Harker Magazine Fall/Winter 2018

A PUBLICATION OF THE HARKER SCHOOL l FALL/WINTER 2018

M A G A Z I N E

125 Years:

Reflection and Celebration A LU M N I S TA F F

B OA R D I N G P R O G R AM

H A L L O F FA M E

M A G A Z I N E

FAL L/W I NTER 2018, V O LU ME 10, N U MB E R 1 Pam Dickinson Office of Communication Director William Cracraft Managing Editor Catherine Snider Production Editor Mark Kocina Photographer

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Jennifer Maragoni Copy Editor Zach Jones Rebecca McCartney Staff Contributors Blue Heron Design Design Have an idea?

Contact us: news@harker.org 408.345.9273 Or write: Harker Magazine 500 Saratoga Ave. San Jose, CA 95129 Harker is a Bay Area Green Certified Business of Santa Clara County. As part of our many sustainability efforts, Harker Magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper.

On the cover: Mark Gelineau ‘90 and Marjorie Hazeltine’s 125th anniversary skit.

Photograph by Mark Kocina.

On this page: Eighth graders show some anniversary spirit.

Photograph by Mark Kocina.

On the back: Riley Olson and Delara Gholami, both grade 5, enjoy Homecoming.

Photograph by Jacqueline Orrell.

18 HAR KE R MAGA Z I N E l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

CONTENTS Upper School Celebrates 20th Anniversary Students and staff reflect on the past two decades.

Historic 125th Anniversary Weekend

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Homecoming, Grand Reunion and Family & Alumni Picnic come together.

Home Sweet School The boarding program was like a family to students.

Back to School Harker alumni return to campus as faculty and staff.

Athletic Hall of Fame Launched Inaugural awardees excel at athletics, academics and life.

8 18 26 36 48

Headlines: Head of School Brian Yager muses on how living in

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the present can prepare us for the future.

Top Stories: A summary of the most-read articles from

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Harker News.

Face Time: Up close and personal with teachers and staff.

15, 32, 43, 54

Gallery: Photo highlights from the past semester – fine arts, 16, 24, 46 performing arts, sports.

Passion & Impact: Alumni following their dreams and 22, 34, 44, 52 making a difference in the world.

Staff Kudos: Happenings in the professional lives of our faculty and staff.

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Class Notes: Alumni news and photos.

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Corrections

In the spring/summer 2018 article “Chosen to Represent the U.S: 2007 J8 Team Reflects on 10 Years Since Graduation,” quotes were switched between Kelly O’Reilly ’08 and Aarathi Minisandram ’08.

In the commemorative anniversary issue, Celebrating 125 Years (1893-2018), in the “Achievement Highlights” article’s Contests section, the blurb about two students attending the International Math Olympiad should read: “Seven students attended the USA Computing Olympiad training camp from 2013-16. In 2016 an alumnus earned a gold medal in the International Olympiad of Informatics.”

In the same story, in the Business and Leadership highlights, we should have noted that the middle school DECA Idea Challenge team not only was a global finalist in 2018, but won the global title in 2015.

The electronic versions of both issues have been updated. Harker regrets the errors.

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H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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From its early beginnings in 1893 – when Stanford University leaders assisted in its establishment – to its reputation today as a leading preparatory school with graduates attending prestigious universities worldwide, Harker’s mission has remained constant: to create an environment that promotes academic excellence, inspires intellectual curiosity, expects personal accountability and forever instills a genuine passion for learning. Whether striving for academic achievement, raising funds for global concerns, performing on stage or scoring a goal, Harker students encourage and support one another and celebrate each other’s efforts and successes, at Harker and beyond. Harker is a dynamic, supportive, fun and nurturing community where kids and their families make friends for life.

HARKER MAGAZINE Harker Magazine is published biannually, in December and June, to showcase some of the top news, visionary programs and inspiring people of the greater Harker community. This magazine and its predecessor, the Harker Quarterly, have been recognized with CASE silver and bronze awards, and a gold and three platinum MarCom awards.

Subscribe to Harker News and get the latest daily updates. Visit news.harker.org.

FIND, FRIEND & FOLLOW US! Join us for tweets, videos, announcements, photo sharing and more! http://www.facebook.com/harkerschool http://instagram.com/harkerschool http://twitter.com/harkerschool http://www.youtube.com/harkerschool

PREFER TO READ ONLINE? You can opt out of receiving Harker Magazine by mail and just read it online at https://issuu.com/ theharkerschool. To be removed from the mailing list, email us at communications@harker.org.

The Harker School is an independent, coed, collegeprep school serving preschool through grade 12.

Preschool: 4525 Union Ave., San Jose, CA 95124 K-Grade 5: 4300 Bucknall Rd., San Jose, CA 95130 Grades 6-8: 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose, CA 95117 Grades 9-12: 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 Produced by the Harker Office of Communication 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 communications@harker.org · 408.345.9273 NEXT ISSUE: SPRING/SUMMER 2019

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HARK E R MAGA Z I N E l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

headlines

About Harker

Living in the

WORDS BY BRIAN YAGER

Now PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK KOCINA

In this 125th anniversary year, I hope you are enjoying learning about the people, events and traditions that are celebrated on the banners and poster boards at our four campuses. I am struck by how often teachers are featured in these memories.

While varied in the ways they have impacted the school over the past 125 years, the teachers at Harker always have been at the forefront of our efforts to bring out the best in every student. Recently, the words from one of my most influential elementary school teachers, Mrs. Robinson, were pulled to the front of my mind as I observed some of the exciting things going on at Harker in 2018.

Mrs. Robinson’s words are etched in my memory, forever providing guidance. She was our grade 6 teacher at Montecito Union School in Santa Barbara, and, like all great teachers, she sought to instill in us wisdom that would remain with us long after we had moved on from her classroom. Her favorite message always started with a question: “What is the most important time in your life?” She’d ask us this when we were at our best, eagerly paying attention, following directions and primed for reinforcement, and she’d ask us when we were having a tough day, or she was. The pause between her words and ours was essentially nonexistent, for from the first day of class we learned the response she sought – the single monosyllabic key to all of our focus. “What is the most important time in your life?”

Mrs. Robinson would ask.

Our chorus was firm and instantaneous: “Now.”

‘What is the most important time in your life?’

Mrs. Robinson would ask.

Our chorus was firm and instantaneous: ‘Now.’

This message was on my mind during some seminal Harker experiences, the first of which was the seventh grade national parks trip. In Utah and Arizona, among the wind and water-carved sandstone arches and vermillion cliffs, the brief span of our lives relative to the workings of our Earth comes into focus. The landscape of the Grand Canyon took millions of years to emerge from the sandstone deposits of our continent’s primordial lake. In this landscape, it would be easy to feel that the present is of little significance. Yet, even among the grandeur of the formations, one can see the effects of each blow of wind, each cycle of freeze and thaw in the fissures of the rocks, and each footstep on the sandy base of the trails. Even to the landscape that defines our nation, now is still the most important time, and for us as visitors, the juxtaposition of the work of millennia and our brief visit invited all of us to make the most of each day on the trip and throughout our lives.

In addition to being exposed to the beauty of the landscape, the seventh graders also were fortunate to spend some time among the Navajo. Their tradition of orienting all exterior doorways to the East reflects an appreciation for the sun and the arrival of each new day – to focus on the now, even while honoring the past and preparing for the future.

The upper school’s first fall production in the Patil Theater in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center similarly spoke to the importance of the present. The play, a beautiful rendition of “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, challenged our actors to explore

–Lessons

Future

for the

the importance of the ordinary, everyday moments in our lives. One of the play’s central themes is that it is easy for us to emphasize, if not fixate on, our lives past and future, but that meaning comes from the present, and that now is what matters most.

The present for Harker is an exciting one. In addition to the ongoing processes of the school year, we are in the midst of an accreditation cycle and also are celebrating our 125th year of educational leadership. As we look to the future and plan for the next 125, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on our measures of success in three crucial areas. The first two relate to the opening line of Harker’s mission statement, which reads: “Our mission is to educate students for success at college and beyond.”

What does it mean for our students to succeed in college? What does it mean for them to succeed beyond? The third question we are exploring is, what does it mean for us to succeed as an institution?

All three of these questions in essence look to the future, for even as we reflect on how we define institutional success, we must recognize that our efforts are aimed at positively impacting the entire lifespan of each of our students. It is an interesting dichotomy that while our efforts as an educational institution are focused in the moment, the process of education is, by definition,

one of optimizing the future.

The central challenge of assessing our efficacy is that the manner in which we succeed in preparing students for life does not materialize immediately. Education requires committing to delayed gratification. To be sure, there are daily joys and constant evidence of student growth and achievement, often to a profound degree. However, the long-term impacts – arguably the most important outcomes – can only be viewed and assessed with the gift of time. Some of the seeds we plant germinate quickly. Others take time to sprout, and, even then, like the valley oaks and redwoods around us, might take decades to reach their full size, and longer still to mature to their full potential.

Yet, as Mrs. Robinson continuously reinforced, our commitment to the present is the best path for a successful tomorrow, however we define that success. Thank you for being part of the Harker community as we continue to strive to live our lives fully and guide our students toward their futures … now.

H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FAL L/WIN TER 2018

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top stories

Top Stories

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Recent stories reprinted from Harker News online.

Senior Jacqueline He named Presidential Scholar; Manjoine recognized as distinguished teacher May 11, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9fR On Tuesday, senior Jacqueline He was named a 2018 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, becoming the sixth student from Harker to earn Presidential Scholar recognition in the school’s history. He, who also won a national gold medal in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, selected English teacher Nicholas Manjoine to be recognized as a distinguished teacher.

About 5,200 students qualified for the program and the Commission on Presidential Scholars then selected 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts based on artistic achievement, personal characteristics, and leadership and service activities.

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MS speech and debate team earns First Place Sweepstakes Team Award, many other awards May 21, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9h1 Harker middle school speech and debate team members competed at three tournaments in three states – California, Georgia and Texas – in April and early May. In April, at the National Debate Coaches Association National 4

HARK E R MAGA Z I N E l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

Photo provided by Christopher Thiele

Harker News publishes stories online about our students and faculty, highlighting accomplishments and celebrating successes. This Top Stories feature reprints the most widely read Harker News stories since the last issue of Harker Magazine (June 2018). Visit news.harker.org to see full stories and hundreds more articles noting the truly remarkable efforts of our Harker students and faculty.

Championship in Atlanta, 166 entries from 102 schools across 26 states competed. Harker had two middle school entrants and a few upper school entrants. Also in April, 10 middle and upper school Harker students competed at the St. Marks Novice Round Up in Dallas.

In early May, Harker speech and debate team members attended the middle school Tournament of Champions at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington. Overall, Harker had great success across all events. Harker won the First Place Sweepstakes Team Award for best middle school speech and debate team in the country.

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Three-peat: Third Harker student wins $20,000 H&R Block Challenge May 22, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9hG Freshman Luisa Pan’s college account got a big boost from a $20,000 scholarship from H&R Block for winning the H&R Block Budget Challenge! Two other Harker students have won this award: Roma Gandhi, grade 10, in 2017 and

Rithvik Panchapakesan, grade 11, in 2016. Each semester, five awards are given out nationwide. H&R Block sent a representative to Harker today to award the check to Pan. “The challenge was a fun experience in all. I think it’s a great way to teach students about finance and saving for the future before college,” Pan said.

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Second grader wins bronze medal in International Math Contest, second place for Math Kangaroo May 22, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9gx Second grader Manalee Chowdhury was recently awarded a bronze medal from the RSM Foundation after competing in the organization’s International Math Contest in March and April.

Competing at the grade 3-4 level, Chowdhury answered 13 out of 14 problems correctly in an online 30-minute challenge to qualify for the next round of the competition.

Chowdhury also took second place in the nation in her age group – in

which more than 4,000 students participated – as well as in California in the annual Math Kangaroo competition, held in March.

Congratulations!

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Seniors take final steps as Harker students at moving ceremony May 25, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9jC The 2018 senior class officially became graduates on May 24 at this year’s graduation ceremony. Despite unseasonably cold and windy weather, attendees flocked to the Mountain Winery in Saratoga to see the Class of 2018 take this pivotal step in their young lives.

Andrew Semenza gave an evocative valedictorian address and keynote speaker Tanya Schmidt ’08, the first upper school graduate to give a keynote speech at graduation, advised the graduates not to be afraid of unexpected changes.

