s e o u l i n t e r nat i o na l s c h o o l
Tiger Times VO L U M E X LV I I
October 2015
ISSUE 3
TT O N L . O RG
ROAR, TIGERS! TSC hosts first ever pep rally
Ashley Sohn (11) and Sarah Hahn (12) prepare to face the varsity tennis teams in the impending tug-of-war match on Oct. 21 during Tiger Sports Council’s first pep rally.
In another attempt to encourage school spirit, Tiger Sports Council (TSC) hosted the first pep rally ever on Oct. 21, celebrating the accomplishments of fall season athletes. According to Eunie Jang (12), TSC president, the originality of this event led to its success, because people were motivated to attend simply because such an event had never been hosted before. The pep rally started at 2:30 p.m., beginning with player introductions and leading into two tug-of-war games between the fall season teams. The tennis team proved to be the strongest, beating both the cross-country and volleyball athletes. After the challenge, TSC encouraged many of the students to stay and cheer for the varsity volleyball teams during their last home game. “When I first stepped into the gym, it was
Photo by Daniel Shin
a bit surprising because the event was larger than any middle school event I had ever been to,” said Hailey Ahn (10), attendee. “But as Eunie hyped up the crowd with her enthusiastic voice by introducing the fall season players, I think that the student body was able to cheer and have fun together. The event also made me want to stay for the home game, so I think it was very successful overall.” Even before the pep rally, TSC created a buzz with their morning announcements and posters advertising the event. One reason for the pep rally’s success was the novelty factor, as no such event had ever been hosted before. “The event gathered a large crowd and created lots of school spirit because students were dismissed from their classes 30 minutes early to attend,” Jihoon Yang (12) said. “The game of tug-of-war was fun to watch and
grabbed everyone’s attention. But I think that because it ended too quickly, the crowd needed something else to keep them pumped up. Nonetheless, a lot more people stayed after to cheer for the volleyball teams than usual, and I think this was a huge first step in raising school spirit.” According to Eunie, the process of organizing the pep rally required TSC to overcome various obstacles. For instance, the executives had to ask James Gerhard, high school principal, for approval to dismiss students early. There were also concerns that the club was rushing the preparations on a tight schedule, according to Ivan Atanaskovic, TSC adviser. However, with hours spent outside of school organizing the event, the club was able to pull through in the end. “When we organize something that
Secrets? What are those?
GIN hosts annual Halloween Carnival
Gun control: The American issue
‘The Intern’ questions gender dynamics
VIEWPOINT by Jaeha Kim
NEWS by April Kim
FOCUS by Andrew Ham
LIFESTYLE by Grace Lee
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involves the whole school, we need to plan it carefully and well in advance because people need to know about it beforehand, especially teachers who need time to plan around it,” Mr. Atanaskovic said. “The TSC members wanted to hold a pep rally right after coming back from Chuseok break, so I was worried, but I think the event went well. It’s important for the school to recognize athletes because they sacrifice a lot to represent our school. Being a school athlete isn’t easy because it requires a lot of commitment, but students do it because they have the passion. I think TSC was able to help the school appreciate this, and I am glad to see that they are doing much better than their first year as a club.” By Soomin Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer
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Editorial
Mission Statement: revisiting our school identity As SIS students, the TIGERS values are etched into our minds. We are consistently reminded of them, especially through efforts made by the leadership team and the HSSC to recognize students who practice them. It’s clear that SIS students know what the TIGERS values are, but whether it represents anything more to us than a catchy acronym is a different story. On the outside, our school may look as though it has a clear sense of identity as a premier institution among international schools. However, our school identity should not be solely represented by the level of our students’ academic success, but rather the values and ideas our community upholds. Defining a school identity is necessary because it asks us to seriously consider what it means to be a member of a larger community. It prods us to reflect on what our school should represent in a deeper way than the TIGERS values. The most effective way to ask students to contemplate what they consider should be our school identity is through the introduction of a new mission statement—one that identifies the characteristic values that SIS seeks to uphold and one that shows how the school will work to maintain such values. With the implementation of a new mission statement on Oct. 26, our community has taken the first step toward asking what it means to be an administrator, a faculty member, a staff member, a parent, and a student at SIS. For reference, here is the statement that should guide every decision made by every person at every level in our school: “Seoul International School develops inquisitive, independent thinkers and collaborative learners, who acquire the essential knowledge necessary to be caring and creative contributors to the world around them.” It enforces the idea that all SIS students are expected to adhere to a specific standard, in terms of their character and their role in the community. A mission statement is essentially a promise made by all members of this unique microcosm of society that we will work toward upholding a certain school identity. Granted, the creation of the new mission statement won’t completely redefine our school’s character—it isn’t the Ten Commandments. Though the tangible effects won’t be clear right away, a mission statement aims to improve the school by addressing its foundational and fundamental values. Existing regulations, such as forbidding hoodies in testing rooms or requiring the signing of the honor code, are certainly necessary—but they are short term fixes to larger problems. A mission statement is a valiant effort to change our school for the better, in the long term. It is important to note here that the creation of a mission statement runs the risk of being rather insignificant and useless. If it is not taken seriously, the statement could very well end up being buried in a school handbook or on the website, never to see the light of day. If it is not promoted, students will undoubtedly disregard it or fail to realize its true weight. It becomes a problem when students are completely unaware. It becomes a problem when the mission statement, which defines our school identity, is not taken seriously. Currently, our TIGERS values do not fully carry the weight of establishing our school identity, partly because its “catchy” nature fails to capture the attention of high school students. All students, from elementary to high school, should be convinced of its importance in upholding an honorable identity. Only when this is done can our school truly call itself a community, united with the same respectable values.
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2 VIEWPOINT Political decency necessary for public discourse
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onald Trump, a billionaire mogul and investor, made headlines when he officially declared his unexpected bid for the White House on June 16. Trump has attracted political commentators with his penchant for outspoken statements ever since. According to the BBC, it seems as though this stems more from his unpredictable character than any specific policy promises. His campaign’s lack of political correctness has attracted so much attention that the real political issues have been neglected by the media for coverage of the florid language he uses. An argument can be made that political correctness should not be the focus of coverage. But there is no question that Trump, proposing radical policies such as a “giant beautiful wall” along the US-Mexico border, is changing the dynamics of traditional politics. His extreme political statements don’t stop there. Claiming John McCain, Vietnam War veteran, was famous “only because he was captured,” Trump has repeatedly come under fire for his insensitive and derogatory comments. Such a phenomenon highlights an important point: political correctness (PC) in the status quo may go overboard, but a
difference exists between PC culture and basic human decency. Unlike the conversations of the past, outspoken individuals are contorting the meaning of the term “political correctness” as an excuse to deride opposing opinions. This unfortunate trend has led to the shallow practice of attacking people for anything but their political substance. A new type of politics is emerging, one that utilizes offensive statements under the cover of the supposed “political correctness.” The meteoric rise in the polls of candidates such as Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina—all political outsiders with no experience in Washington— highlights this disturbing phenomenon. Reasonable, intellectual people have long debated whether politically correct speech has gone too far in stifling public discourse, where such a concern can be used to curtail free expression. That concern is certainly legitimate, but a difference exists between speech that is cherry-picked for political gain and plainly offensive speech. Ironically, the trend toward “telling it like it is” does just the thing opponents of political correctness are worried about – diverting the attention from the important issues like the faltering economy.
