Tiger Times Volume 45 Issue 4

Skateboarding:

Basketball Play-by-play:

Juniors discover new outdoor passion. Page 8

Tigers maintain their undefeated status. Page 10

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 4

NOVEMBER 2013

ttonl.org

Drama students present new theater style to audience SIS community contributes to typhoon relief

By Sara Shin

Drama productions at SIS have always been held in the auditorium since 1985. Though students and faculty have grown used to performances in this setting, advanced drama students chose to be more unconventional by attempting a new style of performance in the black box on Nov. 26. The play consisted of 15 individual or dual performances that were based on comic or tragic themes.

Students pulled together monologues, poems or plays that represented such contrasting emotions of tragedy and comedy. For example, Heejae Jo (11), advanced drama student, performed a tragic monologue about a girl with obsessive-compulsive disorder, whereas John Kim (12) and Kelly Kim (12), advanced drama students, played a pair of critics who could do nothing but criticize others, representing a comic piece. The goal of this performance was to bounce the audience back and forth between two extremely different emotions. Essentially, the cast wanted the audience to cry and laugh, and leave them confused of what they were supposed to feel.

“I had to ask myself questions such as, how society would think of this girl and what she would be thinking,” Heejae said. “By answering all of these questions, I got a firm grip on who my character was and then continued developing my piece to suit [her persona].”

The black box, according to

By Nagyon Kim

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Reminiscing about her character’s previous lover, Heejae Jo (11) portrays a woman with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Advanced Drama Class performed various scenes in the black box theater on Nov. 26.

Timothy Kim (12), advanced drama student, enhanced the overall quality of the performance. The cast was given leeway to be more creative with the space, especially with the audience’s seating arrangement.

The play was an en don piece, meaning that the audience was seated in an arch to view actors from all sides—a seating arrangement not possible in the auditorium. While the advanced drama students considered performing the play in a more unconventional style of theater, Parade Theater, with no formal seating and a mobile audience, the cast thought that an overly unortho-

dox and new approach might overwhelm the audience.

“Something we were worried about was the audience, especially parents, not understanding the concept of a really new theater style,” Kelly said. “It would be impractical for nicely dressed audience members to walk around with the cast in Parade Theater. We did not want to confuse or intimidate the audience .”

According to Simon Williams, drama teacher, enunciation and clarity were two main areas that most actors had to improve on to better deliver their pieces. However, all actors were well-prepared and their

individual pieces were genuinely moving. Despite only two months of rehearsal, the cast made an effective use of their time.

“Acting is the ability to empathize with another human being and understand how the human being develops, what this human being feels and to recreate that sensitively and with depth,” Mr. Williams said. “Those are tiny small building blocks that eventually lead into a character—one that is believable.

If we do not create something believable then the audience will not suspend this disbelief and we cannot entertain them.“

Spanish III students visit Picasso Art Exhibition

By Jean Cho

Seizing the timely opportunity, students taking Spanish III, who are currently studying a unit on Spanish arts and performances, went on a field trip to the Picasso Art Exhibition on Nov. 14. Held at the Seoul Arts Center, the exhibition allowed students to study the paintings that they had only seen in their textbooks and gain a further understanding of Spanish culture.

“The Picasso exhibition meets the objectives of this chapter, which is to be able to discuss different works of art and appreciate Spanish and Latin American artwork,” said Christina Choi, Spanish teacher.

“My biggest hope is for students to feel more confident about the language and to be more open about different cultures and different types of art.”

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Gazing at one of Pablo Picasso’s sketches, Jiyoon Lee (11) takes notes for her Spanish 3 assignment at the Seoul Arts Center.

During the field trip, students received an assignment to interpret their favorite artwork and write an analysis of the artwork in Spanish.

Roaming around the exhibition, students examined the surrealistic and abstract paintings of Picasso and

formed personal connections with the artwork.

“It was really cool how we got to [go] on a field trip to actually see the artworks of such an influential and renowned artist,” said Bethany Ko (10), Spanish student. “I learned to

understand the thoughts and emotions that go into a single piece of artwork and I really grew to appreciate Spanish culture as a whole. This experience helped me open my eyes to a different genre of art.”

After this experience, many students, such as Matthew Shin (10), revealed their satisfaction with the field trip and expressed hope for future excursions in other classes as well.

