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ISSUE 50.
UPDATE 57 WOLGYE-RO 45GA-G I L , NOWO N- G U, S EO UL , 0 1 87 4 , KOREA
IN THIS ISSUE:
■ Pacific Pencil ■ Athletic Awards Banquet ■ Elementary Field Day
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■ F. 0 2 .9 0 7 .2 7 4 2
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IN THIS ISSUE:
■ ■Graduation and Moving Up Elementary Chinese & Japanese ■ ■Director’s Awards Faculty Retreat ■ End-of-Year Concerts
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E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
2017 Pacific Pencil Celebration
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he long-anticipated seventh annual Pacific Pencil celebration took place May 18. Each year, beginning long before the big day, faculty, students, and parents brainstorm how best to showcase and celebrate student work and the creative process. For this year’s annual Pacific Pencil magazine, all elementary students submitted one piece of English writing, one piece of Korean writing, one piece of artwork, and one piece of group artwork. The pieces were woven together under the theme of "love binds us together" for the 2017 Pacific Pencil. The annual publication was celebrated with a publishing ceremony, guest speaker, art exhibition, reception, ES mural painting, and raffle. “I was very happy to see all of our parents, students, and teachers enjoying the Pacific Pencil event this year,” said Anna Sea (art teacher). “The smiles on our students' faces and the enthusiasm in the building made my day! I would say painting the mural together was the highlight of our event this year because we now have a representative piece of art that shows our bond of love and is permanently displayed in the school building. This was a truly collaborative project. Many dedicated students and teachers have worked day and night for the publication and for the event. I sincerely want to thank all of the people who were involved in making this event happen. Praise God!" This year, the interactiveness of the exhibit and publication reached a new high. Both had video clips of each elementary student’s artist statement embedded through the use of a free app called “Aurasma.” Artwork with the Aurasma icon led viewers to the artist’s video clip with a statement about their philosophy as an artist. . “I loved the technology that was incorporated through using Aurasma,” said Kim House (Grade 2 teacher). “That is something that the students will always remember and be able to watch over and over. The community mural was also really fun and will be a reminder of this great event." Peyton Webster (Grade 3) said Pacific Pencil is such a special event because, “we can see other
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students’ art styles and you can choose your own writing [to be included in the magazine].” Yurina Kimura (Grade 2) also loved the event. “Pacific Pencil was good because there was different kinds of artwork. My favorite part was when I saw my artwork." Elementary Principal Bruce Knox echoed the sentiment of many students, faculty, and family members when he shared, “This year’s event has been my highlight of the year so far! The level of collaboration and involvement of so many students, teachers, and parents sets the standard for all future events to follow!” The Pacific Pencil celebration delighted all and was, once again, a creative culmination to another year of art making and writing. "I felt nervous about speaking in public so only prayed that God will use a weak person like me to glorify His name. I prayed that the students will have a great time. I was amazed by the enthusiasm, talents, and innocent heart that APIS students had and I got to love children after my visit to APIS." - Hye Rin Ahn, Mural Artist
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Grade 5 GCP: Outdoor Education Stream Study By Wendy Wilson, Grade 5 Teacher
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pon reflection of their whirlwind two-day adventure, Grade 5 students took pride in their accomplishments during the Outdoor Education Stream Study GCP (Global Citizens Program). Many of our students discovered a new set of skills they never knew they had, while others pushed the boundaries of their comfort level in the wilds of the beautiful Pyeongchang region of Korea. It was refreshing to see that our curriculum could be brought to life in a real setting. Their limits were tested even before they ventured down the road leading out of Seoul. The students were required to develop independent thinking by coming up with their menu for the two-day camping trip, a shopping list, and a budget for their related grocery expenses. “We added all of the costs for items in our cart before we headed to the cashier,” Adelia Kwak mused upon remembering the day we all boarded the bus for a trip to Emart for the GCP grocery run. When we arrived at the Eoreumchi village after a long bus ride, the students settled into the campers and tucked into a warm lunch. We then padded off to the aquarium to learn about the life cycle of the insects and fish that we studied on the trip and to don blueberry-colored waders for sloshing around in the stream while net fishing. “I look like a fat penguin!” Margaret Cheon exclaimed. “Net fishing in our blue waders was a great way to work as a team and learn about fishing. The joy of catching a fish was amazing,” Erica Shim recalled of her efforts in the smooth running stream. “It was so nice being around nature.” “I learned how to properly dissect a fish!” exclaimed Henry Kuo while in the laboratory wearing a professional looking lab coat. “My favorite activity was the dissection. The fish was still flopping in the metal tray. That scared a lot of people,” reflected Wan-Ru Yi. “A trout’s body is like a human’s body,” explained Noa Lee. The students also learned about how the gills are used and how the swim bladder helps a fish move easily. “After all of our adventures, we all had rumbling stomachs,” recalled Lulu Timpson. “We couldn’t just go out somewhere and buy dinner. We had to make it!” Meals were a big part of our trip and between the grilled hot dogs, caesar salad, sandwiches, late night ramen, and pancake breakfast everyone had a part to play in helping make sure that we enjoyed each meal. “Wan-Ru and I were having a contest about whose marshmallows were more beautiful and golden,” bubbled Selina Chung, “Licking marshmallows was my favorite thing to do that night!”
