Tiger Times Volume 34 Issue 10

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

Prom: The High School Student Council hosts annual prom at Banyan Tree. Page 5

Service: Sophomore travels to South Africa with wheelchair tennis team. Page 9

Persevere: KAIAC sports teams pull through despite inclement weather. Page 10

Common cause unites SISers at fundraising brunch

Photo by Joshua Kim

Yeeun Chun, president of Habitat for Humanity and Global Issues Network, gives a presentation on Hwa-Hweh Maeul at the champagne brunch.

By Angela Cho

An upgrade from a bake sale or toy drive, the champagne brunch held May 14 was a fundraising event with elegance. Parents joined teachers and administrators at family restaurant Market O, savoring the taste of tender steak and fine champagne.

The brunch was part of a larger, more collaborative fundraising activity for Hwa-Hweh Maeul, a vinyl village located five minutes away from school. In addition to selling custom-made t-shirts, Global Issues Network (GIN) and Habitat for Hu-

manity (HFH) organized SIS’ firstever champagne brunch to raise money for water filters for the village’s 185 residents.

“Originally, I wanted to have a dinner at a fancy hotel,” said Donna Spisso, GIN and HFH adviser. “It is difficult to make it [to the brunch] right in the middle of a day on a Saturday. But the event was successful [considering the amount of money raised].”

In total, the clubs sold 36 tickets and raised 5.5 million won. While participation was limited to adults, the event was student-coordinated.

Middle school GIN members and Yeeun Chun (11), president of GIN and HFH, introduced the purpose of the brunch by giving a brief presentation on Hwa-Hweh Maeul.

“This is the biggest fundraising event I’ve seen in my four years here at SIS,” said Aaron Elser, science teacher. “The champagne brunch was wonderful [because] we got to hear more about the village and the meal was delicious.”

To contribute to the fundraising, National Art Honor Society (NAHS) members donated 10 framed art pieces for a silent auction

for a minimum bid of 150,000 won each. Jasmine Park (11), Danbi Kim (11) and Daniel Lee (12) also performed four songs.

“We successfully incorporated both traditional music [“Arirang”] and modern pop songs,” said Danbi. “Because of preparation for Advanced Placement exams, we had our first official practice on [May 13], but performed well thanks to our previous experiences performing on the street.”

Headmaster Hyung-Shik Kim and Korean celebrity Joong-Hoon Park also attended to support the

occasion.

“The [hosting] clubs had a good reputation and I wanted to take a look [at the event they organized],” said Mr. Park, actor and Bason Park’s (8) father. “Today, I came here [to support the cause] as a dad, not as a movie star.”

Other parents were as thoroughly impressed with the quality of the brunch.

“If I had known the brunch was this well-organized, I could’ve invited more people,” said June Bai, Yeeun’s mother. “I’m very proud of my daughter and the clubs.”

classes because it makes it harder for me and the others to get to class on time after the [previous] class is over since there is no break in between,” said Justin.

Avoiding situations like this was one of the reasons the administration decided to build a new gym, elementary school and fine arts center. However, Korea’s 20 percent footprint rule prohibits the school from constructing more buildings on campus without the consent of the school’s Foundation, which consists of construction businesses, the army and President Myungbak Lee. Therefore, the gym will be built

underneath the already existing elementary playground. The Foundation approved of the school’s renovation plan after one year.

“The main reason we decided to renovate was because the classrooms in the elementary building were too crowded and small,” said Paul Gowans, director of school. “Then, Hyung-Shik Kim, headmaster, other school directors, and the Foundation began to discuss the cost and date for the renovations to begin.”

According to Mr. Gowans, the administration hopes that the new gym will be finished by 2012. It will have a larger fitness center and new

changing rooms. Also, the current bleachers will be replaced with foldable ones, widening the space available for school-wide events.

The new elementary school center will soon replace the existing Tiger Gym 1. The current elementary school building will become the school’s fine arts center.

“I think building the performing arts center will be an asset because we can further develop drama, strings and choir,” said Brenda Myung (11). “[The performing arts center] is more specialized so the school can give more support for those students who are artistically

gifted. It can also foster an artistic community.”

However, the arts center is scheduled to be completed after the construction of the new gym, which means that current high school students will not be able to benefit from these new facilities. “ I think having our school renovated is an excellent idea to provide future students a suitable learning environment that the previous generations missed out on,” Jason Han (10). “It would have been better if it had started sooner so that I could see the changes before I graduate in 2013.”

School to begin renovation of facilities this summer

By Jessica Song

After US History class, Justin Kim (10) rushes to the strings room.

Worried about being marked tardy, he prefers to spend his morning break in the strings room because it takes a while to go from the main building to the basement classroom located underneath the parking lot.

However, these complaints are bound to reduce once the construction of new school facilities officially begins this summer.

“I wish [the strings room] wasn’t so far away from our regular

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Letter to the Editor

Editorial

Growing up as a “nerdy Asian girl” SIS was the only school I considered when I decided to leave California and return to Asia two years ago. My reasons were simple: I wanted to be closer to my boyfriend, who was relocating to China; I’d always felt a special connection to Korea; most importantly, I wanted to work with kids who looked like me and shared the experiences I had growing up.

I was a textbook example of an overweight “nerdy Asian girl” with thick glasses, an untidy ponytail and a hoodie from an Ivy League school. As much as I hated math and science, I took as many AP math and science courses to make up for the fact that English was my second language; I was supposed to be good at math and science anyway because I was Asian. It goes without saying: I didn’t enjoy high school at all. It was only something I needed to be good at so that I could go to a big-name school. I worked insanely hard and was accepted to one Ivy League school that my 18-year-old mind believed validated my worth. But being a good Chinese daughter, I gave up my passion in art and went to Wellesley, the school my father wanted me to attend—a school that he could boast about, a school he deemed perfect for girls from respectable families. After all, I would be going home to Taiwan to inherit the family business. This was a path similar to many Asian families.

I took this same path, but it didn’t finish the way it was supposed to. Something went wrong.

First, it was the sudden death of my mother during my freshman year in high school; then, my father lost his business and was involved in a number of high-profile political scandals the summer I began attending Wellesley. Just like that, I lost everything. There were no more ajummas picking up after me, no more fancy cars or brandname clothes. Instead, I worked three part-time jobs and moved from one relative’s house to another friend’s apartment every summer when the dorms closed.

But this experience, as difficult as it was, humbled me. My background and private school education instilled a sense of entitlement; it was not until I experienced these changes I realized I needed to earn my worth. A degree from a prestigious college doesn’t say much about who you are. It is what you make out of it that matters. We are so privileged that it is imperative we understand our responsibilities to make a difference in the world.

This is why I became a teacher, a career path rarely considered

by Asian students. I remember I wished there was a teacher who looked like me in high school— someone who could tell me that I was not a bunch of numbers, and that it was OK that English was my second language.

I am glad that the path that I took was not just another textbook example. It turned out to be different and not entirely pleasant, but it certainly made me less ordinary.

Photo by Linda Heeyoung Park

Bazaar becomes flea market for businesses, not event to “create global leaders” Colorful invitations and a banner in the lobby advertised the SIS Parent Association (SISPA) bazaar a month prior to the event. Students held high hopes for the firstever bazaar, and clubs prepared accordingly. On the day of the event, students stepped into the basement to find mothers, toddlers, tables and two-panel posters all cramped into one narrow hallway.

The bazaar presented students with an opportunity to raise funds for their clubs, which were used for a good cause; for example, Red Cross Youth donated half of its proceeds to a nearby orphanage for disabled children called Somang House. In fact, the 29 clubs that ran booths at the event earned a total of approximately 10 million won—a feat that would not have been possible under normal circumstances.

It informed students of clubs not officially recognized by the school as well, such as Pearl Buck Student Association, an organization that helps children of racial minorities, and Together, a club that plays basketball with disabled children. This made students aware

By Wei-ying Lin, Chinese teacher

of the diverse array of options available to them when it comes to pursuing extracurricular activities—no longer do they have to be confined to only the organizations approved by the school. This does not mean that students should join half a dozen more clubs outside of school to pad their resumes, but at the same time, having more opportunities to get involved never hurts.