The outrage over political comments cannot simply be dismissed as a mere whitewashing of our political discourse. Claims that pander to hateful misinformation for political gain distract from the real issues. Rather than talking about measures to lower college tuition rates or methods to combat sectarian violence in the Middle East, the discussion degenerates into one involving Trump’s accusations that immigrants are “murderers and rapists.” Politicians may be “telling it like it is,” but when they misdirect the political discourse, criticism cannot be accused of indulging PC culture. It is clear that the controversial statements of the 2016 presidential race highlight a larger problem with the difference between politically correct speech and politically appropriate speech. In seeking to convey a clear and efficient message, politics is being distracted from the issues on which politicians deriding PC culture pledge to focus on. It is ironic that those who claim to bring attention to issues that matter most without the midst of PC culture are actually centering the spotlight on themselves, and not the issues at hand. By Nicholas Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer
Rage against the machine: ES laptop initiative
The elementary leadership team has officially confirmed the kick-off of a one-to-one laptop initiative for fourth and fifth graders. By Jan. 16, every SIS nine-and-ten-year-old will hold in their hands their very own MacBook, worth between 1.3 and 1.6 million won. Elementary students currently share 60 laptops from a school cart to conduct research, write essays, take tests, and create videos. According to Art De Filippo, elementary school principal, the leadership team believes individual machines will achieve seven goals: increase engagement, teach technology skills, and offer better collaboration opportunities, to name a few. Interestingly enough, official policy advises against these students bringing laptops home. At first, this seems a prudent safety measure. However, perhaps unintentionally, it makes a classroom with one-to-one
laptops only marginally different from one with laptop carts. Here, eyes turn to the elephant in the room: why are families now obliged to gift their hyper-energetic nine-year-olds these fragile and expensive machines? Is this the price of logistical ease? Perhaps this reflects a wider trend—the cloud of new technology drifting into schools. The lightning speed with which companies whip out sleeker, and shinier products makes it dangerously easy to chase blindly the newest update—whether it be for apps or classrooms. Even those with the best intentions will not be spared when unintended academic and financial consequences come raining down from excessive in-class technology. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), data from over 40 countries show that “there is little
solid evidence that greater computer use among students leads to better scores in mathematics and reading.” The study draws an important line: though the rise from rare to moderate in-class laptop use gives students a huge edge, those with excessive use fare much worse. SIS’s official ‘1 to 1 Laptop Master Documentation’ states evidence supporting the notion that individual laptop programs improve student performance. The only study cited by name, however, is one of Apple’s own: a study about the public schools of Maine and Henrico County. An Apple report on Apple computers should raise an inner ‘Warning’ pop-up window. The SIS elementary tuition, excluding extra fees, equals one-third of Henrico County’s median household income. Perhaps public schools in such a county started from a less privileged technological footing. Regardless, SIS clearly faces no lack of technology or distracting tabs. Perhaps it is inevitable that one day, the swelling technological wave breaches all classroom walls. But until that day, face this rising tide with conviction. Be proactive with policy, not reactive to a trend. Do not fear to deny options that are too costly or risky. Most importantly, step forward with intention and transparency. Else, the MacBook box being handed to a ten-year-old may just as easily become Pandora’s box. By Diana Nakyoung Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer
Tiger Times October 2015 Tiger Times Online
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Adviser Mr. David Coleman
Why secrets have no place at SIS “There is a common saying at SIS that most, if not all of us, are familiar with: secrets don’t exist.” According to the Daily Mail, researchers have found that it is rather natural human instinct to let out gossip and to spread private knowledge about other people. For example, women typically cannot wait more than 32 minutes before “spilling the beans.” A study of 3000 women by the cosmetics brand Simple found that one in ten respondents were unable to keep a secret, with 85 percent also stating that they relish hearing gossip from others. The psychological reason behind this can be traced to the mental exertion that secrets bring upon people. As everyone must have experienced at one point of his or her life, there is certain pressure that comes when one knows something exclusive. The burden and responsibility that one feels when entrusted with a secret is enormous. According to various psychologists, humans can share this sense of burden through gossip. The logic being, the more people I tell, the less of a burden I feel as an individual. Another reason that students spill secrets is that they seemingly believe they will be able to gain temporary attention by informing others of their exclusive knowledge up their sleeves. For the moment that they gossip and disclose private information about another student, they seem to believe that they are, in a sense, elevated above others, as everyone seems to listen carefully to
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every word. This phenomenon is quite clear in many aspects of student life, as many high school students will do most anything for attention. Ironically, the gossip isn’t limited just to students at SIS. In fact, parents are known to organize meetings with each other, during which they naturally talk about student life. At times, these meetings revolve around academics at SIS. At other times, the meetings revolve around student social life. It is through these particular conversations that secrets often spread. Not only do they circulate, they often become convoluted and amplified due to misinformation or confusion. At the end of the day, there really is no stopping this issue. After all, high schoolers will gossip, as demonstrated by science itself. But this doesn’t mean that a lack of consideration and respect for privacy should be excused. After all, secrets can easily become pernicious, malicious, and inaccurate. To prevent any harms, it is important for parents to show their children what maturity means by demonstrating that gossiping without even the correct facts is unacceptable. Admittedly, there won’t be an overnight or absolute solution to the problem, but this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take steps toward becoming credible individuals. And seriously, stop with the GPA references.
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ome told me I had a 99 grade point average. Others told me I had been recommended to take five advanced placement courses. But sadly, my PowerSchool told me otherwise. There is a common saying at SIS that most, if not all of us, are familiar with: secrets don’t exist here. This is to be taken, in fact, quite literally. Every other day, private information regarding someone else’s GPA or social life is unveiled to the public, as if some force of the SIS universe keeps a stash of secrets hidden in their “secrets jar.” Now, I understand that it is common for high school students to gossip about various issues around the school. However, what stuns many at SIS is the sheer magnitude and speed by which these so-called “secrets” shower the entire community. After approximately 13 years as an SIS student, I have realized that the main factor that allows secrets to spread most
quickly within the student population is the general hype surrounding grades. Because students are placed in a very high-stress environment in which they are forced to compete with one another, most of us often wish to know where we stand in comparison to the rest of the class. For example, consider this. Let’s say that you’re in the library and you overhear that Fanny has a GPA of 96.84. On the outside, you appear nonchalant. But on the inside, you feel a sense of emotional turmoil, your stomach sinking with the realization that someone has a higher GPA than you. In order to relieve yourself from the fear that you are falling behind your classmates, you begin to subtly interrogate your friends. You lead with an open-ended question: “Hey, I heard that Fanny has a GPA of 96.84. Isn’t that incredibly high?” Then you gauge their reaction to see whether it is relief or panic. Even if you are the only one who has heard of Fanny’s GPA, the whole grade is aware in just a matter of days as the cycle continues to repeat itself. Given that rumors will spread in high school, especially at a school like SIS, wouldn’t it seem deadly obvious that students should keep their private matters, such their GPA or SAT score, to themselves? Well, apparently not. Science tells us that as human beings, spilling secrets actually comes naturally.