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“The insect specimens needed a lot of concentration and patience because it was a very hard job to insert the pins and make the insect stable,” remarked Andrew Kim, “It was my favorite activity.” “At night, my classmates and I went outside to examine insects flying around a light. There were moths and mayflies everywhere,” recounted Henry, “My friends were very brave to touch the insects.” “Holding an insect on my hands was very soft and felt so good,” offered Adrian Yamanea, “I’m glad that I overcame my fear of bugs.”` Independence was a skill that everyone worked toward on this trip. “It was good when I wasn’t with my mom because I got more freedom,” said Noa. “I felt fine without my mom and dad because I’m older now and can take care of myself,” mused Andrew. “It was fun being alone because we had pillow fights and told scary stories,” Margaret commented. Speaking of which, Adrian added, “Pillow fighting in the camper was amazing!” “We went hiking on the last day. It was tiring but it was fun and worth it, because when we reached the top, there was a breathtaking view of the mountains and a river that looked like a snake. The path of the mountain was very steep and I’m quite sure it made us all nervous,” admitted Adrian.
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It’s a Fun-Filled ES Field Day!
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Elementary School Talent Show
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n June 2, the elementary school SRC hosted a talent show, which featured awards for: most original, most personality, best audience response, most poise, best stage presence, and best showmanship. The show included 15 separate student acts and two special guest performances. Laughter and applause filled the auditorium for the duration of the show.
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KIMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival By Sophie Holbrook, Music Department Chair
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n April 29, Dwight School Seoul hosted the KIMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival. Students were given the option to participate in this festival and prepared chamber music as soloists, duets, trios, or quartets. Much of their preparation and repertoire selection was entirely student-directed. We are very proud of these students who chose to challenge themselves further by taking part in this festival. Congratulations to the following students for going above and beyond what we do in the classroom. An asterisk indicates that a student was awarded "platinum" (highest rating) by the judge.
Middle School
Joan Kim, Sally Pak (Grade 8) - trumpet duet *Rin Choi, *Joanna Kim, *Christine Jeong (Grade 6) - woodwind trio Bryan Jung, Harrison Oh (Grade 8) - trumpet/saxophone duet Justin Suh, Matthew Lee (Grade 7) - French horn/bass clarinet duet Jack Song (Grade 8), Marcus Kim (Grade 8), Yoon Milling (Grade 7) - clarinet trio *Bryan Jung (Grade 8) - trumpet solo Justin Suh (Grade 7) - bass clarinet solo
High School
Donna Kim (Grade 11) - alto solo Mei-Mei Timpson (Grade 9) - soprano solo Eugenie Kwon (Grade 11) - alto solo *Jennifer Kang (Grade 11) - soprano solo Andrew Yoo (Grade 10) - baritone solo Sophia Shin (Grade 11) - alto solo Gia Kim (Grade 11) - soprano solo Esther Kim, Sophia Cho (Grade 11) - flute duet Shinyoung Lee (Grade 12) - trumpet solo Claire Park (Grade 12), Eugenie Kwon (Grade 11) - flute duet Michelle Choi (Grade 11), Jocelyn Kim (Grade 11), Shinyoung Lee (Grade 12) - brass trio
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SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
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Junior Wins Big at American Computer Science League All-Star Contest
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inny Choi (Grade 11) was awarded top honors at the annual ACSL (American Computer Science League) All-Star Tournament. Her three-person team placed in the top five teams from around the world in the programming component of the competition. In the individual theory test component, Jinny was the only student to get a perfect score, earning her first place and a new laptop. Jinny began programming her freshman year in a C++ programming class with APIS Computer Science Teacher Don Kirkwood. “That class got me interested in computer science,” said Jinny. “I continued to take his classes in 10th grade (AP Computer Science and Data Structure),” and Jinny served as a teaching assistant for this year’s AP CS class. Ready for more of a challenge, Jinny sought out additional opportunities to apply computer science theory to programming challenges. A friend of Jinny’s had competed in the ACSL contests and was looking to put a new team together. Jinny joined, as did another student based in Seoul. Four regular season online contests are held around the world from December through April of each ACSL season. Teams solve coding challenges and submit an individual test by a certain deadline for each contest. Teams that get the best scores during the regular season are invited to the annual ACSL All-Star Contest, held in the U.S. Jinny’s team got perfect scores across the contests and received an invite to attend the contest on May 27, hosted by Newbury Park High School located in Southern California. “When I needed extra help, I emailed Mr. Kirkwood,” said Jinny. “He was with me all the way.” Reflecting on her passion for computer science, Jinny said, “The thing that I like about computer science is I can see how it applies to real life and helps people. My dream is to become a software engineer, so I wanted to challenge myself. APCS (Advanced Placement Computer Science) problems aren’t that challenging. ACSL problem coding is really challenging. I wanted to code something that takes hours and hours to code … I also wanted to learn about other styles of coding.” Jinny shared how her definition of leadership shifted over the course of the four contests and the culminating all-star contest. “In the beginning, we thought a leader is simply the most outstanding person [in the group].” But, over time, she realized that a good leader doesn’t simply lead by his/her own expertise and skills, but rather by bringing “the best out of each team member. By discussing our ideas and not just expecting the leader to do everything, we had better results. My definition of leader changed to someone who can maximize their own and their group members’ [potential].” Due to the ACSL all-star contest, along with visits to LinkedIn and Google during her trip, “My dream job became a little more clear,” said Jinny.