“I think the field trip experience is very refreshing and nice to have because it gives everyone a chance to escape from the dull classrooms,” Matthew said. “Having more field trips is a good idea because it lets students be taught in a new way, rather than being taught in the same classroom over and over again. Also, as in this case, learning things through firsthand experience is much more valuable and lasting than reading a textbook.”

After Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, hit the Philippines on Nov. 8, SIS teamed up with Cebu International School (CIS) to help out typhoon victims and provide humanitarian aid. With three Filipino staff members at SIS, the school community is organizing a fundraiser and working to raise awareness of the severity of the typhoon.

“It’s the SIS community reaching out to [the typhoon victims], not just an individual club hosting it,” said Shanna Hurt, one of the coordinators of the fundraiser. “I would say that the majority of the clubs at SIS have chosen to participate, including the Korean staff. I think this is what makes [the fundraiser] unique.”

SIS students and staff were encouraged to donate 10,000 won to buy care packages that include a three-liter bottle of water, a bag of rice, ramen noodles and canned food, or 55,000 won to buy a 50 kilogram bag of rice. The money was then sent to CIS, where CIS students distributed these supplies to remote areas destroyed by the typhoon to provide victims with basic necessities.

UNICEF also contributed to the relief efforts by hosting a talent show on Nov. 27. The club also organized three bake sales throughout November and donated the money raised to CIS. “[The CIS students’] efforts made me realize how powerful the help of many people can be,” said Kathleen Joo (11), NHS vice president. “Hearing about the firsthand efforts of students from CIS was inspiring and it helped to emphasize that there is really no limit to how much you should contribute to such situations.”

Irene DeShazo, a Filipino staff member, believes this experience will let students realize how fortunate they are to be living in a developed nation with basic needs already supplied, and hopes that students will be able to take away valuable lessons from this experience.

“This is an experience that will not only provide aid for the victims of the typhoon but also allow students to realize how fortunate they are,” Kathleen said. “I think that the story that accompanies this tragic event is also important for students to hear and know about.”

VIEWPOINT 2

NOVEMBER 2013

Letter to the Editor I enjoyed your constructive piece on commitment to clubs and extracurricular activities at SIS. While I agree that students need to base their decisions on their interests, I am not sure that the answer to recent problems rests entirely with the student body. There is a certain risk management logic in this negative student behavior. All clubs select students at the same time, so a student who only applies to one or two clubs may find himself in none. What if a similar prescription were applied to college applications? Seniors must honestly report all other schools receiving applications from them. What school wants to accept a student who haphazardly added it to their list because it was a safety? Many students who applied only to those few schools they were passionate about attending would be taking a gap year. Instead, they often learn the school that accepted them is a great fit for them once they arrive in the fall.

There is always the problem of conflicts. They happen. You accurately identified the circumstances that recently forced students to choose between MUN and MAT, but is foregoing a year of participation in the math club or MUN because of one conflict in November

Editorial

in a student’s best interest? Several freshmen pulled out of the European Debate Championships to attend SEOMUN, but the decision shouldn’t mean that they never debate again this year, or worse, have never started debating in the first place. You aptly point out that students’ identities are shaped by the choices they make, but how can they know themselves enough to make choices before they have had an opportunity to try a variety of things? Students can arguably learn more from making tough choices than they can from avoiding them.

Clubs should be prepared for conflicts since they are a necessary outcome of this exploration. Possibly the problem is with making a competition out of a process that should be about exploring interests. You can be an influential voice in the ongoing revision of club policy at SIS, but I would reconsider changes that bolster exclusivity in club membership. Competition must have winners and losers and people will be motivated to win at all costs where participation in certain clubs is perceived to be more valuable than personal interest on college applications.

From Gray Macklin, HS counselor

Editors-in-Chief Jiho Peter Kim Mark Kim Jr. Managing Editor Min Ji Suh Production Editor Dasoo Milton Yoon Graphics Editor Christine Lee Website Editor Darin Son

Copy Editors Celine Hwang Daniel Kim Sara Shin (Web) Helen Song Photographers Yeni Cho Hollis Hwang Kelly Kim Advertisement Amelie Koo (Man.) Claire Yun (Rep.)

ful. It is a minor hindrance, but the IT office respects these girls and they make a positive impression. Ultimately, they got what they wanted.

