This article originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of Harker Magazine.
In this 125th anniversary year, I hope you are enjoying learning about the people, events and traditions that are celebrated on the banners and poster boards at our four campuses. I am struck by how often teachers are featured in these memories. While varied in the ways they have impacted the school over the past 125 years, the teachers at Harker always have been at the forefront of our efforts to bring out the best in every student. Recently, the words from one of my most influential elementary school teachers, Mrs. Robinson, were pulled to the front of my mind as I observed some of the exciting things going on at Harker in 2018.
Mrs. Robinson’s words are etched in my memory, forever providing guidance. She was our grade 6 teacher at Montecito Union School in Santa Barbara, and, like all great teachers, she sought to instill in us wisdom that would remain with us long after we had moved on from her classroom. Her favorite message always started with a question: “What is the most important time in your life?” She’d ask us this when we were at our best, eagerly paying attention, following directions and primed for reinforcement, and she’d ask us when we were having a tough day, or she was. The pause between her words and ours was essentially nonexistent, for from the first day of class we learned the response she sought – the single monosyllabic key to all of our focus. “What is the most important time in your life?” Mrs. Robinson would ask. Our chorus was firm and instantaneous: “Now.”
This message was on my mind during some seminal Harker experiences, the first of which was the seventh grade national parks trip. In Utah and Arizona, among the wind and water-carved sandstone arches and vermillion cliffs, the brief span of our lives relative to the workings of our Earth comes into focus. The landscape of the Grand Canyon took millions of years to emerge from the sandstone deposits of our continent’s primordial lake. In this landscape, it would be easy to feel that the present is of little significance. Yet, even among the grandeur of the formations, one can see the effects of each blow of wind, each cycle of freeze and thaw in the fissures of the rocks, and each footstep on the sandy base of the trails. Even to the landscape that defines our nation, now is still the most important time, and for us as visitors, the juxtaposition of the work of millennia and our brief visit invited all of us to make the most of each day on the trip and throughout our lives.
In addition to being exposed to the beauty of the landscape, the seventh graders also were fortunate to spend some time among the Navajo. Their tradition of orienting all exterior doorways to the East reflects an appreciation for the sun and the arrival of each new day – to focus on the now, even while honoring the past and preparing for the future.
The upper school’s first fall production in the Patil Theater in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center similarly spoke to the importance of the present. The play, a beautiful rendition of “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, challenged our actors to explore the importance of the ordinary, everyday moments in our lives. One of the play’s central themes is that it is easy for us to emphasize, if not fixate on, our lives past and future, but that meaning comes from the present, and that now is what matters most.
The present for Harker is an exciting one. In addition to the ongoing processes of the school year, we are in the midst of an accreditation cycle and also are celebrating our 125th year of educational leadership. As we look to the future and plan for the next 125, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on our measures of success in three crucial areas. The first two relate to the opening line of Harker’s mission statement, which reads: “Our mission is to educate students for success at college and beyond.” What does it mean for our students to succeed in college? What does it mean for them to succeed beyond? The third question we are exploring is, what does it mean for us to succeed as an institution?
All three of these questions in essence look to the future, for even as we reflect on how we define institutional success, we must recognize that our efforts are aimed at positively impacting the entire lifespan of each of our students. It is an interesting dichotomy that while our efforts as an educational institution are focused in the moment, the process of education is, by definition, one of optimizing the future.
The central challenge of assessing our efficacy is that the manner in which we succeed in preparing students for life does not materialize immediately. Education requires committing to delayed gratification. To be sure, there are daily joys and constant evidence of student growth and achievement, often to a profound degree. However, the long-term impacts – arguably the most important outcomes – can only be viewed and assessed with the gift of time. Some of the seeds we plant germinate quickly. Others take time to sprout, and, even then, like the valley oaks and redwoods around us, might take decades to reach their full size, and longer still to mature to their full potential.
Yet, as Mrs. Robinson continuously reinforced, our commitment to the present is the best path for a successful tomorrow, however we define that success. Thank you for being part of the Harker community as we continue to strive to live our lives fully and guide our students toward their futures … now.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of Harker Magazine.
Words by Vikki Bowes-Mok
When Jacob Bongers ’07 was a young boy, he would visit his grandfather in Geleen, The Netherlands, and they would trek to ancient Roman sites in southern Holland and France.
