Close to 200 friends, family and colleagues gathered on the upper school campus on Oct. 6 to honor Diana Nichols, former head of school and board chair, who passed away on Sept. 2, 2018.
Speakers movingly spoke of the vision, passion and contributions – including the opening of the upper school in 1998 – that Mrs. Nichols poured into Harker to make it the school it is today. “As far as she was concerned there was no challenge that could not be met as long as one was prepared to work hard,” said Chip Zecher ’79, Harker’s current board chair. “She expected no less of others than she was prepared to give.” Huali Chai Stanek, board member and alumni parent, also spoke of Diana’s vision and the result of that resolve. “She was a leader who sought excellence, fostered excellence and insisted upon excellence in everyone around her, the product of which is Harker and the beneficiaries of which are the Harker students.”
Fittingly, the memorial was held in the newly opened Rothschild Performing Arts Center, which was her passion and the most recent of many improvements at Harker that Mrs. Nichols oversaw. A Harker student quartet played, and Chloe Chen, a junior, danced to “Wind Beneath My Wings,” an especially fitting choice since this song was Howard and Diana Nichols’ wedding song. A photo slide show shared memories of Mrs. Nichols’ long career, of her beloved family and friends, and of her many global adventures. Video clips of interviews with Diana and Howard were also shared. Additional speakers were: Marie Clifford, board member and Mrs. Nichols’ sister; Jennifer Gargano, assistant head of school for academic affairs; Anita Chetty, upper school science department chair; and Ashok Krishnamurthi, alumni parent.
“Diana accomplished what we should all hope for in our own lives: to have embraced everything about herself and to have lived a life not only of interest but full of meaning and impact,” said Brian Yager, head of school. Stanek poignantly captured the day’s sentiment in her remarks. “She will always be here, in the school she loved, on the campuses she acquired and built, in the buildings she worked to construct … Diana and Howard’s contributions will live on and remain embedded in the memory of Harker.”
Visitors were encouraged to attend the reception, lovingly called a Boston Tea Party in honor of Mrs. Nichols’ roots, and to share memories at a video station. Permanent plaques have been installed on the front of Nichols Hall on the upper school campus to honor the legacy of Howard and Diana Nichols.
Educator, environmentalist, philanthropist and business leader Diana Nichols passed away Sept. 2, 2018 from pancreatic cancer. She was 76. Mrs. Nichols was the former head of school and board chair at The Harker School in San Jose, and one of the important figures in the school’s 125-year history.
Along with her husband, Howard Nichols, Diana Nichols was key to shaping Harker into the quintessential 21st-century school. Her own path developed her strong beliefs in the need for excellent education grounded in scholarly research and academic discipline. Born March 25, 1942 in New York, Mrs. Nichols grew up in the Boston area and started her teaching career in 1963 in her home state of Massachusetts.
She moved to California to teach biology at Crystal Springs School in Hillsborough, then joined Harker as a biology teacher in 1973. In the early 1980s, by which time she was serving as assistant principal, the visionary partnership of Howard and Diana Nichols was beginning to have an historic impact on the future of the school. At this time, Mrs. Nichols became an advocate for the emotional and mental well-being of the students and introduced the Harker Personal Development program, teaching Harker students techniques for stress reduction and relaxation.
Developed with the help of Dr. Kenneth Blaker at Santa Clara University– where Mrs. Nichols was finishing her master’s degree in marriage and family counseling – the program also emphasized goal-setting, communication skills and other important aspects of what she and Howard Nichols deemed the “whole child.”
Mrs. Nichols left her mark as an educator on all of Harker’s academic programs, developing the entire K-12 science curriculum and presiding over the development of curricula for every academic department. Her success in directing the creation and development of curricula for the upper school was noticed by The University of California, and in 2002 she was named to an advisory board that worked with other schools that were creating syllabi for UC submission.
A passionate believer in environmental preservation and sustainability, Mrs. Nichols was instrumental in starting and maintaining Harker’s recycling program and other environmental projects, such as organic gardens. In 1990, she was selected by Santa Clara County to coordinate Earth Day activities for 120 area schools. She later worked with Our City Forest, an organization devoted to local tree-planting efforts. Nichols Hall, the county’s first LEED-certified school facility, was so named in part to recognize these and many other efforts. Following her retirement, Mrs. Nichols remained active in her environmental work, spending several years as a docent at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and serving on the Point Lobos Foundation’s board of trustees.
