APIS Update Summer 2015

Summer 2015

APIS UPDATE

Address: 57 Wolgye-ro 45ga-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 139-852, Korea Website: www.apis.org

In this issue Second Semester Highlights Summer School Alumni Spotlight College Acceptances

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From

Dr.Kim’s Desk Euysung Kim, Ph.D. Founding Director

Leader of the New Pacific Century: Shining Your Inner Light

New York Times columnist, David Brooks, wrote an interesting op-ed titled “The Moral Bucket List.” It occurred to him that there are two types of virtues in life: the resume virtues and the eulogy virtues. He describes, “[t]he resume virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace. The eulogy virtues are the ones that are talked about at your funeral — whether you were kind, brave, honest, or faithful. Were you capable of deep love?” He goes on to argue that our culture and our educational system spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light or to build inner character.

Brook’s point clearly strikes a chord with me, as that is exactly what we at APIS are trying to achieve educationally with our mission and vision. We believe that the “inner light” is not just a virtue in itself but what explains success and gives one’s life meaning in the New Pacific Century. Even if you find the concept of the New Pacific Century somewhat elusive, I would still stress the importance of the “inner light” because it is what our children need to be successful in today’s college admissions process. Have I now got your attention, APIS parents?

The most competitive four-year colleges select their freshmen class through what they call a “holistic review” process. In this selection approach, there is no specific formula as to what grades, scores or extracurricular activities would guarantee one’s acceptance. They simply say they look at everything to get the holistic picture of the applicant. Even when explained by admissions officers themselves, the process seems admittedly vague. This is true even though they are not trying to hide anything about the selection process. In fact, I would argue that it is inherently impossible to come up with an objective formula or criteria for success in a holistic review process because what they are looking for is the inner light — and an evidence for it can come from anywhere. Hence, I often advise our seniors to think of the college application process as a chance to tell a profound and consistent story about who they are. It is not how many AP courses one has taken or how many hours one has served in the soup kitchen per se (i.e. resume virtues).

They do not mean anything unless they are the reflection of your true inner light (eulogy virtues). Colleges know those candidates with true inner light will indeed go far, achieve incredible things, and inspire others along the way.

If the inner light is what we are after, the next important question is how it can be nurtured in our children. Brooks argues that one must go through a moral bucket list of experiences (what he calls “the humility shift,” “self-defeat,” “the dependency leap,” “energizing love,” “the call within the call,” and “the conscience leap”) that take them to a higher level of virtues. I like Brooks’ moral bucket list — in many ways, they parallel APIS’ own list of inner characteristics: Aspire, Persevere, Integrity and Spiritual Growth.

What is different from Brooks’ list and our list is that the appeal for his bucket list is motivated solely on

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From Dr.Kim’s Desk the “moral” and altruistic nature he presumes inherent in every human being. APIS instead believes the motivation for these inner characteristics is much stronger as we move beyond a “moral” perspective and adopt a “spiritual” perspective that God affords His children. The search for inner light in our lives is to realize God’s given purpose in each and every one of us. I would rewrite Brook’s moral bucket list in this way:

Aspire – According to Brooks, a person with inner light does not search for one’s career by asking, what do I want from life? But he or she asks instead what is life asking of me? This is noble but still meaningless if one does not have the perspective of eternal salvation through God’s grace.

The eternal perspective in salvation is the reason for the hope in humanity and gives the ultimate meaning in one’s calling. What can be more powerful than that?

Persevere – Brooks observes that great men and women are capable of recognizing their own

weaknesses and have courage to confront them. By persevering through your personal struggles, you can make yourself strong in your weakest places, Brooks points out. True, but we can truly persevere when one knows that God’s promise will be revealed in our lives. Even in our darkest moments, we can praise “God’s grace is all we need.”

Integrity – Brooks talks about “conscience leap”— that is, to leap out beyond the utilitarian logic

and stand up for your own beliefs. How is this view strengthened if we measure one’s integrity based on one’s relationship with God? How would one act when God sees and knows everything?

One must also know that having integrity is not the same as leading a perfect life. It, however, means repenting and coming back to God’s grace when you have sinned.

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Spiritually Grounded – When describing “energizing love,” Brooks talks about a life-changing

love that a mother feels for her child. Indeed, maternal love can be a powerful source of inner light. But that kind of love is also very obvious, even downright animalistic. What about to love our own enemy? Where do we find that kind of love? How much more will we be able to love when we experience the love that comes from God? And, when we know all love comes from God?

Reference: Brooks, D. (2015, April 12). The Moral Bucket List. The New York Times.

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From Dr.Kim’s Desk 내면의 빛을 밝히는

New Pacific Century 리더

최근 New York Times에 “The Moral Bucket List”라는 제목의 흥미로운 기고가 실렸습니다. 칼럼니스트 David Brooks는 이 세상에 두 종류의 덕이 있는데 “이력서용 덕목(resume virtues)”이라는 것은 우리가 보통 생각하기에 취업에 있어서 유리한, 소위 말하는 외면적 “성공”에 필요한 덕목이고, “장례식용 덕목(eulogy virtues)”은 선했다거나, 용기가 있었다거나, 진실된 사 람이었다거나 등 장례식장에서 그 사람의 삶의 진정한 평가를 할 때 읊는 덕목이라고 합니다. 이 두 종류의 덕 가운데 우리 사 회와 교육 시스템은 안타깝게도 “내면의 빛”을 밝히거나 인성을 키우기 보다 외면적 성공을 추구하는 데에 더 많은 관심을 가 지고 있다고 합니다.

Brooks가 말하는 핵심은 APIS의 교육 철학 및 비전과도 일치합니다. APIS에서는 이 “내면의 빛”이 단순히 덕목 그 자체로써 의 미가 있을 뿐 아니라 New Pacific Century에서의 진정한 사회적 성공에 있어서도 꼭 필요하다고 믿습니다. “내면의 빛”이 학 생들의 인생설계에 있어서 중요하지만 아직 학생들이 어리기에 때로는 부모님들께 그 절실함이 와닿지 않으실 수 있습니다. 또 한, 교육에 있어서 많은 부분이 그렇듯이 “내면의 빛”은 단번에 형성되는 것이 아니지만, 가깝게 있어서는 대학 입시에도 굉장 히 중요한 성공요소로 작용한다는 사실을 잊지 말아야 합니다. 자, 이제 귀 기울일 준비되셨나요? 미국 명문 대학에서는 “holistic review”라는 총체적인 평가 방식으로 학생을 합격 또는 탈락시킵니다. 이러한 입학사정에는 특 정한 성적, SAT 점수, 또는 과외활동만 가지고 합격을 확신할 수 있는 “공식”이 존재하지 않습니다. Holistic review에 있어서 물론 뛰어난 학업성적이 심사과정의 문턱까지 가기 위해 중요하지만 합격이라는 문을 통과하기에는 그것만 가지고는 안 된다 는 것입니다. 입학사정관들은 학생의 모든 자료를 다 참작하여 결정을 한다고 하는데, 이런 말을 들을 때마다 애매모호하다고 느끼셨을 겁니다. 하지만, 입학사정관들이 무엇을 숨기기 위해 이런 애매한 표현을 쓰는 것은 아니고 실제로 입학사정이 이와 같이 이루어지고 있습니다. 입학사정관들은 “내면의 빛”을 가진 학생들을 찾고 있는데, 이 내면의 빛을 나타내는 단서는 생각지 도 못한 곳에서 발견될 수도 있기 때문입니다. 따라서 저는 우리 12학년 학생들에게 깊이가 있고 일관된 자기 이야기를 잘 풀어 내는 것이 바로 입학원서 준비 전략이라고 조언합니다. 몇 개의 AP 과목을 듣고, 몇 시간을 자원봉사했는지(resume virtues) 그 자체는 중요하지 않습니다. 그러한 활동이 학생의 진정한 내면의 빛(inner light)을 반영하고 보여주지 않았다면 아무런 의 미가 없는 것입니다. 대학에서는 내면의 빛을 가진 학생들이 얼마나 멀리 도약하고, 얼마나 대단한 것을 이뤄내면서 주변 사람 들에게 귀감이 될 수 있는지 너무나도 잘 알고 있습니다. 그래서 “내면의 빛”이 있는 학생들을 찾고 있는 것입니다.

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From Dr.Kim’s Desk 부모와 선생님으로서 우리는 아이들이 내면의 빛을 밝히도록 어떻게 도와줄 수 있을까 요? Brooks는 몇 가지 도덕적인 경험(the humility shift, self-defeat, the dependency leap, energizing love, the call within the call, the conscience leap)을 나 열하면서 이러한 경험은 일생에서 한 번쯤 겪어야만 한 단계 더 높은 단계의 덕에 도달 할 수 있다고 합니다.

Brooks의 도덕적 버킷리스트는 매우 훌륭합니다. 여러 면에서 APIS에서 강조하는 가치(Aspire, Persevere, Integrity, Spiritual Growth)와 유사하기도 합니다. 한편, Brooks의 리스트의 동기가 이타주의적인 도덕성에 근거한다면 APIS에서는 이러한 가 치의 동기를 하나님께서 주시는 신앙적 관점에서 인식할 때 가장 강력하다고 믿습니 다. 우리 삶에서 내면의 빛을 찾아 나서는 행동은 하나님이 우리 각자에게 주신 목적 을 발견하는 것입니다. 따라서 저라면 Brooks의 도덕적 버킷리스트를 다음과 같이 새 롭게 쓸 것 같습니다.