I coaxed the last senior, “Mr. Kim is the gatekeeper, you need to persuade him.” The senior stood dumbfounded. I asked him, “what do you have of value that can help persuade Mr. Kim? You could try asking in a way that will change his mind.” The senior was still stunned. A few minutes had past and the procrastinator left with his tail between his legs.

If something is worth fighting for. Fight for it! It doesn’t matter if your obstacle is a rule, a dictator, the government or a random person on the street. Fight or live as a passive person who only lives by doing what he or she is told.

My challenge to the students who are reading this: Let’s see if there is anyone brave enough to come persuade Mr. Shin in the IT Office. What’s the worst that can happen? Mr. Shin might say no, but at least you will learn something about persuasion.

From Paul Kang, IT Coordinator Reporters Jean Cho Jungho Daniel Choi Nagyon Kim Sarah Y. Kim Christine Seo Website Reporters Heejin E. Hong Christine Jeong Michael Kim Rosie Dahyeon Kim

The SIS administration organizes the school curriculum to academically prepare students for college. While the current curriculum does offer many academic electives, which mostly consist of AP courses, there is a noticeable lack of general electives for students. Students may select elective courses that interest them, but as of now, the current curriculum does not represent the diverse interests of the student body, nor does it fully prepare students for life in college.

In order to create new elective courses, teachers who wish to teach these courses must submit proposals at the beginning of the school year. The proposals are then reviewed by the administration before a decision is reached. According to Jarret Lambie, high school principal, a major reason why fewer electives are offered at SIS is longevity. Lack of student interest in an elective or the absence of a teacher who specializes in an area to teach a certain elective makes it difficult to offer electives consistently.

However, while it may be challenging to offer a large variety of electives, teachers and the administration should still make a concert-

ed effort to offer as many electives as possible. Last year, Erin Hogshead and Jonathan Nelson, English teachers, proposed the introduction of elective courses such as media literacy, creative writing and Shakespeare studies, electives already offered by schools in the US. The curriculum at SIS is limited in the scope of alternative courses it offers to students; the majority of the elective courses students can take are rigorous and academically challenging AP courses. While these courses are important and should be included in the curriculum to cater to students who are interested in those subjects, they alone do not represent the interests of the entire student body. Hence, students who are passionate about non-academic subjects such as film study are at a loss because the curriculum does not meet their needs or interests. If the administration truly wishes to expand upon student learning, it should consider offering a greater number of electives.

There is a common misconception that non-academic elective courses are simply grade boosters.

While these electives may not be

as challenging or demanding as other courses, they serve an important purpose in helping prepare students for life in college and in the future. For example, home economics teaches students basic cooking skills that may be useful for students when they are in college. Creative writing and various physical education courses can also shape students’ passions that they may pursue in the future. Such electives should not be overlooked just because they are not as academically challenging as AP courses.

If the administration truly wishes to diversify the education it provides and prepare students for life after high school, it should consider revising the current curriculum to include different electives.

Different students have different interests, and the administration must attempt to accommodate the majority of these interests through the electives it offers.

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.

AP art students need high quality supplies

Letter to the Editor “No! Sorry, you can’t do that.

It’s ‘policy.’ You missed the deadline.”

I wanted to provide seniors another privilege: a second device on the school network. There were meetings with Mr. Lambie and Mr. Shin, the IT Manager. There was an announcement made at the weekly senior meeting on Wednesday.

However, there was one rule: you must request it by Friday. Ten out of 89.

The following two weeks, five more seniors stopped by the IT office to register. The IT guys said “no” because they didn’t follow the rules. The procrastinators complied and left the IT office.

Two things annoy me. First, listen! But, we’re human and we make mistakes. Second, the utter lack of drive or ambition. The second is very disturbing. If you want something you go after it. Sure, weigh the pros and cons. Is it worth fighting for? Is it worth investing five minutes to persuade the gatekeeper? What’s the worst that can happen? Someone says no.

There are middle school girls who beg, plead and pester the IT guys for help we normally do not provide. These girls are resource-

Lack of electives inhibits student development

By Yeni Cho

Higher-level art students invest a lot of time and money to create AP and college portfolio pieces. Although some art supplies at school are top-notch, supplies such as bulk paints and color-pencils are inadequate for AP portfolios. As the use of supplies is reflected in the work of these art students, the provision of sufficient art supplies is imperative for them.