“During these trips, I marveled at the Roman architecture and developed a deep interest in making archaeological discoveries to learn more about the past,” remembered Bongers with a smile. “The relationship between my grandfather and me was absolutely critical for developing my passion for archaeology.”
Bongers is grateful to have realized his passion so young and has taken that curiosity to the highest levels of academia as he prepares to receive his Ph.D. in archaeology from UCLA.
When Bongers joined Harker in high school, he had to adapt to the academic rigor, but his focus on archaeology remained steady.
He was determined to gain some hands-on experience, so he searched online for opportunities. He found a dig on the Archaeological Institute of America website and immediately knew he had to participate. So when he was 16 years old, he packed up his bags and went to Portugal to work on a Roman site near the border of Spain.
“It was the first time I’d traveled by myself and I was so excited,” said Bongers with energy bubbling from his voice. “I absolutely loved the experience – meeting people, exploring the site and uncovering the past.”
As he ponders his past, he reflects about how important it is to remain open to all opportunities, listen deeply to what brings you joy and not feel pressured to choose the “right path.”
“When I went to USC, I majored in archaeology, but I minored in game design, and I’m so glad I did that,” said Bongers. “Every experience you have helps shape the person you become, so always explore and be open because you never know what will ignite your passion.”
His intellectual curiosity and passion for archaeology put him on a path that has led him around the world. He has field experience in Portugal, Chile, Peru and Ethiopia, and he even met his wife, Ioana Dumitru, on a dig in Oman.
“Jacob is simply one of the most dedicated, bright and hard-working young scholars that I have ever known,” said Charles Stanish, director and professor emeritus at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. “He does not posture or play games; he loves intellectual debate and is open and extremely generous with colleagues.”
Bongers’ academic career started at USC, where he received his B.A. in interdisciplinary archaeology, summa cum laude, in 2011. After a few digs and some soul searching, he landed at UCLA to work on his master’s and now Ph.D. He won four extramural grants at the beginning of his graduate career in 2013: a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, National Geographic Young Explorers Grant and a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid.
“There is no question that he will be at the top of his field in a very short time,” said Stanish. “With most students, it is necessary to push them to think more broadly; with Jacob, we actually had to reel in some of his enthusiasm to focus on more manageable topics.”
As Bongers is putting the final touches on his dissertation, he is pondering his next step but has the gift of focus that will help guide him.
Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.
Stanford University recognized Jennifer Gargano, assistant head of school for academic affairs, as a dedicated educator and mentor. Millie Lin ’18, now attending Stanford, nominated Gargano as someone who has had a profound influence on her as a student.
“Ms. Gargano combines her immaculate organization and productivity with an immensely warm, devoted heart,” said Lin in the award certificate. “During my time at Harker, she [was] invaluable in shaping a more connected, productive school community, tirelessly supporting her students’ endeavors inside and outside of school, and fostering the personal growth of her well-fed, card-playing advisory. As my beloved high school advisor, Ms. Gargano models my vision of a fine educator and what it means to be of service to the community.”
The boys soccer team improved to 5-1 on the season with a 4-0 victory over The King’s Academy during the break. This week, the Eagles host ACE Charter on Wednesday and Woodside Priory on Friday.
Girls Soccer
The girls soccer team fell to North Monterey County 1-2 in its sole match during the break. Up next for the Eagles is a trip to Pinewood on Tuesday before hosting Eastside College Prep on Thursday and Notre Dame SJ for a Saturday morning face off.
Boys Basketball
The boys basketball team stayed busy during the break, but only went 1-3 in its four matchups. The Eagles lost to Del Mar 48-56 with Gene Wang, grade 12, leading the offense with 12 points, then defeated Woodside 56-39 with Jack Connors, grade 11, scoring 16 points, followed by a 57-67 loss to Sacred Heart Prep with Ray Wang, grade 10, leading the way with 12 points, and finishing off the break with a tight 42-43 loss to Pacific Bay Christian with Jeffrey Liu, grade 11, leading the way with 9 points and seven rebounds. This week, the boys host Woodside Priory on Tuesday, travel to Eastside College Prep on Friday and take on Crystal Springs Uplands in a special matchup at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday.
Girls Basketball
The girls basketball team went 1-1 over the break. The Eagles fell to Immaculate Conception 52-49, but Akhila Ramgiri, grade 12, filled the stat sheet with 18 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and three assists. The girls then defeated Pacific Collegiate 49-16 with Ramgiri leading the way with 16 points. This week, the Eagles travel to Mercy Burlingame on Tuesday and Crystal Springs Uplands on Friday.
