Over the summer, senior Alexis Gauba secured an internship with The Hive, a company that “incubates, funds and launches data-driven business,” Gauba said. It was her second time interning for the company, the first being in summer 2015 as a data science intern. She was invited back this past summer for a paid position as a data engineering intern.
Gauba’s primary responsibility at The Hive was to work on Synapse, “the company’s large-scale architecture for data processing applications that all of the startups use,” Gauba said. “A typical day consisted of coding, meeting with my boss, the CTO, lunch with co-workers on University Avenue, and the occasional UX or marketing meeting when I was working on side projects for different teams at the company.” She also had the opportunity to attend Think Tank meetups and hear from industry leaders on a variety of topics.
In addition to providing valuable industry experience, the internship gave Gauba the chance to see how the concepts she learned at school apply to the business world. “Having the opportunity to experience a work environment while still in high school provided truly valuable exposure into how CS processes function in industry, and of the workplace in general,” she said. “Working on my main project, I had to take the strong base of concepts I learned in AP CS and Data Structures and build upon that, learning about new ideas and technologies quickly, and then applying them.”
The internship was also a great networking opportunity, and helped Gauba grow her understanding of the funding process from the perspective of both the venture and the startup. “Working over the summer not only gave me a unique perspective into the world of CS, as I was able to work with cutting-edge technologies, but also insight into the workplace environment, allowing me to understand the career path I might want to pursue in college and beyond,” she said.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.
Harker’s summer programs will once again be a popular destination for kids looking to enrich their learning, acquire new skills or just have fun. Here’s a look at what’s in store!
HARKER PRESCHOOL SUMMER
For our youngest learners, Harker Preschool’s summer program features art, music and movement, and STEM activities. The preschool’s beautiful 8-acre campus and caring teachers provide the ideal environment for learning and fun, which will include classroom activities, outdoor play in the preschool’s expansive lawn, garden and farm areas, and special events. Children will experience guided play that teaches complex concepts in a nurturing environment.
To be eligible for this program, children must be 3 years old by Dec. 1, 2016, and under 6 before August 2016. The preschool program is offered in two sessions: a four-week session will be held June 20-July 15 and a three-week session will be held July 18-Aug. 5. Parents may sign up for full days (8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) or half days (8:30 a.m.-noon).
For more information, visit the Harker Summer website at http://summer.harker.org.
SUMMER CAMP PLUS
Harker’s Summer Camp Plus, for students in kindergarten through grade 5, combines great learning experiences with great fun. With four exciting morning academics options, students will have more opportunities for fun summer learning than ever before. The four-week program’s Core Focus, for grades 1-5, offers morning sessions in math, writing, coding and more. The brand new two-week Pick Your Passion option gives students the opportunity to take an intensive course in a subject of their choice, such as math, language arts, music and art.
Also new to Summer Camp Plus is Out ‘n’ About, for K-5, which will take students outdoors for activities focusing on character and collaboration. Kids will spend one fun-filled week learning important life lessons both on campus and in the local community.
In the afternoon, campers will have their choice of a vast array of activities, including sports, crafts and games. Following lunch, campers can enjoy group activities such as archery, basketball, wall climbing, dance, music and much more. From 3:30-5 p.m., campers will have a special-interest time to explore activities that interest them. Field trips to Bay Area landmarks are also in store for afternoon campers.
Younger students will have a blast at Harker’s KinderCamp, specially designed and staffed to prepare children to enter kindergarten. Morning sessions include learning opportunities in language arts and math, with an emphasis on hands-on concepts and technology-based instruction methods. Campers will receive individual attention and instruction will be customized to meet each student’s needs.
Please visit the Harker Summer website at http://summer.harker.org for more information, including scheduling and pricing.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER INSTITUTE: ALL-NEW PROGRAM!
Middle school students in grades 6-8 will enjoy an all-new selection of academic opportunities at this year’s Summer Institute. These two-week sessions allow students to create their own schedules to maximize their learning. Available courses include Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, iOS App Design, Python Programming, Creative Writing and more. These courses feature the small class sizes, dedicated faculty and staff, and great facilities that have made Harker one of the nation’s top private schools.
The Summer Institute’s afternoon program gives students a chance to meet with friends, learn new skills and explore new interests. Students will separate into groups and participate in fun, friendly competition led by Harker’s well-trained summer staff.
Included in the afternoon program are sports such as basketball, volleyball and water polo, all taught in a positive environment with caring, highly experienced coaches. These afternoon activities are designed to develop sport-specific skills and teamwork in a fun and supportive setting.