Giving his first graduation address as head of school, Brian Yager imparted upon the graduates his hope that they would work to better the world “not because of the compensation for doing so, but in spite of it” as well as “continually experience and contribute to the power of love.”

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Harker plans move of middle school campus, phasing out of preschool program May 29, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9jU Harker has announced that it will move its middle school program

to its Union Avenue campus and phase out the preschool program currently operating at that site.

Four more National Merit winners named, bringing total to 17

“Our original plan was to move the lower school to our Union Avenue campus when the Blackford lease expired, and then move our middle school to the lower school campus,” Brian Yager, Harker’s head of school, explained. “However, as the benefits of moving just one school rather than two became clear, we decided to move the middle school instead.”

June 6, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9bD The next round of winners in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Competition was announced today, this time for college-sponsored merit scholarships, bringing Harker’s total of National Merit scholarship winners for the year up to 17.

Yager added that the school will accelerate the move from Blackford to Union so that the middle school program will be on its new campus for the start of the 2021-22 school year. The school will publish updates in the parent portal and on the Harker website as the multiyear process begins.

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Three juniors pick up awards at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair June 1, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9kI At this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), held May 14-18, juniors Anjay Saklecha and Krish Kapadia were grand award winners, receiving a fourth place award of $500 for their project, “UCH-L1 and s100B in Saliva as Novel Biomarkers for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury,” in the translational medical science category. Also successful was junior Cameron Jones, who received a fourth place award in the physics and astronomy category for his project, titled “Automated Identification and Inference of Organic Molecular Structure and Relative Concentrations from Infrared Spectral Data.”

The students qualified for Intel ISEF after receiving grand prizes at the 2018 Synopsys Science & Technology Championship in March.

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May 18, 2018 Eight more Harker seniors were named winners in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Competition last week.

May 15, 2018 Last week, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced five Harker students were recipients of corporate-sponsored scholarships in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Competition. This is the first round of awardees in this year’s program, and more winners will be announced over the next three months.

April 26, 2018 In September, 46 seniors – roughly 25 percent of the Class of 2018 – were named National Merit semifinalists, placing them in the top 1 percent nationwide among students who took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in their junior year.

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Two Harker speech and debate students finish in the top 10 in the nation June 27, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9nH The speech and debate team wrapped up its season with some nice results! Haris Hosseini, rising senior, made it to the final round of original oratory at the National Speech & Debate Association championship and ended up taking a righteous third place.

Rising junior Avi Gulati made the H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FA LL/WIN TER 2018 5

top stories Photo provided by Jenny Achten

Mr. Liu’s ties to Harker remained strong throughout his life: He started at Harker in elementary school, graduated from the middle school, and remained in close touch with his classmates, teachers and coaches.

His cousin Vincent Chang also attended Harker at the same time.

One of Mr. Liu’s closest friends at Harker was school trustee and federal judge John Owens ‘85. “Steve was the first kid to befriend me on the playground at Harker, for which I will be eternally grateful,” said Owens.

“I was the new guy at school and didn’t know anyone, but Steve made me feel at home. Over the years, he was a great, great friend. He was always supportive, but also would challenge and push you when you needed to be challenged and pushed. In so many ways, he helped me succeed at Harker and beyond.”

semifinals of original oratory with a speech about the pitfalls of mimicry and the value of being your own person, teacher Gregory Achten noted. Gulati finished in seventh place, giving Harker two of the top 10 spots in the nation! These results put Harker in the top 10 overall in speech event sweepstakes. “Coach Scott Odekirk has done a wonderful job guiding their speeches and we are all very proud of the whole crew,” said Achten.

To honor Mr. Liu’s memory, The Steven Liu Memorial Endowment Fund has been established at Harker.

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Photo by Ben Kratz

Photo provided by Tony Silk

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Steven Liu MS ’85 passes; endowment in perpetuity established July 6, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9nQ Steven Liu MS ‘85, one of the leading American corporate lawyers in Beijing, recently passed away at the age of 46. He lived in Beijing with his wife and two sons, both of whom attended Harker’s Summer English Language Institute. A memorial service was held on May 25.

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Harker students win high honors at national TEAMS competition July 11, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9pg Harker students turned in one of their best performances to date at this year’s TEAMS (Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science) national competition, held June 22-26 in Atlanta. Team A ranked first among the teams recognized as Best in Nation in the grades 9/10 division. They also were the top team in the problemsolving category and among the

top 10 in prepared presentation and digital media.

Team B had a strong performance of their own, placing first in prepared presentation and third for Best in Nation.

“I believe this is the best that Harker has ever done at the national TEAMS competition,” said upper school math teacher Anthony Silk, who oversees Harker’s TEAMS participation.

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Middle school math teacher wins Edyth May Sliffe Award Sept. 4, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9tY Late last month, middle school math teacher and department chair Vandana Kadam received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Teaching in Middle School and High School. The Mathematical Association of America presents this award to teachers who foster student interest in mathematics by competing in the yearly American Mathematics Competitions.

Candidates are nominated based on recommendation letters from colleagues, and selected for the award based on criteria such as improving AMC scores, increased student participation and increased numbers of students invited to participate in various math competitions.

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Beloved visionary and board chair Diana Nichols passes on, memorial set for Oct. 6 Sept 10, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9ug The Harker School announced this week the passing of Diana Nichols, board chair and former longtime school leader, who died Sept. 2, 2018 of pancreatic cancer. She was 76. Her obituary ran in the Monterey Herald and The Mercury News.

Marie Clifford, Nichols’ sister and fellow board member, said, “She died in her beloved Carmel home overlooking the Pacific, surrounded by nature. She died peacefully, with her son at her side, exactly where she wanted to be. In death, as in life, she did it her way.”

Nichols’ wishes were for donations to be made to her favorite charity, The Harker School. Questions regarding donations can be directed to Joe Rosenthal at joe. rosenthal@harker.org.

Photo provided by Jason Lin, grade 10

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others at the talk, I was motivated to take action.”

“The concert was wonderfully successful,” Millie Lin noted. “We far surpassed our fundraising goal of $15,000, reaching about $31,000 from numerous small donations. In addition to organizational help from Tahirih, the majority of the effort was truly youth-led, as Jason, performers and volunteers were all around high school age,” Millie added.

“Seeing the entire community come together for the concert and the enthusiasm of the group of volunteers in selling tickets and ushering guests made the whole effort worth it for me. It was immensely fulfilling to see our efforts come together for the concert,” said Jason.

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Twenty-two percent of seniors named National Merit semifinalists

Sophomore raises $31K from benefit concert with help of recent grads Sept. 11, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9uE Andrew Semenza ’18 and Millie Lin ’18, at the behest of brother Jason Lin, grade 10, performed at a benefit concert on Aug. 19 along with friend Kevin Zhu, a Bay Area native and world-renown violinist.

All proceeds went to the Tahirih Justice Center, a national nonprofit committed to serving as many immigrant women and girls fleeing violence as possible.

Jason Lin was the primary organizer of the event. “After debating immigration issues at debate camp, I went to a talk by the Tahirih Justice Center about their work regarding asylum seekers, and was moved by their message,” he said. “Like many

Sept. 13, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9uP Yesterday, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced that 43 Harker seniors – 22 percent of the class of 2019 – were named semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Semifinalists represent the top 1 percent – about 16,000 – of the 1.6 million students who entered the National Merit Scholarship Program in 2017 after taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Students who are to become finalists will be notified of their advancement in February.

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Two Harker students named to top 30 in Broadcom MASTERS competition Sept. 19, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9u6 Congratulations to Alice Feng, grade 9, and Sriram Bhimaraju,

grade 7, on being named finalists in this year’s Broadcom MASTERS competition! They are two of just 30 students headed to Washington, D.C., next month for the final stage of this national middle school STEM contest, which had a record 2,537 applicants this year. While in Washington, the top 30 will demonstrate their knowledge of STEM, as well as their acumen in critical thinking, collaboration and more in a competition for the top prize of $25,000.

Sept. 5, 2018 Five Harker students were recently named to the Top 300 in this year’s Broadcom MASTERS competition, one of the top middle school STEM competitions in the country.

Harker students in the Top 300, who entered the contest during the 201718 school year, are Harsh Deep, Alice Feng, Shounak Ghosh, and Arely Sun, all grade 9; and Sriram Bhimaraju, grade 7. More information, including project titles, is available at the competition’s website.

Sixty-eight seniors named National Merit Commended Students, nearly 60 percent of class recognized overall Sept. 25, 2018 https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9wE In mid-September, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation identified 68 Harker seniors as Commended Students in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Competition. This designation places them among the 50,000 highest-scoring students (about 3 percent) from the 1.6 million who took the 2017 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Qualifying Test.

Combined with the 43 seniors recently named semifinalists, this news brings the total number of seniors recognized by National Merit to 111, or 57 percent of the Class of 2019.

H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FAL L/WIN TER 2018

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ANNIVERSARY

feature

WORDS BY ZACH JONES PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY THE HARKER ARCHIVES

Guinea Pigs: ast year, the upper school graduated its 20th class, a major milestone and validation of the massive risk and effort undertaken by Howard and Diana Nichols, as well as the staff, faculty and administrators who ran the school in its early years.

The idea of adding a high school program to Harker had been discussed as early as the late 1980s, as Harker parents had long expressed their wish for their children to receive a Harker education beyond the eighth grade. In 1996, Howard and Diana Nichols – then the president and head of school, respectively – decided it was time to pursue the idea in earnest. They formed a team of teachers and administrators to visit a selection of East Coast private schools, with the idea of incorporating their best practices into Harker’s approach to establish a high school that would also reflect Silicon Valley’s reputation for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

“Most of what was in the South Bay then were Jesuit schools,” recalled upper school history teacher Donna Gilbert, who joined Harker the year the upper school opened. “[Howard and Diana] Nichols tapped into something that was necessary, which was a nonsectarian college prep school for the valley. They hit the nail on the head.”

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HARK E R MAGA Z I N E l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

20TH

Alumni and faculty reflect on the upper school’s

“I felt proud to be part of something new and different.”

— Jessica Liu ’04 H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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feature Diana Nichols set to work designing the school’s curriculum, working with the University of California to craft academic programs that would meet UC requirements. She was later appointed to a special committee of educational leaders formed by the University of California for the express purpose of helping other high schools develop UC-approved curricula. This proved to be one of the most challenging but crucial pieces of the upper school program. “Harker had never been in the high school business before, but knew we wanted to be a top-flight high school educational institution,” recalled facilities manager Mike Bassoni. In addition to visiting East Coast schools such as Phillips Exeter Academy and Choate Rosemary Hall, the Nicholses also attended hiring fairs in the New England area to capture the interest of teachers who they felt were a match for Harker’s mission.

“Diana and Howard were amazing. They were incredible leaders,” Gilbert said. “They had a vision, but they really wanted input from those of us who they hired.”

Harker’s upper school opened in fall 1998, with most of the first freshman class matriculating from the middle school. “I’d been at Harker [most of] my entire scholastic life at that point, and it felt more natural to stay and try launching this new high school than to not be an Eagle for those four years,” said Tiffany Duong ’02, who started at Harker as a first grader in 1990 and now works as a conservationist, restoring coral reefs along the Florida Reef Tract. Many among the first few upper school classes found the opportunity to set the standard for future generations exciting, dubbing themselves “guinea pigs” as a nod to the unique possibilities offered by a newly founded high school. “It was an exciting adventure and a chance to really form our own futures and a lasting legacy at Harker,” Duong said.

Teachers felt similarly, as many had come from established East Coast schools and were eager to help create a culture that would ensure success of the school’s mission in the coming years. “I just kind of felt like I was on the ground floor here, shaping culture, shaping curriculum, shaping courses,” said Abel Olivas, who started at Harker in 2002 as the upper school Spanish teacher and is now chair of the foreign languages department. “And also kind of shaping the minds of these young people.”

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HA R K E R MAGA Z I NE l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

ROTHSCHILD PERFORMING UPPER SCHOOL ARTS 20TH CENTER ANNIVERSARY OPENING

“We didn’t just have to create curricula, get them UC approved, get our classes up and running,” said Gilbert, “but build the culture of the school, the programs and the polices.

It just sort of felt like an all-hands-on-deck kind of process.”