Among her other notable accomplishments in the 1990s was the 1995 launch of Harker’s global education program, starting with yearly exchanges between Harker and Tamagawa Academy in Tokyo, which continue to this day. Since then, Harker has established ongoing relationships with schools in countries such as China, Australia, Switzerland and Costa Rica. She brought her devotion to environmental causes to this program as well founding the Our Trees Project to foster passion for sustainability between Harker and its sister schools.
Mrs. Nichols became Harker’s head of school in 1992, and she and school president Howard Nichols led Harker’s biggest expansion to date: the addition of a high school. The seeds for the upper school were planted in the 1980s when, in addition to the Nicholses’ recognition of a niche in Silicon Valley that needed filling, a survey of Harker parents revealed an interest in post-middle school education at Harker. Mrs. Nichols led a select group of Harker faculty and staff on a tour of the East Coast, visiting prestigious prep schools and learning how they could adapt those schools’ best attributes to Harker’s unique approach to top-flight education. Harker’s upper school, now recognized as one of the top private schools in the nation, was launched in the fall of 1998, with its first class graduating in 2002.
A career full of accomplishments led to many accolades, including three National Science Foundation Awards, recognition by the Peninsula Conservation Society for her work in environmental education, two nominations by the Women’s Fund of Santa Clara County for the Woman of Achievement Award, and a Clean Air Award from the American Lung Association for creating awareness of the need for cleaner air.
Diana and Howard Nichols retired to much fanfare in 2005, leaving behind the legacy of their tremendous passion for education and service. In December 2010, two years after Howard Nichols’ death, Diana Nichols became the chair of Harker’s board of trustees as the school began to execute its long-term development plans, which included the new Rothschild Performing Arts Center and athletic center, both completed in the past year. Mrs. Nichols was the key mover in this building project, working with contractors, drawing plans and keeping close involvement even as her illness progressed; she was passionate about completing this phase of her and Howard’s vision for what was their life’s work: the current and future excellence of The Harker School. She is survived by her sister, Marie Clifford of Arroyo Grande, her son, Gregory Appleton of Houston, stepdaughters Elizabeth de Oliveira of Portola Valley and Stephanie Norton of San Jose, and six grandchildren.
The Harker Alumni Grand Reunion took place Saturday afternoon and a great group of about 60 former students, from classes 1954-2013, enjoyed catching up with each other and seeing the changes on the campus. The group gathered about 2 p.m., and Brian Yager, head of school, led tours through the new athletic center and just-opened Rothschild Performing Arts Center, where everyone was floored, and a little jealous.
Later, the classes of 1993 and 2008 opened their respective time capsules to a hubbub of excitement. Very fun! The 1993 capsule had manila envelopes from each student filled with individual memorabilia including CDs, magazines, notes and lots of photos. That capsule was found while digging up the oaks prior to beginning construction in 2017. The 2008 capsule had tons of letters to classmates, election material, performing arts memorabilia and items that reminded the students of their senior year.
Harker athletics stood tall Friday evening, prior to the Homecoming game, when it opened its Athletic Hall of Fame, inducting three Harker athletes and one super fan.
Harker’s inaugural Hall of Famers are Adam Vucurevich ’02, Jason Martin ’07 and Tanya Schmidt ’08, along with Phyllis Carley (“Mrs. Carley” to everyone), Harker’s first super fan. Mrs. Carley’s award was presented posthumously; she died in 2009. All three athletes attended with family and Mrs. Carley’s grandson, Dale Kent Johnson ’80, attended to represent his grandmother.
Harker’s Athletic Hall of Fame honors those who have made outstanding contributions to its athletic program. Candidates for selection have exemplified desirable character traits and have distinguished themselves in competition representing Harker, their college, or at the professional level. They can also be non-graduates who, through long service to Harker, have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics.
Nominees are eligible five years after Harker graduation or after 10 years of service to the school or under special circumstances. Nominees may be former athletes, coaches, teams, members of the athletic staff, or supporters of Harker athletics. Up to five individuals may be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a given year. Names are inscribed and displayed on a wall in the athletic center with short photo-biographies running on a central monitor. In addition Harker has created a permanent web page to celebrate our Hall of Famers.
