Tiger Times Volume 45 Issue 10

Senior sales:

Green club organizes sale of former belongings. Page 3

Overview:

Soccer and swimming teams finish strong. Page 7

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

Tiger Times volume X X X XV

issue 10

M AY 2 0 1 4

First Sports Banquet celebrates departing athletes

By Jean Cho and Yeena Yoon

Providing an opportunity for students to appreciate the senior athletes on all varsity teams, the Sports Banquet was held on May 20 after school in the auditorium.

Students and teachers who wanted to celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s senior athletes attended the banquet, so that teams could reunite one last time.

“Our seniors are not only the leading players on the field but are also great leaders for us on the benches,” said Jane Lee (10), varsity girls soccer player. “It’s hard to picture our team without them and they will be missed greatly. We wanted to thank them for building such a great team with positive energy, so we tried to express our gratitude at the sports banquet.”

Weeks before the event, the Tiger Sports Council (TSC) asked members of sports teams to create video messages for their seniors.

Many athletes got together in order to present a truly memorable farewell for the leaders of their teams.

“After watching the video messages, the seniors told us the video was cute, which was something we were all aiming for,” said Togo Tamura (11), varsity boys volleyball player. “We wanted the video to be short, funny and memorable.”

Though originally a part of the

Ferry tragedy incites diverse public reactions

By Hareem Kim and Michael Kim

Photo by Kelly Kim

Laughing at the video the varsity girls soccer team members made for the departing seniors, Debora Kim (10) and Alix Kim (9) look back at their team memories. It was the last season for seven soccer players. regular year-end awards assembly, the athletics awards ceremony this year was included as a component of the Sports Banquet. Among the awards were the Manager of the Year, Unsung Hero, KAIAC Scholar Athlete and SIS Athlete of the Year.

A total of five seniors and two juniors received awards on this day.

“I was actually pretty surprised when they called me, because I won the Most Valuable Player award for tennis, so I didn’t think I would be considered for the award,” said

Sangwon Kim (12), recipient of the Unsung Hero award. “But it was definitely a pleasant surprise. Tennis is something I look forward to everyday; all my teammates are my family.

What I really am going to remember is not the result, but the memories of practicing.”

After the awards ceremony, students gathered in the reception area, where TSC members had prepared free food and a photo booth. As students enjoyed the provided sandwiches, cake and chicken wings,

they looked back at their seasons, expressing both nostalgia for the past and excitement for the future.

“At first, we had doubts because the banquet was a new event for us,” said Yoon Young Kim (10), TSC member. “But we think it was really successful overall. Next year, our goal is to be a little more prepared; the videos were prepared at the last minute, and we received many of them on the day of the event. Nonetheless, we are very proud of what the banquet turned out to be.”

HSSC adjusts election, increases accessibility to students

By Christine Seo

Executive members of HSSC recently decided to alter the process for the elections held at the end of each school year by providing more campaigning options and revising the qualifications for certain positions. Candidates were able to utilize campaign videos and posters. They also answered questions during the panel debate, which took place in the auditorium on May 22.

The online campaigning method of uploading one-minute videos to the HSSC website, which was required for only the class council candidates, made the campaigns more accessible to the student body.

Candidates were able to make themselves known and promote their ideas or future plans. According to Sean Syverson, HSSC adviser, this made the elections less dependent on popularity, and emphasized the platforms of each candidate.

ttonl.org

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Running for the position of HSSC executive vice-president, Sophia Chi (11) shares her vision of next year’s student improvement committee.

“The election process was becoming more of a popularity contest, a direction that was straying too far from our vision,” Mr. Syverson said. “We get very caught up in the idea of tradition but tradition is only worthwhile if it is still meaningful.

If something is not right or out of place, we should fix it. That’s why we wanted to change the election pro-

cess so that it focused on the ideas of the candidates, not their popularity.”

The panel debate, which was a part of the HSSC election process last year, allows students to listen to different candidates’ responses to certain concerns and issues.

“We decided to take away the one minute speech and hold only the panel debate because it is much

more time efficient,” said Scarlett Kim (12), HSSC Executive President. “The debate allows the audience to thoroughly understand which candidates qualify for the positions they are running for. The videos and posters are also effective because they will engage the student body in the debate.”

In addition, the qualifications required for students running for certain positions were revised. Previously, candidates were required to have HSSC experience to apply for executive council positions. The new policy allows any student who holds a leadership position to occupy executive council spots.

“Many people tend to reelect students or vote for someone based on their experience in HSSC,” said David Moon (10), junior class vice president candidate. “Thus, such candidates are at an advantage.

However, the new system allows the election to become a more legitimate way to determine the best candidate.”

Public outrage and alarm following the Sewol disaster on April 16 have been at the forefront of international and domestic media coverage. Following the incident, reactions ranged from mounrnful to malicious.

After the incident, hoaxers circulated text messages claiming that they were from the passengers. Such messages rekindled hopes that there were survivors trapped in air bubbles under the sunken ship, prompting excessive rescue attempts. Because of the risks associated with the rescuers as well as the psychological damage experienced by the relatives of the ferry passengers, police warned hoaxers that legal action could be taken on account of impersonation charges.

“In a time of tragedy, people usually bring out the best of themselves,” said Kristy Corcoran, middle school counselor. “However, this incident actually shows that it can also bring out the worst of them. As a mom myself, I can’t imagine anything crueler than a parent receiving a fake message from their supposedly dead children who they are grieving about. I was absolutely shocked when I heard that was happening.”