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Environmental Action Project: Particulate Matter
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By Michelle Choi, Grade 11
eoul has been suffering a worsening foul air epidemic, bringing serious discomfort to all of us at APIS. This threat, which jeopardizes the health of every Seoul resident, is what motivated Shinyoung and me to dive into the crux of the issue. While researching air pollution, I discovered an opportunity to discuss and listen to what other Seoul citizens had to say about the problem. Organized by the Seoul government on May 27, 2017, the “Citizen Discussion on Particulate Matter” gathered more than 3,000 Seoul residents to Gwanghwamun Square. We were surprised by our VIP seating arrangement in close proximity to both the Seoul Mayor and the MC. The wonderful flowers, yellow dust mask, chocolate, and various other goodies proved to be a mere portion of why the event was so well organized. Shortly after host Kim Jaedong introduced the notable guests and the purpose of the gathering, our table began our heated discussion on the epidemic of foul air. Some participants recounted their daily struggles caused by the dust, and some blatantly criticized the Chinese government for allowing other countries to suffer from their air pollution. Below are our separate arguments/ideas brought to the table after extensive research: Won-soon Park, Seoul Mayor, ended the event with a speech promising more involvement of the Seoul city government.
• Shinyoung: The Korean government must encourage companies to use eco-friendly vehicles and mechanisms to produce their goods/services. • Michelle: The Korean government must impose penalties and incentives to push automobile companies to increase their production/release of eco-friendly cars. Both ideas argue in favor of the government placing strict regulations on automobile businesses, and many other participants seemed to agree. Our tables had interesting personas including an inventor, NGO advocate, and a college student. Overall, the event was a positive initiative of the government to try to listen to its people and bring awareness to the serious issue that must no longer be endured. You can take action right now by walking and busing where you would usually ride your car. The problem can slow down if you start recognizing your own ability to make a change.
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Participants marked the successful end of the event by creating a tree of their own.
Honors environmental science students completed an “Environmental Action Project” at the end of this year. They could choose any environmental topic that interested them, research issues surrounding the topic, and plan and execute an action that addressed one obstacle. Michelle Choi (Grade 11) and Shinyoung Lee (Grade 12) are deeply interested in air quality and attended a Seoul citizens panel on the problem. At the event, they were required to share their expertise with a table of fellow concerned citizens, submitting the group’s conclusions to the government for further action. Michelle won the award for the “most passionate contributor” at their table. -Ms. Amanda Meyer, APIS Secondary Science Teacher w w w. a p i s . o r g
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2017 Athletic Awards Banquet Athletic Director’s Award 2016-2017: Gyu Yeon Lee (G12) Middle School Scholar Athlete 2016-2017: Bryan Khang -in Jung (G8), Kimberly Ho (G8) Middle School Top Athlete 2016-2017: Jae Min Song (G8), Se Yeon Choi (G7) High School Scholar Athlete 2016-2017: Soo Yoon Hwang (G9), Jinny Choi (G11) High School Top Athlete 2016-2017: Seung Han Sun (G12), Kaun Shima (Kang)(G12)
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High School Prom: City of Stars
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pecial thanks to the PTO, HS SRC, and APIS for financially supporting prom, and to Grade 11 and 12 parents for helping decorate the rented prom space at the Intercontinental Hotel and Resort in Gangnam, in the theme of “City of Stars” from “La La Land.”