Other course topics include music production, poetry and cooking. Afternoon courses can be taken by themselves or as an addition to the morning academic courses, making the summer experience highly customizable.
The special one-week Out ‘n’ About program treats students to a week of team-building, leadership and community service. Participants will create teams and engage in numerous activities designed to strengthen team bonds, build confidence and forge lasting friendships. Teams will devise and execute service projects, play games and practice newfound skills in real-life situations.
UPPER SCHOOL SUMMER INSTITUTE
Harker’s upper school Summer Institute is an ideal destination for Bay Area high school students looking for a comprehensive summer education experience. Those who wish to gain school credit for the upcoming academic year may select from many for-credit courses, including algebra, programming and biology. Students who wish to explore new interests or expand their knowledge of a subject have the option of taking one of several enrichment courses, including Creative Writers Workshop, Pre-Calculus Boost, Climate Change and Driver’s Education.
These rigorous courses are taught by Harker’s dedicated and well-qualified teachers. Students will enjoy small class sizes and top-notch facilities. Those who wish to enroll in the upper school Summer Institute must be entering grades 9-12 in fall 2016.
For more information about the upper school Summer Institute, including schedules and pricing, visit the Harker Summer website at http://summer.harker.org.
HARKER SUMMER SWIM SCHOOL
Swimming is one of summer’s quintessential activities, and the Harker Summer Swim School is a great way for enthusiasts of all levels to learn new skills and re ne their current abilities in a positive, non-competitive environment. The swim school accommodates 10 different skill levels, from beginners to advanced swimmers. Half-hour lessons are given daily and are developed to meet each swimmer’s goals. Swimmers ages 5-18 may participate in group or private lessons, while those ages 3-4 must take private lessons.
The Harker Swim School is conducted at the beautiful Singh Aquatic Center on the upper school campus, which contains a 75-by-112.5-foot pool and 13 lanes.
Swimmers in grades 2-8 interested in learning key aspects of competitive swimming have the option of signing up for the junior swim team, where they will build technique, endurance and other skills suitable for competition.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE
Harker’s summer English Language Institute (ELI) has gained a worldwide reputation as a top program for international students looking to improve their English skills as they prepare for American boarding schools or English- speaking international schools. This ve- week intensive session is available to all levels of English pro ciency. Students are placed in classes according to their individual needs.
For younger students, the elementary program provides an age-appropriate learning environment for beginning, intermediate and advanced students. Students will spend their days at Harker’s lower school campus, building their speaking, listening and writing skills with access to campus facilities such as the library, computer labs and playgrounds. Classes with native speakers are available to advanced students in order to help them build more advanced skills and con dence.
Students ages 12-16 are placed in the secondary program, which contains beginner/intermediate preparation and advanced preparation courses. Students in the beginner/intermediate course work in small groups using a curriculum designed to meet individual needs, with homework assigned to help them build on concepts taught in the classroom.
Advanced preparation students will focus on writing, comprehension and oral presentation. Students will take a test to determine their placement into the advanced preparation level. Classes will take place in the mornings from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., with homework time and teacher assistance available from 3:30-5 p.m. Students also will work with native-speaking conversation partners, with whom they will converse about their writing projects. Advanced preparation also includes special instruction to prepare students for American high schools, emphasizing preparation for the SSAT and TOEFL tests, essay writing, vocabulary and speaking fluency.
Secondary students also have the option of adding English to High School (E2H) instruction, which includes individualized resources, personal counseling and performance tracking.
This year, summer campers at Harker Preschool enjoyed three specialty programs: art, music and movement, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Each student had the opportunity to visit the specialty classrooms and join in on fun activities there.
“We were thrilled to highlight our specialty programs during the summer sessions!” reported Kelly Espinosa, director of summer and preschool programs.
In addition to the specialty classes, preschool summer program happenings included a “wheels day,” where the youngsters brought in their own bikes and scooters to ride, and a fun “red, white and blue” party to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Harker Preschool began offering a summer camp program in summer 2014, filling its beautiful 8-acre Union Avenue campus with children after the regular school year ended. Campers enjoy the school’s large sunny cottages, spacious play yards and specialty classrooms.
The preschool’s summer camp is held in two sessions, each designed to engage and excite young children through familiar summer themes. This year the program was staffed by year-round Harker teachers, assistant teachers and aides. Students were grouped by age, with families choosing one or both sessions to match their schedules.
