Eyevol28no4

the eye Singapore American High School

Feb. 19, 2009 / Vol. 28 No. 4

Eagles fly far higher than the rest Story by Nora Hanagan

“Open up the gates get the party started”: The Lady Eagles get ready for theiir first game of the IASAS tournament. Singing their traditional pump up song, “Open up the gates”, in front of their home crowd the Eagles prepare to face three-time returning champions ISB in which they would later go on to beat 3-0. Photo by Jessica Nguyen Phuong

Spirit rises among student body with intro of homecoming, video streaming of all IASAS events, and close wins Of eight categories, SAS brought home six gold medals and two silver medals, leaving every other IASAS school in its shadow, but what’s more remarkable was the student body’s response to this season’s success.

Student council representatives have been working to improve school spirit since last year with the introduction of homecoming. Until now, a connected and spirited student body was a faraway dream.

“It was really cool how everyone was really into IASAS this time, not just the athletes and not just rugby – everyone was tuned into all the sports.” junior touch player Melissa Huston said.

Senior Council vice president, Michael Jeong believes that the emphasis and different approach to the pre-IASAS pep rally this year was the biggest catalyst.

“Pep rally was something that we wanted to really stand

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out and be more focused on the players themselves rather than the class rivalry and activities so that the games could be more personal,” Jeong said.

This sudden surge in Eagle pride could also be attributed to the introduction of live streaming from both tennis and swimming in Bangkok as well as basketball in Taipei. “[The streaming] was really cool because we could congratulate all the players when they came back but it meant more because we had actually seen them play, even if they weren’t at home,” senior Olivia Pickering said.

The streaming was the center of attention in the Student Council room where on Thursday and Friday of last week, fans sat engrossed in anything from the 100m back to a last-minute free throw.

Meanwhile, on home turf, most SAS students didn’t know much about rugby or touch, but agreed that the games didn’t fail to entertain.

“Watching the games was so much fun and [the crowd] was definitely the most spirited I’ve ever seen. People really got into it,” Pickering added.

This was apparent in the number of spectators at the games both during school and after, the combination of an enthusiastic

student body, as well as a majority of teachers letting their students out of class to watch the games.

Watching the hard tackles, diving touches and wellcrafted tries, inspired many students. “ Yeah, [seeing the games] definitely made me want to play rugby. It looked really exciting and intense,” senior Alex Casella said.

Girl’s touch coach Bill Hanagan expects an increase in the number of girls trying out for touch after so many were able to see how fun the sport and the team can be.

What may concern next year’s team though, is the marginal wins and close finals that prevailed in almost every sport. Boy’s basketball snatched gold from under TAS’ noses by a mere one point lead, girl’s touch reclaimed victory by a single try in the last minute, and boy’s swim held on to their winning streak with a strong finish in the final relay; these Eagles epitomized the phrase, it isn’t over till its over.

So just when IASAS alumni and players thought that Eagle athletics were beginning to slip, this season’s players proved that our SAS athletic power-house is not going down without a fight.

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OBAMA INAUGURATION

Worldwide audience welcomes prospect of the first U.S. African-American president

Decoding

“OBAMA-MANIA”

paned window instead of the actual

by See Young Lee As the record-high number of door. However, the media took little one million people gathered at the note of this rookie mistake.

Even the public, which is National Mall to hear Obama’s inaugural speech testifies, the new usually apathetic toward political President of the United States is issues, have proven to be protective of Obama during the campaign. dearly loved by everyone.

Much controversy about The inauguration his Arabic middle name that took place on were countered by the the 20th of January Obamamaniacs, who reminded me not at all changed their middle name of the inauguration that to “Hussein” on Facebook occurred eight years ago. to show solidarity with The boos and protests their candidate. that filled Pennsylvania “Obamaism” is not Avenue eight years ago See Young Lee merely contained within were replaced by chants and heartfelt welcomes. Moreover, American society. From Africa there were no awkward dance to Asia, the election of Obama is moves like the ones that Bush treated as the subject of wonder and danced beside Ricky Martin, who, admiration. In places like Korea, in a concert held a few years later, souvenirs like Obama T-shirts and stuck out his middle finger when bags have created a trend of their he sang the president’s name in his own.

Why is this so? Is it his song “Asignatura Pendiente” to charismatic charm and eloquent mock his decision on Iraq.

Even the media was unkind to oratory skills that attracts so many of this former president, subjecting what we call “Obamamaniacs”? Or itself wholly to acrimony during is it his skin color, which epitomizes his time in office. As one of the the country’s long-sought ideal of infamous examples for the media’s equality? Or, are people simply ruthlessness toward Bush, when relieved to witness Bush, who has he struggled with a locked door in been admittedly unloved by many making a hasty exit from a press for the past few years, exiting the conference in Beijing a few years political stage?

Either way, it points to American back, the media made jests at this honest mistake, even stretching optimism is essential in time of such this happening to criticize his exit hardship. Though we cannot be assured just yet as to how Obama’s strategy for Iraq.

But when it comes to Obama, presidency will turn out, it would the media cannot be more generous. not be unreasonable to hold high Recently, Obama, on his way back hopes for the advent of a new era. seeyoung.eye@gmail.com to the Oval Office, approached a

by Akhilesh Pant On a cold winter morning, in a distant capital nearly 10,000 miles away, a new president arrived at a podium and many people, even in Singapore, stayed up well into the morning to be a part of it.

On Jan. 20, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. With expectations for his speech sky high, the tone was responsible and optimistic, with less exclamations than most spectators were expecting. His point was clear: America is in a time of trouble and that under his leadership, Americans need to “pick themselves up, dust themselves off and begin again the work of remaking America.”

“I think a lot of people were expecting a speech that would go down in history as the greatest or one of the great inaugural addresses,” junior Ishan Misra said. “But it was an intelligent speech and I, for one, think it made an impact.”

To say the least, this inauguration was of an entirely new type. The emphasis on the new AfricanAmerican leadership was pronounced and though tradition was still very much a part of it, an air of modern change could not help but intervene.

At the pre-inauguration concert two days before, artists such as Bruce Springsteen, U2, Beyonce, John Legend and Usher praised Obama.

At the inauguration, poet Elizabeth Alexander, singer Aretha Franklin, Dr. Rick Warren and Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery all made a

presence and added to the AfricanAmerican theme of the inauguration and to this important landmark in American history.

“People forget that he’s only half black,” senior Emily Brotman said. “I don’t think that the inauguration was too ‘African –American themed,’ but I do think it really showed America’s diversity.”

Reverend Lowery’s benediction at the conclusion of the inauguration echoed the new attitude that characterized the event.

“We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery prayed.

“Throughout the inauguration, I was thinking to myself that this inauguration was so different from any in the past,” senior Alex Hoffer said. “There was something new, modern and comforting about the whole day, and I liked it.”

Clearly, spectators could feel the aura of change, whether physically present or watching on TV, at noon in Washington or at 1 a.m. in Singapore. Obama’s message continued throughout the inauguration, with the idea of a new race taking up responsibility for America and that very idea being displayed in the inauguration of the new president.

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Despite early concerns, Interim Semester good to go

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Closely watched trips: A number of interim trips faced the usual threats of political turmoil, but all is well as students head for Changi and adventure .Camels carry students on the Jordan interim to their desert camp in Wadi Rum. Students pause for a group picture in front of Luxor’s Karnak Temple. Annapurna Trek students atop Poon Hill, the highst point reached on their Himalayan trek. Photos from 2008 Islander yearbook.

by Mila Rusafova In November, terrorists wreaked havoc in Mumbai and protesters paralyzed the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Today’s news is dominated by the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza.

Natural disasters, crime and war sometimes threaten some of SAS’s Interim trips. While parents worry about the safety of their children, teachers, administrators and tour agents scramble to find alternative trips as they monitor the constantly changing world situation.

Trips are heading to India, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, South Africa, Egypt and Jordan, all of which are potential trouble spots. Currently Nepal, Israel, Pakistan and Zimbabwe are all on the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings list. Visitors are urged to travel with caution and stay clear of high-risk areas.

The threat of crime is high in both Nepal and South Africa, and there was some concern about the high percentage of Palestinians who make up the Jordanian population, many of them refugees from Gaza, but Deputy Principal Doug Neihart

was always optimistic that all the trips would run.

“As of today, we’re going 100 percent with the plans that we made,” Neihart three weeks ago.

Trip sponsors were cautious in early planning though. Jordan sponsor Mark Clemens said he looked into alternative trips lest the situation between Israel and Palestine adversely affect Jordan.

Paris, Rome and Prague were viable options.

The administration looked into alternatives for several country trips, including some to India. Staff

was placed on standby to be able to activate the trips in a moment’s notice based on plane seat availability.

“Ideally, we would like to simulate something close to what students signed up for,” Neihart said of alternative trip choices.

While parents and teachers were worrying about the safety of SAS students, most students did not believe their trips would be affected.

Those who feared cancellations admitted they would be disappointed, but would understand and support the school’s decision.

“It’s great if the trip works

out,” senior Lucas Pipoli signed up for Jordan said, “but if the schools decides it’s not safe, I’d rather go somewhere else than be in danger.”

The last month before Interim, the school remained vigilant monitoring world affairs by keeping track of both the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory and SOS International updates online.

“We are not out of the woods till people are on the plane,” Neihart said.

But with a few days left before students are scheduled to leave, the situation looks reassuring.

TALKING TATTOO: For many youths, new age welcomes new style

Senior Billy Fulton’s latest tattoo (left) is marked by spiritual illustrations, similar to Patrick Bousky’s (top) tattoo image sceptre-carrying lion. Photos by Kenneth Evans

by Aashna Chopra Last September, sophomore Sofia Van Tilburg got a tattoo of the Buddhist goddess Tara on the back of her neck. Tara, the goddess of liberation, represents the virtues of sucess in work and achievements.

