but she might not have discovered her talent if not for the breadth of sports offered at the middle school. “I delved into a number of sports when I was in middle school,” she said. “I ran cross country, track and eld, played soccer and played volleyball,” recalled Cheng. “I experimented with all these different kinds of sports, so I could easily nd which ones I was good at, and which ones were my passion.”
Giving young student athletes choices and opportunities is all part of the pathway that Harker’s sports community has built over the years. Academics have always been prevalent at Harker, but appealing to students with a high interest in athletics has become a focus in recent years. “When we initially started the upper school one grade at a time, a lot of our students and parents were hesitant to go [there].
Our better athletes went to the Mittys and Bellarmines and St. Francises,” remembered Smith. “Within the last ve years, the retention rate on those top athletes has exploded.” This retention rate has shown great results as the upper school just came off one of its best fall seasons in Harker history, with five teams making the postseason. This success may not have been possible without the groundwork that Smith and her coaches create in their athletes at the lower and middle school levels.
On any given day, on any given Harker campus, a sixth grader could be scoring his first-ever basket, or an eighth grader kicking her nal goal before heading to the upper school. But whether their teams are playing in a championship or working on drills, the Harker playing eld is always filled with joy.
“You can’t make everyone happy, but I think we make a lot of people happy,” stated Smith with a slight grin.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Winter Sports Wrap
The winter sports season was one for the Harker history books! Harker’s teams set scoring records, broke opponents’ streaks and reached new heights in the playoffs. And the Eagles continue to soar as the spring season gets underway.
Girls Basketball
The girls varsity basketball team started the season on fire, winning nine of its first 10 games by an average margin of victory of 31 points. The team finished with an impressive 16-8 regular season record, and third place in the West Bay-Skyline Division.
The Eagles headed into CCS with a No. 10 ranking in the Division 4 tournament, which gave them home court advantage against their first round opponent, Terra Nova. However, injuries and illnesses left the Eagles shorthanded and the team fell to the Tigers 52-44, ending Harker’s season.
Leading the way for the Eagles were Joelle Anderson and Jordan Thompson, both grade 11. Anderson averaged 14.3 points per game, while Thompson averaged an amazing 27.2 points per game, the best in the CCS and fifth in the state, according to MaxPreps.com. Thompson also became Harker’s all-time leading scorer this season, with her senior year still ahead of her.
Thompson was honored with a WBAL first-team selection, Anderson was named to the second team, and Satchi Thockchom and Selin Sayiner, both grade 10, received honorable mentions. Coach Tomas Thompson has his sights set high for the program’s future. “This was a great year for Harker girls basketball. Next year we return all five starters and, if we continue to work hard, we will contend for the league championship and have goals to advance in CCS,” he said. “This is the start of something special, and we can’t wait to get back to practice to get to the next level.”
Boys Basketball
The Eagles opened the year by winning the James Lick Invitational Tournament, the first tournament championship under coach Butch Keller. Elijah Edgehill, grade 12, was named tournament MVP, averaging 14 points and 14 rebounds a game.
The Eagles finished the season with a 12-12 record, making the playoffs as the No. 11 seed in the CCS Division 4 playoffs. They traveled to San Lorenzo Valley for their first round game, where the very talented Cougars defeated Harker 67-47, ending the team’s season. Edgehill and Roy Yuan, grade 9, led the Eagles offensively as Edgehill averaged 13.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, while Yuan dropped in a team high 15.2 points per game.
The boys basketball team also racked up accolades. Edgehill was named to the WBAL first team, Rohan Desikan, grade 12, received an honorable mention, and the team shined in the classroom, as it won the CCS scholastic championship with a 3.655 team GPA.
“This group worked really hard all year, from summer league to the Thanksgiving and winter breaks,” stated Keller. “This was a remarkable team.”
Wrestling
Although the varsity wrestling team was winless this year, several of its wrestlers had impressive individual seasons. Davis Howard, grade 11, became only the fourth Harker wrestler in school history to reach the league finals.
Howard finished second in league in his weight class and qualified for the CCS tournament, where he went 3-2 and became just the sixth Harker wrestler to reach the second day of the CCS tournament.
Anthony Contreras, grade 10, placed third in league and also qualified for CCS, where he had a solid 1-2 performance. Meanwhile, Daniel Reidenbach, grade 11, placed eighth in league for his weight class, although he didn’t qualify for CCS. Howard, Contreras and Reidenbach were each named to the all-league team. As a team, the Harker wrestlers were named the CCS scholastic champion with a 3.475 team GPA.
Coach Karriem Stinson said, “I have been working with these guys since middle school. It’s great to see them grow up.”
Girls Soccer
It was a rebuilding year for a very young varsity girls soccer team. They fielded only one senior, lost multiple starters and played up to a higher division. The Eagles went 0-15-1 on the season, but with a team comprising mostly underclassmen, the future looks bright.
The team always worked hard and stayed positive, and it showed as four Eagles were named to the WBAL all- league team. Lyndsey Mitchell, grade 11, was a first team selection, Anuva Mittal, grade 11, was named to the second team, and Layla Walker, grade 12, and Maile Chung, grade 11, were both honorable mentions.