Aspire – 내면의 빛을 가진 사람들은 직업을 구할 때, 내가 인생에서 바라는 것보다 인생이 나에게 무엇을 원하 는가를 생각한다고 Brooks는 말합니다. 이러한 생각도 숭고하지만, 인생에 있어서 하나님의 은혜로 구원을 받았다 는 사실에 대한 인지가 없이는 “인생이 나에게 무엇을 원하는가”에 대한 의미도 상실된다고 생각합니다. 구원의 영 원성이야말로 우리가 희망을 가질 수 있는 이유이고 개인의 소명에도 의미를 부여합니다. 이보다 더 강력한 것이 또 있을까요?

Persevere – 훌륭한 사람들은 자신들의 약점을 잘 알고 그것을 대면할 용기가 있다고 Brooks는 이야기합니다. 인내를 통해 자기 자신의 약한 부분을 강하게 만들 수 있다는 것입니다. 맞는 말입니다만, 우리가 진정으로 인내할

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수 있는 것은 하나님의 약속이 우리 삶에서 드러날 거라는 확신 속에서입니다. 우리 인생의 가장 어두운 순간에도 우 리가 “하나님의 은혜가 내게 족하다”라고 고백할 수 있는 이유도 바로 여기에 있습니다.

Integrity – Brooks는 자기 자신의 생각을 굳게 지켜내라고 합니다. 때때로, 공리주의적인 논리에 따라 결정하 기 보다 자기 자신이 믿고 생각하는 것을 지켜내라는 것입니다. 이러한 생각과 더불어 개인의 진실성을 측정함에 있 어서 개인과 하나님과의 관계를 고려해보면 어떨까요? 하나님이 늘 지켜보고 계시고, 모든 것을 알고 계시다고 생각 할 때 우리는 어떻게 행동할까요? 진실성은 반드시 완벽한 인생을 의미하지는 않습니다. 죄를 지었을지라도 회개하 고 하나님 은혜로 나오는 것을 더불어 의미합니다.

Spiritually Grounded – Energizing love에 대해 설명함에 있어서 Brooks는 어머니가 자기 자녀에게 느끼는 (인생을 바꿀 정도의) 큰 사랑에 대해 이야기합니다. 물론, 모성애는 내면의 빛을 밝히는 데에 있어 매우 강 력한 원천이 될 수 있습니다. 하지만, 이러한 사랑은 어찌 보면 당연하고 심지어 동물적 본능이라고도 볼 수 있습니 다. 우리 원수에 대한 사랑은요? 우리는 그러한 사랑을 어디에서 찾을 수 있을까요? 하나님으로부터 오는 사랑을 경 험할 때 우리는 어떻게 사랑할 수 있을까요? 모든 사랑이 하나님께로부터 온다는 사실을 깨달았을 때 우리는 엄청 난 사랑을 보여줄 수 있을 것입니다.

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From the

Deputy Head of Academics Scott Paulin Deputy Head of Academics I’ve been reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller, titled A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life.

In it he writes:

“If you watched a movie about a guy who wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get it, you wouldn’t cry at the end when he drove off the lot, testing the windshield wipers. You wouldn’t tell your friends you saw a beautiful movie or go home and put a record on to think about the story you’d seen. The truth is, you wouldn’t remember that movie a week later, except you’d feel robbed and want your money back. Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo.

But we spend years actually living those stories, and expect our lives to be meaningful. The truth is, if what we choose to do with our lives won’t make a story meaningful, it won’t make a life meaningful either.”

As we complete another school-year, wave goodbye to seniors who are setting out to live the next chapter of their story, and prepare for the next exciting pages of the APIS story here in the coming year, I think it’s important for us to consider how our life stories become meaningful.

The Bible boldly proclaims that you matter, that you have purpose, and that you are significant beyond your wildest dreams, and you are loved more than you can imagine, and the God who created you loves you and invites you to participate in His story.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) states: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The word “workmanship” (hechura) is the Greek word (poiema), where we get our word “poem.” Here it is used to mean not just God’s work of art but His Masterpiece. His principal work of art! You see, all of history is really His Story, and it’s a love story — it’s the story of the living God reaching out to each of us and restoring a broken relationship with Him. Your story is significant, because it is really a part of God’s story.

Living a God story is not about earthly wealth, or health, or wisdom, or accomplishment. It isn’t religion, or doctrine, or even righteous living — it is living in a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

It’s about loving God and loving others with our lives, and seeing where God takes us. God is calling each of us out into His wildly significant story and asking us to live lives that matter by living beyond the quest for the next Volvo, and instead learning to love God and love others.

Don Miller goes on to write in his book: “If I have a hope, it’s that God sat over the dark nothing and wrote you and me, specifically, into the story, and put us in with the sunset and the rainstorm as though to say, enjoy your place in my story. The beauty of it means you matter, and you can create within it even as I have created you.”

My hope for the students of APIS is that they find the courage to dive head-long into this grand story God wants to tell through their lives, and that the foundations we build here academically and spiritually become launch pads propelling them into the amazing adventure of a life lived well — a story worth telling.

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From the

Principal Bruce Knox Principal

As the curtains draw on the second semester I find myself reflecting on what has been an incredible year. These last few weeks have really given me cause to stop and ponder, for I have seen some incredible things. Things that exemplify what APIS is all about.

Invited to join the end-of-year concerts, I found myself sitting behind a drum kit with the Grade 5 Orchestra. As we rehearsed in the weeks before the performance, I watched and saw fifteen or so fifth graders being attentive, listening to their classmates, struggling with difficult runs, receiving guidance from their teacher, helping each other and enjoying themselves. And then I found myself sitting at the Prom. Seniors and juniors arrayed in their finest suits and evening dresses, pinning on corsages, laughing with each other, MC-ing the whole event, performing in front of classmates and overall creating a night they will remember always. Next I found myself standing in the back of the Gym as all our KAIAC athletes and public speakers were recognised for their efforts through the year. Most valuable player, best defensive volleyballer, most improved debater, best all round APIS athlete, and so on. And finally I watched a teacher wipe away tears as her students presented her with a gift in front of the whole student body as they thanked her for instilling in them a love of music.

In these four events, I saw students STRIVING to do their best, receiving awards for DOING their best, deciding what would BE the best as they planned and delivered a signature event and thanking their teacher for giving OF her best. In each of these situations, students were challenged, supported, coaxed, encouraged, redirecting and congratulating.

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This is what exemplifies APIS. Students being challenged and supported by dedicated teachers, across a variety of different situations and contexts. Students aspiring and persevering with integrity!

At the four celebrations of students moving from one phase of their schooling to the next, Dr. Kim spoke about these important qualities, as represented in the four letters of APIS. Aspire, Persevere, Integrity, Spiritually Grounded. The courses our students study throughout the year give them a strong academic foundation to prepare them for college and beyond. But more than that, these “A.P.I.S.� qualities they learn prepare them for every day!

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From the

Dean of Students Andrew Murphy Dean of Students

As the school year winds down, students and teachers alike eagerly await the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather summer has to offer. It is on heels of all the graduations, moving-up ceremonies, award ceremonies, banquets, plays and concerts, so it is easy to look back on a great year and remember all of the incredible things that our APIS students accomplished.

As always it is amazing to reflect on the breadth of activities the students have experienced and how much they have achieved in all areas of school life. Whether it’s on the sport field, in the classroom or performing on the stage, APIS students have tried their best and have accomplished a great deal. Upon reflection of the 2014-2015 school year, this year seems to have been even busier and passed even faster than previous years. It has been a tremendous year and one that I think we can all feel proud of.

For the graduating class of 2015, you made us all proud over the course of the year, from your university acceptances to your constant display of citizenship around the school. We wish you all the best as you make your transition into the real world.

So as we end the 2014-2015 academic year, I would like to thank all the APIS families for your continued enthusiastic support for the students and teachers. Without your help and support, our year would not have been as successful as it has been. Your role within our partnership makes APIS an incredible place to learn, grow, and enhance the experiences that your children have on a regular basis. I would also like to thank each and every member of the team, teaching and support staff, for their hard work, boundless energy and enthusiasm. They work tirelessly for the benefit of the students and I could not wish for anything more.

I wish you all a relaxing summer break. I look forward to seeing you all in August as we yet again embark on another fantastic and exciting school year at Asia Pacific International School.

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From the

School Chaplain Zachary Luginbill School Chaplain God has truly blessed APIS by guiding us through the 2014-2015 school year. It has been a joy to focus on our yearlong challenge for secondary students, which is to live from the “Inside Out,” because God loves us and sees our hearts. So often we can get caught up in outward appearances and accomplishments, which means we can miss out on who God is, and who He has created us to be. This is why our chapel times each week have been great opportunities to pause and consider how God can change our character, our attitudes and motivate our desires to see the bigger picture. As 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” What this means is that being changed from the “Inside Out” doesn’t just go away, but can last forever because of all that Jesus has done for us and is doing in our lives.

