Eagle's Eye - October 2014

Eagle’s Eye Dalat International School, Tanjung Bunga, 11200 Penang, Malaysia

What’s Inside: Service, Sweat, & Spelling . 2 Dalatites once again visit a primary school to interact with local students

Fireflies at Dalat. . . 3 StuCo holds a festival of lights party

Stepping Outside the Box . 3 Senior Bible class in Spiritual Formation has students enjoying two kinds of food

The Toll of Bells . . . 4 A semester of experimenting with the bells left some students longing for the good old buzz

Survival Camp . . . . . . . 5

Student leaders go spelunking and white-water rafting

Serving Others First . . . 5 Juniors practice annual motto: “First Things First” as they paint at an orphanage Eagle’s Eye Staff Note: This copy of the school paper has been written by the students in the AP 12 English class.

Wr i t e r s : D a v i d B e a k , Jonathan Chandra, Lucia Combrink, Derrick Lim, Shion Matsumoto, Matthew Shafer, Shaikha Shahtaj, Jennifer Yook Adviser: Mr. Tommy Tompkins

Eagle’s Eye

October 2014

Seniors Stand United

By Jonathan Chandra activities. Stepping out of their comfort zones, seniors got used to taking showers in carved out water tanks, receiving continual harassment from mosquitoes, functioning on less sleep, and sharing a dorm room with the rest of their samegender classmates.

Despite the less-thanideal living conditions, Nomad gave students an opportunity to engage in varied adventurous activities. Whitewater rafting—where groups of four seniors and sponsors worked together to rough the wild river—and an outdoor rope course tested their stamina and willpower. The Quest for the Magic Fire, a final game in the style of the Amazing Race, had

On 11 September, 47 excited seniors clambered up the steps to the upper parking lot, eager to escape the tedium of school for the fun and adventure of Sneak. Piling one after another into the large bus— colored bright yellow and emblazoned with a medium-sized Hello Kitty sticker on the front bumper—that sat humming in the lot, they readied themselves for the coming trip.

With limited space on the bus, the few students so unlucky as to show up late had to face the fact that they would have to suffer four hours in the same van with Mr. Bob Pagee and Mr. Scott Uzzle. The doors closed on both vehicles, and socializing ensued.

As the bus trundled along to its destination, the members of the class busied themselves by talking with friends, listening to music, gorging on snacks, or playing card games.

“We played the card game ‘Big Two’ a lot on the bus on the way there,” said Shion Matsumoto. “It was intense—I think I might have ruined some friendships!” he joked.

After four hours of driving along the extensive NorthSouth Highway, the class arrived at Nomad Adventure Earth Camp—Nomad for short—in Perak. The seniors had decided to split their Sneak into two segments, the first of which took place at Nomad, a camp dedicated to bringing groups closer together through outdoor

the class broken up into groups of four. Working together, the teams traveled two miles on foot to the nearby cavern, having to paddle a raft across a lake, work through challenging puzzles, wade through underground streams, and invent a team cheer that would satisfy the stone-faced Nomad staff member waiting at the end of the course. “Combrink of Death,” led by Lucia Combrink, ended the day as the victors.

“The Quest of the Magic Fire was my favorite because I got to know my teammates better and see aspects of their character that I don’t normally see,” said Combrink. “Our determination and love for adventure really (Continued on page 2, col. 1)

Unveiling Masks

By Shaikha Shahtaj

An anticipated buzz filled the air around the six excited seniors huddled together backstage as middle school chapel began on 5 September. In a few minutes, the nervous seniors would go on stage to participate in a “talk show” and tackle important issues such as labels, masks, and insecurities. “I’m so nervous!” cried Jennifer Yook (12). After a quick prayer, the students took their seats on stage amid eager rounds of applause. Here, the six students endeavored to dis1

cuss how m a s k s eclipsed the unique souls hiding behind them.

“Have you felt like others have tried to label you? Were they successful?” asked Mr. Tom Cura. Pin drop silence filled the room until Jessie Brandon (12) bravely volunteered an answer.

As the session unfolded, seniors emerged out of their shells and answered enthusiastically, often (Continued on page 2, col. 4 October 2014

Service, Spelling, & Sweat....at SKTT For many teenagers, Saturday— the start of the weekend—usually began with sleeping in until 12 in the afternoon followed by hours of video games or shopping. On the Saturday morning of 27 September, however, a group of Dalat high schoolers volunteered to teach and play with the kids of SKTT, a local middle school situated opposite TESCO. Sputtering into the school grounds, a dilapidated beige Toyota Hiace arrived at the open space next to the cafeteria with 16 slightly sleepy but enthusiastic students.

When the faint rumble of the van grew louder, the SKTT kids, all standing in the courtyard, turned their heads to get a better look at the visitors. To start the morning, one of the SKTT teachers proposed that some of the Dalat students lead “the morning exercise.”

Even with a considerable number of students, the group had a tough time leading this early aerobic session—many stood on the stage awkwardly—but the kids, even if they noticed, continued to smile and encourage the students.

Juliet Suen (12) provided great insight to her spontaneous

personality when she suggested, “Show we do the chicken dance?”

Surprisingly, the idea received approving nods and several neutral shrugs amongst the group; they did not have to chicken dance for long though as the teachers soon halted the exercise to separate the SKTT kids into two groups: one to continue doing physical activities in the courtyard and one to study English in the classrooms upstairs.

Noticing the still half-awake expressions of the SKTT kids, Mrs. Ailee Chan said, “Why don’t we have a sing-a-long?” nominating Kirk Ladner (12) and Kassy Steinkamp (11) to choose and start a song. Ladner immediately burst into the classic “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” improvising the moves as he went; with the song’s repetitive nature, the class soon caught hold of the tune and followed along.

When the song finished, Mrs. Chan brought out a set of booklets and worksheets for the kids to work on. Each Dalat student picked two SKTT kids and, together, moved to the adjacent classroom to go through the reading and questions.

