Tiger Times Volume 47 Issue 10

s e o u l i n t e r nat i o na l s c h o o l

Tiger Times M ay 2 0 1 6

VO L U M E X LV I I

M

ISSUE 10

T T O N L . O RG

Thank you, Teachers!

ay is a month full of nationally unrecognized, but socially accepted holidays— ranging from Parents’ Day to Teacher’s Day, many people celebrate to express their gratitude toward the people who have shaped and influenced them. As a way to contribute to this culture of expressing thanks, the Red Cross Youth (RCY) club hosted their first annual Teacher Appreciation Week during the first week of May. Students from various grade levels submitted thank-you quotes about their teachers, and these quotes were delivered to the respective teachers along with a carnation flower and a few snacks.

“Teacher Appreciation Week began this year as an effort to change the school atmosphere a bit, to increase the level of gratitude that students have for their teachers,” said Andrew Young-Joon Kim (11), president of RCY. “At a school where students place great emphasis on their grades, we hoped to treat teachers as more than just grade-givers in the school community.

The first week of May was the perfect timing to take a step to make these changes, since Teacher’s Day, which is on May 15, was approaching. We are looking to make Teacher Appreciation Week an annual event unique to RCY at this school.”

The event provided a unique opportunity for students to really think about their relationship with teachers. According to Dana Lee (10), this is not a common occurrence, as many students take for granted the resources provided for them, and rarely think deeply about the gratitude they should be feeling for the privileged lives they lead under the teachers at SIS. Many students, including Dana, reported to have found small, seemingly insignificant aspects regarding their teachers’ influences that they should be thankful for in their lives.

“As its name suggests, Teacher Appreciation Week allowed me to think about what my teachers had done for me beyond just teaching me the content and material that is part of my curriculum,” Dana said.

“Through the process of collecting quotes from other students around me, I realized that many other students had similar thoughts. Even though we all constantly complain about not wanting to come to school, in the end all of us are really thankful for our teachers’ influences on us as people and as students.”

Teacher Appreciation Week served a greater purpose than simply asking students to say nice things

about their teachers—it fostered a greater sense of unity within the school. Not only was it an opportunity for students to reflect on their relationships with their teachers, but it also served as a chance for teachers to realize what aspects of their teaching affected students for the better. This brought the entire school community together, as it promoted a more caring and grateful relationship between students and staff members.

“The package I received made me very happy because students do not usually express their thankfulness to their teachers directly,” said Angelika Lin, high school Chinese teacher. “I personally think it is important for teachers to receive a balance of constructive criticism and compliments from their students, and the thank-you quotes from my students helped achieve that balance.

They definitely made me feel very proud about my job here at SIS.” According to Andrew, this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week turned out to be a huge success, as a variety of students participated to give the gifts to every single high school teacher. Additionally, RCY donated a total of 250,000 won to the Red Cross on behalf of all SIS teachers.

“I felt that previously, we had been limiting ourselves to the goals and visions we have for SIS as a school club,” said Brian Sungbin Kim (11), vice president of RCY. “The implementation of Teacher Appreciation Week allowed us to stick to the goals of RCY Korea. The official organization began an event in the 1960s in which it encouraged students from all over the nation to directly show their thankfulness toward their teachers in time for Teacher’s Day, so we felt that by doing something similar we could adhere to the traditional vision of RCY.”

By Sarah Kim Junior, Copy Editor

Photo by Daniel Shin

NEWS

FOCUS

Frienemies at SIS

Students win I-SWEEEP

Struggles to Diversify

Boys varsity swim wins

Calculating, political, and even somewhat manipulative: students at SIS have to balance friendship and competition every day of their lives. To what extent is such rivalry affecting interactions at SIS? PAGE 3

Jeffrey Heo and Sohee Ahn, representatives of South Korea, brought back several awards from the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad (I-SWEEEP). PAGE 5

The newly proposed 20-dollar bill uncovers the unexpected consequences that arise when minority groups increase their time on the screen at the risk of accurate representation. PAGE 6

For the first time in four years, the boys varsity swim team brought home first place in the KAIAC Championships. Two swimmers were also able to tie with an SFS swimmer for the MVP award. PAGE 11

VIEWPOINT

SPORTS

Editorial

Lessons learnt from three days of chaos Responsibility, honor, leadership: although these may seem completely fixed, abstract concepts, they are different according to the interpretations of their wielder. In other words, there is not a set instruction list; there are no guidelines when in charge. Everything from that point is impromptu, and every word, every action counts.

Over the past couple of weeks, the editorial staff embarked on a journey of misfortunes - one SIS students take at least once when the world no longer becomes text and ink but tangible and painstakingly real. Words were spoken, words were misinterpreted, and ultimately not one party was truly right. From our struggles, the editorial staff has learned a couple lessons about leadership, and today we’d like to share a couple lessons many are not usually willing to openly admit.

One: Conflict is leadership’s best friend. Despite the fact that this initially may seem contradictory, among groups of leaders there are always bound to be arguments. But you know what they say - what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. This certainly applies to leadership in terms of confronting and attacking the unspoken, yet vital issues that pile up throughout the year. Getting matters out in the open is a healthy way to quickly get dissatisfactions out of the system. And, as important as it is to realize the seriousness of a situation, it’s equally important to realize the humor of it all, of arguing over publishing this article or that article or whatever the particular problem is.

Two: You can’t satisfy everyone. We’ve all heard stories about charismatic spokesmen like Franklin D. Roosevelt or George Washington who could single-handedly serve the needs of every citizen. Well, from what the editorial staff has seen over the past few weeks, this is highly improbable, especially in a high school setting where mistakes are still being made. While it is true that a successful leader listens to the “voice of the people,” it is equally important for leaders to come to a final decision that best suits the needs of the respective members.

And yes, leaders may be wrong. But taking responsibility for and overcoming challenges is what a leader has to deal with. And maybe sometimes the other members are “wrong.” But it’s also the responsibility of the leader to sometimes to stand up and take the blame, to opt for running an organization instead of clinging on to what is “right.”

Three: Excessive “cooperation” is not cooperation; its chaos. When it comes to working with a room of highly intelligent, successful, and determined students, chaos is a dark and dangerous pit, not a ladder. Democratic discussion-making and passionate opinions are signs of a thriving organization filled with members who care. However, when individual responsibilities start to become vague and discussions become debates where one side eventually “wins,” the talk has to stop and real work has to be done.

At the end of the day, being a leader encompasses a lot more than this article can encapsulate. It is about the balance between the carrot and the stick, hard work and dedication, hard decisions, and much, much more. Ultimately, what SIS students can learn from this is that, getting to slap your name on something and take credit for it is the superficial, insignificant part of being a leader. The level of passion, dedication, and overall rigorous work that a true leader must endure to keep that honor is ultimately what allows leaders to truly serve the organizations that they love so much.

Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@ gmail.com

2

VIEWPOINT

Masking the truth: the humidifier disinfectant tragedy After a public apology for their fatal mistake, it has come to light that 22 companies including Oxy, Ketox, and SK Chemicals incorporated polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate, a toxic chemical, in their humidifier disinfectants sold in Korea. According to the Joongang Daily, 500 civilians either died or were impaired after inhaling the life-threatening chemicals released by the product. However, such firms are not solely responsible for the eventual 142 Korean deaths since 2001—the Korean government and its failure to regulate the humidifier disinfectants also contributed to this fiasco.

So where did it all go wrong? When the chemicals were first packaged they included labeling that stated “not for human consumption.” The companies including Oxy, however, labeled the product containing such dangerous chemicals, “safe for humans.” Clearly, the manufacturers were not illiterate.

How could they not be unaware of the fact that the chemicals they included in the disinfectants were in fact, poisonous to their customers?

Yet, the Korean government shares the blame, as it also failed to acknowledge the presence of the toxic chemical before the issue was addressed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2011. This begs the question:

What is the purpose of a government if it is not able to protect its own citizens from imminent threats posed by such chemical toxins?

It is too late to turn back the clock.

However, it is still crucial to consider what could have prevented such a catastrophe from occurring. We could wish for profit-oriented corporate executives to actually regulate their products on ethical grounds, but really we should be hoping that the responsi-

“

Of course it is too late to turn back the clock. But still, it is crucial to look back upon the root causes of this misfortune.