All SIS students who take art classes have access to the same resources such as brushes, color pencils and paints. Some school art supplies such as the Prismacolor art markers are very expensive and of high caliber. However, supplies such as cheaper bulk containers of paint and worn-out paintbrushes are unsuitable for higher-level art students who must create pieces that will either be sent to the College Board for assessment or included in students’ art portfolios.

AP art portfolios include pieces that fall into specific categories, such as Breadth and Quality. Breadth pieces need to be sent to the College Board in order to display the variety

Cartoonist Yeaji Park Layout Artists Jaewon Choi Eunie Jang Bason Park Patricia Song Yeena Yoon Adviser Mr. David Coleman

of materials and supplies that a student can utilize. Additionally, Quality pieces are five actual artworks that need to be sent directly to the College Board for assessment. This part of the portfolio allows the College Board to look at the details of the pieces in person. Thus, it is essential for students to get access to quality supplies that they can use to show their techniques.

However, according to Jin Shin Ekin, art teacher, some of the art supplies, such as the paintbrushes, are worn out because the students

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

misuse the supplies by not cleaning them or by leaving paint to dry out.

The standard of art supplies do not only reflect the lack of available material, but also the lack of responsibility among art students.

The art department and the students must reach a mutual understanding regarding the importance of art supplies in higher-level works.

A collaborative effort between the school and students could greatly alleviate the concerns regarding the quality and maintenance of art supplies.

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.

NOVEMBER 2013

3

VIEWPOINT

Understanding purpose of retakes imperative Misuse of lounge justifies

administration’s restrictions

By Daniel Kim

Reassessments have become an integral part of the academic system at SIS. In fact, the first questions that students tend to ask to teachers after tests are about retakes. According to Jarret Lambie, high school principal, the official administrative policy on retakes is that a student can retake an assessment with a grade of 84 or lower, up to a 90. Teachers make the decision to provide students a second chance based on previous formative assessments and participation in class, and wield a degree of control in terms of following the specific cutline for retakes. Although students may express chagrin over the inconsistency of retake policies for different classes, the policy is rational in fulfilling the initial purpose of retakes, which is to ensure that students understand the basic material.

The major concern regarding the retake policy comes from students who score between 84 and 90 percent. These students initially performed better than those who are eligible for retakes, but may end up with a lower score. Although some may think that this is a trivial concern about a few points, students’ concerns are not completely without justification, as summative tests tend to take up large portions of students’ semester grades in certain classes.

However, all teachers share the

By Patricia Song

same purpose for retakes. Retakes are not provided simply to raise students’ GPA, but because it is the school’s responsibility to ensure students’ understanding of class material. Students need to comprehend a certain level of the material so that they can continue to expand upon that knowledge in their years of high school. Thus, the retake policy is a way for the teachers, not the students, to ensure that those who pass the course will actually have learned the minimal material of the class.

The SIS Handbook states that teachers are responsible for “providing students with more than one opportunity to demonstrate progress toward achievement of the outcomes.” This may be an open statement, but students misinterpret it as an entitlement to improve their

grades; for a part of the student body, retakes do not serve the goal of relearning the material, but rather minimizing the errors of the previous exam to receive a higher score.

Teachers have responded differently to the various concerns about the grading implication of retakes. Some teachers drop the maximum retake score to an 85 percent, whereas others use a case-bycase system to possibly give grades over 90 percent. Ultimately, teachers should use their discretion to decide what grade best reflects the student’s performance. Regardless of grading complications, it is important for students to understand that the retake policy is best characterized as a safety net for those who actually do not understand the material, not a method of competition for points.

Approximately two months into the school year, on Oct. 30, the parent lounge, which was newly available to students following the school’s renovation, has been closed to students. Students may believe that the administration’s decision was unreasonable. However, before rushing to such conclusions, the administration and school’s perspective should be taken into account.

Students’ inappropriate usage of the lounge has left no choice for the administration but to close the lounge off to students. If students are unable to maturely utilize the lounge for intended purposes such as studying and leisure, they should not be given access to the lounge.

