NLCS Jeju Newsletter 7 June 2024

North London Collegiate School Jeju

PRINCIPAL’S LETTER

Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends of NLCS Jeju

On the afternoon of Saturday 8 June we celebrate with our graduates of 2024 their Valedictory. They have been a valued part of the NLCS Jeju community and we are sad to say au revoir to them at School as they embark on the next stage of their educational journey.

All students have much to be proud of but I draw your attention to just some of their achievements assisted by their teachers including the University Guidance Department who have guided and supported the students :

In the UK

3 offers at Oxford

2 offers at Cambridge

156 offers at Russell Group Universities including Imperial College

In the US

56 Offers at Ivy League and Ivy Plus Universities

Growing success for Medicine

19 offers across the UK and including Ireland

These acceptances are for a huge range of subjects such as mathematics and the sciences including psychology, as well engineering, linguistics, PPE, the Arts, International Relations and Humanities as well as of course Veterinary Science.

This is testament to the breadth of opportunities for our students and how they can enhance their studies through participation and leadership in our many academic societies. Over the last week we have been delighted as part of Psychology week to have links with Neuroscience through the lectures and hands on experiences through the visit of the eminent academic Dr Guy Sutton where students even had the opportunities to

PRINCIPAL’S LETTER

dissect a brain. During Latin and Philosophy week the students also were faced with many thought provoking activities and questions. This opens up the students’ world to discover new passions and as we have seen with our graduates of 2024 they will leave us to embark on a range of studies. We wish them all health , happiness and success as they embark on their new adventure.

The academic year has still a couple of weeks to go and so I welcome you all to the final events of the year including our wonderful Arts Festival which engages so many of our community. The students and I know many parents are also preparing for another Summer Fete. I look forward to meeting with you at these events .

Yours sincerely,

Lynne Oldfield Principal

THE MAIN EVENT

Here are the biggest stories from around the School this week.

LATIN AND PHILOSOPHY ENRICHMENT WEEK

A“Talking turned out to be a theme of this year’s Latin and Philosophy Enrichment week. Year 9s gave three very well researched library talks with the following titles. Junhui Hwang: The Great Roman, Cicero (Political, Economical, Legal, Philosophical influences); Edward Gwak & Howie Zhang: Greek & Roman Art & Architecture; Egbert Qi & Eric Yu: Roman Gods and GoddessesLatin and Philosophy students defeated the Debate Society on the motion of ‘This House Believes That Plato’s ideas on government are irrelevant in the modern world’. Lily, Benjamin and Victoria eloquently argued that ancient ideas can indeed be useful to the modern world even if we shouldn’t adopt them wholesale. Alvin Song, Gio Son and Riwon Hong put forward impressive but ultimately unsuccessful arguments. Andy Zhang very ably chaired the debate.

THE MAIN EVENT

Students and staff were encouraged to debate with the philosophy students on various thought experiments, which had them consider difficult moral questions related to romantic relationships, business ethics, and even time travel!

Students provided a variety of corridor activities which included mosaic making, supported by Mrs Brown, two quizzes, created by Jinyoung Kil and Yoon Sung, a derivative game, created by Emi Weber and Sophia Kim and a photo booth. Students also enjoyed watching the classic Jason and the Argonauts famously animated by Ray Harryhausen in 1963.

The lecture to Year 7s was a lively and entertaining reading of the Republic by Mr Tamlyn, Mr Bate, Ms Sage, Mrs Baird, Mr Cannings, Mr Moore and Victoria Park and demonstrated a discussion about Justice and how we should treat each other. The week ended by a celebratory trip to the Greek Mythology Museum for Year 13 IB Latin students.

The winning entries of the mythology competition can be found here. The anonymous judges could not decide on a clear winner so Lyulf Tuffs, Layla Hanbi Park, Eliza Waterman, Derin Solak Year will each receive a book inspired by a Greek myth.

Thanks to the many students who participated and special thanks to the Latin Society Chair Jinyoung Kil in Year 12 and the Philosophy Society Chair Victoria Park in Year 10 for their help in organising and participating in these events.” - Ms. Margaret Baird (Head of Latin).

THE MAIN EVENT

PSYCHOLOGY ENRICHMENT WEEK

What a great Enrichment Week we had, here, Mr. Russell Maddison summarises everything he, Ms. Minic and our Psychology students crammed into just three busy days!