Just three months later, she tattooed her name on her foot.

“I think we’re going into a new age,” Van Tilburg said. “Tattoos are becoming more common.”

As tattoos break out from associations with a low culture into the mainstream, increasing numbers of students are inking their bodies, some acting on impulse and others after careful consideration. While there is increased social acceptance of people with tattoos, some still approach it with caution.

Mario Sylvander, who joined the counseling department in 2006, has two tattoos, one on each ankle. His

first is a Maori tattoo that represents three generations of his family tree.

Although he agrees that tattoos are more common nowadays, he said some people still stereotype people with tattoos as being undesirable.

“The image is in the mind of the beholder, some of whom would not interact with the person with a tattoo,” Sylvander said. “If you have a tattoo, you need to be oblivious to that.”

Senior Billy Fulton got his first tattoo when he was 13. He got a G-Unit tattoo on his stomach, which he had chosen impulsively because he was into the rap scene at the time. His parents disapproved, so he had to go through a painful removal process.

“It really hurt,” Fulton said.

“Even after applying the anesthetic, it hurt twice as much as getting the tattoo.”

Fulton recently got another tattoo of a cross on his back. He said that he carefully thought about getting it a year before getting the tattoo.

“A cross is something I wouldn’t mind having for the rest of my life,” Fulton said. “It is on my back, so not everyone can see it.”

After his experience with his first tattoo, Fulton feels that a person should think carefully about the meaning of the tattoo chooses, especially if that person has a bad reputation. He said that getting a tattoo could fuel speculation.

Sophomores Retika Majed and Serena Mirchandani feel that tattoos are “cool” but not appropriate for them. Majed said that religion is a key factor in her decision to not get a tattoo while Mirchandani feels that the permanence of a tattoo is potentially embarrassing.

“I don’t want to be a mom and have a random tattoo,” Mirchandani said. “It might stretch and get ugly, or I might just stop liking it.”

Vice Principal Doug Neihart said that tattoo’s permanence has prevented him from getting one although he has considered getting it in the past. He says that tattoos are becoming increasingly common among the youth.

“Back when I was in high school, the people who had tattoos were those who were predominantly incarcerated,” Neihart said. “It was part of prison culture.”

While Neihart believes that having a tattoo is a personal choice and that people should not be judged , students should keep them covered because the “whole dress expectation is to project a smart, casual look.” lesiuk.eye@gmail.com

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Gaza-Israel conflict inspires strong reactions

I don’t want to live in a world where children are killed for no reason.

Where Gold is a luxury, and so is freedom.

I don’t want to live in a world where women are killed for nothing they have done.

Do they feel any sympathy for them? No, none.

I don’t want to live in a world that’s so barbaric.

If I had the freedom of the whole wide world, I wouldn’t hesitate to share it.

I don’t want to live in a world where children are robbed from their precious childhood.

If I could give them mine, I would.

I don’t want to live in a world with no values, no respect.

Will the killing stop if their needs are met?

I don’t want to live in a world where children cry because they’ve lost their parents.

I thought we were human, I thought we had morals, I wonder where it all went.

I don’t want to live in a world where liberty is something you have to pay a price for.

Just imagine what the people of Gaza go through, it shook me to my deepest core.

I don’t want to live in a world where dreams can easily be shattered.

Where religion and family are nothing, they don’t even matter.

I don’t want to live in the world I’m living in.

I wake up every morning and think, where do I begin?

What about their lives, their future, their children?

Is murdering considered victory now? Because if it is, I never want to win.

I wish I could hold Gaza’s hand, squeeze it, tell them it’s going to be okay.

And hope that I’ll be strong enough to believe my own words someday.

This poem was written by Nada Abdul Ghaffar, a 16-year-old student living in Saudi Arabia. In an email to the Eye, Ghaffar said she wrote the poem because she “wanted girls [her] age to imagine what it would be like living there (in Gaza), in a place where your dreams can easily be robbed from you in a second.”

Saudi students decry Israel’s disproportionate response in Gaza “I’ve never been this passionate about what’s going on in Palestine, but I think it’s very important for girls my age to be aware of what’s going on there,” Ghaffar said.

Ghaffar said she is thankful for being able to look at the Gaza crisis

died for nothing? Do they really think Palestine will not fight back?”

Gaza conflict piece of much larger puzzle

Illustration for The Eye by Nanami Oki without being influenced by the media. Another Saudi student, Jamil Sbitan, strongly condemned the actions of Israel in another email.

“In my opinion, it is quite clear who the wrong side of the situation is, and quite frankly it is Israel.” Sbitan said.

“The U.N. is now furious with Israel, as is the entire world, not only did they neglect their resolution and continued firing but they also bombed their UNRWA schools. Israel has clearly broken the International Humanitarian Law,” Sbitan added.

Debate rages on about the political

SAS Alumni in Israel say Israel had little choice costs of Israel’s recent invasion of the Gaza Strip. Caroline Hai, an SAS alumnus living in Israel, thinks differently.

“There have been rockets shooting from the Gaza strip into Israeli towns aimed towards civilians. And after eight years of almost no retaliation the Israeli government had total right to protect its civilians,” Hai said.

Gal Benron, an SAS alumnus who has served in the Israeli Navy, explained that the cities located near Gaza have been riddled with missiles for eight years, routinely interrupted by missile alarms.

“Israel started this operation in

order to restore life in those cities to its normal state. I think Israel’s actions are indeed aggressive, but when you live with daily bombings for eight years, you have to take a strong standpoint,” Benron said.

All those interviewed by email agreed that the best resolution for the situation was a cease-fire, but they were skeptical whether it would alleviate the situation or not.

“I wish, but I find it hard to believe,” Benron said.

“As long as the extremist Hamas movement is in charge, they will not rest until they wipe out the Zionist Conqueror --pardon my drama-- but that’s exactly what they say.”

“The cease fire will only last

People skeptical about cease-fire and talks for a short time. It’s not going to do anything for the long term,” SAS sophomore Avi Talwar said. He said the reason there are so many civilian casualties is because Hamas insurgents were using civilians as “shields,” and are hiding in civilian households in the Gaza strip.

In a Jan. 19, 2009 New York Times article, Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian journalist and former professor of journalism at Princeton University, said that there appears to be no serious effort to start a political process addressing the demands of

the Gazan fighters.

When asked what they think Israel and Palestine should do, Talwar and SAS sophomore Iby Shalabi, said the war should stop, and that Israel should leave Palestine. Sbitan said that the majority of the population in Palestine supports Hamas, and that innocent civilian casualties will increase as long as Israel keeps attacking the Gaza strip with artillery and rockets.

Senior Tolley St. Clair agrees with Talwar and Shalabi that the violence should stop.

“They need to stop fighting. The [conflict] needs to be over,” St. Clair said.

“Israel is standing up for themselves, doing what other nations would do,” St. Clair said.

Some students think Israel is an aggressor and needs to stop its attacks.

“I’m upset, disappointed and disgusted,” senior Kais Yusuf said. Yusuf felt that the actions of Israel did not effectively target Hamas insurgents, as was Israel’s proclaimed intention, but instead caused numerous civilian casualties.

Ghaffar, the student poet, agreed with Yusuf.

“Not only do I think it’s cruel, barbaric and heartless, I think it’s meaningless, because what if they never get what they want?” Ghaffar said. “Is it fair that all these people

The conflict is not restricted only to the people of Gaza.

“My parents used to live in Palestine, but they moved to Jordan three years ago because of the conflict,” junior Iby Shalabi said.

Aside from the Gaza strip occupation issue, Hamas and the Israeli government have been arguing over fundamental matters, especially Hamas’s refusal to recognize Israel as a state.

“Israel should be recognized. I don’t see Hamas saying that, but I hope they will,” St. Clair said.

Hai agreed, saying she does not expect them to recognize Israel as a state, but that she hopes Hamas will stop its terrorist attacks.

Sbitan thought that Hamas did not have any reason to recognize Israel, especially considering that Israel does not recognize Hamas as a legitimate force either.

“Israel clearly took its land by force around 61 years ago in 1948.

They stole a people’s land and claimed it [as] theirs and all they did was cause trouble,” Sbitan said.

Benron said that Hamas should acknowledge that Israel was not going to perish.

“We’ve been here for 61 years.

We’re not going anywhere. It is time they face it, but because they operate according to the extremist Islam, and not with accordance to international politic standards, they will never recognize our country.”

Sbitan believes that the conflict has worsened after the Israeli offense in Gaza.

“Actually, I think the IsraelHamas relations have become much worse after this conflict. All Israel did in this war was make things worse for itself like eradicating its moral image in the world,” Sbitan said.

Yusuf believes that other governments, particularly the U.S, should stay out of the conflict.

“More support to Israel is not going to stop the conflict, it’s going to encourage it. Pulling out of the Middle East is better,” Yusuf said.

“Singapore is allied with the U.S, so they support Israel. That kind of upsets me, ” Talwar said. lee.eye@gmail.com

Soda consumption climbs with Ice Mountain water ban

by Philip Anderson Ice Mountain was once the main source of drinking water for high school students until it was banned from all high school food outlets. Of 122 students surveyed, 58 percent claim to be drinking more carbonated and packaged drinks.

“I definitely have been drinking more because the only options for me now are iced tea and sodas,” junior Kathryn Tinker said.

Since May, 2008, Ice Mountain water bottles have not been sold in any high school food outlets in an effort by SAVE club to reduce plastic waste in the high school. SAVE says they stopped the selling of Ice Mountain bottles for three reasons: most of the plastic waste of SAS

came from water bottles, the Ice Mountain bottles leak polyethylene and bisphenol A when overused, and Ice Mountain water is regular Singapore tap water.

SAVE and the Booster Booth started selling SIGG Bottles as an alternative to buying plastic bottles.

In a December survey of 122 students and teachers, 26 percent said they had bought SIGG bottles, and of those, only half still used their SIGG bottles daily.