Johnson said it was great to see his grandmother’s name permanently enshrined in the Hall of Fame. “This school was her life. Up until the day she died she was still doing stuff here,” he said. Once he heard Harker was creating a hall of fame, he wasn’t surprised to hear his grandmother was being inducted as a super fan. “She used to come watch me in sports and even after I left in 1980, that was her thing, she would watch anything and everything she could,” Johnson said. “With the new gym, for her to be part of it, for her to have this award in there for everybody to see, and as time goes on, hopefully there is enough of a legacy with people hearing stories, that they will continue to remember her.”
“This award is quite an honor and very special to me,” said Vucurevich. “I was very surprised when I heard about it, but it is not just my reward, it is really a testament to the selflessness of our athletic teams at Harker as a result of the great coaches we had. Our coaches knew how to pull a young inexperienced group together, train us, inspire us, and encourage us to put our individual goals aside and work as a team. This is an award that the teams and the coaches all truly share in.
“The plaque is a special recognition for our first graduating Class of 2002 as pioneers for future Harker classes. I think of it as a tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Nichols for their vision to make a great school even greater. Their efforts and achievements affected so many families and ultimately enriched so many lives. I am very grateful and proud to be a Harker alumnus and part of Harker’s history.
“I have so many awesome memories from Harker, teachers, coaches and friends. I truly enjoyed playing sports, being with the coaches and my teammates. I really liked that no one cared about individual glory; they cared about the team’s success, and our goal was to give our best to the team. We had one purpose and it was very unifying. That is how we were coached and that is what made the team so great,” Vucurevich finished.
“I was very excited to hear I was being inducted into the Hall of Fame!” said Martin. “Dan Molin and CJ Cali were the first two people I talked to about it and I appreciate their love and support! It was an honor to be inducted with such great company as Adam, Tanya and Phyllis Carley, and to see my name on the plaque and be a part of Harker history! I can’t thank my family, coaches and teammates enough for all the support!”
Martin noted three things that helped his athletic career for which he will be forever grateful: “My dad selling his restaurant in Boston, buying a RV and driving across country to put his family in a better situation and his kids in a great school; Mr. and Mrs. Nichols for having a dream and making it a reality that affects so many people in a positive way; Coach Thorpe teaching us about hard work, perseverance and determination,” he finished.
Schmidt said she first learned about the Hall of Fame recognition just prior to delivering the keynote address to the the Class of 2018 at graduation this past spring. “I remember what an exhilarating feeling it was both to be the first Harker graduate to return to speak to some of the smartest students in the country and now to be honored in Harker’s Athletic Hall of Fame!” she said. “I feel both gratitude and responsibility when receiving this Hall of Fame recognition. I appreciate the opportunities and mentorship that I’ve had thus far, and I feel a sense of obligation to continue this success with Harker and to be a role model for others in the future.
“I will always remember the camaraderie of a team effort working to achieve something exceptional against great odds. Some special moments include beating our rival Castilleja with my older sister Sylvia Schmidt ‘06 (now Sylvia Carle); winning NorCals in Sacramento with several buses of Harker students, faculty and staff cheering for us on a school night; and playing in the state championships!”
Our inductees
Phyllis Carley (1920-2009, at Harker from 1952-2009) Phyllis Gwynn Carley, much beloved member of the Harker community, was a staunch supporter of Harker athletics for more than 50 years. Mrs. Carley, as she was known to so many, was an institution and an irreplaceable tie to our past. As a student in the Central Valley, she played polo, basketball and softball, and noted once that being involved with Harker allowed her to relive her childhood. For the duration of her life, she was one of Harker athletics’ biggest fans, attending many, many home games. It didn’t matter what sport, she just enjoyed seeing kids active. “I love watching students of all ages coming together and having fun,” she said in a Winged Post article.
She opened her Harker career in 1952 in Palo Alto as a driver, shuttling local students to and from school. She progressed by virtue of her wonderful disposition and hard work to become secretary first to Donald Nichols and then to Howard Nichols, and remained in that role for many years, though her contribution to campus life went far beyond her desk in the administration building. She passed away in 2009, but will be long remembered at Harker. Read her full biography in Harker News.
Adam Vucurevich ‘02
Vucurevich nearly earned his plaudits at another school, but Harker opened its upper school in the nick of time. “When I finally reached the eighth grade, it was sadly time to move on to high school. St. Francis was my choice, but then, in the eleventh hour, Mr. and Mrs. Nichols decided they would extend Harker to include high school, one year at a time, [so] we would be seniors for four years. That was interesting, but I was not yet convinced to stay until Mr. Nichols decided Harker would have [its] first high school football team, and then I was in,” he said.