The parents’ lounge was initially opened to students in the hope of providing students with more facilities. However, according to Jarret Lambie, high school principal, the lounge was closed to students because they often misused it by breaking pieces of furniture and trash cans, sleeping on sofas and leaving behind garbage. As a result of students’ overall misconduct, the administration has also decided that unless the high school student council (HSSC) proves to the administration that students are able to control

their behavior, the lounge will not be reopened to students.

The administration’s restrictions on student usage of the parent lounge has resulted in the significant decrease of working spaces for students. Currently, other than the library and a few benches around the school, there are only a few locations specifically designated for students.

However, if students want a designated space that they can spend their leisure time in, they need to cooperate with the HSSC’s efforts to deal with the issue of student responsibility.

Although the lounge was originally intended to be a place of relaxation for students, there are certain policies that students should adhere to. If students had restrained from drinking, eating or damaging furniture in the parent lounge, they would still have access to it. Instead of using the parent lounge without care, students should have taken this opportunity to prove their responsibility.

Because the school cannot grant students access to the lounge without resulting in the destruction of school property, students need to be conscientious of their actions. Instead of disregarding their individual actions as trivial, students need to understand that their behavior as a whole will determine the benefits they receive from the school.

Club event conflicts with PTCs Students skipping school must face repercussions preferable to missing school

By Jungho Daniel Choi

Starting last year, Seoul Model United Nations (SEOMUN) was scheduled at the same time as parent-teacher conferences (PTCs).

Such conflicts are necessary in order to prevent students from missing school to attend extracurricular events.

Unless extended club events take place during PTCs, it is difficult for these events to be scheduled at any other time without the event interfering with the normal school day. For example, it is difficult to fit three-day events such as SEOMUN entirely into one weekend. If PTCs were to be scheduled so that they did not interfere with SEOMUN, then the event would have to interrupt at least one day of class.

Hence, it is reasonable for PTCs to be scheduled during extended club events, because it prevents students from having to miss class to attend these events.

It is unfortunate that students who want to discuss their academic performance with both teachers and parents must skip PTCs. However, it is even worse for them to skip class.

When a student misses class, they miss important sections of the class curriculum. They will not be able to complete assessments, and cannot attend important lectures from teachers, hindering the student’s

comprehension or understanding of the material.

Also, some teachers need to skip one day of PTCs to act as advisers for students at SEOMUN. This means that parents have fewer opportunities to meet with teachers during PTCs. However, it is better for advisers to skip one day of PTCs, than for them to skip school days. When teachers cannot teach their classes, substitutes who are unfamiliar with the class curriculum must teach students. In these cases, substitutes often cannot answer detailed questions regarding the class material, meaning that some students may be unable comprehend the material effectively. Also, only a small number of teachers are advisers for these club events, meaning that most teachers can still meet with parents on both PTC days.

In addition, there are alternative ways in which students can make up for missing PTCs. For instance, parents can easily inform their children on what was discussed in the conference, even if the student was not there. Students can also use time periods such as office hours to go talk to their teachers. If the parents, students and teachers must meet all together, then a time outside of class can be scheduled. Since students and parents have plenty of opportunities to conference with teachers outside of PTCs, students should attend club events during PTCs rather than skipping class to do so.

By Claire Yun

The SIS Handbook states that “there is simply no substitute for the direct instruction and the learning that comes from being part of a class,” which is why students have to attend at least 85 percent of their classes to receive course credits.

However, students involved in extracurricular activities miss at least a few days of school a year. These absences do not count against the 85 percent attendance requirement because they are marked as “school functions.” However, the outcome is the same; students are missing classes.

Class participation is important for various reasons. Teachers spend a lot of time preparing lessons that will guide students through new material. Lessons are often planned

around active participation and group work. When students are absent, even with good reason, all that careful planning goes to waste.

Although the SIS Handbook suggests that absent students check online resources for homework they have missed, it does not provide any guidance to students regarding how they can make up for that invaluable class time. Simply making up the homework is not a sufficient substitute for the actual learning that takes place in class.

It is undeniable that extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports teams play an major role in students’ education. They are not counted as regular absences because they not only help students develop social and physical skills but also help them learn how to balance commitments. However, students should keep in mind that their classwork comes before such extracur-

ricular commitments in terms of importance. Especially when these commitments cause students to miss many classes, students need to remember that the primary purpose of school is to gain a better grasp of the academic material.