”

bility of ensuring citizens’ safety ultimately lies with the government.

If the government had taken action earlier in terms of more thorough regulation, the corporations could have been forced to withdraw all of their dangerous products before 500 Korean citizens were affected.

Though Korean consumers may not expect a revolutionary change in corporate policy, they should expect an adequate compensation that comes

at least close to covering the costs of this preventable atrocity. Of course, at this point, would the apology mean anything at all? Initially, all manufacturers chose to maintain their “no comment” status even when aware of their undeniable responsibility.

They further continued to deceive the Korean people by hiring a scientist to produce a fraudulent report to “prove” that the chemicals used in the products had not caused the deaths. Such an approach is not uncommon among Korean corporations. Likewise, in the past, the Grünenthal Group of Germany refused to issue an apology after being accused of creating a drug that deformed babies, to escape eventual financial compensation of the victims and their families.

So far, Reckitt Benckiser, the CEO of Oxy, has been the only to formally apologize and accept responsibility.

But at this point, a few words will not suffice. This incident is not to be forgotten in a month, or a year, or even a decade; it is history. To prevent future calamities, the manufacturers should make sure to prioritize safety, as the Korean government should equally strive to strengthen regulations.

By Alice Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Understanding your digital footprint at SIS, responsibilities of a digital citizen It’s graduation day at SIS! Here come your flowers and congratulatory messages. Gone are your high school worries and panic over SATs and APs— but also gone is all of your work that exists on the school server. All the essays, videos, and presentations you’ve created throughout your many years at SIS disappear exactly one month after you walk off the stage at graduation. It is your sole responsibility to keep track of the data you want to keep from your school Google account and back it up.

According to Paul Kang, IT Coordinator, the school policy at SIS is that students must transfer their data from their student email accounts to their personal emails before July, after graduation. As of then, there is no turning back—all files are deleted permanently and cannot be recovered after that deadline. This intermittent removal of digital data is inevitable, since the resources available are not infinite. Every year, the technology department needs to make room for incoming students on SIS’s private domain, and the most efficient way to do so is by clearing out the data that will not be used.

At first glance the policies themselves are understandable, but there are imperfections within the system that must be addressed for the former students.

How do we transfer our files from our school accounts to our personal accounts? Do we have to individually change the owner of each google doc to our personal emails? Or is there a way to transfer all the data at once? Can we ask the technology department to recover an extremely important file a few months into college? Only a handful of students will be able to answer these questions accurately, which indicates the need for more communication, as

well as problem solving, between the administration and students regarding this issue.

Many students are not even aware of their obligations to take care of their own materials, because they are never formally informed about how to manage their files on the school server.

In fact, many are not aware that they have to do this themselves. Even if we knew of such responsibilities, however, many of us are unlikely to spend the time to back up everything from our school server. After all, how important is one British Literature essay?

As a part of the one-to-one initiative that requires every student to own a computer, it is crucial that the school take measures to not only provide students with the necessary technology, but also explicitly teach how to effectively use it. Although SIS has been making constant efforts, more could be done. Transitioning from adolescents to responsible digital citizens is just as important as being academically prepared. The school needs to become more proactive in making sure students are aware of their responsibil-

ities and how to fulfill them.

A possible solution is to hold clinics once in a while where experts such as Mr. Kang, David Richie, Technology Support Teacher, or even executive leaders from the student council, talk to students about the steps required to download the material from their email accounts and drive. This way, students can at least be informed about school policies regarding their work. From then on, the choice is theirs—whether or not they want to transfer their files, at least they will know it is up to them to do so.

All in all, these concerns bring us back to the issue of whether the school is taking enough measures to prepare us for the real world. As the Korean proverb goes, our habits from age three are carried to our graves. It is important that further efforts are made within the school to get students to be responsible digital citizens from their adolescent years, so that they will continue this path in the future.

By Sarah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times May 2016 Tiger Times Online

Tiger Times Newspaper

Tiger Times

Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events, or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

Editors-In-Chief Ariel Lee Jaeha Kim Managing Editor Andrew Ham Production Editor Grace Lee Graphics Editor Rachel Kang

Photo Editor Daniel Shin Copy Editors Sarah Kim Diana Nakyoung Lee Reporters Junie Kah Dawn Kim Jeremy Nam Marie Park Grace Yang

3

Photographers Ryan Jang April Kim

Editors-In-Chief Claire Kim Eric Song

Reporters Michelle Cho Michelle Lee

Layout Artists Justin Chang Joyce Lee Soomin Lee

Managing Editors Nicholas Kim

Adviser Mr. David Coleman

Copy Editors Soomin Chun Alice Lee

Viewpoint Feature:

Race to the top: a battle between friends Welcome to SIS! Get ready for a warm welcome from your peers!

But beware of the intense battle you are about to face to race to the top.

Frenemies: The politics of being an SIS student

When I first came to SIS in my freshman year, one of my first impressions of this school was that it was...intense. As an “outsider,” I could see that SIS had a unique culture that no one else really seemed to sense, or understand.

By Marie Park

At least once in your SIS high school career, you will hear the question, “What did you get on that test?” followed by, “I did alright,” or “I bombed it.” (Of course, “bombing it” is probably around a 90.) If the student is pressed for a specific grade, you will probably notice uneasy laughter, vague gestures, or a subtle topic change, the initial question never truly addressed.

Unfortunately, sometimes, this tight-lipped manner applies even to the closest friends.

The funny thing is, students are the first ones to admit that SIS is academically competitive to a ridiculous degree. Yes, it is old news that SIS is an academically competitive school. We all know it, talk about it, and in fact complain about it more often than adhering to it. At the end of the day, however, nothing is solved and students all just go back to studying twice as hard.

But the real question is, are students aware of how such competition has invaded SIS students’ social lives as well?

The “need to succeed” has reached a point at which students would do anything to raise themselves up above the fray, even if it means having to push down others around them. Disadvantaging others can come in many forms. Some refuse to vote for HSSC candidates who have other titles.

Some keep their early college applications

or related research papers secret. Many accredit other students’ high marks and success not to their hard work but to the hagwons that they attend in hopes of degrading their academic reputation.

Such thoughts impact how social interactions are viewed at SIS: students laughing with teachers are sucking up and those friendly with upperclassmen are trying to get executive positions. While not all cases are driven by ulterior motives, it does not change the fact that they are viewed with suspicion, even by close friends. In fact, even so-called friends, to some students, are more competitors than actual friends: if you heard that your best friend was applying to the same college as you for early decision, your first thought would likely be that you want to stop them from lowering your chances. Being happy for them can come second, or most likely last.

How did academic competition at SIS get this bad? Since when did students start pitting themselves against one another, all desperately clawing their way to what is perceived as the top?

One of the main reasons may be that SIS students all come from similar backgrounds. The majority of SIS students come from relatively privileged families, which can be seen just by the tuition. Compared to most of the public schools in Korea and other foreign countries, our school’s student pool is a relatively small percent-

age. We all therefore pursue similar studies and activities in and out of school, and therefore similar probabilities in success. A perfect example is the number of students interested in business, arts, engineering, and medical school verses, well, pretty much all other areas of study combined.

Similarly, SIS harbors a student population that lacks diversity in both ethnicity and ability. According to the SIS website, 98 percent of the student body is made of ethnically Korean students. Also, as SIS requires an entrance test and interview process before accepting only around 50 percent of the applicants, SIS students, as a whole, are pretty academically successful and adept at standardized tests. In other words, we have a group of highly-competitive and smart students who all seem to want the exactly same things: perfect SAT scores, top-10 GPA, a couple research papers, president of three or more clubs, captain of a varsity team, member of the High School Orchestra and/or Ambassadors, 10 AP courses with all-five scores, and maybe even an award from a prestigious competition to spice things up. Such similarity not only makes one student indistinguishable from the next but ultimately becomes the major source of stress and insecurity.

These similarities in turn contribute to the aforementioned social mentality. In an attempt to be unique, to keep others from “doing the same thing,” we try to keep our

accomplishments a secret. Because we all have similar experiences and resources available to us, the final decisions end up boiling down to the slightest [?????], which means that in the end, you just might need that “me against you” mentality to excel.