On the other hand, on April 22, 30 university students from all over the nation formed an organization called Autonomous, Alter, Active Life Together (ALT) to pay their respect to victims. They proposed adopting the yellow ribbon as a symbol to represent the nationwide sentiment of grief regarding the Sewol disaster. The online movement grew popular after celebrities such as Jo Kwon, a member of the K-pop group 2AM and model Hye Park joined the campaign by posting the image on their Twitter feeds. According to ALT, the yellow ribbon previously symbolized the hope that survivors could be found, and now acts as a tribute to the passengers who passed away in the tragedy.

“I think the symbol is an easy way for people to connect with each other after the tragedy, and I hope it gains even more recognition,” Stephanie Cha (10) said. “Also, it lets people focus on the tragedy itself instead of looking to blame others. I think too many people are forgetting the tragedy and focusing instead on the investigation of those responsible.”

VIEWPOINT 2

MAY 2014

Letter to the Editor

Editorial Revised gift-giving policy clarifies teacher-parent relationships Korean schools have undergone increasing levels of speculation in order to decrease corruption, leading to a nationwide movement banning any forms of gift-giving. SIS followed suit, and on April 11, informed parents of a revised no-tolerance gift-giving policy, which requires teachers to return gifts of any monetary value.

In the past, due to teachers’ important role in Confucian societies, the exchange of gifts was a common practice in Korean schools.

However, because the practice led to increased ambiguity in determining the motives of gift-giving, Korea has limited gift-giving. As a result, most schools in Korea have adapted a zero-tolerance policy.

According to Peter Corcoran, Director of Schools, before the gift-giving policy was clarified, some teachers were unsure how to interpret expensive gifts. Additionally, due to the wide range of gifts presented by parents and the ambiguity in determining the price

of each gift, the previous policy often left teachers in uncomfortable or confusing situations. Because the school has clarified its official stance on gift-giving, teachers can now deal with such situations more effectively to remove possibilities of misunderstanding.

Although the amended policy limits the monetary value of acceptable gifts, it still enables students and parents to express their gratitude toward teachers. The policy does not apply to alumni, so parents and students can express their appreciation for teachers after graduation. Furthermore, teachers are allowed to accept gifts of no significant monetary value because they are demonstrations of gratitude rather than attempts to influence teachers’ views of particular students. Instead of purchasing costly presents, parents and teachers may present simple gifts such as coffee, flowers or cards. With common sense, it is possible to avoid misinterpreting signs of apprecia-

tion for those of implicit requests.

The revised policy is also beneficial in that it confirms SIS’s integrity and protects its reputation.

As international schools are especially under scrutiny by the media, the management of the school’s perception is necessary. By implementing this change, the administration is fulfilling its responsibility.

Like any other school, SIS is responsible for not only maintaining relationships between students, parents and teachers but also providing equal opportunities for all students. Therefore, with this policy, the school removes underlying motives or implied messages, while redefining the relationship between teachers and parents as collaborators rather than negotiators.

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

I have some issues with the article about teachers’ negative comments and generalizations of students in issue 9. That teachers at SIS think all students are cheaters and are only interested in their grades is a grossly erroneous generalization. Teachers are aware of the hagwon culture but I do not think it is a wholly negative perception, and it is not fair to say that teachers “accuse” students of learning some of the class material ahead of time.

I for one do not have any problem with, for example, a student who takes a summer World History course prior to his or her freshman year, or a student who wants to develop more prior knowledge of the Progressive Era by going to a hagwon before it is covered in his or her US History or AP US History class at school.

Certainly most teachers do not fully understand the role of hagwons as an integral part of the South Korean educational system.

I would have to argue that they play a much bigger role than extra help for a few students. My conversa-

tions with parents, students*- and the numerous AP Cram Packets that have been left in my room attest to that. I am sorry that students feel insulted by generalizations made about their reliance on hagwons. However one must also realize that teachers sometimes feel insulted and inadequate because many students spend so much extra time, money and energy on their subject out of school. Also I believe that students in our classes who don’t use hagwons are not at a disadvantage.

I would like to see more students getting any extra academic help that they need from SIS teachers before or after school, during office hours or activity period.

Such initiative would not only go a long way toward improving issues of academic trust and respect, but would also help develop more genuine relationships between students and teachers.

From Tony Hurt, History Teacher

Apathy toward AP test Reviewing exams improves understanding scores hurts school image

By Rosie Kim and Sarah Y. Kim

By Nagyon Kim

A large number of seniors last year scored one or two on the AP exams last year, leaving many teachers in shock. These results, however, were predictable because many seniors chose to approach their exams carelessly to the point that some even decided to bring pillows to the exam room. Though this has been a problem every year, last year’s exam scores were the worst by far, according to Frederic Schneider, Dean of Students, who has been at SIS for over 30 years. While seniors may not have the incentive to pass their AP exams because colleges do not require those scores, this indifference demonstrates that some seniors are not fulfilling their roles as students and are disregarding the hard work teachers have invested into preparing them for these examinations.

Seniors should always keep in mind that until the day they graduate, they are still in school, and therefore are expected to put in their best effort for each and every one of their assignments, including AP exams. It is ironic that the oldest students in the school, who are supposedly the role models for underclassmen, are behaving immaturely.