This year’s award winners:
King/Queen: Daniel Bae (Grade 12) and Michelle Suh (Grade 12) Prince/Princess: Sooyoon Hwang (Grade 9) and Gia Kim (Grade 11) Greatest Height Difference: Namhoo Kim (Grade 11) and Jennifer YJ Lee (Grade 11) Best Dressed: Josh Kim (Grade 12) and Crystal Cho (Grade 12) Best Theme Representation: Jeonghwan Sul (Grade 12) and Shannon Yi (Grade 12)
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APIS Fourth Annual Asian Language Speech Showcase “The Foreign Language Showcase was fun and cool.” (by 2nd Graders) “I liked Cinderella. Next time I hope we can show more dramas." - Leina Ahn "I like the part when Adrian was Cinderella. Next time I hope we can do violin. - Yin Choi "I liked the part that the K-G2 sang all together. Next time I hope we sing another song next year." - Sunon Jones "I like to go on the stage. Next time I hope that I can go on the stage." - Suki Park "Because we can learn Korean, English, [and] Japanese songs and words. I liked the rat and cat. Next time I hope that we dance and sing together, Kindergarten through Grade 5." - Yurina Kimura
"Robber School"- Japanese presentation (by G3-G5 students) "It was fun because everybody laughed and I really enjoyed being a principal." - Heumjae Cho (Grade 3) "By participating in the showcase, I learned a lot of Japanese. The most interesting part is the scene in prison. I was embarrassed at the beginning, but I felt happy when I finished." - Wan-Ru Yi (Grade 5)
“The Hare & The Tortoise” (by Grade 11) “Poetic. Beautiful. Sublime. So many perfect exhibitions given by classmates and other students, it is impossible to describe them so shortly. One cannot see Cinderella the same again after such a comical and masterful performance by the children, which gave a smile to most–if not all–people in the auditorium. The Turtle and the Hare were also masterful 14
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and comical, seeing both Jerry and I in full-body costumes while performing such a cute piece was hilarious, also carrying the small tree as a celebration was a great satisfaction for the Turtle. Sublime. Masterful. Impressive.” - Omar Daniel Moran Castro (Participant) (Grade 11) “I learned a lot form the performing, speaking Korean to other people used to be very embarrassing for me, but through this experience I am proud of myself to talk to other people in Korean.” - Bing-Han(Jerry) Chung (Participant) (Grade 11) “It was a life-changing experience for me. When I saw Omar and Jerry out on the stage, I felt like my vocal chords were going to crack. I was laughing and crying at the same time. It was so good.” - Richard Shim Jo (Grade 11)
“I really enjoyed the showcase. It was fun to watch and I was really intrigued at the many languages our students can speak. I liked how the showcase did not just have one type of presentation. In fact, it had so many different types, such as skits, movie dubbing, singing, and more!” - Donna Kim (Grade 11) “Watching the showcase, I had a lot of fun from the skits and presentations the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language department had to offer. From Japanese Robber School skit to Chinese dubbing for Kung Fu Panda, the showcase was delightful and reminded me of my childhood innocence.” - Sophia Suzy Shin (Grade 11)
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Spotlight on Student Directed Plays By Sarah McRoberts, ELA Teacher
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or the 2nd year in a row, HS Drama Department produced two entirely student-directed oneact comedies: “Action News” by Jonathan Rand and “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” by Don Zolidis. Students had control of every aspect of the play production from picking the plays, designing the sets, casting the shows, working with student actors, and deciding on all of the tech pieces. It was a huge undertaking, but it really gave these students a chance to put into practice everything they learned. “Action News” was directed by Senior Andrew Kim. “When I first got the role as the director of a play, I was overwhelmed as well as excited. I hoped that the cast members would listen to my directions and to have the play go as I wanted, which the cast members all did magnificently.” Junior, Rose Lee, directed “Zombie Apocalypse.” Like Andrew, she spent hours putting together every part of the show. “During each class, I learned what it takes to be a director, the responsibility, and the commitment. As I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this play, I hoped to make a play that everyone can enjoy.” Andrew and Rose were supported by Senior Michelle Suh as the Artistic Director who helped make each of their visions of the play a reality. “I thought my job was to create a set design that “I” could be satisfied with by “myself”. I strived to be a good leader, but you cannot be a leader and be “nice” to everyone at the same time. For the same reason, I thank everyone who followed my leadership all the way through.” Also, Junior Marty Choi took on the lead of Technical Director for both plays. “Being a tech director was tough. During this process, I really learned that being responsible is important not only in being a director but in all other things that I am assigned to.” In order to put on this play, the HS Drama Department was assisted by the AP English: Literature classes who took on painting and making set pieces, acting out roles, and doing all the technical aspects of the play. I was incredibly proud of what these students accomplished in such a short time. It showed their dedication and love for theatre and their willingness to lean on each other.
