Student Views Volume Two by James Ellis

This volume is dedicated to all those who have assisted the middle school students throughout the course of this difficult academic year, specifically teachers, parents, administrators, faculty, and staff members.

Table of Contents 5 Editor’s Letter James Ellis

6-10 Mr. Krembs Discusses His Move to Ecuador James Ellis

11-13 Myanmar Coup Gordon Ho

14-16 Do You Really Know? Kira Wu

17-19 Animal Testing Angela Song

20-21 Asian Hate Is Harmful, and We Must Put a Stop to It Lauren Tang

22-23 Rape Culture: An Epidemic Tori Kim

24 The Everblooming Trees of May Zara Rashid

25 Soldiers Madison Margolin

26-27 Students Should Have More Freedom Outside of School Rei Sasaki

27 Students Should Have More Time for Video Games on School Days Ryan Gardner

28-31 Music Is My Way Juno Huang & Ha Jin Sung

32-34 A Spark of Hope Ainsley MacSlarrow

35-37 1939 Emilia Werkun

38-40 Top Five Netflix Shows Alicia Luk

41 Modern Family: A Review Mark Wu

42-43 The Tale of a Bluefin Chloe Wu

44-46 Mr. Everett’s Advice on Transitions James Ellis

47 Learnings from COVID: Later School Starts Ryan Chang

48-50 Why Apples Are Highly Superior to Oranges Kylie Hua

51-53 Family Mart Kylie Hua

54-55 I Loved Thee Minjae Chun

56-57 The Sweet Sickening Smell Minjae Chun

58 Only a Whisper Thia Sheth

59 Raspberry Souffle Recipe May Wong

60-61 My Photographic Process Tony Su

62 Spring Juno Huang

63 Butterfly Alyssa Luk

64-66 Patterns Cade Ghosh, Yuri Kang, Gabby Kim, Adelaide Mendelson, Zara Meraj, Subin Park, Lauren Tse, Ava Wright, Dylan Zhang

67 Letters Nishka Dembla, Gabby Kim, Zara Meraj, Angel Zhang

68 Nature’s Daydream James Ellis

Editor’s Letter The great British novelist and theologian C.S. Lewis once made an insightful observation. According to Lewis, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” He made this statement during one of the darkest times in modern British history, the Second World War’s Battle of Britain when Germany’s air force was bombing the capital city of London. Like Lewis, we have confronted hardships that have prepared us for extraordinary destinies. Together, we have faced the tragedy of an international pandemic while navigating our own academic challenges and grappling with the ups and downs of adolescence. Now, at least I feel, HKIS students can overcome any obstacle we face, including those that could eve arise during our upcoming school years. This volume of Student Views is a celebration of the resilience students have displayed throughout the course of the year. Far larger and more polished than the first, we hope you enjoy the second volume of our electronic literary journal.

Cheers, James Ellis Editor-in-Chief

Mr. Krembs Discusses His Move to Ecuador James Ellis Where were you in your career and life when you came to HKIS? Before I came to HKIS, I was in Beijing, and I was teaching fourth grade; and I was finishing up my leadership courses and really motivated to get into administration, assistant principals, or whatever opportunities that might come. I would say I was in the middle years of my teaching career. I had taught fourth grade, fifth grade, middle school as well. So, when I came to Hong Kong, the opportunity was to come and teach fourth grade, so I taught fourth grade for one year. Then, I had the chance to come to middle school and take on the principal associate role.

What was your greatest personal accomplishment while at HKIS? Just recently, I think the SML project is a great accomplishment. When I got here, I believe it was Mr. Pierce and Ms. Dickie. You don’t remember Mr. Pierce, but there were two social studies teachers, and they were doing something called “Genius Hour.” It was the idea of a passion project, giving students x amount of time, 20% of their classroom time, to learn whatever they wanted to learn about. It was really cool. So, when I got my eyes on it, I said, “Wow, guys. This is great stuff. We need to provide it to the rest of the school.” I’m most proud of being able to provide that opportunity for all the students. As you’ve seen in sixth grade and eighth grade, it’s pretty cool to be able to provide that experience for everyone. It’s a bit of a risk because not every student loves to be able to have that choice. Some students like to be told what to do. Not every parent likes to know that there is this time. “You’re doing what with the time that my kids have? They get to do whatever they want?” Not that they can do whatever they want, but for me, and for us at school, we really wanted you to get into that aspect of learning. What motivates you? What do you know about yourself as a learner? For me, the SML project has been really important for middle schoolers because they learn that they are a procrastinator, or they do best being really organized at the beginning, or they do best not having all my ideas together, but instead playing around with it. That, for me, is what I

hope people get out of it. That’s been an accomplishment I’m really proud of. Certainly, another one is playing a heavy role in PEAK, and particularly I work closely with grade six students, so making sure they have a really strong PEAK experience, whether in Beijing, here in Hong Kong, or wherever it may be. That’s also been a big accomplishment. Also, in the last couple years, working with those on Social Emotional Learning and being able to work with the counselors and Mr. Everett, and providing that leadership. Mr. Everett has done a lot of the groundwork, but providing that support in saying SEL is important and that we want to be a relationship-centered community, that we really want to build positive relationships, and that we can do that through, not just PCG, but in the way that we interact on campus.

What will be your fondest memories of HKIS? One of them, James, I’m going to go over here and look at the bay. We are in one of the most amazing locations. I know that’s not the students and everything, but, selfishly, it’s been such a privilege to just be in this location. Look at this! There are very few schools in the world where you get such physical beauty outside your front door. I will have that memory, and I try to cherish all the views, and being able to hike home from work, and do things like that, is really cool. More specifically, what comes to mind is the house system and that house system and house structure. Sitting in the amphitheater during a Spirit Day or Sports Day when everyone comes in with their chants, and just having that enthusiasm and excitement is something that sticks with me, that house color and vibrancy. Some other very fond memories come from, back to PEAK week, getting to travel with students. There are always very exciting and challenging things that take place when you bring two hundred and twenty students to Beijing and other areas. So, those are special memories for me. Getting to work with such a large, diverse group of teachers is really great because everyone brings something to the table. I think we have a very diverse faculty, and that diversity is something you can’t get in many other

places. Like in my next school, it’s going to be very small, so there won’t be as much diversity, since there are fewer people. I’m very fortunate for that. Getting to work with different principals, so Mr. Passamonte, before you were here, getting hired by him, and having him as a mentor was a great memory. Mr. Latzke and then Dr. Kim have been a real privilege, and also getting to work with Mr. Ladner for many years, and certainly with the office staff, Ms. Yvonne Phelps. I worked really closely with her, so there are many great memories there. And just recently, with Ms. Patra Lam, and I’m also really grateful for all the work she’s done. Those are some things that stick out!

How did you learn about your opportunity to work at Academia Cotopaxi in Quito? As you get further into your career, whatever it might be, your network builds. You know people who come places and go places, you keep in touch with them. So, there are organizations giving out job vacancies. I knew seven or eight years into this job, I’m really grateful to have this role, but the next step is to become principal. I looked at what the opportunities out there were, and, all of a sudden, I saw that opening was there at Academia Cotopaxi. The other complication when we want to get new jobs, I say we, because my wife is the high school librarian, and so, oftentimes, there’s not always a principal opening and a librarian opening. So, it was really cool when I saw my wife, my wife’s name is Anne; I said, “Look at this! There’s a middle school principal job and a librarian position open at the same school.” That generated our interest to find out more about it. We also know the school because when we first started teaching in 1997, we moved to El Salvador in Central America and some really good friends moved to this

place called Academia Cotopaxi in Ecuador, so I’ve always heard about it and been interested in it. When I heard about this school, I kept my eyes on it.

What are you looking forward to about this new chapter in your life? Like I just shared, we lived in Central America, El Salvador, right about when we started our international careers. I was twenty-five years old when that happened. After two years there, we went to Saudi Arabia for two years, and then we moved to Venezuela for the next three years. That’s where my two children were born; they are both now in high school and college. So, what I’m looking forward to is going back to this Latin American culture that is a shift from the seventeen years I’ve been in Asia if you include the subcontinent of India. I’m looking forward to, although I’ll miss it here a lot, a completely different cultural experience, another adventurous experience. While HKIS has been an amazing school and an amazing professional learning environment, I’m also really really looking forward to the fact that the new school is going to be really small. It’s six hundred students in total, and the middle school is a hundred forty students. So, I’m looking forward to that smaller opportunity. It’s going to have more challenges, but it’s also going to have different challenges, so I’m looking forward to that and looking forward to the outdoor adventures in Ecuador.

