Four Harker fencers traveled to Memphis, Tenn., over the Presidents Week break to compete in the 2018 Junior Olympics Fencing Championships.
Nerine Uyanik and Sana Pandey, both grade 10, and Ethan Choi and Kishan Sood, both grade 9, made the trip.
Uyanik competed in cadet women’s foil on Saturday against 213 other women from across the United States, going 4-2 in pools, seeding 76th into the direct elimination table.
She got a bye in the round of 264, then faced the 52nd seed who she flipped 15-13 to advance into the 64. Uyanik then toed the line versus the 12th seed and fought her to time, but lost 11-9 (bouts go to 15 touches over three 3-minute periods), ending up 59th, a very respectable finish.
The previous day Uyanik joined two club mates from the San Francisco Fencing Club to take fourth place out of 12 teams. In that event, SFFC No. 2 women dominated the Mt. Airy/Wallingford Swarthmore Panthers 45-6 to advance to the next round where they faced SFFC No. 1 women, the “A” team from their own club. SFFC No. 2, including Uyanik, threw a twist into the universe when they beat their club mates 45-41 in a brutal match that saw Uyanik’s team take an immediate slim lead and hold it through most of the match to bring in a 45-41 victory. They then faced Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy, the eventual gold medalists, where they kept the fight tight, but lost 36-30 when time expired.
Finally, on Monday, Uyanik competed in the junior women’s foil event, including fencers up to age 19, where she split her pool 3-3, seeding 101st into the elimination table. She ran up against a tough opponent in her first direct elimination round and lost 15-8, finishing 136th out of 233 starters. Uyanik has qualified for JOs for three consecutive years and is a “B-rated” fencer (ratings run A-E, plus U for unrated, based on tournament results).
Pandey, grade 10, fenced in cadet and junior women’s epee events, Friday and Sunday, respectively. Pandey reached a milestone in December when she earned her “C” rating at the local JO qualifiers. This was Pandey’s first JOs and only her third national event, so she encountered a steep learning curve, as well as faced the eventual gold and bronze medal winners in her juniors pool, thus did not advance out of pools in either event. Pandey fences for International Fencing Academy.
Choi, grade 9, also attended the JOs, fencing in cadet and junior men’s foil events. In the cadet event, Choi seeded 50th out of 287 fencers and split his pool 3-3, losing each bout by two touches, so only six touches away from a perfect pool, thus dropping to 137 seed going into the elimination table. In his first elimination round, Choi flipped the 120th seed 15-9 to make the table of 132, then lost to a local powerhouse from Santa Rosa 15-8 to finish 116th.
In the junior event, Choi seeded 223 out of 282 starters. He started off with a very solid 4-2 record in pools, seeding 113th into the elimination table, but dropped his first elimination bout, so ended up 149th in juniors. Choi is a D-rated fencer and fences for Massialas Fencing Team.
Sood, grade 9, also fenced in cadet men’s foil, splitting his pool 3-3 to advance to direct eliminations in the 152nd slot. Matched up with the 105th seed, Sood fought a very tough fight, taking the score to 14-14 before his opponent made the final touch. In the final standings, Sood stood 162 out of 287 starters, a solid finish in that age bracket. Sood has an E rating and fences for California Fencing Academy, as does his sister, Ishani, grade 6.
Pandey and Uyanik are co-presidents of the Harker Fencing Club, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in either the atrium or auxiliary gym.
Four Harker fencers traveled to Memphis, Tenn., over the Presidents Week break to compete in the 2018 Junior Olympics Fencing Championships.
Nerine Uyanik and Sana Pandey, both grade 10, and Ethan Choi and Kishan Sood, both grade 9, made the trip.
Uyanik competed in cadet women’s foil on Saturday against 213 other women from across the United States, going 4-2 in pools, seeding 76th into the direct elimination table.
She got a bye in the round of 264, then faced the 52nd seed who she flipped 15-13 to advance into the 64. Uyanik then toed the line versus the 12th seed and fought her to time, but lost 11-9 (bouts go to 15 touches over three 3-minute periods), ending up 59th, a very respectable finish.
The previous day Uyanik joined two club mates from the San Francisco Fencing Club to take fourth place out of 12 teams. In that event, SFFC No. 2 women dominated the Mt. Airy/Wallingford Swarthmore Panthers 45-6 to advance to the next round where they faced SFFC No. 1 women, the “A” team from their own club. SFFC No. 2, including Uyanik, threw a twist into the universe when they beat their club mates 45-41 in a brutal match that saw Uyanik’s team take an immediate slim lead and hold it through most of the match to bring in a 45-41 victory. They then faced Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy, the eventual gold medalists, where they kept the fight tight, but lost 36-30 when time expired.