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Arts Night 2017
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By Emily Sgrignoli, Secondary Arts Teacher
here was laughter and song, speaking and debating, art-making and displaying, and other grand performances alike. The 2017 Arts Night was indeed a special evening for students, parents, and staff; it was truly a night that will be remembered by all and spoken of with great fondness. For students and teachers, Arts Night represented a celebration and culmination of all the long hours of practice, those countless nights of finishing projects and memorizing lines, all for the grand purpose of honoring our school and entertaining our loved ones. “It goes without saying that I am truly proud of all of the students who were involved in this event and who have been continuously involved in the practices of art-making in and outside of my classroom this year. For me, this night was an opportunity to see, on a grand scale, the multifaceted talents across the fine and performing arts departments at our school. It has been said that art gives students an outlet to express their emotions, explore their identities, and practice their craft, but here at APIS, art gives students all this and more, and that in a loving and accepting Christian environment. It is my hope that we will continue to embrace these principles and the arts with celebrations and opportunities such as these. Way to go students of APIS; a fabulous job on all accounts!” - Ms. Emily Sgrignoli, Secondary Arts Teacher
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“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” - Jenny Kim “Zoomed In” Acrylic on canvas
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Middle School Retreat: A Welcome Respite in Nature
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By Bryan Jung, Irene Kim, Sally Pak, and Sophie Calzada, MS SRC Executive Board
n Thursday, May 11, 63 middle school students and five teachers went on a trip to a glamping site in Pocheon. It was a two-hour drive from APIS to 353 Camping. Two buses drove the students and teachers out of the bustling city into the green mountains. The purpose of the retreat was to bring the APIS middle school community together. During the trip, middle school students enjoyed numerous activities, such as water games, music trivia, and Capture the Flag. Different grade levels and different genders learned how to mingle with each other, creating stronger bonds and feelings of unity.
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Adam Nollsch (science teacher) thought the retreat was a good way for the students to get to know each other. He said, “It was a good opportunity for students from various classes to interact with students that they normally don’t get to see or talk to.” Carly Althauser (social studies teacher) remarked that the SRC members put a lot of effort into the planning process. She said, “In the end, everything they planned out paid off. The activities were fun for the students and teachers, and it was great to see how everyone interacted with each other while playing.” Joseph Kim (Grade 8) agreed with his teachers. He said, “The retreat helped us to bond with others who we weren’t normally with this year. I especially got to know my roommates better. It was a fun experience and I’m glad we went.” The members of the middle school SRC worked hard all year to put the retreat together. Seeing everything coalesce after months of planning was a huge accomplishment. Megan Vosk (MS SRC co-advisor) said, “I am proud of the SRC students. They collaborated and were able to see their vision come to fruition. Their determination paid off.” Plans are already in the works for next year’s retreat. Hopefully, it will be just as amazing!
"Special thanks to the PTO for their generous donation in support of our retreat. We could not have done it without you."
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Developing Independent Learners By Scott Paulin, Deputy Head of Academics
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hen I went to school in the 1980s, almost everything was designed by and orchestrated by my teachers, from what learning activities I was assigned each day to where I sat in class. When the bell rang, I moved from one subject to the next, and waited to be told what to do again. It was mostly outside of school that I experienced the need to think for myself and make decisions without someone telling me what to do each step of the way. In my part-time job on a local ranch, I had general tasks assigned to me, but a lot of the time I had to figure out what needed to be done on my own. I learned building skills helping my father on projects at home, and then experimented as my friends and I constructed tree forts and a variety of contraptions in the woods behind my house. But during school hours, my friends and I mostly waited to be told what to do. While this didn’t relegate me to a lifetime of drudgery in some mindless factory job, I had to develop a lot of independent thinking skills during college and on the job later in life. Wouldn’t it be great if our students today were empowered to think for themselves before they complete elementary and high school? George Couros writes: “If we truly want our students to be ‘compliant’ when they walk out of schools, they will always need someone else's rules to follow. To develop the ‘leaders of tomorrow,’ we need to develop them as leaders today … Empowerment and ‘hard work’ are not mutually exclusive; in fact, both elements are needed to make a true difference in our world.” Schools of the past focused on looking for answers – learning for the future promotes starting with great questions. Schools of the past were about consuming information – learning for the future is about creating. Schools of the past were highly standardized – learning for the future is personalized. Schools of the past promoted surface-level thinking – learning for the future is about deep exploration. At APIS, we strive to provide our students more and more opportunities to go beyond the traditional, spoon-fed education of centuries past, and learn to think for themselves, problem-solve, and develop the ability to direct their own learning. We will know we are nearing our goal when our students look to teachers to guide them as they learn and discover, rather than wait for teachers to tell them what to do.
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Appointment of Robert Kuhl as the New K-12 Principal in Hawaii
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PIS Hawaii is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Kuhl as our new K-12 Principal. Mr. Kuhl will join the administrative team working with Deputy Head of Academics Scott Paulin, Dean of Students Chris Stapleton, and Dean of Residential Life Andy Ris. Mr. Kuhl was born and raised in farm country of northern Illinois. Through farm work and as a member of the charter class at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, a public boarding school, he learned the value of hard work, intellectual curiosity, the power of making, and the strength of collaboration. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he first taught via a Fulbright Fellowship in a comprehensive grade 5-12 school in Vienna, Austria. He later taught in a large comprehensive high school in Austin, Texas, and then in an international school in Caracas, Venezuela. Robert holds master’s degrees in both curriculum and instruction, and school leadership. From these diverse experiences, Mr. Kuhl shared: “I have grown to understand that greatness lies within every child and that it is the ethical responsibility of educators to cultivate this greatness. Learning is an active, iterative, often messy, and collaborative process. To borrow from Dr. Martin Brokenleg’s ‘Circle of Courage,’ I believe that a true community is held together by the interrelated concepts of mastery, generosity, independence, and belonging. When students are invited to explore and act on the world around them, they develop their best academic, ethical, and creative selves.”