What preparations have you made for this transition? You got me right at the right or the wrong time! When you move to a new place, there’s a lot of paperwork, a big paper trail. I’m working on something called an apostille for my documents, so things like birth certificates, background checks, and all of that. Then, I have to get them stamped by certain organizations, so I’m making a lot of preparations for my work visa. I’m also making several preparations for my job transition. I’m meeting with the current middle school principal and beginning to have conversations. I can’t

really do too much because my job is here and now, but beginning to have those conversations and just getting a little bit of face time with that community is important. And then, also preparing my family. My daughter is a junior. She’s going to be a senior next year. That’s a tough transition for her. So, helping her through that, and helping my wife and just our family moving. Also, guess what? My family got a Covid puppy last year, so we got a golden retriever about a year ago today. So, I didn’t know we were moving when that happened, so he’s awesome, but he’s a big dude, so actually physically moving him and shipping him is a big preparation. So, I’m preparing all the work that is involved with shipping a dog during Covid.

Do you have any personal connections with Ecuador? One, Mr. Hollett, the technology teacher at Upper Primary for a while, moved there as the tech director. That’s one personal connection. Obviously, before you were attending HKIS, an old elementary school principal, Madeleine Heide, was the head of school there for a couple of years. Guess what? Mr. Giordano used to work there, and we think he taught Ms. Herrera, who was a middle school student there. So, Mr. Giordano was Ms. Herrera’s math teacher way back when. So, there are a few personal connections, so that’s cool.

Do you have some final words for the HKIS community? My final words are it’s been a real privilege to have served this community, and I’m really grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had. HKIS such a rich community and is so diverse, and I’ve learned so much from being able to serve this community. I’m really grateful and feel a lot of privilege from that.

We thank Mr. Krembs for his work at HKIS.

Myanmar Coup Gordon Ho Tragedy has once again struck in the Indo-Pacific region! On February 1st, 2021, the Tatmadaw (Myanmarese Military) entered the legislative and executive centers of Myanmar’s government and flawlessly executed a coup on a democratically elected government, which miraculously resulted in no fatalities or injuries. Subsequently, most members of parliament, including many in the executive branch of the Myanmarese government (headed by Aung San Suu Kyi), were arrested on trumped-up suspicions of election fraud and corruption. Soon after, the citizens of Myanmar bravely took to the streets, knowing full well that they could be massacred at any moment. However, the next five days would prove them wrong, as the Tatmadaw appeared to tolerate the mass demonstrations across the country calling for the restoration of their officials to power. Unfortunately, the calm could not last. On February 6th, 2021, the newly instated junta government instituted a nationwide curfew from 8 pm to 4 am, presumably to restrain the protest movement.

Additionally, the mass deployment of tear gas as well as rubber bullets against peaceful protesters was becoming increasingly common. While these actions were undoubtedly concerning for the international community, who actively condemned the activities of the Tatmadaw, they gave way to human rights abuses and simply horrifying acts of violence. An example can be found in the Bago incident, where soldiers used heavy artillery and machine guns against demonstrators armed with rocks and sling-shots. However, this would not be the worst of the Myanmar coup story. As time progressed, both sides of the coup began using increasingly violent methods to counter the other. The military began using tanks and IFVs to put down protests while the National Unity Government, which is what is left of the democratically elected government, overran military bases and bombed government offices. Presently, 774 freedom fighters have

passed away, while approximately 24 soldiers have been killed fighting the protesters. Most can reasonably assume that if the international community does not intervene shortly, Myanmar will likely disintegrate into civil war, most certainly resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of civilian casualties. Either as a direct result of the war or due to disease, starvation, and dehydration. Therefore, the author of this piece suggests that the United Nations, or any nation(s) with foreign deployment capabilities, should intervene in Myanmar as soon as it’s apparent that civil war will indeed break out.

Works Cited: "2021 Myanmar coup d'État." Wikipedia, 7 May 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2021_Myanmar_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat. Accessed 8 May 2021.

“2021 Myanmar protests.” Wikipedia, 7 May 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2021_Myanmar_protests. Accessed 8 May 2021.

“Myanmar activists hold ‘blue shirt’ protests; report says junta chief to attend summit.” Reuters, 22 Apr. 2021, Myanmar activists hold ‘blue shirt’ protests; report says junta chief to attend summit. Accessed 6 May 2021.

Milko, Victoria. “EXPLAINER: How are the Myanmar protests being organized?” ABC News, 9 Feb. 2021, abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/ explainer-myanmar-protests-organized-75771742. Accessed 6 May 2021.

Paddock, Richard C. “General Who Led Myanmar’s Coup Joins Regional Talks on the Crisis.” The New York Times, 3 May 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/world/ asia/ myanmar-asean-general-indonesia.html. Accessed 6 May 2021.

Cuddy, Alice. “Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?” BBC, 1 Apr. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/ world-asia-55902070. Accessed 6 May 2021.

Goldman, Russel. “Myanmar’s Coup and Violence, Explained.” The New York Times, 24 Apr. 2021, www.nytimes.com/article/myanmar-news-protests-coup.html. Accessed 6 May 2021.

Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up. - Aung San Suu Kyi

Do You Really Know? Kira Wu You’re sitting in the audience of a marine park show. A whistle blows, and dolphins begin jumping around in the water to the music. Little do you know, these dolphins were captured and tortured before they got to this park show. But it doesn’t seem like that, you may think. The dolphins seem happy to be here. They dance in the water almost as if they were celebrating something. But the truth is, they can’t do what they need to do, and they are forced to do what they do not want to do. Can you imagine being pulled out of your normal life as a dolphin and just tortured and forced to jump around in a pool for a roaring crowd? Does not sound the best. However, dolphins are not the only species that is being tortured. Whales, sharks, and coral reefs are also generally considered endangered sea life.

In 1986, there was an international whaling ban. Despite this strict measurement, Japan still declared they would continue hunting for whales in Antarctica. Because it is so far, barely anyone has gotten any footage or photos of this whaling actually happening. But in the south of Japan, there is a place called Taiji. Each year, over 700 dolphins and whales are herded into a cove for slaughter. The Japanese government tries its best to make sure people do not find out about what is going on.

If you ever visit Taiji with a camera in your hand, police will be chasing behind you, making sure you aren’t trying to expose their dark secrets. If you go there and you don’t know what you’re doing, you could get arrested and go to jail for a very long time. They are constantly trying to get rid of anyone that is against their dolphin-catching practices. There really is no reason to capture dolphins since there is no dolphin meat market, and only a small majority of the total caught dolphins are sold to marine parks. The reason for hunting dolphins is because

fishermen overfish. They overfish to get bluefin tuna, which results in prosperous profits. These fishermen blame the dolphins for the overfishing activity so that people do not attack them for the massive amount of fishing hunting done to mainly bluefin tuna and more.

Bluefin tuna is the most expensive fish on this planet, the reason for this being the fact that it is very rare, to a point where only less than 3% of the bluefin tuna species still exists. One can be sold for up to 3 million dollars in the Tokyo fish market. Because of the money people can earn from selling this fish, they overfish. Although bluefin tuna is the most expensive fish on the planet, the shark fin market is also very prosperous.

Sharks get fished up from the water, get their fins cut off, and then get thrown back into the ocean. These shark fins are shipped to Asia, specifically China or Hong Kong. Hong Kong is known as “shark fin city” because of the immense amount of shark fins sold there. You may be wondering, why shark fins? Shark fins are used to make shark fin soup, used as a status symbol. When someone is eating the soup, it resembles that you are able to afford such food since one bowl of shark fin soup can be sold at around $100. Shops selling shark fins in Hong Kong are a normal thing, but the shop owners do not like it when people are filming inside their store. There are “no photography” signs outside of stores because they don’t want people finding out they are selling these goods. To humans, sharks are seen to be scary and a danger. But really, we should be worried about sharks not being in the ocean at all. They help keep the ecosystem healthy, which keeps the coral reefs alive and healthy as well. Without sharks, our oceans would turn into swamps. Sharks are as important to us as whales and dolphins.

In conclusion, lots of things happening regarding endangering sea animals are going on behind the scenes when we don’t even know. When purchasing any seafood from a market, we

are not aware of what the suppliers are doing to capture these species. Overfishing, whaling, the mysterious mass catching of dolphins, and by catching are all large factors of this scandal. Raising awareness for these soon-to-be extinct animals is needed in our society in order to prevent ocean life from going extinct. The earth is our home, and we need to keep it safe for not only humans but all other species.

Works Cited: Tabrizi, Ali, editor. "Seaspiracy." Netflix, 2021, www.netflix.com/watch/ 81014008?trackId=14277281&tctx=-97%2C-97%2C%2C%2C%2C.

World WildLife. World Wildlife Fund. WWF, 2021, www.worldwildlife.org/threats/

You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them. - Wangari Maathai

Animal Testing Angela Song You’re in your room, getting ready to go out to a late-night movie with your friends. You open your drawer and pick up some makeup products that are soon going to be on your face. Little do you know how these products were created. While you’re putting your makeup on, you may not realize what’s happening behind the scenes with animals. Morosely, the truth is, animals are being used as an exploratory tool. This means they are trying on harmful chemicals just for our needs. You may not realize this, but many everyday items we use contain animal-tested products. For example, some makeup brands (Nars, Bobbi Brown, Mars, and a lot more), some shampoo brands (Pantene, Nexxus, and more), and even your toothpaste. Is this procedure actually necessary on animals?