Such self-centered actions diminish the school’s reputation and therefore Editors-in-Chief Celine Hwang Daniel Kim Managing Editor Sara Shin Production Editor Bason Park Graphics Editor Yeni Cho Photo Editor Hollis Hwang

unfairly affect students who have been diligent in their studies.

Low exam scores also inaccurately represent the hard work that AP teachers have put in to teach material and prepare their students for the AP exams. Because teachers must cover various aspects of a college-level course in a set period of time, they constantly feel pressured to regulate the course’s pace. With this in mind, it is not surprising that teachers were frustrated by the results they received last year. Paloma Julian, AP Spanish teacher, said that she felt betrayed after seeing the scores because she believed that her students would try their best.

This year, the administration took several measures to prevent seniors from performing poorly on their AP exams. The new policy states that students who sleep during their AP exams are now expected to take the final exams, even after graduation. However, this policy does not address the central issue of students receiving scores that belie the teachers’ ability and effort to teach the material. Students should perform well on AP exams, not to secure a spot at a prestigious university, but to thoroughly learn the material. This change in attitude on the part of the students is needed to avoid tarnishing the school’s reputation and disrespecting the efforts of the teachers.

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Though teachers are expected to return summative assessments so that students can go over common mistakes or misunderstood concepts in class, semester exams have often been an exception to this standard. According to Peter Corcoran, director of schools, the school policy allows students to request that teachers review their semester exams. However, teachers have been discouraging students from taking such action after grades had been finalized. In order to enhance the quality of learning in classes, teachers should consistently follow the policy and dedicate time to reviewing exams.

The semester exam is arguably the most comprehensive test of the semester, as it cohesively assesses students’ knowledge and understanding of the material taught throughout the entire semester. It also serves to ensure that students understand the material the best they can. On that note, it is illogical that the semester exam is not accessible to students when all other tests are. While it is true that reviewing semester exams will most likely not change students’ final grades , it serves the more crucial purpose of allowing the student to learn the course material more thoroughly.

Students who receive unpreAdvertisement Claire Yun Reporters David Choe Jaeha Kim Angela Yoon

dicted scores or feel as though they need review are completely justified in asking for their exams. In fact, students who seek teachers’ help by using their own time during office hours to look over their exams should be applauded for their willingness to learn and review. Furthermore, if students were given the opportunity to look at their exams during school, there would be a reduced possibility of grading errors and an increased level of transparency in subjective evaluations such as essays.

The general consensus among teachers seems to be that students will ultimately demand more points for their semester exams if these exams are passed back. However, teachers have an obligation to support and teach students who are

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Adviser Mr. David Coleman

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

genuinely willing to learn instead of generalizing that all students are mere point-grabbers who have no passion for learning whatsoever. An environment that rather promotes the process of reviewing and relearning would lead to more content substantiated in the long term.

In order to create a more effective learning environment for students, teachers should designate time to review exams and reteach concepts that students have missed.

It is completely reasonable to let students look at them during school time under supervision, preventing leakage of information through photographs and other means. By passing back exams in class by students’ requests, students can reaffirm the material while maintaining confidentiality from hagwons.

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.

MAY 2014

3

NEWS

Green Club sells reusable items for first Senior Sales NEWS BRIEFS

By Jungho Daniel Choi

AP and SAT preparatory books, choir dresses and sports uniforms were among the various items Green Club collected in preparation for its Senior Sales, which were hosted for the first time from May 19-22. During these four days, Green Club members set up carts with graduating seniors’ former belongings in the high school hallways for students interested in purchasing them.

According to Yanis Park (10), next year’s Green Club president, Senior Sales were initiated to facilitate the reuse of material goods that seniors had accumulated throughout their high school careers and therefore conserve resources.

“Sydney Ko (12) came up with the idea for this project, because she noticed in previous years that some upperclassmen sold their old items to underclassmen,” Yanis said. “She thought that such sales could be made official through Green Club, as items would either be sold, recy-

Photo by Kelly Kim

Checking off a book from the inventory, Yanis Park (10), Green Club member, sells a second-hand book to Amy Lee (11) during office hours. cled or donated to the library.”

Green Club members were initially concerned that the Senior Sales would not attract many students. However, on the first day, Green Club sold five books and had 11 more books reserved to be sold the next day. Starting from next

ZEITGEIST Search for kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls continues Perpetuating deadly bombings and kidnappings, the Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad (Boko Haram) has expressed its opposition to Nigeria’s westernization.

Most recently, on April 14, the terrorist group abducted about 300 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria. Though this incident is not the first time that the group has targeted young girls, the magnitude of the attack was unprecedented, suggesting that the organization is gaining influence despite the government’s crack down.

“The kidnappings have led to a lot of exposure for Boko Haram,” said Shanna Hurt, history teacher.

“It is an opportunity to evoke fear and discourage girls from attending school.”

As more than a month has passed since the kidnapping, victims’ families have criticized the government’s slow response. On Twitter, users have participated in a hashtag campaign entitled #BringBackOurGirls to put pressure on the government to be more assertively. Eventually, due to such increased pressure, Nigeria decided to accept foreign help. On

May 17, at a security conference in France, Nigeria and four neighboring countries, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin, agreed to share intelligence with one another.

“I heard on the news that Nigeria initially refused offers of assistance because the government prizes its sovereignty,” said Elizabeth Huh (11), MUN member.

“The fact that officials accepted foreign aid shows the seriousness of the situation, as the failure to rescue the girls can lead to doubt regarding the ability to protect its citizens.”