Pastor JC Park has been with us during our secondary chapels second semester to share with our students about the importance of faith. Each week he taught about examples of people in the Bible who learned how to trust God even when it wasn’t that popular to do so, just like it can be in our world still today. The Bible is an amazing gift to our lives and helps us learn more about who God is. It is my prayer that students would learn to value the Bible by taking time to read it personally.

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CHRISTIAN LIFE

Elementary chapel this year has been amazing! Each Thursday afternoon we have had so much fun singing and praising God. We have talked about some really awesome gifts God can give us. Our January theme was commitment because just like with other things we want to learn, like a new sport or a musical instrument, we need commitment to learn more about God. Then we talked about kindness, which means showing others they are valuable by how you treat them. It might be easy to show kindness to people we know, but God wants us to be kind to everyone just like He is kind to us. Our next theme was patience, which is waiting until later for what you want now. Whenever we are having trouble being patient, the good news is God wants to help us when we pause and ask Him for help by praying. That is a great way to show we trust Jesus. Next we talked about peace, which is proving you care more about each other than winning an argument. And finally, we finished the year by talking about how honesty is not only choosing to be truthful in whatever you say, but also in what you do.

It is my prayer that God would continue to bless our APIS community during the summer months, and I look forward to seeing what He has planned for our lives in the seasons to come.

God bless!

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3. The 3rd Annual Culture Fair

Events In-Brief

5. “Character Matters II”

The entire APIS community including parents, students, and teachers set up booths representing 21 different cultures at the third annual culture fair on March 13. The highlight of the event was a special presentation by two guest speakers from Kenya, who introduced the “Big Fives” of their country. While dancing to a song, APIS students also learned some Swahili words like Jambo (hello).

Grades 1 and 2 students presented the musical, “Character Matters II” on April 3. Students acting as fairy tale characters talked about being thankful, being polite, and being a good neighbor. “By acting, talking, and even thinking from the character’s point of view, students were able to learn about the importance of good character,” said Judy Park, grade 1 teacher.

3월 13일 APIS에서는 제3회 Culture Fair를 개

초등부 1-2학년이 함께 준비한 뮤지컬

최, 21개의 문화를 대표하는 부스를 설치하여 다

“Character Matter II”이 4월 3일 무대에 올

2월 14일 중등부 학생들은 미국 National History Day 대회에서 다

양한 문화에 대해 알아가는 시간을 가졌습니다.

랐습니다. 학생들은 동화 속 주인공으로 등

수의 상을 수상하였습니다. 1등 상을 수상한 학생들은 올여름 Wash-

이번 Culture Fair에서는 케냐 출신의 초대손님

장해 매사에 감사하고, 공손하며, 좋은 이

ington, D.C.에서 개최되는 전미 대회에 참가할 예정입니다.

으로부터 스와힐리어와 케냐 음악에 대해서도 배

웃이 되라고 가르쳐 주었습니다. 이번 뮤지

울 수 있었습니다.

컬을 감독한 Judy Park 선생님은 “아이들

1. National History Day Competition APIS middle school students excelled at this year’s U.S.-sponsored National History Day competition, winning multiple awards at the Feb. 14 event held at Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies. One of those awards was a first-place finish, which will qualify that winning group of APIS students to travel to the Washington, D.C. area this summer to compete at the U.S. national competition.

이 동화 속 인물의 관점에서 연기하고 생각

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하면서 인성의 중요성을 배울 수 있었다”고 했습니다.

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2. Celebrating Lunar New Year at APIS On Feb. 16, the Chinese department was busy with preparations for the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. This year, a delegation from the Chinese embassy participated in the Lunar New Year-related activities, and handed out red Chinese envelopes when students recited Lunar New Year greetings in Chinese.

2월 16일 중국어과는 Chinese Lunar New Year 준비로 분주했습니다. 특히 올해는 중국 대사관 관계자 세 분이 참 석하여 학생들이 중국어로 새해 인사를 낭송했을 때 화답 으로 붉은색의 선물 봉투를 선물하였습니다.

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4. Elementary Reads Across APIS APIS loves to read! Students and teachers took the time to celebrate that interest during Read Across APIS week, March 16 to 20.

The entire school started each day with 15 minutes of free-reading time. In addition, the week was marked with mystery readers — special guest readers who came in to read to classes or even Skyped their story-reading session from the United States. There were also special visits from secondary students to the elementary classes, where they read books together and worked on a storyrelated project. The week’s finale was a book character parade in the auditorium, where students and teachers were invited to dress up as their favorite book character.

3월 셋째 주 Read Across 주간에는 매일 15분 동안 자유 독서로 하루를 시작하였습니다. 이 기간에 미스터리 리더들이 각 학급을 방문해 책을 읽어 주고 중고등부 학생들도 초등부 교실을 방문해 함께 책을 읽기도 했습니다. 또한, 미국의 유명 아동작가와 화상 인터뷰을 하기도 했습니다. Read Across 주간은 책 속의 캐릭터로 분장한 학생 및 선생님들이 2층 소강당에 모여 각자 어떤 캐릭터인지 소개하며 마무리하였습니다.

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SUMMER 2015

SECOND SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS

7. Students Show Off Their Talents

9. Middle School Speech Contest

Following on from the success of last year’s talent quest, the SRC-led Talent Show was held at APIS on April 17 with an even more diverse range of acts. Whether it was a song and dance performance, a taekwondo demonstration, or a magic show, the audience had their eyes glued to the stage until the very end. Everyone who had the courage to come up on stage was a winner.

The middle school speech contest was held on May 8 with 23 finalists competing in four categories: oral interpretation, original oratory, monologue, and duo acting. This year, for the first time, the first prize was awarded to a sixth-grade team Phuc An Duong and Edward Kim in one of the most competitive categories, duo acting.

APIS 학생회에서 준비한 2015 Talent Show가 지난해보다 한층 다양해진

5월 8일 Middle School Speech Contest에서는 연설, 1인극, 연극 등

모습으로 4월 17일에 돌아왔습니다. 노래와 춤, 태권도 시범 및 마술쇼 등이

여러 분야에 23명의 결선 진출자들이 참가했습니다. 특히 올해는 대회

펼쳐져 마지막 순서까지 관람객의 시선을 사로잡았습니다. 수상 여부와 상관

역사상 처음으로 6학년 학생들인 Phuc An Duong과 Edward Kim이 가

없이 용기를 내 무대에 오른 모든 학생들은 큰 박수를 받았습니다.

장 경쟁이 치열했던 duo acting 부문에서 1등 상을 수상했습니다.

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Fifth-graders through 10th-graders presented their projects on a wide variety of subjects during the school’s science fair held April 9 in the gym. Groups of judges moved from exhibit to exhibit, giving each student at least two chances to formally present their hypothesis, experiment design, results and conclusions. Louis Koo (Grade 10) was the top winner of the high school contestants in the fair with his presentation on the “Effect of Coil-coiling on Efficiency of Wireless Powering Through Electromagnetic Resonance.”

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8. Asian Language Speech Contest

SUMMER 2015

SECOND SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS

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4월 9일에 APIS Science Fair가 열렸습니다! 5-10학

The second annual APIS Asian Language Speech Contest on April 30 celebrated the school’s multi-language emphasis and was an opportunity to honor more than two dozen students from kindergarten through high school who were selected to participate. Students took turns demonstrating their Korean, Chinese, or Japanese language skills — in a speech, a skit or a dance — for an auditorium packed with family, faculty and fellow students.

APIS was filled with music and eager musicians on May 9 as the KIMEA Solo and Ensemble festival was hosted for the third time at APIS. Students from 11 international schools around Korea participated in this event, with nearly 200 performances on the day. APIS students earned 14 platinums, 32 golds, 19 silvers, and 11 bronzes in total.

년 학생들은 과학 관련 다양한 주제에 대해 발표하고

4월 30일 개최된 제2회 APIS Asian Language

지난 2년간 연속으로 개최해온 KIMEA Solo and Ensem-

심사위원단은 학생들이 지난 몇 달에 걸쳐 준비한 연

Speech Contest에서는 예선을 통과한 20여 명

ble Festival을 올해 5월 9일에도 APIS에서 개최해, 교정을

구주제, 실험 내용, 연구결과 및 결론을 신중하게 경청

이상의 학생들이 참가해 한국어, 중국어, 일본어

음악으로 가득 채웠습니다. 국내 11개 외국인학교가 참가

했습니다. “전자기장 공명을 통한 무선 동력의 효율성

실력을 뽐냈습니다. 결선 참가자들은 가족, 선생

한 이번 행사에서는 200여 개의 공연에서 다양한 음악이

에 도선 코일링이 미치는 영향”을 발표한 10학년 Louis

님, 그리고 친구들 앞에서 외국어로 스피치, 연극

연주되었고 APIS 학생들은 Platinum 14개, Gold 32개,

Koo 학생이 고등부에서 최우수상을 수상하였습니다.

또는 노래와 춤을 선보였습니다.

Silver 19개, Bronze 11개를 수상했습니다.