Hence the bazaar was held with good intentions; however, it seemed to have lost its original purpose as mothers began to prioritize businesses over student-run associations. Not only did businesses set up their booths in Tiger Gym 1 while students cramped up in the narrow hallways, but their products—phones, expensive clothes and food—also overshadowed students’ handmade goods.

The event was supposed to be an opportunity for students to represent clubs and raise funds, not an event at which high-profile businesses could advertise their products to teenagers from affluent families. Inviting more than two dozen businesses to sell goods

at a school event quickly turned it into a commercialized fair. Yes, the clubs altogether earned a big profit, but at the end of the day, the money earned by the clubs collectively was only a seventh of the gross profit of the entire bazaar, which includes money earned by the food stands and rebates from the businesses.

Numbers do not lie—intentionally or not, the school bazaar became a flea market for students and parents to purchase goods at discounted prices. Profit is important, but the source of the profit and its implications should also be considered nevertheless. If SISPA truly wanted to promote “future global leaders,” it should have executed the event so that the businesses did not steal the light from studentrun booths.

The bazaar will become an SIS tradition, but in doing so it is imperative that commercialization does not.

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

SSIC teacher evaluation forms need improvement

By Lydia Kim

Students were finally able to fill out Scantrons for a reason other than test-taking. From April 26-27, the School Student Improvement Committee (SSIC) distributed anonymous surveys to all classes for students to evaluate their teachers and classes. Although the SSIC’s efforts to create a medium for students to express their opinions are laudable, the system still needs some improvement.

Giving students the opportunity to fill out these surveys will benefit teachers and their classes.

Students will be able to reflect upon their classes and offer their opinions without feeling threatened of the consequences that may arise from cricizing elders. Student complain about their teachers and classes Editors-in-Chief Stella Kim Eunice Lee Managing Editor Lydia Kim Production Editor Jasmine Park Graphics Editor Stephanie Song

with their friends or rant on social networking sites to no avail. However, these evaluations allow them to comfortably and honestly provide constructive feedback to their teachers without feeling guilty.

Teachers rarely receive honest feedback about their teaching from students. These assessments will offer them the chance to see what their students think about them and their teaching styles, which will allow them to improve their teaching styles.

However, because this is the first time the SSIC has distributed these surveys, the system has several flaws. First of all, the surveys do not allow students to provide comments beyond the survey’s 14 questions. Each teacher’s teaching style is unique, which means that feedback will be unique for each as well; a standardized set of 14 questions is

Copy Editors Alison Chang Angela Cho Elizabeth Song

Photographers Joshua Kim Linda Heeyoung Park Jessica Song

Marketing Director Jasmine Park

Layout Artists Jason Huh Elizabeth Kim Jonathan Yun

Cartoonist Lydia Kim

Cartoon by Lydia Kim

simply not enough.

Students are also at fault. An inevitable part of any required survey is that some students do not to take it seriously. They fill in any bubble without even reading the questions

Reporters Mark Kim Michelle Kim Marcus Lee Helen Song Min Ji Suh Adviser Ms. Carolyn Brown

because they are too lazy to assess their classes properly. Some students only answer in the “strongly disagrere” section without considering the question at an objective standpoint just because they have personal

Tiger Times seoul international school Songpa P.O. Box 47 Seoul, South Korea 138-600

grudges against their teachers. This means that the student evaluations will not be entirely accurate reflections of the classes. Allowing students to submit written comments will also serve as a measure to see whether or not a student has taken the survey seriously.

Another disadvantage is that the surveys were allotted at an unsuitable time of the year. In order for the teacher evaluations to positively affect classes, they should have been conducted in the middle of the school year so that teachers could have looked over their students’ suggestions and incorporated them for the remainder of the year.

Although the SSIC’s efforts at initiating teacher evaluation forms are a step forward in improving the school’s academic program, improvements can be made so that process is more effective.

The 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.

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Group work policy restricts collaborative learning

By Joshua Kim

A new high school group work policy will reemphasize SIS’ responsibility for student actions once they step foot on campus, making the job of supervising them a little bit easier.

Even though the new policy succeeds in helping administrators supervise students, it simultaneously restricts classrooms to a harmful extent.

The policy states that while students are at school, SIS will act in loco parentis, taking the responsibility of legal guardians to supervise the students; however, students who meet outside of school will be doing so out of their own will, which will not be officially supported by the school.

This forces teachers to give ample in-class time to finish projects.

Despite the good intentions behind this move, this policy is a radicalized practice of loco parentis and limits teachers and students.

Photo by Linda Heeyoung Park

Gathered around the computers, freshmen work on their final journalism group project.

Students were required to produce either a newspaper or a series of yearbook spreads.

For example, the grade nine Communications Public Service Announcement group project cannot be completed in class because

it requires filming and recording.

The policy disallows teachers from “forcing” students to meet outside of school, but outside is the best place

to meet the requirements of the project.

This policy reduces the types of projects teachers can assign, which

reduces the opportunities available for students to complete a task that requires teamwork. The time limitations set by the policy may result in teachers assigning projects that have less of an impact on learning.

Class time is not enough to finish quality projects. A typical year is already packed due to a fast-paced block schedule and various holidays in between. Providing more in-class time for projects adds to the burden of making up lost time.

Class is for additional instruction and discussion of new material.

This would be a much more enriching use of time compared to completing a project.

In the end, teachers will be forced to make an unfair choice between group projects and instruction. While teaching is a must in any classroom environment, those who really value a project have to cut away from instructional time in a limited hour and twenty minutes.

Administration justified in Theme weeks interfere with schedules removing math double-up

By Linda Heeyoung Park

By Elizabeth Song

A grade eight student lacking exemplary algebra grades gives up hope of doubling-up Geometry and Algebra II in his first year of high school and a grade nine student is forced to forgo an elective class because of her limited schedule. Even though many parents and students may not realize this yet, the doubling-up system is actually the source of many of these problems.

For years, freshmen have been able to take Geometry and Algebra II in the same year, but after a series of discussions with middle school and high school math teachers and the administration, the school decided to change this system with good reason.

As a result of the change, Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and BC, which had been separate classes, will be merged into one.

Next year’s juniors and seniors will still take AP Calculus AB or BC separately, but when the upcoming freshmen become seniors, AP Calculus AB and BC will be combined.

This has drawn feelings of dissatisfaction from some parents, who feel that the joining of the originally year-long courses will not fully prepare their children for their AP tests. However, according to Peter Corcoran, high school principal, the merge should not be a problem because the two APs are so similar. In fact, many other schools offer them as one course.

Besides the effectiveness of the merge, a bigger advantage of the new system is that it postpones students’ recommendations for AP Calculus BC. This allows more time for students to improve their mathematics skills, gain apprecation for the subject, show their mathematics abilities to teachers and have more time to think about whether they

want to take AP Calculus in the near future. Currently, students who were recommended in the eight grade to double-up in high school can take Algebra II and Geometry in grade nine, Precalculus in grade 10, AP Calculus AB in grade 11 and AP Calculus BC in grade 12. Therefore, the only people who are allowed to take AP Calculus BC in their senior year are those who had received double-up recommendations from their grade eight mathematics teachers. By changing this whole system, however, even those who do not double-up in their first year of high school can take AP Calculus BC when they are in the 12th grade as long as they get recommendations the year before.

Not only does the school’s decision give more students the opportunity to take AP Calculus BC, but it also gives freshmen more freedom in choosing their electives. Since freshmen will not be able to doubleup in math next year, all grade nine students will be able to choose two electives, instead of being limited to one if they choose to take both Geometry and Algebra II. SIS offers a variety of electives, such as Ceramics, Drama, Studio Art, Concert Choir and Introduction to Publications. High school is all about exploring one’s interests, so having more options may help students determine which areas they are passionate about and possibly even help them decide which careers they want to pursue in college.

Although not many are yet familiar with the new system, once the policy is implemented next year, students and parents will come to appreciate the change. At first, sophomores, juniors and seniors may have breathed a sigh of relief that the change will not apply to them, but they may later regret that this clever decision was put into effect when they were freshmen.

