Kudos, Fall/Winter 2013 — Chess Victory, The Nutcracker, Robotics

Shafieen Ibrahim, grade 7, finished in first place among players rated “under 1300” at the California Class Warfare Championship chess competition, hosted by Bay Area Chess Nov. 30-Dec. 1. He took home more than $400 for his hard-earned victory.

Six Harker students – Ashley Cook, grade 8; Jacob Fernandez, grade 3; Sofia Fernandez, grade 5; Christopher Hildum, grade 11; Lauren Luspo, grade 8; and Angela Ma, grade 12 – will be performing in the 10th anniversary San Jose Youth Ballet production of “The Nutcracker” at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose on Dec. 7, 8, 14 and 15. The show is produced and choreographed by Cristina McClelland, Maria Lamance, Xavier Ferla (Hamburg Ballet) and Maggie Parungao-Ferla (San Francisco Ballet). Hildum, Luspo and Cook previously performed in Ballet San Jose’s production of “The Nutcracker.”  – Submitted by Harker parent Eric Hildum

Just before Thanksgiving break, grade 3 students Rahul Mulpuri, Dominick Piscione and Grant Sims won first place in the Project category at a First Lego League robotics tournament. The team, the youngest in the tournament, was chosen from 24 competing teams.