Hong Kong International School 1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong dragonnet.hkis.edu.hk
“Veritas vos liberatit.” Winter Issue
December 2019
HKIS Tennis Takes China Cup by the Storm By Michelle Ahn
Angelica Cheng’s Transformative Interim By April Leong In the spring of 2018, Angelica Cheng from last year’s graduating class embarked on her third interim trip—Thailand: Life on the Margins. While this trip was not her first or second choice, it would not only inspire her still ongoing senior project but also influence college and career decisions. During this trip, students got to visit Mae Ra Moe refugee camp and the Mae Ra Moe Junior College (MRMJC), where they learned about the oppression of the Karen people in Myanmar and interacted with local students. Through getting to know people who were underprivileged, Angelica realized the importance of education and its power. “[the trip] allowed me to really see the importance of education as a human right, and its value as not only a weapon to change the world but also a source of dignity and purpose for people,” she explained.
Boys Varsity, Girls Varsity, and Girls Junior Varsity Tennis Players
From September 19th to 22nd, the HKIS Tennis teams flew to the International School of Beijing (ISB) to compete in China Cup. Although the competition was fierce, the HKIS Dragons had no trouble dominating the tournament. The Boys Varsity, Boys Junior Varsity (JV), and Girls JV brought home titles as champions, and the Girls Varsity team shortly followed for second. As last year’s China Cup Tennis was canceled for our teams due to Typhoon Mangkhut, many players were especially nervous. “Most of us were going in blindsided… only a few of us had attended China Cup before,” said Abby Davis (10), from the Girls JV team. “I just knew HKIS had brought home back to back championships before, which was even more pressure.” Heading into the tournament, the teams also felt that they lacked the skill set they acquired last year, as many star senior players graduated. In the Boys Varsity team, 3 of 6 new players had to fill the enormous shoes of the past seniors. “I was scared we lost our dynamic,” Subin Shetty (10) said, from the Boys Varsity team. “Our tennis teams always did so well. It’s so much pressure to win, especially with the seniors gone.”
remarkable performance. The players agreed that a crucial reason for their success was confidence and composure. “Confidence is key,” said Andrew Liu (12), from Boys Varsity. “Tennis is 90% a mental game, so if we believe that we have worked harder than our opponents, we can accomplish anything.” Once the teams found their key to success, China Cup became “banter and more about having fun,” said Josh Kim (9). The teams unanimously agreed that their new philosophy was what led them to have such a high-spirited and energetic tournament. “Tennis is a very individual sport,” Andrew said, “but once we built confidence in each other, we were unstoppable—I’ve never had a team with so much passion before.” Andrew, along with his teammates, believed that their confidence, energy, and passion, is what led to the success in China Cup 2019. In the midst of challenge during sports, athletes often forget what drives success. To the HKIS Tennis team, success is driven by confidence, passion, and high spirits. Over the next few weeks in both APAC/JPAC and ISSFHK, the HKIS Tennis team will continue to rise above adversity utilizing this new philosophy.
As the results reveal, however, the teams’ nerves were exceedingly compensated for by their
Visit our website! hkisjunto.org
This eye-opening experience motivated Angelica to focus on helping refugees in Hong Kong for her senior project. In fact, she would visit the MRMJC again the following year, receiving special permission to go on the same interim in order to further her work with refugees. There, she reconnected with some students she met the previous year and interviewed the school principal, who she is still in contact with. In addition, she acted as a leader to the rest of the students on the trip, educating them on the issue and inspiring them to join her cause. In the summer, she collected donations, primarily books, and led another group of students to visit the camp for the third time before heading off to college. Despite being thousands of miles away from Hong Kong, she continues looking for sources of funding for the Mae Ra Moe refugee camp and carrying on her senior project with a team of HKIS students that share the same interest. “I really want to go into education—be a teacher.” After learning about the true value and impact of education, Angelica has changed her initial plans for college and her career and has decided to dedicate herself to helping refugees. She applied to colleges in Massachusetts in order for more access to opportunities involving refugee work, specifically re-settled Karen refugees. She is now involved with teaching English to refugees from Latin America and looking for volunteer opportunities at local refugee centers. What started as a short week grew into one of Angelica’s greatest passions. “I never thought any of this would come out of an interim trip,” she said. Although the trip may not have offered the most comfortable hotels or smoothest transportation to remote refugee camps, it offered an unforgettable lesson about the power of education and how privileged we are to have it.
Winter Issue
December 2019
Contents: HKIS Tennis Takes China Cup by the Storm.
1
Angelica Cheng’s Transformative Interim.
1
GINspirational Carnival: How Far Have They Come?
2
Rolling Loud Hong Kong’s Debut Lineup is a Telling Disappointment
3
China Cup Volleyball 2019: Passion.
4
Virtual Learning – Friend or Foe?
4
Joker is no Laughing Matter.
5
APAC Cross Country 2019: The Invaluable Hours Upon Hours of Work.
6
Our Environment Needs Our Involvement
6
Young Scholar Chloe Tse’s™ Tips for the PSAT
7
Live Action Dora the Explorer Fulfilled Every Expectation I Had of It
7
Leo Yoon: Aspiring Artist and Music Producer
8
AP Stats Surveys: Junto Investigates
9 9
“Brassification”.
10
Stormy Days Pass.
10
HKIS Quiz Bowl Continues on Their Legacy In Mind Over Matter
10
Visit our website! hkisjunto.org
“Veritas vos liberatit.” If you have any suggestions or concerns, email us: junto@hkis.edu.hk
By Michelle Ahn
3-4
The Mysterious Case of Disappearing Phones.
The Inside Scoop – Teacher Guidelines on Political Matters at School
GINspirational Carnival: How Far Have They Come?