Wrestling
The Harker wrestling team opens its season this Saturday at the Los Gatos Tournament.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of Harker Magazine.
Words by Vikki Bowes-Mok
As a college student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Estelle Charlu Willie ’05 had a front-row seat when President Obama’s Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. It was a pivotal moment for her, and altered how she wanted to make an impact in the world.
“Growing up, I wanted to be a doctor, because I wanted a meaningful and fulfilling career,” Willie remembered. “But one of my professors in college suggested a course in public health, where I delved into health policy, including the many nuances of the health reform debate that resulted in the Affordable Care Act. It made me shift gears, because I realized that I could make an impact through a different route.”
Willie had made an impact at Harker too, through excellent academics, student council and the performing arts program, where she earned a Conservatory Certificate in musical theater. “Estelle was a beloved performer and you could literally see her excitement and love for being on stage,” said Laura Lang-Ree, director of K-12 performing arts. “She had the best work ethic, and you always wanted her big heart, commitment and talent in any production.”
Willie started early on stage as a flower girl in the musical “Annie” when she was in junior kindergarten. She caught the eye of teacher Jeanne Davey, who directed the kindergarten musicals, when she had to improvise on stage when another actress forgot her cue. In kindergarten, Willie went on to play a leading role as Anastasia, one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters. “It was a role that was out of character for her, since she was one of the kindest and most thoughtful kids I ever worked with,” remembers former lower school teacher Pat Walsh, whose son Kevin played Prince Charming in the same play. “She has a heart as big as her brain, and I could see that emerging when she was just a youngster.”
Willie went on to do it all – from dance and show choir to dramas and musicals. She treasured her time onstage and understands that the breadth of her experience has taken her far. While she sang and danced her way through high school, she was also a focused and hard-working student.
“She was a tremendous writer who was passionate about everything she set out to do,” said history teacher Cyrus Merrill. “I am not surprised to hear that she has found herself in a public policy-related career trying to make a greater impact on society or social justice issues.”
One of the ways she is shaping our world is through her work at Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms. Willie is a leader in the social impact practice, where she works with purpose-driven brands and organizations to raise global awareness of urgent social issues and mobilize support among policymakers, the media and the public.
One of Willie’s clients is Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, who is working tirelessly to promote civic engagement through grassroots efforts that support trustworthy journalism, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans and military families. Newmark recently help launch The Markup, a news site that will use a data-driven approach to investigate technology and its effect on society, with a $20 million gift.
This type of impact is what drives Willie every day. “My path wasn’t linear, but all the choices I’ve made have helped shape where I am today,” she said from her office in New York City. “A broad education makes a huge difference, but I would also urge Harker students to take advantage of extracurriculars. They help you develop intrinsic leadership skills that will take you far and cultivate friendships that will last a
lifetime.”
Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of Harker Magazine.
Last year, the upper school graduated its 20th class, a major milestone and validation of the massive risk and effort undertaken by Howard and Diana Nichols, as well as the staff, faculty and administrators who ran the school in its early years.
The idea of adding a high school program to Harker had been discussed as early as the late 1980s, as Harker parents had long expressed their wish for their children to receive a Harker education beyond the eighth grade. In 1996, Howard and Diana Nichols – then the president and head of school, respectively – decided it was time to pursue the idea in earnest. They formed a team of teachers and administrators to visit a selection of East Coast private schools, with the idea of incorporating their best practices into Harker’s approach to establish a high school that would also reflect Silicon Valley’s reputation for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
“Most of what was in the South Bay then were Jesuit schools,” recalled upper school history teacher Donna Gilbert, who joined Harker the year the upper school opened. “[Howard and Diana] Nichols tapped into something that was necessary, which was a nonsectarian college prep school for the valley. They hit the nail on the head.”
Diana Nichols set to work designing the school’s curriculum, working with the University of California to craft academic programs that would meet UC requirements. She was later appointed to a special committee of educational leaders formed by the University of California for the express purpose of helping other high schools develop UC-approved curricula. This proved to be one of the most challenging but crucial pieces of the upper school program. “Harker had never been in the high school business before, but knew we wanted to be a top-flight high school educational institution,” recalled facilities manager Mike Bassoni. In addition to visiting East Coast schools such as Phillips Exeter Academy and Choate Rosemary Hall, the Nicholses also attended hiring fairs in the New England area to capture the interest of teachers who they felt were a match for Harker’s mission.
