In the fall, Sidhart Krishnamurthi, grade 11, launched a fundraiser for The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, which raised more than $2,000 to help build a refugee shelter for a family living in Afghanistan.
He shared his fundraising success story by writing an article that was published in the foundation’s newsletter and is still showing on the foundation’s blog. In the article, Krishnamurthi said that he got the idea to do the fundraiser in April 2012 after reading the novel “The Kite Runner” by author Khaled Hosseini.
“The plight of the people in Afghanistan as described in the novel really touched me, and I wanted to somehow support the cause of rebuilding futures for families torn by war, poverty and unimaginable living conditions. This led me to the back cover, where I saw a link to The Khaled Hosseini Foundation website. On visiting the site, I got more information on various ongoing efforts to help the refugees,” wrote Krishnamurthi.
He then explained that he set a fundraising goal of $2,000 – enough to build a shelter for a refugee family of six. With assistance from the foundation, he was able to make a plan to accomplish the mission through fundraising efforts at Harker.
To attain his goal, he launched a “Family and Friends Campaign,” wherein he emailed various people (including members of the Harker community) about the foundation and urged them to donate a minimum of $25, which would help him achieve his goal. In turn, they received a signed copy of either “The Kite Runner” or “A Thousand Splendid Suns” (both by Hosseini) and a goodie-bag. This generated enough interest and money to build a shelter for a homeless family in Afghanistan.
To help purchase the books, Krishnamurthi’s parents generously donated funds and he also raised money through a club called Interact, a youth rotary club. He assembled the goodie-bags with candy and bookmarks handmade by Afghan women in refugee camps in Pakistan (provided by the foundation). His book sales then attracted the attention of the administrators at Harker, facilitating a visit from Hosseini to speak about his books and the foundation.
“Through this experience, I have learned that my life is privileged compared to most people in the world. It really changed me by helping and supporting families facing dire living situations. It also made me realize that people are genuinely kind-natured and willing to help others in difficult situations,” Krishnamurthi said.
Harker students are running a number of fund raisers, gift and food drives this season, as they always do, and they are all detailed in the Greater Good section of the upcoming issue of Harker Quarterly, which should be in your mailboxes during the holiday break. We just got the news on some exceptionally generous gifts, however, and thought we’d share, in this season of sharing. –Ed.
The week after Thanksgiving break, the lower school’s student council sponsored a hot chocolate sale to help raise money to aid relief efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan and along with the the hot chocolate sales, there were some exceptional gifts made to the fund.
“The fundraiser was a huge success. We were able to raise $726 from the hot chocolate sales. In addition, we had some special donations, which brought our grand total to $6,996,” reported Kristin Giammona, elementary division head.
The special donations included $5,000 from an anonymous grade 5 family, $1,000 from the Mulpuri family (Rahul, grade 3) and $270 from Faux Hair Salon. Faculty and staff also pitched in by donating money to offset the cost of the hot chocolate, which was then sold for $1 a cup.
Further aiding the endeavor were grades 4-5 student council members, who served the hot chocolate. Various lower school teachers, the dean of students and members of the BEST staff helped ensure the sale ran smoothly.
Proceeds from the sale were then combined with funds previously collected by the middle school for donation to Habitat for Humanity to help typhoon victims rebuild their homes and provide clean-up kits. The boost from the middle school drive brought the grand total up to $8,096.12 raised on behalf of the people of the Philippines.
“I am very touched by the generosity and care of our Harker community. We will combine our funds raised with the middle school’s funds and send one check to Habitat for Humanity to assist with the rebuilding of homes in the Philippines,” said Giammona.
A contingent of Harker’s upper school biology and journalism students joined a sell-out crowd at this year’s local YWCA luncheon, where Dr. Jane Goodall gave the keynote address to an audience of more than 1,200.
Goodall is founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and serves as a UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, she is best known for her trailblazing studies on chimps, which resulted from the years she spent living among them in the Tanzanian jungle in the early 1960s.
The YWCA of Silicon Valley’s annual luncheon features guest speakers who serve as role models for women and girls. Held in October at the Santa Clara Convention Center, event proceeds help support the group’s much-lauded services.
