• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • The Harker School
  • Menu
  • Admission
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Summer
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
  • News

  • The Harker News provides timely information, news and features about the Harker community to current and alumni Harker families.

  • |
  • General News
  • Lower School
  • Middle School
  • Upper School
  • Alumni
  • Summer
  • In the News

Leadership and Character Development Begin Early

December 18, 2010 by Zach Jones

Share this:

  • Tweet

This article originally appeared in the winter 2010 Harker Quarterly.

Harker’s reputation as an academically rigorous school sometimes outshines the breadth
of other key elements of student life, such as its many clubs and after-school programs. Another overlooked but highly important aspect of the K-12 experience is the emphasis on character and leadership, which has been a value at Harker since the school’s founding.

  • Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27
    Read
    Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27

“The concepts of character and leadership have always been intertwined in what it means to be a Harker graduate, going back to the days of the Palo Alto Military Academy and Miss Harker’s School for Girls,” said Kevin Williamson, upper school dean of students.

Harker students are instilled with these values from their very first days at the school, and these values are reinforced through various programs for the entirety of their Harker careers.

“Children begin learning right from wrong at a very early age, even before school begins,” said Joe Connolly, dean of students at the lower school. “The development of strong character is part of that process. Values learned at an early age tend to stay with the child throughout life.”

Upon entering Harker, kindergartners are enrolled in a required character development class that they continue to attend until they complete grade 5. “They learn about respect, treating others like you would like to be treated, being kind and polite,” Connolly said. This year, the lower school is focusing on compassion as a theme. “It is a theme we choose to bring up whenever the opportunity presents itself. Compassion can be different things depending on the age level.”

The lower school also runs service projects for each grade level every year. Grade 5 ran its annual food drive in November, for example, and grade 4 students collected toys for their annual toy drive in December. Character building is also a valued component of the lower school athletics program, where values of fairness and good sportsmanship are constantly reinforced. After-school programs such as Share, Care and Be Fair and Students Play and Learning All Together (SPLAT) teach students about good playground conduct and how to treat one another while at school.

Upon entering the middle school, students build upon the groundwork laid during their time as lower school students. “Middle school students learn about character, leadership and academic integrity through the assembly and advisory programs,” said Lana Morrison, middle school dean of students. Throughout the year, outside speakers are invited to speak at assemblies on various topics. Students later discuss the topics brought up during the speaker’s appearance at advisory meetings. “Some students find the smaller setting easier to freely discuss how and what they are feeling,” Morrison said.

Middle school students also have access to several clubs and programs to strengthen character and leadership qualities. Recently, middle school students earned several regional awards from the eCYBERMISSION national competition, which challenges students to solve problems in their communities using science, math and technology. Several students also collaborate each year to create the middle school literary magazine “enlight’ning,” which this year received recognition from the National Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

A recent development at the middle school is the KidLead program. Designed specifically for kids aged 10 to 13, KidLead is a program intended to develop the leadership skills of young students. The program consists of weekly 90-minute sessions that are run by certified instructors, during which students lead groups in various problem-solving activities. Although specially trained “Koaches” oversee each session, they are intentionally set up so that students are the ones designated to lead the activities.

Greg Lawson, assistant head of school for student affairs and a certified KidLead instructor, said
he believes the program has great potential
for teaching valuable leadership skills. “All you need to do is look at the dozens of community service opportunities, sports teams, performing arts groups, extracurriculars in general, student government, along with all the team academics like robotics, Future Problem Solvers, etc., to know that these skills have the potential to augment the development of this next generation of Harker leaders,” he said.

By the time students reach the upper school, character and leadership values have ideally become a part of their everyday lives. The upper school’s myriad programs and clubs are designed to further reinforce and develop these values within students.

“There is a lot of buzz about ‘leadership development’ programs these days,” Williamson said. “Leadership comes in a variety of forms. I think the wealth of volunteer programs that our students and faculty create and participate in speaks to this fact.”

Although Harker’s upper school population numbers fewer than 700 students, the Saratoga campus surprisingly houses more than 46 student clubs and organizations. “Our students are very self-motivated, and there is a lot of positive student encouragement to have peers step up and develop their own unique leadership styles,” Williamson said.

The Global Empowerment and Outreach (GEO) club, for example, runs an extensive program on international issues each year, while the Harker chapter of the Key Club focuses on community service in the South Bay area. Outside of clubs, students use the leadership qualities they’ve developed at events and classes such as the Research Symposium, Student-Directed Showcase and the many debate tournaments that students attend throughout the year.

The Honor Council, established by students and faculty in 2001 to create standards for academic integrity, is an important outgrowth of Harker’s commitment to the primacy of building character in its students. The group established the Honor Code, which is a central facet of academic life at Harker, and the Honor Council works to remind the student body about the Honor Code in a variety of ways. For instance, the Honor Codes and Honor Councils forum will be hosted in February and will draw similar organizations from independent schools across the country.

Leadership and character development principles are also a key part of the Living
with Intention, Focus and Enthusiasm (LIFE) program, which teaches students about the value of maintaining good physical, mental and emotional well-being. “The freshmen will be using the book ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens’ as a base, and they will spend two sessions working through the seven themes,” said Jane Keller, upper school mathematics teacher, who is running the program with Connolly and Jeffrey Draper, upper school dean and theater teacher, as well as a committee of students. “The beauty of this is that it will be an ongoing lesson for the next three years,” she said.