• Corridor activities

During the highly successful Enrichment Week, the Psychology Society arranged a range of engaging activities centred around neuroscience. Students not only enjoyed the brain imaging and brain anatomy quizzes but also expanded their knowledge about the brain in an interactive way. The Stroop test challenge was especially popular among the students, who eagerly tested their limits and competed with enthusiasm. The post-it debate also ignited critical thinking and discussions about controversial topics related to the brain. Additionally, the fundraising stickers featuring neuroscience-related designs attracted both teachers and students, adding a delightful touch to an already exceptional week.

• Brain Dissection (Brain week)

Dr Sutton delivered a brain dissection session for Psychology and biology students. During the psychology session, students were introduced to different brain regions and actually observed them on sheep brains. Brain structures such as the grey matter and the white matter, and the hippocampus were then linked to their function and potential dysfunction that can occur through injuries in specific regions. Dr. Sutton’s demonstration on brain dissection has led students to have a deeper understanding of the brain.

• Medical student lectures (Brain week)

Aspiring medics from year 11 to 12 were invited for lectures delivered by Dr. Sutton. Students were taken into advanced biological concepts of the function of genes in the brain, as well as how neurological disease could occur and affect the patients. Also, different treatment methods for neurological disorders were introduced. During the session, students had a chance for interaction with Dr. Sutton with insightful questions and discussions on medical ethics, and being a doctor.

You can watch one of Dr. Sutton’s lectures, here.

THE MAIN EVENT

• Junior School Activity

The Junior School activity was constructing a neuron using sweets and jellies. This creative approach allowed the children to explore neuroscience in a fun and approachable way. While some students knew about the electrical signals in our brains, most were unfamiliar with the structure of neurons. By visualising and labelling the different parts of the neuron with jellies, the students significantly expanded their understanding of brain anatomy.

THE MAIN EVENT PSYCHOLOGY

• Psychiatry society display

The Psychiatry Branch Society also participated in Psychology Enrichment Week, where we displayed diverse information about psychiatry, including types of disorders and symptoms. Although many of our members could not participate in designing the board, the display board was mostly successful; students were interested in acknowledging the difference between psychology and psychiatry, which most of them assumed were the same. They also found that numerous types of psychiatric disorders could be grouped into categories like anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and more. Furthermore, each of the leading members recommended books related to psychology or psychiatry to help students engage and learn more about the field.

Psychology Society, with Mr. Maddison, Ms. Minic and Dr. Sutton.

https://youtu.be/Ft0RGbPVpFg SOHAPPY - EPISODE 8

Another great video created by Seoha Han, this time linked to our Psychology Enrichment Week - focusing on Simon Sinek and the ability for a brain to think of the negative. Thank you Seoha!

THE MAIN EVENT

This week we have been enjoying a range of activities from our TOK Department, including: a year 12 TOK Performance of ‘It ain’t what you prove, it’s the way you prove it’, an Exhibition Scavenger Hunt, a TOK Knowledge Museum - ‘How do you acquire and share knowledge?’, a year 12 exhibition and a TOK Creative Meme Challenge. Find out more about TOK here.

Don’t miss our posts!

Follow us on our social media pages to never miss out! Our recent posts include:

• National History Day Competition

• Japan DofE Trip

• Year 9 Art

• Transition Day

• Duke of Edingburgh

• Psychology Enrichment Week

FLICKR

Did you know we add all our photos to Flickr? With no restrictions on the number of photos we can share, you will be able to see every photo from all the events around School. Why not have a look now?

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements

STUDENT PEACE AND UNITY FILM FESTIVAL

The Student Peace and Unity Film Festival is an annual film festival, founded in 2014 by the National Institute of Unification Education. It aims to uphold the values of peace and cooperation through the medium of a film, encouraging the younger generation to explore the themes of peace, unity and international cooperation in an organic way, allowing their creativity to express their thoughts. Well done and congratulations to Soowhan (Benjamin) Jun who has won the competition for three consecutive years.

Watch his winning entry here.

Benjamin was invited to participate in a panel discussion as a representative of student film directors, where they discussed a number of themes related to peace and unity. Paik SeungHwan, a prestigious film investor and director from CJ Entertainment and played a major role in financing the majority of the movies produced or distributed by CJ joined us in the discussion to provide his own views. Mr Paik also funded and helped create some of the greatest movies about North/South Korea; including Secretly Greatly (

위대하게), and the Suspect (용의자).