The kids excitedly buzzed through a story on ants, enunciat-

ing each word carefully—and the sound of high pitched interjections and ah-has filled the room. With worksheets completed and the story book read, the kids along with their Dalat buddies headed back for the highlight of the English session: the spelling bee competition.

Arms wriggled in the air as the kids tried to gain the attention of the their classmate to score points for their group.

A fierce competition ensued, and the mixed-gender group ended victorious over the girls; as a reward, the winners received M&Ms while the losers chomped on gummy worms—with that, the English lesson officially ended.

Both the English and the exercise group met at the cafeteria for the final event: sports. Given the choice, most of the girls decided to play badminton; but the guys flocked towards football. Kirk and Karsten Ladner (11) led the football group, creating teams and setting up the goals.

On the other side of the field, the girls scrambled over the limited number of rackets and birdies. A girl shook her head mischievously when another kid asked to have a turn with the racket.

As they watched the kids run around having fun, the students

Senior Sneak...

other teary-eyed seniors.

“It was very emotional but also unexpected,” said David Beak. “I don’t think anyone expected him to speak so deeply and from the heart, but it struck all of us and made us realize how special this class really is.”

After a constructive bonding experience at Nomad Adventures, the seniors piled once again into their trusty yellow bus—aside from the unlucky few, who of course had to trail the rest of the class in the white van. After fewer than two hours of driving, the group reached the Swiss Garden Resort at Pangkor, ready for some rest and relaxation after days of physical strain.

Whether relaxing on the beach or engaging in sports activities like volleyball, soccer, water polo, archery, and table tennis, the senior class enjoyed a flexible schedule during the second leg of their Sneak.

The peacefulness of a Sunday worship service on the

beach and the bonding that seniors underwent by a late-night bonfire added a sense of purpose to the fun that they enjoyed.

“Hanging out in Pangkor was my favorite part of Sneak,” said Joseph Um. “It was great how we could enjoy beach games and activities as a whole class and not just among our friend groups.”

Bidding farewell to the sandy shores of Pangkor, the class piled onto their beloved Hello Kitty bus and the tolerable white van for the last time.

As the bus rolled along the highway, zoomed across the bridge, and arrived on campus, the group continued with their card games and conversation.

Though Sneak had ended, the camaraderie and memories of the trip remained. Through the outdoor adventures in Perak, they had learned the importance of teamwork and perseverance.

Through time at the beach in Pangkor, they had learned the value of relaxation and community. Most of all, they learned the value of supporting one another as a class—they learned to Stand United. •

(Continued from page 1, col. 4) shone through and brought us together.”

A sharing session on the group’s last night at Nomad provided unforeseen bursts of emotion. After writing notes about traits that they valued and appreciated in each other, the class came together to voice what they had learned or thoughts that they had had throughout their trip so far. A few comments in, President Benjamin Tse opted to speak.

Choking back tears, Tse related to his peers how he had never intended to run for president or ever imagined that he could lead a class. He gave an emotional thanks to the group as a whole for their support and affirmed how close the class had become over the years.

He echoed the senior class theme—to Stand United—as he took his seat to cheers from Eagle’s Eye

2

By Derrick Lim

and staff smiled, grateful to have spent the morning there.

When the bell rang—signalling the end of the activities, everyone packed into the cafeteria; and though the sickly scent of sweat permeated the place, all the kids and volunteers did not notice it as they reflected on the fun and excitement that had happened— and about what to do on the next Saturday morning at SKTT. • Unveiling Masks...

(Continued from page 1, col. 4) relating their personal struggles and answers they have sought.

When asked about how she faced labels and masks as the eldest child in the family, Shelly Choi (12) replied, “Being an older sibling doesn’t mean we have to wear a mask that says we have it all. We can be kids, too.”

“My dad wants me to be a doctor, but I don’t want to be one. What should I do?” asked Xu An Lim (8). The six students on stage immediately offered nuggets of wisdom as many of them had dealt with similar expectations.

The topic of venturing out from expectations others place on you carried the discussion over for several minutes. In essence, both Mr. Cura and the seniors encouraged middle school students to fight peer pressure, avoid donning masks, and respect people for their inherent qualities.

The same routine carried on to the high school chapel, with seniors offering the same advice to the many high school students hiding behind masks and labels. When asked for some final parting words, Yook advised, “Find someone you can take off your mask with.”

As the bell rang to signal the end of chapel and the spotlights dimmed, Yook added, “I felt satisfied and glad that I took this opportunity to share my experiences and thoughts with my fellow school mates who are struggling through similar things.” Hopefully, the audience took away the fact that their true selves reflect more beauty than any mask they could wear. • October 2014

Stepping Outside the Box

By David Beak

...to discover one’s spirituality “And yes, you are getting food in this class,” asserted Mrs. Susan Allen. The seniors of 2015 gasped in excitement as they listened to Mrs. Allen describe the syllabus for the new Spiritual Formation class. The seniors got to have food whenever they got together in small groups and shared each other’s experiences throughout the course. Having food as part of a senior Bible class clearly stepped outside of the box of spiritual learning.

Although many believe Bible courses do not stir students’ attentions, the new Spiritual Formation course immediately sparked the interest of the seniors. In means to “test-drive” this course, the students and the teacher joined hands in critiquing and mending rough edges as the semester went by.

The instance Mrs. Allen mentioned the “no-test” rule, all the seniors’ jaws dropped in awe and disbelief. The grades that

went into Powerschool came from the students’ reflections and participation. Every student’s nightmare comes from those dreaded tests and quizzes which, in this course, did not exist. With that said, the Spiritual Formation class placed its focus solely on molding and forming the individual student’s spirituality.

Through weeks dedicated to specific aspects of spirituality, students spent days reflecting in silence as one discipline of study.

Every week, students received a “menu” of activities they could do. During the week of prayer, some of their activities included silent meditation and musical praises in which students would compose songs about what God had told them throughout the week. Cindy Chiem (12) said, “The class is quite different from other classes because it gives us more freedom to pursue God in our own way instead of just forcing it on us.”

