The 2010 Harker Research Symposium, themed Technology for Life, on April 10 is right around the corner and the morning keynote speaker will be William McClure; the afternoon keynote speaker is Christopher J. Gilbert, Ph.D. Three Harker alumni will also present – Jennifer Ong ’07, Richard Kwant ’07 and Brian Ma ’08.
McClure, a recognized expert in cosmetic surgery, has led and served on more than 50 overseas volunteer missions doing surgery on children with facial birth defects and burn deformities, as well as teaching modern surgical techniques to surgeons in the developing world.
McClure has served as chief of surgery at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, and as chief of surgical services for the volunteer organization Interplast. Over the last 25 years McClure has participated in surgical missions to 14 developing countries. McClure noted that each trip has had its own rewarding and unique features and volunteers feel deeply rewarded by their participation.
Expanding medical practice beyond our borders to help people in dire need not only helps those who otherwise would never find treatment, but it enriches the lives of the volunteers, McClure said. Volunteer service of every sort is a responsibility of all professionals. A career in the healing arts is one way to give back.
McClure has been oft recognized for his contributions. In 1994 he was given a Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contribution to Napa Valley. In 2001 he and his associates were recognized as Health Professionals of the Year by the Napa Chamber of Commerce and the Napa Valley Medical Society. In October of 2005 McClure met the Dalai Lama and was recognized as “An Unsung Hero of Compassion” at a special ceremony in San Francisco.
Gilbert has held responsible positions in operations, mergers and acquisitions, global management consulting and as a research scientist. He is currently vice president of science and technology at Keystone Dental, Inc., leading new technology and business-building initiatives. Gilbert holds a Ph.D. in materials science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in materials science from Carnegie Mellon University.
He worked as a research scientist in the materials sciences division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he focused on novel materials used in a variety of medical devices. Gilbert then joined McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, where he spent six years serving a variety of medical device, diagnostics and biopharmaceutical clients on a range of major acquisitions and commercial strategy issues.
He joined Cytyc Corp. in 2007 as a principal in corporate development, responsible for mergers and acquisitions, and led post-merger integration efforts for several major medical device and diagnostic deals. Cytyc was acquired by Hologic, Inc. where Gilbert was responsible for West Coast operations of the surgical instruments business and led the European and U.S. approval and commercial launch of the Adiana permanent contraceptive device.
Upper school English teacher Alexandra Mattraw was recently notified she was one of eight finalists in the 2009 Nightboat Books Poetry Prize competition for her book of poetry, “honest as any treeless place.” Nightboat will be posting her biography, photo and one of her poems on their Web site this spring. “Being a finalist is kind of a big deal for me because I’ve been working on this book for six years and this is another step towards publishing,” Mattraw said. She has a small volume, called a chapbook, “Projection,” coming out soon from Achiote Press, Berkeley.
In January, Manami Iso, a teacher from Tamagawa Gakuen in Tokyo, visited Harker for a chance to see and experience the school first-hand. She observed several classes during her stay, including those taught by Eric Leonard, Katherine Molin, Colin Goodwin and Kathleen Ferretti.
Iso also got to do some teaching of her own. She showed several classes how to make carp kites (koinobori), which are flown in Japan to celebrate Children’s Day. She also taught fourth graders about the Setsubun springfestival, celebrated Feb. 3 of each year. During the holiday, a member of the household dons an oni (“demon”) mask while other members of the family toss roasted soybeans at them. This practice is said to purify the household and protect it from demons and bad luck. To demonstrate, Gr. 4 English teacher Goodwin put on the mask and played the part of oni while the students pretended to ward him off.
While staying at Ferretti’s home for the duration of her visit, Manami also got to see a number of California landmarks, such as Muir Woods National Monument and its famous giant redwoods, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Harker received several mentions in notable publications over the holidays and into the new year. Stay tuned for future “In the News” updates to see more of Harker in the headlines!
San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 24: In the “Varsity Extra” section, senior basketball player Ryan Cali is mentioned in the “Highlight Reel” for scoring 24 points in Harker’s victory over Pinewood.
India West, Feb. 5: Namrata Anand, Gr. 12, is mentioned in an article about Indian-American high school students nationwide who were named finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search.
World Journal, Jan. 14: In the Chinese language newspaper, Intel Science Talent Search semifinalists Namrata Anand, Vishesh Jain, Kevin Zhang and Andrew Zhou, all Gr. 12, are featured in a story on their achievements.
Gentry Magazine, Jan./Feb. 2010 edition: A story titled “Chic & Unique” previews this year’s Harker Fashion Show and briefly summarizes its history. On the same page, a sidebar includes a short piece on the Harker Speaker Series.
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, Dec. 25: Nichols Hall is named one of Silicon Valley’s top 25 LEED-certified spaces. In the same issue, Harker is listed as the top private school in Silicon Valley.
