Tanya Schmidt (’08) and her sister, Sylvia (’06) – Team Lokahi – recently completed the two-day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco July 12-13, raising over $6,000 in donations of the total $7.9 million raised over the weekend.
“I want to thank each one of you for supporting us,” said Tanya, who explained that their team name means “unity” and “togetherness” in Hawaiian. “No matter what difficulties you face in life, we believe that if you have someone supporting and encouraging you along the way, you can make it through, so we decided to help fight the battle against cancer together.”
The event was a marathon and a half – 39.3 miles – divided up with 26.2 miles on the first day, and 13.1 miles on the second – that started in San Francisco, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County, and ended up in Crissy Fields to spend where participants spent the night in tents. The second day’s route wound through San Francisco and finished back where the walk started in Golden Gate Park. Tanya recounts her experience:
“By the end of the second day, my legs and feet hurt, but the pain I felt is nothing compared to the pain that the families affected by cancer feel every day. As one of the posters along the route said, ‘Blisters don’t need chemo.’ On the second day of our walk, after climbing up and down some brutal San Francisco hills, we passed by the San Francisco Avon Medical Breast Center, the site where much of the money I have raised will go to directly help members of our local communities. It was very touching to see the nurses and patients line up along the sidewalk outside of the medical center to cheer us on with high fives and many heartfelt thank yous. Your support helped me get there, and I am so grateful and appreciative.
“As I crossed the finish line arm in arm with an Irish lady who I had just met a couple hours earlier, I realized my favorite part of the weekend: the feeling that no matter what struggles you encounter in life, you never have to be alone. The statistics are sad. Every three minutes, another woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and every 14 minutes, breast cancer takes the life of another person. During the time that I spent walking this weekend, the lives of 670 women have been forever changed with the news that they have breast cancer. With the support of people like you, however, we can change the statistics for the better. Together, we can draw strength from hope, and together, we can cure cancer.” Both dedicated their efforts this year to the family of John Near, a 30-year Harker history teacher who is battling colon cancer.
Donations may still be made to the walk through the Schmidt sisters’ team or individual sites:
The Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families, and Avon philanthropic programs worldwide have raised and awarded more than $500 million. Now past the half entury milestone, the Avon Foundation brings this mission to life through two key areas: breast cancer and domestic violence. The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade launched in 1992, and Avon breast cancer programs in some 50 countries support advancing access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Funding is awarded to beneficiaries ranging from leading cancer centers to community-based breast health programs for awareness and education; screening and diagnosis; access to treatment; support services; and scientific research. Fundraising is through a variety of “pink ribbon” products, events, races and walks. The largest is the U.S. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series, which began in 2003. For more information on the Avon Foundation visit http://www.avonfoundation.org/.
The new Harker Speaker Series kicked off with a bang in early March. Over 100 parents, students and faculty attended the inaugural presentation, “What Happens When E.T. Calls?” by Dr. Seth Shostak of the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute.
Shostak, senior astronomer at the Mountain View-based organization, presented a lively and entertaining exploration of the scientific hunt for extraterrestrial intelligence that captured the imagination.
Using the needle-in-a-haystack analogy, Shostak noted the visible portion of the universe is home to over ten thousand billion stars. With between 50 to 75 percent of these likely to be capable of supporting life-bearing planets, the problem is no longer one of finding a single needle, but perhaps finding one of many.
Shostak highlighted the importance of searching close to home. Even the discovery of single-celled organisms would prove revolutionary, Shostak said, almost guaranteeing the existence of higher life forms elsewhere.
Outside our solar system, our best chance of finding E.T. is simply by listening very carefully. Using computer animation, Shostak gave the audience a bird’s-eye view of the amazing new Allen Telescope Array currently being built in Northern California, near Redding. Shostak thinks it’s likely this antenna array could provide at least a preliminary answer to the question of E.T.’s existence within the next 20 years.
Shostak suggested some type of machine intelligence was as least as likely to turn up as an organic life form, but made a compelling argument that any organic alien is likely to have some of our physical characteristics as opposed to the giant insects and other monsters so popular in Hollywood films.
After observing the Q&A after the speech, Harker parent Mariko Creasman(Adam’07; Alexander, Gr. 10) noted, “I was so proud of our Harker students; they asked excellent questions!”
Editor’s note: Harker parent John Jerney(John Nicolas, Gr. 4; Cristina, Gr. 7) was instrumental in arranging for Seth Shostak’s visit, and kindly provided this recap of the event for Harker News.
Olympic athlete Andrea Nott ’96 knows a little something about the hard work involved to achieve excellence. “I learned that first, right here at The Harker School,” she said. More than 300 members of the Harker community gathered on Jan. 11 to participate in the opening of Harker’s aquatic center and to honor Nott as keynote speaker and member of the U.S. Olympic synchronized swim team competing in Beijing in August.