10. KIMEA Festival Held at APIS

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11. Pacific Pencil’s 5th Publishing Party Elementary students, teachers, and parents celebrated Pacific Pencil’s fifth anniversary on May 15. Over the past six months, students in elementary school worked hard to create drawings and writings of their own under the theme, “five.” This year’s publication featured a greater variety of artwork and writings in both English and Korean.

5주년을 맞이한 Pacific Pencil의 Publishing Party가 5월 15일에 열렸습니다. 지난 몇 개월 동안 초등부 학 생들이 “Five”라는 주제로 그린 그림과 창작한 글은 모 두 Pacific Pencil에 실렸습니다. 올해 Pacific Pencil 책 자는 한층 더 다양한 글과 그림으로 꾸며졌고, 한국어 글쓰기 작품도 많이 수록되었습니다.

13. Elementary Field Day Fun

15. Prom Themed “Chosun Dynasty”

This year’s elementary field day event on May 25 allowed students in kindergarten through fifth grade, along with their parents, siblings, and teachers, a chance to forego math and social studies for that one day. Instead, they played capture the flag, monster ball, cross the river, and tug of war. Field day also included dances led by P.E. teacher Jenn Hisko, a hamburger lunch, and an icecream snack. An epic water gun battle ended the day’s outdoor activities.

5월 25일 Field Day에서는 초등부 학생들이 수업에서 벗어나 가족과 함께 즐거운 시간을 보냈습니다. 깃발 빼 앗기, 몬스터 볼, 강 건너기, 줄다리기 등 다양한 게임에 이어 Jenn Hisko 체육 선생님이 진행한 댄스 타임도 있

5월 29일 강남 노보텔 호텔에서는 고풍의 장식들이 APIS 고등부 학생들을 역사 속으로 안내했습니다. “조선 왕조”라는 독특한 주제로 진행된 prom에서는 전통 놀이와 현대적인 분위기가 함께 어우러져 이전 prom과는 색다른 분위기를 자아냈습니다. 장식들은 선생님들과 학생들이 직접 제작 준비해, 더욱 특별 했습니다.

물총 싸움이 장식했습니다.

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As high school students entered Gangnam Novotel on May 29, they were taken back to the “Chosun Dynasty.”

This year’s prom integrated traditional decorations into a modern setting, making this year’s event interesting and unique. The decorations were also special as they were all hand made by the students and teachers!

었습니다. 야외에서 맛있는 햄버거 점심과 시원한 아이

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SUMMER 2015

SECOND SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS

14. “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon”

The inaugural Arts Night was held at APIS on May 15. The school building became a blend of art, drama, and music as visitors enjoyed artwork while drama and music performances provided a coffeehouse atmosphere. The evening concluded with performances by the jazz band and drama students, and the teachers paid tribute to the contributors of the evening.

The fledgling APIS drama class presented its first full-length production, “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” by Don Zolidis on May 28. The comedy, which attempts to knit together all the Grimm fairy tales into a series of connected events, required the student actors to take multiple parts and make multiple costume changes. Sarah McRoberts, drama teacher and director of the play, said the production showcased her drama students’ growth. “In August, we were learning the fundamentals of acting; in May, we put on a full-length play,” she said.

5월 15일 저녁, APIS의 첫 Arts Night 행사가 열렸습니다.

5월 28일 연극 수업 학생들은 Don Zolidis의 “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon”

APIS 곳곳에서 열린 학생들의 미술 전시, 드라마 공연, 그리고

을 공연하였습니다. 그림 동화에 수록된 수많은 이야기를 하나의 스토리로 엮어낸 이 코

음악 연주는 큰 감동을 선사하였으며, 방문객들은 은은한 카

미디 작품에서 학생들은 1인 다역을 맡아 여러 번 의상을 갈아입으며 연기했습니다. 공

페 분위기도 만끽할 수 있었습니다. 행사는 재즈밴드 공연, 드

연 감독이자 드라마 수업을 맡고 있는 Sarah McRoberts 선생님은 “지난해 8월 연극의

라마 공연, 그리고 미술, 음악, 드라마 선생님들의 감사 인사

기초를 배우기 시작해 올해 5월 완전한 연극을 무대에 올렸다”며 학생들의 발전된 모

로 마무리되었습니다.

습을 칭찬했습니다.

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17. Athletic Awards Banquet

19. Class of 2015 Graduates!

APIS acknowledged the efforts of student athletes on June 2 during the Athletic Awards Banquet. Though there was a moment of sadness when the senior athletes received a “Hawks for Life” t-shirt and when they presented a special gift to Mr. Murphy for making their time at APIS special, the rest of the evening was filled with excitement.

It was a time to publicly thank parents and relatives or say thank-you to that special teacher. It was a time to trade jokes and hugs and take selfies with favorite school friends. It was a time to pray for the future. The APIS Class of 2015 Graduation ceremony on June 6 had its share of both tears and laughter as the 36 members of the class looked back on their years together at the school and spoke about what from those years they would take with them. John Kim was class valedictorian. Albert Cho and Jennifer Lee were co-salutatorians.

APIS 스포츠 팀 학생들은 지난 1년간 쏟은 노력에 대해 6월

6월 6일 졸업식은 부모님과 선생님들께 감사의 인사를 전하는 날이었습니다. 또한 유쾌한 농담과

2일 Athletic Awards Banquet에서 격려와 축하를 받았습

따듯한 포옹 그리고 친구들과 추억의 사진을 찍으며 신나는 대학 생활을 기대하는 자리였습니다.

니다. 12학년 학생들이 지난 몇 년간 그들을 코치해준 Mr.

36명의 Class of 2015 졸업생들은 아쉬우면서도 기쁜 마음으로 함께 보낸 지난 시간들을 돌아보

Murphy에게 선물을 드리고, “Hawks for Life” 티셔츠를 받

고, APIS에서 배운 소중한 교훈들을 되새겼습니다. 연설은 공동 차석(salutatorian) 자리를 차지

는 순간에 잠시 아쉬움이 있었지만, 수고한 모든 학생들에게

한 Albert Cho 와 Jennifer Lee,

아낌없이 박수를 보내는 즐거운 축제와 같은 행사였습니다.

그리고 수석 (valedictorian)

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9, m 10 re Moving Up Ce

20. K5, G5, and G8 Move Up While every student moves up a grade each year, the end of the year is more special to students who move up to elementary, middle, and high school. All the kindergarteners enjoyed a small party on June 9 morning following the moving-up ceremony, while the fifth graders were celebrated at a beautifully arranged ceremony the same day. On June 10, the middle school students in their green robes stood proudly on stage, ready to take their next step as freshmen.

5월 29일 초등부 End-of-Year 콘서트에 모인 관

The Secondary End-of-Year Concert on June 4 displayed student musicians’ growth from the year and served as an emotional send-off for senior musicians as they prepared for graduation. The music presented was largely a mix of recognizable favorites selected by students and pop songs from past years. Gifts and flowers, hugs and tearful speeches were offered to the school’s three music directors, and students who earned varsity music letters were honored at the concert.

객의 얼굴에서는 미소가 끊이지 않았습니다. 이

6월 4일에 열린 Secondary End-of-Year Concert는

학년 학생은 중등부로, 그리고 8학년 학생은 고등부로

번 콘서트에서는 다양한 악기를 이용한 공연뿐만

중고등부 학생들이 지난 한 해 동안 갈고닦은 연주 실

올라가게 되면서 APIS에서는 학생들을 축하하는 행사

아니라 학생들이 직접 춤을 춰서 관객을 즐겁게

력을 자랑하고 졸업을 앞둔 12학년 학생들을 환송하

를 가졌습니다. 6월 9일에 유치부 학생들은 파티를 즐

해주었습니다. 또한, 콘서트의 마지막을 장식해

는 자리였습니다. 콘서트 프로그램은 학생들이 직접

겼으며, 중학교로 올라가는 5학년 학생들은 가족으로

준 5학년 학생들은 공연을 통해 내년에 중등부

선곡한 음악 및 팝송, 뮤지컬, 영화 음악 등 익숙한 곡

부터 축하와 꽃다발을 받았습니다. 6월 10일에 열린 중

학생들과 함께 공연할 수 있다는 모습을 보여주

으로 구성되었습니다. 학생들은 그동안 지도해 주신

등부 졸업식에서는 8학년 학생들이 초록빛 가운을 입

었습니다.

음악 선생님들께 선물과 꽃다발, 감사 인사를 전하였

고 발걸음을 힘차게 내딛는 모습을 볼 수 있었습니다.

Elementary students stepped on stage on May 29 for the final music concert of the year. Students used various musical instruments to perform many songs that were familiar.

There were small dance performances as well! The finale of the concert was the performance by fifth graders, who showed the audience that they are ready for secondary band and orchestra!

다음 학사년도부터 Kindergarten 학생은 초등부로, 5

고, varsity music letter를 받은 학생들도 콘서트에서 축하를 받았습니다.

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SUMMER 2015

SS T TU UD D EE N NT T A AC CH H II EE V V EE M M EE N NT T SS

Student Achievements

The team’s award-winning website project.

