This article originally appeared in the spring 2016 Harker Quarterly.

Middle school library assistant Renee Ting was awarded a travel grant from the Public Library Association. Ting was one of 10 winners nationwide, selected based on essays about be- ing librarians and why they deserved to receive the grant. Ting received a free registration for the 2016 PLA Conference, held in Denver in April, and $1,000 to help with travel.

Middle school debate teacher Karina Momary was recently profiled in the 2015 edition of Rostrum, the National Speech and Debate Association’s quarterly magazine. In the story, she discusses her teaching method, the annual “Teamsgiving” event and how she got started in speech and debate. Read the whole story at https://issuu.com/speechanddebate/docs/2016_winter_rostrum_web.

In December, middle school soccer coach Brighid Wood worked as a team liaison for USA Soccer as China played the U.S. in the final two games of the World Cup’s Victory Series. She traveled to New Orleans for the final game of the series. Wood also has worked for legendary players such as Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy.

Sandra Berkowitz earned a Second Diamond degree of membership in the National Speech & Debate Association’s Honor Society, based on points earned by students she coached. She will be recognized at the 2016 National Speech and Debate Tournament in Salt Lake City in June and in Rostrum, the association’s quarterly magazine.