“Throughout the year, we really grew as a team and became more comfortable with each other,” said Mitchell. “I’m really excited for next year.”
Boys Soccer
The boys varsity soccer team played well all season, finishing with a 7-9-1 record and fourth place in the WBAL.
The Eagles started the season off on the right foot with a couple of big wins. First, they defeated Valley Christian 3-0 on Davis Field. Two days later, the Eagles made history as they upended Sacred Heart
Prep 2-1 on their home field. Jared Anderson, grade 9, scored both goals in Harker’s first win at SHP in nearly 10 years and the Gators’ first home loss in five years!
The Eagles were well represented in the WBAL All-League awards as Oisin Coveney, grade 12, was a first-team selection, Omar Hamade, grade 12, was named to the second team, and Rohit Shah, grade 10, and Anderson were both honorable mentions. The boys soccer team also finished third for the CCS scholastic championship with team GPA of 3.680. “We had a really talented group with lots of raw talent,” stated Hamade. “It was super fun working with everyone on the team. We are all a family.”
Lower and Middle School Results
The early winter sports season for grades 4-8 has concluded. Nearly 220 lower and middle school students participated in boys basketball and girls soccer.
Our varsity B and JVB1 boys basketball teams were both league and tournament champs!
Here are the teams’ final results:
VB (Grades 7-8) Boys Basketball: The varsity B team, coached by Josh Miller and Rich Amarillas, finished in first place in the WBAL with a 7-0 record and went 9-0 overall. They were league champs of the south division and tournament champs!
Team awards went to Michael Mitchell, grade 7 (MVP), Vance Vu, grade 8 (Eagle) and Vedanth Sundaram, grade 8 (Coaches).
VB2 (Grade 7) Boys Basketball: The varsity B2 team, coached by Jon Cvitanich, finished in sixth place in the WBAL with a 3-4 record. Team awards went to Levi Sutton (MVP), Marcus Anderson (Eagle) and Anmol Velagapudi (Coaches).
JVA (Grade 6) Boys Basketball: The junior varsity A team, coached by Mike Delfino, finished in fourth place in the WBAL with a 3-3 record and went 3-4 overall. Team awards went to Rishi Jain (MVP), Anquan Boldin Jr. (Eagle) and Alex Zhang (Coaches).
JVB6 (Grade 6) Boys Basketball: The junior varsity B6 team, coached by Matt Arensberg, finished in fifth place in the WBAL with a 3-4 record. Team awards went to Marcus Page (MVP), Josh Tseitlin (Eagle) and Jack Hayashi (Coaches).
MS Intramural Boys Basketball: Team awards went to Tuhin Chatterjee, grade 7 (MVP), Alex Shing, grade 8 (Eagle) and Harrison Chang, grade 6, and Akshay Manglik, grade 7 (Coaches). The team was coached by CJ Cali, Jeff Martarano and Raul Rios.
JVB1(Grade 5) Boys Basketball: The junior varsity B1 team, coached by Dan Pringle and Karriem Stinson, finished in first place in the WBAL with a 7-0 record and went 9-0 overall. They were league champs and tournament champs! Team awards went to Matthew Chen (MVP), Zeke Weng (Eagle), and Michael P aging and Armaan Thakker (Coaches).
JVB2 (Grade 5) Boys Basketball: The junior varsity B2 team, coached by Kristian Tiopo, finished in fourth place in the WBAL with a 4-3 record. Team awards went to Boulus Ajlouny (MVP), Max Pflaging (Eagle) and Pranav Mullappalli (Coaches).
JVC (Grade 4) Boys Basketball: The junior varsity C team, coached by Jim McGovern, finished in fourth place in the WBAL with a 4-3 record. Team awards went to Om Tandon (MVP), Rohin Bhagat (Eagle) and Spencer Mak (Coaches).
LS Intramural Boys Basketball: Team awards went to Panav Gogte, grade 4 (MVP), Jack Ledford and Kyle Leung, both grade 4 (Eagle) and Vivek Nayyar, grade 4 (Coaches). The team was coached by Ken Allen and Jeff Paull.
VA (Grades 7-8) Girls Soccer: The varsity A team, coached by Brighid Wood, Brittney Moseley and Kelcie Lai, finished in seventh place in the WBAL with a record of 2-5-0. Team awards went to Aria Wong and Hannah Grannis, both grade 7, (MVP), and Dylan Williams, grade 7, and Delaney Logue, grade 8 (Coaches).
JVA (Grade 6) Girls Soccer: The junior varsity A team, coached by Cyrus Merrill and Mandy Schroeder, finished in fifth place in the WBAL with a record of 2-3-1. Team awards went to Ashley Barth (MVP), Angela Jia (Eagle) and Diana Kohr (Coaches).
JVB (Grade 5) Girls Soccer: The junior varsity B team, coached by Lisa Lubke and Jared Ramsey, finished in second place in the WBAL with a record of 2-1- 1 and went 2-3-1 overall. Team awards went to Anya Chauhan (MVP), Anika Muddu (Eagle) and Jia Parikh (Coaches).
LS Intramural Girls Soccer: Team awards went to Ananya Sriram, grade 4 (Eagle) and Kinnera Mulam, grade 4 (Coaches). The team was coached by Randy Le Gris and Maria Maldonado.