Among the middle school students who received awards at the U.S.-sponsored National History Day competition held at Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies on Feb. 14, Sooyoon Hwang, Jay Hong, Eric Lee, and Dae Ho Ha (all grade 7) were awarded first-place honors in the Group Website category section, and were invited to compete in the finals held in Washington, D.C. Numerous secondary students at APIS have been honored in this year’s U.S.-based Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, presented by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Among them, three students, Esther Kang (Grade 12), Andrew Cho (Grade 12) and Hannah Yoon (Grade 10) went on to become national medalists with Esther earning a gold medal in drawing and illustration.

“New York,” a national gold medal winning artwork by Esther Kang.

John Kim (Grade 12)

was nominated as a National Merit Finalist, an honor which is conferred on fewer than 1 percent of the approximately 1.5 million students. The National Merit Finalist honor is primarily based on outstanding PSAT scores, along with high school transcripts, and extracurricular activities.

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Esther Kang (G12)

Andrew Cho (G12)

Hannah Yoon (G10)

Sarang Yang (Grade 12) was named

to Colby College’s Presidential Scholars Program, and has been given the opportunity to conduct research alongside a professor this fall. In addition to this opportunity, she will have access to grants for her own projects, priority in class registrations, and many other benefits at her college.

Jennifer Lee (Grade 12)

has been honored with the Presidential Scholarship at Calvin College, a liberal arts college in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The $12,000 award will be applied to her 2015-2016 academic year, during which Jennifer will be attending the college as a freshman.

2014-2015 Director’s Award

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spire Award Teddy Russell (G1) Yeonsue Arata (G2) Adelia Kwak (G3) Joyce Kim (G4) Davis Beatty (G5) Namee Kim (G5) Bryan Jung (G6)

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ersevere Award Heumjae Cho (G1) Katrien Knox-Nielsen (G1) Jason Kim (G2) Johan Shin (G3) Jacob Hong (G4) Sophia Park (G5) Eugene Kim (G5) Phuc An Duong (G6)

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ntegrity Award Zofia Kowal (G1) Gillian Kern (G1) Jacklyn Veri (G2) Webb Beatty (G3) Rin Choi (G4) Justin Suh (G5) Eunice Kwak (G5)

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piritual Growth Elliot Suh (G1) Ianna Sim (G2) Lulu Timpson (G3) Joanna Kim (G4) Jaeho Choi (G4) Jein Kim (G5)

Soo Yoon Hwang (G7) Sarah Choi (G8) Jocelyn Kim (G9) Tim Lee (G9) Dayeon Kim (G10) Claire Park (G10) Eddie Kim (G11) Albert Cho (G12) Catherine Kim (G12)

Sun Woo Kim (G6) Clara Park (G7) Alex Woo (G8) Josephine Oh (G9) Soo Bin Park (G9) Yea Kyoung Lee (G10) Yifei Li (G10) Ellen Lee (G11) Dave Moon (G12) Kyle Park (G12)

SUMMER 2015

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Irene Kim (G6) Eric Lee (G7) Henry Kim (G8) Nicole Lee (G9) Crystal Cho (G10) Edwin Lee (G10) Ha-an Choi (G11) Sarang Yang (G12) Jackie Lee (G12)

Matthew Kang (G5) Charissa Kim (G6) Mei-Mei Timpson (G7) Daniel Suh (G8) Julia Kim (G9) Gabby Ravin (G10) Jeho Hahm (G11) Jennifer Lee (G12) Peter Yoo (G12) W W W. A P I S . O R G

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SUMMER 2015

SUMMER SCHOOL

Summer School: Growth, Learning, and Fun!

Yin Choi (Kindergarten) and Ms. House enjoy trekking at a nearby trail.

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veryone likes a good, long, relaxing summer break, but for some students at APIS, summer means a lot more than “relaxing.” For those students, summer is a time for personal growth and further learning.

Elementary students participated in a full-day summer school program for four weeks, which helped students develop academically and also physically. Secondary students got more serious with their academics through enrichment courses and reach ahead courses while some enrolled in the sports program to improve their basketball skills.

The elementary summer school program consisted of academic classes in the morning, and sports activities in the afternoon. During the morning classes, students improved core academic skills through the literacy, mathematics and technology camps, and also attended art and computer building elective classes.

In the afternoon, students relieved stress and had fun through outdoor sports games, which were also aimed at building teamwork and cooperation skills. BJ Kim, Class of 2014, assisted elementary teachers with sports by organizing diverse outdoor games. “I developed a sense of responsibility during my internship at APIS summer school,” BJ said. “This experience really helped me mature into a young adult by learning to be patient!”

Secondary students who took enrichment courses had a chance to study important concepts more thoroughly over the summer break to get themselves better prepared for next semester. Some students seized the opportunity to fast-track themselves to higher level courses by signing up for the Reach Ahead courses.

Students who signed up for the sports activities session learned some useful basketball skills and strategies. Jae Kang, Class of 2014, helped the secondary students during the enrichment courses and also taught basketball as an assistant coach. “This was a unique experience,” Jae said. “I learned how to grab the students’ attention, and at the same time, learned how hard being a teacher is.”

Juniors used the first week of their summer vacation preparing for college essays with the college admissions expert, Mr. Martin Walsh. With experience of working in admissions at Stanford and Santa Clara University, Mr. Walsh helped students understand what the admissions officers of U.S. universities are looking for. Not only did he teach the rising seniors how to write a good college essay, but he also gave a presentation to APIS parents on June 16 on how college admission decisions are made. A lot of parents showed up for this event and learned about the recent trends in college admissions.

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Summer School: Growth, Learning, and Fun!

SUMMER 2015

SUMMER SCHOOL

여름 방학의 시작은 또 다른 “학교”의 시작이기도 합니다. 올해도 어김없이 APIS Summer School은 알찬 프로그램으로 돌아와 학생들은 방학 동안 학습 보강, 체력 단련, 선행 학습 등을 할 수 있었습니다. 초등부 학생들은 학업과 더불어 다양한 스포츠 활동을 할 수 있는 종일 summer school 프로그램에 참여했습니다. 중고등부 학생들은 enrichment 수업을 통해 기본기를 튼튼하게 만들고, reach ahead 수업으로 다음 학기 수 업을 미리 수강하는 기회를 가졌으며 농구반을 신청한 학생들은 농구 실력을 향상시켰습니다.

초등부 학생들은 오전에 언어, 수학, 그리고 테크놀로지 수업뿐만 아니라 미술과 컴퓨터 조립 선택과목으로 다양한 경험을 하였고 오후에 재미 있는 게임을 즐기면서 동시에 팀워크와 협동심도 쌓았습니다. 2014년도 졸업생 BJ Kim은 이번 summer school에 초등부 보조 교사로 활동하 면서 학생들이 다양한 스포츠와 게임을 즐길 수 있게 도왔습니다. BJ는 “이번 여름방학 프로그램에서 책임감의 중요성에 대해 배웠으며 한층 더 성장할 수 있는 기회였다”고 하였습니다.

중고등부 학생들은 enrichment 수업을 통하여 다음 학기 수업에 대비하기 위한 학습 개념 및 기초를 다시 다졌으며, 일부 학생들은 심화 과목 을 빠르게 접하기 위해 reach ahead 수업을 수강하였습니다. 오후 스포츠반을 신청한 학생들은 농구 실력을 향상시키면서 경기에서 필요한 주 요 전략을 알아보는 시간도 가졌습니다. 2014년도 졸업생 Jae Kang은 중고등부 학생들의 enrichment 수업 및 농구 수업의 assistant coach 역할을 담당하면서 “정말 특별한 경험을 했으며, 학생들의 관심을 사로잡는 방법도 배웠지만 동시에 가르치는 일이 어렵다는 것을 깨달았다”고 하였습니다.

11학년 학생들만을 위한 대학 입학 에세이 특강도 개설되었습니다. 강사 Martin Walsh 선생님은 Stanford와 Santa Clara 대학에서 입학사정 관으로 재직했던 경험을 바탕으로 APIS 학생들이 입시 준비를 더욱 잘 할 수 있도록 도왔습니다. 이뿐만 아니라 Walsh 선생님은 6월 16일에 학 부모님들을 초대하여 대학 입시 준비 전략에 관한 설명회를 개최하였습니다. 이날 참석한 학부모님들은 미국 대학 입시 전문가로부터 입시 관련 최신 동향에 대해 듣고 어떻게 대비해야 하는지 배울 수 있었습니다.

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SUMMER 2015

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Alumni Spotlight: Jeremiah Kim

Jeremiah Kim (Class of 2014), center, poses with his classmates during his “Mathematics of LEGO” class after building a 3,152 piece monster in 9 minutes and 32 seconds!

1. Where are you going to school now?

Greetings from Williams College! I’m deep in the “Purple Valley” of the Berkshires and there really is no other place I’d rather call home. It really is all the things beyond academics that makes Williams so amazing for me. I can’t fathom an undergraduate experience that doesn’t consist of playing basketball with your Studio Art professor or getting invited to your Multivariable Calculus professor’s house for dinner and Wii U. As for friends, it’s a dream come true to be in the presence of such a down-to-earth intellectual community. Late night dorm room happenings range from silly college shenanigans to conversations about the Banking Crisis of ’08—you really don’t know what to expect. College: 10/10. Would recommend.