The Women’s Acapella performing at the GIN Carnival
Spanning across student-led organizations such as Interact, Friends of Nyaka, Z Club, and many more, HKIS provides a plethora of opportunities for students to partake in service. On September 27, the Global Issues Network (GIN) club hosted its second annual GIN Carnival to promote and build connections among twenty service organizations. Through fun activities, bake sales, and live performances, people were able to contribute to solving a global issue they are passionate about in a new engaging and entertaining way. Despite the logistical and structural difficulties that came with the pilot GIN Carnival, this year’s “GINspirational Carnival” has since come a long way. Given the unpredictability of the event, the patchy organization and miscommunication with the fifteen organizations present seemed inevitable, yet the club was still able to push through and generate a lot of buzz within the community. GIN club leader, Mehek Jain (12) said, “We had last year’s experience under our belt to guide us through the planning process.” Mehek believed that the experience they gained from the previous year was the primary reason for the Carnival’s successes. With many logistical details out of the way early on, their key focus shifted to the overall enjoyment of the audience. Another aspect that greatly attributed to this year’s Carnival success was their ability to introduce newer organizations while still promoting long-existing organizations, successfully bringing a more energetic and lively vibe to the Carnival. Bridgette Boyle (10), a leader of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) said, “The Carnival was a great opportunity for our club. The atmosphere really helped attract people, allowing us to promote our issue.” Other participants of the event also agreed that the generous amount of clubs allowed them to raise more awareness and money for their global issue. In addition to the booths, this year’s Carnival showcased a variety of performances from the Women’s Acapella, Hong Kong Dancers, independent singers, and many more. The enter-
2
tainment was a great addition to the Carnival, uplifting spirits before the break, and creating a lively atmosphere. The Women’s Acapella performing at the GIN Carnival But of course, no great events come without challenges. The GIN club members agreed that at first, it was difficult to get the clubs involved. Since the Carnival was held in the first semester this year, many clubs were underprepared, and it took sufficient planning to get clubs to sign up. There were also logistical details to consider, such as coordinating with the table tennis team for the table tennis tables and organizing the Smash tournament with the Games Club. Balancing the planning between the Carnival and the GIN booth was also difficult for GIN club members. They had to come up with original, educational, and engaging ideas, adapting quickly as initial plans such as getting Sodexo’s smoothie bike failed. Mehek believed that between making decorations for the Carnival, hammering out logistical details, and planning a booth, “it’s fair to say this event would most definitely not have been possible without the dedication and passion of every GIN member.” For future years, GIN hopes to engage in more activities and games in addition to bake sales, and reach out to other HKIS divisions. Through coupling with upper primary and middle school students, clubs will be able to raise more money while simultaneously educating the youth, and younger students would have a unique way to connect with high school students. All things considered, this year’s second annual GIN Carnival was an undeniable success, and we hope to see what they can bring to next year’s Carnival.
Winter Issue
December 2019
Rolling Loud Hong Kong’s Debut Lineup is a Telling Disappointment By Jaime Glinoga There simply aren’t any ways to mince words on this: the artist lineup for the 2019 debut of Rolling Loud in Hong Kong is utterly abysmal.
really wanted to “take the Asia hip-hop music scene to the next level,”then why not take advantage of the continent’s rich tapestry of talented musicians? Artists like Rich Brian, Joji, Dumbfoundead, Jay Park, the Higher Brothers are all prime showcasings of what Asia has to offer to the genre, and yet their names are nowhere to be found in this setlist. Why not make them the show-stealers instead?
On September 11th, 2019, the hip-hop festival finally announced the listing for their first-ever show in Asia’s World Expo. Preceded by two months of amped-up patience - in which the minds of hip-hop fans across Hong Kong went hysterical with theories on which of their favorite artists would be apart of the monumental event - the reveal was disappointing, to say the very least.
Asian artists are proven to be attractive ticket-sellers, as evident by a highly-successful festival that has mainly featured them: Head in the Clouds. In 2018, thousands of festival goers came to see an Asian-led musical event, and 2019 followed suit. Both these renditions were huge financial successes for its curator, 88rising. If they can succeed in the United States where there are arguably less Asians than in the actual continent of Asia, what says that Rolling Loud cannot do the same - if not, better?
There are 18 artists on the list, and from the list, there are only 8 notables: Migos, Playboi Carti, Ski Mask The Slump God, Lil Skies, Smokepurpp, $uicideboy$, and Wiz Khalifa. The other names are local, unknown artists who have yet to break any significant ground in the world of hip-hop. To the average fan who is unfamiliar with music festivals, this may seem like a good handful of the top talent residing within the genre. In actuality, this is a shallow attempt at reaching Hong Kong’s hip-hop demographic. The biggest issue at hand is just how miniscule the listing actually is, especially when compared to the festival’s own renditions from this year and the past.
The only differences between Head in the Clouds and Rolling Loud - aside from the obvious artist differences - is that Head in the Clouds was in Los Angeles, California, rather than the city of Hong Kong, and that Rolling Loud has less diversity; not just in its lineup but also in its various activities. While 88rising’s creme de la creme featured a host of mini-events that tapped into the Asian youth culture of the city, regarding music, art, and fashion, Rolling Loud has announced nothing of the sort. This is a hugely missed opportunity on the festival’s part, especially as the date moves closer and closer.
Rolling Loud this year in Miami Gardens not only featured Migos, but also a who’s who of top-tier artists; with fan-favorites Travis Scott and Kid Cudi headlining on the second and third days respectively, as well as dozens of others with their own solid fanbases performing on said days. The lineups for New York and the Bay Area also share the same star-power as its Floridian counterpart, showing that the creators are able to produce magnificent selections. So why is this one so mediocre?
Hip-hop is an unpredictable phenomenon that has swept its influence across every facet of the World. Hong Kong especially is a place where fans have been longing for a chance to see their favorite rap artists come and perform, as they so rarely get to. Unfortunately, many will be left downcast by a lineup that only features the basic barebones of the genre, and is representative of the variety of its popular Asian talent. This could have been Rolling Loud’s chance to go all out, to make an impression with an unforgettable lineup that cements their prolific reputation, allowing them to follow suit on their international promises Instead, we are offered a second-rate version of what is supposed to be world’s biggest hip-hop festival. While there is still a chance the actual show might exceed the expectations created by this announcement, you shouldn’t hold your breath rushing to get pre-sale tickets for this one.