Session one ran for four weeks from June 22-July 17; session two began on July 20 and ended three weeks later on Aug. 7. Full and half-day options were available, with extended care offered in the early morning and late afternoon.
Last year, when it launched its summer program, the preschool joined the larger Harker community’s long-running tradition of making summer offerings open to the public. Harker Preschool’s inaugural summer program featured interactive beach and wilderness motifs.
Once again Harker’s English Language Institute (ELI) attracted an increasing number of students from all over the world seeking top-level English instruction. Held during the summer on both the lower and upper school campuses, the program was open to international students in the elementary division (ages 6-11) and secondary division (ages 12-16).
Many of the ELI participants signed up for the program in preparation for admission to American boarding schools and English-speaking schools worldwide. Small classes, a nurturing environment and experienced teachers helped foreign students develop speaking, reading and writing skills to ensure their readiness. This year ELI included a brand new offering for students who are very intent on staying in the United States and attending school by further supporting them with additional services such as standardized testing, multi-level diagnostic assessments and academic consultations.
A unique aspect of ELI is that students had opportunities to interact with Harker’s regular summer program participants. This allowed them to make new friends and practice their English with native speakers.
Eight-year-old Ivy Zhao, from China, said she previously had attended Harker’s Camp+, but this was her first time participating in the ELI program. “I liked making new friends as well as seeing old ones that I had made before at Camp+,” she recalled.
Lucas Jia, a 9-year-old first-time ELI participant, also from China, said he enjoyed Harker so much that he wished he could attend the school year-round. “Here is very fun!” he said, noting that hanging out with his friends at the lower school pool was one of his favorite activities. He also enjoyed recess time on the playground, making friendship bracelets and playing games in the gym.
“We had a very motivated and excited group of young learners,” enthused longtime ELI lower school instructor Karen Glovka, who this summer taught students in grades 3-5. (During the regular school year, Glovka teaches Spanish to Harker students in grades 4-5.)
“They worked hard to use English as much as possible, and they loved the many activities offered to them. Our teachers were also motivated and excited, working with academic levels from kindergarten through fourth grade. The T.A.s were equally incredible, providing classroom academic support and working alongside camp staff during enrichment activities. I think we could call ELI ‘extreme, limitless, instruction’ (in English, of course!),” she reported.
New to the program last year was a weeklong “Very Interesting Places” (VIP) tour. This option, available to all ELI students, proved so successful that it was offered again this year at the conclusion of ELI’s regular five-week academic session. According to ELI director Anthony Wood, the VIP tour was born from widespread interest from ELI participants in having more excursions to enhance their American social and cultural experiences.
During the VIP trip, students followed a specialized course of study to continue developing reading, writing and speaking competency while visiting university campuses, Silicon Valley businesses, places of interest and treasured landmarks. The tour was capped off with an overnight trip to the scenic California coast.
ELI initially began as a year-round boarding school program and evolved into the current summer program, which launched in 2004. For the past few summers, ELI has steadily grown in attendance, especially in the primary division.
International students come to Harker accompanied by a parent or local guardian and stay in nearby apartments or with area family and friends. Each ELI session is kicked off by a welcome orientation, and at the end of each session students participate in a touching closing ceremony.
“We keep growing and enjoying each summer!” said Glovka.
This year’s Summer Institute (SI) was marked by numerous exciting, first-time happenings. Highlights of the increasingly popular program included an inaugural summer science research class, a visit from a coding expert during a new computer course and a bake sale that raised money for the Humane Society.
Held on the upper school campus from June 15-Aug.7, SI was open to both Harker students and those from area schools in grades 6-12. SI allowed participants to get a jump start on the coming school year, as well as enrich their learning on topics of interest.
SI has two tracks: one designed for middle schoolers and another for high schoolers. Many students combined a morning academic program with afternoon activities. Falling under the academic umbrella was a new course called “Summer Science Research Society.” Taught by middle school science teacher Kathy Peng, the offering gave participants in grades 6-8 the opportunity to explore and research real world topics of individual interest.
Meanwhile, a chocolate chip cookie baking project and sale, sponsored by a new SI math class, raised $283.53 for the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (https://staging.news.harker.org/summer-institute-math-class-raises-money-for-humane-society). “Lots of math was used to calculate how many cookies we could bake within our limited class time and oven constraints. In addition, the students had to determine the shopping list and recalculate a recipe based on that,” reported Eileen Schick, who taught the three-week summer school course called “The Eagle Project: Math!”
