OCTOBER 2003 (VOL. 10, NO. 1)
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M O N T H L Y
inside S P E C I A L Alumni Edition Quarterly Alumni Update ... 25 Important dates & announcements ...... 2 & 3 Junior & senior internships special ...................... 8 -11 International programs update .......................... 22
N E W S L E T T E R
Harker and UC Santa Cruz have begun meetings to discuss an ongoing partnership between the two schools. Linda Goff, professor of biology and vice provost and dean, undergraduate education, wrote a letter to Diana Nichols, head of school, to introduce the idea of exploring ways, for example, in which Harker’s students and faculty can work with and learn from the researchers at UC Santa
Fri., Oct. 17, 7:00 p.m. Foothill College A K-12 Harker community tradition - be there!
Outstanding National Merit News At press time, results were announced in the 49th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 1.3 million juniors in over 21,000 high schools entered the 2004 National Merit Program by taking the 2002 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT). The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, is made up of the highest scoring entrants in each state.
Sun., Oct. 19, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saratoga Campus Another great Harker tradition!
THE BIG WEEKEND For information on both of these events, see page 4!
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Harker and UC Santa Cruz Discussing Partnerships
homecoming
53rd Annual Family & Alumni Picnic
est. 1893 • K-12 college prep
Harker is proud to announce that 58% of the Class of 2004 (77 seniors) received National Merit recognition this year. Of that number, 42 seniors received Letters of Commendation, and 35 seniors (26% of the graduating class) were named as Semifinalists in this prestigious National Merit Scholarship program. Finalists will be announced in February. Warm congratulations to our students, as well as our outstanding faculty who continue to prepare our students for such newsworthy achievements!
Cruz. In the letter she stated: “I am a biologist, an educator and an administrator. I have taught high school biology, have been a professor at UC Santa Cruz for nearly 30 years, and I have been a senior administrator for the last five years. In these roles, I have learned a great deal about education and about the issues currently facing K16 education. I have learned that without absolutely dedicated professionals, who have a clear vision for what needs to be done to improve our children’s education, we would not have superb schools such as Harker. What you and your faculty have done in just a few short years is stunning. You have created an institution of which the entire Silicon Valley and
California can be proud, and many of your programs should serve as exemplars of best practices for the entire nation.” Nichols hosted a recent meeting at Harker with Goff and various Harker faculty members and administrators to discuss ways the university can share their research activities with Harker in such areas as the Human Genome Project, the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics and in the fields of astronomy, marine science and environmental sciences. “We’re particularly excited about, and discussed at great length, the university’s Center for Adaptive Optics and ways our students can get involved in this exciting research,” said Nichols. Further details weren’t available at press time, so watch the November edition for more information on this exciting new partnership!
Apple Awards US English Project US English teacher, Marc Hufnagl, accredited colleges of in the U.S. was notified in September that his and Canada. Hufnagl’s lesson plan Canterbury DigiTales Project for and the iLife movie made by his British Literature junior Emily Hsi will class was selected be posted on the as third place Apple Web finalist out of site in late over 800 Sept. We entries in commend Apple’s firstour entire ever “Apple iLife English dept. Captured image from Educator Awards” for their creative Hsi’s “Beggar’s Tale” contest launched in April. use of technology in the The contest was open to all Kclassroom over the years, and 12 district or school level educators, we congratulate Hufnagl and Hsi as well as faculty and staff of on this special recognition!
Bucknall students honor local firefighters at recent assembly (see page 19)