Grade 6 students boarded a Tokyo-bound plane on May 10 for the annual trip to Japan. The 18 students, along with chaperones Jennifer Walrod, global education director, and Dan Hudkins, director of instructional technology, arrived in Tokyo after an 11-hour flight and were greeted by a tour guide and an English teacher from Tamagawa Gakuen. At a rest stop on their way to their hotel for their first night’s stay, the students sampled Japanese snacks, ice cream and fried chicken.
Their first stop on the weeklong trek was Hakone National Park, where they visited the Hakone sekisho (“checkpoint”), an important inspection area for travelers during Japan’s Edo period, and walked along Lake Ashi. A boat ferried the group to the other side of the lake, where a beautiful wooded area awaited them. “We stopped at a small Shinto shrine where the kids wished for good luck before heading back,” Walrod said in one of several emails to the parents she sent during the trip. “The kids then had the opportunity to create a wooden mosaic cup placemat, taking their time gluing each individual piece together.”
Afterward, they rode a gondola to the top of a nearby mountain, where they took photos of the breathtaking scenery.
Saturday was special for the Harker students, as they reunited with their buddies from Tamagawa. En route to the school’s campus, the students practiced their Japanese speeches and asked questions about their homestays. “As we drove across the Tamagawa campus we could see all our buddies, families and teachers outside the middle school awaiting our arrival. The kids were so excited!” Walrod said.
At their welcome ceremony, the Harker students were treated to a performance by Tamgawa’s handbell ensemble, accompanied by two singers. “Our students did a great job with their Japanese speeches!” exclaimed Walrod. Two Harker students, Sameep Mangat and Ania Kranz, sang a duet to their Tamagawa friends. During the rest of their time at Tamagawa the students enjoyed a scavenger hunt and a variety of Japanese treats. Afterward, the Harker students went to enjoy the rest of the day with their homestay families.
During their first full school day at Tamagawa, the Harker kids accompanied their Tamagawa buddies to a number of classes, including math, Japanese, science and P.E. Later, they met with Yoshiaki Obara, president of Tamagawa, to share with him their experiences so far during the trip. “He told the kids that this trip was good for them as it made them realize that not everyone spoke English,” Walrod wrote. “He then encouraged the kids to be sure to speak slowly when talking with their buddies and other Japanese kids.”
The students later gave presentations on American culture during an English class, covering topics such as the Fourth of July, music and food.
May 15 started with the Harker students being introduced to all of Tamagawa’s middle school students. “It was a wonderful experience for our kids listen to their peers sing a few songs, including their school song, in four-part harmony,” Walrod wrote. From there, the students received a tour of some of the Tamagawa facilities, including the planetarium and the Future Sci Tech Lab, where they saw a presentation by a representative from their Plant Factory Research Center and Space Farming Lab, during which they learned of Tamagawa’s involvement with the research of crop production in space.
Later, the students enjoyed lunch with their Tamagawa friends and spent the afternoon in a calligraphy class.
The following day was the Harker students’ last day at Tamagawa. In the morning, they were introduced to Tamagawa’s lower school students and visited several classes, where they played games, folded origami, enjoyed activities with hula hoops and more. After a potluck lunch, the students enjoyed a farewell party. “Tamagawa kids sang, played the piano, danced and gave speeches, all performed and organized by the ‘Harker Welcome Committee,’ a student run group who had organized much of our visit to the school,” Walrod said. Mangat and Kranz again sang to their Tamagawa friends, and Rajiv Movva gave a moving speech. The Harker visitors each then received a gift bag from their Tamagawa buddies.
“As the bus drove away, we passed tons of kids and families lining the sidewalk waving goodbye,” Walrod remembered. “Between the sounds of the kids laughing and sharing their homestay stories with one another, we could hear several kids still sniffling and crying, sad to see such a wonderful experience come to an end.”
Thursday began with a two-hour shinkansen (“bullet train”) ride to Kyoto, where they met with Ms. Sawa, who would act as their guide for the rest of the group’s stay in Japan. They first visited Kiyomizu Temple, a Buddhist temple constructed without the use of any nails. The temple’s veranda offered a wonderful view for taking photos, and the students also paid to receive their fortunes, “and for those of us who got not-so-good fortunes, we were sure to tie the paper fortunes onto a railing provided so we could keep the adverse fortune at the temple,” Walrod said.