As the school year comes to an end, students struggle to keep up with their busy schedules. Students are always swamped by the spring concert, Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference tournaments, Advanced Placement exams, SATs and scheduling for the next school year. In addition to completing all of these tasks, students were also required to attend academic theme week activities during their activity periods. Due to the busy schedules of fourth quarter, the purpose of theme weeks was destroyed.

In April, three consecutive theme weeks started with Art Week from April 11-15. World Language

Week and Science Week immediately followed. Although teachers and clubs should be praised for their efforts and time put into hosting the events, these weeks should be scheduled for a more suitable time in the future.

It is true that theme weeks are an invaluable part of student life—they allow students to apply learned material in engaging activities outside of class, which many enjoy and look forward to. For example, the calligraphy and salsa dance hosted during World Language Week attracted a wide audience of language students.

However, a marathon of World Language Week, Art Week and Science Week puts students, club leaders and teachers in a tight situation.

A major setback clubs experienced because of the theme weeks

was the inability of clubs to hold regular meetings. Club meetings in April are especially important because April is the last full month of school for seniors, who need to decide officer positions for the clubs they lead.

The benefits of theme weeks are too crucial to ignore so canceling the theme weeks is definitely not be a solution. A way to increase the efficiency of theme weeks and lessen the burden on students is to spread them out more equally. One theme week per quarter would fulfill its purpose and keep the students less loaded with having to commit to meetings and theme week activities.

It is important for students not to miss the benefits of theme weeks by getting exhausted in the theme week relay.

Anonymity not essential online

By Jonathan Yun

They are like ghosts. They mock, attack and at times even compliment others, but their identities are hidden. Despite its widespread use in websites such as Tumblr and YouTube, anonymity is unjustified in the social networking world.

Most people show their true identities on websites such as Facebook and Tumblr, but some hide their identities when they write notes or ask questions directly to the users’ inbox. Whether their intention is to harm or help another person, their point is clear: they do not want to be responsible for any problems that may result.

There are those who support anonymity. They believe that the content must be judged by its merits, not by the speaker. Also, anonymity allows people to discuss embarrassing personal issues more publicly in order to acquire useful information from the online community. For example, a student dealing with a break

up may find helpful advice online.

However, showing everyone’s identities would promote a safer online environment. There would be less cyber-bullying because people will not act cruelly towards another in the fear of punishment. Moreover, anonymity causes valuable information to lose its credibility because no one knows who said it. It could have been a scientist or a garbage collector, and this makes a huge difference when writing a research paper.

Furthermore, showing true identities promotes friendship. On the other hand, remaining anonymous makes this process much more difficult. For instance, one may compliment another on Tumblr, but the person who received the compliment would have no method whatsoever to find out who complimented him or her. With an open identity, it is easier to meet new people and start friendships. After all, it is much easier to speak online than in person.

Discussing embarrassing personal matters online does not require anonymity either. In the case of

SISers, friends can support another by reading over his or her personal issues that he or she posted online.

In other words, friendship can be strengthened through indirectly telling another by posting comments on the internet.

The popularity of Facebook shows that people are more prone to connect with those they actually know rather than with anonymous strangers. Its system allows people to only interact with people who they know through friend requests, which is generally safer as opposed to interacting with strangers. Although Tumblr and Twitter have shown that interacting with strangers can also build friendship, they cannot compete with Facebook’s user count.

Some argue that anonymity is an essential part of the World Wide Web. However, is it really necessary?

The online community may be better off exposing people’s names because there is no clear advantage to remaining anonymous other than keeping one’s identity hidden with malice aforethought.

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NEWS BRIEFS HSSC provides opportunity for students to assess classes MATh hosts middle school nationals

Photo by Linda Heeyoung Park

Earning points, Young Joon Kim (7) solves the elemental cube.

Mu Alpha Theta (MATh) hosted the middle school national math competition at SIS on April 30. Students from five international schools in Korea came together to solve written tests and puzzles, ranging from solving Rubik’s cubes to playing 3-D tic-tac-toe.

All high school students in MATh were required to help guide the middle school students through the activities. “[The competition] was very successful,” said Michael Castellani, MATh advisor. “MATh helped foster a good environment for mathematical learning.”

NKHR goes to Everland with North Korean refugees In an effort to spend time and get closer with North Korean refugees, members of the North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) club went on a trip to Everland with the refugees on May 14. Students from Banpo Korean High School also accompanied them on the trip.

“I expected this trip to be fun but also one of the most interactive activities so far,” said Katherine Bae (10), NKHR vice president. “At our age, who doesn’t love going to theme parks?”

The club had hoped to break the ice with the North Korean refugees by spending time at Everland and having fun. The trip to Everland was the last event of the year for NKHR. Bigger Bang creates a “bang” with subway performance

In front of a rather puzzled audience, Bigger Bang members displayed their talents on the subway as they performed their choreographed dance live in front of the Korean public on April 13.

The teachers uploaded three parts of their performance on YouTube, with each garnering more than 350 views in two weeks.

“Since the talent show was over, we felt that it was a lot of practice for just three minutes of performance, and we wanted to do more,” said Benjamin Paulson, Bigger Bang member. “We were having a blast.”

Videos of them performing floated around Facebook and YouTube, receiving positive feedback from the students.

“I’m glad people liked watching it and we were all really happy at how well received it was,” said Mr. Paulson. “Stay tuned for the next performance.”

By Mark Kim

By Elizabeth Song

Instead of ranting on the social network site Tumblr about a timeconsuming project or debating with a teacher about a controversial grading curve, students can now voice their opinions about their classes once a year through the High School Student Council (HSSC) class evaluations.

For the first time, the School Student Improvement Committee (SSIC) distributed Scantron surveys from April 27-28 to high school classes for all eight periods. The assessments were based on class structure and pacing, teacher-student interaction and student-student interaction. After the Scantrons were

filled in and returned to the counseling office, Gray Macklin, HSSC adviser, scanned and dropped them into the respective teachers’ mailboxes during the second week of May. “The course evaluation is a system designed to help the teachers get feedback from their students in a non-threatening way,” said Maureen Shin, senior class president.

“We hope that the surveys will help students and teachers have a relationship that will grow in a positive way.”

No administrators or HSSC members are allowed to look at the results, which ensures that the feedback is exchanged strictly between teachers and students.

“Because of the power differ-

ence, it’s difficult for students to say negative things to a teacher,” said Mr. Macklin. “The confidentiality [of this system] gives teachers a chance to fix their mistakes and students the security to know that they’re giving feedback to teachers to be constructive.”

However, according to Wooseok Ki (11), one disadvantage is that the surveys may not bring the far-reaching results that they truly want because they do not answer the questions 100 percent honestly.

“Surveys will always have their limits, and I think they’re more like guidelines for the staff rather than steps towards change,” said Wooseok.

“It will be difficult for some teachers to change their teaching methods, so I don’t think the surveys will change

the current system dramatically.”

Despite this potential drawback, the SSIC will continue to administer the evaluations next year. However, the committee will find a more suitable time to conduct the surveys, as they were distributed when many Advanced Placement classes were taking mock exams this year. The SSIC will also ask for feedback on the class evaluation system.

“Some of the questions weren’t really effective and didn’t address issues,” said Nadya Kim (10). “There were trivial questions that don’t really show what the teacher is like.

Maybe [for next year], they should ask more questions about teacherstudent interaction and the teachers’ skills and less about [how] teachers prepare assignments.”

Choir projects allow students to expand choral interests

By Jason Huh

James Ham (11) performed Mozart’s “Requiem” with the Camarata Music Company Chorale on May 7 with a semi-professional choir group for an Ambassadors Choir project. This year, Dennis Darling, choir director, required all students to participate in semester projects of their choice, including performing in outside concerts. James used this opportunity to further hone his musical talents. “[The choir] mostly consists of the expatriate community here in Seoul,” said James. “They’re very friendly, accepting [and] openminded. [I enjoyed] the music and getting [to know] the intricacies of the song.”