By Jaeha Kim
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NEWS
ZEITGEIST
By Jaeha Kim
Peace rally bombing stirs up widespread political conflict in Turkey Just two months after a suicide bombing in the Turkish town of Suruc, Turkey has suffered yet another bombing incident in its capital city of Ankara. With an official death toll of 97, the bombing led to 507 wounded civilians, 65 of whom have been placed under intensive care units in 19 different hospitals. The bombing, conducted against peace activists, has been tentatively attributed to the Islamic State by the Turkish prime minister. While the perpetrators of the bombing remain uncertain as of now, it is clear that the terrorist movements growing in the Syrian region are politically influencing the Turkish state. “The Ankara bombing demonstrates a continuing and dangerous tendency of increased terrorism in Turkish society,” said Juhyung Park (11), Forensics member. “In response to these increased threats, it is only clear that the government should take better precautions against these attacks. However, the current administration has not showed adequate responses to such bombing incidents, and shows much room for future improvement.” According to Al Jazeera, the peace rally on Sunday was part of a political campaign to end violence between Turkish government forces and the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who has demanded that an independent Kurdish state, Kurdistan, be founded in order to promote greater political and cultural rights for Kurds. While the armed clash between the Republic of Turkey and various Kurdish in-
surgent groups temporarily ceased in 2013, the conflict escalated over the past few months when it was claimed that Turkey bombed alleged PKK bases in Iraq. In the midst of all this internal chaos, the bombing in Ankara has major implications for the political conflict between these two forces. “The Ankara bombing has caused the Turkey-PKK conflict to significantly lessen over the course of the past week,” said Jeffrey Park (11), MUN member. “This is most likely because the whole nation is in a mood of grievance, as well as due to the fact that the PKK wants to keep itself from besmirching the reputation of its political representative. To continue this internal conflict during this tragic period would not only be a great disrespect to the victims, but would also ensure that the PKK never becomes a major political player in future Turkish elections. ” Despite the strenuous investigation by the Turkish government, the perpetrators of these bombings still haven’t been identified. According to Al Jazeera, some possible perpetrators are the Islamic State, Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or the PKK itself. Turkish citizens have been enraged at the irresponsible attitude of the Turkish security department, leading to the dismissal of Ankara police chief Kadri Karta and two other officials. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has since appointed the State Supervisory Council to undertake the investigation in an efficient manner.
GIN hosts third Halloween RIGHT: Jihoon Yang (12), GIN member, gives directions to students wishing to enter the highly anticipated Haunted House. TOP LEFT: Elementary and middle school students participate in the mystery box activity at the carnival. BOTTOM LEFT: (left to right) Elle Kim (11), Jenny Lee (11), Gloria Park (10), and Ellis Kim (12) participate in a Halloweenthemed dance routine for carnival attendees. Photos by Daniel Shin To show support for environmentalist organizations, Global Issues Network (GIN) hosted the third annual Halloween carnival after school on Oct. 30. The carnival was a means to raise student awareness of environmental issues by fundraising for these organizations. Featuring new, original booths and an innovative system of selling tickets, this year’s carnival was a success according to Eugenie Lee, president of GIN. GIN executives focused on trying to both create a darker ambiance and provide a greater variety of activities through thorough planning. Although the overall planning process was similar to that of previous years, GIN members were met with an emergency situation weeks before the carnival when they found out that the materials they had used for the haunted house in the previous year had gone missing. “The loss of materials set back the progression of the haunted house quite a bit, as we were unsure of how to spend our work time,” said Sky Park (10), internal communications director of GIN. “After
about a week, we realized that they were thrown out last year, so we had to spend additional funds on new materials, which was a drawback because we intended to raise money through the carnival. Even though we thought we would lose a lot of money, I think we were able to earn profit, considering the number of people who came to the event.” Though most conventional Halloween activities such as the chicken blood challenge and the movie and photo booths from last year were continued this year, there were additional booths such as an obstacle course, a chill lounge, and a food and
KNHS conference unites NHS members from all over Korea
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n order to foster discussion amongst National Honor Society (NHS) members from all over the nation regarding the initiative necessary to improve leadership in the future, NHS advisor Gray Macklin made it mandatory for first-year NHS members to attend the annual Korean National Honor Society (KNHS) conference that was held on Oct. 10 at Korea International School. The conference involved over 120 NHS members from both widely known and typically underrepresented schools such as Busan International School and Dwight School of Seoul. “The KNHS conference encourages NHS members to work together and form a cohesive vision, building leadership skills to exercise within their own local communities,” said Bethany Ko (12), executive communications officer. “I think this year’s conference was especially beneficial, as it was titled ‘The Leaders of Today’ and helped students build the ability to work with new people, a quality I deem essential for a good
leader.” The beginning of the conference involved numerous activities such as icebreakers and puzzles that allowed for interaction between students from different schools who were not very well-acquainted with each other. After the students got comfortable with each other, they were randomly divided into groups of five, with each group assigned a certain letter of the alphabet. Each group produced a sentence about leadership using words with the assigned letter. “I was nervous at first because the group I was assigned to be part of had no students from SIS or KIS, and I was afraid to speak up while working with new students,” said Alix Kim (11), NHS member. “However, in retrospect, I consider this a valuable experience that not only allowed me to bond with students from other schools but also reflect on the qualities I have as a person, and how those characteristics benefit me.” At the core of the KNHS conference was
the idea presentation, in which each group was required to think of ideas regarding leadership and integrity that would allow NHS to fulfill its role as an elite academic club on a larger scale. After discussing potential ways to further improve the conference in the future, each group presented its ideas in front of students and teachers, who then voted on the most creative idea. According to Gray Macklin, NHS adviser, despite initial concerns regarding a lack of participation, students presented a wide variety of ideas that were both innovative and effective. The group that eventually received first place proposed the campaign “Shave to Save.” According to Jason Choi (11), a member of this group, the “Shave to Save” campaign serves to raise awareness and show devotion to the well-being of cancer patients all over the globe. The group suggested that female volunteers of this campaign be asked to cut their hair to donate for the creation of wigs for cancer patients.
For male volunteers, who have limited hair length, the group proposed that there be a voting procedure through which other volunteers of the campaign come to a consensus to shave the hair of a single male student. The financial donations made through this campaign, according to the group, would go to organizations in support of those suffering from hair loss due to chemotherapy. “Fundraising ideas are usually limited to clothes drives or food sales, but those ideas are overused at SIS and no longer get much attention,” Jason said. “Although the Shave to Save campaign does have its limitations since not many students are likely to volunteer to cut their hair for the club, my teammates and I were proud because our focus was not to think of the most practical idea but rather to come up with an unprecedented means of charity for NHS.” By Sarah Kim Junior, Staff Writer
Tiger Times October 2015
carnival to aid environmentalist cause
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News Briefs by Cody Kim
Notre Dame professors host master class In order to find potential students interested in continuing their music studies in its prestigious university program, University of Notre Dame music professors Peter Smith, Tricia Park, and John Blacklow visited SIS on Oct. 14. During the master class, the three professors listened to John Kim (12), Jeffrey Park (11), Alice Lee (10), and Julie Song (10) perform individually and provided feedback that both performers and the rest of the audience could listen to. “Playing in front of a distinguished professor is certainly a rare opportunity and a milestone in my music career,” John said. “I was able to participate in this year’s master class as well as the one two years ago. The two master class professors offered comments beyond the scopes of ordinary teachers’ and widened my view of music.”