The question we need to ask now is, “how do we fix this?” It is obviously unhealthy for students to conduct every part of their lives with the philosophy of “me against everyone else,” trying to reach the “top” using any means necessary.

The ideal solution would be to make sure students know that academic achievements do not dictate the entirety of life. Sure, this solution might work in a world full of sunshine and unicorns, but unfortunately, the need for success is already ingrained in our brains and will not go away with the simple claim that “it’s unhealthy!”

The only way to combat this unhealthy mindset is for each and every individual to remember that college is not the end goal.

The social interactions we have during high school, along with the memories we make with our friends will shape our adolescence and therefore the process of our self-actualization for the rest of our lives. Being a teenager in high school is a special time where we can figure out who we are as people, what we want to do in the future, and find our place in society. This problem will fester unless we all make an effort to reverse the culture developed in our midst.

4

NEWS

Malia Obama’s college results spark controversy regarding acceptance, decision to take gap year

O

n May 1, the White House released a statement that Malia Obama, the oldest daughter of US President Barack Obama, would attend Harvard University in 2017 after taking a gap year. According to the American Gap Association (AGA), a nonprofit standards-setting organization for gap years in the US, a gap year is an experimental period that a student takes to explore “practical, professional, and personal awareness,” usually after their last year of high school and before the first year of college. Due to her status and fame, Obama’s decision to take a gap year has sparked controversy, increasing public discussions regarding the system’s merits and disadvantages.

“There are many reasons why a student might want to take a gap year,” said Chris Thomson, high school counselor. “It is to relax, and get some real-life experiences. Kids in the states don’t get the experience SIS students do because our students travel all the time. For our students, they could spend their [gap year] in the US; Go backpacking, learn certain slang and bits of culture.”

As much as Obama’s college acceptance brought controversy, it has also brought gap years back into public focus. In the US, gap years have existed from as early as 1980, but despite its long history, students have been reluctant to take gap years due to various downsides. According to Go Overseas, an American informational portal about overseas opportunities, there are many potential put-offs, such as falling behind in school, feeling financially burdened due to traveling, or perhaps not being able to achieving

anything substantial during the year off.

“As a senior heading to college, I don’t think I would take a gap year, because that might affect my studies.” Jihoon Yang (12) said. “Academically you’d be more rusty than your peers after taking a gap year, because they’ve just finished high school and continued right on to college, while I would’ve taken a year-long break. You probably wouldn’t have studied during the time, and you might forget what you learned in

high school.”

Combined, these worries have established a bias against gap years as a decision exclusively for the rich, contributing to a line of allegations against Obama. Many pointed out the fact that Obama was free from many of the aforementioned concerns due to her parents’ stable financial status.

However, for the majority of students, financial issues are only the tip of the iceberg. By Dawn Kim While colleges such as Harvard University Freshman, Staff Writer

The More You Know

What we did wrong This is it.

Despite our most valiant efforts, Donald Trump has virtually secured the Republican nomination and actually has a realistic chance at becoming the next President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the largest military force in the world.

Having a celebrity as a presidential nominee isn’t too rare of an event, however; Ronald Reagan was a B-list actor before his political career, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was the governor of a state whose name he couldn’t even pronounce (California).

What’s so dumbfounding about Trump’s rise is that he did it not by transforming himself into a candidate but by taking the political process by the throat, turning it upside down, and squeezing television potential out of it.

Ever since the businessman/television celebrity announced his candidacy last year, the camera has been focused on him in an endless stream of analysis, speculation, and comedy. But while mainstream television thought that it was disproving Trump’s presidential credentials, it was unknowingly gifting the billionaire with exactly what he needed to move his unlikely candidacy

or the University of Pennsylvania clearly encourage students to take a gap year, many colleges are not as accommodating, and offer no deferral or gap year policy for their students. Though critics claim that Obama may benefit from her year off by staying away from public attention, the sum of the aforementioned logistical reasons make gap years inaccessible for many who are not as socially elite.

Despite the significant downsides, gap years still have numerous advantages. According to the American Gap Association, studies from universities show that students who have taken gap years tend to have higher grade point averages, better engagement on campus, and a higher chance of graduating in four years. In fact, according to the Washington Post, taking a gap year is seen as the norm in European countries such as the United Kingdom and France.

The Obamas have also discussed a possible television studio internship opportunity for Malia, highlighting the diverse opportunities gap years can open for students who can take advantage of such opportunities.

“I think Malia made a very reasonable choice,” said Cheryn Shin (11). “After all, she’s going to Harvard, [which is] a very competitive school. As the president’s daughter, she has a lot of expectations to meet. Even as a child the media was following her, taking pictures, filming, and analyzing everything from her posture to outfit. A gap year would give her a chance to cool off before she attended university.”

forward. According to an article published in the New York Times, the candidate received $1.9 billion of free attention from the media, choking out his competitors, who struggled to make appearances on national television.

Television comedians all liked to paint Trump as a surprise candidate, but in doing so they ignored a key group of Americans who have rarely been studied by the media. In fact, one of Trump’s primary campaign slogans reads: “The silent majority stands with Trump,” the “silent majority” being a term coined by President Richard Nixon which described the quiet but potent conservative bloc of the 1970s. The idea that progressive ideas are overrepresented in TV, that most Americans are at least slightly racist, homophobic, or traditionalist, has been proven, once again, with Trump’s unexpected rise.

This may be representative of a major, unintended problem present in the American media. Broadcast channels have bloated social justice and liberal ideals, making them seem more popular and widespread than they actually are.

The resistance to this rapid change have either been dismissed as extremists or ignored entirely, but Trump has taken

By Andrew Ham advantage of this marginalized group.

It is our fault, then. All of us, everyone who gave the billionaire the attention and spotlight he needed to influence the silent majority; and really, we can’t complain anymore. We wanted to talk about Trump, we wanted to distance ourselves by insulting him around the clock, yet in the very process we built the platform for his bewildering success.

However, (with all that said), the Donald may be what the US needs now—for all the wrong reasons, but necessary nonetheless. Yes, “President” Trump will most likely embarrass the nation more than once, but to his credit, Trump has directed national attention to noteworthy problems plaguing the American political system. After years of “comfort politics,” where national leaders attempted to smooth over problems with the national debt, the job market, and other aspects of society, Trump brings a very real anger to the office, one representing millions of discontented, silenced Americans.

America is bleeding out of its core, and it may be better off in the long run to open those wounds and take a look rather than clumsily attempting to wrap over them.

Source: baesic.net

Tiger Times May 2016

Students sweep I-SWEEEP

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Heo

F

rom April 27 to May 1, Jeffery Heo (10) and Sohee Ahn (10) participated in the ninth annual International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering & Environment) Project Olympiad (I-SWEEEP), held in Houston, Texas.

Though the students missed school for a week, Sohee finished second in her division and Jeffrey finished first, eventually going on to win one of four Grand Awards.

According to Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, the I-SWEEEP Olympiad is a science competition for high school student researchers who want to make a difference in the world. As its name suggests, it is a platform for students to present innovative ways to solve the world’s challenges regarding energy, engineering, and the environment. The ideas that students present at the fair are unique, fresh, and represent high-level thinking, because they suggest real and practical solutions for problems the world faces today.

In order to prepare for the event, each high school researcher partook in the scientific process by asking a question and

I

News Briefs

by Alice Lee

TIGERS award ceremony wraps up the school year

forming a hypothesis about a problem they identified in the world. To test their hypotheses, the researchers performed experiments and developed conclusions.

Though the process seems simple on the surface, once variables like polydimethylsiloxane systems, homogentisate chemotaxis receptors, and perovskite photoactive layers are added, it becomes much more complicated.

“In order to participate in the competition, I worked really hard to come up with a unique idea and test it,” Jeffrey said.

“Compared to some science projects we do at school, the one that I undertook was a great leap forward. For six months I was constantly conducting tests in a professional lab in order to prove my hypothesis regarding a solar cell’s photovoltaic performance. The scientific process I worked through was conducted in a professional and methodical manner, and was unlike anything I have ever done before in my life.”