Harker regularly hosts a table for upper school students who have a special passion for that year’s topic. The Harker group who attended this year’s event were senior biology students Lea Daran, Anna Levine, Sarai Rojas and Elizabeth Teng, along with journalism students Meena Chetty, grade 12, and Apoorva Rangan, grade 11. Accompanying them were Head of School Chris Nikoloff and upper school biology teacher Kate Schafer.
Each year, more than 40 companies and hundreds of individuals sponsor the YWCA’s luncheon. Past speakers have included Isabelle Allende, Gloria Steinem, Sally Ride, Janet Reno and Mary Lou Retton.
The mission of the YWCA is to empower women, children and families, and to eliminate racism, hatred and prejudice. The organization provides programs in the areas of sexual assault intervention and prevention, counseling services, domestic violence, child care, youth programs, family services, and social and racial justice.
The YWCA of Silicon Valley serves nearly 18,000 Santa Clara County residents each year, and has provided countywide services for more than 100 years. More information can be found at www.ywca-sv.org.
In a show of neighborly good will, grade 2 students recently painted and hand-delivered pumpkins to residents living near the lower school campus.
The pumpkin painting and delivery to local neighbors took place in late October, just in time for Halloween. An annual outreach and community service project for the lower school students, the painting effort this year was held for this first time in the art room.
After decorating the pumpkins and allowing them to dry, the students then walked around the neighborhood, delivering pumpkins on porches along with cards.
“This was their annual service project to say ‘thank you’ to the local residents for being such good neighbors,” reported Gerry-louise Robinson, who facilitated the painting part of the outreach activity. Students painted in her art room during their health education classes (one class at a time) with members of the BEST staff on hand to assist in the effort.
For student Kabir Ramzan, the biggest challenge was to “make the pumpkins really colorful.” Working in small groups he and his fellow classmates succeeded by painting in various hues of blue, green, yellow and red. They also gave each pumpkin its own special smile.
“It was action-packed and non-stop …. Utilizing the art room helped to make the event more meaningful and fun!” said Robinson, adding that the students really embraced drawing faces on the pumpkins, putting expressions and details that made each one a unique gift.
“It was marvelous how the children carefully chose colors and applied them. Seeing the pumpkins all lined up ready to be delivered looked very charming indeed,” she added.
“This is a really good project. I think it’s something the neighbors will like!” enthused student Aeliya Grover.
In early November, four teachers came together to form the Harker Eggheads, our entry in the sixth annual Silicon Valley Trivia Challenge, hosted by the Junior League. For the sixth year in a row, Harker blazed through the first two rounds and made it to the finals, one of 10 teams out of the original 40 to make it that far. Though we didn’t win (quick: name every type of Girl Scout cookie!) a great time was had by all and, as always, we were proud to support the San Jose/Silicon Valley Junior League and its fine works. This year’s Eggheads, teachers Lisa Masoni, Henry Cuningham, Andy Wicklund and Ellen Austin, represented Harker beautifully!
Grade 9 students recently participated in the upper school’s annual freshman service day. The mandatory daylong event is designed to serve as an introduction to community service.
Traveling with their advisory groups in mid-October, 191 students set off to do some good at various sites including EcoMagic, R.A.F.T., Humane Society of Silicon Valley, San Jose Rose Garden, Sacred Heart Community Services, Sunrise Village Emergency Shelter, Acterra and Family Supportive Housing.
“Students arrived before their departure to pack a lunch and discuss the volunteer site they were scheduled to go on,” recalled Kerry Enzensperger, who directs community service for the upper school. She explained that the day is organized by advisory so advisers go on the trip along with their students. Students volunteer for a three-hour time period, and fill out a “reflection form” upon their return to campus.
“I went to the Humane Society with my advisees. We made cat toys and dog treats, and helped socialize the shelter animals,” she said.
Upper school counselor Greg Roumbanis accompanied his advisory group of seven students to R.A.F.T. in Santa Clara. “The organization we worked with puts together low-cost materials for teachers to use in their classes and the students helped put the kits together. It was a really interesting place to work because it struck up some good conversations. There was a significant amount of talk regarding the conditions people work in overseas in Third World countries,” he recalled.