Students did not just gain freedom of choosing what specific activity to do in class but also where they could perform their activities. Since the class revolved around building individual spirituality, students could choose to go anywhere on the campus to form their relationship with God. Some picked the library, causing alarm amongst lower classmen as they witnessed the seniors casually walking in and picking a comfortable seat on the bean bags to write their weekly journal. Shaikha Shahtaj (12) told her classmates, “They get to venture outside class and do their assignments.”

Rebekah Steinkamp (12), replying to that statement, exclaimed, “Oh! That is so cool!”

This new Bible course allowed the seniors to break away from the mundane routine of memorizing scripture verses and reading the Bible. By eat-

The Fireflies of Dalat

Combrink (12) and Andrew Kim (10) who provided the hungry teens with a wide variety of refreshments such as pizzas, sugar cookies, and drinks. Not long after, the re-energized students emerged from the Student Centre towards the field in front of the dorms—ready for battle.

For the next event, the teams received 50 small bags containing coloured powder. Instructed to capture the flag from the opposing teams” zones, the students had to use the coloured flour to tag people. The powder flew across the field as Andy Ewe (11) and Chung dashed and dodged between a furious Noah Graves (10) and a determined Marshall McManus (12) to capture the flag before the night came to an end.

Even before the Bloody Saints could come up with a

By Jennifer Yook Lights dimmed. Pulsing music played in the background. The thundering bass matched the heartbeats of the bewildered high school students as they entered the darkened chapel.

Invited by the Student Council for the school’s first event on 29th August, Dalat met Lucidus Noctis—a night of lights.

As the students huddled together, reaching out to greet the nearest familiar face whilst scanning the darkened chapel, John Kim (12) hoisted himself onto the stage. Using his sonorous voice that rendered a microphone ornamental, he called the attention of the excited students. He gesticulated wildly as he explained the first activity: to create a team name and cheer. The students, divided into groups of yellow, blue, and red, devised the names “Chimmy Changas,” “Bluebirds,” and “Bloody Saints” accordingly.

Soon the teams displayed their school spirit by chanting their cheers.

When half of the room’s inhabitants lost their hearing due Eagle’s Eye

to the enthusiastic screams, Raymond Ko (9) explained that the each team member had to tether a balloon to his or her ankle and try to pop the balloons attached to the other players within the fluorescent circle in the middle of the chapel. Lize Choo (12), a Bloody Saint, shuffled his feet back and forth to elude the equally cunning and adroit Benjamin Finlay (10), a skillful Chimmy Changa. As more members lost their balloons, the cheers grew louder.

“Go team!” yelled Hee Ra Chung (12). To make things harder, StuCo formed a circle around the remaining survivors, enclosing them into an even closer space. Soon the cries of the Bloody Saints reverberated throughout the room as Choo stepped out of the circle, waving the languid yellow balloon in his hand, victorious and proud.

After Choo’s victory, the three teams proceeded to the Student Centre, festooned with glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets, and face paint. The warriors marched towards Lucia

ing home-baked goods made

by Mrs. Allen while sharing personal insights about a relatable spiritual topic to their own lives, the seniors could gradually build and discover their own spirituality.

Hee Ra Chung (12) said, “I thought this Bible class was going to be just like any other Bible classes we took in out prior years—reading the Bible, memorizing verses, and listening to lectures. But it was unexpected on how Mrs. Allen led us to approach God and His words in a completely different perspective —a hand-in-hand experience.”

The seniors slowly started to find their relationship with God and overall, felt comfortable entering the classroom knowing that they could relax and focus on God without worrying about the possibility of getting a bad grade. As their final year in Dalat progresses, the class of 2015 can leave the Spiritual Formation course more confident in their faith, and excite the next year’s seniors by telling them in advance, “Yes, you will getting food in Spiritual Formation.” •

strategy, the Chimmy Changas had captured the flags! As their punishment, the Bloody Saints stood in a line, stoically enduring the other teams pouring coloured goo over them.

“It was a great excuse to get revenge on people and dump slime on their heads,” said Sabrina Ly (11) with a grin as she recounted her act of covering Wen Chi Chen (11) with goo.

When asked about the event, Andy Kim (12) brightly replied, “It was a great way to spend time with friends and forget about all the assignments.”

Like a flower pressed between the pages of an old, musty book, these memories will press themselves against the minds of the young students—forever to remember the dark room as its lights dimmed and the music pulsed against the walls. •

Welcome to “The Crew”

By Shion Matsumoto If you have ever sat on the wooden bleachers on a Friday evening and watched a home basketball game, you know how intense the atmosphere 3

becomes: the several high school students beating on the bottom of old buckets with bats or any other blunt object they can find, (Continued on page 4, col. 1 October 2014

On Whom the Bells Take Their Toll

Peeking through a microscope, Aaron Chand (10) observed the structure of the hair cells on his petri dish. Raising his head, he squirmed in his seat. He glanced longingly at the clock at the front of the Biology room, eager to hear the bell that would signal the glorious end of the school week. Mere seconds from 3:10 bell, Chand waited expectantly as the clock ticked down.

As 3:10 arrived, a curious whistle sounded through speakers all over the school. Not finding anything amiss, Chand and his classmates rushed out of the room, ready to experience the weekend.

On 6 August, perturbed students across the school heard their new bell–Rue’s whistle from the

ing me!” exclaimed Katiera Cox (11). “They rang about every two minutes.”

Technical issues fostered still more changes in the bell system.

For the greater part of the quarter, the high school and middle school bells functioned on the same system, causing confusion for students.

“It’s annoying when the middle school bell rings because I get up, and I’m ready to leave for class; and I realize that it’s our bell,” said Sam Hofer (10).

Despite weeks of bell-system changes eliciting mixed responses, the situation seems to have resolved itself. At the time of this writing, the traditional school bell once again signals the start of classes, the middle and high school bell systems seem to function separately, and mid-day bell testing has ceased entirely. Despite some negative

popular film series The Hunger Games. Students soon developed their own opinions on the new bells, both positive and negative.