HFH raises awareness of water shortage
drinks booth. These were booths in which attendees could engage in competitive and interactive games. “I think the haunted house had more variety this year compared to last year because it lasted for a longer amount of time and came with a chain of surprises,” said Michelle Lee (9), attendee. “Also, this year’s booths were were more engaging and kept you more active than the booths of previous years. I decided to attend the carnival again this year because I was looking forward to the Halloween spirit and having fun with friends doing
different Halloween activities.” According to Eugenie, the carnival exceeded the club’s expectations. Most of the success was attributed to the introduction of new booths as well as the new system of selling tickets. However, though the new system was beneficial for raising more money, GIN members had to repeatedly explain the procedure to confused attendees, as it was a bit complicated. “This year, we had a prizes booth like the one from Family Fun Day, where we had a stamp card and booth ticket combined,”
Race to 2016: From Trump to Shining Trump
Eugenie said. “The ticket sales were different because we wanted to incentivize participation in other activities aside from the haunted house, which is always the most popular. However, overall, it seems as if the annual carnival has been showing continuous improvement from prior ones, despite all of the ups and downs we experience. Although I am leaving next year, I hope this tradition is maintained. ” By April Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer
By Andrew Ham
Hillary Clinton
Jimmy Fallon, a host of The Tonight Show, began writing his thank-you notes on live TV. “Thank you, Hillary Clinton,” he said, “for getting endorsed for president by several rappers, which explains your new nickname: Ghostface Hillah.” Cue the laughter, which has undoubtedly been sorely missed throughout Clinton’s rather flat campaign. Although she had been labeled as the inevitable shoo-in for the Democratic nomination from the very moment she announced her candidacy, Hillary Clinton has taken more than a few hits recently that have been threatening to derail her campaign ahead of election year. The first of these perils is the elephant in the room: Benghazi. The former Secretary of State is currently under a possibly damning and widely publicized investigation from Congress for allegedly failing to protect
American diplomats during the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. The continued investigations have sullied her reputation and have convinced many that Clinton is just another corrupt politician—the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, some will say, pointing at her husband. Another problem with Clinton’s candidacy is that her reputation precedes her. Rumor abounds that she only stayed with her cheating husband for the political connections serving her interests. In order to clear the air, Clinton has been striving to become warmer, be as “trendy” as 67 year-olds can be, and even—gasp—make a few jokes, which is why she has appeared on multiple TV programs, including a recent cameo on Saturday Night Live. Lastly, Clinton has struggled to directly confront a surprising challenger: Bernie
Sanders. In fact, she has rarely mentioned her biggest rival to date, who is rising and gobbling up her previously indomitable leads in essential states such as New Hampshire and Iowa. Sanders is pulling Clinton to the left on many issues, derailing her attempts to portray herself as a moderate politician. However, it seems unlikely that Clinton will lose the primary. She is set to prevail due to her bottomless war chest and the endorsements of most major Democratic politicians. It remains that Sanders is too far left for the majority of the electorate, while other Democratic candidates remain on the fringes of obscurity. Clinton is taking advantage of the fact she is the least liberal of an extremely-leftist pack. How Clinton deals with the Republican nominee, however, will be interesting—especially if it turns out to be the one and only Donald Trump.
In celebration of World Habitat Day, on Oct. 12, participants of the first Habitat for Humanity (HFH) Water Fundraiser recruited sponsors to fund their efforts in lasting 24 hours with only 500 mL of water. Members hoped to raise awareness of the global shortage of fresh water through self-induced thirst. “I believe World Habitat Day manifests the convergence of the TIGERS values and the spirit of student-led extracurricular activities,” said Leo Lee (12), HFH vice president. “We hope this event can reinvigorate the link between these two essential components of student life at SIS by introducing a long chain of reforms HFH seeks to bring about this year.”
PSAT becomes optional for juniors On Oct. 15, sophomores and juniors took the PSAT, which was mandatory for students in the two grades until this year. As the student demographic changed to include more non-US citizens who don’t qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, the Leadership Team decided to allow juniors to choose not take the test. Many juniors who were already taking the SAT chose not to take this year’s PSAT exam. “It turned out that this year’s PSAT testing procedure was the smoothest,” said Gray Macklin, Testing and Student Service official. “The sophomores who needed help were the majority of the room, and the proctors were able to focus on assisting them. On the other hand, all of the juniors were focused because they were taking the test for a purpose. Across the board, everything was better.”
Civilian gun violence sparks debate over American gun culture by Ariel Lee
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hen high school students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 13 of their peers at Columbine high school in 1999 in the first American mass school shooting, they committed a crime that would soon become a trend in the US. As more and more shootings have taken place in the recent decade, Americans have begun to question the causes behind the bloodshed and to look back on American values as a potential element in shaping this social trend. Numerous countries have laws that allow firearms. Many argue, however, that gun pride is an aspect of US identity. The prevalence of guns ranges from activities such as hunting to a collectionofofdifferent collection differenttypes typesofofguns. guns.Whether Whether used as time-to-time entertainment in the form of shooting cans in the backyard or kept in the bottom drawer for protection, guns have become and are still a part of many people’s lives. A problem occurs, however, in that the very prevalence of these objects, which are innocent when used responsibly, can cause both accidental and deliberate incidents of gun violence. According to The Council on Foreign Relations and BBC, the US experiences 3.21 firearm homicides per 100,000 people, more than six times those of Canada, and 45 of the 294 mass shootings that have so far occurred in the US in 2015 have taken place in schools. “Since a very young age, many American children are exposed children are exposed to media to media thatthat glorifies glorifies the use the of guns, use of guns, and and these these aspects aspects of culture of culture remain remain implanted in their implanted in their heads, heads, becoming becoming a part a part of their of daily daily their lives and livesidentity,” and identity,” said Brian said Brian Kong Kong (11), a former (11), former Canadian Canadian resident. resident. “But“But whatwhat makes makes gun culture gun culture in America in America special special is theishousehold the household image of the image of the gun. gun. In Canada, In Canada, thethe presence presence of aofgun aisgun more is emphasized more emphasized and the and danger the danger and power and of the weapon power of the weapon are actually is actually realized. realized. Americans, Amerhowever, icans, however, seem relatively seem relatively oblivious oblivious to its harmto its ful effects harmful effects and ironically and ironically associate associate guns with guns an imageanofimage with freedom.” of freedom.” On the other hand, gun culture is glorified by many defenders of the second amendment in the US. Media campaigns by the National Rifle Association (NRA) emphasize people, not guns, as the real sources of violence and actively promote the advantages of gun ownership. Among such proponents, many who seek to find an answer for increasing gun violence incidents have assigned blame to the culture of minority groups that enjoy certain types of entertain-
ment. Groups such as the American Psychological Association task force have continuously cited video games as a cause of increased belligerent behavior, and organizations such as Citizens for Peace and Respect have protested the concert of shock rocker Marilyn Manson after the Columbine shootings for his negative influence. Others have determined mental illness as the largest source of influence. Established groups such as The Scientific American report psychological problems such as fantasies, dreams, and psychic trouble as the cause of isolated youths committing crimes with no apparent motive. “Although I see how gun culture could seem like a markedly American quality, I think the concept of crime a crimeitself itselfisissomething somethingthat thatshould should not be applied not be applied to any culture,” to any culture,” said Angela said Jang Angela (12), MUN Jang chair. (12),“Crime MUN chair. is not“Crime a characteristic is not a characteristic of a certain group of a of certain people group but rather of people an action but rather an action committed by some committed within that by some group within of peothat group ple. Toof generalize people. To that generalize gun violence that gun is a shared violence is a sharedamong character character Americans among Americans is purely stereotypis purely stereotypical.” ical.” Regardless of whether culture is or is not accepted as a core cause of gun violence, gun control in itself is a complex issue that faces political barriers even if movement a movementisistaken takentoto realize efforts. According to Al Jazeera, 91 percent of Americans agreed that gun control laws should be strengthened following the Sandy Hooks elementary Elementary shooting School shooting in 2012. in However, 2012. However,and political political technical and barriers technicalexist barriers in writing exist in writing and passing and laws. passing The question laws. Theofquestion culture exof culture tends not extends only tonot questioning only to questioning its role in shaping its role in shapingbut America, America, also, if it but really also,isifthe it really problem, is the problem, assessing assessing whether merely whether recognizing merely recognizing culture culture as a problem as a problem is enough. is enough. “The whole issue of gun control has many layers,” said Paul Roberts, Government and Politics teacher. “The NRA is definitely a powerful force in Washington. They cannot be ignored, but we should not be afraid of them either, historically speaking. In the 1930s, the powerful Anti-saloon League (ASL), which pushed for prohibition, was extremely powerful in American politics. However, when the people started growing sick and tired of their policies, citizens stood up and voiced their opinions, eventually dismantling the ASL. There seem to be many anti-gun groups percolating, but they need to work together to influence the general elections next year.”