Many of the 564 students who attended the Olympiad prepared their projects for around a year. Their goal was to come up with an innovative solution regarding a

global problem in order to create a more sustainable future. Instead of seeking cliché solutions, these students attempted to think outside the box. According to Harmony Public Schools, the Public Charter School System that organizes the annual I-SWEEEP event, some scientists in the professional world may even use the ideas submitted by these high school students to enhance their own work.

“This experience was really valuable to me, because I learned so much from the process,” Jeffrey said. “Though it did take a really long time, I was really pleased with the results. By going through this process I was able to understand what real life lab situations are like, because even the smallest mistake can cause a big problem in the future. By attending this fair, I gained a better understanding about what a real scientist does, and it really opened my eyes up. I hope to participate again in the future, and hope that my ideas can be used to help solve problems the world faces today.”

By Ryan Jang Sophomore, Staff Writer

Chess Club members show major improvements at rematch against Korean Grand Chessmaster

n less than a year, Chess Club went from a group of only 14 members to a sizable team at SIS: the club currently includes 38 members from all four grades who actively engage in various tournaments, including those hosted by KAIAC. On May 18, Chess Club once again invited Sanghoon Lee, World Chess Federation Chess Master of 2012 and current coach of the national blind chess team, for the second annual Simultaneous Exhibition Games. During this event, Lee played chess matches against 12 Chess Club members in the atrium, starting at 11 a.m. and lasting well over an hour and a half.

During last year’s Simultaneous Exhibition Games, no member was able to defeat or even come close to drawing against Lee. However, this year, the results were measurably different – Bright Chong (10) was able to defeat Lee, while Haram Cho (11) and Jiwhan Moon (11) reached a draw.

“I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to employ 12 different tactics simultaneously,” said Jace Kim (11), Chess Club member. “Under normal circumstances, no one would have gotten close to a draw.

No one went in expecting to win, so the game was about persisting and learning rather than winning or losing.”

Still, Lee noted significant improvements in the chess players during this year’s match.

5

“This year, the players exhibited a strong and aggressive playing style,” said Lee. “This playing style can better lead players toward winning the game, because in chess it is important to take risks instead of focusing on only the safest moves. I was generally very impressed by the professional attitude that many students exhibited compared to last year.

With this level of dedication, they will be able to strive even further in this area.”

Chess Club members took various measures to practice and polish their skills this year. Although the official club meeting is scheduled only once a week, during office hours every Wednesday, practices often extended to outside club meetings as players played virtual matches against one another online.

“Efforts from all members of the club contributed to this year’s relative success,” said Jiwhan Moon, co-president of Chess Club. “Experienced members opened mentoring sessions to assist new members. Executive members uploaded post-game analysis on our social media page. Addition of passionate members from freshmen class resulted in a competitive environment and motivated many original members. I was especially pleased to see many members use chess.com outside regular club meetings to compete with one another. Such new practice

styles decreased the initial hurdle chess novices tend to encounter: experience.”

All in all, the tournament was an opportunity for the club to unite as a team, reflect upon their efforts and successes this season, and clarify their visions and goals for the next school year. The tournament was also beneficial in that Chess Club was able to learn a lot and make plans for next year. For example, Lee suggested that the club could solve more chess puzzles both offline and online so that students could practice identifying powerful moves. Online chess puzzles in particular can help students analyze personal weaknesses and strengths because they offer statistical analysis after each match. In response to such pieces of advice, Jiwhan is hoping to incorporate such objectives into their future practices.

“It is very rare to see a professional chess master offer to play with amateur students,” said Sue Choi, Chess Club adviser. “Students were excited to be challenged by unexpected moves. I sincerely look forward to providing our members with more opportunities to compete beyond the KAIAC level by expanding to national, and maybe even international tournaments.”

By Rachel Kang Junior, Staff Writer

On June 7, HSSC will present certain high school students with the TIGERS awards, based on recommendations submitted by teachers or the student body.

Recipients of the award will each get a badge that they can attach to their varsity jackets to display that they are models of a specific TIGERS trait. The TIGERS acronym represents desirable traits that students should strive to have: trustworthy individuals, independent thinkers, global citizens, effective communicators, reflective thinkers, and socially responsible. “Students who exemplify the TIGERS values deserve the same level of recognition as an outstanding athlete receives at SIS,” Ms. Knoer said. “While people who are skilled athletes often get recognized due to their inherent qualities, I believe that people who have attributes of the TIGERS values are truly people who can put themselves out and become successful later in society.”

Seniors leave a class gift Following the graduating class of 2015 that donated trees to SIS, the graduating class of 2016 is planning to leave behind a trophy display cabinet for the music department. Although the seniors had initially proposed purchasing stone benches, the idea was overruled with the more “meaningful” idea of donating to the music department. The Senior Class is planning to disclose the trophy display cabinet on May 16.

“Every year it has been a tradition for the senior class to leave a gift for the school at the end of the year,” said Dongin Kim (12), Senior Class president. “This year, the senior class decided to donate a trophy display cabinet for the music department.

Especially since the music department has significantly developed over the past years, [the senior class] thought that it would be appropriate to recognize the accomplishments the music department achieved.”

Casting starts for school play John Arthars, the new drama teacher, will direct the school play, “Get Smart,” starting from the beginning of the next school year. Distinguishable from musicals in the past two years, “Get Smart” is a comedy based on the 1960s TV show, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” The comedy focuses on the adventures of Maxwell Smart, a secret agent who always saves the day along with his female partner, Agent 99. Auditions were held on May 12 and 17.

“I decided to direct ‘Get Smart’ since it not only has suitable theme music, but also is filled with hilarious jokes,” Mr. Arthars said. “When selecting the actors for ‘Get Smart,’ I was looking for actors who had an appropriate sense of timing and enough confidence to do physical comedy in front of a large audience. I decided to conduct the auditions earlier than before, especially since in the past, many actors had a lot of trouble memorizing their lines.”

The US Department of Treasury announced this April that Harriet Tubman, champion of the Underground Railroad and female suffragist, will replace Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the US, on the $20 bill.

“

“

Layout by Joyce Lee

The good, the bad, and the ugly of racial diversity

By Soomin Chun Racial diversity—(noun) something for which everybody strives to show how open-minded, multicultural, and fair they are.

Racial diversity is generally regarded as inherently good. Over the years, attempts to achieve racial diversity through the use of quotas to enforce certain percentages of races at companies and colleges, culture fairs, and insert-race-here-history months have increased, or at least tried to increase minority presence in TV, films, executive positions, and more.

Recently, new TV shows such as “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Black-ish” have emerged. Although these programs seem mocking from their titles, they have been commended for their less stereotypical and realistic portrayal of the daily lives of minority families, unfogged by any “white-lens”. For example, the Asian family from “Fresh Off the Boat” includes a nagging mom and high-achieving straight-A children but also includes the addition of a more “American,” hip-hop loving trouble-maker first-born. This unorthodox Asian family combination embodies the larger trend toward more accurate representation of different races and cultures to bring comic relief all audiences can laugh about together rather than having one race being laughed at.

However, some have noticed that racial diversity may not be always favorable, as, with increased racial diversity, the problem shifts from minorities not being represented enough to not being represented accurately. In the media these days, children may see Asian actors, but the role models they might gain from the shows are still mainly limited to stereotypes such as the “karate master” or the “straight-A nerd” and, if lucky enough, the “submissive sidekick.”

“Asians are often portrayed as always studying in TV shows or movies and are rarely the leading actor,” said David Richie, advisor of Media Club. “Never

seeing role models that look like you can possibly lead [Asian children] to think the missing roles are not attainable. They should be able to see Asian actors in all sorts of different situations where they are nerdy, the leading character, or even villainous, to be able to see all the possibilities. The film and media industries think it is more marketable to typecast actors of color, but recent products with more actors of color serve as evidence that people like those shows as well. A market for those shows does definitely exist.”

However, many actors are still cast into their racial stereotypes, and when the image of a race is continuously imbalanced and skewed toward those very stereotypes, negative consequences arise for which the entire race suffers.

Possibly the most significant consequence for the die-hard studying Asians is regarding education.