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements

JEJU UNITED 1:1 CHALLENGE

Year 2 Taeryang Leo Kim participated in Jeju United 1:1 Challenge and won first place. Congratulations!

Other News

SUMMER FETE 2024!

We are looking forward to the next Summer Fete, which we are sure will be lots of fun and a huge success, as it has been in previous years. The Summer Fete is arranged by our TowerAid students and our Events Prefects and all activities are prepared by students with support from the Beyond the Curriculum Team (Mr. Doug Machin and Mr. Gwangho Im) and the Events Manager (Mr. David Lock), as well as the House Teams and Tutors.

Student led stalls will donate 100% of their proceeds to charity, whilst Quadra and our outside vendors will donate 10%. Last year the event raised 20,379, 120 KRW which was donated to ChildFund Korea and Save the Children.

Students are now deciding on their stalls and we are all voting for this year’s charities. We will share more information soon, but for now - SAVE THE DATE - 21 JUNE!

Other News

UNIFORM SALE

Our wonderful PRG strike again! This time with a Secondhand Uniform sale. They collected lost property and donations, washed the items and displayed them for sale - then hosted the event which was very well attended.

They raised a massive - ￦1,056,000

Thank you to the PRG and all the parents who helped out or shopped.

Other News

CROSS-YEAR COLLABORATION - YEAR 7 AND YEAR 10 MOCK TRIAL

“We conducted a mock trial with the novel Hong Gil Dong-jeon.

Year 7 students were divided into judges, prosecutors, and lawyers, respectively and year 10 participated in the trial as jurors.

I would like to thank all the students for their high-quality trials.” – Ms. Misun Park and Ms. Jeanhee Kim

STUDENT ESSAY IN KOREAN CLASS

“In Korean language and Literature class, year 9 studied persuasion strategies through Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech. As a part of evaluation, they wrote an article to analyse the persuasion strategy by citing some of the speeches. Two of them are beautiful and I want to share them with the whole NLCS Jeju community.” - Ms. Misun Park

Year 9 Yohwan Kim - “나에게는

Year 9 Eonsoul Alex Ha - 조국에서

Other News

Chemistry IA in action

Chemistry IA in action. Thanks to the leadership of Mr Patenaude and the hard work behind the scenes of our wonderful technicians, students got to explore their interests and deepen their knowledge in chemistry methodologies and the applications used in everyday life. The effectiveness of activated charcoal in heavy metal absorption and how the percentage of alcohol affects the equilibrium in the formation of esters are good examples of what they investigated.

TRANSITION DAY

“On 31 May, we were delighted to welcome our current NLCS Jeju Year 6 students, new students and parents to Transition Day. The day began with an introduction to academic and pastoral life at NLCS Jeju, including our vibrant House system, and students took part in an interactive game show organised by the Jeoji House Captains.

One of the highlights was a lively scavenger hunt, which helped students familiarise themselves with the school grounds and facilities. This fun activity encouraged teamwork and exploration, proving to be an exciting way for students to discover their new environment, and to get to know more about the dynamics of their new tutor groups.

Additionally, the students attended several Senior School lessons, providing a taste of the school curriculum and future opportunities that await. These sessions were designed to ease the transition by allowing students to experience firsthand the engaging and dynamic learning atmosphere of the Senior School; teachers of these sessions spoke of their joy at the intellectual curiosity on show.

TRANSITION

Overall, Transition Day was a great success, leaving students feeling welcomed and excited for the new school year. We would like to say a big thank you to the Year 7 House Students who were excellent role models, the House Captains who led the parent tours, and to everyone involved in helping to organise a successful day.” Mr Sannegadu (AVP Pastoral) and Mr Lewis (AVP Academic)

TRANSITION DAY

Other News

PERSE CODING TEAM CHALLENGE

The Perse Coding Team Challenge introduces computational thinking to students. It is part of the UKCT Challenge. Teams from secondary schools across the UK and around the world take part in this competition. Students submit short code solutions to a range of challenges that increase in difficulty. To progress into Round 2 students need to get a high score in Round 1. The top 25% of students get selected for Round 2.

This was the 2nd time NLCS entered this competition. After Round 1, 60 students qualified to take part in Round 2. The results of Round 2 are outstanding, 47 out of 60 students have achieved distinction and placed in one of the top schools ( 116 worldwide) in the competition. 16 teams from 20 got distinction (47), 2 merits (6), 2 teams HP (6).