99 guns per 10 people guns per 10 people
60% of homicides involve guns 60% of homicides involve guns
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Of all places Of allguns places, canwhy strike, the why the United States?
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by Andrew Ham
ake a wild guess: what could happen if two police officers stop a teenager from riding his bike on the sidewalk? The teen may argue, the officers may scold, and the neighborhood may be roused from blissful sleep—or someone could get shot. Six years ago, what should have been a minor warning escalated to a major scuffle when two officers, Bryan Norberg and Graham Kunisch, attempted to reprimand Julius Burton in the streets of Milwaukee. The teenager responded by whipping out an illegally purchased gun, shooting both officers, and making a hurried escape. Norberg and Kunisch were merely two of the 30,000 daily victims of gun violence claims in the US. What sets them apart, however, is that they won a lawsuit against the gun industry, the first time in 10 years. On Oct. 14, a Milwaukee jury ordered Badger Guns, the shop that illegally sold the gun to Julius, to compensate the injured police officers. The fact that the gun industry has been untouchable for the last decade merits concern. “One failed attempt at a shoe bomb bomb,and andwe weall all take take offoff ourour shoes shoes at the at the airport—31 airport—31 school school shootings since Columbine and no change in our regulation of guns,” noted John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight. “If the massacre of elementary students, as in the case of the Sandy Hook shooting, is not enough to spur change in America, nothing is,” said Peter Beckway, English teacher. “Americans are still resistant to gun control because it apparently signifies the government takeover of an inherent right.” There is no denying that guns are an esessential component sential component of American of American culture—in culture—in many ways, they many ways,are they an are irreplaceable an irreplaceable part ofpart its idenof tity.identity. its Obviously, If, asthose seenon forany theside pastof decade, the debate would like to Obviously, those see on fewer anygun sidemurders, of the debate whether they support would like to gun see less control gun or murders, not. Therefore, whethera solution they support to gun gun crimes control and orspecifically, not. Therefore, massa shootings, solution to may gun crimes need tomay be found need in to other be found avenues. in other avenues. Many pro-gun activists point to the country of Switzerland as a model for the US to follow. Sling a rifle over your shoulder and board a city bus in Switzerland—no one will bat an eye. However, the tiny nation rarely suffers from any mass shootings. So why are the fates of two similar nations so divergent? Is it because Americans are naturally trigger-hap-
py? Not necessarily. There are is a amultitude multitudeofof factors, the most important being the strong economic disparity between Switzerland and the US. According to the World Bank, although the American economy is larger than its counterpart’s and generally is more prosperous, if taken individually, the Swiss are generally richer. Switzerland has a GDP per capita of $83,073, which is nearly twice that of the US, and a mere 6.9 percent of its population lives below the poverty line, compared to 15 percent for the US. Considering that the correlation between poverty and gun-related murders is extremely high, according to data collected by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can be assumed that the safety of Switzerland’s guns comes from reasons that are not necessarily reflected in American society. Correlation does not necessarily indicate causation, but the statistics aren’t arguable. The CDC found that wealthier neighborhoods experience decreased levels of gun violence, and the percentage of a metro’s population below the poverty line is significantly associated with gun crime. “In an area where support for the poor is low, violence is bound to follow,” Jeffrey Park (11) said. “I think it has a lot to do with the media, which bombards Americans with prejudices about people in poverty. Urban slums are characterized as being dangerous, and that identity seeps through to the people living there.” Those in the streets are not naturally inclined to commit crime. But being written off by society as hopeless and having to grit their teeth to fight through pain, loss, suicide, rape, and despair on a daily basis, they only need a small push to go over the edge. When this happens, the gun becomes their tool and may amplify the damage done. It remains an obviously difficult task to eradicate the entire nation of poverty. However, if the instrument cannot be destroyed, a possible solution may be to help develop responsible users for it. Because guns will not be eradicated any time yet, as seen with the political deadlock on the issue, the next best thing may be to focus on its malevolent users; not only the mentally insane, but mainly on those who live their lives in despair and destitution.