In our world today, animal testing is frequently seen around the world. Every year, an estimated 115 million cats, mice, and other species are put in this strenuous situation. The animal experimentation procedure is seen in many countries, for instance, China, North America, Canada, and other places. Despite how it’s stated to save our life by testing items that might be flooded with bacteria or unsafe hormones, these are a few facts to show how harmful it can be for animals and even the environment.

To start off with, animals can be traumatized by this experiment. The article “Animal Testing Facts and Statistics” states that animals can be traumatized and feel socially isolated while cemented in a small cage in an unknown environment. “In addition to the torment of the actual experiments, animals in laboratories are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them—they are confined to barren cages, socially isolated, and psychologically traumatized” (Peta.org)

Furthermore, animals and the environment can be physically hurt by these threatening acts people do. Before their slow and painful deaths, animals like mice can be forced to inhale toxic fumes, dogs can be force-fed pesticides, and there could be fatal chemicals pouring into rabbits’ sensitive eyes. Most animals are euthanized after being involved in the “animal testing” experiment. Origins of laboratory work on animals vary between different countries and nations and species. The article “Animal Research: An Environmental Perspective” states that with all the test supplies, dead animals’ bodies, and even cages being thrown away, it can form harmful substances and pollution in the free air from all the chemicals. Also, soil contamination can be caused by all the chemicals and animal waste. This can contaminate public water sources and other water supplies meaning any country can have a low water supply. With all this in mind, this can be extremely alarming to human health. It can cause things like chronic illness, development delays in the city, and other lung diseases.

In addition, testing these animals is unnecessary as it’s not helping to improve human health. A majority of animal testing labs don’t even cooperate into improving human health. 95% of drugs tested on animals normally fail, and there is a lot of evidence showing that animals have different behaviors than humans. For instance, animals like dogs can’t eat things like macadamia nuts, chocolate, grapes, and avocado but are harmless to humans. This shows that animals have different bodies, meaning one product could be harmful to animals but not to humans. The article “Arguments against animal testing | Cruelty Free International” claims that animal testing doesn’t only waste animal’s lives, but it also wastes the company’s money. It is stated that the US Drug Industry invests $50 billion a year in the research process, but most drugs don’t get approved.

Luckily, there are possible solutions to decrease the number of animal test models. As our world is becoming more advanced, scientists can use human cells and tissues, 3D robots,

computer modeling, and other practical ideas to replace animal testing. What can you do to take action? You can do things like sign petitions to end animal testing from trusted sources, for example, The Humane Society. On top of that, you can also start buying cruelty-free products. You can do this by checking for labels on the specific product and making sure they are marked with the leaping bunny. This symbol is globally known and recognizable to make sure you are using products that aren’t animal tested.

Although animal testing might never fully come to an end as it will be very intricate to be dealt with, spreading awareness about this topic makes a better and safer home for both animals and a better environment for us.

Works Cited: “Arguments Against Animal Testing.” Cruelty Free International, www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/arguments-against-animal-testing. Accessed 19 May 2021.

Collins, Francis S. “Facts and Statistics About Animal Testing.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, www.peta.org/issues/ animals-used-for-experimentation/animals-used-experimentation-factsheets/ animal-experiments-overview/. Accessed 19 May 2021.

Corbett, Rebekah. “Animal Research: An Environmental Perspective.” Faunalytics, 16 Sept. 2019, faunalytics.org/ animal-research-an-environmental-perspective/. Accessed 19 May 2021.

“Taking Suffering Out of Science.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/taking-suffering-out-science. Accessed 19 May 2021.

Asian Hate Is Harmful, and We Must Put a Stop to It Lauren Tang In our world today, racism is everywhere. Recently in America, there has been a lot of racism towards many different races. One race they happen to be targeting since the start of covid is Asians. People have been acting disrespectfully and rudely towards everyone who looks Asian, no matter where they come from or whether they identify themselves as Asian. They blame Asians for the Covid-19 pandemic. To some Americans, anyone who looks Asian is automatically a representative of their “race” and therefore is responsible for the spread of Covid, which former U.S. President Donald Trump has christened “the China Virus.” However, not everyone who looks Asian is Chinese, and the Chinese are in no way responsible for what may or may not have happened in their country. If a crime happened in America, would all Americans be held responsible for that crime? Likewise, would a random Chinese person be held accountable for the spread of Covid that may not have even started in their country? Hate towards Asians is both uncalled for and unjust. Additionally, the U.S. government has not done anything to stop the hate, and former actions may have even egged on haters to become violent and rude towards anyone who has Asian looks. Asian hate and racism towards Asians are, unfortunately, becoming a common occurrence.

To begin with, people hating on Asians often resort to very violent measures, hurting people physically and even killing innocent Asians. For example, an 84-year-old Thai immigrant in San Francisco, California, died last month after being violently shoved to the ground during his morning walk. Another example is of an 89-year-old Chinese woman who was slapped and set on fire by two people in Brooklyn, New York. Not only were these attacks very uncalled for, but they were also intended to harm senior citizens who have done nothing wrong. In both cases above, innocent people died for something they didn’t do. The attacks were also extremely

violent and overly so in some cases. A stranger on the New York subway slashed a 61-year-old Filipino American passenger’s face with a box cutter, injuring the senior citizen. Overly violent attacks on Asians, especially towards defenseless senior citizens, are outrageous.

Additionally, hate directed towards Asian people is very unjust. Many Americans are hating on Asians because they believe that all Asians should be held accountable for Covid and are often venting their feelings through very violent and disrespectful actions. For example, the only Asian American lawmaker in the Kansas legislature says he was physically threatened in a bar by a patron who accused him of carrying the coronavirus. However, random people should not be accused of carrying a virus, and neither should they be threatened for something that doesn’t relate to them. There is no scientific evidence that Covid-19 originated from Wuhan, China, as many Americans accuse, and there is no reason for people to hurt Asians just because of an accusation. Furthermore, even if Covid did come from China, people are assaulting people from all countries in Asia, not even bothering to check if they’re Chinese. To some Americans, all Asians are supposedly the same—they’re all Chinese. However, contrary to that belief, there are people from Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, and more countries in Asia. Not all Asians are Chinese! Not all Chinese are accountable for Covid! Did Covid even spread from China?

How can you help? You can donate to causes helping to put a stop to this, protest, and stay informed. Asian hate is based on accusations without any evidence, which is unjust and uncalled for. If we work together, we can put a stop to this madness.

Rape Culture: An Epidemic Tori Kim A topic that arose during Old Testament class the other day immediately caught my attention. One boy asked: “Why are girls afraid to walk at night?” The rest of the class promptly responded, “Because they’re afraid to get assaulted.” Another student then asked, “Why only girls?”

This question really stuck with me throughout the rest of the day. As most girls are brought up, they learn to be afraid. They learn to carry pepper spray, to always walk with a friend, to avoid alleyways, to cover up. They learn to be afraid that one day as they mind their own business when a man gets bored and chooses to assault them. And in some and many cases, they learn that if that happens, it will be blamed not on the attacker but on them. And for what?

Our society and the patriarchy give women the mindset that they are not the victims but were actually “asking for it,” a commonly used logic. On the other hand, society rarely educates men on the importance of respecting consent and healthy boundaries. Women should not be sexualized for what they wear. A bra strap showing or short shorts should not be able to push men over the edge of self-control. In fact, nothing should.

We need to stop making excuses for men behaving like this. Instead, we need to end the objectification of women’s bodies. We need to end toxic masculinity. We need to end the victim-blaming. We need to end sexual assault and the mentality that sexual assault is acceptable in our society.

And how, you ask? It all starts with you. Every time you do something, think first about the effects it will have on our society. On social media: Advocate against gender inequality and against sexual assault, and remove unfair stigmas surrounding rape, sexual health, and assault. At school: Stop rude and misguided mentality and humor. And throughout your life: Think about this. How can I help the minorities in my society? The little actions all matter and will contribute to a bigger change.

The time is long overdue to strive for a safe society, where no one has to walk the streets with fear. Where no woman ever has to worry about how much skin they are showing. Where no one has to think that if they get attacked, it’s their fault. Where every person of any race, sexual orientation, or gender is treated fairly, equally, and respectfully. Our future lies on our shoulders, the younger generation of today. And it’s up to us to make a change that will allow us to achieve a dream society, a true utopia.

The Everblooming Trees of May Zara Rashid Blowing eastward the wind sways The everblooming trees of may

The bamboo creaks and the leaves rustle Above the unappreciative people who hustle

They wander here and there, too and fro Going where they need to go

While the wonderful harmony of the trees that grew Continues to sound just for the sky so blue

But not for the people for whom it wishes Would listen to its sweeping swishes

It plays its tunes but only for those Who have ears just as they have a nose

Who would stop to listen to the wind that sways The everblooming trees of may

Soldiers Madison Margolin I bought a box with things inside Then suddenly they came alive We play during the day And keep me at bay But when they stop Everything turns grey

The day has ended And so have they But I hear them From a mile away At night a song is sung And if you listen closely You’ll hear the drum

I remember it so clearly The way they use to go Bum bum bum

Students Should Have More Freedom Outside of School Rei Sasaki I feel like middle school students should have more freedom outside of school. The reason why I think that students should have more freedom outside of school is that some people have a lot of activities. It puts too much pressure on them and can affect their grades in school. Students should be lucky to have extra activities being provided for them, but for some students, it is just too much. I feel like if you put too much pressure, it can lead you to stress. Stress can happen if you have too much of something, such as homework. So it puts a lot of tension since you have so much to do. I also feel like nowadays it’s staring at the screen 24/7, so students should have time to spend time with their friends outside of school and have fun.