PERSE CODING TEAM CHALLENGE

Top teams from PCTC Round 2 ( FINAL) :

Rank 1

Other News

Jaewon (Edward) Cheon (Y10), Sunjae Choi (Y10), Junyoung Kim (Y10), Yunseok Kim (Y10), Jaehyun (Noah) Park (Y10), Sihu Park (Y10).

All Distinction Holders from the Final round.

Hyoungtak Cha

JaeWon Cheon

Hannah Cho

Harang Choi

Sunjae Choi

Jiyin Choi

Boyoon Choi

Sangwoo (Eric) Eom

Eunsoul (Alex) Ha

Roy Han

James Han

Soowhan Jun

Calvin Kim

Junyoung Kim

Minjun (Nick) Kim

Other News PERSE CODING TEAM

Kwangjoo Kim

Kyudo (Noah) Kim

Yeju (Rebecca) Kim

Yunseok Kim

Rachel Kim

Eungku(Kooney) Kim

Jimin Kim

Dayun Kim

Hojin (Daniel) Kim

Winnie Kim

Steven Kim

Seohyun (Alice) Ko

Daniel Joon Lee

Gio Lee

Seoyeon (Esther) Lee

Jinwoo (John) Shin

Siyeon (Sean) Lee

Junseok Lee

Sam Lee

Eunseo Lim

Dahye Lim

Irene Mun

Minji Oh

Jungseo Park

Jaehyun (Noah) Park

Sihu Park

Gian Park

Choisung Park

Sean Park

Minhyung Seo

Suhyeon (Gabriella) Shin

Sola Yoon

CANADIAN COMPUTING COMPETITION

The Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) is a fun challenge for secondary school students with an interest in programming. It is an opportunity for students to test their ability in designing, understanding and implementing algorithms. It is run by the University of Waterloo, Canada. The competition is divided into two categories. A total of 32 students took part in this contest this year. The competition is divided into two categories. Junior and Senior.

Junior Level — any student with beginner to intermediate programming skills

Junior Students who achieved distinction:

Leo Oh - (Y6)

Hannah Cho - (Y8)

Shane Jang - (Y8)

Gio Lee - (Y7)

Hyoryn Park - (Y8)

Minjun Kim (Nick) - (Y8)

Henry Yang - (Y9)

Yong Min Cho (David) - Y11

Junyoung Kim - Y10

Sihu Park (Kevin) - Y10

Seungbin Lee - Y10

Jimin Hong - Y11

Hyungchan Yoo - Y11

Austin Ha - Y11

Jihun Shin - Y10

Minjun Jung (Paul) - Y11

Jimin Lim (James) - Y11

Junseok (Jayden) Lee - Y10

Senior Level — any student with intermediate to advanced programming skills

A total of 32 students took part in this contest this year. Two students, out of four, (Matthew Kang (Y12) and Hyeeun Lee (Y12)) achieved a distinction.

ROBOTICS

This was the first time NLCS Jeju sent a robotics team to the VEX robotics competition. We entered 3 competitions and the finals were held in Seoul. We were among the quarterfinalists and won the Judges award in the competition.

Our team, ‘Start Here’ - consisting of Soyeon Ahn, Reina Choi, Daniel Kim, Ethan Lee, Suhyeon (Gabriella) Shin (Y10), Hai Kim, Lily Lee and Chris Yoon (Y12) won two awards:

• Tournament Quarterfinalists (VRC/VEXU/VAIRC)

• Judges Award (VRC/VEXU/VAIC/ADC/VAIRC)

Other News

ACSL FINALS

This is a year long competition. Students take 4 qualifying rounds and compete with students from the entire world. Each round consists of 3 hrs of programming challenges and 30 minutes of computing fundamentals. All of these students have put in so much effort already and have sharpened their programming skills during CCAs, Bryants and their own time.

This year from NLCS 11 students have qualified for the world finals. They competed with the rest of the world on May 26th from 11pm to 1:30am. Two students from KS3 earned awards at the world final in which more than 200 + teams took part.

• Nick Kim - Silver

• Gian Park - Bronze

CELTS VS ROMANS

Here is a great video created by our Year 3 teacher, Ms. Rumer Bacon, capturing the Year 3 battle!

