Matriculation renews core tenets for new year
Students and staff gathered for their return to school at Matriculation Day, hearing speeches that welcomed the Class of 2028 and highlighted Harker’s values in the Zhang Gymnasium last Friday.
Frosh entered the gym to the applause of seniors, juniors and sophomores. Head of School Brian Yager then reflected on the patriotism and sportsmanship he experienced watching the Olympic Games and encouraged students to uphold the spirit of striving for excellence.
“It is within the Olympic framework of aspiring to be our best and doing so with commitment, even in the midst of international discord, as I think about this coming school year,” Yager said. “The election in front of us and the international conflicts and tensions around us have and will continue to stretch our capacity to do good things and to be kind to each other.”
Upper school vocal music teacher Susan Nace directed the new choir Capriccio in an arrangement of “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang with Jazz Band members and Nace on the piano. Head of Upper School Paul Barsky followed with his matriculation address, introducing Harker’s four core values and expanding on the first value of kindness.
This year, each grade will aim to uphold a specific value: kindness for seniors, integrity for juniors, respect for sophomores and personal accountability for frosh. Barsky emphasized the importance of kindness in his speech, highlighting how small individual acts can lead to more acts of kindness in the community.
“I think it’s really important and valuable that we’re acknowledging these values,” Honor Council member Linda Zeng (11) said. “Sometimes people forget about them, and if we just have one we can really focus on in a year, it can help unite each grade and also help us connect more with them.”
Associated Student Body President Sam Parupudi (12) then welcomed the new Class of 2028. Addressing each grade one by one, they offered advice for enjoying and making the most of the upcoming year. Afterwards, the Harker String Quartet, conducted by instrumental music teacher Jaco Wong, performed “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith and “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay.
ASB Vice President Alicia Ran (12), Student Diversity Coalition officer Ariana Gauba (12) and senior Honor Council members Marcus Blennemann, Naiya Daswani and Jonathan Xue highlighted the three remaining Harker values, giving speeches on personal accountability, respect and integrity, respectively.
Sam then introduced members of student leadership from each grade, inviting them to stand. The frosh and their advisors turned to face the other classes as Alicia led the attendees in the annual recitation of the Matriculation Oath.
Students spent the remainder of the day meeting with their advisories to fill out handbook acknowledgments and other forms, taking yearbook portraits and attending individual orientations by grade.
“It’s important to really recommit every year to the values that we hold dear, because truly, the values are the foundation upon which everything is built,” Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Jennifer Gargano said. “Once we have that foundation, we feel safe and we feel nurtured. And when you feel safe and feel nurtured, then you can learn.”
Additional reporting by Jessica Hu.