school shooting school shooting
every week everysince week 2013 since 2013
15 presidential statements on 15mass presidential shootingsstatements since 2012on mass shootings since 2012
Sources: Gun Violence Archive, Small Arms Survey 2007, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, CNN All statistics are based on the latest US reports Sources: Gun Violence Archive, Small Arms Survey 2007, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, CNN All statistics are based on the latest US reports
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LIFESTYLE
Thinking at 0 m/s
Search Algorithms, Finding Nemo Over $90 million was spent searching for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery spent $2.2 million looking for Amelia Earhart. Both these searches have one thing in common: the subjects of the searches were stationary. But would these searches have been successful had the subjects of the searches been moving around? The movement of the searcher in a situation where two individuals are looking for each other
is always assumed. The searcher must move in the search. It is also advised that the subject of the search be stationary. Parents tell their children in amusement parks that standing still is the best way to be found. Running around in a panic would lead to both parties running around in circles. Survivalists too agree that in the event of a plane crash, staying near the wreckage is the best chance for rescue. But is there any truth to this? We approached this question by simulating the movement of individuals mathematically, essentially representing them as points on a Cartesian plane defined by discrete values. In other words, the points could only exist on integer-value coordinates. To this end, a simple Java program was created to record trials of the points
Busan International Film Festival attracts audiences from all over Asia Screening a total of 304 films from 75 different countries worldwide, the 20th annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held from Oct. 1-10, was one of the most diversely represented film festivals in the world. Held in Haeundae, one of Busan’s most popular tourist attractions, the festival drew over 9,685 participating guests and 227,337 audience members. Since its closing ceremony on Oct. 10, journalists from both domestic and international settings across the globe have lauded the festival for having been “Asia’s most prestigious film festival.” Although the opening ceremony was met with unfavorable weather conditions, the audience and press were eager to meet famed actors and directors from numerous Asian nations. The 10-day festival involved not only the screenings of various Asian films, but also events through which some of Korea’s most popular actors such as A-in Yoo and Jungjae Lee interacted directly with their fans. “As an enthusiastic supporter of the film industry, I luckily had the privilege of attending the screening of 12 films, each forms a different country in the world, over the course of the festival,” said Peter Valerio, math teacher. “I think the BIFF is a great opportunity for film maniacs like myself in South Korea to become exposed more to previously unknown films. It allows for people to become more accepting of various exotic and rare genres of film.” The BIFF has long since continued a tradition of shedding light on the works of fledgling productions, as its main purpose is to celebrate the birth of innovative directors, especially those from Asia. This year, first-time directors Yerlan Nurmukhambetov and Hadi Mohaghegh both received the New Currents award for their films “Walnut
Tree” and “Immortal,” respectively. Judges praised both films for their ability to celebrate life, as both illustrated the importance of life despite its various obstacles. “I think it’s great that the ‘Immortal’ and the ‘Walnut Tree’ were able to receive the grand prize,” Jihoon Yang (12). “In terms of the global stage, people are placing too much emphasis on Hollywood films, which have clearly run out of original plot ideas in several genres. As such, it is essential that we start to promote the rise of a new avant-garde generation of filmmakers. That who won were from minority groups in the film world is not as important as the fact that we are able to find unfamiliar yet humane portrayals of people that we can still connect to.” However, there were certain aspects of the BIFF that did not go as successfully as directors had anticipated. According to the BIFF co-director Yongkwan Lee, this year, the organizers of the festival faced a major monetary issue, because the budget did not cover the finances necessary to fund all aspects of the BIFF. Lee said there were significant financial deficiencies that were only barely paid for by corporations willing to sponsor the BIFF. “Although the BIFF has faced numerous challenges over the past few decades and sometimes failed to capture the public’s attention, there have always been cinephiles like myself that show constant interest,” Brian Kim (11) said. “I hope the BIFF’s experiences with its various struggles will allow for a smooth and trouble-free future, as I would love to learn about inexperienced yet talented directors from Asia.” By Sarah Kim Junior, Staff Writer
moving around randomly. If the points coexisted at a coordinate, we took it to mean that the searcher had met the subject of the search, ending the trial. In the end, we concluded that trials with points that both moved ended earlier on average than trials with only a single point moving. In other words, the simple simulation suggested that stranded individuals shouldn’t sit still and wait for help. As a result, science seems to suggest that after a plane crash in the woods, you should pack in-flight meals in your backpack and set out in one direction. But this is not altogether accurate, because the simulation we ran falls apart when dealing with infinite grids. With no boundaries, it may take an infinite amount of time for a search to be resolved, and the Earth
is without doubt an infinite grid because there’s no edge of the world. It works in an amusement park but doesn’t work so well in the middle of the Gobi desert. So the art of the search is a great example of why multiple disciplines are necessary to solve the simplest questions. Physicists can’t do their job without statisticians and historians cannot do much without geographers. By using mathematics, we exploited reason, but the truth was not revealed. And if there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that you should never get lost in an unbounded spatial plane without having an infinite number of searchers looking for you. By Michael Kim and Sang Ho Lee Senior, Project EIC and Production Editor
Tiger Times October 2015
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HONY seeks to humanize plight of Syrian refugees
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eeking to humanize the plight of Syrian refugees, founder of photography blog Humans of New York (HONY), Brandon Stanton, concluded a two-week trip to Syria in October in an attempt to stimulate political action on the crisis. Juxtaposing photos of refugees with their individual stories in a unique vignette style on Facebook while he was traveling, HONY sought to document the sheer scale of the crisis, portray each story as a unique and singular tragedy, and pressure governments to take in refugees. According to BBC News, the causes of the refugee crisis chiefly began when Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad began to crack down on public dissent with military action. Unable to pacify the restless
citizenry, Syria rapidly deteriorated into sectarian violence, with differing organizations vying for geographic control. According to Mercy Corps, this crisis has led to the exodus of 11 million Syrians and is one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in modern times. Yet despite such emigration, nations have placed restrictions on the number of refugees, most notably within Europe, leading to illegal efforts to enter. “Refugees are so unattractive to national governments because people believe refugees are detriments to their economy and way of life,” said Juhyung Park (11), MUN member. “Initially, each country had a mindset that some other nation would accept the refugees so they would not to accept them themselves, but when the
‘The Intern’ highlights changes in modern day gender roles
I
n the morning, the husband descends to the kitchen with his briefcase. The wife pours him a cup of coffee, flashing a smile as she sends the breadwinner off to work. This may have been the family dynamic in the past, but a newly released film marks this tradition as obsolete. “The Intern,” an American comedy released on Sept. 24, depicts a new gender dynamic with Anne Hathaway playing the role of Jules Ostin, a working mother, and the Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, playing Ben Whittaker, her senior intern. In the film, Jules is a unique amalgamation of a “workaholic” and a loving mother. She is completely invested in her position as the CEO of an online shopping service. Because Jules is bound and busy with her work, her husband Matt takes on the role of the stay-at-home dad who looks after their daughter. The story begins when Jules’ associate launches a senior intern program that invites senior citizens to have a final adventure in the corporate world. Ben, a widower and a previous printing company vice president, applies for the internship in a search for a renewed satisfaction of work life. His charming personality quickly instates him as Jules’ personal assistant. Although Jules is initially reluctant to accept Ben’s assistance, the two develop a bond that navigates her through the problems that arise due to the changed family roles in her household. In capturing the changing gender roles in modern society, the film breaks away from an idealistic world, in which
the husband is completely supportive of the wife’s “exciting ventures.” Instead, the film highlights real problems that arise as a result of these non-traditional dynamics, which gives the viewers a refreshing and relatable experience – not to mention the hilarious comical scenes embedded throughout the movie. Although the film comments on both the benefits and consequences of changing gender roles, it fails to keep other elements of the film as idiosyncratic as that core message. It portrays a bland view of a typical senior citizen who is widowed and looking for “one last adventure”— a new lover. The rather abrupt love line between Ben and a massage therapist at his new work seems to testify to the common stereotype that Hollywood movies always have forced love lines. This is unfitting to a story that aims to go against worldly stereotypes and detracts from the progressive elements of the film. However, despite the minor wrinkles, the film is definitely a revolutionary introduction to the shifting household norms as it provides a fresh perspective on the issue. The beautiful portrayal of family bonds and the gripping plot work together to create a strong yet sweet panorama of the characters’ lives and their attempts to work through complications. On the surface, “The Intern” may seem like a typical Hollywood cliché, but all in all, it is a bold and thought-provoking movie. By Grace Lee Junior, Staff Writer