The company’s creator, Ryan Goessl, is a graduate of Luther College, where Dr. Darling was a professor before he came to SIS. After working with James for a few months, Mr. Goessl did not hold back on complimenting James as a singer.

“I listened to every person sing individually to place them in the choir and the best position possible,” said Mr. Goessl. “James has a nice voice and a lot of potential. I really enjoyed having him the choir. [Although] I can’t give you any specific [examples], he was generally one of the hardest workers. He always came prepared with his music. Even if he had to miss a rehearsal, he was always doubly prepared afterwards.

He was a model singer at his age.”

Courtesy of Rebecca Bredin

Singing all fourteen movements of Mozart’s “Requiem”, James Ham (11) performs with the Camarata Music Company. This choir consisted of semi-professional choir singers.

Other projects included singing at the Association of International Schools of Asia Choir Festival and performing the national anthem at sports games.

“We had students go to a festival choir last fall,” said Dr. Darling.

“Students who chose to perform in that choir as their project had to learn new music, spend a whole day with guest conductors and vocalists and then later perform. So, many of [projects] are performance-based.

They can [write] research papers, write analyses of concerts, or they can perform themselves.”

Meanwhile, Sophie Kim (9)

sang Giuseppe Giordani’s “Caro mio ben” solo during the school’s annual chamber recital for her semester project. Held March 10, the recital gave younger musicians an opportunity to formally showcase thier talents to their teachers, parents and fellow students.

“I decided to perform in the chamber recital because of my Ambassadors project,” said Sophie. “I thought the song was well adjusted to my voice range. Since I am a soprano, I felt that the notes were not too high but still high enough to be challenging and worth practicing.”

By requiring students to par-

ticipate in different choir activities, Dr. Darling hopes that his choir students will become more enthusiastic about singing and music. According to Dr. Darling, students will be able to find their passion for singing and further their choral experiences by becoming involved in these activities outside the classroom.

“When you head for college, many times, string players will form their own quartets, or somebody else might create his own flute trio,” said Dr. Darling. “I think it is important for students to have the opportunity to discover who they are, and I think they are doing a good job here.”

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SIS Parent Association hosts first annual bazaar

By Lydia Kim

Taking a break from selling homemade goods, Connie Yoon (10), Foreign Laborers’ Association (FLA) member, flipped over her foam board and wrote “Go Insooni” to cheer on the Korean pop sensation. On April 15, SIS Parents Association (SISPA) hosted its first annual bazaar. The event consisted of performances and sales of goods by corporations and student clubs.

The main purpose of the event was to bring the elementary, middle and high schools together.

“I noticed there were no schoolwide fairs or events, and many students and parents were lacking school spirit,” said Lisa Song, SISPA vice president. “[Coming together] as one doesn’t happen much at SIS since we have separate schools doing their own things. I also believe it promotes school spirit amongst teachers, students and parents.”

The theme for this year’s bazaar was to “create global leaders” by providing the opportunity for students to hone their leadership and business skills.

“We had various clubs present their club involvement and work on their poster boards, showing and exposing the bazaar attendees to the many domestic and global issues that our students support,” said Ms. Song. “By having our students pres-

Photo by Linda Heeyoung Park

Advertising paper cranes, Jane Byon (9), Dahyun Lee (9) and Sydney Ko (9) raise money for Red Cross Japan at the booth organized by Lindsay Mountain, fourth grade teacher. ent their clubs’ work and raise money for a domestic or global cause they are passionate about, the bazaar prepared our students to go out into the world and become successful, effective future global leaders.”

While school-sponsored clubs were provided with individual booths to present their activities and

sell goods, unofficial clubs were also able to apply to SISPA and set up booths of their own. For instance, Michelle Chun (9) and her friends set up a booth in the name of the organization People of Promising Energy. Their net profit of 220,000 won went towards helping senior citizens at a center that the club’s members

on the ceiling, so we portrayed the night sky. We also gave participants a pillow keychain.”

The most popular aspects of prom were the laser rings, inspired from the previous prom, where the council distributed laser bracelets.

“People were excited about prom because it was at Banyan Tree, a location different from usual,” said Suhyun Kim (11), HSSC junior representative. “The food was high quality and the rings were major.”

Another aspect of prom was the crowning of the prom king and queen. The titles were presented to seniors Ilsoo Yang and Terra Kim, who received watches, cut a cake and danced to Katy Perry’s “Firework,” the opening dance song.

“Cutting the cake was special,” said Terra. “We normally don’t get presents or cut cakes. By being cho¬sen as prom queen, I felt like we

were approved by all of our friends.”

With the gifts and the crowning of the king and queen, prom was an enjoyable experience.

“It was awkward at first, because none of my friends were there,” said Erica Han (10). “But I had a partner, so it wasn’t too bad. And I liked the gifts; they were cute.”

Overall, prom was considered a success. Gray Macklin, HSSC adviser, said that many things went right.

“The dinner was excellent, the walk-in was well-organized, and the performances were good,” said Mr. Macklin.

Though prom night was considered a success, Suhyun still saw room for im¬provement.

“There was not a lot of enthusiasm for dancing,” said Suhyun. “The coordinators asked if they had done something wrong. Next year’s committee should increase enthusiasm.”

Prom gives evening dreams in Crystal Hall

By Michelle Kim

“Prom Night,” a parody of Rebecca Black’s “Friday,” depicts prom as an event where students can spend time in a formal setting. The High School Student Council (HSSC) brought this depiction to life when it hosted the annual prom, themed “Dream a Little Dream,” on May 21 in the Crystal Hall of Banyan Tree Club and Spa Seoul.

To develop this year’s theme, the HSSC made use of the dance hall’s lighting system and used sim¬ple decorations such as a banner and a photo backdrop. HSSC also hired a DJ and distributed laser rings.

“There are two kinds of dreams,” said Inwon Chang (11), HSSC junior president. “One involves clouds.

Another involves the night sky and stars. The ballroom has crystals

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“I learned that selling is is all about social relationships,” said Michelle. “If my group members and I didn’t know anyone at the bazaar, I’m sure that we would have sold only 10 of our of 40 soap bars. I think it was a nice experience because it sort of gave me a clue as to how hard it is

for people to earn money by selling things one by one.”

Also part of the original plan was to hold performances in the afternoon after a half day. However, rain caused the half day to be lengthened into a full day; hence some performances were cancelled while others were scattered throughout the day. For example, the Masai tribe invited by headmaster Hyung-Shik Kim moved its dancing and singing performance to activity period although it had originally planned to perform on the field in the afternoon.

“I thought the performance by the Masai tribe was incredible,” said Helen Han (9). “It was so unique and helped me gain some insight into Africa and the importance of dance and singing as part of everyday culture. I’m also really interested in singing, so I thought it was fun to hear music that different from what I hear everyday.”

The performer who garnered the most interest was Insooni.

“It was my first time watching her live, and I thought it was one of the most memorable performances,” said Clara Shim (12). “I wish there were more female singers like her in Korea. Of course, her singing would make anyone engaged but her energy and stage manners captivate the audience. I filmed her performance to show my mom.”

Zeitgeist Information leakage becomes widespread concern Back in 2008, 10.1 million Internet Auction Co. members were thrown into a state of confusion when they found that hackers on the Internet had gained access to their accounts. The same fear is reemerging among Korean citizens as the leakage of personal information is again becoming an issue.

The consumer finance arm of Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Capital, first increased public distrust when it admitted that its customers’ personal information had been leaking since February. Hyundai Capital announced that about 420,000 customers had personal information leaked to an unknown hacker, who demanded money in return for not disseminating the information.

After a series of investigations, Hyundai Capital discovered the possibility of around 13,000 passwords being hacked from customers’ accounts. As it is the first time a financial firm has received such a strong blow, Hyundai Capital has raised its security level to its maximum level.

Social networking sites revealed privacy issues of their own.