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For the past 10 years, Mr. Kuhl has served as an administrator and instructional leader in the High Tech High charter school system in San Diego, California, an integrated network of 13 schools serving approximately 5,300 students in grades K-12. Featured in “Most Likely to Succeed,” the bestselling book and acclaimed documentary, High Tech High is widely recognized as a leader in 21st century education. In addition to his duties as a school principal there, Mr. Kuhl also taught at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education. In this capacity, he developed and delivered courses for national and international educators. Mr. Kuhl brings with him a wealth of expertise in experiential, project-based learning methodology that puts wonder, creativity, and initiative at the very heart of the learning process and prepares students for today’s economy. The addition of Mr. Kuhl’s instructional leadership will uniquely position APIS to establish itself as a leader in 21st century education.
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APIS Hawaii Projects Create Community Connections
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By Matt Manley, High School Humanities uring second semester, APIS Hawaii students ventured boldly into their community.
The middle school paired their study of genetics with distributing APIS garden-grown produce to the Hau’ula community. Wielding “FREE VEGGIES” signs, the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders enticed community members to stop for a chat and take home some healthy eats. The fresh carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, kale, basil, and other herbs did come with a small price: community members took a short survey about their genetic traits such as toe length, eye color, and earlobe attachment, which the students used to create infographics of genetic traits in the community. Fresh! Rylan Ascher (Grade 8) hails from Pupukea on the North shore, but said the vegetable distribution helped her to get to know her community in a different way. “I think it told us a lot about the people in our community and showed us some differences but also a lot about our shared traits,” Ascher said. High school student and teachers have also made community involvement a priority. In March, the Global Issues in Action class embarked on their own service learning unit. Each student arranged a service trip that aligned with their interests and local organizations’ needs. Students attended ‘Pi Day’ and performed songs at a local elderly care facility, rooted out invasive species in the historic Waimea Valley, harvested taro root with Professor Kama’oe Walk’s, and cared for
MS students distribute homegrown produce outside APIS Hawaii.
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High schoolers proudly display taro root harvested at Professor Walk’s farm in La’ie, Hawaii.
horses, mules, and chickens at the non-profit Hearts for Animals. Zian Zeng (Grade 9) organized the trip for his classmates to a traditional Hawaiian farm managed by nearby Brigham Young University. After learning about the garden, its history, and the Hawaiian studies program at the university, students gave back by pulling slimy duckweed from the taro ponds.
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“Even though it was muddy, it was really fun. Our hosts were really friendly and it was working but also learning about invasive and native plants and Hawaiian history,” Zeng said. Students even pursued off-campus volunteering this semester during self-selected Lifelong Learning projects. Soleil Worrell (Grade 7) teamed with English teacher Alyssa Amos and volunteered for two hours each Wednesday caring for horses and donkeys at Hearts for Animals. “Particularly for LLT and Soleil, it gave her the opportunity to pursue one of her greatest passions which is working with animals,” Amos said. “I could see her grow more confident in the relationships with the community members and the animals.” Reflecting on service learning from the year, Zeng is also looking forward to more community involvement next year at APIS Hawaii. I think if we aren’t connected to the community, then we are isolated,” Zeng said. “By doing community service we use knowledge to help the community. Knowledge plus application!”
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End-of-Year Concert
" Music was celebrated at the end-of-year concerts. We are very proud of all our student musicians throughout the entire school! Kindergarten and Grade 1 classes have grown in many ways and worked together as a musical team as they sang and rhythmically played on unpitched percussion. While learning about musical concepts, second graders welcomed the audience with their beautiful singing and played the violin with great enthusiasm. Grade 3 students have become positive listeners. They took a leadership role, singing in canon as well as forming an ensemble including soprano recorder with three part xylophone accompaniment. Grade 4 students had solo opportunities as they sang about the journey of a river from the snowfall on the mountains to its end at the ocean. Grade 5 students excelled in their xylophone partwork as well as added a dramatic flair to Haydn’s Surprise Symphony theme. Middle school and high school ensembles exhibited excellence as they performed a variety of popular pieces. Congratulations to all of you! Have a wonderful summer!" - The Music Department (Melinda Baum, Naarah Callender, Sophie Holbrook, and Emmalee Johnson)
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Congratulations, Class of 2017!
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n June 3, faculty, staff, family, and friends honored the members of the APIS Class of 2017 as they completed their K-12 education and prepared to head off to college.