The school should help students develop the organizational and time management skills they need in order to succeed. In order to attend extracurricular events and keep up with schoolwork, students need assistance in learning how to balance these competing demands. For example, the school could encourage students who miss class to get class notes in advance, or meet with National Honor Society members for tutoring sessions. If simply completing homework equalizes missing an entire lesson, then it becomes acceptable for students to sleep during entire class periods and do their homework in detail afterwards.

NEWS 4 NEWS BRIEFS Dr. Kim holds Headmaster’s Photo Contest

Photo by Kelly Kim

Ryan Kim (12) received a SIS hat on Nov. 12 as a mystery prize for winning Dr. Kim’s photo contest.

In order to develop a photo content database that reflects true SIS school life and spirit, rather than hiring a professional photographer, the Headmaster’s office proposed a photo contest open to all students, teachers and staff members. Sponsored by Dr. Hyung-Shik Kim, headmaster, the contest began on Nov. 4. Every week, a contestant may submit up to five photos by Friday 3 p.m., and the winner is announced the following Monday on the school’s Facebook page.

“I wanted professional photographs of stuff around the school to use on the official school website, and any kind of social media for school advertising,” said Paul Kang, Information Technology Coordinator.

SIS hosts KAIAC Large Ensemble Festival

SIS hosted the annual KAIAC Large Ensemble Festival on Nov. 5., in which music ensembles from various schools gave performances.

The festival, which began at 8 a.m. and went on to take place after 3 p.m., consisted of performances from ensembles such as Ambassadors Choir and Concert Choir.

New participants in the Festival included Chadwick International School.

“I was impressed with how organized it was,” said Soo Hyun Hwang (10), Ambassadors Choir singer. “It was nice to see how students from various international schools were able to interact and collaborate to come together musically. The quality of the performances was great and the judges showed great professionalism.”

MAT wins multiple awards at Korean Math Competition The SIS Mu Alpha Theta team dominated at the Korean Mathematical Competition on Nov. 9.

The competition was divided into three categories: Mu, Alpha and Theta. SIS students won various awards, ranging from individual rewards to the School Bowl, where groups of the best mathematicians competed from each school.

John Kim (10), a Theta competitor, won first place in the individual rewards category, third place in Gemini with Youngwook Park (10) and first place in the School Bowl Category.

“I was satisfied with my own results, but I was more proud of our school,” John said. “We basically dominated the competition.”

By Sarah Y. Kim

NOVEMBER 2013

KASA collects blankets to warm animals in shelters

By Heejin E. Hong

The shivering animals of the Asan animal shelter imprinted an unforgettable memory on Irene De Shazo, Korea Animal Service Association (KASA) adviser, during her visit last November. To protect shelter animals from the constant cold and rainy weather during the winter seasons, KASA is hosting a blanket drive from Nov. 18 to Dec. 6.

“Animals of all sizes are in hundreds of cages, spread out throughout the hills,” Ms. De Shazo said. “[Since] the house is operated by one manager, the [house] lacks organization, garbage disposal and hygienic cages. Their cages have flimsy cardboard roofs for temporary protection from [weather] elements, but not even all animals live under such a roof. The weather is becoming colder and we’re already late. But later is better than never.”

Influenced by her visit, Ms. De Shazo initiated an informal blanket drive amongst teachers last year. The drive garnered bags of blankets that Dr. Kim and the administration delivered to nearby shelters. KASA de-

Photo by Sara Shin

Visiting the animal shelter, Taejeon Paws, on Nov. 16, Kevin Lee (9) pets a white Korean Jindo Dog, Apple.

KASA members walked dogs around the mountain, and donated newspapers, pet food and 200,000 won. cided to expand the drive this year to include students. The collected blankets will be directly delivered to the Daejeon Paws shelter on Dec. 12.

“Every house has at least one old blanket stuffed somewhere, which makes the drive appealing,” said Jun Chung (11), KASA president. “We hope to see the animals wrapped in the very blankets that we donate

from SIS at our next visit.”

The drive encouraged students to be role models in helping animals.

With twice the number of members compared to last year, KASA hopes to continue its bimonthly shelter visits and introduce new events to spread awareness about mistreated animals in Korea.

“I always thought that [animal]

shelters had all the necessary facilities to create a comfortable environment for the animals they housed,” said Nicholas Shin (7), donor. “Seeing the snow yesterday, I felt more motivated to donate a blanket for shivering animals. We have opportunities to help other people, but not to help animals, which is unfortunate because both are important.”