If students have stress, it can lead to having high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and even heart disease. It can be very harmful to your heart. So this is why I feel middle school students should have more freedom outside of school. Some people may have experienced it or not. But I’m sure as we grow older, we might experience this at least once. As we move on to middle school and high school, later on, I feel like we shouldn’t be very stressed now, but in high school or in university, we will experience this more.

I personally haven’t experienced stress, but I definitely experienced having less freedom outside of school. Like for example, having a lot of activities and even almost every day! From my experience, I learned that you need to manage your work and figure out when you have to do your homework. The schedule is tight, but there is always a way that can work out for you. I know that sometimes it is hard to see your friends hanging with their friends and you are at your activity studying. Like me, I’m starting to not look forward to the weekend because of the number of activities I have. 26

If you ever experience something similar to stress, you are never too late in learning to cope with it. Something you can do is to talk to a supportive adult or even a friend you trust. Also, make sure that you are comfortable with it. You could also try and balance and make a schedule, so you don’t have to worry about what you must do after you do something. If that doesn’t work, you might need to try and have a day of rest, to sleep more. Sleeping helps because it can help to calm your body down. It also restores the body and lets you concentrate on yourself. The reason why I think you should cope when you are stressed is so you can have a happier, productive, and more healthy life. And since middle schoolers are young, they shouldn’t be that unhealthy and unhappy.

Students Should Have More Time for Video Games on School Days Ryan Gardner Lots of parents think that video games are bad for kids, which is why lots of kids will not be allowed to play video games on school days. But I think that with restrictions, kids should be able to play video games on school days. The first reason I think this is because it can be beneficial socially for kids. For example, during Covid-19, if your parents restrict you from playing outside a lot. Also, in video games, you can talk to your friends online and hang out socially. This can help your well-being as well as your social life. Another reason I think that kids should be allowed to play video games on school days is that video games are relaxing. For example, when I am playing video games, I don’t feel that much stress from the things around me, and it is a good break away from stuff. If my friends and I or even family are fighting, I can take a break and play some video games. Then afterward, I will feel calmer and able to talk to them and apologize. Lastly, video games are a fun thing to do. When I am playing video games, I feel happy, and I enjoy it. Time online with friends makes me happy, and I enjoy it. This is why I think video games should be allowed on school days. If you don’t agree with me, it is fine. But this is my opinion.

Music Is My Way Juno Huang & Ha Jin Sung I sat down at my rusty desk, with my eyes barely open, while the sounds of clattering chairs and chatting students filled the room. I dreamed of being them, of having many friends that warmed my heart and feeling welcomed in this community. As my teacher scratched out formulas on the scratched-up blackboard, my mind started to wander away. A collection of notes filled my ears as I envisioned myself on stage, placing my costly cello between my knees with the rest of the philharmonic orchestra. As the conductor lifted his baton, all in one moment, the orchestra began to play, with me as the soloist. Just then, the school bell rang, snapping me out of my daydream. The class was over, and so was the school day. As I walked down the hall, my heavy legs dragged me forward, but my mind stayed stuck in my dream. What if this actually could come true? What if I even joined the philharmonic orchestra? I’d been playing the cello ever since I could learn how to hold a bow in my right hand, and now it was built into my mind, my body, and my soul—embedded to me, like an organ. Necessary for life. When I played the cello, the world around me collapsed. It was just me and my soulmate. The stage was no longer the stage; instead, it became my life. And all my feelings surrounded it, protecting it. It was my way to be free from the isolation of the world, the universe in every form. My path to break free of the chains that were holding me back. Borders had been crossed, and the Earth was no longer where I stood. I stood in my universe, my galaxy. Although my family lived alongside me, I was still alone in my world. They very often struggled to make ends meet. I wish they could channel their worry and stress into music too, but I don’t dare to suggest it. I stayed silent, and no one suspected a thing—nothing about my dreams, nothing about me.

I climbed the rickety wooden staircase to the storage room, which also served as my bedroom. I skipped the steps where termites had left holes in, knowing that the rickety old staircase would come apart someday, now that all the wood was already cracked and full of dust. My cello, lying in its case, sat at the left corner of my room. A dirty wooden bed was sprawled out on the floor around it. A stool, bare from all the times I had sat in it composing pieces and practicing cello. As I stared at the mark my tailpiece had made, where a rock stop was supposed to be, but I could never afford one. Then, like always, when I stared at my empty room, the question rattled in my head. What would it be like not to have music as part of my life? I didn’t just place a bow on a string and move my arm. I performed. I released my feelings. Any sort of anxiety would melt away. The pain disappears, and I let go of everything. It wasn’t just music. It was my way of life. When I played the cello, everything was in my control. Everything. Music fell in all my dreams and was my dream that I hoped would come true when I was older. I spent all the money I made on trying to buy music books or music equipment. I dreamed of going to the Royal Academy of Music and being in London. To play in front of an audience that appreciated my music.

February 28 The day started naturally. But as I walked past the little convenience store on the way home after a long and dreadful school day, this black and white poster caught my eye. A free-of-charge cello competition. I drew in a sharp intake of air. Could this be the chance I needed to show the world what I was capable of? And if I were lucky, I would win this competition. I knew where Fillmore Auditorium was, it would take 10 minutes by train, and maybe I could pull off a small little white lie to trick Mom into letting me go. I soaked in the sign until it was pasted in my brain as I walked off into my house. I walked up the creaky stairs, holding the crack in the ceiling to keep balance, and I made my way into my room. I uncovered my cello and

gripped my bow in my right hand. I needed to compose a piece that would wow the judges. Something they’d never heard before. Something that would transport them into the magical world with me as I played. I placed my bow on the C string, and my cello gave a low bellow. It was time to get to work.

March 7th That night, I silently walked to our kitchen, where a small tin of cash sat. I twisted the jar open and pulled out a 5 dollar bill—just enough money to get me a two-way ticket on the train. Only then, I heard the wooden staircase crack; as my heart pounded, I quietly below out the small candle and stealthy pocketed the 5 dollars before sneaking back into my room. I was not only excited but worried at the same time. What would I do if Mom figured it out? How would I tell her anything about this? Thoughts swarmed in my head as I lay down on the wooden bed, the cash I had stolen tucked inside my cello case and just twelve hours left.

March 8th I stood backstage, watching the teenage boy in front of me force the strings down on his full-size cello. I had managed to slip out of the house with the crisp five-dollar bill in my hand. I was standing here on the stage, and it was my turn next. My fingers raced across the fingerboard, playing my piece over and over again. The boy plucked his string and lifted his bow insightfully. The audience erupted with applause as he picked up his music stand and walked off stage. I saw a young woman kiss him on the forehead. I didn’t need a kiss. I needed to perform. I heard my name called out from the megaphone, and I stepped on stage. I didn’t look at the audience, though I knew they were staring at my old white dress and my cello, which wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the others. I had more than an appearance. I had a sound to make, to show the world. I settled down into the

stool, tapped four beats, and launched into the song. I didn’t push my bow. I let it glide over the strings as if it were an ice skater. I let my fingers dance across the strings, and I slowly relaxed. I didn’t think about home, or the judges, or who I was playing for. For once, I thought about my playing. I was playing in front of people, but what mattered was me. I struck my last note, a strong D, and stopped. I looked up and peered at the audience, which was clapping their hands. Just for me. But then a small shadowy figure moved out of the audience. And the auditorium door opened, I saw her face. It was Mom. I couldn’t hold in my surprise and didn’t know how to feel. Was the feeling joy or sadness? Not even waiting for the applause to decrease, I picked up my cello and dashed off stage.

Three Years Later, April 25th I sat on the seat, my body shaking, in front of the other cellos, under the blinding stage lights. It didn’t even feel real, just only three years ago, I had been a poor village girl composing music. And now, here I was, alongside the philharmonic orchestra, ready to perform my solo piece. The audience disappeared into the darkness, and so did the orchestra behind me. I stretched my third finger to note C and the whole world around me crumbled while I strung out my first note. The first note of my musical career. I knew my family was sitting out there, watching me. I had shown them what I could do. Next step, the world. As my eyes moved further through the piece, I could feel the audience watching—eyes on me, nothing else. Maybe, just maybe, someone was finally listening and understanding me.