“Diana and Howard were amazing. They were incredible leaders,” Gilbert said. “They had a vision, but they really wanted input from those of us who they hired.”
Harker’s upper school opened in fall 1998, with most of the first freshman class matriculating from the middle school. “I’d been at Harker [most of] my entire scholastic life at that point, and it felt more natural to stay and try launching this new high school than to not be an Eagle for those four years,” said Tiffany Duong ’02, who started at Harker as a first grader in 1990 and now works as a conservationist, restoring coral reefs along the Florida Reef Tract. Many among the first few upper school classes found the opportunity to set the standard for future generations exciting, dubbing themselves “guinea pigs” as a nod to the unique possibilities offered by a newly founded high school. “It was an exciting adventure and a chance to really form our own futures and a lasting legacy at Harker,” Duong said.
Teachers felt similarly, as many had come from established East Coast schools and were eager to help create a culture that would ensure success of the school’s mission in the coming years. “I just kind of felt like I was on the ground floor here, shaping culture, shaping curriculum, shaping courses,” said Abel Olivas, who started at Harker in 2002 as the upper school Spanish teacher and is now chair of the foreign languages department. “And also kind of shaping the minds of these young people.”
“We didn’t just have to create curricula, get them UC approved, get our classes up and running,” said Gilbert, “but build the culture of the school, the programs and the polices. It just sort of felt like an all-hands-on-deck kind of process.”
The feeling of being brand new also became evident to many students, some of whom felt hesitant at the prospect of spending their high school years at Harker. “There was definitely some hesitancy on my part about attending a new high school,” said Gabrielle DeMers ’03, who intended to pursue performing arts as a career. At the time, Harker’s upper school performing arts program was in the very early stages, and DeMers had planned to pursue music outside of school. “After my freshman year, Laura Lang-Ree became in charge of the performing arts and started building the Conservatory Certificate program.”
More faculty were added to the program, and before long, “Harker developed a very active performing arts program,” recalled DeMers, who received dual certificates in theater and music, in addition to being one of the directors featured in the first Student Directed Showcase. She went on to study music at the University of Southern California and the University of Maryland and is now a regular performer in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore metro areas.
As more students and programs began to fill out the campus, the upper school began to feel more “legit,” as Duong recalled. “It wasn’t that we weren’t legitimate to start, but it’s hard for 100 kids to really feel like a high school,” she said. “As new, younger faces were added, traditions like class rivalries, Homecoming, junior prom and pep rallies came into being. This is when we really started to feel more like a high school instead of a brave new endeavor.”
For faculty, one of the major early changes to the upper school was the formation of chair positions for its various academic programs. This provided a process for teachers to express their ideas and concerns to administration, and share their day-today experiences. “It gave teachers more of a voice at the school and it just felt more democratic in a lot of ways,” Olivas said. “It would affect policies that impacted in-the-trenches work with the students. I think it was a very healthy change.”
Students at the time also saw their potential to impact school policy. In 1999, students wore jeans to school to protest what they felt was a toostringent dress code in what became known as the Jeans Rebellion. “Everyone who participated was thrown in detention and there was a school assembly to address our insubordination,” said DeMers. “We certainly got the administration’s attention and eventually compromises were reached on the dress code.”
They also realized their ability to blaze trails in other areas. Several student clubs were founded during the upper school’s first year, some of which still exist today or set a precedent for clubs or programs that would be established in later years. The Literary Magazine club first published Harker’s Eclectic Literary Magazine (HELM) during the 1998- 99 school year, and the periodical will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2019. Additionally, the speech and debate club later evolved into one of the country’s highest-ranked speech and debate programs.
The following year saw the founding of what is now known as the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, or GSA, which has become one of Harker’s most active advocacy groups. Olivas saw the need for such an organization after overhearing students make derogatory remarks to one of their classmates in his first year as a teacher. He spoke with the students about their behavior, and “at one point, the kids were like, ‘Why do you care so much about this? Are you gay or something?’ And I said, yeah!”
Olivas and Gilbert, who had both been involved with similar movements on the East Coast, later met to discuss the formation of GSA. They agreed that being out to their students and the community was a crucial part of the groundwork. “We both knew that there had to be out teachers leading the movement to set the right tone and example,” she said. In the years since the GSA’s founding, Olivas has noticed more students comfortably expressing their sexuality and gender identities. “Now there are so many LGBT+ kids that are out at our school, and it was just interesting [to see the] evolution of the school, [because] for years the GSA was the [straight] allies, not the LGBT+ folks,” he said.