Third gender law in Germany Students collaborate to make sparks debate over equality harmony at AISA choir festival

By Michael Kim

Doctors can now determine the gender of babies in Germany as male, female… or other. German legislation passed on Nov. 7 recognizes the existence of non-male and non-female genders and gives parents the option of thus categorizing babies. Germany is the first European nation to embrace the progressive reform, and accommodate the rising number of citizens wishing to discard old-fashioned notions of categorization of gender.

In the past, parents have relied on physicians to artificially alter children with abnormal genders through the use of surgical and hormonal sex normalization procedures. After considerable debate in the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment and the Swiss group Zwischengeschlecht (Between Genders), German legislators aimed to confront the inhumane treatment of babies with gender anomalies.

Gender anomalies are characterized by any of the recently publicized sexually deviances such as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (LGBT) affiliation and physical deformities. Thus, third gender

laws are also characterized by the nomination of the so-called “third” and “fourth” genders. In tandem with the LGBT laws already in place, Germany also installed the legal framework to prevent cruelties by doctors and parents.

Despite support from progressive groups such as Between Genders, the law is taking criticism for its failure to ensure equality. According to Advocate.com Hida Viloria, German pundit, stated that there is not much equity granted to all genders.

“Do you think most parents would want to have “other” on their babies’ birth certificates?” Ms. Viloria said. “Do we think most parents would be comfortable having their babies’ gay or lesbian status visible on legal documents? I know mine wouldn’t have been, and they would have done everything possible to change it.”

The new law is paving the way for progressives, yet many still question its effectiveness in social affairs.

The question of equality remains on liberals’ minds as the law becomes more and more applicable to citizens. Even after liberal progressives gained international momentum after progress in LGBT legislation, the question of equity in society is an great contention point between progressives and conservatives.

By Hareem Kim

Seven SIS students were joined by 50 different students on Nov. 7-10, as the four Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) schools—SIS, Korea International School (KIS), Senri and Osaka International Schools (SOIS) and Yokohama International School— gathered at SOIS in Osaka, Japan to celebrate the annual AISA choir festival. The event was an opportunity for people with similar musical interests to gather and produce music.

The mixed choir prepared “Come To Me, O My Love,” “Confitemini Domino” and “Liza (Water Come A Me Eye)” while the girls and boys presented “Amani,” “Come Travel With Me” respectively. Jack Brown, KIS teacher, directed the festival and Kazuko Ogura, a SOIS parent, accompanied the entire performance. Kwansei Gakuin High School Glee Club (KG Glee Club), which is made up of 12 male singers, also came to perform for and with the AISA school participants.

“AISA was not only about the event itself, but actually building bridges between Korea and Japan,” said Dennis Darling, SIS choir conductor. “The most powerful moment for me was after the concert

when seniors from different schools that I’ve met during the previous festivals wanted to take pictures with me and thanked me sincerely.”

After sectional practices and full rehearsals, the students performed in front of SOIS parents and teachers. To celebrate the choir’s successful performance despite the limited preparation time, SOIS parents organized a banquet in the cafeteria. KG Glee Club also did an a cappella performance during the banquet with a student conductor.

“The sectionals and rehearsals and finally performing was my favorite part about this event,” said Debora Kim (10), soprano singer.

“Not only were we able to get together and collaborate in music, but I [also] got to see how different conductors have their different styles of teaching students, and listened to voices that I wasn’t so familiar with.”

The AISA choir event was not held to encourage competition, but rather, collaboration, and foster bonding among students of different schools.

“The event felt more special as I kept thinking about it, because it was the last time we would see the friends we had met there,” said Tyra Kim (10), alto singer. “Our homestays were very comforting which helped us have a good time, and have a great time with our SOIS buddies.”

NOVEMBER 2013

5

NEWS

SIS students represent Korea ESDC hosts first online gaming tournament in world debate championship

By Celine Hwang

By Kelly Kim

After intensive preparation sessions for months as the Korean national debate representatives, SIS debaters brought home successful results from the EurOpen Tournament held in Stuttgart, Germany from Nov. 7 to 13. Lauren Ahn (10) of Team Korea and Millie Kim (9), Alice Kang (9), Jaeha Kim (9), David Choe (9) and Richard Park (9) of Team Underestimated, were selected several months beforehand through a strenuous series of tryouts.