Another new offering for grades 6-8 was “Beginning Python,” taught by Mike Schmidt, Harker’s middle school computer science department chair. Python is a widely used general-purpose, high-level programming language. Harker alumnus Abhinav Mathur, who graduated from the middle school in 2004, designed the instructional software Schmidt used in the class. Mathur, a former student of Schmidt’s, came to campus in June to speak to the 17 students enrolled in the course.
Mathur created a website called Pythonroom.com, an online learning environment for the Python programming language. He and another young entrepreneur, Keshav Saharia, founded a company called HulaLoop, which provides educational platforms on the web for various programming systems of which Pythonroom is currently their main focus.
“I had been using their product for my newly created Python programming course to teach middle schoolers the world of text-based programming. The kids were crazy about it and absorbed all the lessons like sponges!” recalled Schmidt. Pythonroom provides a solid foundation to the world of Python programming by allowing students to move forward at their own pace, he added.
“I think Pythonroom is great for beginners and it is really fun,” agreed Angela Cai, a rising grade 7 Harker student who attended the class.
“Abhi was a great (guest) teacher, and he gave great advice on finding easier ways to do certain problems,” added Stephen Yang, a rising grade 8 student at Miller Middle School.
Noting how excited he was to be back at Harker, Mathur said he was glad to give back to the school that provided him with so much. “We (at HulaLoop) are passionate about spreading coding knowledge to all students, and progressive schools like Harker make this goal achievable,” he said.
After the morning academic sessions, many SI students stayed on for the afternoon activity program, which included an array of specialty classes and recreational activities. Some students in grade 9 also signed up for the afternoon activities.
“We had a wide variety of weekly fun classes that the students signed up for, which this year included a field trip to the Oakland Zoo, an Ice Age Carnival, a Red, White and Blue Bash, and a visit to Golfland,” recalled K-8 history department chair Keith Hirota, who was in charge of SI academics and activity programming for the middle school students.
Although they were not eligible for the afternoon activity program, students in grades 10-12 were welcome to stay on campus to swim, study, shoot hoops and socialize. While the majority of the older students were primarily concerned with earing credits, many took time out for some summertime fun.
“The Summer Institute continues to grow and this year we had more than 1,300 students signed up for classes on the Saratoga campus!” reported Kelly Espinosa, director of summer and preschool programs.
For students who attended this year’s Summer Camp+, the summer was filled with engaging morning lessons and fun afternoon seafaring adventures. Themed “Camp on the 7 Seas,” the program provided educational and activity packed sessions for students in grades K-5. The very popular program, held on the lower school campus, attracts nearly 800 campers each summer.
Camp+ students in grades 1-5 have several morning program options, including the traditional academic offerings Core Focus and Learning Opportunities in Literature (LOL). Campers in grades 2-5 also had the option of art or music. An artist’s studio was led by Harker’s lower school art instructor Gerry-louise Robinson, while orchestra, rock band and songwriting workshops were led by Louis Hoffman, lower school music teacher.
New this year were extended teaching blocks during the academic portion of the day, explained Patricia Lai Burrows, who served as a Camp+ principal alongside Diann Chung. “This year’s schedule allowed for deeper and more meaningful learning,” recalled Lai Burrows.
Following the morning session, many campers stayed on for a partial or full-day activity program, which included a wide range of group and individual activities such as arts and crafts, dance, water play, wall climbing, archery and field sports.
Among those participating in the afternoon program was first-time Camp+ participant Kaleb Goldin. The rising grade 3 Harker student stood on the lower school field, waiting in line for his turn to participate in the rock wall climbing activity.
“I’m looking forward to it!” he said, as a camp counselor helped him prepare for his climb. After he had finished, he gave the thumbs up sign, declaring “That was great!”
The afternoon sessions included a variety of activities for campers of all ages, who were grouped according to their grades: kindergarteners attended kindercamp, first graders were called “owls,” second and third graders were” condors,” while fourth and fifth graders were “eagles.” Afternoon activities also were divided by themes, such as Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Artic, Bon Voyage, Pacific, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic.
The groups enjoyed many fun outings. For example, the kindercampers enjoyed parfaits at a neighborhood park; the owls went on a field trip to the Children’s Discovery Museum; the condors went bowling and to the Oakland Zoo; and the eagles spent an afternoon at Laser Quest and had a sleepover in the gym. Campers of all ages had a blast celebrating camp mascot Ray’s Deep Sea Birthday Party and a salt water pool carnival!