According to a study by Princeton sociologist Thomas Espenshade, Asian Americans need an SAT score of 1550 to have an equal chance of getting into an elite college as white students with a score 1410 or black students with a score of 1100. Furthermore, multiethnic students that have Asian backgrounds in addition to another race refuse to check the Asian box on their ethnicity, according to the NY Daily News, thinking it will be disadvantageous since they are “not smart enough to be Asian.” These examples of Asians being held to higher academic standards may have developed the TV stereotype of the “Asian Nerd,” but that same stereotype is what also gives Asian children the idea of what they should become, continuing the vicious cycle of race issues both on and off the screen.

Misinformed labels are only further reinforced when some white people become the walking stereotype of ethnic cultures or races, thinking that their actions promote racial diversity when in reality they may be guilty of cultural appropriation—when members of a dominant group take elements from another

culture who they have been systematically oppressing, trivializing past historical oppressions.

“When I went to America recently, I saw magazines that called white celebrities with dreadlocks ‘edgy,’ when dreadlocks are often not allowed in the workplace for people of color who have hair more naturally suited for dreadlocks,” said Sohee Ahn (10), who visited Texas in April for a science competition. “I faced some cultural discomfort of my own, and I think the main source of all sorts of cultural discomfort is a lack of knowledge that leads to assumptions about others’ cultures. That does not mean cultural diversification cannot and should not happen—during my competition people from all over the world presented in their traditional clothes, and it was fascinating to see how such a diverse group of people could gather together to strive toward the same goal.”

In this era of political correctness, it is hard to find the balance of what amount of culture integration and what rate of racial diversification is appropriate, with the dangers of falling into pits from token minorities to culture appropriation. However, the recent Broadway musical “Hamilton” starring actors of all colors to act as the founding fathers showed that racial diversity can and does work, although in theory it may seem awkward at first. It is understandable that people want to see what they are used to seeing and thinking—according a study by Scott Eidelmen, longevity is associated with goodness—and companies want to show what people want to see. But races are more than things companies can sell for profit. The portrayal of races in media and in our everyday daily lives insinuates what they should act like in real life, and so perhaps portraying a wider variety of roles for minorities can break the vicious cycle of race issues in TV or at least educate the public that people are more than just a stereotype. One more superhero, this time perhaps an Asian one, could not do any harm.

reflect tcelfer

​​Institutionalize our American history by depicting people, monuments, symbols and concepts that reflect the past and reinforce a theme for that particular era of currency design.

Democracy

From the founding of the nation, democratic ideals, and our striving to make those ideals a reality, have defined the United States of America.

Artistry Using the theme of democracy, we will be working to incorporate a higher level of artistry into our note designs.

-US Department of the Treasury

Falling on deaf ears: the struggle for revisionist history

By Diana Nakyoung Lee It is always too late to change history; people may regret, but no one can dial back time or alter the past. In the 1950s, however, a group of historians led by scholar Howard Zinn decided that if they could not change the past, they could change how people viewed it. The term “revisionist” can describe any historian who supports unconventional views, but these historians have one goal in mind—to share the stories of historically subjugated groups.

Considering that the US Department of Treasury announced this April that Harriet Tubman, champion of the Underground Railroad, would replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, now may be a fitting time to ask, “Exactly how far has the historical community come in incorporating ‘minority’ voices?”

And, more importantly, who exactly is listening?

Support for revisionist history in the US has grown impressively over the past fifty years. Especially in fields related to education, the limelight has turned to the “minority” story. Last year, even the College Board unveiled a new AP US History (APUSH) curriculum, revised to emphasize the struggles of Native Americans, African Americans, immigrants, and women.

Many had criticized the old course for being too centered on “great man” history, or the history of white men and their accomplishments.

“I was surprised, as an Asian, how little even I had heard of Asian-American discrimination in the US,” said Joanne Lee (10), APUSH student. “I learned a lot about it this year because the new APUSH objectives focuses a lot on minority groups and primary source documents written by slaves or immigrants. I think it shows how little people of all races know about minorities in American history. I think fixing that is important because how people understand history influences how they think about the present.”

Even so, opposing forces are on the rise, and tensions are mounting. Ideological cherry picking has

taken root on both ends of the spectrum. According to Wired, people have always listened more closely to stories that re-enforce their biases. But when it comes to revisionist history, both liberals and conservatives seem especially reluctant to explore the other side.

The conservative stronghold can be categorized into two big groups. First, many conservative politicians and historians are worried that the new revisions are too negative for American ideals. At the same time, according to Michael Stanton, history teacher, many members of the conservative public find the new revisions uncomfortably discordant with the social norms with which they grew up. Some simply close their ears to the new interpretations. Often, these two groups become intertwined. For example, in the past decade, it has become increasingly common for conservative state legislatures to sweep revisionist courses under the rug. According to CNN, Oklahoma banned the new APUSH curriculum because it focused too much on “what was bad about America”— specifically, on the harms of American “exceptionalism.” According to the Washington Post, in 2010, the Republican National Committee banned a similar public school curriculum from Texas. Bias, however, can also turn into a social norm. When that happens, entire communities enter the fray.

“There are three things taught in a history class,” Mr. Stanton said. “First, the material in the textbooks and the course guide, second, the teacher’s personal interpretations, and third, the student’s personal biases. In parts of the South that still argue that the Civil War was fought over states’ rights, even if a conservative student reads a liberal textbook, they will draw from it conservative values. In those communities, the teacher would most likely still specifically spend time explaining why the textbook is ‘wrong,’ especially if the book says otherwise.”

To be fair, it must also be conceded that heavy lib-

eral bias dominates modern social studies. According to the Scientific American, around 85 percent of current history professors identify themselves as liberal, and “a considerable percentage” of liberal scholars said in an anonymous survey that they were willing to “explicitly report negative attitudes” toward conservative papers.

Clearly, the article on liberal bias exposes an important issue. Perhaps more pertinent to the revisionist history debate, however, is its article’s subheading: it reads, “We should seek to reduce bias, not balance it out.” Looking at modern manifestations of revisionist history—new course curricula, the new $20 bill, or Black History Month—the next big question may be, “Which matters more: the possibility that they are products of liberal bias, or the possibility that they, at the very least, are attempts to find a more holistic version of history?”

Any opportunity to share diverse perspectives on the historical struggles of “minorities” is valuable.

Movements like Black Power from the Civil Rights era show that learning about, understanding, and taking pride in one’s cultural and historical struggles may be especially empowering for “minority” groups. Nevertheless, revisionist historians can only do so much if the people whose perspectives they had set out to revise in the first place refuse to listen.

“If Harriet Tubman could see our world today, I think her initial response would be ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” said Alex Lopez-Barton, history teacher.

“However, I think the downside of [the status quo] is that we also could have gone further. The meaning of the bill symbolizes how, nowadays, we are valuing more and more people who really contributed to the history of our country, and not simply those who were privileged enough. Still, every time we break down a wall, we discover that there is another wall, and that equality has not been fully achieved.”

8

LIFESTYLE

Philosophizing about the International Philosophy Olympiad

A

few months ago, I had a choice to make: attend my high school prom, or go on a trip to Belgium as a member of Korea’s team to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). I confidently chose the IPO, but I was still highly regretful that I would not be able to attend Prom. I can now safely say that I chose correctly—it was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences of my life to date.

Day 1: Wednesday I meet the rest of the Korean national team attending the IPO—Professor Ji-aeh Lee and the other student Euiyoung Kim (12)—at the airport. We arrive in Belgium early Wednesday morning, due to time zone differences. After a quick tour around Brussels in a cab, we take a train to Ghent, where the IPO will be held. We have a team dinner there, then return to our hotel.

Day 2: Thursday I see that some of the other participants have begun to arrive. I join a group of people who truly enjoy engaging in intellectual conversations on topics ranging from the current state of US politics to the current state of “Game of Thrones. These were the people with whom I would stay up late talking and debate with during meals. Anything could spark a discussion, and any thought was welcome. Afterward, in the evening, we all made our way to the opening ceremony, where all the delegations were introduced after various speakers delivered their remarks.

Day 3: Friday This was the day of the actual essay competition. We had four hours to write an essay in response to one of four philosophical prompts. I chose Simone de Beauvoir’s quote on female identity, and proceeded to write about gender constructs. After a quick lunch, we had a choice of lectures to attend. I chose to attend the lectures on the political philosophy of liberal democracy and the moral gray zones surrounding modern drone usage. All in all, it was a very productive and intellectual day.