Other nations, including the US, agreed to send negotiators who will help mediate discussions with Boko Haram. It offered to free the girls in exchange for the release of imprisoned militants. However, on May 14, the Nigerian government said that it would not negotiate with terrorists for a prisoner exchange.

“Negotiating with terrorists unfortunately leads to terrorists getting the upper hand,” Mrs. Hurt said. “If prisoners are exchanged for hostages, it only encourages terrorists to kidnap more foreigners or young children, exacerbating the instability in Nigeria.”

By Jaewon Choi

year, Green Club hopes to expand their Senior Sales by allowing all high school students, except freshmen to offer items for sale.

“I personally thought that because many students go to hagwons and have course material provided for them, not many students

would even be interested in looking through the preparatory books that we had on sale,” Yanis said. “Considering that there were 38 items in total, we honestly sold more than we expected to.”

Seniors were motivated to participate because they saw this event as an opportunity to profit from items that they had originally intended to give away or just throw away. Although Green Club charged 1000 won per item sold to support environmental organizations, seniors were still able to earn money.

“I put up AP and SAT prep books for sale because I wanted to make some money,” Grace Song (12) said. “I had a lot of leftover books, especially since I have an older brother and sister, but I probably wouldn’t have sold them if these sales hadn’t been organized, because I would’ve been too lazy or unsure about how to set reasonable prices. I think the Green Club members took care of that for me. It was convenient because all I had to do was bring the materials, and it was a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

Annual awards assembly to recognize Tiger Values

By Kelly Kim

In previous years, students of all grade levels attended the award assembly. However, this year, the seniors were separated from the rest of the student body according to their graduation date. The seniors’ award ceremony took place on May 1 whereas freshmen, sophomores and juniors will attend their respective ceremony on June 12.

“This [change] was not due to the number of awards but due to [the] senior schedule,” said Ivan Atanaskovic, Activities and Athletics Administrator. “This makes sense because all students have a month of school left while the seniors end school on May 16. This means that seniors receive their awards at the end of their year and the rest of the students will have their assembly before their school year ends.”

Unlike previous years, the administration decided to revise the awards system by adding two awards to each department: the Academic Excellence Award and Tiger Values Award. The Academic Excellence Award will be given to the student who displays exceptional performance in course material, while the Tiger Values Award will be awarded

to students who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the Tiger Values, regardless of their grades.

“We have always joked about how it’s easier to get into Stanford than get a math award in SIS,” said Jarret Lambie, high school principal.

“Though that’s not statistically correct, it was just a joke saying how hard it is to receive an award at the ceremony. We thought that we needed to distribute the awards more because the top student in math is probably in Calculus BC, not in Geometry.”

Depending on the decisions made by the staff of each department, the two awards will be given to students within a specific course, grade level or the whole student body. The language department will distribute awards for specific courses while the history department will give awards to the whole student body. 120 awards will be issued this year, compared to the 45 awards distributed in total last year.

“Some of the greatest students that I have taught don’t have the best grades but are so creative and beneficial to the class discussions that I think they are worth being recognized,” said Sean Syverson, English teacher.

“I’m hoping that these awards will build students’ self-esteem.”

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Mr. Lopez to transfer to high school next year

Photo by Kelly Kim

Currently teaching eighth graders, Alex Lopez will only teach in high school next year.

Alex Lopez, current middle school social studies teacher, is transitioning to the high school next year. Mr. Lopez started his career as a high school teacher, teaching theory of knowledge in his previous school. Although schedules have not been set in stone yet, he is planning to teach Asian Studies, World History and AP World History in the following school year.

He will continue to coach the girls soccer team.

“I’m not that nervous about next year,” Mr. Lopez said. “It definitely is a change and I will need some adjustment, but I feel like it will be nice to get back to the high school mindset. I’m looking forward to teaching World History.”

Alumni lounge to encourage school-officiated reunions The alumni lounge, located on the second floor of the Annex, was created this January. According to Hye Yong Min, Chief of Communications, the lounge is meant to serve as a “little museum,” as it contains historical records, such as yearbooks and pictures of SIS graduates, and old equipment, such as the ditto machine and the beta player. Through this new lounge, Dr. Hyungshik Kim, headmaster, and the administration hope to transition from hosting unofficial reunions to holding school-officiated events.

“So far, SIS has not had an extensive outreach program,” Ms. Min said. “We thought we ought to start with baby steps, and our first step was to have a lounge open to alumni visitors.”

Sophomores attend WSC tournament in Japan Sophomores Alex Cho, Liana Kwak and Matthew Shin participated in the global round of the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) competition from May 5-6, in Tokyo, Japan. The tournament challenges students in various subjects, making them more intrigued with learning, according to WSC. The sophomores not only placed on the honor roll for debate and writing but also won first place in the scholar’s challenge and 21 individual awards.

“The food [in Japan] was great and the people, though most of them were not fluent in English, were friendly,” Matthew said. “My team prepared a lot for this competition, and we scored well in our respective subjects. We will prepare to represent SIS to the best of our abilities at WSC Singapore.”

By Sangho Lee and Eric Song

S E Y E L REA E Z I L A RE S E I L L A E R

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nd G Layout a

March 2010: Toyota Vehicle RecallsABC News’ Brian Ross faked shot of the tachnometer, making vehicle seem more dangerous.

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na Yoo e e Y y B s hic

April 2014: Sinking of the Sewol ferryMBN controversial interview with unauthorized source who faked her identity.