For example, Korea’s most popular networking service, Cyworld, revealed that it stores personal information in its smartphone membership application, regardless of subscribers’ cancellations of their

contracts. “[My class talked] about Internet privacy in Communications last year,” said Katie Han (10). “I learned that even Facebook, the Western [version of] Cyworld, keeps all kinds of things even after you deactivate your account. I just wish Facebook [were] a safer site that everyone can use without worrying.”

The incidence of hacking in online game sites, such as Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN), has also been on the rise. According to Sony spokesman Patrick Seybold, hackers had gotten a hold of userprovided names, email addresses, birth dates, log-in information and purchase history. There are approximately 230,000 Korean members on PSN who could be affected by the leak.

Given the potential risk of hackers obtaining users’ private data including credit card information and billing addresses, Sony and Hyundai Capital recommended changing passwords and identifications.

“Hacking is a scary thing,” said Milton Yoon (9). “We can [reduce] the danger by changing passwords, but we have to know that whenever we give out personal information on the Internet, there are always going to be risks of [our] safety [being endangered].”

By Elizabeth Song

Amount of aid in US dollars

Financial Aid Donated To Disaster-stricken Countries 712,169,847

HAITI PAKISTAN CHINA

310,087,160

244,110,865

78,648,535

78,648,535 18,050,192

38,122,327 6,008,274

3,110,613

Relief,Recovery,Re 2007

Recovery rates reflect countries’ economic statuses China. Haiti. Pakistan. All of these countries have dealt with natural disasters that SIS students were once very concerned about. Community service clubs collaborated to raise awareness and money for relief efforts. As time passed, students forgot about some catastrophes as they were overshadowed by more recent disasters. The truth is, however, two of these disasterstricken countries are still having difficulty getting back on their feet, mainly because of their poor economies.

Haiti is still a turtle on its back, struggling to stand upright. Even before the 2010 earthquake, the Caribbean nation was dubbed the poorest country in the Western hemisphere with at least 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line.

Corruption is one of the key characteristics of Haitian politics. In fact, the humanitarian aid given to Haiti has been utilized unwisely. According to Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, even the Haitian government is unsure of who is receiving the aid and what they are doing with the money. “[The current situation in Haiti] tells the world that there are huge differences between the richest

10

2009

2008

and poorest countries in the world,” said Tony Hurt, history teacher. “Even though the United States is trying to help with aid and with ensuring more political stability, it’s not been really able to. And the US has been helping Haiti and other countries in the Western hemisphere because of the Monroe Doctrine.”

In 2010 and 2011, Haiti received a grand total of about four billion US dollars only in humanitarian fund. Nevertheless, 19 percent of the aid has been used to fund different infrastructures and services in Haiti.

According to Slate magazine, the Haitian government is too preoccupied with increasing exports to focus on the recovery and distribution of aid.

Though on a relatively better note, Pakistan is in a similar situation to Haiti’s. In addition to suffering from inflation, about 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Flood waters have only recently receded in Pakistan so it is difficult to determine how smoothly its reconstruction is taking place. However, its future looks unsteady as Pakistan holds many terrorist groups such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. In fact, the US governemnt has accused Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Ser-

percent

of the total number of Japanese households, or six million households, lost access to electricity after the earthquake and tsunami.

vices Intelligence for funding these terrorist groups.

These groups and their militancy make it difficult for reconstruction to happen smoothly because they constantly threaten the public with bombings. This has forced Pakistan’s government to focus more on the country’s domestic safety rather than on reconstruction.

“A more stable government would be able to provide the resources or to ensure that they are available,” said Mr. Hurt. “A developing country in Africa or Asia could have civil disturbance or looting, and those make the recovery more difficult.”

Though China was devastated by floods that caused $51.4 billion in damage, it was able to recover relatively quickly compared to Haiti and Pakistan. The Asian nation has overtaken Japan as the second largest economy in the world, trailing behind the US. As a result of their recent economic prosperity, with the strict regulation of the aid distribution by the Communist government, China has been able to rebound rapidly.

Hope still remains for Haiti and Pakistan. It is up to Haiti and Pakistan to handle their domestic problems to pave the road to productive reconstructions.

20

cubic kilometers of water flowed from the Indus River in 2010. The average daily Indus River flow is 0.6 cubic kilometers. The floodwater destroyed 1.2 million homes, displacing approximately 20 million people.

3,592,646,568

Korean Celebrities’ Donations To

2,959,440,000

Japan

2011

eaction Japan relief effort sheds light on unsettled KoreaJapan relations Korea and Japan resemble a couple in an abusive relationship, according to Los Angeles Times. Therapy sessions are to no avail as unpleasant memories are brought back.

In this sense, the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief efforts seemed to bridge unsettled Korea-Japan ties—until political tensions put the two countries back to square one.

According to the SSTV, various Korean celebrities have donated over $5 million to the relief. The philanthropy began with Yong-joon Bae, Korean actor, donating about $1 million; this led to a chain reaction of fellow celebrities making financial contributions towards the same cause.

The Japanese responded positively to the financial aid. Koreans, however, believe the donations were fueled by celebrities’ desire to impress their Japanese fans. Koreans also question whether they are donating the same amount of money for domestic causes.

“But it’s still good for Korean celebrities to donate money,” said Christine Lee (9). “Of course they’d

80 percent

Ryu Shi-won

Song Seung-heon

$220,000

2010

Yongjoon

Park Chanho

$220,000

11,685,805

Bae

$1,000,000

144,558,669

$1,200,000

354,193,950

By Jonathan Yun an d Angela Cho Graphics by Jasmine Park

be willing to donate for domestic problems. Koreans shouldn’t doubt one’s national pride.”

The Japanese government initially rejected food provisions from Korea. According to Money Today, Cheiljedang Company attempted to send food products such as instant rice, which the Japanese rejected for unknown reasons. They later decided to accept products when it experienced food shortage from radiation leaks.

Koreans interpreted the Japanese’ attitude towards Korean food products as a distrust of the hygienic conditions of Korea’s food processing industry. Others interpreted it as an attempt to prevent Korean food products from gaining popularity.

“I don’t think Japan looked down on [regulation standards],” said John Han (10). “It’s the miscommunication between the two countries that fed misinterpretations. Japan probably assumed it had enough food supply until reality hit.”

The Dokdo Island issue also hindered the relief effort. Recently Japan began to demand possession of the island, a source of fishing and natural gas. According to Yonhap News, 66 percent of Japanese middle school

of Haitians live under the poverty line. The Caribbean nation is recognized as one of the poorest countries in the world as a result of corruption and incapability of the Haitian government to govern effectively.

social studies textbooks report that Japan owns Dokdo Island.

Such a dispute made Korean benefactors rethink their donations. Koreans have donated about $56 million for the relief effort, 2.6 times more than the amount of money raised for Haiti, according to Kyunghyang News. After the report on the distortion in Japanese textbooks however, the amount of donation significantly decreased. Such bad timing, as well as Japan’s oppressive colonial rule on Korea in the 1900s, has contributed to the renewed hatred.

“Aid should be given unconditionally,” said Seungmoon Lee (11). “If we get too preoccupied with political issues and decide not to send aid, it is only unfair to those currently suffering. North Korea, for example, is [being governed] under dictatorship but we still help them out.”

Yet, just like when a couple reconciles, Korea and Japan exhibited potential for sustainable relations.

Even Korean comfort women, bound to sexual slavery by the Japanese during colonial rule, put aside their hatred of the Japanese and donated $15,000 for the relief, according to Los Angeles Times.

0

codified building standards

are in place in Haiti. Construction companies in the Caribbean country have been burdened with ineffective plans due to ambiguity in building procedures, which have not been outlined by the government.

lifesTYLE 8

MAY 2011

By Jasmine Park

Junior class holds communion to What is the celebrate British royal wedding

By Jason Huh

England has had a long history of strict division between commoners and the royal family. This marriage, however, symbolized a union between the two classes.

In the past, the British Literature classes held one, large communion on St. Patrick’s Day for all the juniors and their teachers. However, due to a lack of both time and space, a series of smaller, individual communions were held in each class instead.