2. What is your daily schedule like?

My days usually start at 9 a.m. I only have two-three classes a day so I’m pretty much free all afternoon. On a typical weekday afternoon, you can find me at the nearby elementary school where I teach 4th grade science as a part of my work-study or outside my dorm playing pick-up basketball with my friends. If I feel super unproductive (read: played Super Smash Bros Melee for too long) then I might hit Sawyer Library.

3. Tell us about yourself as a former student at APIS. I really enjoyed my AP Language class with Ms. Althauser. All those classroom discussions about the merits of utilitarianism and satire (e.g. Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal) have a soft place in my heart. Student Council also played a big role during my years in APIS and all those afterschool meetings preparing for the next big event, or lamenting the lack of school spirit still get a chuckle out of me at times. Japanese class with Junko Sensei was also some of the highlights of my high school years.

4. What was the most challenging part in preparing for college applications?

The most challenging part was probably mental: getting over the Korean emphasis on the “Numbers Game.”

There are better things to do with your time than define yourself through your four-digit SAT score. I focused on my extracurricular interests: SRC and basketball, as well as creating opportunities for myself. Writing college essays was quite the process. But, it was nice—albeit stressful—getting to showcase myself in a more personal way that standardized test scores simply couldn’t. Don’t tell them why you want to be in their college; tell them why they need you there.

5. What programs or sessions at APIS were helpful in preparing for college applications?

Get involved extracurricularly! This doesn’t necessarily mean make your own club for the sake of being “President,” but just do things you enjoy—you’ll find yourself naturally in a leadership role. APIS was small and young enough where I could actually take leadership roles in the activities that I enjoyed.

6. Lastly, what advice do you have for our seniors and juniors?

Take classes you enjoy, not classes you think will get you into college. I dropped AP World History (*gasp*) my senior year—giving me less AP classes my senior year than in my junior year—for a “normal” Physics class I found much more interesting. Totally worth it. It’s not all about the U.S. News & Report rankings or colleges that are recognized by Koreans—apply to the liberal arts schools! In just a year, I’ve become a strong proponent of the undergraduate liberal arts experience. I’m currently fulfilling my pre-med requirements but I still have room to explore different classes outside of my comfort zone, such as “Banned Books” or “Mathematics of LEGO.” Enjoy your high school years and best of luck with the rest of school!

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Alumni Class Notes y ann D re y, rsit sity) s e v i a er un niv OKA n i U is r y e R ting h yea mor h t e E le to in on 2, mp turn ve o r ing 201 c e d e s e r n spe ass of ea to will b g to r n r l e i Aft oi (C to Ko anny epar s. r D iCh p d die e r. s u Un i n o t t s r y d a r s l . n tu i s a h mo hools ran soon E te t e l c a at p nls e ior edica cou vic o com n r t e e s t m feren gs ory isin ng to r dif m E i a n y e s l s. i v 2) app to se morie 1 f e 20 ess o eled s of c em v l o s hn a b s r o r a a p t l J t ize , (C the mom orget 14 organ of ee n 0 f i L 2 n es ny of e is d her ed u ped stag s l s e om r Jen y. Sh n a h a l e w a h ) C h s ( t t y sit he tha than im versit show ver tly, s e and K e i u s an op en Un le to arg ption s Bri d n Rec n Eur b i o n a opk Life t ent a nd si e a H i r s t pm ice roa P develo r cho tte al fet ve be orha tC a n . e 6 on 01 g in rti 2 o f b n a ss o ajori ry cla ot m e t e h l d in t doub ecide is cur ision. s i iv e 2) she is has d rit. Sh jects d 01 B r e 2 h e f h g f s yo rth mm al pro t hou dies, o ss o i t u a s , N l s r C ive 014, 2014 n ven n stu his e glob o( t n E .

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SUMMER 2015

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

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SUMMER 2015

N E W FA C U LT Y S E O U L

Introducing New Faculty Brett Askinas Mr. Askinas graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Mathematics. After graduating he returned to school to pursue his teaching certificate in math. Prior to joining APIS, he also worked on a science education research project involving different teaching methods and strategies related to science curriculum and education. Mr. Askinas believes math and science can be found in everything we do from cooking and shopping to playing sports and that students should feel comfortable asking questions. An avid supporter of extracurricular activities, Mr. Askinas was involved in many after school clubs and sports including coaching the tennis team and leading homework clubs. In his spare time Mr. Askinas enjoys music, spending time with friends, traveling, snowboarding, watching movies or sports and reading.

Jim Bleecker

Vivian Bleecker Earning a bachelor degree in journalism from Washington State University, Mrs. Bleecker worked for seven years as a newspaper reporter before working as a Superior Court clerk in Washington State. She later earned a master’s in teaching from Gonzaga University. Prior to coming to APIS, Mrs. Bleecker spent four years teaching language arts and English at the American School of Douala in Cameroon, West Africa. Before teaching in Africa, she spent 12 years teaching reading, composition, American literature, AP English Language, and journalism/yearbook production at Blaine High School.

In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband, Jim, and their two grown children, Rob and Brandon, and daughter-in-law, Alisha, hiking, camping, playing ball, board games and basking in the sun at the beach. She enjoys reading, writing, photography, and chatting and laughing it up during family gatherings with their 13 siblings.

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Mr. Bleecker is joining APIS after serving as the Secondary School Principal and Athletic Director at the American School of Douala, Republic of Cameroon. Mr. Bleecker also served as college counselor and AP & SAT coordinator at ASD. Mr. Bleecker began teaching physical education and world and U.S. history in 1987 and served as Department Head of Physical Education and as the Head Coach of Women’s Softball at Grays Harbor Community College. He also served numerous head coach positions in the state of Washington as well as internationally. Mr. Bleecker also served as President of A.A.U. basketball in Whatcom County, Washington. Mr. Bleecker’s passion for teaching and coaching is evident by his two time selection of High School Teacher of the Year while working in the South Bend School District in the state of Washington. Mr. Bleecker has been married for 30 years to Vivian Bleecker and they are the proud parents of two United States Marines currently on active duty.

Sherry Cheng Ms. Cheng graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Foreign Studies Department of Xi’an University of Architecture & Technology and worked as an English teacher at Xi’an International University. Then, in 2011, she studied at Beijing Language and Culture University and gained the Teaching Proficiency Certificate of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. She began her Chinese teaching career in BLCU and from 2014, she continued her teaching career at a Chinese Education and Training Center where she taught students from Japan, Korea, America, and Brazil. With 11 years of teaching experience and a great passion for this career, she knows how to motivate students, inspire them to find the beauty of Chinese and learn Chinese with great joy. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading books, watching movies, practicing Chinese calligraphy, and swimming.

Soo Lee Ms. Lee has a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Columbia University and is credentialed in both early childhood education and elementary education in the states of New York and New Jersey in the USA. Ms. Lee has experience teaching students from all over the world and meeting the needs of students who are not only diverse culturally, but also diverse in their levels of education and educational needs.

She was an elementary school teacher in the New York City public school system for five years and then an international school in Korea for two more years. When she volunteered at a local elementary school in Guatemala after college, she fell in love with molding students with different needs into independent thinkers. In her free time, she loves to exercise and spends most of her time with her daughter.

SUMMER 2015

N E W FA C U LT Y S E O U L

Kimberly House Ms. House is so thankful to God that she can live overseas and teach students from all over the world! She has taught in Korea for the last eight years at International Christian School in Uijongbu. This is her first year at APIS and she is looking forward to getting involved in the community. Her family lives in Lynchburg, Virginia. She graduated from Liberty University in Virginia with her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2006 and received her master’s in Education as a Reading Specialist in 2013. In her spare time, she enjoys running, shopping, going out to eat, reading in coffee shops and hanging out with friends.

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SUMMER 2015

N E W FA C U LT Y S E O U L

Courtney Murfield

Ryan Murfield After graduating from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Education and English, Mr. Murfield spent over two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine. There he taught English as a foreign language in a small school with students grades 4 to 11. He also taught leadership, critical thinking, and healthy lifestyles at camps and seminars across the country. After Peace Corps, Mr. Murfield moved to Fargo, North Dakota where he had the unique opportunity of teaching Language Arts on an 8th grade STEM team. There he developed a passion for education emphasizing 21st century skills and project-based learning.

He enjoys running, and is a lover of all things outdoors. It’s not uncommon to find him playing his banjo outside of school hours.