The Summer Camp+ program traditionally kicks off and ends with Color Clash, a fun event held in the lower school’s gymnasium. Groups of campers on yellow, red, green and blue teams participate in an array of silly games cheered on by captains (aka camp counselors) wearing color-coordinated outfits that run the gamut from superheroes to hula skirts and fun hats.
At the end of each session, there was an informative showcase for parents. The “Super Summer Showcase” allowed parents to spend some time exploring their child’s classroom and learn more about the exciting activities in the afternoon program. As part of the showcase, art work from students enrolled in the artist’s studio was on display.
The exhibit had a playful feel, with a colorful array of chalk pastels of flowers, sunsets and snails. The children also made windmills and American flags, among other seasonal artwork – reflective of both summer fun and another great year at Camp+!
The Harker School has offered extensive summer programs for more than 50 years. The Summer Camp+ program is nationally accredited by the American Camping Association.
A chocolate chip cookie baking project and sale, sponsored by a new math class offered through Harker’s Summer Institute, raised $283.53 for the Humane Society of Silicon Valley.
“Lots of math was used to calculate how many cookies we could bake within our limited class time and oven constraints. In addition, the students had to determine the shopping list and recalculate a recipe based on that,” reported Eileen Schick, who taught the three-week summer school course called “The Eagle Project: Math!”
In addition to hosting the bake sale, the students also learned to use linear and nonlinear computer graphing techniques, as well as how to use online software to make three-dimensional castles. The castles were then printed using a 3D printer, and the students calculated their volume and surface areas.
The class comprised mostly incoming grade 6 honors math students, with a few grade 7 students and two advanced fifth graders, Schick said.
In a few short months, students in grades 6-12 will attend Harker’s Summer Institute (SI) on the upper school’s beautiful Saratoga Avenue campus.
A unique program open to both Harker students and those from other schools, SI runs from June 15-Aug. 7; course dates and times vary. Registration opened in January and spots have been filling up quickly.
Students typically enroll in SI to get a jump start on the next school year or to enrich their learning on topics they are passionate about. SI has two tracks: one designed for middle schoolers and another for high school students. Participants generally combine a morning academic program with afternoon activities, allowing them to earn credits and learn new skills, while also enjoying summertime fun.
The academic portion of the day offers rigorous for-credit courses such as algebra, economics and programming, as well as non-credit opportunities for enrichment and growth including creative writing, Web design, debate and robotics. A driver’s education course is available for students ages 15 and up.
For middle school students (grades 6-8), SI’s afternoon activity program includes many specialty classes and recreational activities; students in grade 9 are also invited to sign up for the afternoon activities. Offerings include backyard games, volleyball boot camp, cooking, art, jewelry making, magic, improv, dance, tech, junior lifeguard, chess and circus arts. There also will be off-campus field trips every couple of weeks to sites such as The Tech Museum and Capitola.
Although they are not eligible for the afternoon activity program, students in grades 10-12 may stay on campus to swim, study, shoot hoops, etc.
“Our Summer Institute offers a catalog of class choices designed to provide students with quality academic experiences. Whether it’s a ‘for credit’ class needed to round out a school schedule or just an academic interest students would like to pursue, we have it covered. Our professional, caring faculty, enthusiastic activity staff, great facilities and positive environment add up to a well-rounded summer experience,” said Kelly Espinosa, director of Harker’s summer and preschool programs.
Students interested in SI should register early for the best selection. For more information: summerinstitute@harker.org.
Registration is off to a great start for Harker’s Summer Camp+, an annual program for students in grades K-5 held on the lower school campus. Camp+ offers a well-rounded summer experience by providing morning learning sessions followed by a wide variety of afternoon activities.
This year the theme of Camp+ is “Camp on the 7 Seas.” Campers will be jumping on board an on-site sailing ship with the camp mascot “Ray” for a summer full of exciting seafaring adventures and special events. Last summer, the increasingly popular program filled up at record speed, attracting some 774 campers.
Camp+ students in grades 1-5 have traditionally had the option of enrolling in one of two academic morning programs: Core Focus or Learning Opportunities in Literature (LOL). Core Focus is a more traditional learning environment with language arts, math and academic electives for each grade level. LOL features academic courses designed around literary subject matter. Both Core Focus and LOL feature the same afternoon options, including arts and crafts, dance, water play, wall climbing, archery and array of field sports.