“I think they should have kept the original bell because changing up the system is just confusing for everyone,” said Joel Frohlich (10).

Bell-related shenanigans did not s t o p w i t h R u e ’s whistle. Bemused and sometimes frustrated students would sit in their classes as the staff tested out various bells— including airport announcement tones and soft gong noises—in quick succession during the middle of the school day.

“I was sitting for a World Religions test, and I could not focus because the bells kept interrupt-

Open

House Community

By Jonathan Chandra

reaction to the original changing of the bells, certain students miss them.

“I’m actually missing the Hunger Games whistle right now,” admitted Benjamin Tse (12). “I think it made our school more interesting.”

Taking down notes on his experiment, Chand placed his pencil down and sighed. He glanced at the clock in the front of the room, ticking down to the glorious end of the school day.

The bell—a clanging, traditional school bell—rang just outside the door. Chand and the rest of the Biology class headed out the room, excited for the end of the day. In the end, whatever sound resounded from the speakers, it did help students know the start and end of classes.

Students all throughout the school knew for whom the bells tolled—they tolled for them. •

On 15 September, from about 5:30 to 6:30 p . m ., students, parents, and faculty trickled onto the campus of Dalat International School, gathering together in

conversation and camaraderie to enjoy their Friday evening.

Young children ran around in the grass and climbed trees. Faculty arrived to present the school

that they represented. Parents came with their children to see the teachers, classes, and the campus that the students saw, attended, and traversed five days

a week. Students came to see their friends.

Eager students led their parents to a classroom where a teacher described the course, what it involved, and what the students would learn in this A-block class. After seven minutes, the bells rang, signaling (Continued on page 5, col. 1

“The Crew”...

sinks to wash hands, showers to attempt at ridding offensive B.O., and stalls with toilets on which to sit and ponder.

The gym has already received positive accolades from its users: Jet Oh (12), arguably the most frequent user of the new facilities, claimed, “The only thing I don’t like is that I only get to use it this year.”

If you happen to walk into the gym after school or on the weekends, you may witness high-flyers like Mr. Chuck Arnold or Andy Ewe (11) “bringing down the house” with their thunderous jams (please excuse the basketball jargon) or an intense practice session for the men’s or women’s varsity volleyball teams.

The new gym floor has seen the rise of other impressive leapers like Adrian Nonis (9), who, after every instance of grabbing the rim, excitedly stares at his right hand in disbelief and ex-

claims, “I can grab the rim!” The gym does not only facilitate activities for basketball and volleyball, but also indoor soccer—popular among the dorm students on Friday nights—and futsal, for men on Sunday afternoons.

At times, the court lies empty of players; training for the athletes, however, does not end on the court as they have climbed the stairs to the new weight room on the second floor to partake in workouts. Recently, weight-lifters have seen a new focus on athletic training as Mr. Glenn Fraser, father of Kai (11) and Shion (9), has taken his time to teach student-athletes unconventional yet effective methods of training to enhance athletic ability and reduce the risk of injury.

CrossFit, a growing fitness movement, also continues to gain popularity, as, among others, Mr. Brian Brewster, Mr. Bob Davis, and Uncle Eddie Jenkins push themselves through intense WODs, an abbreviation

for “workout-of-the-day,” to challenge their muscular and cardiovascular fitness. The previous weight room would not have sufficed for the increasing popularity in working out; in the spacious new room, however, everybody can work out without the fear of a fellow gym-user dropping a 25 kg dumbbell on his forehead.

Whether you enjoy watching sports or cringe at the sight of sweaty bodies or know the rules of volleyball or have never witnessed a referee blow a whistle, come watch a home game and cheer for you classmates. Differences in grades, classes, interests, and cliques will all dissolve in the intensity of the gym and bring the entire school together.

So next time you find out about a Friday night game, invite a couple of your friends, grab a stick and a bucket, paint your face blue and yellow, practice your yelling and screaming, and learn the cheers. Welcome to “The Crew”! •

(continued from page 3, col. 4) the hundreds of face-painted students screaming, “Let’s go Eagles, let’s go!” and the deafening cheer of the home crowd every time one of our players scores. If you have never attended one of these home games, wel- come to “The Crew.”

Just recently, the school and the Booster Club achieved their goal of renewing the gym floor and expanding the weight room.

The construction that lasted all summer and a month into this academic year added a second storey to the side of the gym, holding a classroom and a weight room, and upgraded the athletics department’s office and the locker rooms. The bathrooms, if you have not visited them yet—although they may seem an odd place to “visit”—have noticeably improved with more Eagle’s Eye

By Matthew Shafer

4

October 2014

The Leadership Retreat: a Survival Camp

By Lucia Combrink The high-pitched screams of excited students penetrated the morose darkness of the Gua Tempurung cave in Ipoh as a group of 50 young Dalat leaders noticed a vast black chasm to their right. Their excited chatter quietly faded as they stood before the void in awe, taking in the breathless natural beauty of the massive stalagmite that rose up from the blackness. A pack of flashlight beams illuminated on the dark structure, hungrily sniffing out each crack and chasm to the sound of 50 “oohhhs” and “ahhhs.”

The incredible wilderness of Ipoh added an appropriate sense of adventure and excitement to the Leadership Retreat, which encouraged leaders to push out of their comfort zones and work

together to solve problems.

The kids on the leadership retreat also participated in a white-water-rafting expedition; this challenging adventure expanded the borders of their comfort zone. Karsten Ladner (11) said, “White water rafting really showed me that teams need to work together to accomplish their goals.”

Indeed, white water rafting required teamwork and precision. Dipping their toes in the cold, sandy water, the young leaders anxiously awaited their guide’s command to board the rubber boats. After a few practice runs up and down the swift stream, the group leaders ordered their crews to paddle down river.

Soon they approached menacing white rapids. With a clam-

Open House...

“Work was quite busy,” said Boyie Chin (11), a junior on duty that evening. “People grouped together to buy food and drinks, not wanting to leave their friends.”