Migos no doubt have an energy burnout especially after this gruelling Rolling Loud tour. Their live performances are anything but outstanding, and Wiz Khalifa has not been relevant to the rap conversation in a very, very long time. The other names may conjure reactions from the crowd, but it will be nowhere near the energy that a more stacked line-up would bring. Not to mention - none of the main headliners are Asian artists. This is hypocritical considering the company’s earlier statements. If the curators
China Cup Volleyball 2019: Passion By Ira Gorawara
From September 19th-22nd, the HKIS Volleyball teams brought their talents to the International School of Beijing (ISB), competing in their first tournament of the Volleyball season. This year’s tournament included familiar faces, ISB and SASPX (Shanghai American School Puxi), as well as another international school in Beijing (WAB - Western Academy of Beijing), and of course, our very own HKIS Dragons.
JV Girls Volleyball Team, Post Winning Championships
Representing HKIS were four volleyball teams: Junior Varsity (JV) Boys, JV Girls, Varsity Boys, and Varsity Girls. Our JV Boys, recovered in style after an upsetting loss to SASPX during the round-robin, dominating in the consolation game, 3-0 sets. Our JV Girls, who were deservedly lauded for enduring a nail-bitingly intense final against WAB which they eventually won with a close 27-25 final set, were crowned China Cup champions. Our Varsity Girls placed fourth overall, with a heartbreaking loss in the final set of the consolation game, going down 15-12 to hosts ISB. Finally, Varsity Boys managed to conquer ISB, taking home third
3
place from China Cup 2019. For many on the JV teams, this was their first experience traveling for a sports tournament, representing HKIS - a school that has served them for numerous years. With this, obviously, comes pressure and apprehension. Sarah Park (10), from the JV girls team, said, “it was my first time ever going away for a sports competition representing HKIS, it was a completely new yet nerve-wracking feeling.” From the JV boys’ side, Nicholas Yee (9) explained, “...representing HKIS in Beijing felt like a big responsibility. We were the few that could change the reputation of our community in just a few sets.” Both Nicholas and Sarah, competing in their first China Cup, felt pressure on their shoulders and a sense of nervousness heading to Beijing. On the contrary, players like Nikki Chen (12), Varsity Girls captain with now four years of travel experience said, “ISB is a place we’re really familiar with, and of course, it’s always an exciting experience to travel to
Winter Issue another school and represent HKIS.” Despite the polar opposite feelings of representing HKIS - given a senior veteran and two underclassmen experiencing their first serious, overseas sports tournament, they all share one core value in their views, thoughts, and takeaways from the recent event in Beijing. Yes talent, skill, and aptitude are imperative as the basis of any sports team, what comes before that, perhaps the aspect of sports that is often overlooked or dismissed is the attitude, passion, and eagerness from players and the team when competing. “This year’s China Cup was by far the most high-spirited, lively, and energetic, tournaments I’ve participated in. We need to use that same passion and energy in JPAC and the local leagues because it will really help us be successful moving forward with the season,” Michelle Ahn, JV Girls captain. Michelle emphasized strongly that the camaraderie, zeal, and ardor when competing in such events, was on display during the JV Girls final, where the energy was infectious. “...the moment we won the finals was definite-
December 2019
ly the highlight of China Cup. We’d lost to the team going against us the day before, but the sweet taste of victory came when we defeated them 3-0 in the championships,” Sarah said. Our JV girls reminded us that without determination and resoluteness during the finals, the team would not have triumphed. In addition to Sarah and Michelle, Nikki remarked how it’s crucial the team maintain and retain this team spirit moving forward in the volleyball season. “In the semi-finals, we had a really close game against ISB... I was really happy seeing teammates who are always too shy to yell to finally be passionate and have that fire going during the game. It definitely got us going,” Nikki recounted. In summation, our dragons fought hard and brave in their first tournament of the season; their first tournament playing in their newly-formed teams. Proud of you, Dragons, for you represented HKIS well; depicting the passion and avidity of an HKIS athlete. China Cup reminded our teams of the utter importance of enthusiasm during tournaments like these, and has shown us all, athletes or not, that energy and ardor for whatever one does is invaluable.
The Mysterious Case of Disappearing Phones By Dhruv Leeha
Virtual Learning – Friend or Foe? By Adya Patil Recently, I asked two of my peers what week they believed was the most stressful this semester. Kyah Hilton-Smith (9) replied, “This week, by far. All of my teachers are cramming in as many summatives as possible before the break.” Neha Donde (9), on the other hand, responded with, “To be honest, the worst week by far was the virtual learning week.” From November 13th to 20th, schools in Hong Kong closed due to the city’s dangerous political climate. During this period, HKIS was determined to not let the protests interfere with the learning curriculum, and as a result, students were told to connect with teachers via Zoom and participate in virtual learning. Since then, virtual learning has been a controversial topic among pupils, with some loving it, and others hating it. Curious about the contrasting opinions, I decided to gain insight into student opinions regarding deadlines set by teachers. “The deadlines were okay but were sometimes very cramped and teachers did not give us enough time to finish assignments, because we had to complete homework and classwork on the same day, by midnight,” Neha replied. “I do think it is very dependent on the type of student you are, because I take a lot of time on my work, and it was overwhelming to have homework and classwork from all four classes to complete by midnight.”...“I think the deadlines were okay,” Kyah responded, “they were set late at night. It would have been much better if they were due the next morning like homework is usually assigned. I do think that it was a bit hard to juggle all the work given by every class.” The conversation then shifted to the classes on Zoom. Neha said, “Zoom was useless because we couldn’t ask many questions and have discussions because the class was squeezed into 40-minutes.” Upon hearing this, Kyah said, “Zoom was okay for me, I wish however that more teachers sent out surveys to see when kids could go online, like maybe having two blocks available in case some classes had work due by the end of the intended period.”
We’ve all seen the crackdown on phones this year. More and more teachers imprisoning our phones in their prison of a phone holder. Unfortunately, this has led to more of us students forgetting our phones in classrooms, leaving them under the control of the cruel prison wardens, our teachers. Aside from terrifying students who leave their phones unlocked, this newly escalated problem is causing students more issues. Recently, more and more students have reported not being able to find their phones in their classrooms when they come back to find them later on in the school day after initially forgetting their phone in the holders after class. As an educated student, I’ve used the scientific method for my thinking. I’ve observed the intrigue that is the disappearance of phones on campus, so now comes the hypothesis to answer the question of why.