Nott, who started swimming at age 9, recalled the support she found at Harker. “I always felt my teachers were concerned about both my sport and my grades,” said Nott, who still treasures the fifth grade essay she wrote about her dream to be an Olympic competitor. “Managing school and sports can be really difficult, but it can provide a nice balance. Also, you have to learn to manage your time and energy, which is a skill that will help you for the rest of your life.”
US Athletic Director Dan Molin echoed Nott’s recognition of the parallel twins of academics and athletics. “What a great statement to build a first-class facility to match first-class academics,” said Molin, who added he most looks forward to the aquatic center’s bringing Harker teams and fans together.
Swim team captain Senan Ebrahim, Gr. 12 said he welcomes regular practices in the new pool in time for his final season at Harker. “We’ll have tighter knit teams,” predicted Ebrahim, who presented Nott with a Harker swim jacket after pouring honorary buckets of water into the pool with two dozen other Harker athletes. “And we’ll make good use of (the pool) during spring spirit activities too!”
“We are working toward a totally updated, state-of-the-art upper school campus for the 21st century,” said Head of School Chris Nikoloff, referring to the recent addition of Davis Field and the construction of the Science & Technology Center on the Saratoga site.
In the meantime, Nott is working toward securing a medal in Beijing. “We think our chances are good!” she said. “The top countries are Russia, Spain and Japan, but we are keeping a close eye on China,” said Nott, daughter of director of nursing, and Harker employee for 19 years, Debra Nott.
The young Olympian took a break from a six-days-a-week, 10 hours-a-day training schedule to sign autographs and take photos with Harker’s littlest Eagles before sending them off to add their bucket of water to the pool. “I love to be in the water first of all, but I also love to choreograph to the music and work together with my teammates to make the best product possible.” That would be the little something about excellence.
Pool Facts
The new swimming pool building houses two 30-horse power water
circulation pumps, two heaters and a sand filtration system. It also
features two large changing rooms with restrooms, storage facilities
and a coach’s office. More facts about the pool:
488,800 gallon capacity, 75′ x 112.5′ dimension
13 swimming lanes, 10 race blocks
electronically interlinked sensors tied to an Omega
An enthusiastic audience of over 200 students, parents and guests warmly welcomed Kyle Maynard to the first event in this year’s Harker Speaker Series, held in the atrium of Nichols Hall on the Saratoga campus. In an introductory video, the audience was introduced to a young child, smiling, bounding through the house, playing football, writing on a computer. Normal things, the kind of moments and events that often pass without recognition. But not for the little boy on the screen.
For Kyle Maynard, even the simplest actions involved monumental amounts of patience, will, frustration and courage. Born on March 24, 1986, with a condition known as congenital amputation that left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees, Maynard discovered earlier than most the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity.
“Everybody here has a disability,” explained Maynard. “And we all have to accept it. We all have challenges that we don’t think we can overcome. And even if we don’t share them with others, we recognize them in ourselves.” From seating himself in the speaker’s chair without assistance, to demonstrating his favorite wrestling moves on stage following his presentation, Maynard is clearly the kind of person who refuses to let his disabilities get in the way.
“It’s easy to look at the challenges and use them as an excuse to quit,” noted Maynard. “Instead, be thankful of the challenges in your life. Instead of having them hold you back, think of them as a way to make you a stronger and better person.” This is clearly what Maynard did when he decided that he wanted to be a champion wrestler.
“It was very tough when I started in grade six,” recalled Maynard. “My dad videotaped me and made me watch every match.” Losing his first 35 straight matches over the course of a year and a half was hard on Maynard. “At the time, I didn’t understand what he was doing. But down the road, my dad made me who I am today.”
His hard work and faith in God propelled Maynard to reach an unimaginable height, winning 36 varsity matches during his senior year in high school, as part of one of the best teams in the Southeast.
Maynard recounted key moments in his life, some painful, some comical, all critical to his growth as a person. Maynard told of how one day his father simply stopped helping him eat and told him to figure it out himself or starve. Or how his grandmother would take him to the market to encourage him to interact with others. These and other moments helped Maynard realize that he wanted to be accepted as just another person, not as a person with disabilities.
Maynard now uses his special insight to help others. Particularly moving was Maynard’s recounting of a young corporal whom he met shortly after the soldier returned from Iraq, very badly injured. Seeing a story of Maynard on television was what got the young man up and ready to continue with his life, notwithstanding the unexpected new challenges.
“Things happen,” Maynard noted. “Stock markets crash, grades fall, and things happen that are outside of our control. Yet it’s up to us to decide how to react.” Today Maynard continues to work with injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, teaching them about hope and opportunity.
In addition, Maynard continues to drive towards new goals, which include training in the sport of mixed martial arts, also known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, scheduled to be introduced at the London 2012 Olympics. In characteristic Maynard fashion, he has an eye on making it on to the U.S. Olympic team.