The juniors also spent their time taking as many selfies as they possibly could to post of Facebook, Instagram, and their other social media outlets.

Part of the fun included inspecting the dormitories. The three on-campus dorms—Jackson, Jaffray, and Ziemer— prepped their living quarters for others to inspect. Boarding students took extra care to tidy up their rooms since not only could anybody walk in, but specifically those of the opposite gender as well. “I had to guard the rooms,” said a half-annoyed half-jocular Rainbow Chan (9), a resident of Ziemer.

In all the fun, friends and families bonded. The events helped introduce students and parents to both the academic and residential workings of Dalat International School.

The community came together.

Gathering in conversation and camaraderie, everyone enjoyed his or her Friday evening at Open House. •

(Continued from page 4, col. 4) everyone to scurry and students to usher their parents to a presentation in their B-block class, (and so on and so forth). “They herded them in at seven minute intervals and then led them off to the next thing,” said Mr. Mark Sasse, a seasoned Social Studies teacher.

Other students, already versed in their classes and unaccompanied by parents, stood with each other, talking over their day, discussing the latest news and trends, and generally enjoying themselves. “[I] hung out with friends and saw how big Jaffray and Ziemer rooms were,” said Benjamin Mauger (10), reminiscing on his good time.

In all this merriment, people needed sustenance to boost their energies and participate. Aware of this, the junior class set up their station for accommodating everyone’s needs, selling candy, snacks, and beverages such as sodas and the ever-popular bubble tea. Student, parents, and faculty alike swarmed the stand. The juniors happily sold their goods, saving the money for their class’s future activities.

Eagle’s Eye

or of gleeful shrieks and screams the students braved the bumpy ride. When a boat got stuck on the rocks, the guide barked commands like, “Jump! Jump!” and the students in that boat began to bob up and down frantically in place, like popcorn in a hot pot.

White water rafting—although daunting at first—soon became a highlight for the young leaders on the retreat.

The spelunking adventure beneath the limestone hills of Ipoh became another memorable adventure. Each student— armed with a sturdy helmet and a trusty flashlight—descended into the incredible, breathtaking chambers of the Gua Tempurung cave. The guides led the bewildered students past Goliath stalagmites, spooky black holes, and vast caverns until they reached a stream. The trickling water echoed eerily in the darkness, and the flashlights cast macabre shadows on the walls of the underground tunnel.

The scary atmosphere, however, only heightened the sense of adventure and excitement among the students. Everyone willingly crawled or waded through the water, their happy chatter quickly overcoming the silence.

Fifty wet, happy faces eventually emerged into the sunlight, cheering and smiling at their incredible feat. Braving the dark caves and the underground river gave them a feeling of accomplishment.

Although the leaders enjoyed the outdoor adventures, they also spent time bonding together through team-building games.

Mr. Bob Pagee entertained the students with a complex card game. He told each team to memorize a unique set of rules;

and then after a practice round, he mixed up the teams.

Hung Jie Song (12) described the complex game: “Going on the leadership retreat warranted various challenges we had to face. One of those challenges happened to be explaining the rules of card games...without words. The twist to it was that we would shift around tables, but each setting had different rules; so it created quite an amusing scene when people would appear baffled with no means of voicing their concerns.”

Truly, looks of bewilderment and confusion played upon the faces in the room. All the leaders learned the importance of good communication. Song himself said, “I learned that there are different kinds of leaders, but at the end of the day we lead for the same reason – to influence.” Card games and bonding activities taught the students to influence and lead one another even in challenging situations.

The Leadership Retreat allowed student leaders to bond together, prepare for the year, and venture outside their comfort zones.

Although caving and white water rafting presented challenges, the students quickly put their leadership and teambuilding skills into practice to overcome their fears and their comfort zone. Ben Tse, senior class president, summarized his experience by saying, “From this year’s leadership retreat, I learned about staying alert, finishing strong, and keeping first things first. Knowing that God has blessed me, I truly desire to be a blessing to my class, school, and community.”

The excited screams and chatter of the students in the underground caving and the whitewater-rafting adventures proved that Dalat’s leaders could take a challenging situation and—with a positive attitude—turn it into an adventure instead. •

Let’s Serve-a-Ton

By Jennifer Yook

Standing in front of the tattered and spider-infested buildings, Christina Kim (11) let out a deep breath and marched towards them alongside her classmates.

Following the tradition of restoring the community, the class of 2016 took a 90-minute ride 5

to Agape Orphanage, on 26th September, to raise money for their Serve-athon.

Sweat dripping down their backs and foreheads, the juniors brushed and brushed the walls of the buildings. Assigned (Continued on page 6, col. 1 October 2014

A Pixaresque Premiere

By Shaikha Shahtaj

a burger, wedges, and other memorabilia.

“I loved the juicy beef burger!” exclaimed Jet Oh (12).

A group of talented singers treated the seniors to their rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story as they ate. The seniors later enjoyed ice cream for dessert.

For the traditional gifts, se-

Forty-nine thrilled seniors gathered animatedly before the hallowed steps of the chapel, ready to face an envied perk of senior year: the after-sneak dinner.

From the creative invitation to the whispered discussions about the theme, the class awaited their upcoming treat eagerly.

“Please organize yourselves into groups of six before you go down,” requested Sarah Stevens (11). Bewildered, the seniors followed her command and jogged down the chapel stairs.

A jubilant round of applause greeted senior students as they entered the chapel. Various models of famous characters ador ned the walls and the theme became quickly apparent: Pixar. Puzzles, crosswords, and crayons lined tables to keep guests occupied until the evening began. After officially welcoming the class of 2015, the juniors settled into a routine of acting out a

sketch, involving the seniors in some activity, and then offering appetizers or meals. Recurring characters included Buzz Lightyear and characters from the The Incredibles and Toy Story.

For the appetizer, juniors served greens and a dip. They kept the seniors on their toes, involving them in a running activity, racing with toy cars, dressing up a person to make them look like monsters, and a screaming competition.

“Thank you juniors for making my special talent of screaming useful,” said Peter Tan (12).