The New York Times, Dec. 10: Harker alum Alexander Wang MS ’98 is featured as the top story in NYT’s “Thursday Styles” section.
Students at the middle school recently participated in an assembly featuring crime prevention specialists from the San Jose Police Department. The main topic was Internet safety, but other forms of digital media safety were also covered. The SJPD experts urged students to use the Internet responsibly.
Digital media, including television and radio, has a considerable effect on children, one that is often overlooked. A letter was sent home in conjunction with the assembly asking parents to discuss these issues with their children.
One of the major themes was cyber bullying and what students can do to identify and stop it. Students were asked to think about how they use the Internet and television, and were urged to talk with their parents about how media can influence their choices.
The Sound of Hope Network recently featured Harker’s English Learning Institute (ELI) in a segment on Bay Area school education. The 11-minute program offered insight to international students looking for chances to improve their English and ensure placement in the nation’s best schools. A mother named Jesse was interviewed about her daughter Dora’s significant growth through ELI.
After Stevenson School recommended that Dora attend ELI to improve her English, Jesse met with Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement, and her daughter applied for the summer program. In a matter of weeks, Dora completed the highest class level and was accepted to the Webb Schools in Claremont.
Jesse said she did not expect to see such great results in such a short time, noting that Dora loved the program, the exposure to native English-speaking students and opportunities to go on after-school excursions. Other students from Shanghai also saw similar improvements, and Jesse said she wishes she had known about the program earlier. Boarding school acceptance rates are becoming more and more competitive, and Jesse highly recommended ELI because of the English immersion and supportive teachers.
In early February, the lower school hosted a presentation for parents titled “Child Empowerment: Abuse Prevention and Boundaries for Parents.” The program was led by Community Solutions, a Morgan Hill human service organization. In early March, the group also gave a presentation on child abuse prevention to kindergartners and second and fourth graders during their physical education classes.
The goal of these programs is to educate students and parents alike about child abuse and how to stop it. Parents learned about types of abuse, myths and facts, prevention, resources and legal obligations. They were told about the goals of the Child Abuse Prevention empowerment, teaching children about their basic rights, and promotion of safety and fairness. They were also given strategies for dealing with children who encounter bullies, strangers or even adults they know where the children’s rights are compromised.
Kindergarten’s annual Hat Parade took place in late March, as the children toured the Bucknall campus wearing hats they decorated at home themselves. Colorful headwear was adorned with Easter eggs, sports memorabilia, flowers and other eye-catching decorations.
The 28th annual Spanish Declamation Contest “Gustavo A. Bécquer” took place at Harker March 24 at the Nichols Hall auditorium. Spanish students in levels I-V as well as native speakers from 14 public and private middle and high schools were in attendance. The students needed to memorize and recite a poem by a well-known Spanish-speaking author. Contestants were judged on their poise, memorization, delivery, pronunciation and diction by current and retired Spanish teachers from other schools, in addition to guest judge Rosario Vital, the editor of the Spanish language newspaper “El Observador.” Vital was also covering the contest for the newspaper.
Harker Spanish students won as the top school overall. In Spanish I, freshmen Rahul Nalamasu and Rohan Chandra respectively took first and second. Cole Manaster, Gr. 10, took first place in Spanish II, while Roshan Daran, Gr. 9, earned third place. Sumit Minocha, Gr. 9, took second place in the Spanish III category. Sophomores Kristen Herr and Priyanka Mody won first and second place, respectively, in Spanish 4, while senior Rashmi Sharma tied for first place in Spanish V.
Of particular note, native speaker Karan Das-Grande, Gr. 9, presented a poem titled “En mis sueños,” that he wrote himself. The students were coached by Spanish teachers Isabel García, Diana Moss, Abel Olivas and Daniela Rozanes.
Masters of ceremony were Olivia Zhu, Gr. 11 and Nathaniel Edwards, Gr. 12. Entertainment at the event was provided by junior Nikhil Parthasarathy, who played flamenco guitar at the beginning of the program, and a Ballet Folklórico group from Prospect High School, who danced prior to the event on the Nichols Hall patio. While students presented their poems, a PowerPoint presentation with imagery and lines in English from each poem was displayed to help non-Spanish-speaking students understand what was being said. After the contest, Constance Richardson, foreign language department chair at the Castilleja School, wrote to say, “The organization was seamless, the atmosphere was so welcoming and the efficiency was impressive. Kudos to you!”
Alex Han, Gr. 12 and Jacqueline Wang, Gr. 9, have been selected as two of the five delegates from the Northern California region to attend the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), held in Bethesda, Md., from April 28 to May 2. Han also earned a $1,000 scholarship and will present at the symposium.
The two students earned the all-expenses-paid trip to Bethesda after presenting their own scientific research at the regional JSHS held at the University of Nevada, Reno from March 18-20. At the national symposium, Han and Wang will each have the opportunity to compete for military-sponsored scholarships.