Day 4: Saturday All of the participants were given the opportunity to explore both Ghent and the nearby city of Ieper. Given that the theme of this year’s IPO was “War and Peace,” the museums and cemeteries honoring WWI that we visited seemed hauntingly appropriate. Back in Ghent, there was one final party to celebrate our final evening, after which we went to bed.

Day 5: Sunday During the closing ceremony, several speakers lecture about the philosophy of war and peace. It is announced that Euiyoung and I have won two of the three gold medals given out—the first time that multiple gold medals have been awarded simultaneously to the same country. Everything feels surreal, as it is soon time to leave. As I bid farewell, tears are shed and we promise to keep in touch as we take photographs to commemorate the end. Stoic philosophers may have believed that we can control our own emotions, but I cannot help but feel empty now that it is all over. I know and hope, as I walk away, that the experiences I had and the people I met will always have a place in my mind.

By Daniel Choi Senior, Staff Writer

Beats Per Month

By Junie Kah Freshman, Staff Writer

updated may 2016

AKDONG MUSICIAN BACK IN TWO YEARS The celebrated singer-songwriter duo Akdong Musician’s comeback has been anticipated by many fans over the past few weeks, and their newest album, “Spring,” was released on May 4. “Spring” is composed of six songs, two of which are the title tracks “Re-Bye” and “How People Move.” Many fans attribute the group’s unique songs as a reason for their success; according to Michelle Ahn (9), a long time fan of the duo, although folk is not

a popular genre in Korea, the duo mixes in playful sounds that bring attention to their music.

“Like always, Akdong Musician did not let me down, ” Michelle said. “The reason why I like their songs is because they are greatly relatable and calming. The comeback was exactly as I expected it to be. All of their songs were amazing and it was a great pleasure to listen to them again after two years.”

Tiger Times May 2016

9

‘Captain America: Civil War’ captivates audiences worldwide

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo bring yet another adrenaline-filled superhero action film to the screen in “Captain America: Civil War.” The film earned approximately two hundred million dollars in American theaters during its opening weekend, during the week of April 27. Its theme deviates from that of traditional Marvel

superhero movies and has captured public attention.

Throughout the movie, the Avengers deal with internal strife as they struggle to agree upon the “Sokovia Accords”, a United Nations resolution that would force all superheroes to comply with direct control from government agencies. The Avengers

split in half after Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) chooses to sign the accords, while Captain America (Chris Evans) chooses to take responsibility for his own actions.

Both sides gather support from different superheroes including Ant Man, Black Widow, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch. At the same time, Captain America deals with the return of the Winter Soldier, his childhood friend who becomes framed for another terrorist attack. The superheroes must overcome the civil division while keeping their heads up for another wave of chaos.

“Captain America: Civil War” serves as a satisfying sequel. The captivating action sequences, bits of wit, originality of old superheroes, sneak peeks at new characters, and an enthralling opponent all deserve applause. Particularly, “Civil War” displayed full thematic originality by presenting dissociation among the Avengers instead of pursuing the old recurring theme of “unified power.” While superheroes from past movies such as “The Avengers” from 2012 and “Age of Ultron” combined their power in order to save humanity from evil, “Civil War” rather portrayed rising arguments and vigorous fights among the Avengers themselves. For instance, the scene in which divided superheroes race at each other from their respective halves exemplified complete divergence from the originally established Marvel theme.

Furthermore, while illustrating the disunion between superheroes, the film itself utilized high quality technology. The excellence of computer graphics mesmerized the eyes of audiences from the opening scene.

Unlike the past two Avengers movies, “Civil

War” focused more on detailed sets, which shined the visual elements of the characters. Whether it was Antman clipping off the wires of Iron Man ’s suit or Spiderman swinging his webs to strike down War Machine, each of the creative technological tactics demonstrated by the superheroes definitely grasped the attention of the audience.

However, although these jaw-dropping scenes have quenched the audiences’ thirst for action, the general plot is slightly interrupted and disorganized with the introduction of new characters, side-conflicts, and the mixing of the past with the present.

The movie had to handle the civil conflict between superheroes, Tony’s issue with his dead parents from past, the Black Panther’s revenge, and Spiderman finding a job in a span of only two hours.

Regardless, this spectacular movie should still be recognized due to its meaningful messages regarding inner dispute and the significance of teamwork. The unique perspective of how all seemingly mighty superheroes have to take responsibility for their actions combined with an onslaught of new characters appears to have attracted audiences. Despite minor flaws regarding crammed content, “Captain America: Civil War” was a satisfactory watch; the movie not only had charming action scenes and dazzling actors, but also well planned-out message. Released in the midst of great public attention, its daring spin to traditional Marvel movies is expect-

By Grace Yang Sophomore, Staff Writer

Beyoncé releases self-titled visual album ‘Lemonade’

E

ver since the singer Beyoncé released her visual album “Lemonade” on April 23, its artistic presentation and strong messages regarding infidelity and black women have sent waves through media outlets around the globe.

Amidst the rumors about Jay Z’s unfaithfulness, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, confirmed that “Lemonade” was partly about betrayal and cheating, but also about redemption, hope, and healing. To showcase these topics, the videos included real-life home movies that share Beyoncé’s own experiences with her family. Some moments in the film that build a connection to family and home included Jay Z’s grandmother sharing memories during her 90th birthday, saying, “I was given lemons and I made lemonade” as well as a young Beyoncé talking to her father.

“Beyoncé’s new album stood out to me because it’s so different from a lot of the pop songs we hear these days,” said William Chung (10), fan of Beyoncé. “I thought that this album would be empowering for women going through experiences similar to Beyoncé’s. And to include such raw clips of her own life made her seem more real, helping audiences to connect.”

“Lemonade” also reveals Beyoncé’s political beliefs concerning issues such as the black rights movement. An audio clip of Malcolm X saying, “The most disrespected woman in America is the black woman,” is featured at one point in the visual album.

According to The Telegraph, the video features mothers whose sons have been killed due to police brutality, such as Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton. Fulton is shown in the film holding a photograph of her son to deliver a message about police

brutality and racism. The inclusion of other iconic figures such as tennis champion Serena Williams and model Winnie Harlow all celebrate and express pride in the achievements of black women.

“I think it’s incredible to watch how ‘Lemonade’ exploded,” said Kallina Chin, choir director. “Music always had a huge impact to people and as soon [‘Lemonade’] was released, people began to take action and bring more attention. The parts in the video in which she includes powerful black women and images of mothers who were impacted by police brutality are huge and I think that’s what touched peoples’ hearts, because unfortunately, that kind of racial tension is happening in the United States.”

Zendaya was one of the many African American women who were featured in the album. According to Seventeen, taking part of “Lemonade” was empowering for

Zendaya not only because of the messages about feminism but also because the album was about heartbreak and healing. For Zendaya, “Lemonade” was a therapeutic experience that addressed bigger themes of self-pride and confidence as a woman.

“As an enthusiastic fan, I was initially surprised to hear about the release of the new visual album,” said Hailey Ahn (10). “I knew that ‘Lemonade’ would be different from all her other albums, but it really shows who Beyoncé is other than the artist and singer we know her for. I am impressed with her hard work and I hope more people will start to understand the messages about racial prejudice and other universal issues, rather than focusing solely on the scandalous aspect of Jay Z’s infidelity.”

By April Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

NEW GIRL GROUP DEBUT: IOI’S ‘DREAM GIRLS’

Bangtan Boys Make New K-Pop History

The 11 winners of “Produce 101,” a girl group survival program, were given the opportunity to debut as a female K-pop group named “IOI,” which stands for “Ideal of Idol.” Composed of trainees from various entertainment companies, the current members were chosen among 90 other contestants and are finally debuting with their title track, “Dream Girls.” According YMC entertainment, the group’s agency, the members chose “Dream Girls”

Bangtan Boys, a popular K-pop boy band, released “Young Forever” as the final album of the three-part series, “HwaYang YeonHwa” on May 1. The trilogy’s main theme was about the beauty of youth. Having one underlying theme for multiple albums is not a common practice for the K-pop industry. Such attempt may be a reason for the group’s exponentially growing popularity; according to Big Hit Entertainment, the group’s agency,

as their debut track through a blind vote in which they were told to pick the song that matched their team the best.