Years Later There I was, about almost five years after all that I had gone through when I was still a poor little girl when my mom and I had gone through so many arguments. “Why do you think this?” “Stop; music isn’t your way.” All that was gone, and I was through that. After all that I’ve gone through, music was my way. It was my dream, and what was my way.

A Spark of Hope Ainsley MacSlarrow It started with darkness. Darkness, so inky, so thick, so complete that when Lora Max opened her eyes, she could not tell the difference from when they were closed. She sat up with a gasp, rocketing to a standing position so quickly that a wave of black promptly crossed her vision. She fought to see something, anything, but even when the spots were blinked away, the darkness stayed a wall between her and the world. “Hello?” Lora called softly, running her eyes over nowhere. There was a gasp from somewhere to her right. “Lora?” a voice called, and there was a rustling sound like someone was jumping to their feet. “Yes.” Lora stepped forward. “Who’s there?” “It’s me, Josh.” “And me,” Another voice added. “Daniel Evens.” “And Mira Johnston and Trina Koshi,” someone else called. There was a pause, and Lora flicked her eyes through the black, trying to see the other kids. But she couldn’t make out anything beyond her own nose. At least she knew that she wasn’t completely alone. Though, they would have to find a way to survive somehow. Maybe there was a lake somewhere, or a river or—Lora was torn from her thoughts when a sharp, sudden light, not very bright but compared to the darkness it was practically the sun, blinked into existence. Lora flinched away from the brightness, her eyes quickly snapping up. “Hello, children.” The voice was unfamiliar—definitely not someone Lora knew. Peering at the strange glow, Lora realized it was a flame—someone was carefully holding a lit match, the fire quickly eating up the wood. The stranger’s eyes crinkled kindly. “I am Marie Willows,” She introduced herself. “I am a teacher in Ohio. And you are?”

“I’m Lora,” Lora said carefully, unsure whether to trust her or not. “And this is Josh, Trina, Mira, and Daniel.” Ms. Willows smiled gently. “Nice to meet you all.” “Nice to meet you, too,” Josh said, looking around at their surroundings in equal parts confusion and awe. “Do you know where we are?” “And how did you get a light?” Trina added. Ms. Willows shook her head slightly, her eyes aglow by the fire. “Some mysteries are better left forgotten. I will tell you this, however—what you’re experiencing now is a dream, an illusion. Very real, I contradict, but out of one world and the other. In neither consciousness.” Lora frowned, not quite understanding. But she had more pressing questions. “How are we going to get out of here? Or at least make it habitable.” Lora looked doubtfully at the blank sky. The world wasn’t so much dark as empty, the entire planet a white slate with no color or life or anything, except for the match burning brightly in Ms. Willows’ hand. “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Ms. Willows assured her. “I have a seed.” She reached into her pocket and produced a seed, round and brown and small. Daniel furrowed his brow. “How is that going to help us? How is it going to grow?” Ms. Willows smiled. She tilted her head so that she was looking up at the hollow sky. “Tell me what you see.” Lora glanced up. The sky was void of any clouds or light or color. It was filled with emptiness, just like the rest of the world. But when Lora squinted, she realized that she could see a faint glow. Something pale, she thought, trying to see better. Some sort of glimmer… “Whoa,” Trina breathed, astounded. “It’s the moon!” “Exactly.” Ms. Willows smiled. “And as the moon reflects the sun, the sun must be close by. And if there is sun, there is hope,” Ms. Willows said, her soft voice echoing slightly. “Hope that the seed will grow. And the seed is our hope.”

“But what about water?” Trina asked, her voice heavy with doubt. Ms. Willows uncurled her palm and gazed down at the seed, ready to place her full trust in the seemingly insignificant oval. “The seed will find a way. Many living things manage life, even if it seems impossible. Our job, as the protectors of the seed, will be to do our best to shield it from harm in the dark hours that may follow. We also must plant the seed and give it that starting push to survival.” Lora stared at the grain, her brows furrowed. They didn’t really have a choice. And the seed could be useful if it grew. In her mind’s eye, she could see the seed grow. True, it would start as a small sprout, barely strong enough to survive the lightest breeze. But it would grow, first into a sapling or a small shrub, and then taller and wider. After many years of toil, it would become a fully-grown tree, its branches reaching far out to touch the lifeless world. They could use the twigs and branches for wood to make fire, and the flowers and fruit could be used for medicines and food. And humankind might thrive once more. Ms. Willows kneeled down, cupping her hands to dig a small hole. She carefully planted the seed, spreading and smoothing the dust over it. “But it’s only a seed,” Daniel argued, though he was wavering. Ms. Willows looked up at them and smiled, giving the ground one last polish before sitting back, satisfied. “Haven’t you realized by now, children? The smallest things make the most difference. Perhaps now it seems hopeless, but someday this seed will grow. And when it does, life will be restored anew.” The fire in her hands blinked out suddenly, washing everyone back into darkness. But the black didn’t seem quite as heavy as before. Maybe it was because Lora knew she wasn’t alone. Maybe it was because they were slightly more sure of themselves than they had been before. Either way, Lora, for the first time, felt a spark. Small, like the seed, but incredible. A spark of trust. A spark of life. A spark of hope.

1939 Emilia Werkun This is a descriptive scene of what was happening to people during the years when the Soviets and Nazi Germany decided to kill all the people that they thought would oppose them.

A rush of feelings passed through my body. I felt guilt, sadness, anger, worry, and fear. My body was frozen in place. The room was suffocating, and it was getting harder to breathe. I thought everything was going to be fine today. I knew what the Soviet soldiers were doing and why they wanted to. But I wasn’t prepared for them to come and strike us this soon. What was even worse was the tension in the air, as the grim thought of what was about to happen kept invading my brain.

Just a few minutes before, the silent turning of a doorknob led to a large bang that resonated throughout our brownstone house. A small group of people came into the room, who were clearly Soviet soldiers because of their uniforms. Their pupils darted around the room. Their hands firmly gripped onto their rifles as they started rummaging through the house for the residents. They took cautious steps and tread further into the house, opening all the doors they saw, peering around each room to see where the residents were. They eventually found a lawyer relaxing on a couch peacefully sipping his coffee, in his own world of thoughts, not aware of the fact that he was about to be harmed. One of the soldiers grabbed the man’s arm, shocking him, as his eyes widened and his whole body came to a halt. All of a sudden, a mother casually stepped out of her room from upstairs, peering downstairs to see the commotion. The soldiers looked up to the horrified woman, and a couple ran upstairs to capture her. The wooden floors creaked under

their heavy steps, and many screams and wails were heard as a mother and a child of 9 years were dragged down to the living room towards the father.

“What’s happening?” The mother stutteringly said. Her whole body, vibrating from fear.

“We are here per orders.” One of the soldiers sternly said, his rifle still threateningly still. My mother, too afraid to say anything more.

At that time, the atmosphere of the house was terrifying. Soviet soldiers had their guns ready to fire, my parents and I feared for our lives, and everything else was silent. What happened next was so sudden to me. The soldiers shoved both my parents down, loaded their guns, and pressed them to my parents’ heads. I gasped and stared wide-eyed at the scene before me. Silent tears started to spill down my cheeks, and only choked sobs were coming out of my mouth. I knew that this was bound to happen but felt ashamed of myself that I couldn’t at least try to help my parents faster, so we would not be in the situation we are in right now.

On September 1, 1939, Germans invaded Poland. A few weeks later, on September 17, the Soviets followed. The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were working together. They had agreed to split the country with Germans taking the western part and Soviets taking the eastern one. We lived in the eastern part of Poland, and so it was the Soviet forces that came to occupy our city. They had orders to execute any members of the educated elite such as teachers, lawyers, judges, police and government members, and so on. Then, their children and others of polish ethnicity were to be sent to Siberian labor camps. So overall, their plan was to remove people who could and would oppose them. My dad being a lawyer meant

that he was probably targeted too, which was why the situation I was in now didn’t surprise me but still managed to shock me.

I continued to kneel on the dusty floorboards, with one soldier holding me down, preventing me from escaping. If I made one false move, then it was most likely I would get killed along with them, so I decided to stay silent.

“Make it quick; we have to leave soon,” a soldier said hurriedly before leaving the room. The soldiers received this message as they thrusted the rifle even harder to my parents’ heads. BANG! The unexpected sound had my ears ringing with the piercing sound. Then, I saw my parents drop to the ground in front of me, and I could not even let out a shout. A pool of my tears lay beneath me, and a wave of guilt washed over me.

A minute passed, yet tears continued to mask my face, the soldiers quickly cleaning up the mess. Tears were slipping through my bony fingers, and my butterscotch-colored hair now disheveled, making me look like a mess as I was still on the ground. The tears kept on crowding my grey eyes and my nose turning as red as blood. Two soldiers hoisted me off the ground, and dragged me out of my precious home, and dumped me in a wagon. They showed no remorse and simply left me there, bawling my eyes out. I knew I couldn’t turn back time to stop it. I knew I couldn’t revive my dead parents’, so all I did was stay where I was left, my face buried in my hands as I was shedding my last tear.

