🏫 The Harker School News – February 2026
🏆 Harker DECA Excels at Silicon Valley Career Development Conference — From January 9-11, over 130 members of the Harker DECA chapter showcased their business skills at the Silicon Valley Career Development Conference. Numerous students secured spots in the top 3 across categories like International Marketing, Professional Selling, and Entrepreneurship, highlighting their competitive excellence.
🏅 Debate Teacher Recognized with Fifth NSDA Diamond Award — Upper school debate teacher Jenny Achten has received her fifth Diamond Award from the National Speech & Debate Association for earning over 15,000 points in five years. With nearly 130,000 points accumulated over her 25-year coaching career at Harker, she has propelled the team to notable successes, including 1st place at the Cal Invitational.
🎙️ Fifth Grader Ameya Desai Gains Media Recognition for Podcast — Ameya Desai, a fifth grader, was featured in The Week Junior magazine for her award-winning podcast, "Far From Home: Stories of Forced Migration." The podcast has won consecutive NPR Student Podcast Challenges and highlights personal migration stories, including those of her grandfather and a neighbor's grandmother.
🔥 Alum Hosts Fifth Fundraiser for California Firefighter Families — On January 4, Nathan Liu '24 and the Silvanus Foundation hosted their fifth fundraiser, raising approximately $14,000 for California firefighter families. The event included alumni panelists and performances by Harker students, contributing to a total of over $100,000 raised since 2020.
🏅 Sophomore Ossi Carrico Aids Finland in Water Polo Silver — Sophomore Ossi Carrico played a pivotal role in securing a silver medal for Finland at the Nordic Water Polo Championship on December 11. He ranked third in goals scored during the tournament and received an invitation to compete with the U20 European championships team in Portugal next August.
For more The Harker School news, visit https://news.harker.org