The feeling of being brand new also became evident to many students, some of whom felt hesitant at the prospect of spending their high school years at Harker. “There was definitely some hesitancy on my part about attending a new high school,” said Gabrielle DeMers ’03, who intended to pursue performing arts as a career. At the time, Harker’s upper school performing arts program was in the very early stages, and DeMers had planned to pursue music outside of school. “After my freshman year, Laura Lang-Ree became in charge of the performing arts and started building the Conservatory Certificate program.”

More faculty were added to the program, and before long, “Harker developed a very active performing arts program,” recalled DeMers, who received dual certificates in theater and music, in addition to being one of the directors featured in the first Student Directed Showcase. She went on to study music at the University of Southern California and the University of Maryland and is now a regular performer in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore metro areas.

“[Howard and Diana] Nichols tapped into something that was necessary, which was a nonsectarian college prep school for the valley. They hit the nail on the head.”

— Donna Gilbert, history teacher

H AR KER MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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feature

As more students and programs began to fill out the campus, the upper school began to feel more “legit,” as Duong recalled. “It wasn’t that we weren’t legitimate to start, but it’s hard for 100 kids to really feel like a high school,” she said. “As new, younger faces were added, traditions like class rivalries, Homecoming, junior prom and pep rallies came into being. This is when we really started to feel more like a high school instead of a brave new endeavor.”

For faculty, one of the major early changes to the upper school was the formation of chair positions for its various academic programs. This provided a process for teachers to express their ideas and concerns to administration, and share their day-today experiences. “It gave teachers more of a voice at the school and it just felt more democratic in a lot of ways,” Olivas said. “It would affect policies that impacted in-the-trenches work with the students. I think it was a very healthy change.”

Students at the time also saw their potential to impact school policy. In 1999, students wore jeans to school to protest what they felt was a toostringent dress code in what became known as the Jeans Rebellion. “Everyone who participated was thrown in detention and there was a school assembly to address our insubordination,” said DeMers. “We certainly got the administration’s attention and eventually compromises were reached on the dress code.”

They also realized their ability to blaze trails in other areas. Several student clubs were founded during the upper school’s first year, some of which still exist today or set a precedent for clubs or

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HAR K E R MAGA Z I N E l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

UPPER SCHOOL 20TH ANNIVERSARY

programs that would be established in later years.

The Literary Magazine club first published Harker’s Eclectic Literary Magazine (HELM) during the 199899 school year, and the periodical will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2019. Additionally, the speech and debate club later evolved into one of the country’s highest-ranked speech and debate programs.

The following year saw the founding of what is now known as the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, or GSA, which has become one of Harker’s most active advocacy groups. Olivas saw the need for such an organization after overhearing students make derogatory remarks to one of their classmates in his first year as a teacher. He spoke with the students about their behavior, and “at one point, the kids were like, ‘Why do you care so much about this? Are you gay or something?’ And I said, yeah!”

Olivas and Gilbert, who had both been involved with similar movements on the East Coast, later met to discuss the formation of GSA. They agreed that being out to their students and the community was a crucial part of the groundwork.

“We both knew that there had to be out teachers leading the movement to set the right tone and example,” she said.

In the years since the GSA’s founding, Olivas has noticed more students comfortably expressing their sexuality and gender identities.

“Now there are so many LGBT+ kids that are out at our school, and it was just interesting [to see the] evolution

“I feel extremely lucky to have been a guinea pig, as it afforded me so many chances to step up and shape my own life and surroundings.”

— Tiffany Duong ’02

of the school, [because] for years the GSA was the [straight] allies, not the LGBT+ folks,” he said.

As the years progressed, “students began to have more of a voice and impact on the Harker environment,” DeMers said. “I remember wanting to switch into different classes with different teachers, like … taking Honors Latin IV instead of AP Latin. I basically ended up in a Latin class by myself. It feels like that sort of thing could only happen at Harker.”

Although the upper school grew at a steady pace, students and teachers at the time nevertheless felt closely connected as a community due to its relatively small size. “Even as we [grew as a] school, I didn’t notice so much a change in the level of intimacy, but a change in the level of activity,” said Jessica Liu ’04. “We were able to have more sporting teams, dances, and maybe lay the beginning foundations of school spirit.

I felt proud to be part of something new and different.”

Other alumni noted how that feeling was common among the first graduating classes. “Being part of the second graduating class felt special because we had an intimate experience with the other inaugural classes,” Julia Gitis ’03 remembered. “Even though I was in the Class of ’03, I feel close to folks in ’02 and ’04. We all kind of went through it together.”

For some students, this provided comfort as they navigated the unfamiliar territory of a new school.

“You practically knew the entire school, students and staff … whether you had classes together or not,” said Liu, who is now a clinical pharmacist. “I loved it. Coming from a large public school, this was something I’d never experienced before, and it immediately made the process of starting over at a new school less daunting.” The Class of 2002 also often took it upon themselves to make the students in grades below them feel welcome, perhaps remembering their own experiences dealing with uncertainty at a new school. “When they were juniors, they invited us sophomores to their prom,” said Gitis. “So the Class of 2003 was the only class with three proms: sophomore, junior and senior year. That was fun.”

Olivas recalled the environment his first year feeling “self-contained. Most of us taught at East Coast schools and we tried to get to know each other. We seemed kind of clique-ish at first. With time, we broke out of that and got to know the rest of the school better.”

Teachers also frequently found themselves in many roles. “We coached all the sports and ran all the clubs and chaperoned all the dances,” said Gilbert. “There was a lot of energy, because we had to do everything.

I sort of felt like I was a first-year teacher again.”

While the task of starting a high school that matched Harker’s reputation often felt monumental, educators were inspired by the Nicholses’ vision for the school as well as its students. “The thing I liked about the Nicholses’

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vision was this idea that they really believed that learning was fun,” said Gilbert, “and that engagement in class with ideas is exciting and energizing and it wasn’t this sort of mundane boring thing that you have to kind of doctor up to keep kids interested.”

Having moved to the Bay Area from Boston, Olivas originally planned to teach only for a short time before making a career change. “I … ended up enjoying teaching more than I ever had. That first year, I was having a really good time with my students and the energy was different [than on the East Coast],” he said. “I just felt better.”

Alumni have similarly vivid and fond memories of their years as Harker’s first upper school students. One in particular that Duong recalls is the beginning of an ongoing senior class tradition, the senior prank. “We took all the desks out of the classrooms and stacked them outside on the blacktops and then lined Dobbins Hall with little cups filled with water, blocking most door entrances to the classrooms,” she said. “It wasn’t crazy by any means, but it was awesome to see a math quiz being taken outside on the blacktop on those desks because they couldn’t get into their classroom.”

For many in the classes of 2003 and 2004, the departure of the first senior class in 2002 was a “a big deal,” said DeMers, who remembered doves being released to commemorate the milestone, a tradition that continues today. “Some of us joked that when … the members of the second class graduated, they’d release pigeons.”

The experimental spirit of the guinea pigs of the Class of 2002 – as well as the encouraging faculty and staff – inspired members of later classes to dream big and be daring in their own ways. “I think Harker instilled in everyone involved in those first

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years of the high school an entrepreneurial spirit and drive to do more,” said Duong. “That means our teachers were also sometimes our coaches. That our debate captain was also captain of the football team. That our student body president also took sculpture class and built our class gift. That the same students who led the Jeans Rebellion also led the class at Homecoming.”

Alumni frequently mention how the lessons learned from these experiences have been applied throughout their lives. “I felt close with my teachers and administrators,” said Gitis, who later became a teacher and now works as a product manager at Khan Academy. “They encouraged me to pursue my wacky creative ideas, like launching a video yearbook for our class. Those moments were empowering and pivotal in my growth.”

“I feel extremely lucky to have been a guinea pig, as it afforded me so many chances to step up and shape my own life and surroundings,” said Duong.

“This confidence in my own problem-solving, resourcefulness and inventiveness has helped me at every juncture in my life.”

In addition to crediting Harker with helping her develop a solid work ethic, Liu said her time at the school facilitated “some of the best relationships and friendships I have today. It gave me the opportunity to meet some of the most intelligent, passionate, caring, hard-working and honest people that I have yet to meet anywhere else.”

ere “When [the seniors] w juniors, they invited us om. ... sophomores to their pr as the So the Class of 2003 wproms: only class with three senior sophomore, junior and year. That was fun.”

— Julia Gitis ‘03

face time

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auri Vaughan begins her new job as library director in January, so it’s no surprise that books come up a lot when discussing her favorite things.

Though she wishes everyone in the world had free access to books of all kinds, and says if she’s not neck-deep in a book for a while, she knows her life is out of balance and needs attention, she also finds time to volunteer with Second Harvest Food Bank each week. At Harker, she runs the ReCreate Reading program and is on the Sustainability Committee. Oh, and she really loves her puppy, Aiko!

Why do you do what you do?

I love information. Not just books and certainly not just fiction. I love the power of information. I love searching for it and finding it. And, it’s more accessible than most people think.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

Celebrate the successes of others, large and small. It’s an indelible form of kindness that is so easy, is never disingenuous and always makes your life richer.

What gives you a reason to smile?

I am so often delighted with the questions, comments and actions of Harker kids! Often, it’s the little things they do that make me smile: ask a great question, come up with a remarkable idea, wear a brilliant costume, etc.

What is something interesting about you that almost no one knows?

I have an identical twin sister, which for the first half of my life, everyone knew because we lived together. [Now] even my closest friends don’t really know me as a sister of a twin. We are very close.

What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

Hands down, raising my son. It’s still not over, but I think he’s a pretty wonderful person and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done physically, emotionally, intellectually. But the biggest payoff, too.

Brag about something.

If there were a world series of napping, I’d win.

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fine arts

Aleecia Hui, TK “Self-Portrait”

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA

Alice Zhang, grade 1 “Rizzi Building” Stephanie Wang, grade 5 “Vase of Flowers”

Ashley Rosenband, preschool “There’s a Monster in my Book”

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arker’s visual arts program spans every grade level, helping students discover

Aryana Far, grade 12 “Sweet Suffering”

their creative gifts through academic electives and after-school activities.

Each year students create dozens of visual art pieces in a variety of media, including drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures. Many of these pieces are showcased throughout the school year via special events and displays at Harker campuses, and this gallery highlights just a few pieces from the impressive body of work. Major annual art shows for all campuses begin in April.

Smrithi Sambamurthy, grade 8 “Hungry”

Zack Weng, grade 4 “Day of the Dead Skull”

Katrina Liou, grade 12 “Addiction”

Sydney Adler, grade 8 “Duke“

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WORDS BY WILLIAM CRACRAFT WORDS BY WILLIAM CRACRAFT JACQUELINE ORRELL

Homecoming, Grand Reunion and Picnic Come Together for a Historic

125th Anniversary Weekend

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND JACQUELINE ORRELL

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND

HAR K E R MAGA Z I NE l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

In a departure from its regular programming, this year Harker held its two big fall events on the same weekend and compounded the fun by adding a Grand Reunion gathering for alumni.

Homecoming at Saratoga felt all new with the reconfigured campus, which suited the event well. Festivities started early with the opening of Harker’s Athletic Hall of Fame in the new athletic center’s Krishnamurthi Sports Gallery.

Guests were treated to hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks prior to the event, then watched as the drape was pulled, officially opening the Hall of Fame. Harker inducted three student athletes and one super fan (see page 48 for the full story).

Even as the Hall of Fame inductees were accepting their awards, fans were streaming past the windows on their way to Davis Field for the traditional pregame activities of the Eaglets fly-by, lower school cheer squad performance and the tug of war to settle third and fourth places in the spirit competition. A brief moment of silence was held for the passing of Diana Nichols, former head of school, before the coin toss.

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HOMECOMING, GRAND REUNION, PICNIC WEEKEND

Harker dominated the game against the Lobos of Elsie Allen High School, winning 56-0. Halftime activities included performances by the varsity cheer squad and Varsity Dance Troupe, as well as the tug-off in which the seniors clipped the juniors to take first place in the contest. Also at halftime, Teja Patil ’02 was given Harker’s 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award for her work as a doctor with the Palo Alto Veterans Administration and her work overseas.

The following day, Saturday, was a mixture of delight in seeing old friends and sadness in saying goodbye to Diana Nichols at her memorial. The memorial, attended by about 200, was held in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center, Nichols’ last big project before her death. (See page 33 for more.)

Following the memorial, about 50 alumni from many graduation classes gathered at the upper school to reminisce, nosh, enjoy an adult beverage and reconnect. Brian Yager, head of school, conducted tours of the new buildings and alumni were wowed and a little jealous, according to reports! The event ended early enough for alumni to enjoy an evening on the town.