YEAR 7 TRIP TO HALLIM PARK

“The Year 7 Science trip to Hallim Park was an enriching experience, bringing topics including plant reproduction, and ecology. Students observed plant life cycles, ecological interactions, and animal behaviours in diverse habitats. They practised biological drawing to enhance observation skills and used dichotomous keys to classify organisms, honing their analytical thinking. This hands-on exposure deepened their understanding and appreciation of the natural world, making the trip a memorable and engaging part of their scientific education” - Mr. Hugh Kim

Other News

JEJU PEACE FORUM

“On Thursday 31 May, Mr, Jason Sannegadu (AVP - Pastoral) and I accompanied a group of 28 Global Politics students to the International Conference Centre near Jungmun to attend the 19th Jeju Peace Forum.

The forum was attended by numerous diplomats and academics, including South Korea’s own Ban Ki-moon (the former UN Secretary General).

The students attended and actively participated in numerous sessions on topics relating to peace, cooperation and development in Asia and beyond. During the breaks our students mixed with the visiting dignitaries, impressing the delegates by engaging in mature discussions on contemporary issues.

The experience was enriching and gave the attending students a taste of diplomacy and global cooperation in action.”- Mr. Dylan Löser(Head of History and Global Politics, and ABM Aewol).

Other News

YEAR 7 & 8 STEM ASSEMBLY: CELEBRATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

“We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our Year 7 and 8 students in their recent STEM projects and International Olympiad competition for Science.

Year 7 students have excelled in their three-week-long collaborative STEM projects for Science and Computer Science, showcasing excellent teamwork, inquiry thinking and strong investigative skills. The best project from the boys’ groups, nominated for its outstanding quality, was conducted by Damon Ahn, Barry Kim, Laurence Lee, and Jaden Lee, who investigated the effect of pH levels of water on optimal plant growth in hydroponics. From the girls’ groups, Heedan Zun, Aram Choi, and Fiona Zhang’s project on the effect of pH in different fruits on the voltage when used as a battery was nominated as the best.

In the STEM International Olympiad for Science, our students have demonstrated exceptional subject knowledge beyond the curriculum and tackled real-world problems with confidence. This year, over 22,000 students from more than 1,350 schools across 117 countries participated in the competition.

We are proud to announce our medalists:

Bronze Medalists: Aiden Lee, Chansol Lee, Jiwoon Bae, Lucas Kim, Rachel Yun, Seungah Pyo, Yi June Kim, Haeun Kim, Lance Pan, Yooahn Han, Enuseo Wi, and Irene Yoon.

Silver Medalists: Haeyoon Kim, Kunhee Cho, Yoonu Park, Hayoon Hong, Yeonjoon Kim, Haoran Jiang, and Sein Jang.

Gold Medalists: Minjun Kim, Henry Yuan and Renee Kwon.

A special mention goes to Renee Kwon for securing 3rd place in the competition, an exceptional performance!

Congratulations to all our students for their hard work and achievements. Your dedication and passion for STEM are truly inspiring!” - Mr. Hugh Kim

Other News

THE ARTS

We have even more photos to share with you this week - following our year 5 busking in Junior School.

Thank you to the students and Music Department for yet another great event.

THE ARTS

SAMUL NORI

Last month, in the pouring rain, our students performed in Seogwipo at an annual festival. Ms. Kim (Marketing) created this video as a momento. What great professionalism and resilience the students displayed as they performed brilliantly regardlessoftheconditions.

SPORT

BASEBALL BRYANT

“NLCS Jeju has a Baseball Bryant and the group have been working hard this year and on Saturday they were ready to play a match. So we held our first official Baseball match and we played SJA at the Geumak Baseball centre. It was a great morning for the group and we are looking forward to more matches in Season 1 next year!” - Mr. Glenn Roberts.

Last Saturday NLCS Jeju rugby players and coaches welcomed our friends from the Hans River Pirates club, Seoul for a rugby taster session. The players enjoyed a 2 hour training session improving their rugby skills and understanding. After lunch, the group enjoyed some leisure time, playing some beach rugby on the Gwakji beach, before flying back to the mainland the next day. The aim of the session was to strengthen our relationship with other rugby clubs and schools across Korea. Members of the Korean Rugby Union were also part of the meeting.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

YEAR LEVEL OUTDOOR EDUCATION RESIDENTIAL TRIPS

We have had an incredible year of Outdoor Education with both Year 8 and Year 9 going out on whole year level residential trips. The year level trip programme is contributing to our pupils flourishing with healthy levels of enthusiasm, emotional stability, resilience and physical health.