His table mate, Cindy Chiem (12) added, “I don’t know why they’d make a competition for the loudest screams and put Peter Tan and me at the same table.

We totally dominated that part.”

The toy car race saw Peter and Yan Rong Tan (12) neck in neck as they battled to win; Peter eventually took the prize.

For dinner, seniors enjoyed a “happy meal” which included

The unending chatter of excited middle school students penetrated the humid morning breeze as the teachers went over role call before ushering the students into the buses. On 7th August, the entire middle school gathered once again to embark on their annual All Middle School Retreat; their destination: Cinta Sayang Resort.

Busily shoving in their “Ipacked-too-much” backpacks into the buses’ luggage compartments, the middle schoolers students could not wait to retreat from school and arrive at para-

Serve-athon....

this also made us work very diligently as we painted the front wall and fence and also a beautiful mural in their living room. So much so that the lady of the house was very happy to see that somebody was willing to help their cause, and we were blessed to be a blessing,” explained Tan, accompanying his anecdote with wild gestures and intonations.

After long hours of labour, the juniors successfully transformed the buildings. They coated the drab walls, the peeling doors, and the creaky fences of the girls’ dormitory with a fresh coat of paint.

They also painted the sordid outside walls of the boys’ dormitory. And to finish it off, they transformed the walls of the elderly home and topped it off by painting a mural of a beach landscape, featuring an island at the corner.

Finally completing the arduous yet satisfying task, the juniors tumbled into the vans and bus to go back to school.

Kassy Steinkamp (11) asserted, “The Serve-athon was really

fun. We got to paint the insides and outsides of two orphanages and an elderly home. It was fun to see people connect with one another. It was awesome to see the kids in the orphanage being super excited to help us paint their home.”

Similarly, the president of the junior class, Karsten Ladner (11) confirmed, “Our class bonded together really well. We painted so much and worked hard sideby-side. The orphans had a great time too—I saw a few of them running around, covered in paint and smiling from ear-to-ear.”

Meanwhile, in preparation for the juniors’ arrival, the seniors mounted watermelons, jugs of ice water and Milo, bottles of 100 Plus, and cups of fruit salad on their backs and assembled in the Student Centre. Creating a circle out of the chairs, Morgan Guthrie (12) and Kia Thompson (12) hustled the seniors to different places under Cindy Chiem’s (12) leadership.

Welcoming the juniors by singing “Pompeii” by Bastille and clapping, the seniors lead them to the Student Centre.

They exchanged words of en-

Continued from page 5, col. 4) to transform three buildings, the sponsors divided the class into three groups: one to paint the girls’ dormitory, one to paint the boys’, and one to paint the elderly home. Soon, a compelling scene unravelled to reveal persevering and caring students working with each o t h e r, p a s s ing along the buckets of paint and occasionally laughing while pointing out the splatters on a classmate’s face.

Sabrina L y (11), assigned to paint one of the vast outside walls, compared her experience with Zachary Tan’s (11) as he recounted his enthralling experience at the Agape Orphanage. “The elderly home was situated next to a neighbour who was determined to get rid of the home. We were asked to be very conscious of our actions and noise level, but Eagle’s Eye

niors received personalized special drawings and a memento reminding them of Pixar. As the night wound down, students posed for photographs with their respective classes.

As he walked out, Denzel Lim (12) commented, “The dinner turned me into a superhero for a mealtime as I didn’t realize I had such unique powers before!”

The class of 2015 walked up the stairs feeling the contentment and satisfaction that the night had promised. •

Retreating from School for the Pool

6

By David Beak dise. The 1 1/2 hour trip did not seem to last long, especially due to the amount of chaos happening inside the buses.

“We were just like talking and talking on the bus non-stop” blurted Seong Min Kim (8). “It was really noisy.”

Once the buses came to a halt in front of the Cinta Sayang Resort, students quickly exited, grabbed their luggage, and gathered together to listen to the briefing. Some free-time to play in the pool followed this, so students quickly changed into (Continued on page 7, col. 1)

couragement, talking over the cheery music and the laughter of the surprised juniors. Chiem, after the throng of people gradually dispersed, expressed her gratitude towards everyone, yelling, “I know the amount of hard work that’s put into the events, and I felt really happy when the Class of 2014 planned a surprise snack for us. This year, I planned to pass on that kindness to the juniors.”

As the spiders vacated their homes on the walls of Agape, the orphans rushed into their restored homes to enjoy the hard work of the juniors, especially of Christina Kim’s. As they stood within the comforts of their bug-free homes with an island as their wallpaper, the orphans and elderly may remember this act of kindness—even with an angry neighbour living next to them. •

October 2014

More Than a Sport: Volleyball

bumping. This repetition helped make decisions in the game spontaneous and second nature; also by practicing together, the team learned to work with each other, covering for each other during defense and playing aggressively when they had the possession.

In late September, they traveled to KL for a tournament sponsored by an international school there. Facing tough, welltrained opponents, the team fought valiantly and performed at their peak. Of the three games they played, they lost two and won one; however, they went away not dejected or discouraged but hopeful for the games

to come and glad to have had the chance to test their skills.

“I think the most memorable game for me was the one against the German team, where we beat them in one set. Our team [as a result] improved as a whole,” said Joseph Hsu (10).

Commenting on his most unforgettable memory, Balzer said, “ . . . when Joseph set me the perfect ball, I spiked it right between the 6-foot German’s arms when he went up for the block.”

“Wheeeeee!” With a startle, the players looked up to see their coach arrive. Each stopped his respective task and jogged towards him where they stood in a circle, waiting for instructions on what drills to do. After a few murmurs and concise gesticulations by the coach, the sound of bouncing volleyballs and chattering filled the gym once again. •

with friends on the basketball court bleachers or, like Priska Sugianto (12), the white tables across the grassy field. “We didn’t know what to do, so we sat down and lay on the tables, enjoying the baked potatoes. I ate the skins and everybody else ate the insides,” Sugianto said.