Harker upper school female group Cantilena took part in a special concert at San Francisco’s historic Grace Cathedral on Oct. 2 to help rebuild and replenish the resources of The Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The school was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake that devastated much of the country.
The group was invited to perform at the concert by Ben Johns, the educational director for the world-renowned men’s choir Chanticleer. During the concert, Cantilena joined a group comprising 10 other choirs, which sang Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum,” from the composer’s “Vesperae solennes de confessore,” and “Wondrous Love” by Joseph Jennings.
Nace reported that the audience in attendance was “very enthusiastic” about the performance.
“Our visiting opera singers were astonished at the amazing show of strength and enthusiasm from all of [Harker’s] students,” said concert organizer Bruce Garnett. “(Soloist) Susan Graham remarked that she will never again hear ‘Laudate Dominum’ without remembering the experience of being surrounded by the future of music in this place.”
Grades 4 and 5 recently held their first spirit/Service Club meeting of the year, playing fun activities in advance of the Harker Harvest Festival.
“Our first club meeting was great. We had over a dozen fourth and fifth graders sign up. Fun was had by all!” reported Mel Robinson, a grade 5 P.E. teacher who helps coordinate the club.
Among the activities club members participated in during the first meeting were creating as many words from the phrase “Harker Harvest Festival” as possible, playing “pass the pumpkin” (a game like hot potato) and “pass the baby pumpkin.”
The club meets every Monday in the late afternoon. “We keep points during each spirit event, and the top three homerooms are rewarded with an ice cream party at the end of the year!” enthused Robinson.
But the club is not all fun and games. It will also be introducing important outreach activities (such as aiding in California’s coastal cleanup efforts) and incorporating a Green Committee charged with task of uncovering food waste in grade 4-5 lunches.
“We look forward to an exciting year,” said Robinson.
This story originally appeared in the fall 2013 Harker Quarterly.
Middle school students embarked on an exciting language immersion trip to Costa Rica in late July. The journey started with ziplining through Costa Rica’s lush rainforest. Later, the students headed to the ACCE language school, where they sat in with the local students and impressed the instructors with their level of Spanish usage.
Among the more eye-opening parts of the trip was the visit to La Carpio, an area outside the Costa Rican capital city of San Jose that houses approximately 34,000 people, mostly poor immigrants from Nicaragua. There, the students helped the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation by painting buildings and helping to promote a health fair to the local population.
Other highlights included a visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, participating in a talent show at a local K-12 private school and a fun scavenger hunt in the city of Grecia, where students were required to speak to the citizens in Spanish to complete their tasks.
This article was originally published in the summer 2013 Harker Quarterly.
More than $8,000 Raised by Annual Cancer Walk; Harker Community Goes the Extra Mile During Walk to Raise Money for Camp Okizu
Students, faculty and family members recently put on their walking shoes for the seventh annual Harker Cancer Walk. The successful schoolwide effort netted more than $8,000 for Camp Okizu. “This will give many young cancer patients a fantastic opportunity to go to camp!” said Cindy Ellis, middle school head. “I know they will also enjoy the many decorated Frisbees from the middle school students while at camp.” The symbolic stroll was held in late March at Blackford. Supplementing cash donations were sales of T-shirts, water bottles, Jamba Juice, baked goodies, temporary tattoos and wrist bands, all of which were sold by volunteers.
The “biggest cancer walk poster ever” was hung on the amphitheater wall from March 25-29 and stood 8 feet high. Advisories also made small, honorary flags for those who have survived or passed away which were then placed in the ground along the walking path.
“The Cancer Walk is truly an effort of the community that I have grown to cherish at Harker,” said Michael Schmidt, organizer, who teaches middle school computer science. “Thank you again for our seventh amazing Cancer Walk.”
Upper School Student Creates Unique Math Program for Children
Like many teens, Urvi Gupta, grade 11, maintains a jam-packed schedule, yet she makes time to give back to her community by providing free math tutoring to K-3 kids at local libraries in San Jose using a unique program she created called OneInMath. The program teaches youngsters simple ways to add, subtract, multiply, divide and understand concepts quickly for math success.