Finally, on Monday, Uyanik competed in the junior women’s foil event, including fencers up to age 19, where she split her pool 3-3, seeding 101st into the elimination table. She ran up against a tough opponent in her first direct elimination round and lost 15-8, finishing 136th out of 233 starters. Uyanik has qualified for JOs for three consecutive years and is a “B-rated” fencer (ratings run A-E, plus U for unrated, based on tournament results).
Pandey, grade 10, fenced in cadet and junior women’s epee events, Friday and Sunday, respectively. Pandey reached a milestone in December when she earned her “C” rating at the local JO qualifiers. This was Pandey’s first JOs and only her third national event, so she encountered a steep learning curve, as well as faced the eventual gold and bronze medal winners in her juniors pool, thus did not advance out of pools in either event. Pandey fences for International Fencing Academy.
Choi, grade 9, also attended the JOs, fencing in cadet and junior men’s foil events. In the cadet event, Choi seeded 50th out of 287 fencers and split his pool 3-3, losing each bout by two touches, so only six touches away from a perfect pool, thus dropping to 137 seed going into the elimination table. In his first elimination round, Choi flipped the 120th seed 15-9 to make the table of 132, then lost to a local powerhouse from Santa Rosa 15-8 to finish 116th.
In the junior event, Choi seeded 223 out of 282 starters. He started off with a very solid 4-2 record in pools, seeding 113th into the elimination table, but dropped his first elimination bout, so ended up 149th in juniors. Choi is a D-rated fencer and fences for Massialas Fencing Team.
Sood, grade 9, also fenced in cadet men’s foil, splitting his pool 3-3 to advance to direct eliminations in the 152nd slot. Matched up with the 105th seed, Sood fought a very tough fight, taking the score to 14-14 before his opponent made the final touch. In the final standings, Sood stood 162 out of 287 starters, a solid finish in that age bracket. Sood has an E rating and fences for California Fencing Academy, as does his sister, Ishani, grade 6.
Pandey and Uyanik are co-presidents of the Harker Fencing Club, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in either the atrium or auxiliary gym.
Four Harker fencers traveled to Memphis, Tenn., over the Presidents Week break to compete in the 2018 Junior Olympics Fencing Championships.
Nerine Uyanik and Sana Pandey, both grade 10, and Ethan Choi and Kishan Sood, both grade 9, made the trip.
Uyanik competed in cadet women’s foil on Saturday against 213 other women from across the United States, going 4-2 in pools, seeding 76th into the direct elimination table.
She got a bye in the round of 264, then faced the 52nd seed who she flipped 15-13 to advance into the 64. Uyanik then toed the line versus the 12th seed and fought her to time, but lost 11-9 (bouts go to 15 touches over three 3-minute periods), ending up 59th, a very respectable finish.
The previous day Uyanik joined two club mates from the San Francisco Fencing Club to take fourth place out of 12 teams. In that event, SFFC No. 2 women dominated the Mt. Airy/Wallingford Swarthmore Panthers 45-6 to advance to the next round where they faced SFFC No. 1 women, the “A” team from their own club. SFFC No. 2, including Uyanik, threw a twist into the universe when they beat their club mates 45-41 in a brutal match that saw Uyanik’s team take an immediate slim lead and hold it through most of the match to bring in a 45-41 victory. They then faced Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy, the eventual gold medalists, where they kept the fight tight, but lost 36-30 when time expired.
Finally, on Monday, Uyanik competed in the junior women’s foil event, including fencers up to age 19, where she split her pool 3-3, seeding 101st into the elimination table. She ran up against a tough opponent in her first direct elimination round and lost 15-8, finishing 136th out of 233 starters. Uyanik has qualified for JOs for three consecutive years and is a “B-rated” fencer (ratings run A-E, plus U for unrated, based on tournament results).
Pandey, grade 10, fenced in cadet and junior women’s epee events, Friday and Sunday, respectively. Pandey reached a milestone in December when she earned her “C” rating at the local JO qualifiers. This was Pandey’s first JOs and only her third national event, so she encountered a steep learning curve, as well as faced the eventual gold and bronze medal winners in her juniors pool, thus did not advance out of pools in either event. Pandey fences for International Fencing Academy.