After all the savory dinner and dialogue, people desired drinks. Fortunately, the junior class came to the rescue. They set up their stand to sell ice-cold beverages and other assorted snacks to the thirsty customers.

The juniors also sold 1 ringgit (Continued on page 8, col. 1)

fun the students had during their retreat, once they returned to school, their energy levels had depleted; and they all wished to go home and have a nap. Even though they had to face school again, the memories they shared during the retreat will stay with them for a long time.

The retreat may only remain as a memory of the past, but at least the students can remember their unending chatter that penetrated the air on that day they retreated from school. •

By Derrick Lim

“Hit it up higher!” said Sean Ko (10) with a laugh as Raymond Ko (9) bumped the ball just slightly short. The sound of synthetic leather bouncing on wooden tiles pervaded the gym as the JV volleyball team started their practice. As a warm up, some players spiked against the wall while others worked on passing. A few players tried setting up a small game when the sharp screech of a whistle sliced through the gym and halted all activity.

The JV volleyball team included players with previous experience who returned once again to this sport, not only for the thrill of the game but also for

the camaraderie of the team. “I chose to sign up for volleyball because I have done it in years past, and I greatly enjoy the sport and the guys whom I play it with,” said Noah Graves (10).

“The best feeling is when you’ve played with your team long enough to know what they are going to do before they do it,” said Emmett Balzer (10).

Starting early August, the JV volleyball team has put in a great deal of effort in their practice in preparation for upcoming tournaments and games. Having practice on both Mondays and Thursdays, the team goes through drills that hone their skills in setting, spiking, and

PTO BBQ FTW*!

Eyeing the juicy-looking burgers, students, parents, and teachers eagerly signed in to have a red ribbon stapled around their wrist. The PTO exhibited a delicious array of hearty barbecue, which junior class helped grill.

Their labor now had come to fruition and they readily gathered for the treat.

Children, teenagers, and adults filed into two lines along white cafeteria tables where *FTW = “For the Win”

smiling PTO members served hot dog and hamburger buns with the meat tucked neatly inside. They also treated the hungry masses to other cuts of meat such as chicken wings and then to scrumptious baked potatoes.

“The burgers were the best part,” said Uncle Eddie Jenkins, Ziemer dorm parent. Moving on from the main course, people gathered around the adjacent table to dress their burgers and

hot dogs in the regular saucy ornaments: ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce. The mustard, however, proved too popular as it ran out too quickly, leaving the last in line to realize how much they miss the yellow condiment.

Mr. Jenkins reported that he had to go home and use his own mustard; “Luckily, I live on campus!” he said, laughing. The table also offered salad, which people took for good health.

Leaving the line, adults went to find a place among the seats and tables covering the basketball court, several families to a table. Students opted to gather

Middle-School Retreat...

entered the water park and enjoyed most of their afternoon there; one ride in the water park, especially, gained great popularity: “the BOOMERANG SLIDE!” exclaimed Lim. “We swam most of the time, and we rode the Boomerang slide which was really fun!” said Risa Sasada (7).

Unaware of the time, they soon found out that they had to leave the water park. With cries of both exhilaration and disappointment, the students reluctantly returned the tubes, grabbed their belongings, and left.

The 5th and 6th graders departed in the evening to return to school, as the 7th and 8th graders stayed for the night. The real fun began inside the designated rooms where students

slept and played with assigned roommates.

“My most memorable event was sleeping with my friends,” Kim (8) said.

“I made many new friends which was really nice for me,” Gloria Kim (7) said with a smile.

The purpose behind the allmiddle-school retreat lay with the idea of allowing these students to start the year off with a bang and, more importantly, to get to know each other and the new kids as well.

“We get to spend the day off so that we can bond and get close to each other.” Joseph Chandra (7) said casually.

“There are newcomers to middle school, and we need to spend more time with them,” indicated Kim (8). “It is also to have a fresh start to the year.”

Despite all the memories and

By Matthew Shafer

(Continued from page 6, col. 4) their swimsuits and dived in for a refreshing splash. Although the time in the pool did not last long, they managed to have a great time while getting closer to one another.

The next day, they started their day with a time of worship. After the service, they split into their SAT groups and played teambuilding games.

“We played this game where we had to find a rubber ball inside a bucket of flour,” Linus Lim (7) said. “We even touched worms!”

After laughing and bonding with each other through the activities, these middle-schoolers Eagle’s Eye

7

October 2014

Nothing Like a Weekend of Football!

By Shion Matsumoto

On the morning of 5 September, the men and women’s football team travelled to Kuala Lumpur with the volleyball teams to play ISKL’s varsity and JV teams.

Excited to miss school, the players hurried onto the large, yellow buses sitting in the upper parking lot. The boys’ bus quickly filled up, and coaches asked several of the boys to ride on the girls’ bus. To this, Shawn Lim (11) immediately stood up and shouted from the back of the bus, “I volunteer!” and hopped onto the girls’ bus with several others.

Although the students saw the trip as an opportunity to miss school and enjoy their friends, they also knew that the games would aid them in finding success at the ACSC tournaments in mid-October.

After a few bathroom breaks

PTO BBQ...

(Continued from page 7, col. 4) scoops of ice-cream cones. This turned into a popular station as a range of customers from children to adults stopped by, buying single and double scoops.

“You should get some ice cream, bro,” said John Kim (12), approaching his friends as he licked a chocolate-chip mint scoop, clearly relishing the tasteful experience.

As the people sat with friends and food, the event provided a way for them to get together and socialize and to take a break on the weekend. Eating good food with good company, everyone enjoyed the Saturday, 20 September, evening. The PTO put on a successful barbecue for the Dalat community.

“May I have your attention?” shouted Mrs. Elizabeth Graves, an avid PTO member, from the cement bleachers. “More burgers and hot dogs are coming, so help yourselves to seconds and thirds!”

Mouths watered in anticipation as the lines formed again for the delicacies. • Eagle’s Eye

team and lost 2-0. Coaches, Mr. Chance Edman and Mr. Dustin Roberts emphasized the need for a more physical style of play in their post-game talk.