Drinking a large quantities of soda can cause serious health issues.

School nurse Marni Barlow warned that drinking more soft drinks can contribute to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

“Lots of people think only food

can make you fat, so they don’t realize how much sugar there is in drinks,” freshman Andrew Milne said.

Freshmen Scott Rozen-Levy and Milne believe water should be made more available.

“If there was [bottled water] in the cafeteria more people would drink it. Having to go outside to get water makes people not want water as much,” Rozen-Levy said.

Increasing accessibility of tap water was one of the goals of SAVE. Five new water fountains were installed throughout the campus. Four were installed near the bathrooms in the science wing and one in the cafeteria.

SAVE did not want to completely

remove water from the school because student athletes need water in order to rehydrate themselves.

“Student athletes, especially in the tropics, should always go to electrolytic drinks or water, and not sodas, because sodas have too much sugar,” SAVE club sponsor Martha Beagan said.

Ice Mountain water bottles can still be found around school in the vending machines under the stands, next to the track and outside the bottom floor of the cafeteria. Though 60 percent of surveyed students say they want to see the return of Ice Mountain water bottles at school, the truth is they never left. They just made themselves harder to find. anderson.eye@gmail.com

According to an EYE survey, 58 percent drink more carbonated drinks since the water ban. Photo by Kenneth Evans.

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REJECTION THERAPY

by Nicholas Lesiuk Colleges are beginning to make or break the long-held dreams of the students who applied to them.

Elite colleges boast of the number of applicants rejected compared to last year, which makes their condolences all the more disingenuous. In the past students have alleviated the sting of rejection through innovative exercises like class rejection therapy.

In Boston, Newton South High School psychology class students brought their rejection letters to class and rated the “worst” rejection letter. There was even a prize for the student with the most rejections.

While it might be a bit early for classes here to try this since most seniors won’t hear back until April, there are still the letters from early action or decision, and letters from past years as well.

After a brief reading, the letters seem somewhat sincere, but after the sixth letter it all starts to blur together in a litany of excuses about class size and the record of number of applicants, and end with a familiar apology. They all profess regret, but the only thing regretful about them is the disappointing lack of variety.

Unfortunately students may be seeing a lot more of the rejection letter since the application process is more competitive. As you may have heard, the class of ’09 has the unlucky distinction of being

Rules for writing a rejection letter 1) Let the reader know that you have carefully considered their application.

2) Regretfully inform them of your decision. Regret is important 3) Follow with superfluous fluff that doesn’t really matter anyway because the reader is most likely in a mild state of shock, or too dejected to read on.

A DAY AT THE FAIR

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those thin envelopes bearing bad news are often artless and insensitive in their wording

photo by Kenny Evans

one of the biggest classes that has applied in years, and will suffer the most rejections - especially from the “elite” colleges. Now it seems unreasonable for applicants to not receive at least one rejection from one of their colleges.

The Boston Examiner article two years ago highlighted the “worst” of these rejection letters. Students at Boston’s Newton South High

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School had sessions during class and categorized them into superlativeesque categories.

Cornell ranked head and shoulders above others in the “stating the painfully obvious” category.

After rejecting the applicant they assure them that they “understand this is not the decision you were hoping to receive,” which seems a bit unnecessary to say at the least.

Cornell also took the prize for “biggest rejection overkill.” They rejected the applicant not just once, but twice in the short six sentences.

After revealing they were unable to offer admission they smack the applicant with the painfully obvious and tell her or him that they “will not be considering your application again during the regular decision process.”

As a rule of thumb, when you open the dreaded thin envelope and it starts off with how “carefully the college considered your application,” there’s a good chance it’s a rejection.

Some colleges, however, have made it easier for students who do not understand the nuances of the art of the rejection letter. The prize for “least amount of words before you know your rejected” goes to Washington University who managed to trim the amount of words needed down to one. They begin the letter with “Despite” and then proceed to finish the rejection in the same sentence.

Finally the prize for “total insensitivity” goes to Boston University who used the exact same rejection letter for each student, but could not even be bothered to edit it and instead they just photocopied the same sheet and typed the names in later.

Being rejected is never a pleasant

experience, but seniors at SAS seem to have a positive outlook. Senior Amit Parekh was rejected from Cambridge, but he maintains his optimism.

“I was somewhat disappointed at first but not too much,” said Parekh.

“There are a lot of qualified people applying to that school, and just because I got rejected there doesn’t mean I won’t get in anywhere else.”

Other students were more frustrated in their response. A male senior was rejected by Emmanuel College.

“They have made a huge mistake.

It’s their loss not mine,” he said.

Some take solace in the fact that they have already been accepted into other colleges. Senior Alex Casella had already been accepted into one of his top choices by the time he received the deferral from Northeastern.

“I was sort of disappointed, but I got into another school which I really like, so I’m not as worried.”

Ultimately all said that the rejections did not affect them in the long run. By now many are starting to hear back from other colleges with positive responses and this eases the pain.

Parekh seemed to have the best technique for dealing with it.

“I just deleted the emails and forgot about it, learned not to care.” lesiuk.eye@gmail.com

The annual PTA County Fair benefitted 42 high school clubs who sold food, ran rides and entertained the SAS community in a day of fun on Valentine’s Day.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP • Middle-school PE teacher Peter Cuthbert takes a fall for charity in one of two dunk tanks. Photo by Claire Chan • Senior Natalie Tan sketches a portrait of a primary-schooler as part of a fund-rasing effort by the National Art Honor Society • Intermediate art teacher Kelly McFadzen and daughter Lilly watch the action at Film Society’s Bouncy Castle booth.

• An intermediate school boy emerges on one of the four inflated ‘playground’ benefitting the Junior Class.

• A young engineer in training on the short-run train sponsored by SAS’ Boy Scouts troop.

• A polite nod and smile in the middle of the bumper boat pond.

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos by Jessica Nguyen Phuong

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opinion & editorial features Think I’ll eat a worm: veteran Eagles athlete takes it personally

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Audiences demand consensus and simple truth from media

Increasing media coverage has made world events accessible to those who can afford a cable, an Internet connection, a radio. CNN, BBC, Fox, and other major news channels usually claim to have comprehensive coverage and provide students a well of information to draw from when forming opinions of world events.

While beneficial for alerting students of world events, too many of us are quick to make the mistake of relying solely on the pre-packaged snippets of information we hear as we walk out the door on the way to school. Like good little sheep-les, we stop when we have hit the surface of the issue, and through laziness or ignorance, neglect to delve deeper.

Basing opinions solely on these video clips and sound bites, creates a lazy populace, and this in turn breeds ill-informed, armchair activism.

Ask most anyone who they sided with in the Gaza-Israel conflict a few months ago, and they most likely would have said Israel. But the brief Israeli occupation of Gaza demolished more than Palestinian homes and U.N. compounds. As reports aired of the Palestinian casualties that reportedly included 315 children as of January 14, people’s sympathies shifted towards Palestine.

“Free Palestine” statuses on Facebook started popping up, and just searching for “stop Israel” brings up 130 groups. While not trying to demean grassroots activism, it would be nice if such passion could be sustained. Major news networks have shifted their lenses towards newer and more exciting conflicts since the unilateral ceasefire. Surveys measure our boredom and the hourly Gaza newsflashes diminish.

As the dust settles, it’s a struggle to choose a side in this complex conflict. Yes, the Israeli’s acted with what some call a disproportionate response, attacking mostly civilian targets, and killed many civilians, an estimated third of the 1,000 casulties are children. Israelis say they were only acting in response to continued missile attacks from Hamas militants who were in turn reacting to aggressive policies enacted by hawkish leaders.

It is not a simple story. This pattern of push and shove can be traced back to 1948 when Israel was first recognized as a Jewish nation, or if you are religious, to ancient times when the Holy Land was promised to them by God. The disconcerting part is that even with all the atrocities and evils committed by both sides you might think a single truth might emerge from the very attentive coverage that could point to a clear antagonist and a clear protagonist. But there isn’t.

Comic Reliefs by JIA

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Singapore American High School 40 Woodlands Street 41 Republic of Singapore 738547 Phone: (65) 6363-3404 Fax: (65) 6363-6443 eye@sas.edu.sg

Editors-in-chief: Jon Cheng (senior editor), Hee Soo Chung, Melissa Huston News editor: Nick Lesiuk Op/Ed editor: Alex Lim Features editor: Ann Lee, Mila Rusafova Eye In Focus editor: Maria Lloyd A&E editor: DJ Hartman, Jennie Park Sports editor: Nora Hanagan, Caroline Hui Photographers: Kenny Evans, Maria Lloyd, Melissa Huston Reporters: Philip Anderson, Lil Cadieux-Shaw, Jon Cheng, Aashna Chopra, Hee Soo Chung, Kenny Evans, Nora Hanagan, DJ Hartman, Caroline Hui, Melissa Huston, Ann Lee, Steffi Lee, See Young Lee, Nick Lesiuk, Alex Lim, Maria Lloyd, Haani Mazari, Akhilesh Pant, Jennie Park, Mila Rusafova, JD Ward Adviser: Mark Clemens Assistant adviser: Judy Agusti

The Eye is the student newspaper of the Singapore American School. All opinions stated within these pages are those of their respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Singapore American School, its board of governors, PTA, faculty or administration.

Comments and suggestions can be sent to the Eye via the Internet at eye@sas.edu.sg.

At the author’s request, names can be withheld from publication.

Letters will be printed as completely as possible. The Eye reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of taste and space.

Nora Hanagan

IASAS competitiors inevitably joint hands to cheer long, loud and rude against any Eagles’ team

As we took the field for the final game, the sidelines were lined with fans from every IASAS school all cheering for one team – not SAS. We’re the school everyone loves to hate: the big, bad, winning machine with little actual skill and even less humility.

The remarkable resentment that is exclusively aimed at SAS is a phenomenon I’ve experienced first hand since my freshman year.