Vucurevich took full advantage of Harker’s athletic program, playing football, baseball and wrestling, making him Harker’s first three-sport athlete. He was team captain for football in both his sophomore and junior years, and was MVP and got an honorable mention in the All-CCS team that year. He also captained the baseball and wrestling teams. Read his full biography.
Jason Martin ‘07
While playing baseball at Harker, Martin was named to the Varsity Second All-League Team in his freshman year and to the First Team for the next three years. He was runner up his junior year for CCS MVP, hitting .629 for the year. Martin played varsity football for three years and, in the 2006 Homecoming game, became the only player in Harker history to run for a touchdown, throw for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game.
Martin noted a number of coaches at Harker have had a huge impact on his life. Coach K (Karriem Stinson) was his middle school flag football and junior varsity football coach. Martin said that Stinson instilled toughness and a work ethic in him at a young age, and those traits have been at the foundation of his character ever since. C.J. Cali was Martin’s middle school P.E. coach and is still a life mentor for him – an example of how Harker really is “K through Life,” Martin said. Dan Molin has always followed and supported Martin’s baseball career, and has been a constant resource for Martin in life after Harker as well. Martin played semi-pro baseball for two years after college. Read his full biography.
Tanya Schmidt ‘08
A four-year starter on Harker’s varsity girls volleyball team, Schmidt was named a four-time All-West Bay Athletic League First Team honoree and a two-time West Bay Athletic League MVP. Her junior year, Schmidt was named a Top 50 Junior Recruit in the nation. By her senior year, Schmidt was an unstoppable force on the Harker team.
During her senior season in 2007, Schmidt led the girls volleyball team into Harker history with a series of firsts for the school. As the first Harker team to compete in the Central Coast Section championship final, the team continued to make history by winning the Division IV NorCal Championship in Sacramento. In December 2007, the team played in the state championships in front of a home crowd of more than 1,500 Harker fans at San Jose State University, where Schmidt was named California Division IV State MVP. Schmidt went on to play pro volleyball in Europe for two years. Read her full biography.
Members of the Harmonics middle school performance group and Dance Fusion, comprising lower and middle school students, were thrilled to perform at CreaTV San Jose’s 2014 “CreaTiVe Awards Gala,” presented by TiVo, on Jan.10.
The fifth-annual formal evening event took place at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose and is slated to air on channel 30 in San Jose/Campbell on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.
Dance Fusion instructor Gail Palmer called it “an honor” for the students to be featured in such a high-profile show. Harmonics and Dance Fusion each performed one song during the gala, which pays tribute to Bay Area video makers. A VIP reception preceded the awards show, where winners in 10 categories were announced.
“I thought it was really cool that we got to meet local people in the business,” recalled Harmonics performer Kelsey Wu, grade 8.
Other students said it was fun to be on TV and a great performance opportunity. Grade 8 student Aryana Far called the night “a very different experience from our normal shows.” She added that the audience was very supportive.
Founded in 2007, CreaTV San Jose is a member-based, nonprofit community media center that helps the residents, businesses, schools and organizations in San Jose to effectively communicate their message to a broader audience using our public and education television and Internet channels.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2013 Harker Quarterly.
This fall, two festive happenings – the Harker Harvest Festival and Homecoming game – brought many alumni back to campus, where they enjoyed seeing old friends and catching up with the Harker community.
On Sept. 27, Harker’s Homecoming game was held on Davis Field, where alumni were warmly welcomed home during a familyfriendly tailgate party held in an end zone. A number of alumni turned out for the party, where they enjoyed dinner, mingled with faculty and staff, and watched the Eagles play.
Then on Oct. 13, alumni came out in recordbreaking numbers for the Harker Harvest Festival, the school’s 63rd annual Family & Alumni Picnic. More than 200 alumni attended the daylong event, held at the middle school. During the picnic there was a special area reserved just for alumni, with a delicious barbecue. This year alumni also were invited to volunteer at the picnic, and many signed up to work shifts at various booths.
This article originally appeared in the summer 2014 Harker Quarterly.
Days before the 2014 graduation ceremony, the classes of 2014 and 2015 gathered at the upper school quad for this year’s baccalaureate ceremony. This traditional event bid the seniors a bittersweet farewell and welcomed grade 11 students into their upcoming roles as Harker seniors.