“I am excited about their debut as I was a fan of the group since the TV show ‘Produce 101,’” said Terrance Lee (11), an avid fan of the group. “I hope IOI produces songs and performances that can match up with those of other rising girl groups such as Twice or Mamamoo by developing their own unique identity.”

pre-album sales for “Young Forever” reached over 300,000 in the matter of six days, whereas their previous album’s sales barely topped 250,000.

“I think that the overall production value [of the album] was very high, so the song and the performance was extremely intricate and well-planned, which is uncommon in a society where people only value the looks of an idol,” said Julie Song (10), a fan since the group’s debut.

10

SPORTS

Social media hack victimizes athlete on NFL draft day

I

t was the morning of April 28. 6-foot5, 315-pound offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil sat in the Chicago Auditorium Theatre, preparing for the long awaited NFL draft night. ESPN had projected Tunsil to be the best lineman in the draft, if not the best player overall. As Tunsil waited, he anticipated what should have been the best night of his life and the start of an amazing career. Unfortunately, Tunsil was unaware that mere minutes ago, an anonymous user had hacked into his Twitter account and had posted a scandalous video of him smoking marijuana from a gas

mask bong.

The video was hastily deleted, but not before screenshots and recordings spread across the Internet. NFL officials were promptly notified and following the release of this controversial video, team after team refused to draft Tunsil. Ultimately, Tunsil was not drafted within the estimated top five picks, and instead slid to pick number 13, taken eventually by the Miami Dolphins.

“Tunsil posed many potential complications to the teams he would be drafted to,” said Elliot Nam (10), “He could get suspended for a very long time if he is caught

in possession of marijuana in the NFL. Even in college football, Tunsil made many violations and was suspended for several games. This is probably why coaches were so hesitant to draft Tunsil: a player like him with so many red flags could put their entire team in jeopardy.”

However, the scandal did not end there.

Right after Tunsil was drafted, his Instagram account was hacked as well. This time, the hacker revealed several screenshots of a text conversation between Tunsil and his former coach. The screen-shots showed Tunsil asking his coach to pay for

his mother’s electric bills and for his rent.

For many in the audience, the conversation was evocative of an almost identical scandal that Tunsil had faced for receiving illegal benefits three years back in the NCAA. “Everyone, no matter what generation, makes mistakes when they’re young,” said Alex Lopez-Barton, soccer coach.

“But in this generation, there is a concept that everything we do socially is recorded thanks to social media. As you come into the social spectrum as a famous athlete, politician, or whatever else, ultimately there is the possibility that something personal is going to come forward and be exposed to the public. Tunsil needs to be wary of that.”

The scandal also resulted in heavy criticism of the NFL. Fans were peeved; not at Tunsil for smoking marijuana or at the anonymous hacker for sabotaging Tunsil’s draft, but at the league for passing up an excellent player on trivial terms.

Sports commentator Doug Kyed from the New England Sports Network (NESN) condemned the NFl as a corrupt, paranoid association that fails to take action when confronted with an unexpected incident.

“The irony is that the NFL took something that was really insignificant and made it into this big thing by intentionally rejecting the chance to draft Tunsil,” said Elliot Kim (9), “So what if he smoked a little pot in his younger days? Compared to countless allegations of murder, sexual assault, and domestic abuse in the league, it’s nothing. The league shouldn’t be so concerned with such minor things that are long in the past; they should be concerned with good football.”

By Jeremiah Nam Freshman, Staff Writer

Refugee athletes compete under the Olympic flag

T

his August, more than 11,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will join together at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the world’s biggest sporting event: the Olympics. Ever since the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, the Olympics have been held once every four years, each time in a different city around the world and following a certain set of ceremonies each time.

As always, in the Opening Ceremony for the Rio 2016 Olympics, all teams will follow the tradition of being introduced with their national flags while their national anthems play out loud in the stadium. However, one team will defy this norm.

In this team of 10, refugee-athletes chosen as Independent Olympians, or the “Team of Refugee Olympic Athletes,” will walk down the tracks with the Olympic anthem playing in the background. Representing no particular NOC, these athletes

compete under the Olympic flag. According to Thomas Bach, President of International Olympic Committee (IOC), by hosting a team of refugee athletes in the Olympics, the IOC wants to send a message of hope to refugees around the world. In a world rampant with violence and hatred, the IOC wishes to take the Olympics as an opportunity to encompass all athletes and their undying passion for sports.

“Athletes from my country, Serbia, were not allowed to participate in the Barcelona 1992 Olympics due to the war in former Yugoslavia and the consequent international embargo,” said Ivan Atanaskovic, Athletics and Activities Coordinator.

“Because professional athletes’ peak careers last only four to five years, missing one Olympic cycle is detrimental to their career.

The Olympics are not about having athletes compete without political support or favoritism of more powerful countries, but rather solely based on athleticism and good

sportsmanship. I think the formation of the refugee team is a good way to represent this attitude.”

Up until the Athens 1906 Olympics, athletes did not have to represent a single nation by competing under a NOC. This added requirement made it impossible for an athlete from a nation without a recognized NOC to take part in the Olympics.

The title of “Independent Olympians” has given a home to many athletes without a recognized NOC. For example, in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, four athletes from East Timor participated under the Olympic flag because its home nation was in transition after independence.

“The acceptance of the refugee team to this year’s Olympics exhibits the true spirit of Olympics,” said Juhyung Park (11), the vice president of Model United Nations club. “It shows that humans can empathize with each other through their common love for sports. It shows that we are able

to understand the hard circumstances that others face and respect them for their endurance. By allowing these unfortunate refugees to represent themselves at the grand Olympics, it reveals that we, as a species, are honoring them for their efforts to persevere and pursue their passion for sports through difficult times.”

According to International Business Times, as of right now, three refugees are eligible to perform at the Olympics – “a Syrian swimmer based in Germany, an Iranian taekwondo athlete training in Belgium, and a judo athlete from the Democratic Republic of Congo living in Brazil.” These three, in addition to the seven more athletes who will announced, all come from different nations and currently all live in different nations, but they will come together as one team, united under the Olympics.

By Grace Lee Junior, Production Editor

Tiger Times May 2016

Boys varsity swim team comes back as champions for the first time

A

fter displaying continuous success throughout the season, the SIS varsity boys swim team took home first place at the KAIAC championships, held on April 29-30 at Seoul Foreign School. The boys won the championships for the first time in four years, setting another milestone in SIS athletics history. While the team had to deal with new changes, the swimmers were able to pull through to the end and win thanks to new freshman athletes who filled the shoes of last year’s seniors.

During the two-day tournament, swimmers were able to showcase the skills they had polished over the season. They placed in various events with remarkable results, including the 100-meter backstroke and the 100-meter butterfly. Amongst many outstanding swimmers, Alan Huh (12) and Ian Lee (9) earned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards at the tournament.

“I believe I owe this award to the team, because they gave me so much support every race,” Ian said. “In the past, I thought that swimming was purely an individual sport because I couldn’t see a lot of interaction between teammates. However, after joining the team, I realized the true value of teamwork. Although I was extremely happy to receive the award, I know that a large part of the success goes not just to myself but also to my team.”

Likewise, the team’s synergy and cooperation played an important role in helping

11

SPORTS PHOTO OF THE MONTH

the players achieve better records. Despite the fact that there were several new swimmers this year, the team was able to bond quickly over the sport in the beginning and work toward reaching the goal they had set last season: winning.

“Although there was a division between the freshmen swimmers and the others during the first match, the swimmers soon got to know each other well and developed a strong relationship,” said Cindy Presse, varsity swim coach. “Having that kind of a relationship is especially hard in swimming because it’s an individual sport, but I think they were able to maintain it successfully, which helped them perform well as a group.”

Though three of the 16 athletes will be leaving this year, both departing and remaining swimmers are confident that next year’s team will continue the legacy they have established. According to Andy Kim (10), varsity boys swimmer, the team has already started to plan for next season.