Based on evidence, I’ve concluded that teachers have formed a black market for our phones. Aside from the value of our phones in themselves, the contents of our phones are of unquestionable value. There is a possibility that instead of just selling our phones away to night market vendors, teachers have been renting our phones to other teachers. Possible reasons that teachers may rent our phones are, of course, to use the contents of our texts to amuse themselves, cackling over the pathetic messages sent to our crushes. Or perhaps, they themselves have been texting our friends from our phones. Maybe that’s why I’ve had my friends mad at me for the past few weeks. Most sinisterly, teachers may be checking our phones’ search history; obviously concerning students due to our use of nonschool friendly websites…. (like Sparknotes).
4
The conversation ended with both of them talking about possible improvements. Neha said, “I wish we could use a different software without a time limit, and also have a way to discuss with others, maybe using Schoology. Also, it would be better if the Zoom classes aligned with the designated period slot. I know that this is a new thing that we’ve never done before, but clarity about dates and times would be good.” “Yeah, I feel the same,” Kyah commented, “Learning online is hard because there are somethings that cannot be conveyed through a typed up assignment. I missed the depths and conversation aspect of face to face classes during that time, so maybe having a discussion chat for clarification purposes or anything else would have been useful.” Though there are differing views on the topic, there is no doubt that virtual learning can only continue with slight tweaking. Hopefully, we will never reach a point where we have to rely on virtual learning again, but in the meantime, students can be assured that the online learning experience will be more refined next time it is used.
Winter Issue
December 2019
Joker is no Laughing Matter By Jaime Glinoga Send in the clowns, because Joker is one for the ages.
We know Arthur is destined to become the Joker, to be misshaped by the world around him, but it certainly would have helped to have thrown a few curveballs, regardless.
Watching Joker is like watching a twisted roller coaster, where the focus isn’t on the twists or turns or jaw-dropping leaps — it’s on the build. It’s the terrible sound of metal chattering against metal, being brought along an endless rail. The queasy looks as the railing in front slowly begins to disappear. The soul-crushing anxiety that never seems to let up — until the big drop.
Despite the predictable plot, awkward scripting, and lack of subtlety, it is all balanced out by the overall aesthetic, emotional complexity, real-world undertones, and an unbelievable performance from star Joaquin Phoenix. But the film isn’t just a fantastic cinematic experience. It also is thematically built around a highly important subject.
You could call it a film version of schadenfreude, a German word for deriving pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction from another’s misfortune. Except instead of joy, you’ll experience fear. Instead of pleasure, you’ll be shocked.
One cannot discuss Joker without discussing the overarching idea of mental illness in the modern world, however. Unlike the comics, it is clear that Arthur is a highly disturbed individual right from the beginning, and rather than the world helping him maintain a sense of sanity, it only serves to exacerbate his already extreme character flaws. The film is clearly making a statement of our society’s treatment of individuals like Arthur in the world today: that rather than helping them through turbulent times, people choose to denigrate them, ignore their plight, and blame them for wrongdoing. The combination of all of these factors is what can potentialize someone like Arthur into becoming a violent, angry cult of personality like the Joker. Arthur himself puts it best in the film: “The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.”
Joker, titularly based on the incredibly popular DC Comics character and directed by Todd Phillips, follows the downfall (and sequential “rise”) of failed stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck, who is brilliantly brought to life by actor Joaquin Phoenix. He shines brighter than he has before in what is yet another career-defining performance. He not only steals every scene he is in, but captures it and makes it his own. Other cast members such as Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, and Zazie Beetz certainly hold their own, but it is Phoenix as Fleck who upstages everyone with his presence.
What sticks in the end, thought, aren’t just the frightening depictions of mental disorder or of violence. What sticks is the allegory for the relationship between individuals like Arthur and the environment that he lives in. It is an allegory that especially rings true in modern times, making the realization that this story could actually happen in our world all the more chilling, adding a distinct emotional layer underneath its presentation. Ultimately, Joker isn’t just great—it’s an important film that will be talked about for generations to come. It is a testament to the state of comic book movies today that a film like this can be released: one that brings about important discussions about violence, mental illness that we often shy away from, but deeply need to discuss.
Source: Joker - Put on a Happy Face Scene
When you’re watching the film, you don’t see Phoenix just portraying a dishevelled, disturbed individual—he literally becomes his character in ways that so few are able to. When Arthur feels pain, we feel it too. When he is cast away and ignored by the world, we understand his struggle immensely. And when he eventually makes that final step to fully transform into The Joker, it is both utterly believable and spine-chilling. All in all, the combination of the screenwriters’ ability along with Phoenix’s phenomenal acting has created a variation of the Clown Prince who is both sympathetic, tragic, and ultimately horrific. The hellish, decrepit landscape of the fictional Gotham City is vividly represented through the fantastic set design and the picturesque cinematography; framed with a haunting orchestral soundtrack that layers every scene with dread. It all contributes to an unsettling sense of surrealism, that pulls the audience forward, and never lets go. While the film is gritty and realistic for the most part, there are scenes in the film that cross the bridge between reality and surreality: scenes that cannot be fully described in words, but are made gorgeously bizzare through a mixture of Phoenix, cinematography, and the score.
Illustrated by Grace Cao
The film is told entirely from Arthur’s perspective, and with respect to the character on which the film is based, the filmmakers place him as an unreliable narrator to masterful effect. By the end of it, the movie has audiences questioning what was real from it and what wasn’t; whether events actually happened, or if they were just mental fabrications. It keeps with the essence of the character who once said if he was “going to have a past, [he’d] prefer it to be multiple choice.” While Joker does have a multitude of upsides, there are a few aspects that bog it down, preventing it from becoming a truly perfect film. The script can be strange, and is often too on the nose. The symbolism is clearly there, instead of the filmmakers allowing the audience to interpret what is being said through their own way. Subtlety would have added to the sense of mystery that already exists behind a character like Joker. The plot is also highly predictable, despite a few twists.