New this year, campers in grades 2-5 may choose an art and music program for the morning session, which will include an artist’s studio and an orchestra, a rock band and songwriting workshops. These programs provide additional options for students who have an interest in or talent for art and/or music. See below for further details about this exciting new offering.
Artist Studio
During the four-week session, campers will have the option to choose Artist Studio instead of the morning Core Focus program. Artists will spend their camp mornings involved in activities and lessons designed to stimulate and enhance their creativity and knowledge of art. Campers will learn about art history and famous artists, in addition to practicing and exploring a variety of art mediums and techniques in depth. Art exploration also strengthens skills that are important to academic achievement and success: confidence, problem solving, perseverance, focus, collaboration and accountability. The class also will take field trips to galleries and museums. Artist Studio may be chosen as a morning-only class or combined with the Camp+ activity program to create a partial or full-day schedule.
Summer Music
During two-week sessions, campers have the option to choose a music class instead of the morning LOL program or the Camp+ activity program. Musically inclined students may create their own combinations for maximum learning and musical fun.
Orchestra Workshop
These two-week workshops offer instrumental students entering grades 2-5 the opportunity to explore music, through exposure to music theory and composition, improvisation, ear training and singing, ensembles and full orchestral playing. Participants must have at least six months of experience playing the violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn and trombone. A performance, recording and printed score will be given to each student at the conclusion of each session.
Rock Band Workshop
Who doesn’t want to join a band? This two-week workshop offers instrumental students with at least six months of experience playing guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and voice a cool opportunity to explore music, through exposure to music theory, composition, improvisation, ear training and singing while creating their own band! A performance, recording and printed score will be given to each student at the conclusion of each session.
Songwriters Studio
A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition (chords) or melody to songs or both. Students in this class will learn melody writing, lyric writing, popular song forms, basic music production and more. There’s no need to know music theory or notation or even to play a musical instrument … just sign up and start writing!
For more information about Camp+, including schedules and pricing, visit http://summer.harker.org. The Harker School has offered extensive summer programs for more than 50 years. The Summer Camp+ program is accredited nationally by the American Camping Association.
This summer at Harker featured some exciting first-time offerings for students, both local and from around the globe.
At the youngest level, history was made with the addition of a new preschool summer program. Meanwhile, the popular English Language Institute (ELI) launched an optional summer VIP tour, which was a huge hit with international students at both the lower and upper schools.
Each summer Harker opens its doors to the public, extending its offerings to local students. Noteworthy this year was skyrocketing attendance for all of Harker’s summer programs, particularly at the lower school’s Camp+ and upper school’s Summer Institute (SI).
In addition to the new preschool, ELI, Camp+ and SI, Harker also offered a large and varied summer sports camp, as well as a swim school.
“Once again, we enjoyed a successful summer … and were thrilled to be able to offer exciting new programming!” enthused Kelly Espinosa, longtime director of Harker’s summer programs.
Below is a look back at Harker Summer 2014:
Harker Preschool Launches New Summer Program
This year marked the first time Harker Preschool, which opened last fall, has operated a summer camp at its Union Avenue campus. The preschool now joins the larger Harker community’s long-running tradition of offering programs after the regular school year ends.
The preschool’s successful inaugural summer camp featured two sessions, which began with a fun beach theme and ended with an action-packed wilderness motif. Session one, called “Down by the Shore,” ran from June 23-July 18 with 55 enthusiastic “beachgoers” filling the preschool’s sunny cottages, play yards and specialty classrooms (STEM, music and movement, and art.) Session two ran from July 21-Aug. 8 with the theme “Little Cabin in the Woods.” For the second session, children happily grabbed their backpacks and headed off to the (imaginary) forest.
Highlights of the first session included water play on “Splash Days,” as well as explorations of both sand and water. Four-year-old camper Luca Chan especially enjoyed the many ocean-themed books introduced and discussed during group times.
Classmate Miley Liu, also 4, said she liked “making a beach in a box,” an activity in which students filled plastic containers with sand, shells and other items you would see at a beach.
Meanwhile, in music and movement class, students made drums that sounded like the ocean, explained teacher Mara Beckerman. Then, in her aftercare class, they explored surfing to the upbeat music of “Wipe Out.”
In art class the children enjoyed sea foam watercolor painting, sand sculpture, sea life printmaking, lobster claw still life and shell weaving, among other activities. “We also discussed where pearls come from and what they look like at a bead-making table,” recalled art instructor Alexandria Kerekez.