“In previous years, we had the multi-purpose room and had the entire junior grade participate,” said John Rider, British Literature teacher. “Physically, [there are no places to support the communion.] We explored a number of options, including the atrium or the roof space but dismissed them for the concern over the weather. It just happened that there was a royal wedding [on the day of our communion].”

Not only were the communions opportunities for students to relax with their teachers after a year of hard work; the communion in itself is also an important element of British culture and literature.

“One of the curriculum requirements is that we include an element of the British culture.” said Katherine Trueman, British Literature teacher. “[By having communions], we bring contemporary British culture into

our classroom. When you guys are eating here, does it feel more relaxed, friendly and more sociable? I felt that eating before really changes the dynamic of the class.”

Although many students did not fully grasp the connection between communions and the Royal Wedding, they still enjoyed the mood of the communion. Students shared a relaxed day of good food and socializing with each other and their British Literature teachers.

“The communion was enjoyable, especially because it was right after the propaganda project, and so, the overall mood was festive,” said Seungmoon Lee (11). “The food added to that fun, festive atmosphere as we saw a slideshow of pictures of our propaganda project and we even joked about the whole thing.”

Still, amidst the fun, the British Literature teachers expressed their disappointment with regards to not being able to find a place to have one large communion for the junior class.

“I am really disappointed that we couldn´t have a big communion because it was a positive and fun experience,” said Ms. Trueman. “Last year, it was such a fantastic opportunity for students and teachers to mix and mingle outside of classroom.

One of Mr. Rider’s classes sang an Irish song and we laughed at that.

We played video from Ireland and so it was a cultural experience. It was just fun.”

“Real World” Like?

Seung-il Noh is a performance director in Korea. He has been working since 2001 and continues to create, design and coordinate performances by various artists, from singers to rock bands.

What are some of the performances that you have directed?

2009-2011 Rain Asia Tour “Legend of Rainism”, “LOVE TOUR”, “THE BEST” 2010-2011 Insooni “FANTASIA” National Tour 2010 Tae Woo Kim & Ho young Son US Tour “THE FIRST” 2009-2010 Jisan Valley Rock Festival : production and stage manager What did you major in college?

I majored in Chinese but focused more on my extracurricular activities, such as the band that I was in. This shows that what you do in college may not be what you will end up doing later in your career.

What do you think is more important for your career: studies or social life?

Experience in social life is more valuable than academic education; my experience outside of school, mostly in my band, helped me to study directing more than my Chinese studies.

However, your studies act as the basis for everything you do even when you’re an adult in the real world. So while you focus on enhancing your social life, you should not fall back in your studies either.

What would you recommend to those who want to become performance or stage directors or those interested in theatre?

Stage directing is not Park merely an understanding of the mechanics of

By Jasmine the stage, but is also closely related to sensibility and the beauty of aesthetics. Therefore, those who have gone through the good and the bad and the ups and downs of life have a better chance of becoming an outstanding director: that is they know how to express different emotions best because they have gone through them before. Before one studies the mechanics of light equipment and special effects, it is crucial to know why and when to use different colored lights.

Courtesy of Seung-il Noh

Students and faculty voice concerns regarding Apple vs. Samsung conflict

By Michelle Kim

After Samsung introduced the Android Galaxy S smartphones in 2010 and the upgraded Galaxy SII on April 28, Apple snapped when its iPhone sales dropped. As a result, Apple sued Samsung with the claim that the company had plagiarized its patented iPhone design with the Galaxy S series.

However, Samsung is not planning to go down without a fight, claiming that the design of the Galaxy S series was inspired by its F200 phones, introduced in April 2007, two months before the iPhone debuted that year in June.

Today, a number of students own either the iPhone or the Galaxy S. Due to talk of the patent, iPhone and Galaxy S owners had trouble deciding which company was actually guilty, and felt that the situation was in the gray.

“I’m not entirely sure who’s guilty, but it’s true that iPhones were first,” said Wooseok Ki (11). “However, because I have a Galaxy, I don’t think that Samsung is guilty. They may look similar, but the Galaxy S series and the iPhone have their differences.”

Students and faculty reacted to the prevalence of plagiarism in business with disappointment, but some,

such as Raymond Slapikas, science teacher, understood that competition was a common occurrence in the workforce.

“It’s not good to infringe upon someone else’s creations,” said Mr. Slapikas. “It can demotivate people from being innovative. One company could have spent years making something, and if another company comes along and uses the same idea, then the value of the original product is gone and no new merchandise will be made. There are enforcements and laws against plagiarism, but companies find ways around them.”

Others believed that plagiarism in business and competition was a positive and acceptable aspect, as

they felt that it helped to improve present merchandise and create a more technological society.

“You see greater competition and tension rising between various companies as time passes, which does help advance the size of the available market for consumers,” said Ilsoo Yang (12). “Competition helps people buy quality items, which is good.”

At the present, there is another dimension added to the Apple vs.

Samsung conflict with the introduction of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Apple claims that the Galaxy Tab is a copy of its iPad, for the two products have similar functions and appearances, the crux of the iPhone vs. Galaxy lawsuit case.

MAY 2011

9

Lifestyle

SIS community congratulates arrival of new family member

By Min Ji Suh

Christopher Moore, PE teacher, announced that his wife, Melanie Kempe, English teacher, gave birth to their first child on May 19. They named their daughter Kaylex Dawn Moore, and are proud and happy to welcome her into their lives.

“Kaylex weighed 3.7kg and was 51cm long when she was born,” said Mr. Moore. “The feelings that I have right now cannot be expressed in words. As cliché as that may sound, there are no words to describe just how happy, proud, and overjoyed I am to be able to hold my little daughter in my hands or to watch her sleep in my arms.”

Other staff members at SIS were also excited to hear the news. The SIS faculty celebrated Kaylex’s arrival with a baby shower, held May 22. This was an opportunity for Mr. Moore and Ms. Kempe to formally introduce Kaylex to the SIS staff.

“We collected some money from the elementary and middle school

Courtesy of Christopher Moore

Born May 19, Kaylex Moore, daughter of Melanie Kempe and Christopher Moore, poses for a photo. School faculty celebrated Kaylex’s arrival at a small party held May 22. teachers to decorate the Money Tree for the baby,” said Irene DeShazo, reading specialist, and one of the organizers of the celebratory event.

“There will be barbecue and drinks provided by the Sunshine Commit-

Sophomore assists wheelchair tennis team to South Africa

By Helen Song

The ball zooms across the court as two players swing their rackets in an intense game of tennis. When it falls out of bounds, the losing player scowls. It is a familiar scene, but the players on the court are in wheelchairs. This is a form of tennis called wheelchair tennis, which was adapted for those who have difficulties using their legs.

From April 25-May 1, wheelchair tennis players from 32 countries competed in the 27th World Team Cup, in Pretoria, South Africa.

Dennis Ryu (10) assisted the Korean wheelchair tennis team during its trip as a translator and photographer.

“I learned that although [the players] have physical difficulties, they rarely complain,” said Dennis.

“They’re extremely friendly, and it was easy making friends with them.

They were just normal people who needed wheelchairs.”

For the first time, two players on the Korean men’s team reached semi-finals after beating Britain’s

second and third ranked players.

They played in the division Men’s World Group 1 and ended up placing fourth after Sweden.

“The most memorable moment was when the two players who entered the semi-finals were celebrating,” said Dennis. “It was a real privilege to be there with the team when it happened.”

To go on this trip, Dennis had to miss six days of school. However, he said the trip was worth the makeup work and tests because it was a rare experience that others could not have had.

“I got a whole new view on the sport I play [because] I never imagined that wheelchair tennis players could be so skilled at playing the sport,” said Dennis. “Even though I was missing school, my teachers all said it would be a great experience and encouraged [me of] being a part of this.”

Next year’s World Team Cup will be held in Seoul. Dennis said that he definitely wants to be a part of that tournament as well and hopes to remain friends with the players until then.

tee, and potluck from the rest of the staff. We are very lucky to have a very close community of teachers who are always there to help out.”

Prior to the baby shower, the English Department held a small

luncheon for Ms. Kempe and Mr. Moore on April 18.