Choi, grade 9, also attended the JOs, fencing in cadet and junior men’s foil events. In the cadet event, Choi seeded 50th out of 287 fencers and split his pool 3-3, losing each bout by two touches, so only six touches away from a perfect pool, thus dropping to 137 seed going into the elimination table. In his first elimination round, Choi flipped the 120th seed 15-9 to make the table of 132, then lost to a local powerhouse from Santa Rosa 15-8 to finish 116th.
In the junior event, Choi seeded 223 out of 282 starters. He started off with a very solid 4-2 record in pools, seeding 113th into the elimination table, but dropped his first elimination bout, so ended up 149th in juniors. Choi is a D-rated fencer and fences for Massialas Fencing Team.
Sood, grade 9, also fenced in cadet men’s foil, splitting his pool 3-3 to advance to direct eliminations in the 152nd slot. Matched up with the 105th seed, Sood fought a very tough fight, taking the score to 14-14 before his opponent made the final touch. In the final standings, Sood stood 162 out of 287 starters, a solid finish in that age bracket. Sood has an E rating and fences for California Fencing Academy, as does his sister, Ishani, grade 6.
Pandey and Uyanik are co-presidents of the Harker Fencing Club, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in either the atrium or auxiliary gym.
DECA member Neelesh Ramachandran, grade 12, is a national finalist in the DECA Virtual Business Challenge 2018, following the second qualifying round. Ramachandran qualified in VBC Accounting by finishing in the top two in the region.
“This is exciting for us,” said Juston Glass, DECA advisor. “He will now go on to compete in his category at the international conference in April with the round one qualifiers to see who is the ‘best accountant’ for the virtual business challenge.”
The DECA Virtual Business Challenge tasks students with operating a web-based business simulation in the career areas of accounting, fashion, hotel management, personal finance, restaurant management, retail management or sports marketing.
This article was written by Roma Gandhi, grade 10.
In late January, CareerConnect hosted a mock interview workshop for students. In this workshop, students were given the opportunity to improve their skills by participating in a one-on-one mock interview with an industry professional.
Participants could chose from two interview scenarios: applying to be a club officer or applying for a research internship. The important skills they learned will help students when applying to summer programs or when taking on the role of a club officer at school. Fifteen students and five industry professionals participated in this event.
The workshop was an overall success, and students learned a lot from this great opportunity. “I have never been interviewed before for an internship,” said Jinhyuk Kim, grade 12, “and now I know what kinds of questions to expect in future interviews.”
Industry professionals who took on the role of interviewers also enjoyed the workshop. Yabo Lin (Jason, grade 9), a partner at law firm Sidley Austin LLP, said of one interviewee, “[his] experience was incredible, and the students were extremely well prepared and thoughtful.” This learning experience will definitely help students succeed in their future endeavors.
DECA Direct, the national newsletter for DECA, announced today that the Harker team has won the 2018 Herff Jones Marketing Results Challenge in Houston. The challenge was to create marketing campaigns to increase yearbook awareness and sales on campus. Team members are DECA member Vignesh Panchanatham, grade 12, and Sharon Yan, grade 12, TALON managing editor and Devanshi Mehta, grade 11, TALON seniors editor, who joined DECA to participate in the challenge.
The Harker team prepared a video highlighting methods and results that won over the Herff Jones executives who judged finalists at the 2018 Herff Jones International Sales Conference. The team will receive $5,000 for travel to the DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta where it will be recognized on stage.
Team members all gained insights to the world of print production and distribution.
“I’ve been on the yearbook staff for four years since the first day of my freshman year,” said Yan, “and I’ve seen how much the journalism program has grown and changed and all the innovation and improvement that’s happened inside the journalism program with our whole process and staff.
The hardest part of this project was consolidating all of the data and analyzing it in order to present concrete numbers about our program’s growth in sales over the last five years,” Yan added. “We included significant multimedia in our presentation, such as examples of completed articles and videos from our Humans of Harker project as well as other short yearbook videos we displayed at weekly school meetings to be more transparent with the student body. In the formal presentation, we also featured examples of dynamic pages from this year’s book to demonstrate how inclusive and thorough our coverage of school-wide events is and how the yearbook staff is experiencing an upwards trend in writing quality and photographic expertise.”
Mehta was interested in the business process. “I hadn’t fully realized just how much “business” a yearbook comprises,” he said. “Even though the process of creating a book requires writing and photos and design, the path to getting that book into the hands of the community is all about marketing strategy and public relations. I’ve really learned more about how yearbook is both a student publication and a business through this project.”