The first summer session was filled with surf, sand and sun as the children “soaked in” all there was to see and do around this well-loved theme, noted Andrea Hart, director of Harker Preschool. “Together we explored sea life and play through sand and water, singing silly songs and reading stories about friends who live and play on the salty shore. All were inspired by our new pet hermit crab. There were also some excellent sandcastles that the children made themselves by manually grinding rocks into sand!” she enthused.
During the second session Hart recalled that the children had a great time meeting new forest animal friends, building with logs, digging in the dirt, pitching tents, creating with found objects, exploring common outdoorsy tools, and enjoying everything nature had to offer. “It was all the fun of a camping adventure without the worries of bears or mosquito bites!” she said.
Summer Camp+ Enjoyed Record-Breaking Attendance
Harker’s Summer Camp+ filled up at record speed, attracting some 774 (K-6) campers to the lower school campus. This year’s program had a fun-filled afternoon circus theme, called “Under the Big Top.”
Once again, Camp+ provided morning learning experiences followed by age-appropriate afternoon electives. Grade 5 Harker student and Camp+ enthusiast Jack Hayashi said his favorite thing about the program was playing ball hockey and going to the archery range. He also liked that there was plenty of time for simply “clowning around.”
Meanwhile, first-time Camp+ participant Rhiannon Sikand, a grade 3 Harker student, said she enjoyed the camp’s climbing wall and had a lot of fun going on a field trip to the Oakland Zoo. “I liked seeing all the animals … especially the turtles,” she said.
Camp+ students in grades 1-6 had the option of enrolling in one of two academic morning programs: Core Focus or Learning Opportunities in Literature (LOL). Core Focus was a more traditional learning environment with language arts, math and academic electives for each grade level. LOL featured academic courses designed around literary subject matter; this year, LOL focused on the work of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.
Both Core Focus and LOL shared the same afternoon options, including arts and crafts, dance, water play, wall climbing, archery and array of other field sports – and of course, plenty of circus arts!
The Summer Camp+ program kicked off and ended with Color Clash, a fun event held in the lower school’s gymnasium. Groups of campers on yellow, red, green and blue teams participated in an array of silly games cheered on by captains (aka camp counselors) wearing color-coordinated outfits that ran the gamut from superhero costumes to hula skirts and fun hats. This year’s Color Clash finals showcased a video highlighting happenings from previous events.
Other on-site happenings included a water carnival, sleepover for older campers, presentation for parents and a birthday celebration for the camp mascot, “Ray,” according to Joe Chung, program director of Summer Camp+ and Harker’s elementary computer science teacher. Campers also enjoyed numerous field trips.
“I would recommend Camp+ to anyone!” said Hayashi.
The Harker School has offered extensive summer programs for more than 50 years. The Summer Camp+ program is accredited nationally by the American Camping Association.
Summer Institute Offers Variety of Programs for Middle and Upper School Students
Harker’s Summer Institute (SI) was a tremendous success, attracting a total of 1,088 middle and upper school students, an increase of 242 over last summer.
The program, which began in mid-June and ran until mid-August, gave students in grades 6-12 the chance to earn credits, learn new skills and pursue individual interests.
The program was available to both Harker students and others, and offered two tracks – one for middle schoolers and another for high schoolers, explained SI middle school director Keith Hirota and SI principal for the upper school students Evan Barth.
The academic portion of the day consisted of rigorous for-credit courses including algebra, economics and programming, as well as non-credit opportunities for enrichment and growth including creative writing, Web design, debate and robotics. A driver’s education course was available for students ages 15 and up.
For middle schoolers (grades 6-8), SI’s afternoon activity program included many specialty classes and recreational activities; students in grade 9 were also invited to sign up for the afternoon activities. Specialty classes included backyard games, volleyball boot camp and cooking. Other classes include art, jewelry-making, magic, improv, dance, tech, junior lifeguard, chess and circus arts. There were also off-campus field trips every couple of weeks to places such as Shoreline Aquatics Center and Capitola.
This summer, a group of business-savvy students attending an SI finance class organized and ran a lemonade stand on the upper school campus. The students raised $228, which was divided among three local organizations (Abode Services, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation and the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Foundation) as part of a lesson on charitable giving. The stand was one of two culminating projects for a course called “Finance & Investing for Teens” (F.I.T., for short). For the other culminating project, students successfully designed their own mutual fund.
To run the lemonade stand, students were tasked to come up with a custom flavor, build a business plan, design a marketing strategy and staff the business with start-up money fronted by their instructor.