Before every track IASAS coach Jim Baker always reminds us: everyone wants to beat SAS – it doesn’t matter if it’s for 10th place, beating an SAS runner is the equivalent of at least a medal for every other school. We’re the merciless tyrants and they will jump on any opportunity to dethrone us.

What feeds this inherent hatred for the Eagles? The hatred that caused participants in IASAS track 2007 to surround our team while we stretched – mocking our 25-year-old tradition all the while. The hatred that compelled the ISM soccer team

to derisively jump beside us during our team cheer or their inappropriate use of derogatory terms throughout the final match. The hatred that sees every IASAS school lined up on the sidelines of any SAS game, all cheering for the other team regardless of who it is.

My few friends from IASAS that have managed to look beyond my ignominious school ties have slipped one our two theories about why we are the ultimate antichrist of IASAS. “Well you’re the biggest,” they say, “so obviously you get way more athletes to choose from.”

This is the first leak in their pool of preconceptions. Though SAS does have more students, we have the same number of athletes trying out for varsity teams as well as participating in the entire athletic program.

One ISKL coach even complained, “We’ve only got enough to barely fill a varsity and JV girls soccer team, you guys must have to

Third culture kids picked for Obama’s cabinet Akhilesh Pant

With TCKs in key posts, including the top job, U.S. may take less parochial, belicose stance in relations with friends and foes

Take the average American and ask them to imagine living in Indonesia, Singapore, perhaps even Hawaii. To us, the image comes easily, but to the millions that voted for President Obama, the idea of the so-called “third-culture kid” is foreign in more ways than one.

For the first time in American history, the citizens of the United States have elected a president who is not only the first of his race, but the first of his culture – the third culture.

The third culture kid, or TCK, is one who has lived in a culture other than the one of their birth for an extended period of time. The third culture is the blend of those two cultures. Studies have found that TCKs are more comfortable with other TCKs than they are with their own countrymen.

Like Obama, many of us can say that we have lived in at least one foreign culture long enough to feel out of the loop when returning to America.

“Singapore was my first experience living outside of the US and even though I was only there for a semester, I had some trouble adjusting to my old school in Connecticut,” former SAS student Nashoba Santhanam said. “There’s something about living abroad and being exposed to other cultures that makes it harder to relate to people that have lived in America all their lives.”

Ruth E. Van Reken, author of “Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds” recently wrote in the online “Daily Beast” that TCKs “share certain emotional and psychological traits that may exert great influence in the new administration.”

Van Reken says that the body of studies devoted to TCKs produce a classic profile of “someone with a global perspective who is socially adaptable and intellectually flexible.

He or she is quick to think outside the box and can appreciate and reconcile different points of view. Beyond whatever diversity in background or appearance a TCK may bring to the party, there is a diversity of thought as well.President Obama has included like-minded people in his cabinet, of course, which means a number of TCKs. Unofficially labeled as the “Third Culture Cabinet,” Obama’s team includes White House advisor Valerie Jarrett who lived in Tehran and London for much of her childhood, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, raised in East Africa, India, Thailand, China and Japan along with his National Security Advisor James L. Jones who was raised in Paris.

turn away tons of girls.”

We would love to have that problem but every year we accept every player who tries out, sometimes even having to open the JV team to middle school players.

Which brings us to their next fallacy – that SAS is some athletically crazed school that cares very little about academics. I’m sure many coaches wish that were the order of priorities at SAS, but little do they know that academics take far greater precedence, and that we’re not just a school filled to the brim with dumb jocks.

Of course, I have my own theory about the origins of our supposed impiety - spite. There’s no denying that SAS does have the strongest winning history. This season alone, other schools had to hold their tongues as SAS took home a gold and two silvers in every category.

We’ve got a knack for winning but the reason behind our success is clouded by misconceptions bred from jealousy and resentment. We win because we work hard. We win because we have dedicated coaches.

We win because our students take everything they do seriously and with consistent dedication. But we certainly did not fill our awards display just by being “bigger”. hanagan.eye@gmail.com

A president who can empathize more effectively with other nations and other peoples just might be able to mend some of the relations that were damaged in the last eight years. It can’t beAcademically, disputed that one as an Asian,greatest of the Bush administration’s expect weaknesses was teachers foreign policy.

Not me to be only did Americamore initiate a “war studious, on particularly terror” p.r. campaign (and let terms math and but it like “axis of evil”infly around), sicence also started a real- war in Iraq during Claire Chen George W. Bush’s presidency.

Growing numbersof people in other lands detest America and its ideals more than ever before. It may take many more years than Obama has to completely alleviate the tension.

It would be too unrealistic and unreasonable a thought to expect North Korea or the entire Middle East to come running in praise of America, but common sense would suggest that a group of internationally-experienced leaders would be able to better handle the sort of negotiation that is needed.

“Most Americans probably don’t care as much about foreign cultures and people like us are rare, but I really think it’s important to have someone like Obama that can understand the world from a different perspective,” junior Alvi Hasan said.

“Obama is definitely American, but he has a little bit of a twist that only people living abroad like us can understand.”

With hundreds of SAS students heading back to the United States every year, many feel that having a president (and a cabinet) that can empathize with the “global” citizen could be helpful not only to the expatriate students, but to the progress of the nation as a whole.

“I feel really lucky that Obama was elected the year I head off to college,” senior John Hardee said.

“I’m a little worried about relating to most American kids, but at least I’ll know that the president himself was kind of like me.” pant.eye@gmail.com

features

Singapore American School

The Eye

SAVE ENERGY, SAVE THE WORLD STYLER STAR

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Feb. 19 2009

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SAS student, swimmer lives double-life as high-fashion model

by Lil Cadieux-Shaw

Bamboo, volcanic rock and mud replace steel girders and concrete blocks at the new Green School in Bali, Indonesia.

This isn’t a small one-classroom affair. The four buildings of this ecologically sustainable, International Bacculareate school sits on eight hectares of land.

Electricity is supplied by micro hydro power and solar panels, and the campus is completely outdoors, but they’ve gone to more detail than this. The cafeteria trays are made out of bamboo, and the plates are banana The classrooms in Bali’s Green School are made of au-naturel materials. leaves. There are organic vegetable gardens, edible mazes, even an and lights are often turned on for investment is huge, and signs organic chocolate factory. as little as an hour on Saturday, of payback (that is, solar energy “We want children to develop and then again for another hour on replacing normal electricity costs) spiritual awareness and emotional Sunday. The Facilities office hopes would take 10-20 years. Thomas intuition, and to encourage them to to minimize the current amount of Bynum, who initially proposed solar be in awe of life’s possibilities. This weekend energy consumption. panels to the administration two will be our legacy,” founder John Efforts into reducing school- years ago, explains the dilemma the Hardy said. wide consumption can be done school board faces.

While not as extensively green as with a few small adjustments. The “While the current environmental the Balinese Green School, SAS has administration hired a few technicians crisis has lead to an interest in already saved $108, 000 (that is 399, to go into each classroom and disable alternative energies, today’s 000 kilowatts per hour) on energy half of the overhead lights. There technologies really aren’t ready to this school year alone. Anthony have been relatively few complaints; meet the demands of a facility as Wong, Director of the Facilities and Jerry Szombathy of the Tech Lab large as SAS,” Bynum says. “Until Services office describes the results says that there is still ‘plenty of the solar panel industry improves its of their new ‘aggressive’ campaign. light to work comfortably’. The air- efficiency, or the board is willing to Energy consumption has decreased con problem, however, is one that take a drop in income, it looks like by 3 percent this semester, compared is slightly more difficult to tackle. SAS will keep its roof bare.” to last year’s data. SAS consumed Mr. Szombathy explains that if the Wong hopes that the Singapore 1, 208, 128 kilowatts of energy per degree of the air-con were raised government will step in and lend hour in October of last year. This just one degree, untold amounts of a hand. Singapore is efficient in October, SAS has consumed 994, dollars could be saved. However, cutting down gas consumption; 902 kilowatts. That’s a 21.6 percent the thermostat is controlled by only one in 10 people own a car reduction in energy consumption. each teacher according to his or her in Singapore, compared to eight in This improvement is mostly due to preferences.The Facilities office, 10 in the US. High petrol and car the measures the administration has understanding that air-con takes up prices allow for Singapore to be one taken to save energy and money. most of the consumption costs, is of the rare wealthy countries that The biggest problem for the looking into ways to optimize this also has low automobile emissions.

Facilities and Services department energy waste.

However, Singapore has been behind is reducing air-conditioning usage.

Each year, the ideas get broader in regulating individual building Currently, air-con takes up 50- and more feasible. However, the consumption. Singapore seems to 55 percent of all consumption. things SAS can do depend entirely be a generally eco-friendly city; Unfortunately, due to SAS’s on payback. If $100 000 is invested however, according to chairman of ongoing extracurricular activities to replace current lights with lower the People’s Action Party Dr. Teo and bookings for other events, there energy-consuming lights, the new Ho Pin, “there’s still a mindset that is rarely a time that the facilities can lights would pay for themselves in being green is inconvenient”. turn off the air-con for very long. two years. However, some possible Pin says, “At the end of the Sports events, gym activities and waste-saving additions are being day, real change will come only plays all need air-con, and because debated about whether they would be when Singapore lives and breathes they are not evenly distributed worthwhile investments. One such is a ‘green culture’”. SAS needs to throughout the week, the Facilities the installation of solar panels. take the initiative and embrace this office finds itself turning the energy While solar panels are beneficial trend. on weekends and all through the seemingly entirely appropriate due shaw.eye@gmail.com night. Wong explains how aircon to Singapore’s climate, the initial

Admissions rates hold in tough times

by Lil Cadieux Shaw While families in the U.S. experience massive lay-offs, decreased college funds and sometimes even bankruptcy and homelessness, the American community in Singapore has remained relatively stable so far.