Top Five Netflix Shows Alicia Luk 1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Sitcom / 7 seasons (TV-13) The seven-season series is about when the 99th precinct is appointed a new captain, Raymond Holt, and his one-of-a-kind team of detectives in Brooklyn, New York City. Jake Peralta is the smartest one on the team, with extreme confidence. Charles Boyle is a hard working but not the brightest detective and is also Jake’s best friend. Amy Santiago always wants to impress and achieve her dream to become the youngest person to be appointed captain. Terry Jeffords, who is caring and resilient, is a protective force over the squad. Rosa Diaz, a fierce and intimidating detective, is someone who doesn’t let anyone get in her way. Finally, there is Gina Linetti, who’s sardonic and narcissistic but harmless, working as Captain Holt’s personal assistant. This show is one of the best out there, hilarious and serious simultaneously. Brooklyn Nine-Nine portrays well-crafted characters and comedy while also having the ability to discuss current and serious events.

2. The 100 - Sci-Fi / 7 seasons (TV-16) After a nuclear conflict has completely eradicated all life on Planet Earth, ninety-seven years later, a spaceship containing all that’s left of humanity sends one hundred juvenile delinquents down to Earth. In an effort to determine Earth’s survivability rate, the delinquents are the first to step on the ground in a century. Clarke Griffin is an intelligent yet stubborn young doctor. Bellamy Blake is a janitor forcing himself to Earth to protect his sister. Adapted from the four novel series of the same name written by Kass Morgan, The 100 envisions the world in apocalyptic times, as a compelling sci-fi thrill of imaginative surprises in a dystopian future.

3. Grey’s Anatomy - Drama / 17 seasons (TV-16) Five surgical interns begin their medical careers at Seattle Grace Hospital with their superiors, experiencing everyday life as doctors. Meredith Grey, who the story centers around, is a brilliant but complicated character who happens to be the daughter of one of Seattle Grace’s greatest surgeons. Christina Yang is an incredibly driven and competitive doctor, the smartest one in the group of interns. Izzie Stevens is a compassionate doctor, but someone that can get emotionally involved and protective over patients and cases. George O’Malley, a loyal friend, is a passionate and helpful doctor. Alex Karev, although masked as an aggressive character, is also caring and compassionate, too. Becoming a part of daily surgeries and forging their own paths, they embark on a journey to become the best in their field. Grey’s Anatomy follows along with those very journeys, a realistic perspective of what life working as surgeons around the clock would be like.

4. A Series of Unfortunate Events - Mystery / 3 seasons (TV-7) This series follows the tragic tale of three orphans—Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire—who are investigating their parents’ mysterious death. The siblings are saddled with an evil guardian named Count Olaf, who will do whatever it takes to get his hands on the Baudelaires’ inheritance. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny must outsmart Olaf at every turn, foiling devious plans and disguises. After the tragic death of their parents, the Baudelaires begin investigating the cause of their parents’ mysterious deaths. Count Olaf, an evil man, takes guardianship of the children so that he can get control of the Baudelaire fortune. Violet Baudelaire, the eldest of the children, is a bright and smart 14-year-old girl with a knack for engineering and building. Klaus Baudelaire is the only boy in the family and a bookworm and deep researcher. Sunny Baudelaire is the infant Baudelaire and

has unnaturally large teeth. This mystery series is a down-to-earth coming of age story and is dark, funny, and clever.

5. Kim’s Convenience - Sitcom / 5 seasons (TV-13) While running a convenience store in Toronto, members of a Korean-Canadian family deal with customers, each other, and the evolving world around them. Mr. Kim, also known as Appa, is the 56-year-old Korean owner of Kim’s Convenience. Mrs. Kim, or Umma, is Appa’s wife, the practical, hardworking co-owner of Kim’s Convenience. The Kims have two children, their 24-year-old son, Jung, and their 20-year-old daughter, Janet. Jung is athletic and resourceful and works at Handy Car Rental. Janet is a photography student and studies at Ontario College of Art and Design University. Other characters include Kimchee, Jung’s church friend, and Shannon, the manager of the car rental agency where Jung and Kimchee work at. Kim’s Convenience is funny, loveable, and contains great stories. For a good laugh, watch this sitcom.

Modern Family: A Review Mark Wu A Netflix original. The TV show Modern Family was a classic for TV show lovers when the show had finally come to an end. The show is suitable for people who love comedy shows, as well as people who need some laughter. The show first aired on ABC, September 23, 2009. A mockumentary-style, the unusual kinship of the extended Pritchett family, a brood that includes patriarch Jay; his slightly younger Mexican wife, Gloria, and her son, Jay’s daughter, Claire, and her family; and Jay’s son, Mitchell, who lives with his partner, Cameron. The show is mainly about three different but related families who face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways. The show starts off with a very amusing introduction where Haley, Claire’s daughter, brings another member to the family and starts to introduce how their daily lifestyle is like; throughout the show, they tell the truth in a funny way of how an average American family they really are and how they live their life in a daily basis. All the three families add to the episode’s tale. As you can see, this TV show has been a classic for many years as it has been enjoyed by many.

The Tale of a Bluefin Chloe Wu It was just like before. It was too familiar, too much the same. He was just gone, just like that. I couldn’t remember if this hurt more than mom. I feel numb, and yet I feel every bit of hurt like a hook to the mouth. No more. My brother.

One hour ago Brother zipped through the water, leaving the thinnest trail of bubbles behind him in each swish of his tail. Built like torpedos, we flew through the water at a speed of 20 miles per hour. My muscles strained, eyes focused, watching the communication between the school of mackerel before us. My family swarmed the water, rising close to the surface where seabirds picked at our precious prey. It has been harder and harder to find food these years. Glee ran through my blood. The thrill of the chase made me shoot above the surface in happiness.

In my peripheral, I could see my brother chasing a rather quick mackerel, like the idiot he is. I paid him no mind and went to join the others in the final pickings of prey left. After the frenzy of the catch had died down, when the remaining prey had long since swam away, I began to look for my brother.

I just saw him seconds ago. There were too many parallels, a strange-looking fish swimming in the wrong direction—a weird hum reverberating through the water.

Then I saw him. Far ahead, I saw the typical thin trail of bubbles he left had turned into blooms of frantic splashes. Through the clouds of bubbles, I could see brother’s blade of a tail whipping back and forth. Fear and determination surged through her.

Fins retracted, eyes focused, I began to rush ahead. Going faster than I’ve ever gone before, my tail flicked with incredible speed, back and forth, back and forth. I gained speed. I gained mileage. Not long after, I was only a few yards behind her brother. I could sense his motions getting more frantic, and the unexpected loosening and tightening of the hook now embedded within his mouth holding him captive.

How could he be so stupid? Hadn’t they learned their lesson? How did everyone collectively miss the shadow of the vessel? The roar was deafening, the coral-looking blades never ending— spinning and spinning, clouding my vision. But there was nothing either of them could do. Brother was already gone, and I held no power.

Almost exactly like when the vessels took mother all those years ago.

We shared a look, one of fear, confusion, anger, and goodbye. Exhausted, I watched as brother stopped fighting, letting himself be dragged onto the vessel. I heard the sickening cheers of men atop the boat.

“YEAAA!!!!! Great job, man, that Bluefin’s beautiful!!!! That’s the biggest one today. Congrats!”

I was exhausted. Devastated. Lonely, I deafly started to swim back to where the chase had started. Only to see that there were only ten of my family members left. All others were lost forever. Brother had joined mother with the vessels.

Author’s Comments: This story was written to raise awareness of the overfishing that continues to happen in our oceans every day. Bluefin Tuna are a critically endangered species now. If we don’t stop, they will be extinct very soon.

Mr. Everett’s Advice on Transitions James Ellis What advice would you give to eighth-graders transitioning to high school? The first thing I would say is finish the year strong. It can be easy to think, “Well, high school is coming. I’ll start fresh then,” and then kind of give up. It’s called senioritis, where your last year you let things fizzle, but I think you’re missing the golden opportunity if you do that because you have the last month and a half of school to really get you ready for your next step and finish this part in a way that you are going to be proud of. The other thing I would say is, when we talk about transitions, we talk about building a RAFT. Every letter stands for something; it’s an acronym. So, R stands for reconcile. If there’s anyone in middle school you’ve had a concern or challenge with, take the time to try and fix that. Take a deep breath, apologize, and try to make things better. Affirm is the A in RAFT, which means, if there’s something you want to acknowledge as being a good moment, take time to say thank you to those involved, including your friends, including your teachers, anyone at all, even a custodian staff member, etc. The F is farewell. Take a moment to say goodbye to the things you’re actually going to miss and love. You’re not going to have houses the same way. If you really love houses, then do something good in your last few house gatherings to really give you a good farewell moment. T, which is “think destination,” will be living in the moment but also making a few plans for high school.