Source: Joker - “The Killing Joke”
5
Winter Issue
December 2019
APAC Cross Country 2019: The Invaluable Hours Upon Hours of Work
Our Environment Needs Our Involvement By Jaeryung Park
By Ira Gorawara
APAC Cross Country Team 2018-2019
From October 23rd-27th, HKIS’ Cross Country team concluded their vigorous season in Concordia Internation School Shanghai for APAC (Asia Pacific Activities Conference) 2019 - where the grueling hours of training our Dragons put in this season were on high display. HKIS Dragons wound up their season on a high note with boys placing second and girls placing fifth. Individually, on the boy’s side, HKIS headlined a first-place finish by Hayden Bailey (11), and James Grinnan (11), placing 5th. On the girl’s side, Jillian Tunnicliff (10) tallied a close 2nd place finish. Our dragons put their back into APAC 2019 and returned home with outstanding results and accolades. All of the athletes and runners we see in the image above undoubtedly have the physique, speed, talent, and skill to be competing in one of East Asia’s most competitive cross country events, APAC. regardless, one of the key factors to the HKIS Cross Country’s team success this past APAC was the long, enervating hours, days and weeks the team put in prior to APAC. Cross Country isn’t a sport like a basketball, soccer or baseball - in which there are chances to regain momentum or learn from a loss and focus on the next game - rather all the work and time runners have put in comes down to a single event. Our athletes are well aware of how critical every second of their event is, from stepping foot on the starting line to turning their heads to the finish line. Because of this, the
mindset and mentality of our runners during every practice this season was clearly exhibited with their success at APAC. “The atmosphere before a cross country race is tense... our team, although nervous, was excited because we had been training hard and felt prepared.” Hayden Bailey (11) said. As mentioned above, throughout the Cross Country season each and every athlete on the team was locked in and gave 100% of themselves at every practice - as they knew each minute of training bore fruit. “Up until the moment when the gun goes off to start the race, it is nerve-racking... but one of the key things coming into the race was the amount of training we had done together during the year,” said Jillian Tunnicliff (10). Clearly, the amount of practice and hard-work our runners put in this year greatly contributed to their success during APAC. “The success of me and my team has been in large part due to the consistent effort and work we have put in,” James Grinnan (11) added.
During the short transition time between classes, most students visit the Dragon Shop and get a piece of candy. It takes at most five seconds to unwrap the packaging and throw it away. Daily, students can casually buy a bottle of Gatorade or a refreshing drink from Starbucks. Thus, it is effortless to produce trash.
cycling process more manageable. In Hong Kong, recycling plants can only process plastics with the numbers 1, 2, or 5 printed on the item. If there is a different number, it should be included as general waste. Moreover, when throwing away cans, it is constructive if you empty or even clean out the liquid.
Every day, every minute and every second, environmental issues are becoming increasingly severe, so immediate solutions are imperative if we are to prevent further irreversible damage. Some might say that they simply do not care about the climate crisis or should not be held accountable because big brands and companies are the ones at fault. While it may be true that large corporations have a stronger impact, we too can contribute towards preserving our planet.
Previously, I was one of those people who were angry towards crowds for not taking these issues seriously, but I never actually took the chance to approach them myself and help out. One day, for the first time, I went to the recycling session with my friend, and while doing so, I noticed that helping the environment was quite simple. However, it only felt simple because, at that session, a lot of volunteers came to help. It only took about an hour, and after doing so, I felt proud of how I was helping the environment and also felt that I was making a change. It was smelly, and more than once, I was furious while collecting the recyclables due to how arrogant some people were with throwing waste away—on the bottom of the bins, there was a 4-inch pond of sticky Coke and Gatorade juice—it was embarrassing.
One of the easiest ways to do so is via recycling, which HKIS is already trying to promote by encouraging more students to join the everyday recycling sessions afterschool. Led by Mr. and Mrs. Nolasco, middle school and high school volunteers collect recyclables to be washed, separated and finally sent to the recycling center.
It is a simple but effective way to help with the environmental issues we all created. It may seem hard to reduce the amount of plastic used because it is everywhere. Since plastic takes more than 400 years to degrade, so most of it still exists in some form. Additionally, of that plastic waste, only 9% gets recycled. However, carrying tumblers, using metal straws and carrying eco- bags are ways to help.
In summation, our dragons’ efforts and hours of blood, sweat, and tears were on high display during their final tournament of the season. Of course, the HKIS community is proud of accolades and awards our runners brought home, but what is more commendable is the amount of passion they brought to Shanghai, and seeing just how hard they worked this season.
If participating in the afterschool recycling session from 3:10 to 4:10 collides with your busy schedule, you can also help by making the re-
6
While collecting the recyclables, I frequently hear “you’re doing a good thing” or “thank you for your help.” By this, it’s clear most people care about our planet. However, it always came to my mind that getting an extra hand would be even more supportive. If you are one of those people, I would strongly encourage stepping out of your comfort zone and coming to a recycling session. Even recycling at home would be effective beyond what you might think!
Winter Issue
December 2019 Young Scholar Chloe Tse’s™ Tips for the PSAT By Chloe Tse Tip 2: Do Not Give Away Your Personal Information Unfortunately, many of my fellow teenagers have been deceived by the PSAT guidelines which requires you to state your full name, school, area code, so on and so forth, forgetting the numerous times their parents warned them of “stranger danger!” In this day and age of personal information being abused (*cough* Mark Zucchini *cough*), it is much better to use an alias instead (my favorite one is filling in my name as Chlo-mydia). As for the address, be sure to put Area 51 so the mailmen will have a valid excuse to investigate, and possible discover the toothpaste that 10/10 dentists recommend!
On October 16, sophomore and juniors, in their sleep-deprived state, shuffled towards their respective classrooms to take the test that would determine the rest of their lives. Those that succeeded would become College Board royalty, while those that failed would burn in the eternal flames with Nao’s elegant purple handwriting mocking them. Buckle up lads, because Young Scholar Chloe Tse™ is about to reveal the secrets necessary to impressing College Board. Tip 1: Enter the 48-Hours Without Sleep Competition Two Days Prior Ever heard of the phrase “sleep is for the weak”? Well, who wants to be weak on the day of the PSAT? With this newfound tactic, you may even gain TikTok Clout™ by posting a viral video of you participating in this challenge. Once College Board becomes part of your loyal TikTok fanbase, they will kowtow to your superiority and possibly pull several strings for you here and there to get a signature. Who knows, they may even sponsor a trip for you go to visit their prestigious headquarters! Emma Chamberlain who?