As others feel the effects of the massive credit-loss, SAS admissions numbers have remained consistent.

The four schools accepted 175 new students in January of 2009, a slightly larger increase than last year’s. While 135 students have left, that there are still long waiting lists at some grade levels. Current enrolment is at capacity with 3825 students.

Fewer teachers have left the faculty that usual; 94 percent of

the faculty will be returning for the upcoming school year.

“Our second semester enrollment has reached near-capacity levels,” Dr. Brent Mutsch, school superintendant, told parents and staff in a recent email. “[We] are preparing for what we anticipate to be the potential impact of the economic downturn,” Dr. Mutsch wrote.

Beth Gribbon, SAS director of communications, said that if one uses history as a guide, SAS may expect to see a dip in enrolment in a year or so, just as they did a year after the Asian Economic Crisis of 1997-1998.

While the negative effects have not been seen yet, the administration is wary of predicting blue skies, and is focused on maintaing a sense of

135 students left a smaller number than last year

normality.

“At this time of uncertainty, it is important that the school represent a place of continuity and consistency for the students,” Dr. Mutsch said.

138

December departures

178

January admissions

3825

Total enrollment *enrollment in all four divisions cadieux.eye@gmail.com

by Jon Cheng Audition-day jitters best described senior Kirstie Parkinson’s experience as she tensely waited for her turn. For almost an hour, she sat watching dozens of girls before her strike different poses in front of the camera.

That audition was for a Warner Brothers Pictures ad – Parkinson’s first foray into a major modeling stint as an eighth-grader. She said she did it for the money.

“I didn’t know what I was getting into,” Parkinson said.

“When the judge asked me to pose, I just stood there and smiled nervously.”

Three days later, the agency informed her photo would be featured in their ads. She received SGD $250.

The success of her first ad and the thumbs-up from her parents encouraged her to apply to other agencies and jobs.

“My parents were really supportive, even though it has been taking up a lot of my time,” the Australian-born senior said.

Since 2004, Parkinson has posed for ads from electronics company Samsung to television spots for Singapore’s premier film and television company MediaCorp, as well as runways for local designers.

During holiday breaks, however, Parkinson usually moves on to bigger things – her major job remains a clothes-fitter for U.S. clothing company GAP. Every six months, U.S. designers from GAP fly in to Singapore to try their newest threads on Parkinson, who has the ideal body proportions for medium-sized outfits in terms of height, waist, hips and bust. She tries on about 200 shirts in three six-hour days.

Parkinson is paid about $300 a day for her MediaCorp stints and her runway shows. Print-ads fetch her about $100 an hour, and GAP pays her a whopping $400 a day for her fitting sessions.

In spite of all the glamour from the print-ads, she still prefers live-modeling above all her other modeling jobs because of the relaxed atmosphere and the interactions. For a consecutive period of time, she worked as a live model for Comfort-Cab’s CEO and as a brand ambassador for tourism company Jumeirah, whose projects include the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. In each job, she was paid approximately $100 per hour for four hours.

“Everyone thinks modeling is really glamorous. It’s actually quite boring and lots of touch-ups are done to all our photos anyway.”

But modeling still taught Parkinson a few life lessons.

“Cheesy as it sounds, through modeling I have learned how to have an interview, which proved to be useful for my college interviews during the summer, and I gained some real confidence,” she said.

For most models, patience needs to be a virtue. According to Parkinson, pre-shoot makeup’s take at an average of 2-3 hours, and the photographer is almost-always particular about details. On several occasions, her fellow-models would complain to her about the photographers.

“It gets really annoying because I am pretty grateful when I get that job,” she said.

Despite the time she spends on these jobs, Parkinson manages to balance her time between school work, modeling and the Varsity, IASAS swim team. Occasionally, she goes to auditions after school and during her free period. On rare occasions, depending on the type of job, she takes school days off.

Parkinson says she will continue modeling as long as it does not take up too much of her time. When she graduates, she will take a year off, learn to dive and work on some magazine catalogue modeling before attending Wheaton College in the fall of 2010. cheng.eye@gmail.com

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Feb. 19, 2009

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The Eye

features

Singapore American School

RUN DC: Rappers drop beats for Barack C.S.P

by DJ Hartman In the months leading up to the election, one question was on the rap community’s mind: what rhymes with Obama?

The first song about President Obama to catch the public eye was “Yes We Can” by William Adders (will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas) featuring 39 other celebrities singing and speaking along with the President’s concession speech following the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. “Yes We Can” then became the campaign’s secondary slogan.

Take, for example, “Black President” by Nas. The song starts off with the President’s Iowa Democratic Caucus victory speech, and during the chorus samples “Changes”

by Tupac Shakur (“And though it seems heaven sent, we ain’t ready to have a black president”) followed by a sample of John Legend from “Yes We Can” (“Yes we can, change the world”). “Black President” takes Tupac’s timely skepticism and counters it with Obama’s slogan.

“Black President” is only one of the many rap songs about President Obama. Rappers across the nation are lending lyrical support to the new President; from Jay-Z & Mary J Blige’s “You’re All Welcome” (“It’s

Ms. no more drama and Barack Obama of rhymers, feel honored”) to Common’s “The People” (“My raps unite people like Barack Obama”) it seems like politics is making a comeback as the topic of hip-hop lyrics.

Today, a search of the iTunes store for ‘Obama’ returns no less than 30 albums and compilations about President Obama. The President’s weekly address is the most subscribed podcast on iTunes.

Earlier in the campaign, lyrical support from the rapper Ludacris faced condemnation from the Obama campaign. “Politics as Usual” rhythmically assaulted Hilary Clinton, John McCain and then President George Bush Bush.

Many of the rappers who supported Obama during the campaign attended the various balls and parties held after the Inauguration. Jay-Z performed a variation on one of his hits “99 Problems But a Bush Ain’t One” at the Obama for America Staff Ball.

Some inauguration parties were marred by racist comments made by Jay-Z and other rappers.

“I think rappers are just hurting themselves when they let racism mix with political support,” sophomore Rodrigo Zorilla said. “It just gives

by Steffi Lee The new year is bringing plenty of buzz for the Singaporean audience even with the disappointingly late releases of new movies in theaters.

The upcoming films of 2009 range from romantic comedies to actionpacked war films. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the recent adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920’s tale about a man who works against time as he is born in his eighties and ages backwards, facing problems throughout his unusual life. He is fortunate enough find love and happiness, but he realizes that he can’t have pretend to have a normal life because of his differences. It is one of the most anticipated movies of 2009 with its high-profile cast of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett and its impressive usage of animation graphics to depict the aged Benjamin Button. It has won several BAFTA awards for its hair and makeup, visual effects, and cinematography.

Defiance tells a true story of four Jewish brothers who fight with the Russian resistance against the Nazis, risking their lives for those of 1,200 other Jews. James Bond star Daniel Craig, plays Tuvia Bielski, who leads his brothers to avenge the death

of their parents in the Holocaust.

Together, the brothers encounter and rescue other Jewish escapees and relocate their camps whenever the Germans seemed to be drawing near. This moving film attempts to present a realistic portrayal of WWII and the horrors faced by the Jewish population.

Another anticipated WWII film is Valkyrie, a historical thriller starring Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. Evacuated to Nazi Germany, he launches his plot to assassinate Hitler and create a stable government after the death of Hitler.

His plan, Operation Valkyrie, faces complications and he finally decides he has to kill Hitler himself.

Slumdog Millionaire follows the story of an Indian orphan, Jamal Malik, whose life takes a pivotal turn as he stars in India’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.” Every moment of his life is a clue to the questions on the show, which eventually leads to his one true love, his destiny. He is one question away from winning 20 million rupees when the police suspect him of cheating. This movie proves to be a breath of fresh air, moving away from mainstream actors and cliched plot lines. It has

REVIEW verdict:

Rhymin’ for Reform: Jay-Z performs at a “Last Chance for Change” concert in Miami. Video clips of his performances of “My President is Black” post-inaguration angered some after videos made their way to YouTube.

their political opponents something to use against whomever they support.”

Despite the anger over such comments, is the importance of these celebrities being overestimated?

“I don’t think it played a significant role in getting Obama elected,” senior Danielle Selby said.

“Obama had the monopoly on cool.

It’s not like anyone was out there rapping for McCain.” hartman.eye@gmail.com

FILMS TO LOOK FOR - FEBRUARY won the Best Drama Motion Picture Golden Globe Award and 48 other awards; it has also been nominated for 39 other awards, ten of which are Oscar nominations.

Legendary Titanic stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are once again thrust into the limelight with their new romance movie, Revolutionary Road. The couple, who view their mature relationship differently from the established lives of their neighbors who live in Revolutionary Hill Estates, fall into a recurrent cycle of jealousy and dispute. Revolutionary Road, which won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Golden Globe Award, makes its debut in Singapore on April 16.

Fans of cute comedies will learn to love Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore’s new movie, He’s Just Not That into You. Based on a popular self-help book by Greg Berhendt, the movie’s multiple plots illustrate various relationships in which one person is just more “into” someone than the other. The book was featured in talk shows such as “Oprah” and has set up the success of this movie. lee.eye@gmail.com

by Jon Cheng After two unsuccessful establishments, both of which touted appeals to the health conscious – “Juice Zone” and “Nourish” – “CSP” has arrived fully stocked and loaded with grease and trans-fat.

“Campus Signature Pizza,” Sodexho’s hottest new establishment, boasts at least four varieties of pizzas and pastas that makes more sense for our student body; after all, barely anyone relishes the taste of Juice Zone’s bland low-calorie wraps. In fact, a more apt acronym for CSP should be “Calories and Carbohydrates for the Student Population.”

But who cares? Many will be pleased that CSP has gone full out with their offerings: freshly-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, and a baked penne dish.