“The English Department met on the usual Monday after school when we have meetings. We had food prepared and gathered around

The World at the Tip of My Tongue

to talk about the coming of the baby,” said Katherine Trueman, English teacher. “I think it is fun to have a baby in the English Department.”

The couple hopes to spend time with their newborn this summer back home in Canada.

“Mr. Moore and I will be travelling back to Canada this summer to introduce our baby to the rest of the family and our friends back home,” said Ms. Kempe. “It would be a rather social gathering, with all the relatives—aunts, uncles, and grandparents—coming to visit and finally get the chance to see the baby.”

Kaylex’s arrival marked the beginning of a significant change in Mr. Moore and Ms. Kempe’s lives, as they now are not only teachers, but also parents.

“We were told by our friends before Kaylex was born that life will change, and now I truly understand what they all meant,” said Mr. Moore. “As of right now, the biggest change is definitely sleep, and it will be for a long time.”

By Marcus Lee

Off to China: 你好, Tower Chai!

Here is the deal. When the tastes of over a billion people spread across 22,000 kilometers boil down to four dishes—jjambbong, jjajangmyun, an occasional bowl of fried rice and Ho Lee Chow—something’s just not right. In a similar sense, most Koreans fail miserably at emulating authentic Chinese cuisine. But it is hard to blame ourselves when fried grasshopper sounds like the next best dish, no? To all those nodding to this question, I give you Tower Chai along with its pride and gem, shark’s fin soup.

Self-proclaimed Korea’s top Chinese restaurant and located at the heart of the Tower Palace compound, Tower Chai spells trouble for those who lack generous wallets. However, its high-caliber service and exotic dishes compensate for the hefty price. The most notable feature of this restaurant is its strong belief that fresh ingredients determine tastiness. Its shark fin

soup best exemplifies this quality.

Since Tower Chai considers itself a professional shark fin soup restaurant, it directly imports shark from the Marshall Islands so that it can finance large amounts of shark fin. Unlike most normal cases, where the shark is dried, the white shark used in Tower Chai’s soup hits the freezer immediately upon capture.

What makes the shark fin soup shine though is the manner in which it is cooked. Tower Chai’s chef uses a recipe he learned from Thailand’s renowned Dynasty Restaurant. The fact that Shilla Hotel, known to many as Seoul’s best five-star hotel, is the only other place licensed with this recipe speaks millions.

Placed in a hot pot, the shark fin has a translucent yellow hue unlike the white most Koreans are accustomed to. Do not hold any suspicions though. If anything, the distinct color proves that no chemi-

cals were used in the dish. Including all parts of the shark, the thick, spicy and refreshing soup leaves a lasting impression that entertains your tongue and clears your throat.

By incorporating a Thai style—as it is served with strong cilantro, bean sprout and brittle rice—the soup avoids the typical mistake of tasting too heavy. Fortunately for us, the smile-inducing experience does not end there. Instead of using the cheaper alternative, two whole abalones add a crunchy texture to the soft shark fin and further distance the dish from its peers. If you think the dish is too bland, add some sweet Chinese red vinegar or spicy green chili sauce.

Tower Chai provides Koreans with the ultimate shark fin dining experience and has been successful in incorporating a Thai style to China’s most nutritional dish. With a Thai twist, made in China never looked so good.

sPORTS 10

MAY 2011

Basketball players support Daniel’s School

By Elizabeth Kim

To support disabled students play basketball, members of two clubs not sponsored by the school, SIS Together and Special Olympics, visit Daniel’s School, a school in Seocho for the mentally disabled.

Together began four years ago, and has been continued by Inwon Chang (11). He and the other members of the club visit Daniel’s School every month.

“My brother began the event four years ago,” said Inwon. “I started the event early in this [school] year too. We can help the disabled children and support them.”

Jay Koo (10) is the current

head of Special Olympics, which also makes regular visits to Daniel’s School. Junior Varsity and Varsity basketball players help the disabled students practice and improve their basketball skills.

“Currrently, the government does not provide a lot of monetary funds for the students there,” said Jay. “We can also collect money to buy supplies or get money for traveling to host the Special Olympics for the disabled [aside from playing basketball].”

In order to raise money, both teams participated in the SISPA bazaar by selling tie-dye shirts. The club gained a profit of over 800,000 won.

“Running the booth and selling

the shirts were really meaningful,” said Euna Sun (10), SIS Together member. “By doing so, we could help the disabled students at Daniel’s School [through the bazaar]. We also produced the t-shirts as well, which was a worthwhile experience in itself.”

The Special Olympics club sold basketballs and footballs, and earned a total of 300,000 won.

Both groups are aiming to localize and promote their support for Daniel’s School.

“I was trying to come up with a way that would catch two birds with one stone,” said Jay. “We can play basketball. We can also help the disabled children with the Special Olympics.”

Soccer fans follow English Premier League

By Michelle Kim

Chelsea fans cheered on April 23 when the team claimed a 3-0 victory against West Ham United in the English Premier League (EPL) tournament, which consists of 20 British football teams.

Before the season ended on May 22, EPL was a popular subject amongst fans. Students, especially the freshmen class, and faculty members could be seen watching the matches during break hours or at home on TV channels, such as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, and on Internet live streamings.

“I’ve watched EPL for two years,” said Andre Lee (9). “I’m a Chelsea fan, so I only watch the Chelsea games on Saturdays, since that’s when the games are played.”

The EPL attracted global popu-

larity. Tony Hurt, history teacher, said that EPL fans in Korea were as enthusiastic as those in Britain.

“EPL is bigger in Britain, but there is a lot of interest in the EPL in Korea because soccer is becoming very big here,” said Mr. Hurt. “I like to talk about the games with the students and teachers.”

For many EPL fans, the league’s popularity stems from fans who enjoy playing soccer.

“Two years ago, when I went to my friend Milton [Yoon]’s (9) house, he showed me magazines and games about EPL, and I started to like it,” said Andre. “I already liked to play soccer before that though. That’s probably why I like EPL so much.”

Other fans enjoy the games because the teams have ethnic diversity. Each team is comprised of players recruited from a variety of different countries. For example, there are currently three Korean members in

the EPL: Ji-sung Park is with Manchester United; Chungyong Lee, with the Bolton Wanderers; and Won-hee Cho, with Wigan Athletic.

“I think the EPL is the best soccer league, with the [best] players from all over the world,” said Mr. Hurt. “My favorite player is Didier Drogba [from Chelsea] because he’s from the Ivory Coast and does a lot to help his people [by bringing peace to his country, which was in civil war for five years].”

Although the 2010-2011 season ended, fans are already anticipating the next EPL season and hope their favorite team has a successful season.

“When I was in seventh grade, I played soccer, so I wanted to watch soccer games like EPL that were in English,” said Daniel Hong (9).

“Now, I enjoy watching EPL and really hope that Manchester United win.”

Varsity soccer, swim teams redeem past disappointments at KAIAC

By Alison Chang

The pain an athlete can experience is not only includes physical injury, but also the inability to perform to his or her full potential.

Knowing this feeling well, the varsity soccer and swimming teams looked forward to the KoreanAmerican Interscholastic Activities Conference (KAIAC) tournaments held April 29-30 at Osan American High School (OSAN), GyeonggiSuwon International School (GSIS) and Seoul Foreign School (SFS), respectively.

The varsity boys soccer team had its share of disappointment throughout the season.

“We started the season strong,” said Sam Woo (10), varsity boys soccer player. “We beat SFS and were first for quite some time [after that].

And then we lost to [Korea International School]. We took kind of a hard hit after that game and missed first place in the KAIAC conference.”

Still, the team did not lose its motivation to finish the season strong.

“In our second game [at KAIAC], we were tied with [Daegu American High School (DAHS)],”

Courtesy of David Lee

During the KAIAC tournament game against OSAN on April 30, the SIS Lady Tigers set up a wall against a free kick. The varsity girls soccer team placed seventh in the tournament held at GSIS. said Andrew Eom (11), varsity boys soccer player. “But Hiro [Watanabe (11)] shot a stunning free kick goal. Then, two minutes before the end [of the game] Brian Shim (11) scored another goal so we ended up winning 3-1.”