At the Jishu shrine, the group found two stones placed approximately 20 feet away from one another. Local legend told that those who could find their way from one stone to the next with their eyes closed would find true love. Those who needed assistance would need a “go between” to help them in finding their mates.
Students also had the chance to write their troubles on a paper doll, which was then placed into a bowl of water to be dissolved, along with their worries.
After exploring more of the temple, the next stop was the famed Kinkakuji, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The brilliant golden building, situated in a pond, is surrounded by gorgeous trees, with the scenery reflecting off the surface of the water. The students were instructed not to talk. “We walked around the pond and through the trees, stopping to take photos of the natural beauty,” said Walrod.
Later the students tried their hand at landing a coin in a bowl placed in a tree. If successful, the thrower was supposedly guaranteed good luck. The students also purchased candles that were said to bring good fortune and enjoyed snacks from vending machines.
Finally, the students visited a yuzen cloth dying center, where they made their own scarves with stencils and paint.
On their last full day in Japan, the group boarded the shinkansen to Hiroshima. There, they stopped briefly at Hiroshima castle for a quick photo op, then continued on to Miyajima Island. The group enjoyed lunch at a restaurant that specialized in okonomiyaki, a pancake made with egg, pork, soba noodles and other ingredients. “The kids seemed to really enjoy this meal as there were lots of empty plates at the end of lunch,” Walrod said.
With lunch finished, everyone headed to Itsukushima Shrine and its famous torii (“gate”). The gate was covered with scaffolding due to a storm that blew off the top of the structure, but students nevertheless took several photos of the historic site.
The next stop on this very busy day was Peace Memorial Park, where they visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, which marks the spot where the first atomic bomb landed in Japan. The ruins at the site are dedicated to those who died at the site. Later, they delivered 1,000 paper cranes they had folded earlier this year to the Children’s Memorial, referencing the famous true story told in the book “Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes.” The cranes were hung in an enclosure along with thousands of other similar cranes delivered by kids from all over the world.
Continuing through the park, the group stopped briefly at the Flame of Peace, which has burned since first being lit in 1964. “This flame continues to burn as a symbol of the Japanese anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame until all nuclear weapons are gone from this earth,” said Walrod.
Finally, at the Peace Memorial Museum, the students learned about the events surrounded the bombing of Hiroshima and the effects thereafter. The museum contained artifacts owned by survivors of the bombing and some of the paper cranes folded by Sadako Sasaki, the titular figure of “Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes.”
The trip back to the hotel gave the students time for reflection on the meaning of peace and the fun-filled, memorable journey they had embarked on over the last week.
On May 19, the last day of sightseeing, the group went to the scenic Arashiyama, a popular tourist spot located just outside of Kyoto. While hiking up Arashiyama Mountain, the students noticed some of the area’s wildlife. “The kids were excited to spot the first monkeys running up the side of the mountain and in the trees,” Walrod said. “At the top of the mountain, there were dozens of monkeys wandering around.” The kids also got to feed the monkeys in a special “people cage.”
The final stop of the day was at Kyoto’s Nijo Castle, home of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The visitors removed their shoes before entering the castle, which had special floors installed during the Tokuagawa period that made noise when walked upon so that assassins could not walk about the castle undetected. “Only highly trained ninjas can walk on these floors silently,” said Walrod. After taking photos and viewing scenes and paintings of life as a shogun, everyone headed back to the airport for the long flight home.
The Harker upper school received a special visit in March from 25 Tamagawa Gakuen high school students, who stopped by while visiting the United States on a tour of American colleges. Led by Fumito Kurematsu, head of Tamagawa’s international exchange program, the students met with Harker’s college counselors, observed and participated in classes and enjoyed lunch on campus before continuing on with their trip.
Still in awe over their recent trip to China, the fifteen grade 8 participants have settled back into school – but with a new shared bond from an exciting, uplifting adventure.
The annual trip to China is a highlight and culmination of the middle school experience for these students, and something they look forward to for many years.
After arriving at the Pudong International Airport on March 29, the students were welcomed by their Chines buddies from the World Foreign Language Middle School (WFLMS), who presented them with bouquets of flowers. From there they hopped on a bus for the short drive into the city to meet their host families.
The next morning, upon arriving at WFLMS, the Harker students were warmly greeted by the school’s teachers and students. The day began with a welcome ceremony, broadcast to the entire school, followed by a fun scavenger hunt.
