Since launching the Capri Sun Recycling Program in March 2014, the middle and upper school campuses have collected and shipped a combined total of about 70,000 Capri Sun containers for recycling.
The middle school’s Green Club began the program to keep Capri Sun drink containers out of landfills by using a service called TerraCycle, which collects and recycles materials that are difficult to recycle. The money generated from the effort was donated to environmental programs.
Points earned through the program by the middle school campus were used to make donations totaling nearly $1,000 to help fund 360 miles of trails built in national and state parks, eight acres of wildlife land adopted, 8 tons of carbon removed from the atmosphere and various green school initiatives, according to middle school mathematics teacher Margaret Huntley.
“We still have a bit left to donate,” she said. “Or we can use this money to further fund our own school-based green initiatives if we wish.”
Meanwhile, at the upper school, members of the Student Council took on Capri Sun recycling efforts. Council representatives reported that collections during the last school year had been going well, with at least several hundred dollars’ worth of funds now slated for future green efforts at Harker.
The Capri Sun Recycling Program is part of Harker’s recent overall schoolwide effort to “go green.”
Near the end of the school year, the Global Empowerment Outreach (GEO) Club raised money for the Malaria Consortium, an organization that provides malaria testing for children in Southeast Asia and Africa. During a week in the spring, GEO members sold tie-dyed, hand-painted drawstring bags and milk teas in various flavors. Students and faculty could purchase a pre-painted bag, request a design or paint a bag themselves. All proceeds were donated to the Malaria Consortium, which GEO members had selected to support (out of five possible charities) at the beginning of the year.
Around the same time, DECA chapter members collected gently used shoes for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty worldwide. Founded in 2006, Soles4Souls’ mission is to collect new and used shoes and clothing from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distribute them via both direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities.
In an effort to educate the middle school community about the importance of “wellness,” the campus held its first Wellness Week just before spring break.
From March 23-25 (a short week that included parent-teacher conferences), the students learned about health and wellness, and participated in the annual cancer walk, held on the middle school campus. Prior to the walk, the students engaged in various activities to learn about different forms of cancer and cancer prevention strategies, such as learning about “cancer-fighting foods.”
The wellness initiative also focused on reducing stress through meditation and yoga, as well as the importance of diet and exercise to both physical and emotional well-being. The students enjoyed participating in yoga and meditation workshops. They were also given free-dress days and encouraged to wear clothing that allowed for freedom of movement.
“The student council president and vice president brought the idea (of relieving stress) to the school after attending a Challenge Success conference. We then expanded that idea to also include community wellness, and acceptance and appreciation of diversity and empathy,” noted Cindy Ellis, middle school head.
To that end, the students held lunch “mixers” around such topics. At the end of the day, parents were invited to come early to participate in their own activities around the same communal outreach themes.
The Wellness Week was unique in that it incorporated both physical wellness and outreach-oriented facets. Many middle school teachers and staff assisted in the week by supervising, participating in or leading various activities. Wellness Week proved so successful that it is now slated to become an annual tradition.
During Autism Awareness Month in April, several upper school students helped organize and performed in “Light It Up Blue,” a benefit concert held at Santana Row that raised more than $700 for the Pacific Autism Center for Education (PACE).
During the lively afternoon concert, solo artists and bands took to the stage, donating their time and tips to the organization, which provides services to people with autism and their families. Performances by Harker students Gurutam Thockchom, grade 11, Jonathan Yiu, grade 11 and Satchi Thockchom, grade 9, kicked off the event.
Harker senior Allison Kiang serves as the president of PACE’s Youth Leadership Committee (YLC), which was responsible for organizing and running the event. In addition to the live performances, YLC members ran a booth called Operation Enable, which included activities to raise awareness about what it is like to live on the autism spectrum.
Members of the YLC come from various local high schools. Joining together, they spent months planning the fundraiser, from booking the venue to contacting bands and organizing event details.
Founded in 1989, PACE provides programs for individuals with autism and other related developmental disabilities. PACE operates a school for clients (ages 6-22) and offers early-intervention therapy services. The organization also operates group homes for children and adults. PACE’s assistant executive director, Karen Kennan, said she was very impressed by the Harker student’s “commitment to philanthropy and their willingness and eagerness to volunteer and give back to the community.”
Photos for this story were provided by PACE, YLC. More in-depth coverage of the benefit concert can be found in this article published by Harker’s upper school student newspaper, “The Winged Post.”
The upper school’s junior varsity boys, varsity girls and varsity boys soccer teams emerged victorious at this year’s Kicks Against Cancer Games. The sixth-annual fundraiser benefits Camp Okizu, a program for families affected by childhood cancer.
The amount raised by the late-January event is still being tallied, as donations continued to roll in after the games. Last year, Kicks Against Cancer raised nearly $12,000.
The event comprised three back-to-back games. First up, the junior varsity boys played Woodside Priory, winning 7-0. Next, the varsity girls beat Notre Dame San Jose 2-0. In the final match of the evening, the varsity boys triumphed over Woodside Priory 2-0.
Onlookers had the opportunity to buy T-shirts and wristbands, as well as make monetary donations, to support the effort. During halftime of the last game, spectators were given a chance to play “Butts Up” with some faculty members lined up on the goal line. Cheerleaders, meanwhile, performed a special routine.
Camp Okizu is a week-long summer camp that gives cancer patients and their siblings a sense of normalcy and stability. The camp is free of charge to attendees, but it costs $700 to $1,000 to provide a week-long camp experience for one child. Therefore, the camp relies on donations, making fundraising efforts incredibly important. For more information, visit the camp website at http://okizu.org/faq/.