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Marking Milestones KINDERGARTEN Well done to the kinders who have come so far. They have done great things and are superstars! They came to our school so cute and small. But in the blink of an eye they grew so tall! They grew in other ways too, like writing, math, art and PE. They can now all read and do so with glee! The kinders were such a blessing to us all, Bringing joy, kindness, and curiosity to our halls. So thank you to your parents for bringing you here. Thank you to all your teachers who made their lessons so clear. And most of all thank you, kinders, for teaching us that as learners we need not fear. Please stay as brave as you are for learning can sometimes be scary. And remember that trying your best everyday will help you stay merry. Finally, in the words of Dr. Seuss, We'll end with a quote that holds much truth. "You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!" Congratulations Kindergarten class of 2017, you've made everyone very proud!
GRADE 5 The 5th graders worked collaboratively with the Kindergarten to put together a moving-up day celebration on June 8 in the APIS auditorium. Fifth graders worked tirelessly on rehearsing songs and dances for the opening processional. They chose a song entitled “Better When I’m Dancing” for the processional and another called “Hall of Fame” for the slideshow that they designed. Their slideshow included pictures of them as babies and then current photos with a listing of what career they are hoping to achieve when they grow up. Margaret Cheon and Lulu Timpson wrote and shared two beautiful opening prayers that were very thoughtful and acknowledge the changes coming up for middle school and a blessing for the future. Our 5th grade had a volunteer in Adelia Kwak who wished to share a speech she had written musing about her time at APIS and all that she valued over the years. Dr. Kim graciously awarded the APIS awards to Erica Shim for Aspire, Perseverance for Lulu Timpson, Integrity for Adrian Yamanea and Spiritual Growth for Adelia Kwak. Students, faculty and parents celebrated the closing of the school year with much joy and full bellies while watching a video of favorite photos from throughout the school year. We’ll miss you 5th grade! We know that you will do great things in the years to come and we look forward to seeing you again in the fall.
GRADE 8 The end of the year marks both a transition and celebration for our Grade 8 students. As they prepare for their move to high school, they get the opportunity to look back on their middle school years and shared memories. The evening of celebration was planned and carried out by the students of the Grade 8 class and highlighted a number of the students in speeches, prayers, music, and awards. The Masters of Ceremonies, Rian Kwak and Sophie Calzada, led us through the program. In the student speeches, Helen Kim reminisced about fun times with friends and memories such as creating Taylor Swift parodies while Bryan Jung talked about looking to the future and finding success in their own special ways. Special thanks go to Pastor John and the Praise team, Justin Suh (Grade 7), and the PTO for their contributions to the ceremony and the reception.
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Director's Awards
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spire Award Aaraahya Bhaskar (K5) Jubin Park (G1) Anna Choi (G2) Elliot Dowon Suh (G3) Jayden Jaehyun Kim (G4) Erica Shim (G5) William Cullen Webster (G6) Somang Yang (G6) Katlynn Minseo Ryu (G7)
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ersevere Award Minh Nguyen (K5) Janice Oh (G1) Leina Ahn (G2) Katrien Jessie Knox-Nielsen (G3) Heumjae Cho (G3) Alexander Jiho Han (G4) Lee KuanLu Timpson (G5) Fatima Mohammed Eldei Ali (G6)
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Luiza Cureau (G7) Helen Kim (G8) Ji Yong Lee (G9) Sarina Suwa (G10) Victoria Emillie Tonare (G10) Sung Wook Hong (G11) Young Eun Kim (G12)
ntegrity Award Helen Kweon (K5) Eliot Kim (G1) Sunon Daniel Jones (G2) Peyton James Webster (G3) Ianna Youngeun Sim (G4) Adrian Yamanea (G5) Claire Eunhye Park (G6)
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Charissa Jayna Kim (G8) Jeong Yeon Park (G9) Henry Dohyun Kim (G10) Yedam Kim (G11) Yoonjae Hwang (G12)
David Yechan Oh (G7) Jina Wang (G8) Jaewoo Suzuki (G9) Mingi Jeong (G10) Sarah Choi (G10) Noah Kim (G11) Grace Jimin Kim (G12)
piritual Growth Soomin Ahn (G1) Yurina Kimura (G2) Joshua Juwon Oh (G3) William Kyu Yoo (G4) Adelia Kwak (G5) Sung Hyun Hong (G6) Jeannette Sahnghee Kim (G6)
Kiyun Shima Kang (G7) Wookeun Ko (G8) Yunji Kim (G9) Ha Ryoung Kim (G10) Seo Yoon Kim (G11) Kihwan Kim (G12)
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THANK YOU, APIS PARENTS! the to "thank uld like wo C pSR su on in The MS rous donati ne ge r ei te O dona d PTO for th t. The PT ea tr re r red the port of ou which cove s, ar ll do nd e MS is in one thousa dinner. Th Q BB r r ei ou th for cost of to the PTO ul ef at gr credibly ss." and kindne assistance hool SRC ~ Middle Sc