F.I.T. participant and stand worker Emily Zhou, a grade 7 student at the Challenger School, said that this was her first time attending SI. Previously, she had attended Harker’s Camp+ program, held at the lower school.
Zhou explained that to offset costs, such as cups and ingredients, drinks were sold for $1 for regular flavor and $1.50 for specialty flavors like mango or strawberry. “But we passed out coupons for 25 cents off to attract customers,” she said, noting that refills also went for 25 cents off.
Zhou’s F.I.T. classmate, grade 9 Harker student Eric Tran, said he was surprised at how much money the lemonade stand netted, noting that, “We made $85 in just the first half hour of its opening.” In addition to passing out coupons to help attract customers, Tran said that a lot of marketing was done “word of mouth” and by “putting up signs around campus.”
However, customer Grace Cao, a grade 11 Harker student, said that she simply happened upon the stand on her way to an SI class. Of the lemonade she ordered, she said, “It tasted great!”
New VIP Tour Took Learning on the Road for ELI Participants
This summer 57 upper school students and 42 lower school children came to Harker from countries around the globe to attend the increasingly popular English Language Institute (ELI).
Adding an international flair to summer at Harker, ELI provides overseas students with an opportunity to learn and practice their English skills. Many participants go on to attend top American and international schools.
First-time ELI student Hui-Hsuan (Maggie) Cheng, a grade 6 student from Taiwan, fondly recalled going on an outing to visit the tide pools. Cheng said that in a lesson prior to the field trip, her teacher had explained the importance of gently handling the tide pool animals.
New to ELI this summer was an optional “Very Interesting Places” (VIP) tour. Available to all ELI students (ages 6-16), the six-day VIP tour took place at the conclusion of the program’s regular five-week academic session. The trip, held in mid-August with 21 participants, took the students to local theme parks, museums, various school campuses and tourist attractions, culminating with an overnight stay in Yosemite National Park.
Destinations were carefully chosen to elevate historical and cultural awareness; allow students to create closer relationships with their peers and teachers; and provide enormous opportunity for continued English language development, according to ELI director Anthony Wood. Additionally, older students interested in attending American boarding schools or universities had the opportunity to visit and meet with staff at some of the area’s best schools.
Highlights of the VIP trip included whale watching in Monterey, a Jelly Belly factory tour, educational visits to UC Berkeley and Stanford University, a Giants (versus Chicago White Sox) game, a scavenger hunt at Huddart Park and a day of fun at Great America theme park.
In Yosemite National Park, ELI students viewed the majestic Yosemite Falls and visited the area’s museum and cultural center, with educational activities led by a park ranger. A short hike to the lower falls provided inspiration for a writing assignment and picture journal.
“A specially designed instructional component made each day’s adventure a learning experience catered to individual proficiency levels. Students wrote, spoke and read about their destinations, learned new vocabulary related to each new site, and had daily challenges involving English interaction in real-life situations. A travel journal was kept to document their learning … and of course all the fun!” recalled Wood.
Sports Camps and Swim School Keep Students Fit and Focused
Harker’s variety of summer sports offerings afforded students the chance to learn a new activity, improve as athletes or simply work on their overall fitness. Led by experienced and caring coaches, students gained new skills in a fun and nurturing environment.
Sport choices this summer included: wrestling, water polo, basketball, soccer, volleyball, football and a TRX (suspension) training program that was introduced last summer. In addition to the sports camps, Harker’s summer swim school offered individual instruction to swimmers of all ages looking to improve on their aquatic abilities.
Highlights of this year’s sports camps included a special guest visit to the wrestling camp by Anthony Robles, who won the 2010-11 NCAA championship in the 125-pound weight class despite being born with just one leg.
Directing this year’s basketball camp was Harker varsity basketball coach Mark Collins, who spent 10 years in Denmark as a professional player, being named an All-Star player five times. He also directed the Golden State Warriors training camp for six years.
The football camp was again led by Harker head football coach Ron Forbes, a 15-year collegiate Division 1 veteran. His career includes successful stints at the University of Florida and Stanford University, coaching more than 60 future NFL draftees.
Meanwhile, Harker’s water polo camp enjoyed two sessions this summer, due to its popularity in the past. “Last year a lot of the parents asked us to do two sessions, so this year we answered,” said water polo coach and camp co-director Allie Lamb, a 15-year veteran of the sport, who ran the camp with coach Ted Ujifusa, head coach of the Harker boys’ water polo team.