What was your transition to high school like? My transition was actually pretty easy. I went to a secondary school; it was a small seventh through twelfth-grade school. So, I already knew all the same people; we just kind of kept going with the next grade level. But when I got to high school, there was more freedom. I did feel like I had more confidence. I had my first serious girlfriend, and that was pretty awesome for me. If I 44

could do one thing differently, though, I was pretty concerned about looking like I was getting things right. Whether it was getting the right answer in class, not looking stupid in front of my friends, and I think that kept me from trying some things that I wasn’t good at right away. I kind of just focused on the things I knew I was good at, so it wasn’t till later in life, I started doing things I like, playing the drums, for example, because I was really bad at first. I would have been so much better if I had started in high school.

What advice would you give to sixth and seventh graders transitioning? First of all, I would just praise them and acknowledge that this was a really challenging year. Sixth and seventh graders have been pushed to be more self-directed and more responsible than the typical twelve or thirteen-year-old normally would be. So, I would take a second to say, “We got through that. That’s a good thing.” Even if it’s been a hard year for you, you got through it. I would encourage them to reflect, take a moment to think about their emotional, social, familial, academic sides of their life. Where did they excel? What was challenging? Take time to celebrate the great moments, and also own the challenging moments. I would say one last thing. This would be a bonus. Close off the year in a creative way that is meaningful to you so that your learning will stick. If you like to write music, write a song. If you like to do some painting, do some painting. Do something meaningful to you, something that acknowledges your growth this year.

How do you feel about starting a new counseling cycle? It’s a mix. There’s some excitement, and there’s some sadness. The excitement comes from a new group of kids. There are all these new relationships I get to make, but it’s very sad, too, because I’ve really gotten to know the eighth-graders, and I’m going to miss them. There’s a lot of really awesome people in grade eight, and it’s a lot of

work trying to get to know two-hundred-twenty kids, and I know the grade eight pretty well. With that said, it’s a gift to go with another group of kids and to get them to the spot where we are close and connected and give them someone they can turn to if they need help. So, it’s mixed, some excitement and sadness.

Are there any thoughts you would like to leave this cycle of students with? Definitely, the most important thought is, once you’re a member of one of my cohorts, you’re always a member of one of my cohorts. You always have a place in my heart. To my grade eight friends who are staying here at HKIS, if you ever want to talk through a challenge, if you want to celebrate an accomplishment, or simply say hi, I hope that you swing by my office and visit. For those of the eighthgraders who are leaving HKIS, if we get to cross paths again, I hope we will get to spend some time together.

What were your highs and lows of this school year? Without a doubt, the hardest part of this year was trying to keep connected with people while we were virtual. Learning how to have a counseling-type conversation over Zoom was a huge challenge. I don’t know if I ever really got good at it, but I got a little better at it as time went on. The highs had to be watching our whole community rally around, supporting each other, getting through a really challenging situation, and watching kids becoming more selfdirected and resilient. I am proud of our students for rising to the challenge of the Covid year.

What are your hopes for ending this school year? This one is simple. I hope we stay on campus, and it feels as normal as possible.

Learnings from COVID: Later School Starts Ryan Chang Wouldn’t you like to get up an hour or two later for school in the morning? There are several scientific studies that show why starting school later is better for students. The main reasons are that with more sleep, students will be more efficient, and have a healthier diet.

According to Healthline.com, students between the ages of 13 and 18 years old need at least 10 hours of sleep per night. It also states that your best sleep occurs between 11 pm and 2 am. Therefore, if you would like to get the best quality sleep, students should go to bed at 10 pm and wake up at 8 am. This means school should not start anytime earlier than 9 am. With more sleep, students will have fewer sleep deprivation problems, allowing them to focus better in class. They will also be more efficient in class and be better students overall.

Besides students, teachers can also benefit from a later start. As a result, teachers would also have a larger amount of time to prepare for lessons. The teachers would also get more sleep which would make them happier and increasingly enthusiastic to teach. According to the Guardian newspaper, on average, teachers get 6 hours of sleep, and it is recommended that teachers get at least 8 hours of sleep. When teachers are responsible for supervising and taking care of so many students, it is crucial that teachers get enough sleep.

For these reasons, commencing school after 9 am would benefit everyone. Without a doubt, it would help everyone, from students to teachers, be far more productive, focused, and healthier, too. I strongly believe that this change would lead to greater academic success.

Why Apples Are Highly Superior to Oranges Kylie Hua You’re in the school cafeteria where there is a basket filled with fruit. Your eyes are drawn instantly to the brightly colored oranges. Orange has been one of your favorite colors since you were a toddler. Alternatively, there are shiny maroon apples in dark, alluring hues, and amber ones, too. The plumpness and tooth-like shape make your hand itch to reach out and grab one. Your daily dilemma: which fruit should you take? Apples are often compared to oranges in the age-old debate; many claim that it’s impossible to compare two fruits that are so similar yet unrelated; apples being sweet and crunchy and oranges citrusy with a pulpy flesh. While it is true that oranges contain a wider variety of vitamins and minerals (including the vital vitamin c), apples are still far superior to oranges for countless reasons; they are highly versatile, beneficial to health, and more convenient to carry and eat.

First and foremost, apples are a superior choice to oranges because they are so much more versatile. No other fruit offers as much assortment as apples. Apples are versatile in various ways; they can be made into an abundance of other foods (there are more apple products than orange products), but also, apples can be grown in countless locations. Apples can be used to produce other goods such as apple pie, apple cider, dried apple, applesauce, and apple crumble, while oranges cannot be used as much as they have a high water concentration. When have you ever had orange pie or orange sauce? Never. Apple can also be blended into the base of other foods since the flavor is relatively mild and neutral and would not overpower the other ingredients. The versatility of apples is also due to the fact that apples can be cultivated in different places. Everett Griner, the “Granddaddy of Southeast AgNet,” an “Agri-View” Radio Commentary Host,

says, “In fact, apples are grown in more countries than any other fruit…. South America, North America, Asia, Europe…. In places like Chile, China, Mexico, Canada.” Seeing that apples are so widely grown, adaptable, and resourceful (as they can be made into a variety of different products), it makes them a better practical choice.

Many people argue that oranges are healthier than apples; although oranges indeed have many health benefits, apples have health benefits as well... some even more than oranges. According to Brianna Elliott in a Healthline article, apples “contain a high amount of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin K. They also provide some B vitamins” This is exceptionally nutritious because she says that their nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber may reduce the risk of disease and improve digestion. Apples are also high-fiber fruits, meaning that eating them could boost heart health and promote weight loss. In addition, since apples are rich in pectin, they help maintain good gut health. Apples may be great for weight loss, too. Since apples are high in fiber, they are very filling. As stated by another Healthline article, “In the same study, those who started their meal with apple slices also ate an average of 200 fewer calories than those who didn’t.” Furthermore, other natural compounds in apples help promote weight loss. A Muscle and Fitness article says that “Apples are the slower-burning fruit of the two, meaning the energy they provide will stay with you longer. Oranges get burned up quicker...” This suggests that you would feel hungry again more quickly when eating oranges rather than apples, and this may result in overeating.

Ultimately, apples are way more convenient than oranges. When traveling, oranges can very easily get squashed and turn mushy and leak all over, causing your belongings to turn sticky from the sweet juice. However, on the contrary, apples can’t really leak. Plus, they won’t get as squashed due to their harder, dense nature. People might argue that oranges are more convenient as they

have a peel to protect the orange and you don’t have to wash them. But in fact, the peel doesn’t “protect” the orange at all; the orange could still get mashed. Regarding the second point, it all depends on the person. Some people still do wash oranges before peeling them, and some don’t wash an apple. On to the next point, when you actually want to consume the orange, you have to peel it first. So when you’re peeling, your fingers usually start to hurt, and the insides of your fingernails get stuck with the orange juice and zesty peel. On the other hand, you don’t have to peel apples; you can take a bite out of an apple right away. Besides, after you’ve skinned the orange, where are you going to put the peel? You will need to find a trash can, have a bag to put it in, or hold it in your hands until you can dispose of it later. Personally, I’ve experienced having to keep all the bits of peel in my hand for a long time, and it’s not fun.

In short, apples are the dominant fruit when it comes to the apple vs. oranges discussion because apples are more convenient than oranges, apples are highly versatile, and apples are nutritional and useful for maintaining a healthy diet. So, next time when you’re in the cafeteria, or supermarket, remember that apples are the way to go. To help you remember, just think of the rhyme, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Family Mart Kylie Hua Family Mart. The utopia of a hot summer heatwave, in the midst of all the blinding lights.

Spikes of gold look down upon me, roasting my skin, branding its name, “The Sun,” on my body. I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the hem of my damp shirt.

While we stroll past street shops, oscillating fans hum, blowing warm suffocating air on me, only making it even more unbearable.

Our legs barely making it, dirt coating my toes, there it is, on the corner of an alleyway. Family Mart.

Stepping in front of the speckless glass, the doors split open ferociously, A gust of chilled, freezer-like wind smacks my face. Coldness runs through my blood instantly. The familiar chime of a melody I can sing from memory. Doo doo doo doo doo dooooo doo doo doo doo doo

It’s El Dorado. A magical, majestic, mesmerizing place rich in treasure. The doors close behind us, sealing the vault of gold. The goods allure my eyes. The doors close behind us, keeping the luxurious air-con from escaping. The cold mists of air brush my skin delicately. Family Mart.