situation got worse, nations started having huge debates on whether they should host refugees and what impact those refugees would have. Essentially, people don’t want immigrants because they believe too many refugees will not only be an impediment to a country’s economy, but also a challenge to the social order that the country is built on.” The documentation of the human stories in these cases has generated optimism from those who have followed the story. According to Mashable, with millions of views and a large fan base, many remain optimistic that the HONY documentation will force real social change. “The beauty of HONY lies in its ability to capture a very personal, honest moment of
a person,” said Garam Lee (12), GIN Communications Director. “We are more aware of the problems and different opinions, and I feel like this is the first step to solving the problem. The social attitude has changed, and increasing empathy allows us to see the crisis in a whole new light with the personal stories of the refugees.” HONY, which began in November 2010, has covered 6,000 portraits of people from around the world and is continuing to attract new followers. Stanton currently is back in New York and claims he will continue uploading the stories of individuals around the world. By Nicholas Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer
Try Guys develop new video series exploring South Korean culture START try K-pop music videos
try the makeup
try Korean food try K-pop dance
try TV scenes
attend K-Con
Intrigued by the influx of Korean media in Asia, the Try Guys, four men who create videos for popular social media site Buzzfeed, launched the first of a five-video series on Korean culture named “The Try Guys Try K-Pop” on Sept. 23. These videos not only covered K-Pop groups, but also introduced Korean cuisine, drama, and makeup. The quartet, consisted of Keith Habersberger, Ned Fulmer, Eugene Lee Yang, and Zach Kornfeld, has been sweeping across social networks with their videos, which show “four guys getting out of their comfort zones.” Their videos tackle challenges ranging from dressing in drag to raising robot babies, and in their most recent challenge, they tackled experiencing various part of hallyu, the ongoing wave of Korean culture. The Try Guys documented their first-hand experiences with hallyu with not only their particular sense of humor and wit, but also in a factually accurate manner. “The series definitely showed a clear picture of Korea’s pop culture,” Ashley Lee (10) said. “I was happy that people all around the world were watching the video and learning about Korea.” Averaging two million views per video, the Try Guys were able to reach a large number of viewers, many of who were exposed to hallyu for the first time. Reactions in these videos’ comments sections ranged from excitement over coverage of the K-Pop scene to confusion about what K-Pop was. Many also expressed interest in learning about Korean pop culture. “I have noticed that many of my friends
KOREAN CULTURE have started to take interest in K-Pop since the [Try Guys] videos were posted,” said Bhumin Son (10), student in Irvine, California. “I think the reason for this trend is that K-Pop is very different from the conventional pop music in the US, so K-Pop seems fresh to many Americans. I also think that many people were attracted to this specific video series in part because of the Try Guys’ reputation for being entertaining.” The Try Guys invited Dr. Sukyoung Kim from the University of California Santa Barbara to elaborate upon the cultural context behind Korean entertainment. They also invited Hyosun Ro, a Korean-American woman that runs the popular food blog “Korean Bapsang,” dubbed her their “Korean Mom,” and asked her for help in cooking iconic Korean dishes such as ttopoki and kimbap. While they were cooking these foods, Ms. Ro commented on the significance of these foods in Korean society—for example, she describes ttopoki as “the number one street food in Korea.” With professional input, their informational yet entertaining videos were able to differentiate themselves from the flood of other K-Pop related videos. “The main difference between the [Try Guys] videos and other K-Pop related videos is that most of the other videos about K-Pop tend to focus on the negative,” Jenny Oh (8) said. “But the Try Guys K-Pop series involved a diverse variety of perspectives on the concept.” By Joyce Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer
Swinging her racquet back to hit the ball, Cinji Lee (10) rallies with her opponent from Yokohama International School in the third preliminary round. Cinji placed first out of all girls singles tennis players and the girls team received first place in the AISA tournament. Photo by Patricia Song
Varsity tennis teams succeed at AISA tournament
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wo-time defending champions from the previous Association of International School in Asia (AISA) tournaments, the varsity tennis teams competed in this year’s AISA tournament held at Korea International School (KIS) from Oct. 16-17. The varsity girls tennis team maintained their first place ranking, while the boys came second. Both teams also played impressive seasons, the boys staying undefeated throughout all KAIAC games and the girls losing only once to Seoul Foreign School. “I think our team played pretty well during AISA because during the season, we practiced forming strategies together,” said Michael Sun (12), co-captain of the varsity boys tennis team. “For example, we practiced getting our doubles players to volley [the ball] right back to the other side
at the net to pressure the other team. Although tennis is an individual sport, our team is special in that we treat it as a team sport—cheering on each other’s matches as if they were our own.” During the AISA tournament, athletes from both teams were successful, sweeping the awards for singles matches. In the boys’ singles matches, Cody Kim (12), co-captain of the varsity boys tennis team, brought home first and Alex Kim (10) second, while in the girls’ singles matches, Cinji Lee (10) placed first and Sarah Kim (11) second. Both Cinji and Sarah had shown impressive results last year as well, placing first together in the girls’ doubles game. “I injured my ankle at the beginning of this season, and had to take a short break due to my injury,” Cinji said. “However, my team’s support
helped me get back on my feet, as well as during times when I was not doing my best. I was able to regain my confidence and courage to train hard for this tournament.” Unfortunately, the boys were not able to defend their title, falling three points short to KIS. According to teammates, Alex’s matches against Brian Lee, KIS freshman, in both the preliminaries and semi-finals, were intense and unpredictable. Although Brian’s serves were one of the fastest and hardest ever seen, Alex was stable and consistent in his rally. According to Alex, he felt pressured to prove himself and uphold the team’s morals by winning the semi-final match. “Brian used to train at my tennis academy for several years, so we basically knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses prior to the matches,” Alex said. “I really wanted to win
to prove both to myself and to Brian that I improved significantly since the last time I played against him. His serves made me tense up, but I just focused on moving around as quickly as I could to hit the balls back. I concentrated on rallying, waiting for him to make the mistakes. I played with the mindset of just getting one more ball over than my opponent, and eventually was able to beat him in the tiebreak.” Alex’s teammates, as well as Ricky Green, coach of the varsity boys tennis team, were proud that he was able to prove himself under a great deal of pressure. According to Coach Green, the boys were able to conclude their seasons on a high note as they reflected upon their growth this season. By April Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer
Tiger Times
SPORTS
October 2015
Sports Photo of the Month
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Fall Sports Recap By Ryan Jang
Volleyball With both the boys and girls varsity volleyball teams placing second in their conferences, both teams’ successful seasons culminated in winning records. According to Sean Oh (10) and Jane Han (10), members of varsity volleyball teams, though there were only eight games during the season, both teams managed to elevate their level of play with intense practices, which resulted in wins throughout the season. “During practice we always work hard and try to improve our volleyball skills, both mentally and physically,” said Justin Lee (11), varsity boys volleyball player. “It is really common in volleyball to have fluctuations in your performance during the game because it requires a lot of mental concentration. Even though the majority of members came up from JV, we still managed to play well during our games.”
Cross Country Serving the ball, Jean Cho (12), starts off the rally against GSIS on Oct. 21 after the pep rally. The girls varsity team beat GSIS in five sets.
Photo by Ryan Jang
Teachers complete 112-kilometer course at Gran Fondo For many high school students and staff, strenuous exercise is the equivalent to walking up the steps of the new building. Amy Valerio, middle and high school vice principal, David Coleman, English teacher, and Cindy Presse, physical education teacher, however, would most likely disagree. On Oct. 7-8, the three teachers participated in the 2015 Han River Riders Gran Fondo— an annual 112-kilometer bicycle ride held in Yangpyeong. According to the Korea Times, the Han River Riders (HRR) was established in 2012 to unite, strengthen, and expand the role of expat cyclists in Korea. Over 2,000 members use its website to find weekend biking partners or exchange cycling equipment. The Gran Fondo is one of its large-scale activities. Riders took off Saturday morning and cycled halfway to the 56-kilometer mark, where a sandwich lunch was provided. The last stretch of the course ran along the Han River, and afterward all participants attended a banquet. “This was my second year at the Gran Fondo,” Dr. Valerio said. “Mr. Coleman was supposed to do it last year, but he was ill. Last year was very hard for me. Very hard.