You may also like

  • At Santana Row, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Harker
    At Santana Row, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Harker
  • SVCUE T3 Conference Teaches Valuable Skills to Silicon Valley Teachers
    SVCUE T3 Conference Teaches Valuable Skills to Silicon Valley Teachers
  • First Graders Enjoy Diwali Party, Learn About Hindu Festival
    First Graders Enjoy Diwali Party, Learn About Hindu Festival
  • Visiting WFLMS Students Meet Harker Buddies, Become Immersed in American Culture
    Visiting WFLMS Students Meet Harker Buddies, Become Immersed in American Culture
  • [Update] Girls Tennis Team First Ever to Make Quarterfinals
    [Update] Girls Tennis Team First Ever to Make Quarterfinals
  • Roman Feast Includes Ostrich and Wild Boar
    Roman Feast Includes Ostrich and Wild Boar
  • Milestones from Harker Quarterly Summer 2016
    Milestones from Harker Quarterly Summer 2016
  • Student Takes Second Place in Ayn Rand Essay Contest
    Student Takes Second Place in Ayn Rand Essay Contest

Related

Filed Under: Schoolwide

Primary Sidebar

Search for Articles

Multimedia Features

  • Harker Research Symposium Video Earns Award
  • Into the Fringe: Conservatory Takes ‘Into the Woods’ to Edinburgh

Subscribe to Harker News via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Harker News and receive a daily digest of recent posts.

Delivered by FeedBurner

Trending Stories

  • Alumnus Justin Shamlou '11, remembered for ability to inspire, passes at 27Alumnus Justin Shamlou ’11, remembered for…
  • Harker speech and debate takes first place at UC Berkeley tourneyHarker speech and debate takes first place at UC…
  • Major success for Harker DECA at Silicon Valley conferenceMajor success for Harker DECA at Silicon Valley conference

The Harker Magazine

Published two times a year, The Harker Magazine showcases some of the top news, leading programs, inspiring people and visionary plans of the greater Harker community.

More Harker publications

About Harker

The Harker School is a non-profit, private K-12 school in Silicon Valley that has earned international recognition for its top academics, quality teachers and students' achievements. Founded in 1893, Harker is the largest independent school of its kind in California, with a dedicated campus for each of its divisions – elementary school, middle school and upper school – in San Jose, CA.

Learn more about The Harker School

Links

  • Harker Aquila
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
    • Teachers
    • Students
    • Support & Services
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
    • Admission
    • Summer
    • About
    • News
    • Alumni
    • Giving
The Harker School

Copyright © 1893-2015 • The Harker School • 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129 • 408.249.2510 | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

  • Follow Us!
  • Admission
    • Request Information
    • Campus Visits
    • Applying to Harker
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Admission FAQs
  • Preschool
    • Academics
    • Specialty Classes
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Support & Services
      • Extended Care
      • Food Progam
      • Libraries
      • Summer Preschool
      • Transportation
      • Safety & Security
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Lower School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • STEM
      • Student Research
      • Visual Arts
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Middle School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • After-School Program
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • STEM
      • Visual Arts
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Upper School
    • Academics
    • Programs & Extracurriculars
      • Character Development & Outreach
      • Performing Arts
        • Performing Arts Teacher Directory
      • Athletics
        • Coach Directory
        • Athletic Events
      • Visual Arts
      • STEM
      • Business & Entrepreneurship
      • Global Education
        • Global Relationships - Sister Schools
      • Speech & Debate
      • Student Research
    • Teachers
      • Teacher Directory
    • Students
    • Support & Services
      • College Counseling
      • Food Program
      • Health & Wellness
      • Libraries
      • Safety & Security
      • Technology
      • Transportation
    • Campus & Facilities
    • School Community
  • Summer
    • Summer Preschool
    • Summer Camp Plus: KinderCamp
    • Summer Camp Plus: Grades 1-5
    • Summer Institute Middle School
    • Summer Institute Upper School
    • English Language Institute
      • Program Details
        • International English Language Institute Brochures
    • Swim School
    • Summer @ The Conservatory
    • About
      • Eligibility
      • Summer Jobs
      • International Families
      • Summer Registration and Policies
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Philosophy & Mission
    • History
      • Harker's 125th!
    • Events
      • Family & Alumni Picnic
        • Admission Passes & Tickets
        • Alumni Guests
        • Schedule of the Day
        • Raffle
        • Silent Auction
        • Picnic T-Shirts
        • Donations
        • Sponsorships
        • Volunteer
        • History
      • Homecoming
      • Harker Concert Series
      • Harker Speaker Series
      • Harker Gala: Night on the Town
        • Community Sponsorships
        • Corporate Sponsorships
      • Harker Sports Clinics
      • Research Symposium
        • Student Abstracts
        • Corporate Exhibitors
      • Harker Alumni Gold Classic
    • Message from the Head of School
    • Board of Trustees
    • Facts & Stats
      • Student Achievements
      • Alumni Achievements
    • Sustainability at Harker
      • Nichols Hall: LEED Certified
    • Eagle Store
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
    • Media Information
    • Privacy Policy
    • COPPA Statement
  • News
    • General News
    • Preschool News
    • Lower School News
    • Middle School News
    • Upper School News
    • Alumni News
    • Summer News
    • In The News
  • Alumni
    • Transcript Requests
  • Giving
    • How to Plan Your Giving
    • Annual Giving
      • How Funds are Spent
      • Gift Clubs
    • Capital Giving
      • About the Cornerstones Campaign
      • The Cornerstones Of Success Campaign: Phases 1-5
      • Gift Recognition & Namign Opportunities
        • Capital Giving Gift Clubs
      • How To Make A Capital Gift
      • Naming Opportunities
        • Performing Arts Center
        • Athletics Center
        • Paving Tiles
        • Bucknall Campus
        • Saratoga Campus
        • Policy
    • Endowment & Planned Giving
      • Endowment Policy
    • Volunteering
    • Donations and Pledges