MOST CONTROVERSIAL MEDIA MISHAPS

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Corporategripaffectsdemocraticmedia

By HOLLIS HWANG AND Jaewon Choi

Investigative journalists Jane Akre and Steve Wilson were sure that they had a hit story in their hands. For a year, they had researched the health risks posed by growth hormones marketed by Monsanto, a multinational corporation. One week before their story was to air on a Fox-owned channel in Tampa Bay, Florida, the story was unexpectedly cancelled after Monsanto’s legal counsel threatened to take away its advertisements on the network, an action that would lead to dire financial consequences for Fox—a decline in advertising revenue.

This incidence is just one example of corporate censorship, a phenomenon in which corporate managers dissuade journalists from covering stories that could embroil the press company in conflict with a powerful corporation. According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, more than 35 percent of journalists said that news stories that would hurt the financial interests of the media corporations went unreported as a result of such pressure. In addition, the influence of media corporations on the news that is reported has increased in recent years due to media consolidation, or the merger of television networks and newspapers, such as that of American Broadcasting Company and Walt Disney in 1995. As a result, six corporations control 90 percent of all

news stations, according to the Business Insider.

“When there are fewer media outlets, less information is available to members of the public that is not filtered by corporate interests,” said Peter Beckway, English teacher. “Since media corporations generate most of their profits through advertising revenue, their decision on whether to cover a story or not can be influenced by who their advertisers are. They would be reluctant to approve stories that portray multinational corporations in a critical light because it could lead to the pulling of advertisements.”

Furthermore, some media corporations have a tendency to support certain political leanings in their broadcasts and newspaper articles, which could shape voter’s perception. For example, executives at the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest independent broadcaster in the US, decided to air programs with a conservative political tilt, such as a documentary critical of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry right before the 2004 presidential elections. On the other hand, according to the Seattle Times, Sinclair refused to broadcast an episode of ABC’s Nightline that featured the reading of the names of soldiers killed in combat during the Iraq War because it feared that it would undermine public support for the war effort,

which was largely supported by conservative Republicans.

“Currently there are few mainstream news outlets that are moderate because media corporations want to appeal to either the conservatives or the liberals,” said Tony Hurt, history teacher. “The problem is that some people cannot discern the political polarization of media because they are not as well-read. They are thus more susceptible to be influenced by the nuances in media coverage.”

Of course, there are media outlets, such as Al Jazeera and Democracy Now, that not only strike a middle ground among the biased views but also operate more independently from the corporate framework. Therefore, while some more profitoriented media sources such as CNN have reduced the size of their investigative journalism units, Al Jazeera has actually attracted veteran reporters. However, the impact of such sources is limited by the lack of exposure.

“I think the internet has paved the way for less biased voices to spring up instead of the mainstream sources,” Harry Lee (12) said. “But since members of the public are unlikely to visit a website or media sources that they have never heard of before, the lack of visibility of the alternative sources hurts the extent to which it can influence opinions.”

InaccuratemediacoverageofSewol highlightsproblemswithKoreanmedia

By PATRICIA SONG

Inaccuracy and inconsistency plagued the initial news reports on the sinking of the Sewol Ferry on April 16, which stated that all 368 people, including the cabin crew and passengers, had survived the accident. After further investigation, however, it was reported that the number of people aboard the ship was actually 462 and that the number of survivors was 164. These counting errors by the government and news corporations were misleading and frustrated the families of the victims who were anxiously waiting for accurate survivor reports. The unreliable media coverage of the Sewol incident highlighted the consistent problems with Korean media that have occurred in the past and are still occurring today.

“In the situation of a major disaster like [the Sewol Ferry incident], it is normal that news outlets want to be the first to broadcast news, at the expense of accuracy, because of competition,” said Anthony Loveday, social studies teacher. “Even though this is often the case, the way the Korean media dealt with the Sewol incident was pretty extreme. Saying that there were no fatalities was devastating and it revealed a

shocking level of lack of preparedness. Although I was impressed by the long period of national mourning, it seemed that every news agency was just putting on a show to prove that it was mourning more than others.”

Not only has Korean media been afflicted by inaccuracy, like in the Sewol incident, it has also been victim to censorship and bias. During the 2012 presidential election, the National Intelligence Service was suspected of attacking members of Geun-hye Park’s opposing party by calling them supporters of communism. The media chose not to extensively cover the incident until after Park’s official inauguration in 2013, saying that the police withheld evidence and that claims were unfounded.

“Media in Korea is trying to figure out its place,” said Alec Griffin, social studies teacher. “While there is still a certain amount of nationalism, people want to hear about who is to blame, so the media jumps directly to the government first, instead of starting at the root of the problem. But, it is essential that the media tries to separate itself from strict censorship and that there is critical media that is do-

ing investigative reporting as well as more nationalistic media. The fact that certain issues are broadcasted in the news depending on the political party in office just comes to show that Korean media has not gone through the process of understanding the purpose of media.”

Likewise, when the Korean media directly opposed the government through the beef protests in 2008, the government responded by appointing government officials to top broadcast positions and attempted to increase control of major news corporations. According to research done

by Johns Hopkins University, the government’s actions are “likely in the long term to have negative effects on Korea’s right to free speech.”

“The government’s reactions to the beef protests actually discourage investigative journalism, which the media should be doing more of,” Yoon Lee (10) said.

“The Sewol Ferry incident helped expose problems within Korean media. The society, government and news agencies should recognize that bias, censorship and inaccuracy in media are problems that need to be addressed.”