Ms. Murfield began her career with the intent of being a historian, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Minnesota State University with a B.A. in History, minoring in Political Science. She only discovered her passion for teaching whilst working in a small village in Crimea, serving with the United States Peace Corps. During her twenty seven months of volunteer service, Ms. Murfield taught English to Ukrainian English language learners and directed educational camps for university students. This experience inspired her to begin a career in education. Upon returning to the United States, she earned her B.S. in Secondary Education from Minnesota State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Ms. Murfield is grateful for the opportunity to expand students’ horizons and to push them to develop the skills they will need to be global citizens of the 21st century. Her favorite pastimes are reading, practicing yoga, playing music with her husband, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Carly Shinners Ms. Shinners grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and earned her Bachelor of Science in Math Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. During her time at UW-La Crosse, she earned a grant to complete research projects on female mathematicians throughout history who, despite their impressive accomplishments, are widely unknown. In addition to math history research, Ms. Shinners also studied and researched graph theory at Illinois State University. She is committed to continue learning advanced math so that she is able to incorporate higher-level mathematics into the high school classroom. Ms. Shinners has taught math at the La Crosse Design Institute, a project-based middle school, and at La Crosse Central High School. Ms. Shinners is extremely passionate about math and loves sharing her enthusiasm for the subject with her students. When she is not studying or teaching math, Ms. Shinners loves to meet new people, travel, and go for long runs.

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Megan Vosk Ms. Vosk grew up in a suburb of New York City. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with High Distinction from the University of Virginia in 2006. She holds a B.A. in Studies in Women and Gender with a minor in Astronomy, and a M.A.T. in Secondary Education Social Studies. After college she taught reading, writing, and humanities at a nonprofit GED and workforce development training program in Portland, Oregon. Ms. Vosk moved to Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2012 where she taught middle school history geography at an all-girls private international school that was attended by members of the royal family. An avid traveler and explorer, Ms. Vosk has visited over 25 countries.

She practices yoga in her spare time, and also enjoys reading and watching movies

J. Ward Milligan Mr. Milligan found himself drawn to teaching over 35 years ago by a desire to help people achieve their goals, reach their potential and develop as compassionate citizens. He completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of Alberta and in relocating to teach, he and his wife Leslie wove themselves into the fabric of Saskatchewan where they raised their two children.

Mr. Milligan served the school division as a teacher and administrator for 31 years during which he developed a school environment rich in technology and social consciousness. Continuing to enjoy learning, Mr. Milligan completed a Master of Ministry from Briercrest Biblical Seminary with a specialization in Christian Ministry and a Master of Arts Education from SDSU. Helping others through teaching and ministry has remained Mr. Milligan’s desire and passion. He enjoys many activities including hiking, biking, swimming, golf and embracing new challenges.

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N E W FA C U LT Y S E O U L

Jason Webster Mr. Webster graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Teaching in Social Studies from the University of Virginia. After two years teaching outside of Washington, D.C., he moved to Vermont, where he spent twelve years teaching AP World History, Global History and Humanities, and U.S. History.

Mr. Webster has worked for the College Board serving as an AP Reader for World History on three occasions. ​He ​​takes pride in working collaboratively with his colleagues to improve student achievement. Coaching is another of Mr. Webster’s passions, as he celebrates opportunities to work with students in extracurricular settings.

He spends his free time with his wife, Caroline, and their two boys. His hobbies include​​ playing sports, enjoying the outdoors, and reading. Mr. Webster is excited to join the APIS community.

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SUMMER 2015

N E W F A C U L T Y H A WA I I

Steve Todd Pastor Todd has over 20 years of ministry experience focusing on youth/student ministries both in the church and also in outdoor Christian camping. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from university. After a brief career of teaching and coaching at Potter Valley High School, Pastor Todd responded to God’s call to enter full time ministry, receiving his Master of Divinity from The Master’s Seminary. During his time in seminary, he led the college ministry of Community Bible Church of the Foothills in Glendora, CA. God directed Pastor Todd and his family to the ministry of Mt Gilead Bible Camp in 2005, where he has served as program director and director of marketing for the last 10 years. Pastor Todd has had the privilege of leading missions trips to various parts of the world, providing students with a cross-cultural ministry experience.

Pastor Todd and his wife, Shannon, have three girls and a boy. They enjoy being outdoors and love to play sports, explore, and have fun.

Andy Peeler Mr. Peeler received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Biola University where he specialized in instrumental music and studied piano with Dr. Li-Shan Hung. Following the awarding of his degree at Biola, he completed his student teaching at Hutchinson Middle School and California High School. During his time at Biola University, Mr. Peeler participated in Symphonic Winds, Chorale, piano accompanying, and percussion ensemble. Outside of the music building, Mr. Peeler was heavily involved in the international community aiding students with papers and spoken English; he also participated in the campus homeless ministry delivering meals and the gospel to the homeless in Long Beach. In his spare time, Mr. Peeler enjoys playing the piano and guitar, exercising, reading, playing sports, studying Korean, and skyping with his family.

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Matthew Manley

Allison Manley

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Manley attended public schools in Salem, Oregon, as well as a two-year stint at an international school in Japan.

His love of language and literature led him to Whitman College, where he received his B.A. in English and studied abroad in Senegal, West Africa. Upon graduation, Mr. Manley completed a Princeton in Asia Teaching Fellowship as an instructor of English at Chiang Mai University in Northern Thailand, returning to the U.S. in 2012 to complete a year of service with the AmeriCorps Reading Corps service program. Mr. Manley and his beautiful wife Allison joined the Teach for America educator development program in 2013 and relocated to New Mexico, where he taught 7th grade English. He holds a teaching certificate from the state of New Mexico and a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of New Mexico. He and his wife enjoy hiking, tennis, good cooking, and exploring new lands and languages.

Mrs. Manley spent her childhood living in Puerto Rico, Maine, Virginia, and Alaska. Upon graduating from high school, Mrs. Manley spent a year in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay and this experience led her to major in Spanish and minor in mathematics at Whitman College. Through her college ministry she met her husband and together they decided to enter the teaching profession. After being accepted to the Teach for America program, Mrs. Manley moved to Gallup, New Mexico where she taught 6th and 7th grade math. In the classroom, she guides students through authentic and collaborative learning experiences, pushing them to connect their learning to the world around them student and civic responsibility. Outside of the classroom, she loves to cook big meals, while developing knit, hike, and has recently become an avid swimmer.

SUMMER 2015

N E W F A C U L T Y H A WA I I

Brent Grissom Mr. Grissom received a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Cum Laude) in 1998 and a Master of Science in Biology in 2002 from the University of Texas at Arlington. During his collegiate career, his studies focused on ecology and population genetics but was then swayed into a teaching career as a result of his extreme enjoyment in teaching various college laboratory classes. In 2000, Mr. Grissom started his public teaching career in Fort Worth, Texas as a 7th grade general science teacher for 3 years and then shifted to high school biology. For the past 10 years, he has taught AP Biology, Advanced Biology and Scientific Research in Austin, Texas. He strongly believes in building a fun, supportive environment to help students enjoy and excel at their studies while also helping them grow into mature and well-rounded people. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Grissom thoroughly enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, playing guitar and cooking.

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SUMMER 2015

N E W F A C U L T Y H A WA I I

Ellen Rodowsky Ms. Rodowsky received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Colgate University, where she was invited to participate in the Benton Scholars Program. As a member of this program, she worked with a group of students, professors, and hospital staff on a water sanitation research project in Uganda for the Bwindi Community Hospital. During her time at Colgate, she also served as the president of the women’s rugby team, worked as a peer tutor, and was a house manager and resident advisor for upperclassmen living on campus, organizing a variety of athletic events and activities. She studied in Quito, Ecuador, for five months, where she interned as a psychologist’s assistant at a center for neuropsychological therapies and worked with children ages 3 to 14 on fostering effective learning habits and study skills. In her free time, Ms. Rodowsky loves being active, participating in athletics and baking.

Max Brasseal Mr. Brasseal was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area where he attended Vacaville Christian Schools. He received his B.A. in Communication Studies from Azusa Pacific University. During his final college semester, Mr. Brasseal was the Digital Marketing Intern for a leading biotechnology and Fortune 1000 company Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Following his graduation, Mr. Brasseal accepted a full-time position with Bio-Rad as Social Media Marketing Associate where he effectively established a global center of excellence around social media. In 2015, Mr. Brasseal moved to San Francisco to work for the tech startup PubNub where he generated written, graphic, videographic, and photographic content, and was responsible for social media publishing, analytics, and strategy. Mr. Brasseal has a strong passion for people, exploration and travel which has led him to places such as South Africa, Zambia, Europe, Mexico, and more. He is excited to explore beautiful Hawaii, make great new friends, and learn all he can while at APIS.

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Daniel Paulin Mr. Paulin is a husband, musician, and graduate of William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA. At WJU he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with a minor in Bible and Theology. During the last two summers, he has spent his time working at Mt. Gilead Bible Camp, where he has been able to apply his skills by performing in the worship team, supervising children, and providing assistance with devotional and developmental times. Originally from rural Potter Valley, CA, Mr. Paulin has spent the last few years in the Sacramento area, but has had the opportunity to travel abroad as well. Centered mostly in east Asia, he has been able to visit South Korea, China, Cambodia, and Mexico. He and his wife Alisha like to travel, play games, and enjoy meals with friends.