Panchanatham concurred. “I’ve gained a “behind-the-scenes” view of how the yearbook really comes together, which has made me more aware of the work and care that the staff puts into the yearbook each year,” he noted.
Be sure to congratulate the team members! Check out the DECA press release! and here’s a link to the winners’ video.
Dec. 15, 2017
DECA members Devanshi Mehta, grade 11 and Sharon Yan, grade 12, TALON yearbook staff members, and Vignesh Panchanatham, grade 12, DECA member, are finalists in the 2017 Herff Jones Marketing Results Challenge. Herff Jones produces class rings, yearbooks and other academic memorabilia. DECA and Harker’s upper school Talon team are collaborating in the contest, focusing on business aspects of the yearbook.
Herff Jones will fly the finalists to Houston to present their analysis, methodology and results to Herff Jones executives. After the presentations, Herff Jones will choose a single winning team and will award a $5,000 travel prize to help cover that team’s expenses to the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta for general-session recognition.
“They are implementing this project to help increase sales and yearbook participation across campus,” said Juston Glass, business and entrepreneurship teacher and DECA advisor. “It’s been a great study/analysis on what journalism can do, with the partnership of DECA consulting/advising to meet their revenue and sales targets.”
This is a national competition and the first round was judged via video submissions. The second round, in Houston, will be in January. Both Glass and Ellen Austin, director of journalism and advisor to TALON, will accompany the team. The International Career Development Conference will be in late April.
“I’m so pleased that Harker is one of the two national finalists,” said Austin. “This is exciting, and it’s the first direct collaboration opportunity between these two Harker programs – great to see the result. Congrats to DECA and journalism on this joint inter-curricular venture!”
DECA member Aditi Ghalsasi, grade 10, provided details and photos.
Nearly a score of Harker students attended QuickBooks Connect 2017, held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in mid-November, as part of Harker’s CareerConnect program. The conference featured some great speakers, including Brad Smith, chairman and CEO of Intuit, and Sasan Goodarzi, executive vice president and general manager of the small business group at Intuit. There was also a live stream of journalist Lisa Ling interviewing SoulCycle co-founder Julie Rice on her experience as a female entrepreneur.
The event featured more than 50 booths, including Avalara, Chase, PayPal, Receipt Bank and T Sheets. On the day Harker students visited, the focus of the event was accounting. This year’s event also featured a tech exhibit showcasing the newest virtual and augmented reality products by Microsoft and others.
Harker DECA celebrated November (National DECA Month) this year with numerous chapter events intended to bring the school community together and excite members of the chapter for the upcoming DECA competitive season. Aside from hosting numerous activities, Harker DECA also completed the #DECAMonth Social Media Challenge by posting daily on handles, including Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.
DECA Launch
Hosted by the Harker DECA officer team, DECA Launch is a two-day event held Aug. 21-22 for potential new members or returning member of Harker DECA. DECA Launch consists of workshops, activities and lectures to introduce potential new members to DECA, and it gives returning members a head start for the school year. The event is held in the Innovation Center at the upper school campus.
This event allows new members to experience a taste of DECA prior to the school year by giving them a glimpse of all aspects of the chapter. The officer team hosts DECA Launch to educate new members and get them excited for the upcoming DECA year. This year, more than 60 students attended DECA Launch. They had the opportunity to learn about various competitive events, listen to student entrepreneurs, participate in an Idea Challenge, bond with officers and more. Overall, the event encouraged many new members to join DECA.
Ice Cream Social
Harker DECA hosted an Ice Cream Social outside Manzanita Hall after school on Friday, Nov. 3, to kick off DECA Month. An annual event, the Ice Cream Social was the perfect way to end a long week of school. Members of the officer team handed out free ice cream with unlimited toppings for all students to enjoy, which was a well-appreciated treat. The Ice Cream Social marked a great beginning DECA Month, and it brought members of the school community together.
“Kicking off DECA Month, the Ice Cream Social allowed the Harker community to bond with one another on a rainy day,” said Ishaan Chandra, grade 10, director of community engagement. “The line went outside the door, and that was really exciting to see.”
Dodgeball
Our largest event of DECA Month was held on Thursday, Nov. 9. Harker DECA collaborated with Harker Spirit to organize a game of dodgeball for the entire student body, held in the main gym at the upper school during lunch.