After an introduction by Upper School Head Butch Keller, Anthony Silk, upper school math teacher and this year’s faculty speaker, took his spot at the podium.
Silk asked the students in the audience to close their eyes and envision what success looks like for them and how they might achieve it.
First on Silk’s list of steps was learning how to take risks. He recalled a story in which he tried skydiving for the first time during college, an experience that forced him out of his comfort zone but helped him learn a valuable lesson. “Taking a risk doesn’t mean doing something risky, something you’re completely unprepared for. It means doing something where the outcome is unknown. But that’s OK.”
Silk also discussed failure, and why it isn’t actually failing. After losing a job that he had mentioned in an earlier anecdote, he ended up working on a cruise ship, which he enjoyed because it gave him the opportunity to be out at sea and working with people. His next challenge was to find something that combined this newfound enthusiasm for helping people with his love for mathematics. It was then that his best friend advised him to become a teacher, which led him to Harker. “Remember, when you can’t see your future, find someone who can,” he said.
Next up was Efrey Noten, grade 12, this year’s student baccalaureate speaker. Noten’s speech emphasized a quality that he felt many people forget after leaving college and entering the work force: compassion. Referencing a graduation speech given by author David Foster Wallace, he retold a parable about two young fish who encounter another, older fish, who greets them and asks how the water is. One of the younger fish then looks at the other and asks, “What the hell is water?”
“Mr. Wallace clarified by saying that the fish story shows us that the stuff most obvious and common to us is the stuff we have the most trouble perceiving or conceptualizing,” Noten said, adding that graduates would find themselves getting up every day to work a challenging job, come home tired, eat and retire to bed. “The so-called rat race I’ve just described often causes us to react to minor inconveniences with irrational, internalized rage,” Noten said.
“I just ask that if you find yourself repeating the same ceremony day in and day out, that you become actively aware and compassionate of the people around you,” he said. “Do not let yourself forget, as the two young fish did, what water is.”
This article originally appeared in the summer 2014 Harker Quarterly.
Days before the 2014 graduation ceremony, the classes of 2014 and 2015 gathered at the upper school quad for this year’s baccalaureate ceremony. This traditional event bid the seniors a bittersweet farewell and welcomed grade 11 students into their upcoming roles as Harker seniors.
After an introduction by Upper School Head Butch Keller, Anthony Silk, upper school math teacher and this year’s faculty speaker, took his spot at the podium.
Silk asked the students in the audience to close their eyes and envision what success looks like for them and how they might achieve it.
First on Silk’s list of steps was learning how to take risks. He recalled a story in which he tried skydiving for the first time during college, an experience that forced him out of his comfort zone but helped him learn a valuable lesson. “Taking a risk doesn’t mean doing something risky, something you’re completely unprepared for. It means doing something where the outcome is unknown. But that’s OK.”
Silk also discussed failure, and why it isn’t actually failing. After losing a job that he had mentioned in an earlier anecdote, he ended up working on a cruise ship, which he enjoyed because it gave him the opportunity to be out at sea and working with people. His next challenge was to find something that combined this newfound enthusiasm for helping people with his love for mathematics. It was then that his best friend advised him to become a teacher, which led him to Harker. “Remember, when you can’t see your future, find someone who can,” he said.
Next up was Efrey Noten, grade 12, this year’s student baccalaureate speaker. Noten’s speech emphasized a quality that he felt many people forget after leaving college and entering the work force: compassion. Referencing a graduation speech given by author David Foster Wallace, he retold a parable about two young fish who encounter another, older fish, who greets them and asks how the water is. One of the younger fish then looks at the other and asks, “What the hell is water?”
“Mr. Wallace clarified by saying that the fish story shows us that the stuff most obvious and common to us is the stuff we have the most trouble perceiving or conceptualizing,” Noten said, adding that graduates would find themselves getting up every day to work a challenging job, come home tired, eat and retire to bed. “The so-called rat race I’ve just described often causes us to react to minor inconveniences with irrational, internalized rage,” Noten said.
“I just ask that if you find yourself repeating the same ceremony day in and day out, that you become actively aware and compassionate of the people around you,” he said. “Do not let yourself forget, as the two young fish did, what water is.”
This article originally appeared in the summer 2014 Harker Quarterly.