Melissa Martinez Ms. Martinez graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in psychology. Ms. Martinez’s academic career took her to study revolutionary and ancient art in Egypt, community development work with Women’s Campaign International in Liberia, a course on the three major world religions and their politics in the heart of Jerusalem, and to a semester of maritime studies along both coasts of the United States with Williams-Mystic. Ms. Martinez worked at Mount Greylock Regional High School between 2012-2015 where she strove to provide individualized attention to students in English, academic skills, special education, and math classrooms. Ms. Martinez has dedicated her recent summers to studying American Foreign Policy, volunteering in an orphanage in Uganda, managing the Blue Water Fine Arts Gallery in Maine, interning with the Institute for Rural Health Studies in India, and leading high school students in a Language and Service trip in Costa Rica. In her spare time Ms. Martinez enjoys skiing, backpacking, volunteer work, and painting.

SUMMER 2015

N E W F A C U L T Y H A WA I I

Alyssa Amos Ms. Amos grew up in Vermont and graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, MA with a B.A. in English and Studio Art. She comes from a diverse educational background having been homeschooled until high school, attending a private school for Nordic skiing and then a public high school in rural Vermont before Williams College. This diverse background along with an internship teaching at a private school in Denmark, has cultivated a deep passion for learning and curiosity that she hopes to encourage in her students. Ms. Amos concentrated in social documentary photography and film in her studio art major and enjoys studying Shakespeare and literary theory.

Outside of the classroom Ms. Amos loves competing in triathlons, Nordic skiing, hiking, running, cooking, photography, writing and traveling.

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SUMMER 2015

F O R E I G N L A N G UA G E S

From the

Foreign Language Department The foreign language department at APIS was particularly busy during the second half of the school year.

While students continued to build academically on concepts introduced during the first semester, the last months of school have also been a time for field trips, special events like the annual Culture Fair, STAMP testing, and the schoolwide second annual APIS Asian Language Speech Contest.

This last event, the speech contest was held on April 30, and it allowed students of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese to apply skills gained during the school year. Close to two dozen APIS students qualified for the opportunity to demonstrate their foreign language skills for an auditorium filled with fellow students, faculty, and family members. The contest was a celebration of the multi-language emphasis at APIS and an opportunity to honor students from kindergarten through high school who were selected to participate.

“I am unable to express how proud I am of our students as I see them improving year after year. Especially this year, the event was memorable to me in the sense that the Korean, Chinese and Japanese departments came to host this together as one. … This event was able to strengthen my belief that the ability to speak a foreign language is key to understanding and accepting other cultures.” (Emily Kim, Korean department chair) Korean, Chinese, and Japanese language, cuisine, and culture were also on display at the annual APIS Culture Fair, held in March. Booths for the three countries were set up along with close to 20 other booths representing different regions of the Unites States to Kenya to Poland and Egypt and more.

The Chinese language department kicked off the second half of the year with a large event of its own, a Chinese New Year Fair on Feb. 16. Students enjoyed trying Chinese crafts, games, and dumplings (a traditional food for Chinese New Year) at the fair. The wife of the Chinese ambassador to Korea, Ms. Shan Li, and the education counsellor from the Chinese embassy, Mr. Hongge Ai, were special guests at the fair.

Ms. Li and Mr. Ai said the fair was a great chance for the students to learn about China. The guests also said the students are “wonderful and … so passionate about Chinese language study.” (Grace Gao, Chinese department chair) Students of Japanese took a field trip in January. They viewed the Studio Ghibli (Japanese animation film) exhibit, visited the Embassy of Japan for a New Year event and tried Japanese “shabu shabu” at a restaurant. The next month, the Japanese students focused on cuisine from that country, watching the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” and trying to make their own sushi. Students of Japanese learned this year about “Ohanami,” which is the Japanese traditional custom of viewing the cherry blossom trees in bloom.

In April, the students traveled to a nearby area to practice “Ohanami” themselves as they enjoyed the cherry blossoms.

In April and May, two Korean history classes — Korean Modern History and Literature (G11) and Korean Studies and Comparative Perspective of East Asia (G12) — went on field trips to visit the Seoul Museum of History in Gwanghwamun. In addition to touring the museum, students chose a key event in modern Korean history and recreated it in a short film.

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From the

Music Department Sophie Holbrook Music Department Chair Dear Student Musicians,

Bravo! You have completed another year of music-making at APIS: a year’s worth of music classes, several performances, dozens of songs, thousands of hours spent practicing, tens-of-thousands notes played, and countless memories made. Hopefully you feel accomplished and your skills have developed to a higher level! We have something to be proud of in each and every one of you. We sincerely wish the best for you in your summer vacation and are already looking ahead to the great music we will make together next year. Graduated seniors, your daily presence will be missed in more ways than you can imagine. We look forward to having you visit next year and hearing of your exciting life in college. As maturing musicians, here are some ways that you can keep music in your life as you move on. In fact, these are great ideas for anyone with an interest in music.

BE A WELL-ROUNDED MUSICIAN What does that mean? Get out there and see concerts! Listen to new music! Compose, create, and conduct! Pick up a new instrument — ask a friend or learn by yourself! Sing your heart out! Explore music theory — what is a triad? Can you name all the key signatures? Explore music history — what was Mozart’s life like? Who wrote the first recorded music? Being well-rounded means that you have knowledge in multiple areas of music. Your overall musicianship will aid in your main musical focus.

BE AN ARTIST Music is a form of art. Music is not black and white dots and lines on a page, but rather the sound of feelings and emotion. Tell a story with music and imagine colors as you play notes. Better yet, go to a museum and experience visual art firsthand. As we observed during Arts Night in May, music can enhance visual art and vice versa. Combine the two art forms and see where your creativity takes you.

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MUSIC

BE A MUSIC EDUCATOR You may not realize it, but you are in possession of a lot of musical knowledge. Share it with others! Tell a friend about your favorite piece of music you performed this year. Tell your parents about a technique you learned at a KAIAC or KIMEA music festival. Tell a child why being in music is important to you. Teach a lesson to a beginning student. Music is meant to be shared — go out and spread the love and joy of making music!

Music is so much more than practice and performance. Let music take you to worlds unknown, much like reading a great book. Being a musician takes dedication, hard work, and patience, but with it comes experiences to last a lifetime. We are proud of the musicians you are and thank you for sharing it with us!

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SUMMER 2015

COLLEGE COUNSELING

From the

College Counseling Director Shana Russell Director of College Counseling Summer brings with it a time of bittersweet goodbyes in the college counseling office. On one hand, those students who I have worked with for the past year and a half are finally taking flight and going off on a wonderful four-year adventure in college. Everything that they have worked so hard for throughout high school has finally been realized.

On the other hand, I’m not yet ready to let these smart, engaging, and funny young men and women go just yet. I have truly enjoyed teaching them in the classroom, laughing with them in the hallways, and watching them grow through this process of self-discovery.

I could not be more proud of the Class of 2015 and all they have accomplished. They are a tremendous group of young men and women who are going off to wonderful things. Congratulations!

For those parents and students returning to APIS, I’m often asked if students should use the summer to prepare for standardized exams. While summer is a great time for students to prepare for exams, I don’t think this is the only way they should be spending their time. Colleges and universities will often require students to write about what they did during the summer months and I can guarantee that they don’t want to hear that a student spent these sunny days stuck in a classroom preparing for the SAT or ACT. Instead, encourage your son or daughter to find an internship in an area in which they are interested in working after college, to get a job that will teach them about the real world, to cultivate a passion that they may not have time for during the school year, to spend time with their friends and family, and to just be a kid!

Standardized testing is important because it is required by SOME BUT NOT ALL colleges in the U.S., but not at the expense of sleep, happiness, and doing well in school.

The SAT is one exam on one day. Colleges know that solid grades on a transcript are a better indicator of success in college than a standardized test alone. Doing well on the SAT or ACT can be important, but it is no more important than solid performance in the classroom, extracurricular activities, personal growth, self-knowledge, and an awareness of the world around you.

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From the

School Counselors Kirstan Beatty & Jodi Nielsen School Counselors

Transitions - Summer Activities Transitions are a normal part of growing up, each step has its own specific skills on which to focus. During the summer break, support your child in practicing these specific skills to prepare them for their next stage of school.

Kindergarten moving on to grade 1:

Provide opportunities for your child to become more independent in the following skills: • take on and off coat • tie shoes • go to the bathroom independently and wash their hands • brush teeth

Grade 5 moving on to grade 6:

Help your child build their organizational skills.

• buy and practice using organizing materials such as calendars or files • help them organize electronic files on their laptops • establish good sleep and exercise habits • provide healthy boundaries related to screen time

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COUNSELING

Grade 8 moving on to grade 9: Help your child stay balanced.

• help them set healthy sleep and exercise habits • balance the time that they spend online with other activities • help them organize electronic files on their laptops • discuss how to have a balanced schedule that includes time for homework, after school activities, friends, family and relaxation

Grade 11 moving on to grade 12:

Help your budding senior build resilience and balance.

• re-establish healthy sleep, exercise and study habits • friends and study are important and they need to balance both • have open discussions related to future plans (career, college, unique paths to reach goals…)

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W W W. A P I S . O R G EDITORIAL TEAM: ■ Euysung Kim Director ■ Nicole Suh Art & Design Editor ■ Josephine Shim Communications & PR Team Leader ■ Susan Craton Writing / Editing Staff ■ Soora Koh Communications Officer ■ Ranhee Cho Communications Intern