The group also attended a special art class where they learned about theater masks and had the opportunity to sketch and paint masks of their own. Additionally, they attended a “wushu” class, a form of martial arts and popular Chinese sport.
After giving PowerPoint presentations on American culture to their Chinese peers, the Harker students headed off to the cafeteria to make dumpling – almost as fun as eating them! The day ended with a spectacular show called “ERA Intersection of Time,” featuring a dramatic combination of circus-like acts, acrobats and dance set to music with special effects.
Soon after, the students were excited to set out for their first field trip, to Zhujiazhou, which is a beautiful canal town outside of Shanghai. There, they walked along the canals and narrow cobblestone streets, stopping occasionally to visit museums, a Buddhist temple, and a garden filled with rock structures which invited climbing.
“At one point we stopped our wandering so the kids could purchase live fish and turtles to release into the water as a symbol of good luck and character,” recalled Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s global education director, who accompanied the students on the trip.
From there, they enjoyed sightseeing and shopping, with many students trying their hand at bargaining, and several walking away with incredible deals. The final activity of the outing was a beautiful boat ride through the canals, or what Walrod referred to as the “Venice of Shanghai.”
That evening was bittersweet as both Harker and WFLMS students gave touching goodbye speeches and performances, preparing to depart for the next phase of the trip to Beijing. The Harker students’ first adventure in Beijing consisted of a rickshaw tour of the Hutong, or ancient alleyways that once covered the city.
Next on the itinerary was a visit to the Great Wall of China. Taking a ski lift to the top of the mountain, they entered onto the wall. Many photos were taken of the renowned structure, and the students were thrilled to take a toboggan ride back down the side of the mountain.
The contingent returned to Beijing the next day and visited Tiananmen Square, site of the 1989 protests and ensuing military action. They next headed to the Forbidden City, where they were guided through several of its 980 palatial buildings.
After enjoying lunch, they went to the Silk Street, a shopping center where they could continue to improve their haggling skills with its many vendors. From there they traveled to a final outing, Summer Palace, China’s largest imperial garden, and rode a dragon boat to the palace’s pavilion.
The students arrived back home on April 7, feeling both bonded and eager to share their trip experiences with friends and family.
The upper school’s gym was transformed into a festive international fair during Harker’s recent student-organized Global Empowerment Organization (GEO) multicultural assembly.
Throughout the room booths were set up representing various countries from around the globe, containing informational displays and samples of delicious native foods. Meanwhile, student performers dressed in colorful outfits, including traditional Indian and Hawaiian clothing, captivating an audience of both students and faculty.
Held during a long lunch period, the event had the casual feel of a street festival, with plenty of time for sampling tasty food, watching a lively on-stage performance and catching up with friends.
Working in the Romanian booth, Catalina Mihailive, grade 11, said she came from Romania just last year and is excited to be volunteering at the assembly. Noting that she is “having fun both in America and at Harker,” she added that she loved being able to share some of the food she grew up eating.
Meanwhile, GEO student member Shreya Vemuri, grade 11, volunteered to help lead the group’s communication and publishing efforts through the production of fliers and posters.
“The thing that’s different about this year is that the food and acts were combined … so we had to make sure to get the word out on that. And it seems to be working out really well,” she said.
Indeed, everyone appeared to enjoy the combined fair, which gave attendees the ability to simultaneously eat, socialize and watch a variety of acts unfold on stage. The show kicked off with a rousing number featuring a group of Korean dancers moving to pop beats, clad in red and black attire. That piece was followed by numerous other acts, including a set with Hawaiian dancers and lively vocal version of the song “La Bamba.”
The annual GEO assembly has always drawn an appreciative crowd. This year’s new combination of running the informational/food booths alongside the stage performances was such a success it may be repeated next year.
Middle school mathematics chair Vandana Kadam is currently on an exchange trip in Shanghai to visit and instruct at the World Foreign Language Middle School.
Kadam has been observing and teaching classes, including four sections of grade 6 classes. “The students have been extremely receptive and that curiosity I see in them makes it fun for me to teach,” said Kadam. Her classes include a mix of Chinese students fairly proficient in English and those newer to English. She also has a Chinese co-teacher to translate her lessons if needed.
The language barrier, however, is proving itself to be mostly a non-issue. “[The Chinese students] were comfortable interacting with me as I used some manipulatives and played games with them,” said Kadam.
Coming up, Kadam will be teaching grades 7-10, and has been making lesson plans based on what teachers and students requested would be most beneficial.