As the years progressed, “students began to have more of a voice and impact on the Harker environment,” DeMers said. “I remember wanting to switch into different classes with different teachers, like … taking Honors Latin IV instead of AP Latin. I basically ended up in a Latin class by myself. It feels like that sort of thing could only happen at Harker.”
Although the upper school grew at a steady pace, students and teachers at the time nevertheless felt closely connected as a community due to its relatively small size. “Even as we [grew as a] school, I didn’t notice so much a change in the level of intimacy, but a change in the level of activity,” said Jessica Liu ’04. “We were able to have more sporting teams, dances, and maybe lay the beginning foundations of school spirit. I felt proud to be part of something new and different.”
Other alumni noted how that feeling was common among the first graduating classes. “Being part of the second graduating class felt special because we had an intimate experience with the other inaugural classes,” Julia Gitis ’03 remembered. “Even though I was in the Class of ’03, I feel close to folks in ’02 and ’04. We all kind of went through it together.”
For some students, this provided comfort as they navigated the unfamiliar territory of a new school. “You practically knew the entire school, students and staff … whether you had classes together or not,” said Liu, who is now a clinical pharmacist. “I loved it. Coming from a large public school, this was something I’d never experienced before, and it immediately made the process of starting over at a new school less daunting.” The Class of 2002 also often took it upon themselves to make the students in grades below them feel welcome, perhaps remembering their own experiences dealing with uncertainty at a new school. “When they were juniors, they invited us sophomores to their prom,” said Gitis. “So the Class of 2003 was the only class with three proms: sophomore, junior and senior year. That was fun.”
Olivas recalled the environment his first year feeling “self-contained. Most of us taught at East Coast schools and we tried to get to know each other. We seemed kind of clique-ish at first. With time, we broke out of that and got to know the rest of the school better.”
Teachers also frequently found themselves in many roles. “We coached all the sports and ran all the clubs and chaperoned all the dances,” said Gilbert. “There was a lot of energy, because we had to do everything. I sort of felt like I was a first-year teacher again.”
While the task of starting a high school that matched Harker’s reputation often felt monumental, educators were inspired by the Nicholses’ vision for the school as well as its students. “The thing I liked about the Nicholses’ vision was this idea that they really believed that learning was fun,” said Gilbert, “and that engagement in class with ideas is exciting and energizing and it wasn’t this sort of mundane boring thing that you have to kind of doctor up to keep kids interested.”
Having moved to the Bay Area from Boston, Olivas originally planned to teach only for a short time before making a career change. “I … ended up enjoying teaching more than I ever had. That first year, I was having a really good time with my students and the energy was different [than on the East Coast],” he said. “I just felt better.”
Alumni have similarly vivid and fond memories of their years as Harker’s first upper school students. One in particular that Duong recalls is the beginning of an ongoing senior class tradition, the senior prank. “We took all the desks out of the classrooms and stacked them outside on the blacktops and then lined Dobbins Hall with little cups filled with water, blocking most door entrances to the classrooms,” she said. “It wasn’t crazy by any means, but it was awesome to see a math quiz being taken outside on the blacktop on those desks because they couldn’t get into their classroom.”
For many in the classes of 2003 and 2004, the departure of the first senior class in 2002 was a “a big deal,” said DeMers, who remembered doves being released to commemorate the milestone, a tradition that continues today. “Some of us joked that when … the members of the second class graduated, they’d release pigeons.”
The experimental spirit of the guinea pigs of the Class of 2002 – as well as the encouraging faculty and staff – inspired members of later classes to dream big and be daring in their own ways. “I think Harker instilled in everyone involved in those first years of the high school an entrepreneurial spirit and drive to do more,” said Duong. “That means our teachers were also sometimes our coaches. That our debate captain was also captain of the football team. That our student body president also took sculpture class and built our class gift. That the same students who led the Jeans Rebellion also led the class at Homecoming.”
Alumni frequently mention how the lessons learned from these experiences have been applied throughout their lives. “I felt close with my teachers and administrators,” said Gitis, who later became a teacher and now works as a product manager at Khan Academy. “They encouraged me to pursue my wacky creative ideas, like launching a video yearbook for our class. Those moments were empowering and pivotal in my growth.”