Most students go for either the Pepperoni ($2.70) or the Margarita ($2.40) pizzas. Both are tasty, but for the sky-high tabs, one might wish for larger sizes, a better quality of mozzarella that does not turn runny when cold, and a crispier crust.

Other options are hit and a miss.

The meat-lovers pizza is a personal

***

favorite but the vegetarian and teriyaki chicken fall short of the standard set by the rest.

If one is looking for good value and a heartier dish, the baked pasta ($3) is a more satisfying alternative.

The dish is like a lasagne, with tomato sauce and mozzarella on top, but the thick layer of béchamel overpowers the pasta, and by the time it cools, the pasta loses its texture (the pasta itself switches between penne and linguine) Eventually, CSP should come up with a new baked pasta dish, perhaps a penne carbonara or a bolognaise.

The made-to-order pastas are uninspiring. A simple spaghetti marinara with vegetables should be correctly described as thick tomato paste with spaghetti with too much garlic. And another option, the penne with cream sauce, suffers from a dull sauce-base thickened with corn starch or flour.

In time, CSP might steal customers from the adjacent “Subway.”

By then, piling up on those carbs could become an everyday habit for more and more students. cheng.eye@gmail.com

arts & entertainment

Singapore American School

The Eye

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Feb. 19 2009

Dramatic TV shows linked to teenage promiscuity

by Hee Soo Chung A girl has sex with her best friend’s boyfriend. Her best friend later has sex with her boyfriend’s best friend in his limousine in the heat of the moment. The boy she had sex with enjoys having sex with multiple women including prostitutes and twins.

This is only a peek into what goes on in a popular TV show “Gossip Girl” watched by numerous teenagers here.

According to an article by Kim Masters on National Public Radio’s website, a recent study by the RAND Corporation found that teens who watch programs with “a lot of sexual content” are twice as likely as those who don’t to get pregnant or get a partner pregnant.

Masters noted that many media reports cite “Gossip Girl” as an example of a “sex-filled show” that could be related to those increased rates of teen pregnancy. The show’s writers assume that teenagers have “quiet a lot of sex.” Josh Schwartz, one of Gossip Girl’s creators, said that the show tries to “portray sleeping together as a significant moment in teens’ lives.”

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, each hour of the shows that teens watched in 20012002 had 6.7 scenes that included sexual topics. Eighty-three percent of programs popular with teens had sexual content and 20 percent contained explicit or implicit

The EYE Profiles

TWO OF A KIND

by See Young Lee InApril 1994, Mimi Molchan and Mike Molly, Singapore American School’s two activities directors, first met on the softball field in International School of Bangkok as coaches of opposing teams. The following year, they clashed yet again in the championship final in Kuala Lumpur. Eleven years after that, what seemed to be an intense rivalry somehow ended up in marriage.

“Mike and I were friends, but were also serious coaches,” Molchan said. “We played each other many times and had some good battles.”

But this competitive friendship seemed to come to an end when Molchan came to SAS in 1996, and Molly moved to Detroit, Michigan.

“We just exchanged letters and

intercourse.

“TV shows show teenagers having sex to be cool,” senior Josh Wolf said. “I feel its effect on me and I feel a bit of pressure [to have sex] from people around me. I’d say TV shows account for 95 percent of the reason.”

“I think teenagers learn all the wrong things about sex from TV shows,” he said. “The shows don’t show the negative consequences of having sex such as STDs, abortion or pregnancy. If the girl does get pregnant, they don’t show hardit is [to manage the pregnancy],” he said.

The study also found that programs with a primary emphasis on sexual risk and responsibility themes represent only one percent of all shows that contain sexual content.

Only three percent of sex scenes observed promoted protection against STDs and unwanted pregnancy.

Some students said that TV shows had a minimal effect on them because the shows are distingusihable from reality.

“Most people watch TV shows for enjoyment, not for advice,” sophomore Gabriela Yu said. “TV shows don’t have much influence on me.”

“I can control my own choices and I can distinguish what happens on TV from reality,” senior Kenny Chan said.

However, Chan did admit hat TV shows generally “depict sex as

Once adversaries, now co-wokers, spouses

phone calls a few times a year until Mimi came to my home in Canada in 2002,” Molly said. “That is when we grew to like each other a lot more, and decided to build a stronger relationship.”

Molchan’s visit motivated Molly to apply for a job at SAS, and in 2003, he was hired as a middle school social studies teacher. Three years later, in May 2006, the two got married.

“A lot of people think it is hard to work with their spouse, but with us, it works,” Molchan said.

She said that working relationship is good in that they could understand more about each other through seeing how each deals with pressure and responsibilities of the activities office.

“At work, Mike is committed to whatever he gets himself involved in,” Molchan said. “On a personal level, he is kind and thoughtful, but I bet he would describe me as being mean” “No, I would describe her very much the way she described me,” Molly said. “She is kind, thorough, confident and fun.”

The couple was confident about the bright future that lay ahead.

“We are very fortunate that it worked out that Mike could get a job here,” Molchan said. “It will be a nice way for him to end his career, and we are graceful to SAS for giving us this chance.”

“Yes, it is going to be a fairytale ending,” Molly said. “We will live happily ever after.” seeyoung.eye@gmail.com

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being just enjoyable and fun and causes many teenagers to want to try it out.”

Senior Claire Chen blamed TV shows for changing the meaning of sex from something significant to casual.

“I think TV shows changed the meaning of sex from ‘making love’ to just simple sex,” Chen said. “It’s unfortunate because it dropped down from being something significant to something casual.”

Research shows that adolescents who watch shows with sexual content tend to overestimate the frequency of certain sexual behaviors and have more permissive attitudes toward premarital sex. The study says that watching TV artificially ages children.

Marcia Shawler, mother of two seniors, said that she has always restricted her children from watching too much TV and regulated their viewing choices. She said that she has become more lenient when they became high school students.

“I’m really against violence in those shows, and I didn’t want them to be negatively influenced by them [as young children],” Shawler said.

“I wanted them to be exposed to positive influences.”

She said that she thinks there’s a “definite correlation” between TV shows and high teenage promiscuity.

“The standards [of TV shows] have changed over the years and

now the plot line is less innocent and the sexual content is more intense,” she said. “The behavior shown on TV becomes what’s normal and it changes you as you start to live that kind of a pattern.”

A freshman’s mother said that although television shows do have an influence on teenagers, it can be tempered with discussion.

“Everything looks too unrealistically easy on TV. [The programs] show kids having fun who are also good-looking and rich,” she said. “I talk to my son and tell him that not everything he sees on shows is true.”

“I think the biggest influence is their peers,” she added. “I sometimes talk to other parents and piece together what they said with my son’s behavior. I get a feel of what’s going on and I talk to him.”

She said that TV shows have an influence on the younger kids too because they try to emulate teenagers.

Senior Julia Tan said that she learned many lessons from watching TV. “When I watch shows, I learn more about unrealistic love, and I sometimes end up wanting the same things that the characters want,” Tan said. “But TV shows also show how you have to be careful in relationships and how it could be a Caution: Lust. Offical Gossip Girl posters show many steamy scenes wonderful thing.” from the show to attract attention from

by Hee Soo Chung During summer, when most students prefer to relax, senior Helen Knight stays busy setting goals and challenging herself by exercising and taking language lessons.

“I don’t like it if there’s nothing to drive me forward,” Knight said.

“I feel like I should get most of my chances to learn and take advantage of what’s offered.”

Her realization that “great things come out of challenges” came after a 30-day sailing trip during the summer before her sophomore year.

Knight spent time with 13 strangers on a small boat, sailing between Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. “We were constantly tired and there was a lot of close contact with people,” Knight said. “If we had problems, we had to work out the issues because you couldn’t just leave and never see the person again.”

During this trip, Knight ate stale pasta, rice with salt and pepper and cake-mix cake every day. She threw up over the side of the boat during a night watch in rough weather, and overcame her obsession with clean clothes. She saw a volcano erupting and dolphins swimming. At the end of 30 days, Knight said “I realized that I want to do more things like that.”

As a chairperson of MUN, member of varsity tennis, first chair viola in Strings, editor of PRISM, president of Chinese Honor Society, and a student of five AP courses, Helen Knight has little time to relax.

Sometimes she hits the wall after

setting her goals too high.

“When I overextend myself, I feel like I really need a break and am overwhelmed,” she said. “I realize that I set goals ridiculously high, which means I will never be happy with what I do. At that point, I have to think about what’s realistic and decide that not doing too well is okay sometimes.”

This year for Knight is not only academically challenging, but emotionally trying. Many of her friends Taking Charge: Helen Knight opens up the Chinese Honor Society Induction Ceremondy were upperclassmen and Photo by Melissa Huston graduated over the past few not allowed to take two AP language years. She tends to “find more courses at the same time, she took things common with older people.”

She leans on her parents and her AP French as a junior after taking friends when she feels overwhelmed, occasional private lessons and but she more often keeps her spending a month in France during summer. problems to herself.

“When I was in France last “I’m pretty private with my summer, my French teacher took me problems, and I usually listen to to a gallery of a Chinese artist who myself over what someone else could only speak Chinese,” Knight says,” she said. “I would like to be said.

“I spoke to the artist in Chinese more social or outgoing. I’m in Peer and to my teacher in French there, Support, and I love meeting new and it was confusing but cool at the people, but it takes me a long time to same time.

I wouldn’t have been get to know somebody really well.” able to do it if I had no knowledge She said people often perceive her as being very serious, but she of languages.”

Although she is uncertain about said that she is generally “easygoing her professional goal, one of her and relaxed.” small goals is to become fluent in Knight enjoys all subjects but is more languages. thinking of majoring in the sciences, “I’m always trying to become a possibly in chemistry. better person, but I’m satisfied with Knight took two language myself,” she said. courses at SAS - French because Knight will be attending Yale of her mother’s French-Canadian University this fall. heritage and Chinese because she is chung.eye@gmail.com living in Singapore. Since she was

chung.eye@gmail.com

teenagers, who are the main audience of the show.