Tip 3: Leave As Many Answers Blank As Possible Say you are presented with a hypothetical scenario -- making a friend that keeps talking, talking, talking or one that is interesting, yet slightly mysterious. You would obviously choose the second mysterious friend right? RIGHT? That is the same case with the PSAT. By leaving answers black, you begin to foster an enigmatic persona that leaves College Board guessing, effectively playing “hard to get.” You do not just directly present to them what line of thought, but rather, you kept an aura of secrecy around yourself that attracts them to you and provokes a chase.
Live Action Dora the Explorer Fulfilled Every Expectation I Had of It By Emma Pang For those who somehow managed to escape the TV show Dora the Explorer as a child, know that the life action movie was the last thing anyone expected to join the CGI trend.
As well as comedic tributes to the original cartoon itself, breaking the fourth wall jokingly, having small teaching spanish tidbits and even having an animated scene. All in all, if you were to watch Dora the Explorer, I would not recommend watching it seriously. It’s exactly like the animated series. Watch it like you were that 6 year old child in the theatre.
Dora the Explorer is a popular Nickelodeon animated children’s cartoon. The show consists of several characters, including the Spanish speaking Dora, her cousin Diego, a talking monkey companion dubbed ‘Boots’ and a minor fox antagonist named Swiper. The show is about Dora being an explorer, travelling the jungle and breaking the fourth wall by interacting with viewers– asking them to find items on screen or teaching them occasional spanish terms. Live action Dora the Explorer, however, is about teenage Dora the Explorer heading off the L.A and leaving her life in the jungle. She faces highschool, teachers and how to socially adjust. She goes on a journey with three other highschoolers to find her parents in the jungle, who have gone missing after searching for the Lost City of Gold. The film features Eva Longoria, Michael Peña, Isabela Moner and more. Upon watching it, I have now realised that God did not intend for every great thing to be CGI-ed. For example, I could’ve gone my whole life without seeing an anthropomorphic Swiper the Fox or a photo-realistic Boots the Monkey. Though this was a children’s movie, my expectations shouldn’t have been that high. Though there were still a few factors that disappointed me while watching the movie. Firstly, the humour. Most of the humour is pretty textbook standard, digestible for children and mildly cringy to anyone older than twelve. Some parts of the movie follow cartoon physics. Figures running in the same spot or staying suspended in the air before following. But I just couldn’t shake the feeling of how scripted everything is. From the supposedly ‘witty’ jokes to the “funny” dialogue the characters would say. It felt forced and unnatural. Much like the over the top and exaggerated acting. Terrifying CGI and humour aside, though there were still some parts that I quite appreciated. The plot, for one. There was a nicely timed plot-twist that was perfect for children-- if the surprised shouts in the theatre were anything to go by.
7
Winter Issue
December 2019
Leo Yoon: Aspiring Artist and Music Producer By Knoton Fung Most people know Leo Yoon for his high energy and spontaneous character. As an active member of our school community, he’s often seen in the gym playing basketball or running around campus with his friends after school. But that’s only one side of his unique personality.
The most current tracks of his that I’ve listened to sound a lot like low-fi music, and they have a very relaxed and dreamy feeling. If one had to draw comparisons between his music and the music of established artists, they’d probably say that his tracks have a similar feel and sound to French DJ Petit Biscuit’s music.
Beyond his loudness, impulsiveness, and carefreeness, there is another side to him that is highly dedicated and intensely competitive. His parents instilled a strong work ethic in him from a young age, which has allowed him to extensively develop his skills as a mathematician and a pianist.
Of the lyric samples that Leo has shown me, I have noticed that most of his songs explore dark themes, such as mental health struggles, depression, and heartbreak, although he is quick to admit that he isn’t the best person to touch on on these topics. Rather, a lot of these themes appear in his music because that is what so many songs these days are about.
When he wants to, he can be quite witty and shrewd, though most people don’t know that about him. Although he doesn’t show many of these aspects of his character often, they are a large part of what makes him who he is. Chief among these hidden aspects of his character is his intense passion for music. Unbeknownst to most around him, last year Leo began producing music just for fun. He started out in Garageband mixing sound loops here and there to make short, minute-long backing tracks. Initially, he began his musical journey just to kill time, but he has since found that he enjoys it very much. Having grown up in Colombia for a good part of his life (a place known for its love of music and dance), music has always been a big part of Leo’s life. He grew up listening to the Beatles as well as the Backstreet Boys; now, his musical tastes have since transitioned into contemporary hip-hop and rap.
Leo doesn’t like to constrain himself to specific genres of music and prefers to think of himself as something of an experimenter and pioneer. He enjoys hard, abrasive beats as well as soft airy melodies, and his music tastes range from classic rock to modern-day hip hop and so-called “mumble rap”. Ultimately, Leo says that this music project of his is ultimately just for fun. Although he has taken it more seriously this past year, he is still as carefree as ever and doesn’t seem to mind the possibility that his music does not become popular. Drawing from a variety of artists and music styles, Leo hopes to create a sound that is unique to him. Lacking real ways to truly express himself, he has found that music is the best medium for him to convey his emotions and thoughts. He consistently emphasizes quality over quantity and asserts that if he isn’t ready to release anything, he won’t. According to Leo and those close to him that are also involved in his creative process, there are currently two songs in the works that he feels will be ready for release before the end of the semester. But he chose not to provide the name of the songs or the subject of their lyrics because he continues to insist that he wants his release to be a surprise. For Leo, it’s about creating music that he (and hopefully many others) can enjoy. He’s already set up a Spotify page and says that he could upload a song at any time. But at the moment, he hasn’t released anything yet, and it seems that only time will tell where this aspiring artist will take his passion for music in the months to come.
His favorite musicians at the moment are Travis Scott, MadeinTYO, Blackbear, and gianni & kyle. He claims to draw musical inspiration from both his current and past favorite artists. In his music, he can often be seen combining soft piano melodies with hip hop beats. He enjoys experimenting with beat-switches, periodic melody changes, and pauses which often culminate in an interesting, well-rounded beat that avoids sounding mainstream and predictable. He experiments with various instruments, with his favorites being the piano, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar. He often adds dozens of layers of audio to his work and puts it all together in Logic Pro X, a professional digital audio workstation (music-making software, essentially). Whenever inspiration strikes, he quickly jots down lines that he wants to incorporate into his songs into the Notes app on his phone, and in his free time, he enjoys piecing these lines together in order to form a cohesive song with a unifying theme.