Even Maynard was quick to admit that the likelihood of making the team is small, but then he quickly countered himself by advising everyone to set the bar higher than they think is possible. “Every excuse you make sets you further back,” noted Maynard. Instead, use adversity to improve yourself and take every challenge as an opportunity.
Privately, Maynard told me after the event that his real dream is to climb Mount Everest. I think the smart money is on Maynard conquering this dream as well.
by John Jerney (John Nicolas, Gr. 4; Cristina, Gr. 7)
Ed. Note:Many thanks to those who contributed to the more than $100 that was raised for the Special Olympics at this event.
Senior volleyball player Tanya Schmidt made Harker history in November as the first Harker student ever to sign a national letter of intent. Schmidt will attend Santa Clara University. We are fortunate to be able to continue to watch the outstanding middle blocker over the next four years as she plays for the Division 1 Broncos on a full athletic scholarship. Schmidt plans to enter the College of Arts and Sciences. Long-time Harker student Schmidt commented, “It’s a bonus that I will be close to home, so I will still be able to support Harker’s athletics and keep in touch with the community.”
With the crisp feeling of fall in the air, approximately 800 parents, students, faculty and staff attended The Harker School’s September 14 dedication ceremony of the new Davis Field on the Upper School campus Saratoga campus.
After a special donor reception on the sidelines, Head of School Chris Nikoloff hosted the evening’s ceremonies, which included the presentation of a $1.5 million donation from development council members John and Christine Davis. “We could not be prouder,” Davis stated. “The parents and student body wanted this field, and Harker made it happen.” Immediately after the ceremony, players from the girls’ soccer and lacrosse teams, boys’ soccer team and the football team broke through paper banners onto the field through tunnels formed by donors. The players met in the center of the field and formed a spontaneous cheering circle in the center. Following the color guard and the national anthem, a memorial recognizing Coach Deron Thorp, a Harker football coach who died suddenly at the age of 33 last fall was unveiled to Thorp’s family. Thorp’s positive impact left an indelible mark on Harker’s football team, and – beginning with this home game on the new Davis Field – the players have begun a new tradition of each player touching the football on the memorial before each home game as a gesture to remember Coach Thorp and the principles that he instilled in the players.
Mercury News Columnist Lisa Chung writes about a special dedication to beloved coach, Deron Thorp >>
Harker’s varsity girls volleyball team is the 2007 Nor Cal Division IV champ!
The team took the title in four games in Sacramento Tuesday evening against Christian Brothers High School. Harker won the first pair 25-13, 25-18, lost the third game 19-25 and slammed back to cap the match 25-19. Harker math teacher Stephanie Woolsey attended the game – along with close to 300 other loyal faculty, staff, students and parents who made the trek – and called in to report: “We were hot, they were not! We had a great crowd here, incredible, with two bus loads of students and many who drove up on their own. It was crazy!”
Since the inception of Harker’s Upper School – launched in 1998 – this is the first Harker team in its history to be named NorCal champions.
Next stop is San Jose State University for the State Championship against the Division IV SoCal champs, Santa Fe Christian, this Saturday, Dec 1. Game time should be around noon. Check back for more details, but plan to come out and cheer the team on to the championship
The groundbreaking event held May 30 for Harker’s new Science & Technology Center and athletic field and pool was a school wide celebration that included over 500 parents, faculty, staff, students and alumni. After viewing student-created science and technology displays, taking a virtual tour of the coming facilities and bopping to the Harker Jazz Band, the crowd feasted on barbeque and witnessed the official groundbreaking in front of Dobbins Hall. All attendees went away with a mini-beaker keepsake filled with dirt from the groundbreaking to commemorate the occasion. It was an exciting and proud afternoon for the entire Harker community.
A team of eight Harker students was selected to represent the United States at the 2007 Junior 8 (J8) Summit in Wismar, Germany, a parallel youth event to the G8 Summit. “If these are tomorrow’s leaders, the future looks good indeed,” said Caryl Stern, acting-president of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, sponsors (along with Morgan Stanley) of the J8 program.
On June 6 a delegation of J8 students from different countries, including a Harker representative, were taken by helicopter to the Summit meeting site to present the J8 communiqué to world leaders. Harker’s representative was seated next to President Bush and interviewed by the BBC.
Harker’s Future Problem Solving (FPS) team earned first place worldwide at the 2007 International Conference finals, held in early June in Colorado. Competing against teams from all over the world, one Harker student placed 10th overall and a classmate placed third in a separate team competition. This past spring, Harker hosted the State Bowl of the Future Problem Solving Program where the seven eighth graders who earned the honor of representing the school at nationals dominated the individual competition at the state level and rose to the challenge at the national level.
In an additional honor Gr. 8 history teacher and Harker FPS coach, Cyrus Merrill, was voted in as president of the nonprofit board of the Future Problem Solving Program for the state of California.