LIFESTYLE 6

MAY 2014

X-Men sequel features enthralling yet confusing plot with stellar performance

By Sara Shin

Taking place in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society, “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” earned approximately eight million dollars in US theaters on Thursday May 22, the day of its release. The movie was the fourth-biggest earner among movies released on Thursdays in 2014, placing slightly below “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”

Traveling to the past, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) tries to prevent the annihilation of humanity and the mutant race by hindering the production of mutant-hunting robots, the Sentinels. After Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) shoots Bolivar Trask, the inventor of these Sentinels, the US government realizes the need to wage war against this foreign race and therefore funds the massive production of these robots.

Later, the Sentinels lose their ability to distinguish between humans and mutants and therefore kill all people.

The computer graphics and action scenes were more remarkable than those shown in other superhero movies such as “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” The graphics required to show Storm’s (Halle Berry) ability to cause turbu-

X

X-MEN MUTANTS

source: starstore.com

Sharp claws protrude from his knuckles.

lent weather and Magneto’s power to manipulate magnetic fields, surprised viewers and made the movie even more exciting. Furthermore, the frequent transition between the future and the past continued to build suspense among viewers. For instance, in the future, the Sentinels are approaching to kill the mutants including Wolverine while Mystique is aiming a gun at Dr. Trask in the past. The fact that Mystique’s shooting of Dr. Trask determines mankind’s future keeps viewers on the edge of their chairs.

While these frequent shifts from past to future kept the movie interesting, they also confounded viewers. Additionally, “X-Men:

GRAPHIC BY EUNIE JANG

Attracts metal with his hands andmind.

Days of Future Past” focused mainly on Mystique and Wolverine. Only a glimpse of other mutants, such as Blink and Storm, were offered.

Therefore, the movie was not successful in uniting various mutants for a common goal.

Despite such flaws, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” was a well-produced sequel, with not only a compelling plot and brilliant actors but also a meaningful message about the importance of hope. Having earned 36 million dollars only after it second day of its release, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is expected to draw more attention from international theaters and earn approximately 100 million dollars.

New vice principal hopes for harmony within student body

By Yeni Cho and Claire Yun

Having previously undertaken the role of a principal, Amy Valerio, sixth grade social studies teacher, will assume the role of high school and middle school vice principal starting from the next school year.

According to Peter Corcoran, Director of Schools, due to the increase in high school enrollment and decrease in middle school enrollment, it was necessary for there to be a vice principal for each student body. Since there was no vice principal position for either student body, the administration decided to create such a position.

Prior to teaching at SIS, Dr. Valerio served as the principal of the Central North Carolina School for the Deaf as well as a director of student affairs at the Kanter School in North Carolina. In addition, she received a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I always knew I wanted to work at the level with teachers and students at the same time,” Dr. Valerio said. “When I came to South Korea I was excited about being a teacher while learning more about Korea and this international school. But I was even more excited

about achieving my original goal, which was related to working at the administrative level.”

As the vice principal for the middle and high school, Dr. Valerio hopes to increase unity between middle and high school students.

According to Dr. Valerio, she would like to foster more friendliness between these students and thereby develop a stronger connection between the middle and high schools.

“I want there to be a greater community where students work together, even though I know they already do,” Dr. Valerio said. “I am excited about learning more about the community service programs that are undertaken in the high school.”

Though working in the administration is something that Dr. Valerio has been looking forward to, being a teacher and directly working around students is an aspect of teaching that she will miss.

“I will miss being in the classroom for sure because there is a special relationship you develop with the students you teach,” Dr. Valerio said. “I hope to talk to students regularly and include them in any decision making that is done so that I will still be able to have some relationship with the students. But I know it will not be the same. [Serving as vice principal] is nothing like having your own class.”

Whatisthe“realworld”like?

Perry An, Class of 1997, graduated from New York University (NYU) medical school and now works as Assistant Clinical Professor at Tufts University Medical School and internal doctor at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

1. Why did you choose to become a doctor?

I enjoy working with people on a one-to-one basis. As a doctor, I have the privilege of helping those who are in a vulnerable state. It allows me to hear about who they are. Also, I started thinking about becoming a doctor since middle school.

2. What is it like to teach students and take care of patients at the same time?

Students’ passion and motivation to learn energizes me and encourages me to continue teaching and interacting with them. Administrative duties as chief operation administrator help me become creative.

I think it is great to switch from one job to another since I am able to stay engaged in my work.

3. Can you explain your experience during medical missions?

I went on medical missions to Honduras and Ethiopia. When I go to those countries, I feel like I am making valuable contributions. I realize that I can provide a great gift for the people there. Actually, most of the medicines we provide are basic medicines like multivitamins, Advil and Tylenols. These missions remind me of the reason that I aspired to become a doctor.

4. What were some hardships you had to face in order to become a doctor?

During residency, I had to work 30 hours straight every four days.

After 10 years of practice, though, my schedule became easier to manage. Also, at NYU medical school I had to compete with very bright people, so I had to be fully concentrated on my work. Despite these hardships, I feel that working as a doctor keeps me alive.

5. What is your ultimate goal in life?

I would like to become a hospital administrator and make the hospital system more efficient. I want to continue learning what it means to be content with life and serve my community with the talent and knowledge I have.