“I feel extremely lucky to have been a guinea pig, as it afforded me so many chances to step up and shape my own life and surroundings,” said Duong. “This confidence in my own problem-solving, resourcefulness and inventiveness has helped me at every juncture in my life.”
In addition to crediting Harker with helping her develop a solid work ethic, Liu said her time at the school facilitated “some of the best relationships and friendships I have today. It gave me the opportunity to meet some of the most intelligent, passionate, caring, hard-working and honest people that I have yet to meet anywhere else.”
Last week, middle school students concluded their annual gift drive for Family Giving Tree, delivering more than 650 gifts to benefit families in need this holiday season. Advisors received the families’ wishes in late November, and students spent the following weeks collecting the gifts. This year’s donation far surpassed last year’s donation and nearly doubled the number of gifts collected in 2016. The effort was part of Family Giving Tree’s Holiday Wish Drive, which has provided more than 1 million Bay Area children from low-income households with holiday gifts since 1990.
On Dec. 17, the Great Composers Competition awarded Daniel Wu, grade 9, a second prize for Best Beethoven Performance in age group IV (ages 14-16). The competition – one of many organized around the works of legendary composers such as Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn – invites individual instrumentalists and singers, as well as ensembles, to submit their renditions of the composers’ works. The competitions are structured so that the winners can be announced on each composer’s birthday. Congratulations to Daniel, and belated happy 248th birthday to Beethoven himself!
This article originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of Harker Magazine.
Words By Vikki Bowes-Mok
When you think about a stereotypical Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Andy Fang ’10 fits the profile – brilliant, hard-working and willing to take risks. Fang is certainly all that but also so much more. “One of my most cherished times in high school was being part of the school musical,” he remembered with a big smile. “It was something totally outside of my comfort zone – shout out to ‘Music Man’ and ‘Les Misérables’!”
While the school musical was a favorite memory, Fang also excelled in academics and student council, where he served as student body president.
One of his favorite classes was an advanced computer science course in neural networks, before it was a well-known concept, and one that he appreciates being exposed to a few years before it became mainstream.
“Andy was the kind of student that any teacher loves to have. I tended to push Andy to always give me his best efforts, even in the simplest of assignments,” remembered Eric Nelson, upper school computer science department chair, who had Fang three years in a row. “He was bright and applied himself, but still needed a mentor to help him reach his full potential.”
And reach that potential he has. Fang is a co-founder of the ever-popular company DoorDash, which he started with Stanford University classmates Evan Moore, Stanley Tang and Tony Xu. Fang and Tang were named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in the category Consumer Technology in 2016.
The four started the company as Palo Alto Delivery when they were still students at Stanford. After talking to local restaurant owners about their biggest challenges, they realized that delivery was an issue they could help solve. In the early days, the company delivered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fang helped deliver the first couple of hundred orders on the platform.
Palo Alto Delivery became DoorDash and the startup was backed by Y Combinator, all before Fang graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2014. Growing up, Fang actually didn’t want to attend Stanford, since it was so close to home, but his passion for computer science and understanding that Silicon Valley was the hub of innovation and entrepreneurship led him to become a Cardinal.
His decision was clearly the right one, since he studied hard, learned well and met his future business partners there. DoorDash has raised $971.8 million in funding, but that’s just the beginning.
“There’s still a lot for us to accomplish at DoorDash. Our vision from day one was always to build a last-mile logistics platform to service any local commerce use case,” said Fang from his San Francisco office. “We’ve primarily been doing that with restaurant food so far, but we’re expanding to other use cases such as grocery, with our recently announced Walmart partnership. I’m excited to see how we’ll continue to grow and mature our logistics network.”
As Fang looks toward a bright future, he remembers his days at Harker with a genuine fondness.
“And the funny thing is, Andy is still deeply involved in The Conservatory as his business has become an integral part of our community – tech week and auditions couldn’t happen without DoorDash!” laughed Laura Lang-Ree, director of K-12 performing arts. “I love to think he’s still a part of the family that way!”
Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.
Prior to the Homecoming game, a few of Harker’s finest athletes, along with their friends and families, gathered for the opening of the Harker Athletic Hall of Fame in the Krishnamurthi Sports Gallery in the recently opened athletic center. When the display was revealed, four names were inscribed on the wall: three Harker athletes and one super fan, Phyllis Carley.