A place of adventure and mystery. A place of excitement and ecstasy. The rows of shelves, filled with snacks, endless funky flavors of Doritos; takoyaki, Thai pepper chicken, spicy garlic, golden cheese, and nacho cHEeSiER. And Asian candy flooding the metal racks, Pucho and Hi-Chew, milk candies, melon jellies, and boba-flavored gummies. You can’t forget the drinks! The iconic papaya milk carton, watermelon milk carton, yakult, Super Supau, and teas. The aromatic essence of the steamed sweet potatoes, and tea eggs is wafting through the air.

I reach my hand out to the tightly-packed snacks, but I hold back, pulling away,

Because of the virus, I’m trapped, stuck, unable to escape.

I keep gripping my memories from Family Mart. All these moments, now far-away reminiscence, in the deep crevices of my mind.

The virus, slowly consuming, eating up, all the memories of Family Mart

Family Mart.

I Loved Thee Minjae Chun I loved thee, but did thee love I?

“So beautiful in grace,” thy says, “Isn’t it My Lady?”

The last words thy told me before the seas swept thy up.

“Shipwreck,” they say as I walk by. They shake their heads and shake their fist to the sea. “Ay, forgive them, My Lady! They are nothing but fools.” And he too shakes his head and shakes his fist to the heavens. I nod and walk back to the garden where his grave lies. Nobody was ever found; nothing but soil lies beneath the flowers and grass.

He knows thy was my love; he knows thy was my life. But he cares, but I can’t love him like thy.

No matter the words he sprouts, the poems and sonnets he reads, it will never be like thy. I wish thy was not the sacrifice. I wish thy was not the one needed to stop it for a while.

I wish to the heavens that thy did not have to be the sacrifice. Yet another gal or guy will have to lose their thy.

To yet again satisfy its hunger. Till then, let my thy satisfy its hunger for a few years more.

Until it is defeated.

Can thy be still alive? But where from? From my heart where I love thee!

The Sweet Sickening Smell Minjae Chun It’s runny, long but fast I can’t describe it all too well Is it a candy? A punishment? Cupid's arrows scent, just before it strikes for love? But I only get a small Whiff Of the Sweet Sickening Smell

What is it? What does it mean?

Why can I picture the two And then there goes the Smell What is it? I want to cry out, but I don’t I’m quiet

I’m weak and feeble But this smell, oh the smell! Strong, and so wrong for me! I can’t smell it for long though

It’s a quick inhale Always

Those two I imagine are ALWAYS Together the next day

But It could be my mind was playing tricks A trick maybe that is it

But I hope not I loved they, but I guess It is all just a trick my mind

Plays

Oh the strong smell Sweet and sickening Short and slow

The Sweet Sickening Smell

Was it all just a trick of the mind? Or Could it be real?

Can you trust—should you trust something that told the truth for so long but then lies?

Should you—could you?

Only a Whisper Thia Sheth Beyond my face and mouth and smile, Is a little girl who leads a scary life. Every stammer in my voice, Causes nights in bed with terrifying thoughts. My persona is supposedly plain and bland, When, in actuality, my mind creates a fantasyland. Every time I open my mouth, Only a silent airy breath makes its way out. I know very well what I would say, But phobias take over my brain. Will I hear giggles another time? Will shame creep up my door and look me in the eye?

I’m a lot more interesting than what people say, I’m a special girl who loves to think and play. But all those qualities are swept away, Because of a stutter that whispers, “I’m not ok.” I wait for the right time to rip off the tape, That closes my mouth and invites vulnerability and hate. A doctor’s appointment cannot save me, But self-confidence is what I need to live in this society. If I had a wish, I know what it would be, Not a vanished stutter but closure to set me free. From the shackles and wounds I’ve lived with my whole life, I need to turn a new page to reach new heights.

Raspberry Souffle Recipe May Wong This recipe serves six people Required Ingredients: ● 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened (and a small amount for greasing) ● 50 grams caster sugar ● 6 separated egg whites ● 500 grams fresh raspberries ● 125 grams caster sugar ● 1 tablespoon of cornflour ● Icing sugar to dust ● 3 raspberries ● Nuts (optional) You will also need a ramekin (a type of plating).

Directions: 1. Blend the raspberries until it becomes a puree. Put the puree and the 125 caster sugar in a pan on medium heat, constantly stirring until the sugar dissolves, mix cornflour and 1 tablespoon of water when the mixture turns into a boiling point, whisk for 1 minute (don’t let it boil) after that leave it until it’s cool. 2. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Prepare the ramekin and grease the cup with your butter for greasing and dust it with icing sugar. 3. To make the souffle, you need to beat the egg whites and add a pinch of salt while also gradually adding the sugar bit by bit until stiff peaks have shown. Then Place 300 grams of the fruit puree in your mixture and gently fold it. 4. Start to fill your ramekin slowly, little by little, with your souffle base mixture, then, using a knife, smooth the top to have a good surface. Then put the souffle in the fridge. 5. Place the ramekins on a tray and bake it between 12 to 14 minutes until the souffle has risen well and it’s a little wobbly when shaken, then dust it with icing sugar and serve it!

My Photographic Process Tony Su I haven’t done much photography, but I do have a lot of cameras, most of them are very old and probably don’t work. I have a lot of film cameras, and I am planning on doing some photography on the streets of Hong Kong. There are a lot of options from which to choose. I chose a film camera that can take really good pictures. I am going to do two things, one, try and shoot Fuji Instax Mini, which is an instant film and shoot some actual 120 films. The reason I am saying try is that there is no instant back for the camera that I am using. There is a polaroid pack film back that takes great pictures but is now discontinued and more expensive. My plan is to get the film cassette and slide in a single photo in a dark room. Then, I will put it in my camera and take a picture. I will then get an instant camera and put the film in so it can squeeze the chemical pods. This all has to be done in a dark room with no light. The camera I will be using is a modified Fuji GX680 with a 120 film back. This camera is extremely hard to use, very large, and very heavy, and I don’t recommend anyone actually use this camera, but it can take pretty good photos. So I loaded a roll of Ilford HP5 and went out to take pictures, For comparison, I got the polaroid to go, a polaroid camera that takes tiny pictures, it was released a week ago, and I am going to use it to compare. My first plan is that I am going to put a polaroid go film inside a film cassette and take a picture, so I went into a darkroom, got an image, taped it in a cassette, and took a single photo. After it developed, I put the images side by side, one with the GX680 and one with the polaroid go. So overall, the Fuji GX680 was harder to use but took better pictures but requires a very strong flash. Just as a test, I put in some expired polaroid 669 instant peel-apart film. Even though this film is expired, it still took great pictures. Please take a look at my photos.

Spring Juno Huang

Butterfly Alyssa Luk

Patterns

First Row: Adelaide Mendelson, Ava Wright; Second Row: Cade Ghosh; Third Row: Lauren Tse; Fourth Row: Dylan Zhang, Gabby Kim; Fifth Row: Zara Meraj; Sixth Row: Subin Park; Seventh Row: Yuri Kang

Letters

First Row: Angel Zhang, Gabby Kim; Second Row: Nishka Dembla, Zara Meraj

Nature’s Daydream James Ellis a speck in the distance, seen from space seemingly small, yet the genesis of life turquoise with a touch of lush verdant earth is a stream, gushing with secrets

great serpent slithered across the surface forging deep valleys and tall, icy peaks each of its scales a unique, radiant color tinting the world’s canvas, offering its hue

blue morpho butterflies float to flowers whose dewdrops are tears of the nameless the sunlit bayou is a forgotten arcadia its breezes are sighs of abiding souls

an acacia tree, fixed to its thirsty roots a flash of lightning, perhaps a mirage for mother nature gave life to this tree and her power can take it away

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Website Link: https://25045413.wixsite.com/hkisstudentviews

Founder: James Ellis Editor-in-Chief: James Ellis Design and Layout Supervisor: James Ellis Teacher Supervisor: Maureen McCann Teacher Contributors: John Everett, Victor Fung, Kevin Krembs, John Lee Student Contributors: Ryan Chang, Minjae Chun, Nishka Dembla, James Ellis, Ryan Gardner, Cade Ghosh, Gordon Ho, Kylie Hua, Juno Huang, Yuri Kang, Gabby Kim, Tori Kim, Alicia Luk, Alyssa Luk, Ainsley MacSlarrow, Madison Margolin, Adelaide Mendelson, Zara Meraj, Subin Park, Zara Rashid, Rei Sasaki, Thia Sheth, Angela Song, Tony Su, Ha Jin Sung, Lauren Tang, Lauren Tse, Emilia Werkun, May Wong, Ava Wright, Chloe Wu, Kira Wu, Mark Wu, Angel Zhang, Dylan Zhang Contact: 250454@hkis.edu.hk Address: 1 Red Hill Rd, Tai Tam, Hong Kong