When it comes to well-being, our pupils need experiences and that is what we are giving them. Linking the classroom and the real world is just one of our aims. By connecting the language of well-being to real life adventures, our pupils have genuine experiences to discuss and relate to. Our Beyond the Curriculum team is doing everything we can to arm our pupils with the life skills to cope with human relationships, time management and health.

We are providing great opportunities for children to build stronger relationships through shared experiences that help develop mindfulness of others. Then when we return to the classroom we can use the language of well-being to analyse what we did, what we learnt, how we felt and what we would do differently next time. This gives our pastoral care real context and purpose.

Next year we will improve even further all of the fabulous Beyond the Curriculum experiences that NLCS Jeju offers.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL AWARD

An Exploration of the North-east Coast of Japan, its culture and people and the impact of the 2011 tsunami.

“Last week, our Year 12 students embarked on their Assessed Adventurous Journey to Japan, a trip that turned out to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all.

Upon landing in Tokyo, we travelled northeast to Aomori Prefecture, arriving in the city of Hachinohe via the Japanese bullet train.

Our exploration began in Hachinohe, from where we trekked 23 kilometres south along the coastline. This path led us through fishing villages, across beaches, and between pine trees, where evidence of the 2011 tsunami was still apparent. Known as the Michinoku Coastal Trail, the footpath stretches for a total of 1025 kilometres from Hachinohe to Sendai.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

2nd Night

Our second night was spent in Fudai, located in Iwate Prefecture. We stayed in a traditional Japanese guesthouse, which offered a unique cultural experience. The guesthouse owner’s mother, a renowned ‘ama’ (Haenyeo) diver, prepared a seafood barbecue that we cooked over an open fire.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

The second day’s hike

The second day’s hike was truly spectacular, navigating a rugged rocky coastline beside the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean. Our trail included two man-made caves linking three beautiful coves. After another 23 kilometres of challenging terrain, we reached Miyako, a town significantly affected by the tsunami, where we dined with a local guide, Yoshimi Uenohara.

On the third day

On the third day, Yoshimi joined us for a hike from the fishing port of Ishihama to Yamada. Videos on YouTube show the devastation of the tsunami in both Miyako and Yamada. Today, large defensive walls protected the new homes and shops, and we walked along these walls to our guesthouse.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Our students had the opportunity to hike and converse with Yoshimi, an enriching experience for everyone. Yamada is renowned for its sustainable seafood, particularly oysters. As we emerged from the dense pine forest, we were greeted by expansive oyster farms stretching across the bay.

We spent time with local Japanese schoolchildren in a park before enjoying a seafood dinner with Yoshimi at our guesthouse in Yamada. Our students presented her with a heartfelt card filled with messages of gratitude before she departed to catch her train.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Our final day

Our final day was dedicated to exploring Rikuzentakata and the Iwate Tsunami Museum. This area, devastated by the tsunami, lost nearly 2,000 residents and 70,000 pine trees. The museum, despite its solemnity, is crucial for understanding the 2011 tsunami’s catastrophic impact on the region.

We concluded our journey with a luxurious Wagyu meal in Ginza, Tokyo, a quintessential culinary experience. This indulgence was well-deserved after our strenuous adventure.

Before flying back to Seoul, we enjoyed a final lunch in Ginza, where the main street becomes pedestrian-only on weekends. We assembled a picnic and dined in the middle of the road, a memorable end to an incredible trip.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Applications for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, encouraging students to see the world and transform their lives, have been distributed to all Year 9 students this week.” - Mr. Nick Chaddock.

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM

This academic year we had three students start the IB Diploma Programme with us, and they had a fantastic year academically and socially despite some anticipated challenges given the changes in academic systems from their previous schools.

Yoochan Seo joined us from a bilingual school in Colombia, Sangyeon Kim spent a few years in India attending an American school, and finally, Landon Kim moved to Jeju from the mainland where he attended a Korean school.

All three students have been a positive addition to our community. As boarders in Halla North, they speak highly of the positive aspects of boarding because it has cemented their friendship with each other, and allowed them to build good relationships with their Halla North brothers!

I enjoyed preparing for different extracurricular activities and competitions that the school offers. Through this experience, I was able to explore my academic preferences and my strengths.

Nowadays, I believe that the distribution of time spent on different subjects was quite a challenge for me. Even now when I recall from my memory, I learned that spending more time on what you struggle with rather than what you enjoy is important. This will be helpful and crucial for a balanced life and results. The responsibility to manage your work is another important lesson I have learned within the NLCS Jeju community.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS OF THE SIXTH FORM:

YOOCHAN SEO 12TDO:

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM

JAEWON (LANDON) KIM 12SRO:

I love this School’s computer science community. Through societies, Bryants, CCAs, and School activities I was able to meet lots of passionate people with similar interests who I was able to help and to receive help.