Feeling energized after the morning game, the Dalat teams returned to the pitch for the third and last contest. Pumped up and ready to win, the girls stepped onto the field in the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun and competed against ISKL’s varsity team once again.

The men’s team sat in the stands and cheered for their girls as they suited up and prepared for their game as well. Despite some moments of brilliance and goal-scoring opportunities, the girls could not convert and lost 1-0.

“Even though we didn’t win this time round, I’m really proud of the team for fighting till the very end. We had some really promising opportunities, and our defense stuck together. I think it’s just a matter of getting more experience and playing more with each other,” said Sarah Tan (11) as she reflected on the game.

In the last game of the weekend, the Dalat boys played ISKL varsity one last time.

Throughout the entire game, the field players remembered their coach’s words on “physical play” and fought for every loose ball. In perhaps the busiest game all year for the defense, the back line of four continued to deflect shots, intercept through balls, and clear crosses to protect the goal. Jarrod Chang (10), David Unruh (10), Evan Chinn (11),

and five hours on the road, the buses reached ISKL and students entered the campus, stretching their arms and legs after so much sitting. Without much time to recuperate, the girls played ISKL varsity and lost 2-0. Immediately after the girls’ game, the boys played the varsity team and suffered a 3-0 defeat. By the time the game finished, the sky had darkened, so the players quickly shook hands with their opponents and, later, met them again—this time as their hosts. The players, assigned in groups of two, left the campus for their host families’ homes for the night.

The next morning, refreshed and rejuvenated, the girls arrived early and played the ISKL JV team. With a better feel for the astroturf field and more knowledge of the style of ISKL football, the girls won 2-0. Christy Chow (10), a new addition to the team this year, scored both goals in the victory.

Meanwhile, the boys entered the campus as they conversed about their host families’ houses.

John Kim (12), the most impressed of all, said, “Their house was massive; there were like four floors!” He then continued, “They also had a pool, and their bathroom was amazing.”

After watching the girls’ game, the boys warmed up and played against the ISKL JV team, a younger and smaller but more technically skilled

and Josh Basha (12) rotated in for each other to disallow the opponent’s offense from developing.

On the other side of the field, the offense created a few excellent chances for Dalat spurring from quick counterattacks; the shots, however, did not find the back of the net.

In the final minute of the game, the formidable Dalat defense gave up a goal despite the defense’s best effort to deflect the shot and John Kim’s (12) desperate dive to get a fingertip on the ball.

The players and coaches remained positive after the three games knowing that they allowed each individual to improve on his or her skill and the team to build chemistry.

Later on, Juliet Suen (12), co-captain of the women’s team, reflected on the weekend, “We learned to fight both physically and mentally as a team. We stayed positive and learned to rely on each other throughout the competition.”

For the past day and a half, the students had concentrated on winning games and getting better, but now that the matches had finished, they could concentrate on their other objective of the trip: to enjoy their friends.

And enjoy their friends they did, all the way back to Penang. •

You’ll Like It When We Spike It

By Lucia Combrink

through their veins. The atmosphere brewing in the room before each game led to a successful volleyball tournament enjoyed by both the teams and their fans.

Just before the championship game Tayah Lee (11) concluded the warm-up with a killer serve that crash-landed into the opposite court with a satisfactory smack.

As the team huddled to-

On the Saturday of 6 September the ISKL gym exploded with noise as the intense, impassioned screams of Dalat fans mixed with the hardcore music that shook the speakers and spiked the intensity that brewed in the air like a storm. Dalat prepared for a fight.

Dalat boys and girls warmed up to the sound of balls smacking on the floor and the feeling of warm blood coursing 8

gether—sharing sweat and motivational words—they radiated confidence and aggression. The girls finally broke off with a resounding “EAGLES” and ran onto the court, ready to win their third and final game against ISKL. Angelene Woo (11) said, “When we won, it felt pretty glorious. Especially since we hadn’t lost a game; and when we were losing, we made a really (Continued on page 9, col. 1) October 2014

Girls’ Volleyball...

(Continued from page 8, col. 4) great comeback!”

Each game carried its own emotional strain and physical fight, but the Dalat girls fought with passion and brought home a hard-earned victory.

The boys’ team also won a glittering victory against the ISKL JV and played like champions in their other games.

Adrian Nonis (9) said, “The win felt amazing! It made all the effort worth it. Plus, it was the first win of the season, increasing the excitement of everyone else.”

Eagle’s Eye

the team and will prepare them for future tournaments in the season.

Although the ISKL gym resounded with the earsplitting screams of excited fans and the yells of determined, competitive players, both the boys’ and girls’ teams pulled together, retained their focus, and won a grand victory for their school.

Not only did the tournament strengthen each team member individually, but it also united all the volleyball players. Lee said, “It was also great to be able to cheer for each other because we don’t normally have the chance to cheer for the volleyball guys.”

The tournament bonded the players together in their love for the sport and set the stage for an awesome volleyball season. •

The girls whooped and cheered for each frantic save, awesome hit, and killer that smacked into the opponent’s court. Andy Kim (11)—fired up from the competitive atmosphere—demonstrated his impressive capability for speed spikes; and Nonis, the youngest on the team, impressed the girls with his astounding saves.

Yan Rong Tan (12) remarked, “When I saw a spike going down to the opposing team’s floor, it felt like our team was at its peak.

A perfect pass leads to perfect set and a perfect spike. It shows how a volleyball game is played as a team and not just by the individuals.”

The volleyball boys’ spectacular victories encouraged

9

Clip Art The clip art in this edition of the Eagle’s Eye came from these sources: www.costumecraze.com www.shindigs.com.au www.freewebs.com www.wwf.org.my www.animationlibrary.com www.thinkstockphotos.com www.clker.comm btcatholic.us www.clker.com appadvice.com www.rainmaya.com kidungcintaandjaniku.blogspot. com soccer_-_player_16 clipart clip art Free Soccer Ball Clip Art classroomclipart.com

October 2014