By Amelie Hayoung Koo

Exploring relatively unknown yet great colleges,

COLLEGE CORNER Regis University As final exams approach, high school students feel increasing pressure. But high school students are not the only ones suffering—college students experience more stress. In an attempt to lighten the heavy academic burden students deal with, many universities engage in annual traditions during finals season.

Regis University stands out with its interesting finals rituals.

A Jesuit liberal arts university located in Denver, Colorado, Regis University is known for its cozy atmosphere in both classes and dorms. Regis has a small undergraduate population of 5,000 with a rustic vibe due to its townhomes and brick buildings. With a 92 percent acceptance rate and a ratio of one professor for every eight students, Regis University offers students an opportunity to re-

ceive a selective education while enjoying various unique rituals.

During the week before final exams, a 24-hour quiet policy creates an academic atmosphere, allowing students to prepare for their exams. After four days of silence, on Tuesday night of finals week, students break out into a 10-minute period of screams. The university also provides a “Finals Breakfast” at 10 a.m. throughout the week, during which students enjoy breakfast before tests.

In addition to unique finals traditions, Regis University offers noteworthy academic programs. Regis University’s Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions allows students to explore different areas of health care education, such as nursing and physical therapy. Moreover, students can acquire first-hand

experience by participating in Service Learning and Simulated Health Center programs.

However, for those seeking a competitive athletic program or gender diversity, Regis University is not ideal.

Student participation in sports is low and facilities are not exactly top-notch. Regis also has a male-to-female ratio of 37 to 67 percent and lacks ethnic diversity. While Caucasians represent 60 percent of the population, Asians constitute only four percent. Though Regis may not be the appropriate destination for ladies seeking romantic relationships or students interested in exploring various cultures, the university has significant merits. The amusing traditions and engaging academics make Regis University a great pick for students looking for a homey learning environment.

By Ariel Lee and Grace Lee

MAY 2014

7

SPORTS

Spring sports teams conclude season, anticipate changes

By Yeaji Park

Finishing off on a strong note with various awards and recognitions, the varsity swim and soccer teams ended their seasons on April 25. According to Ivan Atanaskovic, Activities and Athletics Administrator, this season was successful compared to last year, as the swim team was able to maintain its winning streak by placing in the top ranks of both AISA and KAIAC tournaments and the soccer teams were able to improve their rankings.

“I thought that the spring [sports] season was extremely well done because of our skilled athletes and our achievements,” Mr. Atanaskovic said. “The girls and boys soccer teams improved greatly compared to last year and they won many individual and conference awards. Now, many other teams look to us as their rivals and want to beat us because we are so good at what we do.”

The varsity boys soccer team placed first for KAIAC and second

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Defeating Korea International School with a score of 5-0, the boys varsity soccer team tosses coach Tony Hurt to celebrate the second consecutive KAIAC championship. It is Coach Hurt’s last year coaching at SIS.

for AISA, while the varsity girls soccer team placed fourth for AISA and third for KAIAC. “I think the soccer team should be proud of the results,” said Shota Ono (10), varsity soccer player. “We practiced hard this year, despite having to take turns using the full field with the girls team. Because

we worked to our fullest potential, we were able to place well in all the games.”

The swim team had to go through a major change this year as Melissa Hubley, former varsity swim coach, took a maternity leave during the middle of the season.

However, the team was still able to

Sports Photo of the Month

place among the top three schools this season. The varsity swim team received first place in the AISA tournament and placed third overall at the KAIAC tournament, with the boys in second place and the girls in fourth place.

“When I came to visit at the KAIAC championships, I was proud

of the way the team came together and supported each other extremely well,” Coach Hubley said. “Our team deserved the success we received. In the future, I hope the team can retain the swimmers from this year and I would love to have SIS achieve first place at KAIAC, although I thought this was a very successful year and would have loved to have been a part of the whole season.”

Adding on to the changes, the swim team will also be losing Tim Gardes, varsity swim coach. The soccer team will experience changes as well; ten seniors have graduated and both of the coaches, Tony Hurt and Shanna Hurt, will be leaving.

“Although there are many people leaving the team next year, we hope that our new captains will be able to lead the next set of soccer players,” Coach Shanna Hurt said. “As the coach, you get to see a change in the girls and boys as they go from freshman year to their senior year, and you see that they can last longer and are stronger. I hope that we have set the level here for younger people and we can continue to be great.”

PE SPORTS

COMMENTARY This column is a short commentary on sports events that are happening around the world. The commentators, Eva Hong and Patricia Song, express their opinions about these sports events and conduct interviews with relevant figures. This particular episode is about Donald Sterling, previous owner of LA Clippers, who has been removed from his position for allegedly making racist comments to his girlfriend.

Photo by Hollis Hwang

After Gary Kim (12), co-captain, scores the third goal of the KAIAC championship, Mark Kim (12) jumps into his arms to embrace him in celebration. Gary scored a total of three goals.

Chess recognized as official KAIAC sport

By Claire Kim and Jasmine Oh

Starting from the next school year, KAIAC will recognize chess as an official sport. This recognition is expected to lead to a variety of changes in the club. Expected changes include level of competition, membership requirements and schedule shifts. Although members have already participated in KAIAC tournaments together, they believe that the recognition of chess as a sport will lead to a more exclusive group in which they can pursue their interest in chess.

In previous years, students were not provided with opportunities to play chess at a more competitive and inter-school level. Several members of the chess club, such as William Suh (9), stated that the recognition

would lead to changes regarding the amount of time and effort he currently puts into the Chess Club.