Last week, the final piece of a new kiosk outside the upper school library was attached. Freshman Peter Connors designed and built the structure for his Eagle Scout project. Maintenance director J.R. Del Alto used a forklift to place the roof, which was then fastened, completing a campus feature that upper school division head Butch Keller had wanted to see added for some time. Located at the busy intersection of the walkways outside Manzanita Hall, the upper school library and the main building, the kiosk will provide another way to keep the upper school community informed.
Connors received help in building the kiosk from fellow freshmen Vinny Vu and Amitej Mehta, of whom Connors said, “Without them, this project would never have been completed.”
Upper school members of the Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS) recently held a fundraiser, at which they sold takoyaki (a Japanese snack), candies and shaved ice, to raise money to help Tohoku earthquake survivors rebuild their lives. Students raised $223.98 in the sale, which was held after school in late February.
“The JNHS students worked really hard on the fundraiser during Japan Week. They practiced making takoyaki during a long lunch prior to the event in my classroom,” said Yumiko Aridomi, JNHS advisor and upper school Japanese language teacher.
Aridomi, who was born and raised in Osaka, Japan, recalled how the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami created both a humanitarian and economic crises in Japan, with over 300,000 refugees in the region.
In addition to the fundraiser, Aridomi reported that some students in her Japanese program participated in the Tohoku Update project to further support relief efforts. Called “Tohoku Update 2015, The Next Generation,” the program has been sponsored by the Japanese American Museum in San Jose for the past four years since disaster struck.
During the program, several groups of students from Tohoku paired with high school students from Harker, Los Gatos High School and the Wesley Church to work on projects to help bring awareness and tourism back to the Tohuku region. The event featured student presentations and an interactive Q&A session, with the Tohoku groups being included live via Skype.
The JNHS recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence in Japanese study by working with teachers and administrators to develop and maintain high standards of Japanese language education and by promoting cultural activities.
In early March, the upper school’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Club hosted a week of fun activities in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (as well as queer and questioning) communities.
The week kicked off with a GSA video presentation, shown at the upper school’s regular Monday school meeting. The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLkc9Eho0Vk) showcased an interview with four of the upper school’s gay and lesbian teachers: Donna Gilbert, history and social science department chair; Karl Kuehn, dance director; Jeffrey Draper, performing arts teacher; and Abel Olivas, Spanish teacher and modern and classical languages department chair.
The next day, the GSA held a fundraiser during extra help periods and after school, selling rainbow bracelets and Hobee’s famous blueberry coffee cake, donated by the gay owner of the popular local restaurant chain. Proceeds were directed toward a local youth support group called “Outlet.” Founded in 1997, Outlet (http://www.acs-teens.org/what-we-do/outlet/) empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth, and builds safe and accepting communities through support, education and advocacy.
“The community was generous and supportive, and because of that, we’ll be able to make a nice donation to Outlet to support the great work they do,” said Olivas, who serves as an advisor to the GSA, one of more than 30 clubs started by Harker’s upper school students.
On Wednesday, GSA members asked the Harker community to pick up a free rainbow sticker in front of Manzanita Hall during the long lunch and to wear it for the remainder of the day to show their support for the cause, and particularly for Harker’s own LGBT students and faculty. At noon on the same day, GSA sponsored a salsa lesson in the dance room, inviting participants to bring a dance partner of either gender.
All of the events were consistent with the GSA’s mission to raise awareness about the LGBT community and promote acceptance of a group that adds to the rich diversity of both Harker and the larger society, Olivas explained.
Kuehn, who also advises the GSA, said he was very pleased with GSA week. “I’ve received numerous compliments regarding the video shown at the school meeting, and had a great time selling baked goods and bracelets after school. It has been an honor to work with students so committed to giving back to the community. When I was in high school, we did not have a GSA club, so getting involved and interacting with students, while promoting awareness and education, has been very rewarding,” he said.
Harker student Jenny Bourke, grade 11, is one the group’s eight members. “I feel that the success with which we sold our cake and bracelets was the highlight of the week. We raised $450!” she enthused.
“I am very grateful to work in an environment that celebrates diversity and honors the full interests and education of our students,” added Kuehn.
On Friday, March 6, students and staff at the lower school had a blast jumping rope and shooting hoops during Jump Rope for Heart, an annual effort to raise money for the American Heart Association.
The event, which raised $6,300, took place throughout the day in the Bucknall gym, as well as on the grades 4-5 blacktop for those who wished to participate in Hoops for Heart instead of – or in addition to – jumping. Staff and students of all grades got in on the action, showing of their double dutch rope moves or hoop skills in support of a worthy cause.
“Holding this event not only engages students in physical activity while empowering them to improve their own health and help others with heart-health issues, but it also raises awareness of heart disease and stroke,” said Jim McGovern, who works in the lower school’s PE department and helped organize the event.
Among the day’s fun happenings were all kinds of jumping rope (short ropes, long roping, Chinese jump ropes), shooting baskets, and playing lightning and other basketball games. At the conclusion of each period, T-shirts, jump ropes and other gifts were raffled off to about a half dozen students. Participants also signed their names on a special heart table to show their support for those afflicted with heart disease.
Margaret Huntley’s middle school advisory is spreading Valentine’s Day cheer to seniors in the community! The 10 grade 7 students made about 50 cards that will be distributed by Meals on Wheels in Fremont. Huntley found the idea on dosomething.org, a website full of ideas for young people who want to make a difference. The students in her advisory wrote messages and poems inside the cards and attached origami hearts. “The students really enjoyed doing it, and some of the poems and messages are just lovely,” said Huntley.
Hannah Lee’s 6th grade advisory also participated, and a few of her Spanish IA students worked on some Valentines in Spanish for Spanish-speaking recipients — all Valentines were sent off to the Meals on Wheels in Fremont!