Days before the 2014 graduation ceremony, the classes of 2014 and 2015 gathered at the upper school quad for this year’s baccalaureate ceremony. This traditional event bid the seniors a bittersweet farewell and welcomed grade 11 students into their upcoming roles as Harker seniors.
After an introduction by Upper School Head Butch Keller, Anthony Silk, upper school math teacher and this year’s faculty speaker, took his spot at the podium.
Silk asked the students in the audience to close their eyes and envision what success looks like for them and how they might achieve it.
First on Silk’s list of steps was learning how to take risks. He recalled a story in which he tried skydiving for the first time during college, an experience that forced him out of his comfort zone but helped him learn a valuable lesson. “Taking a risk doesn’t mean doing something risky, something you’re completely unprepared for. It means doing something where the outcome is unknown. But that’s OK.”
Silk also discussed failure, and why it isn’t actually failing. After losing a job that he had mentioned in an earlier anecdote, he ended up working on a cruise ship, which he enjoyed because it gave him the opportunity to be out at sea and working with people. His next challenge was to find something that combined this newfound enthusiasm for helping people with his love for mathematics. It was then that his best friend advised him to become a teacher, which led him to Harker. “Remember, when you can’t see your future, find someone who can,” he said.
Next up was Efrey Noten, grade 12, this year’s student baccalaureate speaker. Noten’s speech emphasized a quality that he felt many people forget after leaving college and entering the work force: compassion. Referencing a graduation speech given by author David Foster Wallace, he retold a parable about two young fish who encounter another, older fish, who greets them and asks how the water is. One of the younger fish then looks at the other and asks, “What the hell is water?”
“Mr. Wallace clarified by saying that the fish story shows us that the stuff most obvious and common to us is the stuff we have the most trouble perceiving or conceptualizing,” Noten said, adding that graduates would find themselves getting up every day to work a challenging job, come home tired, eat and retire to bed. “The so-called rat race I’ve just described often causes us to react to minor inconveniences with irrational, internalized rage,” Noten said.
“I just ask that if you find yourself repeating the same ceremony day in and day out, that you become actively aware and compassionate of the people around you,” he said. “Do not let yourself forget, as the two young fish did, what water is.”
This story originally appeared in the spring 2014 Harker Quarterly.
Casino chips clicking, hopeful bidders on the edges of their seats during the live auction, the clink of silverware, laughter and conversation – these were the sights and sounds of Night on the Town, Harker’s 11th annual gala, held this year at the San Jose Marriott.
The Marriott’s ballroom and two large lobby areas provided lots of room for the elegantly attired guests to socialize and meet up with friends. A silent auction, which opened for bidding a few days before the gala, offered vacation getaways, homecoming and graduation packages, the chance to shadow business professionals, and video software. Lucky live auction winners will enjoy a Hawaiian vacation, a visit to the San Francisco 49ers Winter Fest and – for the night’s highest winning bid of $15,000 – a trip to Los Angeles for the “American Idol” finale, to name just a few.
Out in the lobby, Harker students sold raffle tickets to patrons, who then dropped those tickets in boxes promising everything from beauty products to picnic baskets filled with goodies. Also in the lobby were several casino tables and refreshment stations, allowing guests to mix and mingle with friends and try their hands at some Vegas-style games.
Over dinner, Chris Nikoloff, head of school, and event chair Tina Najibi (Mary, grade 10) welcomed the crowd and introduced the show portion of the evening, which was a montage of video and live performances that showcased the school’s talented students, faculty and parents, and helped the audience understand the purpose of the evening: to raise funds for the construction of a theater and gym complex on the upper school campus, as well funds for financial aid.
Dance Fusion, Downbeat and Varsity Dance Troupe performed show-stopping numbers, and middle school teachers Mark Gelineau and Keith Hirota, with their many backup dancers, wowed the crowd with a terrific Blues Brothers imitation and lip sync.
A faculty/student rock band showed off the versatility of many: Brian Larsen (K-12 production manager) channeled his inner Huey Lewis by fronting a band comprising guitarist Chris Florio (upper school music); keyboardist Evan Barth (dean of studies); trumpeter Dave Hart (middle school music); drummer Nikoloff; and student musicians and singers in a rousing version of “Hip to Be Square.”
A particularly charming set of dances were the mother/son and father/daughter numbers, performed by both faculty and non-faculty parents and their kids, to “Good Times” by Chic and “My Girl” by The Temptations, respectively.