Phyllis Carley
It says a lot about the school that the inaugural group would include someone who was never a student at Harker, and never wore Harker colors on the field, but who represents the school’s spirit. Mrs. Carley started her Harker career in 1952 in Palo Alto as a driver, shuttling local students to school, and became secretary to the head of school; her contribution to campus life went far beyond her desk. She was a staunch supporter of Harker athletics for more than 50 years and, even after retiring, she was one of the program’s biggest fans. She passed away in 2009.
“She gave of her time endlessly to the school. She was first in the door and many times last to leave. She believed in the joy of watching young people develop,” said Mike Bassoni, facilities director, who has been with Harker for more than 30 years.
“She always seemed to be on the lookout for the kid(s) who needed an extra dose of attention that day,” said teacher Pat Walsh, who retired in 2017 and worked with Mrs. Carley for more than 30 years. Mrs. Carley’s love for the school and its athletes earned her this posthumous induction into the new Hall of Fame. Equally, the Harker athletes selected have demonstrated far more than athletic ability, earning academic honors and working hard for success and satisfaction in their professional lives.
Tanya Schmidt ’08
Tanya Schmidt ’08, the most recent graduate, was a four-year starter on Harker’s varsity girls volleyball team. In 2007, she led the team into Harker history with a series of firsts, including being on the first Harker team to compete at the state championships. She was California Division IV State MVP that year. Schmidt went on to a stellar volleyball career at Santa Clara University, then played two years of pro volleyball in Europe.
Beyond athletics, Schmidt was a National Merit finalist and an AP Scholar with Honor, and served as president of a service club while at Harker. At SCU, she was named a regional finalist to interview for a Rhodes scholarship and graduated summa cum laude. Schmidt was awarded the Saint Clare Medal, which recognizes a student who embodies the university’s ideals of “competence, conscience and compassion,” given to the female graduate judged “outstanding in academic performance (and) personal character.”
Having completed her master’s degree, she is now pursuing a doctorate at New York University.
Jason Martin ’07
Jason Martin ’07 was a force on the diamond and gridiron, but had equally strong classroom chops; following college, he played semi-professional baseball, explored entrepreneurship and now works in logistics management. While playing baseball at Harker, Martin was named to the varsity second all-league team during his freshman year and to the first team for the next three years. He played varsity football for three years and in 2006 became the only player in Harker history to run for a touchdown, throw for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game.
His academic successes resonate too: In 2010, Martin was one of two players on the San Jose State University team to land a spot on the College Sports Information Directors of America/ESPN The Magazine Academic All- District VIII Baseball First Team. He was one of only five student athletes in the Western Athletic Conference to be honored for his achievements both in the classroom and on the diamond. Martin finished as the Spartans’ all-time leader in hits (227), runs scored (174), games played (236), at-bat appearances (832) and hit-by-pitches (65).
Along the way he majored in psychology and minored in kinesiology, and graduated as a three time San Jose State scholar-athlete and two time Academic All-Western Athletic Conference athlete, a testament to his efforts in the classroom. Following college and three years of semi-pro ball, Martin took a real-life risk and opened a pizza restaurant, Lefty’s: A Taste of Boston. Lefty’s remains a family business, but Martin wanted a new challenge. He found an avenue for his skills working for Cushman & Wakefield on site at LinkedIn as a logistics coordinator, putting even more of his education to work.
Adam Vucurevich ’02
A member of the upper school’s first class, Adam Vucurevich ’02 played football, baseball and wrestling, making him Harker’s first three-sport athlete. He was team captain for football in his sophomore and junior years, and was MVP and got an honorable mention in the all-CCS team that year. He also captained the baseball and wrestling teams and was Homecoming king his senior year.
On top of all that, his academic work was impressive. Vucurevich noted Harker’s upper school was academically very challenging, but he took up the gauntlet, taking the top math classes offered, including Honors Multivariate Calculus, Differential Equations, AP Statistics and AP Physics C. They were tough, he said, “but I stayed with it and I did not quit.”
Vucurevich went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and worked for a few years in tech, but did not find his place. “It wasn’t me,” he said, “and I wanted to find my purpose.”
To that end, he took a quantum leap. “Harker instilled in me kindness and respect for others and challenged me to do and to be my best, both academically and athletically,” Vucurevich said. “This drive to be my personal best and to do the best for others has led me to my current career of law enforcement. Helping others and dealing with all sorts of people, handling a variety of stressful situations with the right amount of tact, being creative and resourceful, showing good judgment in all types of situations, and having good teamwork skills is essential in my line of work. I have truly found my passion.”