During the annuals, it was a tough time for everyone. Balancing your life–what you love doing–and your academics can be a tough thing to manage correctly, and during the annuals taking many tests helped me know how to balance it out.

SANGYEON KIM 12BGK:

I love this School’s university guidance program which provides insightful guidance about extracurricular activities, essays, and time management. With the help of my UGC counsellor, I could obtain valuable insight into the university admission process, which would enable me to have successful university admission results.

NLCS Jeju provides an IGCSE program before the IBDP. As teachers would assume that you are equipped with the knowledge in IGCSE, following the class without taking IGCSE might be challenging. However, if you consistently communicate with your teacher and ask for help, it will be possible to achieve satisfying grades.

RETURN OF A BIG 8!

On Friday 31 May, Seoyoon (Elysia) Bae, came to visit us. It was an absolute pleasure to see our ex-Head Girl who graduated in 2022 at NLCS Jeju. Elysia has always been a delightful member of our community, below, she shares some of her experiences regarding university life.

“I have recently finished my second year at Swarthmore! It’s surprising how fast time has passed. I decided on my major, which is an Honors Special Major in Psychology and Education. This summer, I’ll be working as a research assistant at Yonsei University and learning Korean traditional dancing.

Outside academic life, I’ve been up to an array of different things, such as joining the Salsa Dance club, performing in an A Cappella group, taking part in a developmental psychology lab, and, of course, baking with my friends.

I definitely feel like I’ve found my place at Swarthmore. Even if I went back in time, I would choose Swarthmore over and over again because of the people, the curriculum, and the campus!”

CULTURAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE

PRIDE MONTH

June is Pride Month! By celebrating Pride at NLCS Jeju, we promote inclusivity, acceptance, and a safe environment for everyone to learn and grow. In the corridors around school, look out for exciting student-led events by the Equity and Domestic Politics societies, including exhibitions and badge-selling. Ms Gellersen, our DEI Coordinator, has also run two workshops to help staff be inclusive of all students, both pastorally and academically. For example, there will be welcoming signage added around the school and curricula will be reviewed to ensure that all students feel represented.

We are extremely proud of all our students and we love to keep in touch and find out what they are up to after graduating from NLCS Jeju.

Our ONLJ (Old North Londoners of Jeju) is an active and supportive community, guided by our Alumni and Development Manager, Ms. Shin.

Thank you to Seungjin Angelo Kang who shared their stories this week.

If you studied at NLCS Jeju and you want to share your news with us, please email Ms. Shin (alumnioffice@nclsjeju.kr). We cannot wait to hear from you.

ONLJ Profile

Seungjin (Angelo) Kang

Class of 2023

Berklee College of Music - Music Business and Management

What led you to choose this particular major?

Choosing to major in Music Business and Management was a natural convergence of my lifelong passion for music and my innate business acumen, fostered by my upbringing in a business-oriented family. Growing up, I was not only drawn to music as a performer but also thrived in orchestrating the intricacies behind the scenes of a concert. This dual interest made me realise the profound satisfaction I derive from both creating music and strategically planning its presentation.

Additionally, my parents, who run their own business, have been pivotal in shaping my business mindset. Their influence has instilled in me a deep understanding of business operations and an entrepreneurial spirit. This foundation has empowered me to dream bigger—envisioning a future where I can merge my artistic and business instincts to start an entertainment enterprise.

Specifically, I am driven by a desire to nurture and expand the KPOP genre, aiming to deepen its artistic impact and broaden its global reach. I see the Music Business and Management major as the perfect academic pathway to equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to realise this dream, helping me to innovate within the industry and promote cultural exchange through music. This major is not just an educational choice for me; it is a stepping stone towards a future where I can contribute meaningfully to the world of music and business.

How has your college experience been thus far?

My college experience has been incredibly enriching and eye-opening. Focusing on Music Business and Management, I’ve gained a deeper musical education that has significantly broadened my understanding of music theory, performance, and production. Alongside this, my curriculum has included a substantial emphasis on the legal aspects of the music industry, particularly copyright law. These law-heavy lectures have been pivotal in deepening my insights into the complexities of music rights and intellectual property.