Senior to embark on journey of self-discovery

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Singapore American School

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sports & activities

Girls bury talons in opponents and fly off with Eagles defeat favored TAS Tigers for top spot and win sportsmanship award

By Alex Lim Forget about the late game drama or the last second nail biters. The 2009 Lady Eagles were too good for that. For much of the IASAS tournament, SAS dominated the competition, outscoring ISM, ISB, JIS and ISKL by a combined score of 205 to 120 - a surprising feat considering the Eagles had only two seniors, captain and forward Elle Marsh, and center Cate Graddy, on the team.

“I don’t think a lack of leadership was an issue. Rachel [McCabe], Cate and I took the team under our wing,” Marsh said. “We went into the tournament with the confidence that we could go 6-0.”

Having already assured themselves a spot in the finals, SAS’s bid to go undefeated was almost spoilt by the rival TAS Tigers on the third day of the tournament.

Having already beaten SAS in Hong Kong and in last year’s IASAS tournament, the Tigers gave the Eagles everything they could handle in a game that went back and forth, doing everything except sealing the victory, falling by a narrow margin of 40-39. The win gave the Eagles the added confidence that they could beat Taipei at home – something they would have to do again one game later, as they met the Tigers in the finals, this time with a first place finish on the line.

“We were really confident. We were prepared both physically and mentally,” sophomore guard Hannah Goode said. “We wanted to prove that we could beat them again.”

While the championship game was not as closely contested, its outcome was still in doubt late in the forth quarter. Assigned with the task

of shutting down the Tiger’s main scoring threat, junior guard Belinda Eng did not disappoint, turning in an impressive defensive performance.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagle’s game plan was to get the ball to Marsh in the post.

Marsh would dominate Tiger post players, scoring on numerous offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities to put the Eagles ahead in the game. Still, the Tigers stayed within striking distance with a pair of three pointers, chipping away late in the game. With their lead shrinking, SAS refused to panic and lose focus. Instead, like they had done all tournament, the Eagles relied on the tight bond they had forged over the course of the season to pull them through, holding

off the late Tiger charge.

“We had such a close team bond this year,” Marsh said. “We were like family. That definitely helped.”

With their team firing on all cylinders, the Eagles avenged last year’s bitter defeat and won the gold, beating the Tigers by double digits, 63-53.

“It was the finishing touch,” Marsh said, “to a perfect season.”

In addition to winning the gold, both the boys and girls teams were the recipients of the tournament’s sportsmanship award.

“We walked away with pretty much every award there was to win.”

Goode said.

Both Marsh and Eng were named to the all - IASAS roster. ers on the third day of the

tournament. Having already beaten SAS in Hong Kong and in last year’s IASAS tournament, the Tigers gave the Eagles everything they could handle, doing everything except sealing the victory, falling by a narrow margin of 40-39. The win gave the Eagles the added confidence that they could beat Taipei at home – something they would have to do again one game later, as they met the Tigers in the finals, this time with a first place finish on the line.

“We were really confident.

We were prepared both physically and mentally,” sophomore guard Hannah Goode said. “We wanted to prove that we could beat them [TAS] again.”

The championship game would not be as closely contested as their

GOLD

previous game. Assigned with the task of shutting down the Tiger’s main scoring threat, junior Belinda Eng did not disappoint, turning in an impressive defensive performance.

And as she had done throughout the tournament, Marsh dominated, leading the team in scoring with 0 points. With their team firing on all cylinders, the Eagles avenged last year’s bitter defeat and won the gold, beating the Tigers comfortably, 63-53. “how much did this win mean to you, especially considering it was your last game?” (elle) In addition to winning the gold, both the boys and girls teams were the recipients of the tournament’s sportsmanship award. lim.eye@gmail.com

SAS Girls rugby unstoppable in front of home crowd

In a close championship match, Lady Eagles overcome Manila Bearcats in a classic shoot out that went down to the wire

By Alex Lim With the added pressure and expectations of playing in front of their home crowd, the Eagles relied on a dominating defensive performance to propel them to a first place finish and their first gold medal since 2001.

Giving up only one try in the first three games, the Eagles cruised to easy victories over ISB and TAS, 3-0 and 4-0 respectively. With a crushing victory over the Bangkok Panthers, it seemed the lady eagles were on track to consecutive victories over the rest of the IASAS teams. A matchup against an ISM team that had not lost a game all season would prove to be the highlight of the second day, with the Eagles hanging on in the final seconds for a close 2-1 win. The game also gave SAS the confidence that they could compete against the best the tournament had to offer.

“It was very intense, very competitive, and we both played really well,” senior Tolly St. Clair said after defeating a disheartened ISM team. “We definitely have our work cut out for us, but I’m sure we

can do this [beat Manila] again.”

Towards the end of the second day, SAS clinched a spot in the finals with a 7-0 waxing of the JIS Dragons. The Eagles continued their impressive streak of shutting out teams not named ISM by beating the ISKL Panthers 3-0, taking a 5-0 record into the finals against the Bearcats.

In a game that was dictated by defense, the Eagles appeared to have lost the game when the Bearcats took a 2-1 lead with four minutes left in the game but senior captain Vanessa Peck found St. Clair in the try zone moments later to tie the game at 2-2.

With a minute and a half left in the game, junior Lauren Felice caught a remarkable pass from fellow junior Erika Farias that had bounced off the back of an ISM player’s head. In the waning seconds of the game, a last ditch Bearcat rally fell just short, allowing SAS to escape with a 3-2 victory.

“Our team had never won the gold before,” said Peck. “This win really meant a lot to us.” lim.eye@gmail.com

(clockwise from left) A win to remember. After unexpectedly defeating ISB Panthers 3-0 the Eagles celebrate in the middle of the field.

Photo by Jessica Nguyen Phuong Tears of joy. Senior Ali Schuster clutches junior Phoebe Clark after the Eagles win in the championship game against Manila Bearcats.

Photo by Rebecca Priestley Sweet victory. Junior Melissa Huston and seniors Ciera Walker and Vanessa Peck run through a fan-made tunnel of friends and family. Photo by Rebecca Priestley

sports & activities

GOLD

Singapore American School

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Feb. 19 2009

for boys at end of fourth-quarter comeback

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Eagles lose to TAS Tigers in first game, but win next four take Tigers last

By Alex Lim Facing an enormous 15 – point fourth - quarter deficit in the last game of the season and their hopes of winning a second consecutive gold medal all but gone, the Eagles staged an improbable comeback, stunning the heavily favored and previously undefeated TAS Tigers in the final seconds for a 64-63 victory while cementing their status as IASAS champions.

Oddly, it was a loss to the Tigers that sparked SAS’s stunning run to the championship. TAS won 82-63 on the first day of the tournament but the Eagles refocused and bounced back, reeling off four straight wins, and earning themselves a rematch

in the finals against the spotless 5-0 Tigers.

“The goal of getting to the finals remained the same, even after the loss [to Taipei], Coach Mike Norman said. “Win or lose, we still had to win five more games.”

Playing in a hostile environment, in front of rabid Taipei fans, the Eagles were the clear underdogs heading into the game but were still confident of their chances.

“We knew that we were a good team and we had gotten better over the course of the tournament,” junior forward Danny Albanese said. “We thought we were due for a win against them.”

Albanese’s words would prove

to be prophetic, although it did not look that way early in the game. The Tigers built a wave of momentum as well as a formidable lead, capped off by a buzzer beating trey at the end of the third quarter, giving TAS a 54-39 lead.

“I just told the team to play like the score was 0-0,” Norman said of the message he sent to his players during the break, “This could be a game that they remember for as long as they live.”

Just like it did all season long, depth proved to be a valuable asset for the Eagles, who, using a ten man rotation throughout the tournament, had benefited greatly from the contributions of their bench players.

The final game proved to be no different, with the Eagles slowly chipping away at the Tiger’s lead in the fourth quarter.

In the face of a furious Eagle rally, the Tigers were eventually undone by their conservative play.

In contrast, the Eagles played fearlessly, with an almost reckless abandon, outscoring the Tigers 25-9 in the quarter.

“We played with nothing to lose,” senior guard Russel Kreutter said. “We had to get it done.”

Still, with the outcome of the game far from secured, the Tigers held a one - point lead in the waning seconds of the game. With ten seconds left on the clock, Kreutter

intercepted an errant pass and took it all the way across the court, laying it in for a 64-63 lead. The home crowd watched in stunned silence as the Tigers failed to get a shot off at the buzzer, completing the Eagle’s thrilling comeback.

“I’ve never been a part of something like this, coming back from such a large deficit to win,” Norman said. “The poise our guys showed was incredible.”

Albanese, Kruetter and senior captain and forward Brady Baildon were named to the all–IASAS roster. lim.eye@gmail.com

Boys sweep round robin but end up with SILVER

Eagles undefeated against Jakarta yet unable to hold off Jakarta’s Dragons in overtime

by Jamie Lim Thursday was Taipei and Jakarta.

Friday was Kuala Lumpur, then Bangkok. Saturday was Manila.

Over the IASAS weekend the boys rugby team sliced through each team during the round robin, finishing with five wins and not a single loss.

The headline of the sports page issued on Saturday could easily have read, “Eagles Perfect: are the other schools just wasting their time?”

The team seemed to bring together everything that they had been working on during the season - the forwards were quick to the breakdowns, forming tight rucks and scrums and with the backs’ quick ball handling and well-placed kicks, the Eagles were not only great to watch, but seemed unstoppable.

The championship game, the 36th and final game of IASAS rugby 2009 was another classic matchup between the Singapore Eagles and the Jakarta Dragons and a game to remember. The boys beat Jakarta on the first day and thanks to another loss to Bangkok, the Dragons were three and two - the Eagles were the clear favorites.

