Harker sent a strong contingent to the YWCA of Silicon Valley’s 19th annual luncheon at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in mid-October. Students Guadalupe Briseno and Melinda Wang, both Gr. 12, Shannon O’Reilly, Gr.11, and Michelle Lo, Gr. 10, represented Harker, accompanied by Pam Dickinson, director of the Office of Communication, and her assistant, Theresa Halol.

The keynote speaker was actress Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on “Sesame Street” for many years. Manzano said when she started on the show she didn’t realize the how great its scope and positive impact were, or that during her whole career she would be upstaged by a bunch of Muppets. Manzano has won 15 Emmy Awards for her “Sesame Street” scripts, and has returned to the stage in New York in “The Vagina Monologues” and “The Exonerated.”

The event is the largest fundraiser for the YWCA of Silicon Valley. Along with Harker, over 40 companies and individuals sponsor the annual luncheon. The annual funds are used to support the organization’s community programs and services that serve more than 24,000 women and families annually.