“I obviously feel more motivated to do better and think that I should practice more, even outside of the chess club meetings,” William said. “Through this change, the standards will rise and there will be a lot more competitive players in other schools during competitions.”

Starting next year, executives are planning to hold tryouts for membership, similar to those for other sports. Through this process, the club expects to gather a group of chess players who show both dedication and skill to represent the school in various tournaments.

“We will expect players to set more goals in what they wish to achieve in the three tournaments,” said Marilou Pagarigan, Chess Club adviser. “To help players achieve

these goals, we wish to hold more structure practices, meaning that we want to focus on learning both tactics and practicing game-play.”

Along with the new membership requirements, the Chess Club will also be divided into two groups based on ability. The more competitive group will consist of 15 varsity players who will represent the school in future KAIAC tournaments. The junior varsity team will also consist of 15 members who will not participate in KAIAC tournaments, but still practice with the club regularly.

“The varsity chess players will be expected to continue to play at a very competitive level,” said Ji Whan Moon (9), Chess Club president.

“However, the junior varsity level will not be held up to those standards, because they are people that are interested in playing chess at only a friendly level.”

Eva: Welcome to the first episode of PE Sports Commentary! Patricia and I will bring a wide range of interviews with sports athletes and coaches.

Patricia: Hi everyone! We have big shoes to fill, but we hope we don’t disappoint you.

Eva: Our first guest is the former owner of the LA Clippers, a man who has been breaking headlines since late April: Donald Sterling!

Sterling: It’s definitely a unique opportunity to participate in an interview with… those of different races.

Patricia: Well, on that note, please do clarify the controversial statement you made to your girlfriend and its consequent permanent expulsion.

Sterling: My words need no explanation. I understand that interaction with people of other races is inevitable and something I can cope with.

But my girlfriend advertising herself socializing with black people on social networking sites is really something else.

Eva: Even when 11 of your 14 team members are of African American ancestry and many NBA fans are of diverse ethnicities?

Sterling: We have to realize that my words reflect my personal emotions at the time and were spoken not in public, but in a private sphere. Using

a few privately spoken words against the right to keep my team is unreasonable and a clear violation of my privacy.

Patricia: Regardless, many fans and players have expressed disappointment after accessing the audio recording released on TMZ’s website.

Some have even threatened to boycott games.

Sterling: I may not be the greatest embracer of minorities but I stand firm in my belief that I do not deserve the lifetime ban from managing my team or the cancellation of receiving an honor from the [National Association for the Advancement of Colored People] (NAACP). My previous donations to the NAACP and employment of minorities prove that these recordings do not accurately reflect my actual perspective.

Eva: Well, we sincerely hope that the alleged racist comments were not from your heart and that NBA fans and players are fully appreciated regardless of their race!

Sterling: Thank you.

Patricia and Eva: That’s all for this month’s PE Commentary!

Thank you for reading MC Commentary throughout the year—Tiger Times appreciates your support. Enjoy your summer vacation and see you next school year, folks!

Disclaimer: Although this column is based on facts, the interviews are entirely fictional.

SMALL TALK

8

MAY 2014

it's a piece of cake!

mexican flag

international food of the month: flan Meet sara sh

in!

By Bason Park

FAUX NEWS

procedure 1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

2. In a saucepan, melt the sugar until it turns a golden, caramel color. Pour the melted sugar into a round, baking dish.

3. Beat the eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract. Pour this into the baking dish.

4. Bake in the oven for one hour.

5. Let the flan cool and enjoy!

Community organization arranges hide-and-seek for young students

Abubakar Shekau, a man in his sixties, has recently rediscovered his childhood dream: playing hide-and-seek with his friends. Several months ago, he and his friends established the Hide And Seek Clan (HASC) in order to further pursue their interests. One of the group’s first missions was to abduct as many children as possible in order to increase membership and raise awareness for the clan.

“The purpose of this clan is not only to recall one of my favorite pastimes as a child, but also for us to become more famous,” Chief Shekau said. “For many years, I honestly did not know what to do with my life.

Then I remembered; my father always told me that the greatest men are those who are remembered by many for their actions and influence on humanity. I thought that this first abduction mission, although it may just be a small step, corresponds to our raison d’etre and helps us attract more media coverge around the world. People only care about the news when it involves children.”

During the day, members of the HASC kidnapped around 300 children from Westville Secondary School and drove them off

ingredients

- One cup of white sugar - Three eggs - One can of condensed milk (14 ounces) - One can of evaporated milk (14 ounces) - One tablespoon of vanilla extract

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

to a secluded location. According to Chief Shekau, this plan successfully dragged other countries into the game, thereby making it more “intense and exciting.”

“We do not have enough soldiers to serve as a quick reaction force for these urgent situations,” said Yaman Kemal, a Nigerian government official. “The government is fully aware that the parents of these poor children are worried, but we cannot do anything but stand by and watch the HASC progress with its mission. Currently, our nation is very unstable and we have more significant societal issues to focus on than to taking of these children.”

As international troops arrived in search of the abducted children, Chief Shekau decided to record a short speech and upload it on YouTube for the international community to watch: “This is no biggie. I have no malicious intent—I merely blindfolded the children and starved them for a few days.

Who needs Westernized education? Who needs innovation? Who needs Christianity?

We need to treat these children in the right way so that they grow up to become proper citizens.”

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Walking through the high school hallways, kindergardeners raise their anti-bullying posters. Students were encouraged to wear pink on May 1 to promote acceptance and diversity.