This story was originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Harker Quarterly After more than 18 months of planning, which included the participation of over 580 members of the Harker community, the conceptual design of the Saratoga campus is complete.
This milestone could not have been reached without the generosity of a small group of seed investors; their funds are subsidizing the architectural drawings and the accompanying petition to rezone the Saratoga campus.
The major benefit that will result from the rezoning is that we will be able to build three stories high, four if we go underground, resulting in saving precious green open space for our students and families.
In addition to funding the architectural and permitting fees, the seed investors’ funds will be used to estimate the cost of the project and to cover fundraising expenses.
Annual Giving Pledge Week
Remember to make your Annual Giving pledge by Oct. 10 and be entered in the drawing to win a Napa weekend getaway!
Your contribution to the Annual Giving Campaign supports every single one of our students by helping to fund our many exceptional programs.
Parent Volunteer Breakfasts
As school began, each campus held breakfasts to welcome parents to the new year and show them the many exciting volunteering opportunities available to them. The first such event took place Aug. 23 at the Blackford campus’ multipurpose room. Approximately 150 middle school parents arrived to enjoy a morning meal and visit the tables set up by the various departments. The lower school breakfast on Aug. 27 was held at the Bucknall campus gym and attended by approximately 150 parents, who chatted with other enthusiastic volunteers and signed up to become volunteers themselves. The upper school event was attended by about 50 parents, who gathered at Nichols Hall on Sept. 2. All events featured fresh breakfasts, congenial company and a conversational atmosphere.
Kristin Giammona, elementary division head, recently volunteered at the Children’s Discovery Museum as a guest activity leader at Family Science Night in the Museum. Giammona was recommended to the event by a Harker parent who felt she would do an excellent job.
Family Science Night provides an opportunity for students to experience science in a fun and hands-on way. The theme of the night was “Toy Box Physics,” one of the museum’s more popular themes. It included an examination of simple machines and how they are present in the toys kids use everyday.
A Harker junior who had traveled to Copenhagen for a world conference on climate change was honored by UNICEF for her dedication to service.
UNICEF named Olivia Zhu, Gr. 11, one of their 128 volunteers to receive the 2010 President’s Volunteer Service Award. Zhu was awarded a gold level standing for dedicating more than 250 hours to working for climate change based on the agenda formed at the Children’s Climate Forum (CCF) in Copenhagen in December 2009.
In Copenhagen, Zhu was one of four students selected by UNICEF USA to attend CCF. She joined others from 40 nations in a weeklong forum to find solutions to global concerns and advance understanding of global issues. During her time there, Zhu visited a Danish school, attended workshops and forged friendships with fellow teenagers who were working toward a common goal.
UNICEF’s President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation established the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2003. The program honors individuals, families and groups of all ages who have met or exceeded requirements for volunteer service.
Parents gathered at all three campuses during the first week of school for the annual Volunteer Sign-Up Breakfasts. Guests had coffee, pastries and fruit while signing up to volunteer at various Harker fundraising events, such as the Family and Alumni Picnic and the fashion show. Parents also had the opportunity to sign up for volunteer work with various academic departments, including athletics, science, robotics, debate and global education, as well as the library and bookstore.
“It’s just a way for parents to talk to people who represent those different departments,” said Danielle Wood-Hammond, assistant to the executive director of advancement. The upper school breakfast on Aug. 25, she said, was useful for parents because “people think that there are not a lot of volunteering opportunities at the upper school level.”
Stanford University is hosting the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, this summer, and needs volunteers to help out at events and ceremonies. Volunteers sign up online at http://www.2009seniorgames.org/become-a-volunteer, and must affiliate with Harker when creating their accounts by clicking “Harker “under “organization.” There are 25 sports to choose from, from archery to fencing to water polo, so potential volunteers are encouraged to sign up soon to secure a spot in their preferred sport. Locations range from San Jose to Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. See the links below for more information.