The scoring was opened by Jakarta’s Andy Krohn and converted

by Saracen Fletcher to put his team up 7-0; Singapore came straight back 15 seconds from the end of the

first half when a run down the left sideline by senior co-captain Oliver Evans resulted in a try, as well as the conversion, to tie the game at 7-7.

The second half would end without another try, putting the game into the five-minute period of sudden-death overtime. Two minutes in, Jakarta had found themselves just yards outside the Eagle try zone, and with brute force, forward Kevin Vendeland banged his way into the try zone; Jakarta had won the championship.

This was coach Dixon, Taylor, and O’Connor’s first year coaching SAS varsity rugby and they say silver is a strong finish, especially considering how well the team played. “[Jakarta] was definitely a threat and the games could’ve gone either way. It was a really tough loss because we worked so hard at it and especially because it was a really close finish,” junior Todd Shell said.

In the end, Eagles supporters agreed it wasn’t the loss that everyone cared about, nor our reputation for dominating athletics - it was the show of great rugby, teamwork, and determination that made this IASAS boys’ final the most memorable in years. jamie.islander@gmail.com

(Clockwise from bottom) Take it easy: Junior Brandon Lay and team sit down for a breather after playing in the first half agaisnt the Taipei Tigers.

Photo Jessica Nguyen Phuong Leaving everything on the field: Junior Austin Cox walks off the field after losing to Jakarta during over time in the championships.

Plowing through: Senior co-captain single-handedly Ryan Goulding takes on three ISM Bearcats down the middle of the field towards the tryline. Photos by Kenneth Evans

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sports & activities

Singapore American School

Dual wins: Girls take home second consecutive gold Boys settle with silver after straight wins following lost matches to ISM Bearcats

by Caroline Hui On the first day of IASAS Tennis, the SAS boys nearly defeated the defending champions, the Manila Bearcats, in the first round of the tournament. After five matches, SAS walked off the court, losing 2-3.

On the last day of IASAS Tennis, the SAS girls nearly defeated last year’s silver medalists, the Bangkok Panthers, in the last round of the tournament. After five matches, SAS walked away, losing 2-3.

Luckily, the boys’ team won every match after their loss to Manila, resulting in a silver medal, and the girls’ team won all their matches prior to playing Bangkok, earning them the gold medal for the second year in a row. To top it off, girls Meiko Masuno and Lindsay Slaven (who play second and third singles respectively) and Tomas Isman, who plays third singles for the boys’ team, received All Tournament awards, and Masuno, boys’ captain Michael He and first doubles Andrew Ni all received Four-Year IASAS awards.

The girls’ victory did not come as a surprise to coach Tim Thompson.

“We had the most experienced team,” he said. “With our skill level and experience, it’d have to be a good team to take the gold from us.”

Girls’ matches were close this

year – they defeated Taipei and Manila 3 – 2 and lost to Bangkok 2 – 3.

“The skill levels were even this year,” Thompson said. “There was a lot of evenness. A lot of matches went to third set tiebreakers.”

After the boys’ match against Manila, Coach Roy Tomlinson admitted that he was worried.

Fortunately, the boys were able to overcome adversity and win the rest of their matches to finish with a 4 – 1 record and take home the silver medal. “The people that lost [to Manila] stepped up their games and played well in the evening [against Bangkok],” Tomlinson said.

Next year, the girls’ team will lose six Varsity players and four IASAS players – half the Varsity team and half the IASAS team.

Thompson is not dispirited, though; according to him, there are always new players who come up from the middle school or talented players who decide to try out for tennis for the first time. “I never expected Erica [Padgett] this year,” he said.

“She was a good surprise.”

The boys’ team will lose four Varsity players, all of which were on the IASAS team.

All-Tourney Boys Basketball: Brady Baildon Russell Kreutter Danny Albanese Girls Basketball: Elle Marsh Belinda Eg Katie Bree Rally on. Girls captain Lindsay Slaven serves in a match against Manila. Slaven came back from one set down to win the match in three sets.

Team for two.Sophomore Kartik Das serves in a doubles match. Das and his partner, junior Siddarth Shanker, went 3 - 2 at the tournament.

Unstoppable. Senior Tomas Isman serves in a match against TAS. Isman, who played third singles this year, received the All Tournament award for winning all his matches. Photos by Fred Crawford

“The team will have to overcome a lot of valuable losses,” Isman said.

“Many young players will have to step up and take new leadership roles.”

IASAS was a positive experience this year for both the boys’ and girls’ teams.

“I feel honored to have gone to IASAS all four years,” Ni said.

“This year was by far the best year.

We really grew as a team because we had so many returning players, and

I think our team chemistry is what helped us get second place.”

“This year’s IASAS was the best IASAS I have ever been to,” Masuno said. “The team came back strong and confident to win gold again. With four IASAS players graduating from the team, I am a little worried, but I hope that the girls will remember that they are golden champs and are capable of stepping into our seniors’ shoes.” hui.eye@gmail.com

Swimmers clinch gold despite tough competition

by Maria Lloyd It was so quiet you could hear the conversation from across the pool in the tennis courts. Everyone at the pool, some 68 swimmers plus spectators, were completely silent as they waited for the boys 400m freestyle relay. This race would determine the boys’ standings at the end of the day. For SAS, it could mean the difference between another gold or a silver that would end the boys’ seven year winning streak.

The atmosphere before this race reflects the tension felt by the Varsity swim team at the beginning of IASAS this year. There was nervousness on both the girls’ and boys’ teams that the SAS winning streak would be lost because of the new, untested coaches and strong new swimmers from the other schools. The fact that two swimmers were wearing SGD 600-plus suit used at the Olympics added to the fears. SAS swimmers and new coaches, Michael Clark and Jillian Friend, stepped up to the challenge to deliver an eleventh IASAS gold for the girls and seventh gold for the boys.

After the first day of IASAS, it became clear that the girls’ team was on their way to an eleventh gold. The girls dominated with a first or second

Swimming: Kirstie Parkinson Therese Vainius Paige Carmichael Jenny Alberts, Roxy Hesh Maya Kale Kathy De La Hoz Boys Tennis: Tomas Isman Girls Tennis: Meiko Masuno Lindsay Slaven Boys Rugby: Oliver Evans Ryan Goulding Max Shaulis Girls Touch: Erika Farias Lauren Felice Nora Hanagan Vanessa Peck

with two bronzes and one silver. The boys performed very well compared to their best times, with five boys, including Chritton ,getting best times in all their events.

Freestylin’.

Sophomore Theres Vainius speeds to one of two golds Veteran lead the way. Senior Maria Lloyd races in the 50m and one silver and setting an IASAS record alongside freshman Maya The SAS boys were able to hold butterfly, in which she placed fourth in the preliminaries. Lloyd Kale and serniors Kristie Parkinson and Kathy De la Hoz in the their slight lead, and bring it home received a 4-year IASAS award. Photos from iasas.org 400m medley relay. in the 400m free relay. In the team place in almost every final, and often moment for all SAS swimmers. The Olympics. Kaewbaidhoon broke the standings, TAS came in second place with three out of six swimmers in SAS girls won gold with 469 points, record by a little under two seconds, with 354 points, 45 points behind the finals. By the second day, the followed by ISB in second place no mean feat. Junior Alex Rossinsky, SAS’s 396 points, followed by ISB girls’ team was already ahead of with 307 points and JIS with 261 who won the 100m breast stroke last in third place with 267 points. year, was not able to make finals the second place team by more than points in third place.

Captain Chritton said that this The boys were not often in for that event because of the strong was the toughest IASAS the boys 100 points. Sophomore Therese Vanius continued to live up to her the top three of their events. In competition, but still came fourth in had faced in long time. Even coach reputation as “the beast”, winning fact, SAS won no individual the 200m breast stroke.

Clark admitted in a speech after Although the boys defeated few the first day of IASAS that he had three individual golds and one boys’ golds. Instead, they fought silver. Senior Kirstie Parkinson also their way to victory against TAS of the top swimmers, they managed thought that the chances of both had several medal winning swims, by performing well across many to sneak in some hard-earned boys and girls winning IASAS were including the 100m breast stroke, different events, winning points in victories. Junior Ted Chritton went very slim before prelims, but after where she beat ISB rival Taylor Burke the consolation finals and doing well home with two individual silvers, the finals, felt that SAS had a good to win the event for the fourth year in the relays. They faced some of one bronze and one fourth place. chance of making the double gold. in a row. In the girls’ 400m medley the strongest individual swimmers Chritton came within milliseconds The swim team looks forward to relay, Vanius, Parkinson, senior IASAS had seen in years, like Joe of defeating Bryant Hsu of TAS the next IASAS as an even greater Kathy De La Hoz, and sophomore Kaewbaidhoon from ISB who broke in the 400m freestyle and getting challenge than this year. The boys Jenny Alberts defeated the record set the IASAS record for the 200m SAS’s only gold. He was touched- will lose half of this year’s IASAS four years ago by the former Eagle breast stroke. This record was set out but still came second. Junior team and the girls will lose one third legend, Whitney Taylor, and her in 1994 by Bryan Kim, who went Lars Crawford placed well in his of their team. team by two secondsIt was a magical on to represent South Korea in the individual events, coming away maria.eye@gmail.com

KEEPING SCORE

Girls Tennis 1. SAS 2. TAS 3. JIS 4.ISB 5. ISM

Girls Boys Tennis Swimming 1. ISM 1. SAS 2. SAS 2. ISB 3. TAS 3. JIS 4.ISB 4.TAS 5. JIS

Boys Swimming 1. SAS 2. TAS 3. ISB 4.JIS

Girls Basketball 1. SAS 2. TAS 3. JIS 4.ISM

Girls Touch Boys 1. SAS Basketball 2. ISM 1. SAS 3. ISB 2. TAS 4. ISKL 3. JIS 5. JIS 4. ISM 6. TAS

Boys Rugby 1. JIS 2. SAS 3. TAS 4. ISM 5. ISB 6. ISKL