Many students from the Harker DECA chapter, as well as other students, gathered in the gym to cheer on their classes for spirit points. Freshmen went up against the juniors, while sophomores played against the seniors. Alongside dodgeball, the officer team covered the awareness portion of the event by selling boba from Teaspoon in front of Manzanita Hall. All proceeds went toward the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Furthermore, we invited MDA representative Victoria Trujillo to come in between games and discuss MDA’s partnership with DECA, as well as to raise awareness for the MDA and present opportunities to get involved.
“Dodgeball was a very enjoyable event for not just students, but also teachers. It was a great opportunity for them to have fun in the midst of their stressful school weeks,” said Shreyas Chandrashekaran, grade 12, co-CEO of Harker DECA. “It was the first time dodgeball was brought back to the school in a few years, and DECA and Spirit were proud to be able to organize it.”
In the dodgeball matches, the juniors ended up winning against the freshmen, while the seniors defeated the sophomores. On Friday, Nov. 17, the sophomores and freshmen competed in a consolation round for third place, while the juniors and seniors played for the championship.
The seniors took first place against the juniors, and the sophomores acquired third place over the freshmen. To encourage students to attend, Harker DECA promoted the event by posting on various social media sites, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook. Furthermore, representatives of the chapter volunteered to say a few words at various school meetings, and a video was made to advertise the event.
Although dodgeball was organized as a way for students to unwind and have fun in the midst of schoolwork, its primary purpose was to raise money for the MDA, a great organization that serves a great cause. Through boba sales, Harker DECA raised about $600 for the nonprofit.
“I really love DECA’s partnership with MDA for multiple reasons, one being the fact there are so many enjoyable ways to raise money,” said Allison Jia, grade 10, director of written events. “I’m really glad that the chapter is also recognizing the charitable aspect of the event through food sales. I think it is a great idea.”
Dodgeball turned out to be an extremely successful event, with a great turnout of students at the games as well as a respectable amount of money raised for the MDA. Through this event, many students were inspired to continue or begin raising money for all sorts of nonprofit organizations. As dodgeball came to an end, many students left feeling motivated to make a difference in the world by contributing toward charities and associations similar to the MDA.
Yard Sale
On Friday, Nov. 10 from 3-5 p.m. during our weekly study session, Harker DECA sold limited-edition merchandise from the Harker business and entrepreneurship department programs, including DECA, TEDx, BEcon and more. Held in the Innovation Center, students were able to purchase sweatshirts, T-shirts and other items from previous years at extremely reduced prices. All money raised from this event went toward the MDA. Overall, the Yard Sale was an immense success. Aside from raising more than $250, the event attracted countless students, including many not currently involved in DECA.
“The Yard Sale was a great opportunity for students to purchase business and entrepreneurship merchandise and raise money for MDA,” said Ronit Gagneja, grade 10, director of finance. “It also was helpful in promoting the B.E. program throughout the school, as students in and out of the programs came out to purchase clothes.”
Movie Night
On Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., members of the Harker DECA chapter traveled to AMC 14 in Saratoga for an annual tradition: Movie Night! This year, the chapter watched “Thor: Ragnarok,” released on Nov. 3. This event was a great opportunity for members to bond with one another and relax with their friends after a long, busy day. Candy was also handed out to the students, and all proceeds from the event went to the MDA.
Mock Conference and Alumni Panel
On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Harker DECA held a Mock Conference and an Alumni Panel in the upper school’s Innovation Center after school from 3-6 p.m.; both events were open to all members of the chapter. The annual Mock Conference gave members a chance to take a practice exam, participate in a roleplay tournament, work on their written plans and presentations, and receive advice from officers and mentors. Since many of the attendees were first-year members, the Mock Conference gave them a realistic taste of their first competitive experience.
Afterward, we hosted an Alumni Panel by Skyping DECA alumni (or inviting them to attend in-person). They discussed their journeys as members of the Harker DECA chapter and the impact that DECA had on their lives in high school, college and beyond. The Alumni Panel was also a great chance for members to learn more on how to be competitively successful.
Middle School Announcement
On Monday, Nov. 13, two Harker DECA officers, as well as our advisor, traveled to the middle school for an announcement regarding the DECA Idea Challenge. Students were told about the logistics of the challenge, the mystery item they had to use, and the potential prizes involved if they win.
Many students were intrigued and immediately started brainstorming as the mystery item of rubber bands was announced. Also, interested students had the chance to ask questions at the end to gather more information about the Idea Challenge and DECA in general. This announcement was the perfect opportunity to encourage entrepreneurships for students to think outside of the box and try something new. Not only that, it encouraged them to consider joining DECA when they begin their high school journey.
