This story originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Harker Magazine, which can be read and downloaded from Harker’s issuu page.

One of Harker’s oldest end-of-year traditions, the Kiddie Carnival, celebrated its 45th year on June 4. Kelly Espinosa, the longtime Harker staffer who directed the school’s summer programs for decades, started the event to give grades 1-3 students something fun to do as the school year closed.

Originally taking place on the last Wednesday afternoon of the school year, the Kiddie Carnival was eventually moved to the morning of the last day of school. “I started the Kiddie Carnival because the first-third graders who stayed after school didn’t have a special end-of-year party,” Espinosa said. “I wanted the after-school program to develop its own identity as it was growing and changing at that time.”

Former lower school BEST director Kim Cali helped organize the Kiddie Carnival after joining the program in 1987. “When I began working at Harker the Kiddie Carnival consisted of six activities out on the tennis courts at the Saratoga campus,” she said. As enrollment at Harker increased, the Kiddie Carnival added more games, treats and attractions such as bounce houses. Moving the time and day of the event also freed up time for teachers to help with the event.

During the 2021-22 school year, Cali’s last year at Harker, her team began discussing a plan to design the Kiddie Carnival for all lower school grades: “I was happy to hear it is now just that.” “While it takes a lot of planning and a great deal of teamwork, the opportunity to celebrate alongside our students on the last day of school makes it incredibly rewarding,” said Andrea Ledford, lower school BEST director. “The event brings together students, teachers, and BEST staff in a joyful and fun-filled day to close out the school year.”