8
Winter Issue
December 2019
AP Stats Surveys: Junto Investigates By Dhruv Leekha
Illustration by April Leong
Let’s be honest here, who doesn’t love a good AP Stats survey. The gratification that comes from filling out a survey with no incentive whatsoever while the first summatives of the year pile on is simply immeasurable. That’s why this year, I was so thrilled to receive the AP Stats surveys, far more than I had ever received before.
on, which was, to be fair, nothing out of the ordinary. However, after reviewing my extremely thorough notes from those discussions I realized that something fishy was going on. They had all said that they knew nothing about the surveys. I was shocked, could it be that all of these AP Stats surveys were a hoax, a sham?
Yet, as my excitement crescendoed, as my cursor drew closer to selecting my grade, gender, and number of AP classes, catastrophe struck.
But that was impossible, even if the Stats students hadn’t been the ones sending the surveys, they surely must’ve heard of them. Only then did it dawn on me that perhaps teachers constantly telling us not to criticize AP Stats students over surveys since “we might be in the same situation next year” led to the Stats students never hearing of their own surveys. But if not students, then who was behind the onslaught of surveys this year; I decided to create some theories.
“Aw snap! Something went wrong while displaying this webpage.” After a few refreshes of the page, it became clear that the school’s Gmail had crashed. Refusing to believe that my beloved, most treasured AP Stats survey could be behind this disaster, I set off on my quest to find the real culprit. After a consult with the SDLT, I found out that, it was the AP Stats survey. Enraged, I stormed up to the AP Stats classroom to demand some answers about why so many surveys were being sent out this year. I was angry, disillusioned; my beloved survey had betrayed me. As the bell rang and students poured out of the room, I confronted the students, demanding some answers as to why they had crashed the school Gmail. Without my email, how else can I get ignored by my summative presentation group? After interrogating the AP Stats students, I made one solid conclusion: I had no idea what was going
The surveys asking about mile times and GPA/number of AP classes could just be an innocuous effort on the behalf of our school administration to improve the physical and academic lives of HKIS students. Or, they could be the next phase in the P.E. department’s plot to eliminate AP classes from the school curriculum to make more time for sports teams and IFs. As for the surveys asking about Juuling in school, I was fresh out of ideas about why the school would ever send a survey about this. So perhaps in the next cycle of “AP Stats surveys” that we receive, we should spend a few moments considering who might be seeing our survey responses regarding 12 minute miles, 2 hours of sleep, or 1.5 GPAs.
The Inside Scoop – Teacher Guidelines on Political Matters at School By Eshaan Chaurasia
With the slew of violent protests having no end in sight, it is natural to look to teachers, especially those of the Humanities profession, for guidance. After all, they are mentors to many in our community, and so often in school, we tackle issues of this kind -- issues that have rocked nations as these protests have rocked ours. In the wake of the turmoil, Mr. Kersten led a gathering a few months ago that addressed the issue in an equitable manner. Several questions may have popped into your head as it has mine, but the most prominent is this: What are our teachers, and perhaps even the school, allowed to say about these matters? With there being rumors of a pan-international school agreement to not speak out about this movement for fear of losing their license, I figured there is no better time to answer the question that has been lingering at the forefront of our minds.
The most well-known policy of the school is that while teachers are not allowed to give their political opinions (for obvious reasons, as it would invite negative attention to the school), they are permitted to encourage conversation on the matter amongst their students. Mr. Kersten, the spiritual coordinator, has a few thoughts about this particular policy, and thus was the natural person to interview for this topic. My interview with Mr. Kersten was eye-opening. He revealed a great deal of information about the policy, including but not limited to the degree to which he feels it is necessary, what exactly teachers are allowed to say and do as it relates to the protests (and how Mr. Kersten handles such topics when they come up), and why the gathering provided a sense of community and understanding in this troubling time whilst still respecting the policy. When asked whether or not the policy was necessary, Mr. Kersten replied with an “absolutely.” His reasoning was that the foremost job of our school is to “nurture” the individual thought of students and to better equip them to make their own decisions on how they view sensitive topics, which in this case would be the protests that have taken our city by such a storm. Mr. Kersten affirmed that he believed it would be “inappropriate” for any faculty members to express their views in such a way that makes it seem like it is the only right approach, not just as it pertains to the protests, but also as it relates to any stance, political or otherwise. Supposedly, there is a belief
9
in our school that the teachers tend to slant left in political matters, especially in the Humanities department, and their political preferences somehow affect their grading. Mr. Kersten believes such beliefs simply nothing more than urban legend, and “largely untrue.” As to what the teachers of our school are allowed to say in the classroom and do outside, evidently, the school has taken somewhat more of a hardline approach to the protests than they have to other political matters because of the sensitivity and polarity of this issue. In the classroom, teachers are encouraged to facilitate discussion, but they must do so in a way that doesn’t unduly sway people to their own viewpoint or bias. Mr. Kersten provided some great detail as to how he facilitates discussion in his own classroom. He will often show the class a media source that details the views of a “third party source” and will occasionally play the “devil’s advocate” to the consensus of the class when he feels that one view is underrepresented. The guidelines of the classroom are clear, but what are teachers allowed to do outside of the confines of the classroom? Given the values of our school, HKIS allows teachers to express their beliefs as they see fit outside of school. This means that teachers are allowed to attend protest rallies if they want to. However, this freedom of expression comes with the condition that they not associate HKIS with their particular political stance (for example, they cannot be wearing an HKIS hoodie if and when they are marching). A crucial response to these protests within the HKIS community has been the gathering that we had a few months ago, which accomplished its goal by allowing all sides to be heard. There have been people talking about the content of the gathering, specifically whether it may or may not have gone too far or was too candid in what it broadcasted to the school. To this, I turned to the person who organized the gathering, Mr. Kersten, himself. He believes that arguably the closest the gathering came to crossing the line was when the faculty spoke, but it was made clear that their contributions were their own opinion and outlook, and it should not be the definitive way people view this event, thus ensuring that the gathering remained neutral. Needless to say, the gathering played its role in facilitating the discussion while being unbiased as people of all different sides were heard.