This blend of music and legal education has not only enhanced my appreciation for the artistic side of music but also equipped me with critical knowledge that is essential for navigating the business landscape of the entertainment industry. As a result, I feel more prepared and confident in my ability to contribute e ectively to the music business world, combining my passion for music with a strong foundation in the necessary legal frameworks.

What are you currently engaged in? What motivated you to pursue this specific career path?

I am currently deeply involved in organising and directing a concert titled ‘Dad&Me’, presented by the Korea Herald. This special event features the renowned guitarist Haeun Jang performing duets with her father, who was not only her first guitar teacher but also her musical inspiration. The concert is set to occur in two locations: Seoul and Geoje Island, in mid-June.

This role as a music director is a first for me, and it has been an immensely educational and enriching experience. Every aspect of the concert planning process, from coordination to execution, is providing me with invaluable insights into the music industry. My earlier experiences at NLCS Jeju have also significantly shaped my journey into this field. While I was there, I had the opportunity to lead and run the music society, SONITAS, alongside my peers Kevin and Jay. The unwavering support from Mr. Tamlyn, coupled with the expert teaching and coaching from Mr. Cho and Ms. Kwon, provided numerous performance opportunities that were pivotal in motivating me to pursue a career in the music industry.

Being at the helm of such a significant event has sharpened my leadership and organisational skills, further fueling my ambition to play a pivotal role in the K-pop industry in the future. I am eager to leverage all these experiences to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the growth and innovation of the music scene.

STAFF NEWS

Well done to Ms. Josephine Nalugya (Junior School LA), Mr. Craig Wehrle (ICT Director) and their son, Gideon Sahr (Y4) - who all completed the Jeju Olle trails in May! The 27 Olles total 437kms - making this a wonderful achievement.

Mr. Wehrle added - “Gideon is the first student from Uganda to complete the Jeju Olle Trails. Although it was a tough experience for him, Gideon never complained, especially going up some very steep Oreums. He showed a lot of resilience. While walking the trails he learned some new terms, including flora and fauna. Gideon’s favourite Olle Trail to walk was number 6. During his Jeju Olle Trail Hall of Fame ceremony he said, ‘the experience was great!’ Gideon encourages all of his fellow students to walk the Olle Trails to learn more about the wonderful island of Jeju”.

STAFF NEWS

“An intrepid team of Gaelic Football beginners represented NLCS Jeju at the North Asian Gaelic Games this month. A team representing seven nationalities as part of Inis Jeju, NLCS Jeju went up against teams from Korea, China and Taiwan and despite claiming a maiden victory ended a heroic third place in their group and runners up in their final game.

It was an outstanding day, orchestrated by a fantastic team of GAA veterans and local Koreans who have invited members of NLCS Jeju and made them feel incredibly welcome. The local Inis Jeju Team has been running for two years and has become a superb example of what a genuinely international and inclusive community can look like on our island.

Although those involved are spread across the GEC and beyond, a special mention and thank you is due to our very own Mr. Stephen McKeogh (Head of Jeoji House) and Mr. Jonathan Taylor (Librarian) who are both long standing members of Inis Jeju and instrumental in making the event happen. Mr. McKeogh especially has devoted huge amounts of time and energy recruiting, coaching and building the Inis NLCS team and showed his characteristic selflessness in prioritising the enjoyment and participation of all involved during the event itself.” - Mr. Drew Thomas (Head of Mulchat House)

Mr. Brown has successfully completed Challenge Korea Gunsan, an Ironman distance triathlon, with a time of 10 hours and 50 minutes - This accomplishment has earned him a spot in the World Championship in Germany for 2025.

This event marks the conclusion of Mr. Brown’s “Triple Challenge Challenge” which started back in January in a bid to raise as much money as possible for Pieta.ie who are an organization that provides constanst support to those engaging in self-harm, experiencing suicidal ideation, or bereaved by suicide. Pieta’s work is crucial, and Mr. Brown hopes to attract more donations from the school community to support their services before the end of the term.

Donations are welcomed directly to the fundraising page or via bank transfer

Thank you for your support!

Triple Challenge Challenge

AND FINALLY

VALEDICTORY

Tomorrow we are gathering as a community to celebrate the successes of all our Year 13 students and bid them a fond farewell as they take the next step in their journey - wherever they may be going in the world. We know they will all go on to do great things and contribute positively to the world around them.

We look forward to welcoming their parents and family members to join us at the Valedictory Ceremony, we will share photos soon.