A new contingent of visiting students arrived from Tokyo’s Tamagawa Gakuen last month, again experiencing the rich life of Harker students firsthand.
The 25 visiting high school students were on a nationwide tour of colleges, and took time out of their hectic schedules to tour Harker’s lower and uppe rschool campuses. They observed classes, spent time at college counseling and joined the junior class on an Eagle Buddies outing.
“The college tour was the first trip of its kind made by Tamagawa. They were visiting Stanford so decided they needed to come see us as well,” said Jennifer Walrod, Harker’s director of global education.
The Tamagawa teens were warmly escorted throughout the day by volunteer Harker students, including freshmen, juniors and seniors. They arrived in the morning and split up into two groups, one going to visit college counseling, the other observing such varied classes as theater, economics, English and Japanese. Then they regrouped as a team to join Harker juniors on a visit with their Eagle Buddies at the lower school.
“This was especially fun for them to observe, especially since they got to see the kids all dressed up for St. Patrick’s Day. They enjoyed watching them play various games and asked lots of questions about what the younger students were doing,” recalled Walrod.
After enjoying an outdoor lunch there, they returned to the upper school to finish class observations and visiting college counseling. Both Tamagawa teachers and students alike voiced how impressed they were at how many Harker students and teachers spoke Japanese.
Rina Sakuraba and Maki Shibata, two upper school students from Tamagawa Gakuen in Tokyo, spent a month at the Harker upper school, experiencing the life of Harker students firsthand.
Each student had a schedule of classes and activities for each week of their stay. Shibata enjoyed psychology class and listening to the Harker orchestra during practice, while Sakuraba had fun in Masako Onakado’s contemporary Japanese class and sitting in on Cantilena’s class sessions to listen to the talented singers.
The students also had a great time at the Winter Ball and went on a trip to Santa Cruz on a day off, where they had a great time on the rides on the famous beach boardwalk. Middle school Japanese students were also paid a visit by the two students, who gave presentations on Japanese cultural topics such as origami, kabuki and Japanese hot springs (known as onsen).
Prior to heading back to Japan, Sakuraba and Shibata said they found Harker students to be very friendly, and hoped to strengthen their new-found friendships in the future.
Harker’s tradition of combining the latest technology with education continues as strongly as ever. Dozens of Harker middle school students have been participating in a pen pal exchange with the Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Astana, Kazakhstan, over the past few months, through a connection courtesy of Harker alumna Lauren Gutstein ’06, who is currently teaching English at the school.
On Feb. 7, the students video conferenced with their Kazakhstani buddies, and were able to interact face-to-face for the first time. The students participated in a question and answer session, as well as a fun show-and-tell, where both groups of students showed current trends, fashions, games and talents. The conference concluded with Harker students teaching their Kazakh friends some American slang, and with the Kazakh students teaching Russian and Kazakh words and slang in return.
What a day of crosscultural learning and connecting!
Grade 6 students traveled to Yosemite in late October for a chance to see and hike through one of the world’s most famous and scenic national parks. Thanks to the clear weather, the students were able to enjoy the park’s natural beauty with little interruption. Clear skies gave way to a wonderful view of the Milky Way, and the travelers were greeted during their many hikes with brisk, fresh air.
Landmarks visited during the trip included the Spider Caves, Vernal Falls, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. It was also a bittersweet trip for some, as the students met with and bid goodbye to their Tamagawa buddies, who they will see in the spring when they visit Japan.
The anticipated meeting between several grade 6 students and their buddies from Tokyo’s Tamagawa Gakuen took place on Oct. 18, when global education director Jennifer Walrod picked up the Tamagawa students from the San Francisco airport and took them to Half Moon Bay. There, they enjoyed lunch on the beach with their Harker buddies, whom they met in person for the first time.
The following day, the Tamagawa buddies observed classes and went on a scavenger hunt with their Harker friends. In the evening, the students all enjoyed a special dinner at Nichols Hall at the upper school campus, where they got to see a dance performance and watched a magic show by well-known Bay Area magician Jay Alexander.
Other activities for the rest of the week included a trip to Crissy Field in San Francisco, a visit to the lower school for an origami project with lower school students and a Halloween art project during a special assembly.
After spending the weekend with their Harker buddies, the Tamagawa students took a separate bus to Yosemite, where they met again this week for one last time before the Harker students head to Japan in the spring.