On Thursday, upper school students, faculty and staff took part in the Challenge Day program, an energetic all-day program in which participants are led through a series of learning experiences, including games and small group discussions. The activities are designed to empower school community members to improve self-esteem, discourage peer pressure while encouraging peer support, and end the acceptance of identity-based bullying, racism and harassment. While topics of discussion were often serious, there was plenty of time set aside for joy and laughter, such as when participants were instructed to cheer with excitement at the mention of playing a game. Moments like these were designed to help students and adults meet as equals outside of the usual hierarchy of school communities.
Challenge Day was founded in 1987 to provide social-emotional learning workshops to school communities. In the years since, Challenge Day programs have been held in more than 2,200 schools in the United States, Canada and Europe. The program has received coverage from Oprah Winfrey and Tom Brokaw and was featured in the MTV series “If You Really Knew Me.”
Today’s upper school spirit rally was a special one for the students, faculty and staff who either watched or participated in the many memorable moments that transpired at the Athletic Center. Onlookers were gleefully surprised at the flash mob formed by faculty and staff, who danced to loud cheers from the audience. Each class performed an energetic and thrilling dance routine, but it was the sophomores who stole the show with their “Star Wars”-themed spectacular, which featured a surprise appearance as Darth Vader by middle school history teacher Keith Hirota, whose son, Vance, is the grade 10 spirit coordinator.
A number of thrilling games finished off the competition for spirit points. Classes played a version of tic-tac-toe in which competitors had to race toward a makeshift game board made of hula-hoops and toss bags into the appropriate spaces. The “drag race” was a nail-biter that had students ride blankets as their classmates pulled them across the floor of the Zhang Gymnasium. The juniors ended up the eventual spirit winners, narrowly beating the seniors by 50 points. The sophomores and freshmen placed third and fourth, respectively.
Toward the end of the rally, upper school academic dean Evan Barth was recognized for his many contributions to the upper school community, which he has served since 2000. Barth is currently transitioning into his role as the middle school division head, which he will fully assume by the start of the 2018-19 school year.
Upper school students flocked to the campus quad yesterday to see their schoolmates perform at the second Quadchella, which featured a wide assortment of singers, dancers, instrumentalists and comedians. Many acts on the bill performed their own renditions of their favorite songs. Sophomores Katelyn Chen, Smriti Vaidyanathan and Max Lee’s cover of “Rise Up” by Andra Day and a solo performance of Vance Joy’s “Riptide” by Nash Melisso, grade 10, incited an enthusiastic audience sing-along.
Computer science teacher Anu Datar and Sejal Krishnan, grade 10, teamed up for a Bollywood-inspired dance routine, one of two dance performances on the bill, the other featuring sophomores Haley Arena, Sara Lynn Sullivan and Kaidi Dai, and seniors Gloria Guo and Grace Koonmen in a tribute to several of their favorite Korean pop songs. Datar wasn’t the only faculty member to perform at the show, as longtime performing arts production manager Brian Larsen arrived to perform a solo acoustic version of the Blues Traveler hit “Runaround.”
An instrumental jazz group featuring saxophonist Bobby Schick, grade 12, guitarist Josh Valluru, grade 10, drummer and percussionist Neil Ramaswamy, grade 11, and bassist Thomas Rainow and pianist William Rainow, both grade 10, closed out the show.
The lower school celebrated the 2018 Chinese New Year on a brisk Friday morning, Feb. 23, as students enjoyed Chinese food served by Harker parents and learned how to make Chinese knots of various shapes. Classroom doors and other spots around the blacktop were decorated for the occasion. The event was a great way to welcome the Year of the Dog!