Sunday was the big day for the whole community, as families poured onto the Blackford campus for one of the last few picnics on that site before the middle school moves to the Union campus in 2022. The 68th Harker Family & Alumni Picnic picked up where the 2016 picnic ended; the 2017 picnic was canceled due to the fires in Napa. This year’s theme was “Back to the Future,” in keeping with the school’s celebration of its 125th anniversary.

As always, the blacktop was jammed with booths offering games of skill, chance and fun. Attendees tried laser tag, a self-propelled ride called The Wizzer, and a trial of skill called The Hoverboard in the multipurpose room, along with various sportsrelated games. Highlights, as always, included the stage performances by various student groups, along with appearances by various administrators getting into the spirit of the day. Food trucks supplied delicious snacks on the perimeter while food booths in the center of the grounds filled bellies with classic picnic fare. It was a glorious weekend with lots to do for everyone!

Visit news.harker.org for more. To see the skit on our cover, visit https://harker. wistia.com/medias/b9l34c6tam .

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by De

impact

ueline Orrell Photo by Jacq

ashing through WORDS BY VIKKI BOWES-MOK

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY DOORDASH UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

“The funny thing is, Andy is still deeply involved in The Conservatory as his business has become an integral part of our community – tech week and auditions couldn’t happen without DoorDash!”

— Laura Lang-Ree, director of K-12 performing arts

W

hen you think about a stereotypical Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Andy Fang ’10 fits the profile – brilliant, hard-working and willing to take risks. Fang is certainly all that but also so much more.

“One of my most cherished times in high school was being part of the school musical,” he remembered with a big smile. “It was something totally outside of my comfort zone – shout out to ‘Music Man’ and ‘Les Misérables’!”

While the school musical was a favorite memory, Fang also excelled in academics and student council, where he served as student body president.

One of his favorite classes was an advanced computer science course in neural networks, before it was a well-known concept, and one that he appreciates being exposed to a few years before it became mainstream.

“Andy was the kind of student that any teacher loves to have.

I tended to push Andy to always give me his best efforts, even in the simplest of assignments,” remembered Eric Nelson, upper school computer science department chair, who had Fang three years in a row. “He was bright and applied himself, but still needed a mentor to help him reach his full potential.”

And reach that potential he has. Fang is a co-founder of the ever-popular company DoorDash, which he started with Stanford University classmates Evan Moore, Stanley Tang and

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by Harker Arch Photo provided

Photo b y Jacqu eline Orr ell

Life

DoorDash founder Andy Fang ’10 stretched beyond his comfort zone at Harker and in life

Tony Xu. Fang and Tang were named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in the category Consumer Technology in 2016.

The four started the company as Palo Alto Delivery when they were still students at Stanford. After talking to local restaurant owners about their biggest challenges, they realized that delivery was an issue they could help solve.

In the early days, the company delivered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fang helped deliver the first couple of hundred orders on the platform.

Palo Alto Delivery became DoorDash and the startup was backed by Y Combinator, all before Fang graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2014. Growing up, Fang actually didn’t want to attend Stanford, since it was so close to home, but his passion for computer science and understanding that Silicon Valley was the hub of innovation and entrepreneurship led him to become a Cardinal.

use cases such as grocery, with our recently announced Walmart partnership. I’m excited to see how we’ll continue to grow and mature our logistics network.”

As Fang looks toward a bright future, he remembers his days at Harker with a genuine fondness.

“And the funny thing is, Andy is still deeply involved in The Conservatory as his business has become an integral part of our community – tech week and auditions couldn’t happen without DoorDash!” laughed Laura Lang-Ree, director of K-12 performing arts. “I love to think he’s still a part of the family that way!”

Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.

His decision was clearly the right one, since he studied hard, learned well and met his future business partners there.

DoorDash has raised $971.8 million in funding, but that’s just the beginning.

“There’s still a lot for us to accomplish at DoorDash. Our vision from day one was always to build a last-mile logistics platform to service any local commerce use case,” said Fang from his San Francisco office. “We’ve primarily been doing that with restaurant food so far, but we’re expanding to other H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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performing arts

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND MARIA GONG

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t was another season of firsts for upper school performing arts, as the fall play made its debut at the Patil Theater with a production of Thornton Wilder’s slice-of-life classic “Our Town.” Later in the season, upper school vocal groups Bel Canto, Cantilena, Camerata, Acoustics and SUS4 (formerly Guys’ Gig) got together for the annual Winter Choral Concert, also for the first time at the Patil Theater. Middle and upper school performing arts groups were featured at the annual Santana Row Tree Lighting Ceremony, where the upper school’s Downbeat, Kinetic Krew and JV and varsity dance troupes were joined by the middle school’s High Voltage, Dance Fusion and Showstoppers for a spirited holiday celebration. At this year’s Family & Alumni Picnic, the lunchtime show featuring lower, middle and upper school performers was a midday delight for this year’s attendees.

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WORDS BY MARLA HOLT PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY THE HARKER ARCHIVES

HOME

Sweet SCHOOL

For more than a century, the boarding program was like a family to students

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rom 1893 to 2002, Harker’s boarding program was integral to its commitment to academic excellence and personal character development.

From eating family-style meals and watching TV in the rec room to Bear Valley skiing trips and getting ready for school dances, the shared experiences of Harker boarders had the power to transform young lives.

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HOME SWEET SCHOOL

the mid-1950s when it became the Harker Day School. In 1972, PAMA and the Harker Day School merged and moved to San Jose to become the Harker Academy, which offered a boysonly boarding program until 1974. At that time, the boarding program became coeducational and phased out kindergarten through grade 5 boarding while continuing to offer boarding for students in grades 6-8.

“We learned from each other – through mistakes, drama, triumphs, laughter and tears,” said Wendy Tsai ’04, one of Harker’s last boarders from 2000 to 2002. Ji-won (Choi) Song ’96, who boarded in 1994-95, agreed, noting that “we built strong friendships and learned to be independent at an early age.”

Harker welcomed boarders from its earliest days as Manzanita Hall and Miss Harker’s School for Girls, when college preparatory students lived under the same roof as teachers and administrators. Handbooks from both schools referred to the boarding program as home, with students expected to “observe the ordinary courtesies of a private home” and to have the “advantage of being members of a family.” Rooms were comfortably furnished and each school was governed by a “spirit which brings about obedience to authority and an honest effort to do what is right without compulsion.”

Like Harker itself, the boarding program underwent several changes during its 109-year history. Manzanita Hall became the Palo Alto Military Academy (PAMA) in 1919 and boarded cadets in grades 1-9. Miss Harker’s dropped its boarding program in

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During the 1980s and 1990s, Harker housed roughly 100 to 120 boarders annually, many of whom were local students with parents who traveled frequently for business. The number of international student boarders gradually increased from about 20 percent to more than 80 percent, resulting in a greater emphasis on supporting ESL learners and a need for comprehensive weekend programming.

Harker’s last boarding students were admitted in 1998-99, the same academic year that the upper school was launched on the Saratoga campus. Only four boarders remained in the program when it closed on June 6, 2002, to accommodate Harker’s expanding upper school program.

All told, the boarding program served about 1,377 school-year boarders and 2,100 summer boarders. The students’ daily needs – from meals to academics to social and recreational activities to health care and haircuts – were met by caring, dedicated and capable staff members who acted in loco parentis. Many of the staff were coaches, teachers and bus drivers by day who lived in the dorms at night.

Joe Rosenthal, who was boarding director from 1991 to 2002 (later executive director of advancement and now executive director of strategic initiatives), noted that boarders learned the skills of independence and self-reliance, as well as appreciation of the importance of kindness in themselves and others.

“Harker felt more like a family than a school.

There was a strong sense of inclusivity despite the wide range of ages, interests and diverse nationalities that were represented in students all living together in close quarters.”

“I have the greatest respect for the ability to make good choices. boarding students,” Rosenthal said in “The social skills and self-sufficiency that I a 2002 survey of former house parents developed in the Harker boarding program and dorm directors conducted at the have continued to be invaluable in my closing of the boarding program. “I am a adult life,” Jarvis said. “The interactions and – William Jarvis ‘97 much better person because of what I have conversations I had with my peers and program seen these children do – the expressions of staff taught me a lot about life that I would not have friendship and kindnesses they’ve shown to each other. learned in a purely academic environment.”

Only if one lived it would one be able to know how meaningful and important the boarders have been to each other.”

Day-to-day life in the boarding program reflected that of private To celebrate the history of this beloved home for many students, family homes. Boarders were expected to contribute to the we looked back at daily life for Harker boarders, particularly dorm’s upkeep by tidying their rooms and cleaning the common those who lived on the Saratoga campus. areas. White-glove inspections – especially when Howard Nichols, Harker’s president from 1973 to 2005, was expected to A genuine sense of family developed among the students and visit the dormitories – were conducted by house parents, with staff members in Harker’s boarding program, said William Jarvis students competing for the Cleanest Room and Best Decorated ’97, who boarded from 1995 to 1997.

Room awards given out at the annual Boarding Banquet.

JUST LIKE HOME

WE ARE FAMILY

“Harker felt more like a family than a school,” he said. “There was a strong sense of inclusivity despite the wide range of ages, interests and diverse nationalities that were represented in students all living together in close quarters.”

Some boarders were better at cleaning than others, recalled Katherine Lo, weekday girls’ house parent. “My most lasting memory was the day that I was finally able to see the floor of Debora Yim’s [’04] room!”

As in most families, the boarding program had high expectations for its students – illustrated by a clear system of behavioral rules and regulations, which served to foster a kind, respectful and positive environment.

But life as a Harker boarder wasn’t all work and no play. The rec room was a popular hangout spot for playing foosball, air hockey and Ping-Pong. Watching TV was allowed only after homework was done and not past 8 p.m. on school nights. Marta Marraccini ’84, the last boarder to live at Harker from kindergarten through eighth grade, recalled a memorable viewing of the last episode of M.A.S.H. “There wasn’t one dry eye,” she said.

“I treasured the trust that parents placed in our program and staff,” said Pam Dickinson, Harker’s weekend program director from 1989 to 2001, when she became the director of the Office of Communication. “It was an honor, privilege and duty to take care of their children as if they were our own (and they felt like they were). We nurtured, cared for, loved and disciplined the children as needed to help them grow into responsible, kind and considerate adults.”

Both the boarding program’s structure – including supervised study time and organized recreational activities – and the independence-building freedom of living apart from their nuclear families helped boarders develop resiliency and the

Other popular activities included playing basketball and capture the flag, pool parties, movie marathons, Thursday night barbecues, nighttime sports in the gym, talent shows and special events like Monte Carlo night. Over the years, Maj. Donald Nichols’ dogs – Ajax, Babo, Klute and Dutch – were unofficial school mascots and provided love and attention to the boarders during the 23 years Nichols worked at Harker.

“Dutch, a 140-pound mastiff, had the run of the dorms and campus. At night, he slept in any room he wanted where the door

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“In most families, there are a limited number of adults to whom a child can turn for advice and guidance.

Our boarding students had their pick of thoughtful, caring adults in their lives.”

– Pam Dickinson, weekend boarding director, now Office of Communication director

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HOME SWEET SCHOOL

was not firmly latched,” recalled Dan Gelineau in the 2002 survey of boarding staff. Gelineau went on to be assistant head of school for nonacademic affairs before he retired in 2002.

He passed away in 2015.

I don’t know how they did it, and always with so much energy!”

“The program went far to take care of every kid – one by one. Whenever I think about the Harker boarding life and all the great people I was with, it leaves a lifelong smile in me.”

On Sunday mornings, many students worked at the Harker Café, an imitation Hard Rock Café at which students learned the life skills of cooking and serving food.

Outfitted in T-shirts and aprons, they took orders and made eggs, bacon and fried rice for their friends (and occasionally teachers).

While boarding students were expected to study and read on their own as part of their academic endeavors, staff members also regularly read stories aloud. Jeff – Toku Chen ’92 Haugaard, boarding program director from 1976 to 1981, hosted Uncle Haugaard’s Many boarders have fond memories story hour in the rec room. While the older kids of holiday celebrations, including making were in study hall, he’d read stories to the younger kids Halloween costumes (that were later used in skits and – in pajamas and robes – before bed. Later that night, he’d read plays), baking Christmas cookies and watching “It’s a Wonderful the same stories over the intercom to the sixth through ninth Life” at Terry and Pat Walsh’s home. Cutting down and decorating a graders as they prepared for bed. “I enjoyed hearing them say Christmas tree for the dining room was particularly fun.