Red Cross Assembly Kits
On Monday, Nov. 13 during lunch, Harker DECA collaborated with the Red Cross Club to assemble disaster kits for those bearing losses from the recent natural disasters. Members of the chapter came together to raise awareness for all those affected by the catastrophes. Members of the chapter worked together to assemble kits that included toothbrushes, toothpaste, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer and more. Through this effort, Harker DECA hopes to express its sympathy for those affected by the natural disasters, while also giving back to the larger community beyond just our school campus.
Bagels for Business
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, during the school day, the Harker DECA officer team handed out free bagels from Noah’s Bagels in front of Manzanita Hall, which is our school cafeteria. Alongside the bagels, several other officers provided information about the B.E. program here at Harker and educated students on ways to get more involved. This event helped attract more members to not only the DECA chapter, but the entire B.E. program. Many students left feeling more encouraged to participate in various entrepreneurship opportunities. Furthermore, the bagels were a nice treat amidst the stressful school week, epitomizing Harker DECA’s focus on the school community and student well being.
“I think it was really nice of Harker DECA to provide bagels for students, especially if they were stressed and tired,” said Roma Gandhi, grade 10. “It was definitely something that cheered them up and made their day.”
Christmas in the Park
On Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon, Harker DECA went to Christmas in the Park in Downtown San Jose to decorate our very own Christmas tree. A beloved local tradition, Christmas in the Park encompasses the holiday spirit and features decorations created by local organizations and schools. This year, Harker DECA received a tree to decorate. Members had the opportunity to come together as a chapter and enjoy the holiday festivities by DECArating (decorating) the tree. Our tree, which was DECA-themed, added to the beauty of the park that will be enjoyed by thousands of visitors for the holidays throughout the holiday season.
As the DECA competitive season approaches, Harker DECA continues to prepare at the remaining study sessions and looks forward to having a great year!
About The Harker School DECA
Harker DECA is an International Competitive Business Organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in four fields of business: marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Our DECA chapter integrates classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business, and promotes competition in order to prepare the next generation to be academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible and experienced leaders.
Harker CareerConnect took eight students to Constellation Research’s Connected Enterprise summit in late October at the Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton. It was an engaging conference for students interested in learning more about artificial intelligence and how it will affect the world of business by creating new business models and disruptive technology.
The event featured mind-expanding keynotes, market leaders and fast-follower panel discussions, one-on-one interviews with tech visionaries, and interactive workshops in an intimate executive setting.
This year’s conference explored how the world of artificial intelligence will transform digital business. “The conference was an amazing experience and I got to make new friends and network,” said Ayesha Baweja, grade 10. “The speakers and panelists all had unique and interesting opinions. It gave me a good insight into the current state of technology and I learned many new terms.”
Krishay Mukhija, grade 9, also attended. “The conference was a great opportunity to learn about new technology which are disrupting the market,” he said. “I was able to learn from industry professionals and connect with many individuals.”
The Nichols Hall atrium was packed and bursting with activity during the upper school’s Club Fair on Sept. 13, as students flocked to see the offerings of the more than 60 active clubs on campus. Club representatives set up tables and chatted with fellow students about a huge range of interests, including technology, art, music, sports and social justice. Clubs employed unique strategies to entice passersby. Members of the Unplugged Guitar Club got their fair share of attention by staging an impromptu jam session just outside the Nichols Hall entrance.
“We just want to create an environment where people can come and play and learn no matter what experience [they have],” said senior Matthew Sutton, one of the Unplugged Guitar Club representatives working the table.
Ashley Jia, grade 11, of the Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) says the long-running student organization holds discussions about “the LGBTQ+ community and what’s going on with the world and how to help and be active.”
“We essentially try to spread awareness about a lot of issues going on in the community,” said GSA member Clarissa Wang, grade 11, “and I think that’s really important for increasing acceptance and equality.”
As their name suggests, Music Around the World is a club organized around discussions about music from various parts of the globe. “We want to explore different cultures and perspectives, and maybe even history and politics through a musical platform,” said club member Divija Bhimaraju, grade 12. “We just want to discuss and explore music together as a community. Sort of like a safe space to explore music.”
One of the more specific clubs represented at the fair, the Tea Club explores the many fascinating aspects of one of the world’s most popular beverages. “We talk about teas of different cultures and we trace their histories,” explained club representative Leon Lu, grade 11. “At each meeting, we will ask everybody to sample the tea we are talking about.”