After the show and dinner, some guests returned to the casino games in the lobby while others hopped up on stage and danced the night away to tunes spun by a DJ. Harker Board of Trustees member Christine Davis, who was one of three chairs for the inaugural fashion show gala 11 years ago, attended Night on the Town and said, “I congratulate Harker on the outstanding event on Friday.”
The event was produced by the advancement office, and the show was directed by Laura Lang-Ree, chair of Harker’s K-12 performing arts department, with production management by Larsen and set design by Paul Vallerga.
The latest installment of TEDxHarkerSchool was held March 22 at the upper school campus. Launched in fall 2011, the student-organized series of events gives high school students interested in entrepreneurship the chance to hear inspiring speakers and meet with mentors from many different fields.
Organizers put together another impressive lineup of speakers for this year’s event. Among them was Harker student Arjun Mehta, grade 12, who has received much attention for his most recent endeavor, a conferencing app known as Stoodle, which already boasts thousands of users since its launch in December 2012. With the assistance of his father, Karl, Mehta’s previous business idea grew into PlaySpan, which sold for $200 million.
Mehta detailed what he believed were key steps for young entrepreneurs. He advised students to look for “pain points” in their everyday lives, seeking solutions to problems they regularly encounter. In response to the differences he noticed between Harker and his previous school, Mehta founded Stoodle to help give students at other schools a chance to collaborate and share their knowledge with one another. Mehta also encouraged future entrepreneurs to work in familiar spaces. Because Mehta was a high school student, he and his Stoodle collaborators were treated as “experts in the room” when meeting with older, more experienced entrepreneurs.
Mehta also offered advice on how to reconcile the busy life of a young entrepreneur with the obligations of a high school student. He cited a “willingness to be misunderstood” due to not having as much time for friends and extracurricular activities.
During the Q&A session that followed his talk, Mehta demonstrated his 30-second elevator pitch to the audience. He added that he plans to continue working on Stoodle while in college and keep it free to all.
A morning break allowed students to converse with the speakers and mentors in attendance. Students also got the chance to sit down with various entrepreneurs during lunch, gaining knowledge and sharing ideas.
“I find the mentor luncheon to be the most unique aspect of TEDxHarkerSchool, as it gives attendees an opportunity to interact with professionals on a more personal level,” said Glenn Reddy, grade 11, who helped organize and run the event.
New this year, various companies showed their products in the Nichols Hall atrium. This year’s exhibitors were GoPro, Master Images, Stoodle, Fuhu and Lighting for Literacy. “The attendees jumped at the chance to check out the booths in the atrium, and they were one of the most popular parts of the day,” Reddy said.
Antoine Delcayre, a grade 10 student at Branham High School who also attended last year’s TEDxHarker event, found the speakers helpful and “really enjoyed the knowledge they shared.”
Fellow Branham student Saumya Bhatia, grade 10, said attending TEDxHarker the previous year helped inspire her and her friends to start a DECA chapter at their school. She particularly enjoyed the talk from Stanford University lecturer Rashmi Menon, who said that it was good for people to admit to needing help. “I think that’s really important because I feel like a lot of times I don’t admit to not knowing things and I sort of want to be the expert in everything,” Bhatia said. “But I feel like she really clarified that it’s OK to ask for help and that in the end it’s for your own benefit.”
One of the more popular afternoon speakers was Dr. Ronda Beaman, chief creative officer at PEAK Learning and clinical professor at Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business. Known for her infectious speaking style and stage presence, Beaman started her talk by leading the audience in the Hokey Pokey. Beaman told the audience about the importance of neoteny, which is the ability for people to keep their “childlike qualities” – such as curiosity, creativity and an inclination toward experimentation – through their adult lives. The “neotenous mind” is what allows for the creative entrepreneurship that leads to exciting ideas such as phones that converse with their owners, and microfinance organizations such as Kiva, she said.
“Most of us are right-answered, brown-desked, tested right out of our original selves,” she said, lamenting the loss of creativity that occurs as children grow up. Beaman suggested that to help themselves retain the adventurousness of childhood, students could carry around a picture of their much younger selves as a reminder of the qualities they had at that age. She also suggested carrying around a crayon to smell, which greatly amused the audience. “The scent brings you back to kindergarten, before you knew ‘no,’ before you were told to sit down, before you were told to be quiet,” she said. “It just takes you back to possibility and color, and I hope you colored outside the lines.”