Winter Issue
December 2019
“Brassification” By Emma Pang
Have you ever read the story about the kid who ate too many burgers and turned into one? Or the fact that spending a lot of time around someone may cause you to become more like them? Something like that may have just occurred in Hong Kong International School, but not because of burgers. Students are turning into instruments. More specifically, their band instruments. The upcoming band concert seems to have everybody on edge, but no one has been running more ragged than the poor participants themselves. An unlucky Thursday morning found three students ‘brass-ifying’ on the doorstep of the band room, each sporting brass arms and mouthpiece fingers. It seemed that few symptoms had already shown themselves the day before, in the form of lips that started to form a noticeable resemblance to saxophone reeds.
class!” One of the students at the scene explained, seemingly much more wary of the instrument he held in his hand.
“Maybe if I lock myself in my room with my violin the same thing will happen to me,” speculated a nearby onlooker. Unluckily for them, the three students were not exempt from the upcoming band concert. When our news source inquired further, a section leader reasoned, “trumpet players only really need one hand. It’s only got like three buttons.”
Stormy Days Pass
The city is now a warzone, with the streets being ransacked by the police under the order of an ineffectual government. My beautiful city is maimed. You can barely see the tall skyscrapers and the neon lights amidst the tear gas. Our vibrant city life is displaced by anger and desperation.
On September 21, the HKIS Quiz Bowl team gathered at German Swiss International School to compete in Mind Over Matter, an inter-school trivia competition organized by TSOL (Tvameva Solutions Overseas Limited). After hours of racking brains to answer the most obscure of questions in 9 different rounds, HKIS Team 1, comprised of Danny Han (11), Marvin Wong (11), and Daniel Zheng (11), proudly won 3rd place overall; while both of the other two teams also won in individual categories, with Team 2 and Team 3 winning second in Science and first in Entertainment, respectively. Mind Over Matter covers a variety of different topics in its 9 rounds, including Geography, Entertainment, Science, Sports, and even local trivia. In each round, competitors answer random questions in this vast range: from Game of Thrones lore to characteristics of primates. Although this task may seem harrowing to non-Quiz Bowlers, getting tested on miscellaneous knowledge is at the core of what makes trivia so entertaining and exciting.
By Rosamond Chung
Hong Kong is my home, the place that I could return to and expect things to be the same. Unfortunately, since the beginning of this summer, Hong Kong has been hit heavily by storms. Clouds have surrounded Hong Kong with the sun seemingly untraceable. Days have darkened with dismal light.
By Aujin Kim
Upon insistence that a good break away from their instruments would fix all these effects, the three unlucky students were promptly sent to the nurse. Their exemption from the future upcoming band rehearsals seem to have won them a spot of much envy from not only band students, but string students alike.
“We’ve had band rehearsal for the past three days! Morning, afternoon, during
In this piece, Rosamond Chung (12) shares her stream of consciousness in response to the difficult situation that Hong Kong is in. This poetic piece reflects an individual’s perspective and should not be taken as representative of Junto or Hong Kong International School’s stance on the protests.
HKIS Quiz Bowl Continues on Their Legacy In Mind Over Matter
terms interrupted, it is hard to tell when we will recover. Nevertheless, the sun prevails. Hong Kong citizens will not be known in history as failures but as warriors. We will be remembered. Whether it be through journalists’ efforts or global attention, we are not forgotten. I used to believe that my city was hollow, hollow in the way that Hong Kong turns you into a machine running on a ravenous thirst for prestige and wealth while forcing out whatever remotely human is in you. But I was wrong. People of Hong Kong have banded together to maintain their rights to freedom. The protests are a showcase of everything I thought my city could not do. We are strong, we are united, we will not stop. The black clouds looming over Hong Kong WILL disperse and the sun WILL shine through. Hope and justice, compassion and courage will persist. I look forward to the day the storm is over and the sun brings about recovery and rebirth.
With the city in recession and school
10
With at least one team from HKIS making it to the final round of the competition every year for the past 4 years, the pressure to carry on the legacy was weighing heavily on this year’s participants. With 6 out of 9 students being first timers, the tensions were especially high in the air. “Guys, it would be really sad if none of us make it to the finals this year,” declared experienced Quiz Bowler Danny Han (11) during the short lunch break between the preliminary and the finals. Thankfully, Danny’s worries never came to fruition as all 3 HKIS teams brought back medals, with Danny’s own team making it to the finals. The HKIS Legacy continues! First-time participant Vikram Krishna (10), who professed his wish to win a Virtual Reality Headset as a prize from early on, described his joy when actually receiving the VR Headset for winning the Entertainment round, as “hard-earned”. He also encouraged newcomers to not be afraid to join, offering his advice, “Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a lot of the stuff the first time you go to Quiz Bowl, it takes time to improve.” Overall, all HKIS Quiz Bowlers can agree that this year’s Mind Over Matter competition was an experience that was both entertaining and educational. The participants used this fun and engaging competition as an opportunity to segway into the competitive Quiz Bowl mindset, as the NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournaments) Shanghai Invitational on October 26 is approaching rapidly, as well as improve their team dynamic and heighten their team spirit and pride. With a passion for learning new things and zeal for new challenges, HKIS Quiz Bowlers will continue to push their limits in competitions to come.
Junto is a student publication of Hong Kong International School. Student editors and writers make all content decisions. Please feel free to submit letters to the editors at junto@hkis.edu.hk. Senior Editors; Joy Chan (12) & Iris Lee (12) Junior Editors: Stanley Sau (11) & Henrietta Ko (11) Arts & Culture Section Editor: Rosamond Chung (12) Opinion Section Editor: Krish Shah (12) Policy Section Editor: Chloe Tse (10) Passions & Alumni Section Editor: Kristie Chan (12) Satire Section Editor: Rysa Tahilramani (10) Sports Section Editor: Ira Gorawara (10) Student Life Section Editor: Katelyn Liu (11) Layout Editor: Michael Shum (10)
Hong Kong International School 1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong dragonnet.hkis.edu.hk
“Veritas vos liberatit.”