The S wou econda ld lik r e to y Arts N than ight k th stud vidin e ents P g pi T O zza and for proch ~M elind icken! a Ba um one and ( s ool m is sch e mo h h t t n o i lad ut k yo he re pate i T n c " i a . t y red ar "Th Stud s sha ho p e e l v w i b t i ) c e ay B uncl erspe iated." "Frid nd p s ' ec a r r a p n stian ye ap ow r h g c Chri s u f p i o m h r s in/ o ry tion apla irect so ve h D e C r , l e n o w a Scho illig hoi, rd M C a n r W ~ Joh selo and Coun Life
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ebk Mrs. Caroline W an th to e lik ld ou Iw i-Jung ebster's mom), M ster (G3 Peyton W . Mira o’s mom), and Mrs Shin (G3 Juney G om) for their amaz m s h' Su ot lli E 3 Kim (G tatives O class represen T P as t or pp su ing to Mr. mothers. Thanks and Grade 3 room . o's dad) and Mrs G y ne Ju 3 (G o Kenny G field oning our class er ap ch r fo er st Web Nielshanks to Mrs. Jodi T . ar ye is th s ip tr ) for nox-Nielson’s mom en (G3 Katrien K e hummus for In ak m to w ho us teaching rade tly, thanks to all g as L . ay D l na io at tern r your d g randparents fo an s nt re pa e re th ay parlvement in birthd support and invo ES s, PTO Bazaar, ie rt pa ng hi is bl ties, pu ore. Field Day, and m mende 3 Teacher/Ele ra G k, ar P dy Ju ~ ipal tary School Princ
, Jones' mom nk Sunon a te th a ic to n e u k g me comm “I would li , for helpin g n o Magnone's h C n Insu arents; Luca p e2 e d ra G aking us d with other one, for m n g ra te M In o n rd o dad, Edoa brate Italy le e ce e H to g n a u st , Ky licious pa hoi's mom C ip in tr Y ; y ld e a fi national D ng on our yummy coming alo h r it w fo s , u g n g So in d vi a and pro s; and Ann to Hyehwa r field trip e 's th n o h r A u a o in and Le , g kimbap on e a B g o our , Jae So along on g in Choi's mom m co r nd Ahn, fo nd Park a ra G mom, Lona 's n re d hank to Chil Museum. T ce field trips n ie Sc l portNationa gularly sup re Gwacheon o h w ts n e pare you to all th ctivgh their a u ro th e m ed k Dojo. Than ity on Class t n se ts who you paren drinks for food and ips. I apour field tr ur supyo preciate all hout this g u port thro r!” school yea se, Grade 2 ~ Kim Hou Teacher
d a e xten o t e k O for uld li e PT C wo h t R S o t variu HS The nival, nk yo r a a h c t l E ear, fal HUG the y rt of o t p u p o h su their their hroug se of nts t u e a v c e e ward . B ous on to i prom t a f n o o etand RW d ave b K h 0 o t 0 ,0 le ecial 6,000 re ab ns. Sp o e we i t w a r , s for eco prom arent and d p s 2 e i 1 t i at cil and space ter fa es 11 m d o a r r p s to G nted n the thank am, i the re n e g t a n r a co t in G ng de Resor helpi d n a Sarah nd.” el and La La l Hot a l a t a L n p “ e i m ontin Princ s” fro nterc chool f Star S o the I y h t i ig C y, H e of “ urph them M r w e dre Teach ~ An ELA , s t r e b McRo
I would like to say a
PTO parents and Pa
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committee for giving us ideas, helping us setup for the rec eption, and donatin g money to buy raffle prizes. Without them, we could not have ma de an event like this! ~ Anna Sea, Eleme ntary Art Teacher
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Librarian's Picks By Jin Yu, School Librarian James and the Giant Peach By Roald Dahl
L E V E L: G R A D E 3
When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends-the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts' house, James finally found a place where he belongs. As always, Roald Dahl spins the most fantastic wonderful tales for children and James and the Giant Peach is up there with his greatest ones. Dahl uses the cliffhanger method at the end of almost every one of his chapters, and each chapter is only a page or two long. That combined with great illustrations, made for a win-win situation.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy By Douglas Adams
L E V E L: YO U N G A D U LT
Arthur Dent, who is sent tumbling out into the universe one fine morning, as bulldozers gather around his modest home while up in the sky Vogonian spaceships are waiting to obliterate the Earth. Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. The plot of this novel is absurd and episodic, relying on word games, dramatic developments and wacky characters. Any attempt to explain and to describe the characters out of context is doomed for failure, you simply should be there to understand the importance of the towel in the career of Ford Perfect, and until we get to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Life of Pi By Yann Martel
L E V E L: YO U N G A D U LT
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Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. It sounds like a colorful setup, but the wild beast does not burst into song as if co-starring in an anthropomorphized Disney feature. In rich, hallucinatory passages, Pi recounts the harrowing journey as the days blur together, elegantly cataloging the endless passage of time and his struggles to survive: "It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I've made none the champion."
w w w. a p i s . o r g EDITORIAL TEAM: ■ Euysung Kim Director ■ Lily Jung Art & Design Editor ■ Sunok Nam Communications & PR Team Leader ■ Caroline Webster Lead Writer/Editor