It’s beautiful out in Yangpyeong, but there are a lot of hills, and I found that really difficult. But, this year, it wasn’t as hard! And the open country was just beautiful.” Though Dr. Valerio runs in her free time (and was a varsity soccer player as a high school freshman), she is relatively new to cycling. She remembers experienced cyclists on SIS staff like Mr. Coleman guiding her through gears and equipment at first. Now, she enjoys biking along the Tancheon and Han Rivers in the spring and fall. Nevertheless, having completed a 112-kilometer course is a new personal milestone. Not only that, she discovered some of her favorite parts of Korea during the ride. “On my favorite hill, you get to ride down pretty fast,” Dr. Valerio said. “The fields on either side are all yellow—golden yellow— and the leaves are changing behind them. The wind is blowing and the weather is just gorgeous. It really is ideal. Being in the open country [for the Gran Fondo] is a beautiful experience every year.” In addition to being a physical challenge, the Gran Fondo was also an adventure for Ms. Presse, who not only spends her entire day teaching at the pool, but also enjoys running with other physical education teachers
in her free time. “I kept telling myself that this was not a race, but a ride,” Ms. Presse said. “If I had thought of it as a race, I probably would have focused more on speed. But, when I relaxed, I definitely enjoyed the ride more. The sense of accomplishment at the end definitely brought me closer to the other teachers there. Being able to say ‘We did it!’ together was really exciting.” From first to fourth periods, Ms. Presse keeps student swimmers in line and in the lanes. From the morning announcements to the last activity bus, Dr. Valerio reins in rowdy children. From his Introduction to Publications class to his AP classes, Mr. Coleman drives teenagers to express themselves more coherently in their writing. In school, teachers are the supervisors and guardians, sometimes having to rule with iron fists. However, at the Gran Fondo, with iron handlebars in hands and pedals at their feet, the three teachers were finally free to have fun as free-spirited, easy-going explorers of new places, new friendships, and new personal milestones. By Diana Nakyoung Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer
Many runners including Andrew Ham (10) and Jenny Lee (11) expected the team to fall in the rankings this year because of a two week rest during cross country season, resulting in other schools having more time to prepare for the six races. Losing to Seoul Foreign School in the tiebreaker, the boys team placed fourth in their conference. At the end of the season, the girls team placed sixth. Though their season was cut short, both teams impressed the coaches, who were satisfied with the results. “Our season this year felt so short compared to last year’s,” said Wonjai Lee (10), varsity boys cross country runner. “According to Ms. Burns we had two less weeks to prepare, but the fact that we still managed to place similarly to last year shows us that we have matured both mentally and physically. Next year, when we do manage to have more practices, I am confident that we can do even better.”
Tennis At KAIAC and Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournaments, the boys varsity team managed to take home second place plaques. The girls varsity team also placed third at the KAIAC tournament, and first at AISA, even though many new tennis players were introduced to their team. According to Cinji Lee (10), varsity girls tennis player, the athletes are confident that their team can keep up their successes next year as well. “We had a really great tennis team this year, and I know for certain that we are going to have a great team next year as well,” said Alex Kim (10), varsity boys tennis player. “Even though we have a couple of seniors leaving from both the girls and boys teams, I feel like we are still a threat to all the other teams in our division. Using what we learned from playing with our seniors this year, we hope to continue our teams’ stellar performance streak next year.”
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SMALL TALK
eat. tag. love. arielandgrace
Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market arielandgrace #Bamdokkaebi A special night market was held at the parks near and around the Yeo-yi Do Han River parks during the weeks of October. As the biggest night market that has ever been hosted in Korea, the market allowed people of all sorts and ages to enjoy the food trucks. Couples, families, and friends roamed around the booths, enjoying the provided street entertainment. Do-It-Yourself products, pop-up stores, and performances were set up by the government in cooperation with the organizations Together Korea and Korea Grand Sale. Although there were a lot of really good food, exciting music, and eye-catching products, there were simply too many people who came to enjoy all of the activities. The food lines were way too long and trash was littered all over the floor. arielandgrace #Ramen The Han River parks are famous for their special ramen wrapped in aluminum foil, which supposedly adds to the quality and taste of the ramen. This has been covered in the media many times, but when we asked SIS students, most of them have not tried it before. We wanted to get a first-hand experience of what was only shown in the TV.
of l ow us am! r no Instag
arielandgrace #Outdoor #Activities The Han River has beautiful scenery not commonly found in the bustling city of Seoul. Many kiosks on the riverside also offer kite and bicycle rentals. Also, people can simply walk alongside the neatly paved si dewalk right by the river.
FAUX NEWS
School implements ‘GPA Games’ in response to popular demand
P hoto
of the
Month
Fair and Balanced Welcome seniors! Welcome, welcome. Happy GPA Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor! It is now week four of the first annual “GPA Games” here at Severely Inflated School (SIS). Due to demands from parents, the Leadership Team and the administration have organized a school-sponsored annual GPA Games. These games are a newly established series of annual tournaments in which seniors are allowed to fight—with no holds barred—in order to defeat each other while attempting to surpass a series of “life-threatening” obstacles. Participating seniors are allowed to take all actions, up to and including murder, in their struggle to get to the top. This ordeal is named the “GPA Games” because the first place winner will receive a 0.5 percent boost to his or her GPA. Though this challenge was not mandatory for all seniors, the entire senior class has opted to join the fight this year in the hopes of obtaining this coveted GPA boost. “My parents made me volunteer as tribute,” Kate Evergreen (12) said. “My mom heard from another mom who heard from a hagwon that heard from a mom that the top 10 percent have GPAs within 0.3 percent of one another. This could be my chance to be valedictorian!” The parents of the senior class formed a group called Team to Instigate GPA Extra Rise (TIGER) to pressure the school into organizing these games. According to Wilhelmina Collins, mother of Rue Collins (12), the parents collectively believe that it is inherently unfair for teachers to dock points from students’ grades, and that the moral issue
at stake is the need to push teachers to lower standards so that GPAs rise. “Rue is only in the top 20 percent of the class,” Ms. Collins said. “The death of my daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this. I thought maybe I should throw that unworthy child from my affection forever, but these games are giving her a chance to prove herself once more. This 0.5 percent rise in GPA could change her college prospects from Greendale Community College to Harvard University!” However, controversies have arisen, as injuries and deaths from this event will not be recompensed. There have already been student casualties, as students competed for the GPA boost, interpreting “no holds barred” as a fight to the death. Others have suffered wounds from guns, knives, and most prominently, arrows shot by student archers. “My parents initially forced me to take up archery in kindergarten, because they wanted me to be able to write more activities on my college Common Application,” Kate said. “I never knew that my skills with a bow and arrow would come in so handy at school.” Peter Bae, father of John Bae (11) and TIGER leader, summarized the need for the GPA Games at SIS. “My son’s a junior right now, and he needs this chance next year so that he can get into better colleges,” Mr. Bae said. “Grades are a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given the chance to climb, but they refuse. They cling to SATs or sports or clubs. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”
BY JUNGHO DANIEL CHOI
Photo by April Kim
Concluding the Just 4 You Concert hosted by Tri-M, Debora Kim (12), president, thanks the audience members for their support. The Just 4 You Concert was held on Oct. 30 in the atrium to provide entertainment for the audience and included vocal and instrumental performances.