This article was originally published in the summer 2013 Harker Quarterly.

The upper school campus’ Graduates’ Grove bristled with activity on Ma23 as a record 51 members of the Class of 2013 had bricks placed in the walkway at this year’s brick ceremony.

The tradition stretches back to 2002 when parents of the very first high school class came up with the idea of laying bricks printed with the students’ names and graduation years in the walkway at Graduates’ Grove.

“I think it’s a great tradition,” said Nirmal Baid, father of graduate Neeraj Baid. “The students are leaving their legacy. And they’re kind of leaving a motivation behind for future students and their parents to contribute to Harker because this is building their future.” Baid said he’ll place another brick when daughter, Nilisha, grade 4, graduates.

Sita Arimilli said that the brick will preserve the memory of her son Kiran’s time at Harker. “It will always be here,” she said. “That feels amazing.” She, too, will honor her daughter Shalini, grade 9, upon her graduation.

Students who placed bricks at this year’s ceremony are Michael Amick, Kiran Arimilli, Priscilla Auyeung, Neeraj Baid, Pranav Bheda, Deniz Eren Celik, Rohan Chandra, Jenny Chen, Michael Hao Cheng, Siobhan Cox, Madeleine Dawson, Tiphaine Delepine, Sylvie Dobrota, John Patrick Doherty, Michelle Douglas, Molly Ellenberg, Rebecca Fang, Jasmine Gill, Drew Goldstein, Varun Gudapati, Sonia Priya Hashim, Patricia Huang, Samantha Hoffman, Jacob Hoffman, Cristina Jerney, Amanda Kalb, David Lindars, Rebecca Liu, Meera Madhavan, Simar Mangat, Maverick McNealy, Catalina Mihailide, Shivani Mitra, Nikhil Panu, Laura Pedrotti, Shelby Rorabaugh, Alison Rugar, Maya Sathaye, Pooja Shah, Arhum Siddiqui, Sonia Sidhu, Alan Soetikno, Hansa Srinivasan, Christopher Sund, Kevin Susai, Lynda Tang, Alice Tsui, Sarina Vij, Emily Wang, Amy Wardenburg, Molly Wolfe and Justin Yang.