‘Goodnight, Unc,’ as they closed their doors,” Haugaard said in “One year there was a huge beehive in the tree,” Marraccini recalled. the 2002 survey.

“You never saw Jeff [Haugaard] move so fast. The kids were running Cindy Ellis, house parent, later middle school division head, who and screaming. Later we found an even better tree, cut it down and retired in 2018, recalls that reading once helped calm students went back to the dorm like warriors after the battle.” after an earthquake. “I had them buddy up in the bunk beds so The night before break, everyone that all 18 girls were in just four rooms,” gathered in the rec room to drink she said. “I sat in the hallway and read eggnog and listen to Howard Nichols to them until they were finally able to read “The Night Before Christmas” sleep.” while a video fire played on the TV House parents nursed boarders and and Gelineau played the accordion. patched up cuts and bruises. Terry The house parents made sure each Walsh, house parent, later assistant child had a gift to open. librarian and archivist, who retired in “In most families, there are a limited 2014, recalls keeping a small supply of number of adults to whom a child chicken noodle soup and saltines on can turn for advice and guidance,” hand for emergencies. “I offered burnt Dickinson said. “Our boarding toast and weak tea to anyone I thought students had their pick of thoughtful, was faking it,” she said. caring adults in their lives.”

“The staff cared passionately about A boarding program based only on our whole well-being, from getting a principles, philosophy, values and decent haircut to having enough time budgets is not likely to be successful. to play video games and experience Though Harker certainly had all of nature,” said Toku Chen ’92, who those things, it also understood that boarded in 1991-92. Jarvis agreed, a boarding program had to be about family. noting that the staff created a “comfortable social environment where you could simply be a goofy kid and feel free to express “Children watch, observe, learn, feel, emulate and absorb the yourself.” character and values of the adults,” Chen said. “The boarding program represented a remarkable team that shared and Students boarded at Harker for five or seven days a week. exhibited the same values, passion and care for others. The Weekends were more casual and often included excursions program went far to take care of every kid – one by one. to Santa Cruz, Pier 39, Roaring Camp and Great America, and Whenever I think about the Harker boarding life and all the great activities like hiking, camping, bowling, shopping and skating. people I was with, it leaves a lifelong smile in me.”

Harker’s weekend program made the school unique, Song said.

“The staff did an amazing job creating a fun and nurturing Contributing researcher: Cindy Ellis. program – the trips to San Francisco, malls, dinners, dance parties. Marla Holt is a freelance writer based in Minnesota.

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iddle school chemistry and physics teacher Rajasree Swaminathan has found balance in her life.

Firmly planted in the STEM world, first as an engineer and then as a teacher, she has an equal passion for art, sketching and painting to relax, rejuvenate and deepen her teaching. Justly proud of many things, Swaminathan revels in her volunteer work with art and pediatric cancer organizations, her Harker students, and her son, Ashvin ’13, a Harker valedictorian and Harvard graduate.

What one piece of advice you would offer anyone who asks?

Respect all, fear none and compete with only oneself. The “fear none” part is hard to do.

What gives you a reason to smile?

When I see my students walk into class asking me what we are doing today, and when I reply, they yell, “Yes!”

What are you obsessed with?

Health. Being a cancer survivor and having retinoschisis in one eye, I’m into smoothies, super foods, supplements and exercise.

What is something you would love to do so much that you would be OK with failing at it?

One of my dreams is to write illustrated science books with which I can teach young kids basic science concepts through pictures. I have started by illustrating chemistry elements as female characters.

I’ve already completed the illustrations for 22 elements; 96 more to go!

What helps you persevere when you feel like giving up?

In spite of many setbacks in my life, I persevere because I never want to be in a position later on in my life when I would say, “If only I had tried again.”

Where is the one place in the world that you like to escape to?

My home, where I can quietly sit and paint.

Rajasree Swaminathan 32

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In Memoriam

Diana Nichols March 25, 1942 - Sept. 2, 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY THE HARKER ARCHIVES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Photo by Jacqueline Orrell

Photo by Lori Rose

o our great sorrow, educator, environmentalist, philanthropist and business leader Diana Nichols passed away in September. To learn more about her life and passions, please explore the links below.

Mrs. Nichols’ memorial program https://bit.ly/2rcEvjJ Memorial article in Harker News https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9yq Report of passing in Harker News https://wp.me/pOeLQ-9ug Video of Mrs. Nichols’ memorial service https://bit.ly/2TY64uf Mrs. Nichols’ obituary as published in the Monterey Herald and The Mercury News https://bit.ly/2P6nqRW H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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impact

A Sense of s a college student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Estelle Charlu Willie ’05 had a front-row seat when President Obama’s Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. It was a pivotal moment for her, and altered how she wanted to make an impact in the world.

“Growing up, I wanted to be a doctor, because I wanted a meaningful and fulfilling career,” Willie remembered. “But one of my professors in college suggested a course in public health, where I delved into health policy, including the many nuances of the health reform debate that resulted in the Affordable Care Act. It made me shift gears, because I realized that I could make an impact through a different route.”

Willie had made an impact at Harker too, through excellent academics, student council and the performing arts program, where she earned a Conservatory Certificate in musical theater.

“Estelle was a beloved performer and you could literally see her excitement and love for being on stage,” said Laura Lang-Ree, director of K-12 performing arts. “She had the best work ethic, and you always wanted her big heart, commitment and talent in any production.”

WORDS BY VIKKI BOWES-MOK PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY ESTELLE CHARLU WILLIE ‘05 AND THE HARKER ARCHIVES

“She has a heart as big as her brain, and I could see that emerging when she was just a youngster.”

—Pat Walsh, retired teacher

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Willie started early on stage as a flower girl in the musical “Annie” when she was in junior kindergarten. She caught the eye of teacher Jeanne Davey, who directed the kindergarten musicals, when she had to improvise on stage when another actress forgot her cue. In kindergarten, Willie went on to play a leading role as Anastasia, one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters.

“It was a role that was out of character for her, since she was one of the kindest and most thoughtful kids I ever worked with,” remembers former lower school teacher Pat Walsh, whose son Kevin played Prince Charming in the same play. “She has a heart as big as her brain, and I could see that emerging when she was just a youngster.”

Willie went on to do it all – from dance and show choir to dramas and musicals. She treasured her time onstage and understands that the breadth of her experience has taken her far.

While she sang and danced her way through high school, she was also a focused and hard-working student.

“She was a tremendous writer who was passionate about everything she set out to do,” said history teacher Cyrus Merrill.

“I am not surprised to hear that she has found herself in a public

Purpose

Alumna uses her head and big heart to make an impact

policy-related career trying to make a greater impact on society or social justice issues.”

One of Willie’s clients is Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, who is working tirelessly to promote civic engagement through grassroots efforts that support trustworthy journalism, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans and military families. Newmark recently help launch The Markup, a news site that will use a data-driven approach to investigate technology and its effect on society, with a $20 million gift.

This type of impact is what drives Willie every day.

“My path wasn’t linear, but all the choices I’ve made have helped shape where I am today,” she said from her office in New York City. “A broad education makes a huge difference, but I would also urge Harker students to take advantage of extracurriculars.

They help you develop intrinsic leadership skills that will take you far and cultivate friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Photo by Ryan and Heidi Browne

One of the ways she is shaping our world is through her work at Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading global public relations firms. Willie is a leader in the social impact practice, where she works with purpose-driven brands and organizations to raise global awareness of urgent social issues and mobilize support among policymakers, the media and the public.

Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.

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Back

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school

WORDS BY JENNIFER MARAGONI PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND PROVIDED BY THE ALUMNI OR HARKER ARCHIVES

Harker alumni return to campus as faculty, staff

ust 13 years ago, Kathy Peng ’05 was a student in Anita Chetty’s Human Anatomy and Physiology class. Now they are colleagues.

Peng, middle school science department chair, is one of more than a dozen Harker graduates who work at the school. In the past there have been a handful of fulltime and many more part-time alumni who have returned to campus to teach, coach or freelance.

“I still remember her class vividly,” said Peng of Chetty, upper school science department chair. “I am honored to be able to continue learning from her and now be her colleague.”

KATHY PENG ’05

Now in her fifth year of teaching at Harker, Peng initially pursued a career in neuroscience – contributing to research on epilepsy, sleep, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression – before realizing her calling was in the classroom, not a research lab. She enrolled in the Stanford Teacher Education Program and said she is “grateful to have found such a rewarding profession.”

Peng knew she wanted to work with middle schoolers, and her friends and family encouraged her to apply for an opening at Harker. In addition to being the department chair, she currently teaches eighth grade biology and mentors students in the science research program. She says being a Harker graduate gives her a unique connection with students and families.

“They know that I bring to my job an additional layer of understanding of what it means to be educated at Harker,” she explained.

Peng had a deep love of learning as a student and brings a refreshing approach to teaching, Chetty said. Working together is “a chance to come full circle,” she added.

KIM WONG ’05

“What a compliment it is to our school that alumni would choose to build their careers in service to Harker,” Chetty continued. “Our faculty are known for caring deeply about their students and striving to give so much of themselves to our students. Our alumni well understand what good teaching and learning looks like because they saw it in their teachers. They already bring with them firsthand experience of being the recipient of dedication to one’s craft and a lifelong love of learning.”

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BACK TO SCHOOL

Although Harker has grown since Peng was a student, she says the “culture of excellence” has remained consistent – and that is largely what drew her back.

“Harker has such an amazing student body and faculty and staff,” Peng said.

“I am surrounded by excellence, and that is inspiring.”

Other alumni-turned-employees echo that sentiment.

“There are so many amazing things about working at Harker,” said upper school economics teacher Sam Lepler ’96, who joined the faculty in 2010. “The students are top of the list. They are funny, diligent, intelligent and just all-around fun people to be around. … My colleagues are brilliant, kind, professional and hard-working. I am honored to be part of a highly talented faculty team.

“Of course, the lunches are amazing too,” Lepler added SAM with a grin.

LEPLER ’96

Lepler currently teaches AP Economics and Advanced Topics in WORDS BY

MARLA HOLT PHOTO38 GRAPHS HA R K E R MAGA Z I NE l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

“They already bring with them firsthand experience of being the recipient of dedication to one’s craft and a lifelong love of learning.”

—Anita Chetty, science department chair

Economics: Game Theory, and oversees Oeconomia, the extracurricular arm of Harker economics. In addition to being a Harker alumnus and teacher, he is also a Harker parent (Maya, kindergarten).

“I am thrilled to complete the circuit and share my alum status with my own family,” he said.

The journey back Different paths have led alumni back to Harker, but all agree there is something special about working at their alma mater. They fondly remember attending Harker as students and are grateful for the opportunity to return as employees.

“I love the sense of community that Harker embraces, and many of my favorite memories come from this wonderful place. …

There is such a feeling of nostalgia,” beamed Grace Wallace ’95, who teaches

first grade and is the department chair for grades 1 and 2. She attended Harker from kindergarten through eighth grade.

(Harker did not have an upper school at that time.)

Wallace’s path back to Harker was fairly direct. While in high school, she was a summer camp counselor, and during college, she served as a summer aide and worked on the BEST staff. In August 2005, just a few months after graduating from college, she joined the Harker faculty, where she since has taught kindergarten through third grade.

“I have not worked anywhere else,” she said.

“I love this place!”

While it was the California sunshine that lured human resources manager Marissa Lucketti ’90 back to the area after college, it was her fond memories of Harker and the school’s stellar reputation that prompted her to apply for a job. “If you were a San Jose native, you knew that Harker Academy (as I knew it) was synonymous with excellence,” said Lucketti, who joined the staff in 2000. “Who wouldn’t want to work somewhere that had (and still has) a reputation for excellence?”

Daniel Cho ’11

Although Lucketti only attended Harker for first through third grade, she said she has always felt very connected to Harker and is grateful to work at the place that provided such

MARISSA LUCKETTI ’90 wonderful childhood memories. Her brother, Matt Ortiz ’88, also works at Harker, as a shipping and receiving associate.