“Our main goal for next year is to do even better than this year,” Andy said. “Although we did extremely well this year as a team, we hope to improve in terms of time. I believe that, through strong ties within the team, we are capable of winning first place again and bringing in better individual results next year.”

By Soomin Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Taking a deep breath, Bryan Kwak (11) finishes the 100 meter breaststroke race. The boys team would leave victorious, claiming first for both the KAIAC conference and championships.

Photo by Kelly Kim

The unexpected winners of the Barclay’s Premier League

O

n May 3, Leicester City Football Club secured the Premier League title after second place Tottenham tied with Chelsea, preventing any hopes of Tottenham surpassing Leicester City in the league. Relegation favorites from last year to this year’s champions, Leicester City FC’s victory was a surprise to both fans and experts.

“I have always supported Manchester United,” said Nuri Choi (10), previous Manchester United fan. “However, this season, I found myself supporting Leicester City because they played amazingly this year. I also bet two of my friends because they didn’t think Leicester could win the league, but now that they did, I’m 100,000 won richer.”

The Premier League is dominated by giant clubs with resources and winning

histories. In the past 24 years, only seven different teams have won the league. Five of those teams have won two or more times, and Manchester United has won 13 different seasons. A small team like Leicester City winning the Premiership deviates from previous trends.

“It’s amazing if you look at what the odds the bookies were giving them; you were more likely to see the Loch Ness Monster then have Leicester win the league,” said Alex Barton-Lopez, varsity girls soccer coach. “The team challenged the concept of paying the big bucks for the superstars.”

The new manager, Claudio Ranieri, came up with a new and simple tactic, executed by key players Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante, and Riyad Mahrez. Leicester placed extra emphasis on defense and counter attacks

while bolstering their team chemistry by not having a different line-up every match.

In addition, Leicester focused on keeping their players fit by preventing injuries, something many clubs failed to do.

According to Sky Sports, Leicester City countered the way in which teams originally won the Premier League, as they proved wrong the common misconception that teams that held possession of the ball for most of the game usually bring the game home. Leicester successfully exploited the loopholes in the opponent’s defense and maintained a steadfast pace throughout the game to score goals. Not only this, manager Claudio Ranieri made only 27 changes to his starting 11 all season, a low number that promoted unity within the team.

The star trio of Leicester - Jamie Vardy,

Riyad Mahrez, and N’Golo Kante - depicts the club’s successes. Five years ago, Vardy played amateur football while working part-time at a factory making medical splints. Mahrez was playing low division football after being overlooked by every youth academy in France. Kante was playing for a mere few thousand fans in second division football last season. This season, however, all three played key roles.

“It’s remarkable how players like Jamie Vardy, who nobody knew last year, performed on a world class level,” said Joonhee Han (11), varsity boys soccer team player.

“I hope we can be like Leicester City next year.”

By Justin Chang Sophomore, Staff Writer

12

SMALL TALK

FAUX NEWS Competition for leadership increases in power vacuum As many leadership terms come to a close in nations around the world this May, potential candidates have begun actively campaigning to demonstrate that they are the ones best fit to lead in upcoming years.

This shift in power is projected to be the largest in two years, with 26 countries experiencing a change in leadership. An increased number of citizens have expressed interest in running for these vacancies—according to the Accumulated Data from Main Individual Nations (ADMIN), a highly unreliable statistical analysis company, ten citizens on average ran for vacant positions in governments this year compared to the barely contested positions that many previous leaders were able to obtain.

“Back in my day, people knew when to give up,” said Hadit Yeezy, retired politician. “These young citizens these days, with their political participation, interviews, and campaigning. In my day, we were committed to one thing, and one thing only. None of this ‘running for government’ and ‘involvement in politics.’ We didn’t have time for these shenanigans.”

However, the majority of those who have run for office have been discovered to be significantly unqualified for these positions, while others were found to be blatant criminals. Some candidates were embezzling money from treasuries, while others were found to have abused their involvement with multiple countries in order to be admitted to prestigious universities. Because many of these universities ‘strongly recommended’ multiple leadership roles for higher chances of acceptance, some candidates held several positions in two or more governments, jeopardizing the safety of the countries involved.

“The truth is, not everyone is qualified for office,” said Joanna Ebba, representative of the Good Broadcasting Company (GBS). “Many individuals who run for these offices are committed to more than one nation, which not only brings up issues of dedication but also questions of allegiance. What if the US is involved in a political conflict with Korea, but someone is the leader of both countries? These are questions that have to be answered in the selection process.”

After their rejection by voters, many candidates have taken to protesting election results, believing that the reason for their rejection was due to powers beyond their own control. Many dejected, wailing candidates were spotted with fortunetellers post-rejection in order to identify what they had done wrong to be denied a leadership position—possible reasons given for rejection included “bribery with chocolate chip cookies,” “interviewer possessed by evil spirit,” and “resume eaten by interviewer’s cat.”

“I honestly thought that I had a chance,” said Auver Achving, a recent college graduate wrote on popular Internet forum 5chan. “I was loyal to my country and was clearly experienced enough to be in charge of it. Also, the fact that I paid my mandatory taxes to the government, unlike some of my competitors, is proof that I was qualified to be the face of my country.”

BY JOYCE LEE

EX MACHINA: TAYLORISM

BY DIANA NAKYOUNG LEE Did you know that the optimal coal shovel weighs 21 pounds?

Don’t believe me? It’s been scientifically proven. Why would anyone need to know? Most 20th century industrialists would have found the question blasphemous. The philosophy of scientific management, or Taylorism, is built on the idea that one can maximize efficiency by using mathematical measurements to manage labor. Sadly, its traces can still be found in many corners of modern life.

In the US, Fredrick Taylor and the emergence of Taylorism revolutionized management as much as the Industrial Age had revolutionized production.

The book “Designing for Humans”

by Jan Noyes describes how industrialists harnessed the credibility of Taylor’s “science” to justify sacrificing everything from workers’ rights to racial integration, if the measure cut cost.

Factory owners often broke down the assembly process into simple steps, set the parts onto a conveyor belt, and had workers repeat a set of actions over and over again. (Stick this screw into that knob! Stick this screw into that knob!

Stick this screw into that knob!)

Menial tasks filled long hours, punctuated only by lunchtime bells.

Sometimes, Taylor himself would even calculate the optimal length for a lunch break. After lunch, workers returned to their stations and stood in a neat line, carrying their “scientific” shovels.

If all this sounds familiar, it may be because most students have at least some memory of having sat quietly in rows, waiting for the lunch bell. Both the industrialists and the politicians of the early 20th century wanted to infuse Taylorism into education: “Put the children on the conveyor belt young, and by the time they’re old enough to hold a 21 pound shovel, they’ll be ripe and ready for the factory life!” Its legacies of standardization, simplification, and repetition can still be found across the country in environments that emphasize standardized testing, rote memorization (without analysis or application), or strict discipline.

Over time, the presence of Taylorism may have dwindled in education. In the workplace, however, technology has only encouraged a second golden age. According to National Public Radio, “runners” at Amazon’s distribution hubs are ordered to dash to a specific bucket in a specific aisle by electronic bracelets that simultaneously count down the exact number of seconds they have left to

retrieve the package. If a “runner” goes overtime, the bracelet starts beeping non-stop, until the order is completed.

At the end of each month, workers with the worst numbers are fired, regardless of personal circumstances. According to the Economist, inventors have also created gadgets for the service sector.

Inventor Alex Pentland, for example, has invented a “sociometric” neck badge that can measure and rate an employee’s tone of voice, gestures, and concentration.

Of course, efficiency in itself is not bad. In fact, problems specific to Taylorism will most likely soon disappear, for we are past the age of “machinizing” humans; we now “humanize” machines.

Unfortunately, tedious work is not what makes Taylorism so frightening. Scientific management allows employers to justify all dehumanizing means of management for the one end of efficiency. In that process, the employees are inevitably discouraged from asking: To what end?

To what end do I stand at this conveyor belt? To what end do I sit at this desk? To what end to I take this standardized test? Even Taylor would have agreed that one could never find the answers staring at a 21-pound shovel.

Starstruck

@ La Vie Douce

Prom King & Queen

May 13th, 2016