“I designed the free volunteer-run program from the ground up, defining its purpose, goals and developing materials, including 1,862 math problem sheets, teaching instructions, learning videos, program format, volunteer instructions and the logistics of running it,” said Gupta, who teaches as well as independently manages the overall program.
She currently supervises more than 150 kids and 27 high school volunteers across three libraries using the program, which was implemented in November 2011. Now, the popular OneInMath classes – which utilize video instruction in addition to faceto- face volunteer tutoring – have both students and parents excited about learning mathematics.
Gupta was recently honored as Volunteer of the Year from the entire San Jose public library system for her dynamic math program and volunteer efforts. The top honor began with a nomination from local librarian Vidya Kilambi, who had been impressed with Gupta’s program for some time. As a result of her efforts, aside from all the children her program has helped, Gupta received a commendation on June 11 from the City of San Jose for her efforts.
Students Raise Record Amount for the Humane Society
Life just got a little easier for animals at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, thanks to the efforts of the school’s grade 1 community service project.
The students showed their love for the shelter’s displaced rabbits, dogs and cats by collecting monetary donations, buying needed supplies and making toys for distribution to the shelter.
“We raised about $900 (a new record) and collected more than 80 bags of toys, supplies and food for the animals,” reported the students’ homeroom teacher, Cindy Proctor, who oversaw the project. In addition to monetary donations, items for collection included animal treats, collars, litter, toys, clean blankets, sheets, towels and comforters.
“We would like to express our thanks for the tremendous support and generosity of our Harker families for participating in this project. The donations continue to come in, and we are extremely grateful,” said Proctor.
Blood Drive to Help Remedy Local Blood Shortage
At least 100 locally-based hospital patients desperately in need of blood will be helped, thanks to the annual Harker Blood Drive held at the upper school campus in March.
This year’s successful drive resulted in the collection of 44 total pints, which will benefit the Blood Centers of the Pacific, a nonprofit organization that supplies blood to Northern California hospitals, doctors and patients.
Thirty-nine Harker students, faculty and staff members gave blood at the drive, which was organized by the Red Cross Club, with five people donating double red cells.
GEO Week Raises Funds to Build Schools Overseas
By Zach Jones
The Global Empowerment and Outreach (GEO) student club held its annual GEO week in mid-March, raising nearly $1,000 for Pencils of Promise, an organization that works to build educational programs in poor areas of the world. Some of Pencils of Promise’s efforts include building schools, training teachers and providing supplies. The organization has already completed construction on 110 schools, and 14 are in construction with plans for at least four more.
According to Amie Chien, grade 12, GEO president, the cost to provide a year’s worth of education for a child in one of these areas is just $25. “A pair of jeans from Express is easily $25, a week’s worth of Starbucks every morning, about the same. If we were to give up a little luxury for a week, we could easily find $25 lying around,” she said.
Five Seniors Recognized by National Charity League for Thousands of Volunteer Hours
On March 16, Michelle Douglas, Cristina Jerney, Emily Wang, Amy Grace Wardenburg and Molly Wolfe, all grade 12, were honored by the Heritage Oaks Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. NCL is a philanthropic organization that fosters mother-daughter relationships through community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. Over the past six years, the five seniors have logged hundreds of volunteer hours (often with their mothers) at many local organizations including the American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity – Silicon Valley, Humane Society of Silicon Valley, InnVision, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Sacred Heart Community Services.
In addition to these awards, Wardenburg has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for volunteering over 100 hours in a calendar year for all six years she has been volunteering, and Wolfe and Jerney have also each received the award in the past. Wardenburg will also be receiving the Senior Service Award, which is given to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative philanthropic hours earned during her years at National Charity League.
Senior Honored by Stanford for Volunteering
Senior Leslie Chan was awarded the Stanford University Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship in May in recognition of exemplary service and contributions to the C-1 Unit and Junior Volunteer program at Stanford Hospitals and Clinics.