Keri Clifford ’13, who joined the faculty this year as a second grade teacher, can’t remember a time when Harker wasn’t a part of her life. Her parents met while working at Harker, and her grandmother (the sister of Diana Nichols) was head of the finance office and now serves on the board of trustees. Since high school, Clifford has worked at Harker’s summer program, and during college she was the assistant coach for the girls water polo team. She is also the first official “lifer” on the faculty, having attended Harker from junior kindergarten through grade 12.

“Harker has always been a part of my family,” she said, adding that she is grateful to work alongside “amazing, passionate

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BACK TO SCHOOL

teachers who are always trying to innovate and improve their teaching. I am also constantly inspired by our Harker students, who arrive every day ready to learn.”

Lepler’s path back to Harker was more circuitous. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in economics and minored in Japanese and Spanish. He taught in English in rural Japan for two years before returning to the Bay Area to earn his teaching credential. A chance meeting with former Harker economics teacher Pete Itokazu at a professional development conference led him back to Harker, he explained.

“I was teaching at Santa Clara High School and really establishing myself there,” he said. “[Pete and I] bonded for a week and he convinced me to just come for an interview at Harker.”

The rest is history.

KERI CLIFFORD Daniel Cho ’11

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Lepler calls it an honor and a privilege to give back to the school that gave him so much, explaining that he enrolled at Harker in middle school, after experiencing significant bullying at his previous ’13 school.

HA R K E R MAGA Z I NE l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

“Harker’s welcoming environment full of kind students and caring teachers literally turned my life around,” he said. “I will be grateful to Harker for the rest of my life.”

Middle school history teacher Karan Lodha ’04 says the supportive Harker community was a huge factor in his decision to pursue teaching and join the Harker faculty. He is excited to help his students learn and grow, much like his teachers did for him.

After graduating from college in 2008, Lodha held a variety of jobs in the technology industry, but he was looking for a way to contribute more to society. He had often thought about teaching and, while exploring KARAN LODHA this possibility, he reached out to several of his former Harker teachers, who arranged for him to shadow several teachers on campus. One thing led to another and Lodha landed a long-term sub position at the middle school during the 2016-17 school year. Last year, he was hired as a full-time teacher at the middle school, where he has taught both math and history.

“I’ve been fortunate to teach multiple subjects at the middle school. However, what I’ve learned through that experience is that much of what we do as teachers of this age group is model how to be kind, thoughtful and productive human beings – that is, demonstrate how to develop the skills and personality traits that will help our students become forces for good no matter what they go on to do,” he said. “The curriculum and the content can be rich and rewarding, but the true joy of the teaching profession comes from watching these young adults mature and become unique individuals as the year goes on.”

Jennifer Gargano, assistant head of school for academic affairs,

’04

“If you can dream it, and the students want it, it can happen. [This] makes pushing yourself professionally and intellectually incredibly rewarding.”

—Sam Lepler ‘96

said it is that mindset that makes Harker alumni such effective teachers. “I have been a particular advocate of hiring alumni and working with the alumni office to better notify our alumni of teaching positions,” Gargano said, explaining that while all employees must have strong qualifications, alumni have “inherent benefits.”

“They come in with a strong work ethic, are well-rounded, and understand Harker’s high standards for teaching and engagement,” she said. “Moreover, they understand the school culture and the importance we place on teachers working closely with students to be their best selves, not only academically but also social-emotionally and with regards to character.”

Green lights ahead A key part of Harker’s mission is to instill a love of learning in its students. So, it’s no wonder that alumni employees seize opportunities to continue to learn and grow – a mindset strongly supported by the administration.

I truly feel like I’m part of a teaching community, which makes the experience incredibly fulfilling.”

Unique challenges One of the unique challenges alumni face when returning to their alma mater is getting used to working alongside their former teachers and addressing them by their first names.

“Do I call them by their first name or do I address them in the manner in which the students do?” wondered Wallace when she first began teaching at Harker.

Recent graduate Molly Wancewicz ’17, a sophomore at Rice University in Houston and Harker’s youngest alumni employee, said adjusting to this new dynamic was a bit challenging.

“It was an awkward transition from a position of student to that of an employee,” said Wancewicz, who was hired on as an assistant coach for Harker’s speech and debate

“If you can dream it, and the students want it, it can happen,” said Lepler, explaining that Harker readily gives its faculty the “green light” to explore their passions. “[This] makes pushing yourself professionally and intellectually incredibly rewarding.”

Wallace agrees, adding that as an alumna, “The best part is that I know the resources available to me and I want to provide the same quality of education to my students that I received when I attended.”

Since joining the faculty, Lodha said he has taken valuable professional development courses and workshops. However, he adds, “the greatest resource for me has been my colleagues at Harker. I couldn’t even begin to list the tens of individuals who have welcomed me into their classrooms, provided me with lesson plans, offered a suggestion on a particular technique, or just been kind and supportive when I needed it most,” he said. “For many, teaching can be a lonely profession, with hours and hours spent with your face buried in stacks of paper. However, at Harker,

MOLLY WANCEWICZ ’17

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team just after graduation. “Even simple things, like calling former teachers by their first names, felt odd.”

But Wancewicz didn’t let a little awkwardness deter her from pursuing a job at Harker. When her schedule allows, she flies to tournaments where she meets up with the team and provides on-site coaching. She also does research remotely, and when she returns home to San Jose in the summer, she does administrative work on campus and helps coach the middle school debate team.

Wancewicz now coaches students who were once her classmates, an “interesting dynamic” that she said allows her to be more effective as a coach.

“Debate can be stressful and emotionally taxing, so debate coaching often involves encouragement and being understanding of the unique anxieties that emerge at debate tournaments,” she explained. “Being close in age to students and having experienced many of the same things allows me to do this more successfully.”

Lodha says that while it took some time to get used to thinking of his former teachers as colleagues, it is “incredibly fulfilling” to work alongside them. He currently works with his former advisor, middle school division head Evan Barth, and former basketball coach, Jeremiah Brewer, among others.

“Working with these dedicated individuals to help make our students’ lives better - I couldn’t ask for a better experience!” he said.

Clifford agrees. “They are so welcoming and they continue to mentor me and share their years of wisdom,” she said.

“Plus, the kids love learning that we shared some of the same teachers – like Cindy Proctor, who was actually my first grade teacher!”

BACK TO SCHOOL

“Harker has always been a part of my family. I am grateful to work alongside amazing, passionate teachers who are always trying to innovate and improve their teaching.”

— Keri Clifford ’13

The more things change …

While many of Harker’s attributes and traditions have remained constant over the years, some things about the school have changed dramatically – most notably, its size.

“It’s much bigger now in terms of student body and also the number of campuses,” marveled Peng, who was a member of the fourth class to graduate from the upper school.

Both Wallace and Lucketti also noted that the uniforms have changed. “The girls uniforms are a lot cuter now,” Lucketti quipped.

When Lucketti, Lepler and Wallace attended Harker in the 1980s and 90s, it was a K-8 school with only one campus.

Since then, the upper school was added, the boarding program was closed, three additional campuses were acquired and numerous buildings and amenities have sprung up – including Davis Field, the Singh Aquatic Center and, most recently, the Rothschild Performing Arts Center and the new athletic center.

“Nichols Hall sits on the field that I used to play Ultimate Frisbee on,” Lepler reminisced. “The school is a whole lot bigger and more comprehensive, so in many ways it’s completely different. … But the caring, kind and intellectually stimulating culture has not changed a bit.”

Jennifer Maragoni is a freelance writer and editor based in Folsom.

There are currently nine teachers, four full-time staff and one division head who attended Harker. The teachers: Keri Clifford ‘13, Mark Gelineau ‘90, Sam Lepler ‘96, Eric Leonard ‘94, Karan Lodha ‘04, Kristin Morgensen ‘93, Kathy Peng ‘05, Elise Robichaud ‘84 and Grace Wallace ‘95. The staff: Danielle Holquin ‘95, Marissa Lucketti ‘90, Matt Ortiz ‘88 and Troy Townzen ‘08. And the division head: Kristin Giammona ‘81.

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face time

K

aren Glovka teaches Spanish at the lower school, but her classroom isn’t the only place she utilizes her language skills. She teaches Spanish-speaking children through her church, and often helps Hispanic immigrant families understand the ins and outs of public school. She also teaches in Harker’s ELI program each summer. And to aid her Harker students with oral comprehension, she wrote a series of stories featuring her 16-year-old cat, Chiquita. Read on to learn more about this caring and fun teacher.

What are two things you like to do when you have a block of free time?

Reading and watching Turner Classic Movies – always with a good cup of coffee for both.

Why do you do what you do?

I’m from inner-city San Francisco. Many of my school friends could not read, even in middle school while I was consuming novels. A teacher encouraged me to help others with their schoolwork. As they made progress, I was very excited to watch them learn. It’s why I am a teacher.

What is the biggest risk you have taken in your life?

In 1985 I went to teach with a church group in Cali, Colombia. It wasn’t a safe place, but I had seven fulfilling years there.

What gives you a reason to smile?

Kid logic and funny stories. I have a rather quirky, “Far Side” kind of humor.

Where in the world are you the happiest?

Most Thursday nights I’m at choir practice.

Music makes me very happy!

For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

I was diagnosed with a severe hip problem at an early age.

The first doctors said I would never walk. Thanks to skilled surgeons and continued improvement in treatment, I walk, and I am very grateful.

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passion

Alumnus found his love of archaeology in the Dutch countryside WORDS BY VIKKI BOWES-MOK PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY JACOB BONGERS ‘07

“Jacob is simply one of the most dedicated, bright and hardworking young scholars that I have ever known.”

—Charles Stanish, director and professor emeritus at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA

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When Jacob Bongers ’07 was a young boy, he would visit his grandfather in Geleen, The Netherlands, and they would trek to ancient Roman sites in southern Holland and France.

“During these trips, I marveled at the Roman architecture and developed a deep interest in making archaeological discoveries to learn more about the past,” remembered Bongers with a smile. “The relationship between my grandfather and me was absolutely critical for developing my passion for archaeology.”

Bongers is grateful to have realized his passion so young and has taken that curiosity to the highest levels of academia as he prepares to receive his Ph.D. in archaeology from UCLA. When Bongers joined Harker in high school, he had to adapt to the academic rigor, but his focus on archaeology remained steady.

He was determined to gain some hands-on experience, so he searched online for opportunities. He found a dig on the Archaeological Institute of America website and immediately knew he had to participate. So when he was 16 years old, he packed up his bags and went to Portugal to work on a Roman site near the border of Spain.

“It was the first time I’d traveled by myself and I was so excited,” said Bongers with energy bubbling from his voice. “I absolutely loved the experience – meeting people, exploring the site and uncovering the past.”

As he ponders his past, he reflects about how important it is to remain open to all opportunities, listen deeply to what brings you joy and not feel pressured to choose the “right path.”

“When I went to USC, I majored in archaeology, but I minored in game design, and I’m so glad I did

HA R K E R MAGA Z I NE l FA L L/W I N T E R 2018

Track photos by Jaap Bongers

that,” said Bongers. “Every experience you have helps shape the person you become, so always explore and be open because you never know what will ignite your passion.”

His intellectual curiosity and passion for archaeology put him on a path that has led him around the world. He has field experience in Portugal, Chile, Peru and Ethiopia, and he even met his wife, Ioana Dumitru, on a dig in Oman.

“Jacob is simply one of the most dedicated, bright and hard-working young scholars that I have ever known,” said Charles Stanish, director and professor emeritus at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA. “He does not posture or play games; he loves intellectual debate and is open and extremely generous with colleagues.”

Bongers’ academic career started at USC, where he received his B.A. in interdisciplinary archaeology, summa cum laude, in 2011. After a few digs and some soul searching, he landed at UCLA to work on his master’s and now Ph.D. He won four extramural grants at the beginning of his graduate career in 2013: a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, National Geographic Young Explorers Grant and a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid. “There is no question that he will be at the top of his field in a very short time,” said Stanish. “With most students, it is necessary to push them to think more broadly; with Jacob, we actually had to reel in some of his enthusiasm to focus on more manageable topics.”

As Bongers is putting the final touches on his dissertation, he is pondering his next step but has the gift of focus that will help guide him.

Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.