Even though a lighting storm caused the tournament to stop in the middle, the team displayed its ability

to stay focused and motivated, placing fifth at the tournament and third in the conference.

The varsity girls soccer team experienced setbacks of its own.

“We actually played a lot of games we could have won,” said Louise Moon (9), varsity girls soccer player. “For example, our previous game against DAHS was really close.

We were in the lead during the first half, but they came back at us at the second. We [tend to] get tired by the second half and we lose focus.”

The KAIAC tournament was important for the girls in proving themselves capable of playing to their full potentials. They placed seventh in the tournament, beating Yongsan International School, a

team they had initially tied against, and ninth in the conference out of a total of nine teams.

The soccer team members were not the only ones who have been practicing hard. The varsity swim team members prepared for KAIAC with a more intense practice schedule to make up for losses during the season.

“One of our weakest meets was at [Seoul American High School] where we didn’t get first for a lot of the races that we usually did,” said Nadya Kim (10), varsity swimming team member. “This new SFS girl named Samantha Merritt beat Joanne [Kim (10)] on some of the strokes that Joanne always got first place for.”

The varsity swimming team was introduced to a more effective training program that involved drills focusing on one specific aspect, such as the stroke form. Overall, the boys placed third in both the tournament and the conference, while the girls placed third in the conference and fourth at KAIAC. “Everyone performed really well at the tournament,” said Melissa Hubley, varsity swim coach. “We haven’t had a meet in four weeks so people didn’t know that they had been improving.”

MAY 2011

11

sPORTS

Sports Photo of the Month Juniors tutor swimmers at Seongnam city pool

By Elizabeth Kim

Photo by Linda Heeyoung Park

Looking up, Sam Woo (10) and his two Seoul American High School (SAHS) opponents focus their attention on the ball. The game ended 2-1 for SAHS.

Chanjun Park (11), Derek Jung (11) and Jimmy Park (11) currently serve as English and math tutors for officially registered middle and high school Seongnam City swimmers every week at the governmentfunded Seongnam Pool.

They began to visit the swimming pool because Chanjun, who swims for Seongnam City at the pool, found out that the students in the pool needed tutors.

“My mom actually came up with the idea,” said Chanjun. “I told my friends about it, and they agreed to help out. The students can improve, and we can earn some community service hours.”

The government only funds the student swimmers at the Seongnam Pool if they maintain high grades in the Korean schools they attend.

However, these students do not have enough money to afford to go to hagwons. Thus, they rely on the juniors’ help to improve their grades so that they can continue to compete in swimming tournaments.

“You feel good when people [swimmers] get higher grades,” said Derek. “The tests they take at their school are hard for them. So, I felt good that they could learn [important material] from us. It is a fun but also very rewarding experience.”

The students recently prepared for their midterm exams. The juniors devoted a lot of their time to support the students.

The students in the pool brought in previous tests that they had taken with them to each session so that the juniors could teach them the important concepts and help them improve.

“I feel more responsible teaching the students there,” said Jimmy Park (11). “If they fail their tests, not only do they do poorly in school but also they can’t swim.”

The experience was also meaningful on a social level, as it was an opportunity for the juniors to get to know Korean students outside of SIS. “One time, I made a bet with the students I teach” said Jimmy. “I said that if one of them could solve the problem in under five minutes, I would treat them to a movie. I was sure that I would win because it took four or five minutes for even me to solve it, but my male student solved the problem really quickly, so I ended up watching a movie with them over the weekend.”

The juniors’ efforts were not in vain, as their students showed results—one student who previously struggled with English earned a 100 percent on her midterm English exam. These results and the new friendships gained encouraged the juniors to continue visiting the pool to tutor math and English.

“I’m going to continue do this,” said Derek. “The students can get higher grades and its fun for me [too]. I can see the students improve by helping them out.”

Teachers enjoy football by joining official football Korean league

By Min Ji Suh

Since the beginning of the semester, the Yongsan American military base has provided opportunities for Raymond Slapikas, chemistry teacher, and Benjamin Paulson, biology teacher, to revisit memories of playing football in high school.

Their passion for football has stemmed not only from pure interest, but also from the sense of connection they feel when the play the

sport as a team. “[Christopher Moore, PE teacher] originally heard about the Korean American Football Association [(KAFA)],” said Mr. Paulson. “Since all three of us played football in high school, we were excited about the possibility of playing again as adults.”

The three teachers practice together both after school and on the weekends. Before every practice, they warm up with drills and stretching.

“During the [second] semester, we have been lifting weights and running,” said Mr. Slapikas. “Sometimes, we run along the river, and other times, we run to the temple on the hill behind school, which keeps me in shape.”

So far, the team has played two games in the spring, but the official football season starts in the fall between August and November. Although the team is planning to travel to cities such as Busan and Daegu to get involved in the seven-game foot-

ball season, the sport is seasonal and therefore does not allow the teachers to compete in games throughout the whole year.

“Football is not really about playing in the tournaments, but about playing the single games,” said Mr. Moore. “To actually play in tournaments, you need downtime to rest up and repair, which draws out over a long period of time. What we are doing now instead is just playing season or exhibition games.”

Although Mr. Paulson is leaving

Korea for Manila, Philippines in the summer, other team members are still maintaining a positive outlook, uniting together to continue what they have been able to accomplish so far this year as a team.

“Mr. Slapikas and I are planning to continue to play,” said Mr. Moore.

“As of now, we are wishing that we could have met more frequently and started playing earlier. In the fall, we hope to participate in games over in Japan, as there is a league there, consisting of about 30 to 40 teams.”

MB:미보한우

pearl buck student association

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A+ 등급 한우 buy smencils & iphone/ipod cases!

Profit will be given to multiracial children!

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Bokjeong station, Exit 2 Walk straight towards Seoul International School

Small Talk

By Angela Cho

Quick, easy moneymaking business hails success

Students cheered as Adam Lee (9) appeared on school campus, proudly wearing a fake identification (ID) card chain around his neck. Adam quickly grabbed the crowd’s attention, attracting even the school community’s most detached.

“One time, I went to this restaurant, and the bartender asked for my ID because I looked so young,” said Adam as he twirled the chain on his finger. “After realizing that I was a student at the University of Alaska Eskimo, she apologized and took my order for two shots of tequila. Thank goodness I didn’t get carded that night, because I had a great time drinking with my friends.”

According to a recent survey, 80 percent of high school students holds fake IDs; in fact, a number of upperclassmen have begun a business by selling IDs to their fellow classmates and underclassmen.

“Tutoring [to make money] is lame,” said Caroline Suh (12). “Why bother wasting time tutoring when you can make money off of transforming high school library cards into ID cards within minutes?”

According to an anonymous source, a fake ID card costs about $300, which is “nothing compared to the benefits one can enjoy” such as drinking without being carded. The fake ID card merchandise holds a special purpose for the upperclassmen, who plan to use the income for their college tuitions.

“You should start the business as soon as possible so that you have a lot of loyal customers,” said Joshua Oh (11), who sold 100 ID cards as of May 15. “If that doesn’t work, then you could be a bit forceful—just enough to make the underclassmen to buy your products but not enough to get you in trouble.”

The merchandise gained popularity even amongst 4.0 Grade Point Average students, who declined the $20-perhour offer of tutoring for the $300-per-card business.

“Thanks to the fake ID card business, no upperclassmen are volunteering to tutor the underclassmen,” said Kane Limb, counselor. “But that’s okay as long as the business could compensate for the lack of merit-based scholarships our students received. As long as everyone goes to college without being financially burdened, we’re fine here.”

Student pays tuition with profit from selling electronic cigarettes

12

MAY 2011

Photo of the Month

Photo by Stephanie Song

Brenda Myung (11) and UNICEF members dunk Raymond Slapikas, chemistry teacher. Mr. Slapikas was chosen to be dunked during the UNICEF raffle.

Waffle, Sandwich, Gela

to, Espresso

Caffe Tiamo Bokjeong Station Exit 2

Seoul International School