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sports

4666 HAR H AR K E KR EMAGA R MAGA Z I NE Z I NEl FA l LS L/W P RI NI NG/S T E UM R 2018 M E R 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA

D

Photo provided by Brighid Wood

uring the fall athletic season, some highflying Eagles continued to soar, while others made comebacks. The middle school golf team won its 12th WBAL title out of the last 13 tournaments, with Claire Chen, grade 8, winning the individual championship, while the middle school boys grade 7/8 cross country team took second in the WBAL. The lower school JVB flag football team was co-league champs in the WBAL. At the upper school, the girls varsity volleyball team took second in CCS on its way to a berth in the NorCal tournament, while the girls water polo team was the league tournament champ and co-league champ for just the second time in school history. The girls golf team was the league and league tournament champ, finishing second in CCS and seventh in NorCal, with Natalie Vo, grade 10, representing Harker at state, finishing in a tie for No. 28. Go Eagles!

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WORDS BY WILLIAM CRACRAFT

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND JACQUELINE ORRELL

L A R U I N AU GL O F FA M E H A L E S E XC E L E D R A AW AT ATH L ETI C S, S C I M E ACA D D L I F E AN

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rior to the Homecoming game, a few of Harker’s finest athletes, along with their friends and families, gathered for the opening of the Harker Athletic Hall of Fame in the Krishnamurthi Sports Gallery in the recently opened athletic center. When the display was revealed, four names were inscribed on the wall: three Harker athletes and one super fan, Phyllis Carley.

Mrs. Carley started her Harker career in 1952 in Palo Alto as a driver, shuttling local students to school, and became secretary to the head of school; her contribution to campus life went far beyond her desk. She was a staunch supporter of Harker athletics for more than 50 years and, even after retiring, she was one of the program’s biggest fans.

She passed away in 2009.

Phyllis Carley

“She gave of her time endlessly to the school. She was first in the door and many times last to leave.

She believed in the joy of watching young people develop,” said Mike Bassoni, facilities director, who has been with Harker for more than 30 years.

It says a lot about the school that the inaugural group would include someone who was never a student at Harker, and never wore Harker colors on the field, but who represents the school’s spirit.

e e of her tim as v a g ] y e l r w “[Mrs. Ca hool. She c s e h t st o t ny times la a endlessly m d n a r doo the joy of in first in the d e v ie l e he b e develop.” to leave. S l p o e p g n ou watching faycilities director – Mike Bass

oni,

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HALL OF FAME

dness n i k e m in nstilled thers, and i r e k r a “H ect for oo do and to be p s e r d n a ed me t ally and challeng both academic my best ally.” athletic ich ’02 – Ad a m

Vucurev

“She always seemed to be on the lookout for the kid(s) who needed an extra dose of attention that day,” said teacher Pat Walsh, who retired in 2017 and worked with Mrs. Carley for more than 30 years.

Mrs. Carley’s love for the school and its athletes earned her this posthumous induction into the new Hall of Fame. Equally, the Harker athletes selected have demonstrated far more than athletic ability, earning academic honors and working hard for success and satisfaction in their professional lives.

Tanya Schmidt ’08 Tanya Schmidt ’08, the most recent graduate, was a four-year starter on Harker’s varsity girls volleyball team. In 2007, she led the team into Harker history with a series of firsts, including being on the first Harker team to compete at the state championships. She was California Division IV State MVP that year. Schmidt went on to a stellar volleyball career at Santa Clara University, then played two years of pro volleyball in Europe.

Beyond athletics, Schmidt was a National Merit finalist and an AP Scholar with Honor, and served as president of a service club while at Harker. At SCU, she was named a regional finalist to interview for a Rhodes scholarship and graduated summa cum laude. Schmidt was awarded the Saint Clare Medal, which recognizes a student who embodies the university’s ideals of “competence, conscience and compassion,” given to the female graduate judged “outstanding in academic performance (and) personal character.”

Having completed her master’s degree, she is now pursuing a doctorate at New York University.

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Jason Martin ’07 Jason Martin ’07 was a force on the diamond and gridiron, but had equally strong classroom chops; following college, he played semi-professional baseball, explored entrepreneurship and now works in logistics management.

While playing baseball at Harker, Martin was named to the varsity second all-league team during his freshman year and to the first team for the next three years. He played varsity football for three years and in 2006 became the only player in Harker history to run for a touchdown, throw for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in the same game. His academic successes resonate too: In 2010, Martin was one of two players on the San Jose State University team to land a spot on the College Sports Information Directors of America/ESPN The Magazine Academic AllDistrict VIII Baseball First Team. He was one of only five student athletes in the Western Athletic Conference to be honored for his achievements both in the classroom and on the diamond.

Martin finished as the Spartans’ all-time leader in hits (227), runs scored (174), games played (236), at-bat appearances (832) and hit-by-pitches (65).

Along the way he majored in psychology and minored in kinesiology, and graduated as a threetime San Jose State scholar-athlete and two time Academic All-Western Athletic Conference athlete, a testament to his efforts in the classroom.

Following college and three years of semi-pro ball, Martin took a real-life risk and opened a pizza restaurant, Lefty’s: A Taste of Boston. Lefty’s remains a family business, but Martin wanted a new challenge. He found an avenue for his skills working for Cushman & Wakefield on site at LinkedIn as a logistics coordinator, putting even more of his education to work.

Adam Vucurevich ’02 A member of the upper school’s first class, Adam Vucurevich ’02 played football, baseball and wrestling, making him Harker’s first three-sport athlete. He was team captain for football in 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 and was Homecoming king his senior year. On top of all that, his academic work was impressive.

Vucurevich noted Harker’s upper school was academically very challenging, but he took up the gauntlet, taking the top math classes offered, including Honors Multivariate Calculus, Differential Equations, AP Statistics and AP Physics C. They were tough, he said, “but I stayed with it and I did not quit.” Vucurevich went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and worked for a few years in tech, but did not find his place. “It wasn’t me,” he said, “and I wanted to find my purpose.” To that end, he took a quantum leap.

“Harker instilled in me kindness and respect for others and challenged me to do and to be my best, both academically and athletically,” Vucurevich said. “This drive to be my personal best and to do the best for others has led me to my current career of law enforcement. Helping others and dealing with all sorts of people, handling a variety of stressful situations with the right amount of tact, being creative and resourceful, showing good judgment in all types of situations, and having good teamwork skills is essential in my line of work. I have truly found my passion.”

Full biographies of all the honorees can be found in Harker News; just search for “Fame.”

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passion

Passion for People Alumnus combines love of food, people and entrepreneurship WORDS BY VIKKI BOWES-MOK PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA AND THE HARKER ARCHIVES

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he kitchen is bustling at Brown Chicken Brown Cow in Campbell, and at the heart is Chris Yamashita ’90. Yamashita is laughing with his employees as he patiently teaches a new cook how to put together a Psychedelic Goat Cheese Burger, complete with BCBC goat cheese mixed with truffles and mushrooms.

Yamashita opened the popular eatery in 2013 and his passion for people is what drives him every day.

Whether it’s his employees, customers or former teachers who frequent the restaurant, Yamashita is always ready with a quick smile and genuine kindness.

“If I didn’t like people, I wouldn’t be in the restaurant

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business,” Yamashita said. “I love good food and enjoy running a business, but my biggest passion is people.”

Yamashita grew up in Silicon Valley and attended Harker from grades 4-8 before heading to Bellarmine College Preparatory.

“Chris was the type of kid who got along with everybody. He was well liked and respected by all of his classmates, primarily because he went out of his way to treat everybody with genuine kindness,” said Pat Walsh, who was Yamashita’s math teacher in the lower school. “Chris really loved school, and his enthusiasm and positive energy were qualities that helped make my classroom a warm inviting place.”

Yamashita said he really did love school and appreciates many of the important life lessons he learned at Harker, including solid study skills, the drive to succeed and

“[Chris] was well liked and respected by all of his classmates, primarily because he went out of his way to treat everybody with genuine kindness.” —Pat Walsh, retired teacher

“I had a very clear idea what I wanted to serve ... but I wanted to try new flavor combinations. It turns out that people are more willing to try unusual combinations on a sandwich or a salad.”

compassion for people as individuals.

His time at Harker wasn’t over after he graduated. He came back to work as a summer camp counselor during high school and while in college at Santa Clara University.

In fact, it was a warm summer afternoon near the flower beds at Harker when Yamashita realized his culinary dream. He and a friend, Mariam Morshedi ’90, were shooting the breeze and he said, “I want to open to my own restaurant.”

But then life happened and he got busy doing other things – until he saw her again.

“It was years later and she asked me about opening a restaurant,” Yamashita remembered vividly. “She reminded me of my dream and it changed my course.”

Yamashita decided to see if he could transform his dream into a reality. So he started at the bottom of the food chain (literally!) and worked every possible position in local restaurants, including Kyoto Palace and Cin-Cin. While he was taking a crash course in Restaurant 101, he also launched his own catering business.

After a lot of planning and learning, Yamashita opened the bright orange doors to BCBC in 2013.

“When the space was being constructed, my thengirlfriend, Jordan, and I were walking home from

Campbell and she jested ‘Brown Chicken Brown Cow’ about something that had nothing to do with the restaurant,” remembered Yamashita, who has a 2-yearold son, Andy, and a baby on the way with his nowwife Jordan. “We looked at each other and registered the name with the county the following Monday. I had the concept and the menu finalized, and the name was just perfect.”

Yamashita created a warm inviting place at BCBC with natural light pouring in, crayon-colored chicken and cow pictures lining the small hallway, and a bustling restaurant filled with smiling customers.

“I had a very clear idea what I wanted to serve — elevated burgers, high-quality chicken sandwiches and fresh salads — but I wanted to try new flavor combinations,” said Yamashita. “It turns out that people are more willing to try unusual combinations on a sandwich or a salad.”

As they say at BCBC, every menu item has been carefully crafted to satisfy even the toughest of food critics. “If it’s not good enough for Chris, then it’s not good enough to be served at Brown Chicken Brown Cow,” states the restaurant’s website.

Vikki Bowes-Mok is also the executive director of the community nonprofit Compass Collective.

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face time

C

olin Goodwin teaches lower school English, and he and his wife have two kids who attend Harker. A Colorado native, Goodwin tells us that his family also includes “an annoying cat, whose name, Shizuka, means quiet but is anything but!” It doesn’t take long to figure out that Goodwin is funny, and that he – a self-described “latchkey kid” – is passionate about being a dad who is always available for his children. That passion shares space with a love of music and all things Japanese, an obsession that began when he taught English there in 1996.

What are you doing when you feel most alive?

Hiking with my family in Grand Teton National Park. When I first met my wife, she had just started a job working at the lodge. We went rock climbing for our first date. To see our children enjoying the same place is a wonderful thing. Of course, my daughter is not fond of the bears.

Why do you do what you do?

When my father and I moved from Massachusetts to San Diego my freshman year of high school, I had a heavy metal haircut, clothes straight out of the movie “Breakin’” and a head full of insecurities. Teachers, skateboarding and reggae saved me. I teach to pay back all the teachers who helped me.

[They were] there for me in ways that my family could not be.

What is something interesting about you that almost no one knows?

Mr. Ramsey asked me for advice on how to improve his mixed martial arts fighting.

What is your most treasured object and why?

My double bass. Since I was a little rug rat listening to my parents’ 45s to when I was a skate rat in high school listening to reggae, for me, it’s always been about the bass.

What is one experience you’ve had that you don’t believe anyone else has ever experienced?

Sitting in the green room of Osaka, Japan’s Blue Note jazz club, surrounded by all the pictures of famous jazz artists who had sat there before me, all the while knowing that I was there dressed as Santa Claus waiting to go on stage for my school’s Christmas party.

Colin Goodwin

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UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Professional accomplishments of our faculty and staff.

Over the summer, upper school theater teacher Jeff Draper headed to Australia as this year’s exchange teacher to St. Stephen’s College in Queensland, Coomera. During his time at the school, Draper observed several classes and noted that the St. Stephen’s culture is big on group collaboration, with an entire floor in one of the school’s central buildings dedicated to team projects. Draper also appreciated how the school deals with student stress, “with the single counselor on campus assisting a large academic support program called Learning Enhancement,” he said. “The dedication of a large central space in the middle of the campus gives their Learning Enhancement staff a full-time space to focus only on academic support.”

In August, middle school math teacher and department chair Vandana Kadam received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Teaching in Middle School and High School, presented to her by the Mathematical Association of America for her work in fostering student interest in mathematics via the American Mathematics Competitions.

Candidates for these awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected based on criteria including improving AMC scores, increased student participation and increased numbers of students invited to participate in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination and the USA Mathematics Olympiad.

The Office of Communication was notified last month that its marketing campaign for Harker’s 125th anniversary earned both platinum and gold MarCom strategic communications awards.

The campaign’s special 125th anniversary issue of Harker Magazine, Harker history website and lamppost banners were among the 20 items submitted for entry. The spring/summer 2018 issue of Harker Magazine and its story on Harker alumni working in the performing arts picked up gold awards. Honorable mentions were awarded to the video project “Opening Night at The Harker School’s Rothschild Performing Arts Center/Patil Theater” and to the Harker Magazine story on the opening of the Rothschild Performing Arts Center.

Middle school learning, innovation and design director Abigail Joseph was a presenter at the 2018 Maker Educator Convening, held in October at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. Her talk, titled “Every Teacher is a Maker,” took a design thinking approach to helping teachers think and feel like makers and “in turn, empower their

Photos provided by Abigail Joseph

In October, upper school journalism teacher Ellen Austin reached a professional milestone when both the Winged Post student newspaper and Talon yearbook were selected to receive Crown awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. “[It’s] the first time that I, as an advisor, will have two publications that I advise getting Crowns at the same time,” she said. It’s also the first multi-Crown win for Harker journalism in the department’s

history. The Crown is the CSPA’s highest honor. Finalists will find out in March whether they are the recipients of gold or silver Crown awards.

staff kudos

staff kudos

WORDS BY ZACH JONES PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK KOCINA

students to be makers, too.”

She also shared her wishes for engineering and maker spaces to be more inclusive.

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class notes

class notes

Keep up to date on the lives of your classmates.

Alumni from all classes through 1997 are listed under the years they would have completed grade 8 at The Harker School, Harker Academy, Harker Day School or Palo Alto Military Academy (PAMA). For all classes after the Class of 1997, alumni are listed under the class years they would have graduated from high school, regardless of whether they completed high school studies at Harker.

For unlisted classes, we invite you to email alumni@harker.org if you are interested in becoming a class agent or would like to nominate a classmate. All photos submitted by the subject unless noted.

Calling all Palo Alto Military Academy alumni! Please join fellow alumni on the PAMA Facebook page. Just type “Palo Alto Military Academy” into the Facebook search window.

Photo provided by Kristina Alaniz

2002

that she is currently a gender-based violence and public health practitioner, recently serving as the office head in Bentiu, South Sudan, with Mercy Corps. “She is committed to developing evidence-based, accountable and intersectional programs and policies for people most affected by crisis.” Sonia has a master’s in public health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Teja Patil was given the Distinguished Alumni Award at Homecoming. She’s pictured with her family.

Adam Vucurevich was inducted into Harker’s new Athletic Hall of Fame. See page 48 for details.

2004 Karla Bracken married Humberto Escapini on Oct. 5 in Sonoma. Fellow ‘04 classmates (and many of their parents!) celebrated with them at the multi-day event, including (L to R) Prithi Trivedi, Nickisa Hodgson, Jennifer (Lin) Waite, Jessica Liu, Sameer Deen, Karla, Aditi Bhattacharyya, Laena Keyashian, Courtney Johnson and Jacinda Mein.

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Read more about Sonia in this post by the Taipei American School:

2005 Sonia Rastogi works for a UNICEF-funded organization helping populations affected by crises as part of the Gender Based Guidelines Implementation Support Team. Her bio on the organization’s website states

https://www.tas.edu.tw/fs/pages/ news?post=sonia-rastogi-visits-tas-in-september-20180810

class notes 2007

tive. On a day-to-day level, I oversee our corporate sales division (BOXFOX Concierge), broader partnerships, web initiatives, trendspotting, and more.”

“Harker is such a special place and was absolutely instrumental in getting me to where I am today,” she said. Read the full article at Harker News online.

Tanya Schmidt was inducted into Harker’s new Athletic Hall of Fame. See page 48 for details.

Aaron Chang graduated from his Ph.D. program in May at Weill Cornell Medicine at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He earned his doctorate in biology, specializing in cancer immunotherapy. Aaron had the honor to be selected as the student speaker at his commencement ceremony.

Jason Martin was inducted into Harker’s new Athletic Hall of Fame. See page 48 for details.

2008

Sabena Suri, co-founder of BOXFOX, an LA-based e-commerce gifting company, was named, along with her two co-founders, to Forbes’ 2019 30 Under 30 list in the retail and e-commerce category. The company projects more than $6 million in sales this year. Sabena currently serves as BOXFOX’s chief strategy officer. “I oversee long-term growth and business objectives for the company,” said Sabena. “I’m always thinking a year, two, even five years ahead, ensuring that we stay relevant and competi-

Photo by Fiora

2009

Marie Hawke still lives in San Jose, but she is most likely to be sighted at conventions around the country as a seamstress, photographer and five-time award-winning costumer. Working as part of the “Twilight Atelier Cosplay Collective,” her current projects include costume commissions, learning more about the process of creative collaboration, the continuing process of self-discovery and acceptance, and a photobook based on the Atelier series of video games to be sold in Japan. You can find her online primarily as @mirihawke on Twitter.

This photo shows “Shallotte Elminus” from Marie’s Atelier Shallie.

David Kastelman authored a great article on DoorDash’s sustainability initiative: https://bit.ly/2rhWY0V. David is operations manager for DoorDash’s San Francisco operation and is a member of the Aquilones, a group of Harker students who attended the G8 conference in Wismar, Germany, who were featured in a retrospective in our spring/summer 2018 issue.

Kate (Comee) Rowe married Ben Rowe on July 7 after they both graduated from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business in June. “We’re now living in San Francisco. Ben is launching a healthy fast food restaurant and cooks sample menu items every night, so we invite Harker alums over for dinner anytime!”

Stephanie Guo married Jonathan Wong on Aug. 4, celebrating with friends and family at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. A strong Harker contingent was in attendance, including Stephanie’s sisters, Gloria Guo ’18 and Olivia Guo ’21, who were junior bridesmaids and “DIY Wedding Queens,” and Melissa Kwan ’18, who captured the day as the wedding videographer.

Stephanie recently returned from several years studying and working overseas, and now lives in New York City with her husband, who is a lawyer. They would love to connect with any Harker alum living in NYC!

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class notes 2010

Barrett Glasauer joined DoorDash in 2015 (a company founded by Andy Fang ’10) and worked alongside other Harker alumni, including Kevin Fu ’10, Rohan Chopra ’10 and David Kastelman ’09. In 2016, he built his own company, WanderJaunt, with some DoorDash colleagues.

The company is headquartered in San Francisco and has local operational teams in Phoenix and Austin. “We’re hiring across all functions and would love to chat with any Harker alumni who are interested!”

Kristina (Bither) Gurney married Joshua Gurney in September. “It was so special to celebrate with some of my lifelong friends that I made while at Harker, three of whom were my bridesmaids! Josh and I are now happily living in San Francisco, where he is finishing 58

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Photo provided by the Oakland Raiders

“We’ve set out to create 21st-century Hilton/Airbnb-style short-term rental accommodations distributed across a city with the consistency and quality you’d expect out of a hotel,” Barrett said. “We’ve raised $12 million and just surpassed 100 properties under management. This link explains a bit more about the company: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/100down-world-go-progress-update-futurehospitality-alex-hinch/

law school and I am working as a physician assistant practicing urgent care medicine. Pictured are Karlene McCallaCreary, Taylor Rapson, Kristina and Eileen Wu, all ’09.

Greg Plauck and his wife, Marissa, welcomed the newest addition to their family, Abram Jae Plauck. Abram was born on Nov. 8 and weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces.

Big brother, 5-year-old Camden, welcomed his baby brother “Abie the Baby,” too.

The Plauck family lives in Champaign, Ill., where Greg, a University of Illinois grad, is an engineer working for the power company and Marissa is studying nursing. The couple wed in August 2017.

2011 Karlene McCallaCreary was a Raiderette of the Week in early October! A graduate of the Harker Conservatory dance program and former member of Harker’s varsity dance team, she is in her first season with the Raiderettes.

After Harker, Karlene studied accounting at Santa Clara University where she graduated with honors. She danced while at SCU, including one year in the theater and two years on the dance team. “My dance experience at Harker and Santa Clara gave me the foundation and encouragement to audition for a professional team. I have been loving my first season on the Raiderettes,” she said, “and I am really thankful to have this opportunity to continue dancing for an incredible organization among a talented group of women.”

Tyler Koteskey has begun working for Americans For Prosperity, a political advocacy group. “Americans for Prosperity works to recruit, educate and mobilize citizens nationwide to support policies advancing a free and open society of mutual benefit,” said Tyler. “I’m joining AFP’s headquarters policy team as an analyst focused primarily on foreign policy and criminal justice reform, where I’ll help translate the organization’s broader vision into practical policy stances that advance it. I’ve enjoyed politics since my time at Harker and it’s fulfilling to go into an office every morning to advance what I believe in.”

class notes 2018

2016

Photo by Mark Kocina

Allison Wang is spending the first term of this year studying abroad at the University of Cambridge. “In addition to taking courses, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in some student societies, such as the bell-ringing society, and to travel around the U.K. I’m having a wonderful time!”

Millie Lin joined the Stanford Chamber Chorale. Millie noted she enjoyed Cantilena at Harker so much she thought she’d give the audition a whirl.

“It reminds me of the Cantilena experience, and I actually got in!” she said. The group “sings classical music like Cantilena and is a small SATB [soprano, alto, tenor, bass] group, and I’m really looking forward to bonding with the fellow singers, who include even grad students! Everyone sounds incredible and is so musical.” Millie sent special thanks to Susan Nace, vocal teacher at Harker: “I couldn’t have gotten in without you, as my enthusiasm for last year’s amazing conducting experience and the past three years’ singing had prompted me to converse with Chamber Chorale members (and the director).”

2013 In March 2017, Ryan Mui visited Izzy Connell during his spring break and proposed on the beach under a full moon. On Oct. 13, they got married in Napa surrounded by their family and closest friends. In March, Ryan and Izzy will move to Charleston, S.C., for a year, where Ryan will begin his training to become a naval submarine officer at Nuclear Power School and Izzy will begin her career as a therapist, after receiving her master’s in marriage and family therapy at Santa Clara University.

Ryan has a master’s in computer science from Stanford.

2017 Scott Song was selected as one of the three recipients in the nation of the 2018 Donald A. King Summer Research Fellowship, a program that trains the next-generation of scientists with research expertise in Huntington’s disease.

Just a year after graduation, Sameep Mangat returned to campus to discuss her new book, “Being Enough,” for the school’s annual ReCreate Reading program. “’Being Enough’ presents a refreshing, energetic approach to combatting common issues faced by teenagers during adolescence and constructing avenues of communication between generations,” according to Amazon.

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class notes FORMER FACULTY

Keller Tour – Fall 2018 The first leg of the annual tour took Butch and Jane Keller to Southern California, where they visited alumni currently attending Chapman University and CalTech.

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Former Harker English teacher Mark Mitchell reports that he has moved to Seattle, where his wife, Mary, is the editor for the literary journal Image.

He works at at Seattle Preparatory School, a Jesuit school in Seattle, where he teaches grade 9 humanities, grade 12 creative writing, grade 12 AP Literature, and grade 12 Satire and Comedy (“not the same texts as the Harker course, but definitely influenced by it”). “I also brought my Dante course from Harker to Seattle Prep,” he said. He has two children, Joshua, 8 1/2, and Juliana, 6. “They are the joy of my life. In my few moments of quiet, I still enjoy reading, watching Steph Curry play basketball, and playing guitar and piano in my church’s band.

I look back fondly on my years at Harker, and hope everyone there had a wonderful time at the 125th anniversary celebration.”

We love to get updates from our alumni!

If you have news and updates about yourself or a classmate, contact alumni@harker.org or visit http://www.harker.org/alumni to log into the alumni portal and see the list of class agents.

Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 Saturday, Feb. 23, ROTHSCHILD PERFORMING ARTS 2019 CENTER & ATHLETIC CENTER ROTHSCHILD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER & ATHLETIC CENTER

Tickets go on sale Tickets Tickets go go on on sale sale January 7

January 7

For more information: www.harker.org/gala or 125gala@harker.org For more information: www.harker.org/gala or 125gala@harker.org H AR KE R MAG A Z INE l FALL/WIN TER 2018

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500 Saratoga Ave. San Jose , CA 95129

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HA R K E R MAGA Z I NE l S PRI N G/S UM M E R 2018

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN JOSE, CA PERMIT 2296

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