The tournament started with eight preliminary rounds and was based on win-loss records—the top 16 teams moved on to compete in the octofinals. Team Underestimated broke 13th place, yet lost against a Netherlands team. In preparation for this event, freshmen debaters had brainstormed arguments and cases for prepared motions months before the actual competition.

“There was a lot of pressure attending this tournament and the atmosphere was different from the Korean debate tournaments,” David said. “It was exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time, but I thought we did well as a team, cooperating and working, considering that it was our first international tournament. We only got free time

on the last day and other days were preparation for the debates.”

Lauren, on the other hand, along with her teammates from Cheongshim International Academy, Korea Minjok Leadership Academy and Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, broke fifth in the entire competition and competed in the semifinals. Every team member also performed very well, with all speakers ranking above 40th place.

“If what I have been doing in the past was bickering, I was truly debating and arguing for principles,” Lauren said. “Aside from debating, I learned what teamwork is really all about because I learned to care and to sacrifice my points for my team.

If this opportunity comes again, I would love to participate again because this was a turning point for me since my skills improved massively.”

38 teams participated in this competition, including teams from Qatar, Canada and Switzerland. The diversity in competitors provided the SIS debaters new insight.

“There were competitors who had extreme passion and ability, and from them, I witnessed different speaking styles,” Millie said. “We learned to spend our time wisely during prep time, and our style and content improved. Our next goal is to advance even further to quarterfinals by familiarizing ourselves with more debate motions.”

Two years ago, a group of sophomores including Jiho Kim (12), Jean Huh (12) and John Kim (12) casually suggested the idea of hosting a tournament for League of Legends (LoL), a popular online computer game, as a joke. This year, the SIS LoL tournament became a reality due to efforts of the Electronic Strategic Development Club (ESDC)’s executive members, Jiho and Timothy Kim (12). The event, which started on Nov. 7, included participation from high school students of all grade levels.

“The tournament was a way to see which team was the strongest in the SIS community,” said Daniel Ko (10), ESDC member. “Since the executives did not limit us to have teams with students from the same grade level, there were a few teams that had members from different grades. It was pretty interesting to see freshmen competing against seniors because that doesn’t happen very often.”

All students who wished to participate formed a team of five players and signed up for the tournament.

Eight teams competed in a double elimination bracket format to determine specific rankings. Instead of being completely removed from the game, the four teams that lost the first couple rounds of the tourna-

AP Drawing, AP 2D Design students experience Korean culture at museum, traditional palace

By Eunie Jang

On Nov. 6, AP Drawing and AP 2D Design classes went on a field trip to the Seoul Museum of Art and the Deoksugung palace. The purpose of the field trip was for the students to experience Korean culture and learn to critique artworks. “[Students] don’t often visit these beautiful palaces,” said Cheryl Lambie, graphic design teacher. “It is important for the [students] to experience their own culture.”

The students had to research about the museum and the palace before the fieldtrip, and were required to take photos and begin an artwork with the scenery. Jeanne Han (12) said that she was able to understand more about Nordic architecture by interacting with artworks at the museum.

“I learned that Nordic architecture is simplistic, modern and advanced,” Jeanne said. “There was a Nordic art structure that looked

Photo by Yeni Cho

After observing the main entrance of Deoksugung palace, Sydney Ko (12) comes up with a brief sketch for her field trip drawing assignment. like a bridge where we were able to walk across. The wooden pieces of the bridge-like artwork moved like a see-saw.”

At the field trip, students learned to interpret other artists’ artworks by critiquing the professional artworks displayed in the museum.

“We analyzed ancient Korean architecture and Norwegian pieces,”

Jun Chung (11) said. “Analyzing professional artworks helped me look at art in a different way, where I saw hidden meanings and special techniques in them.”

The art department organized a trip to the Seoul Museum of Art and traditional Korean palaces for the first time, and the department hopes to make it an annual trip.

First match of the Finals

MVP

Harry Lee (11) ID: learn2lose Champion: Jinx

Kill, Death, Assist Ratio: 13:4:8 Total Minions: 507 Total Gold: 27.2 k Graphics by Amelie Koo

ment were allowed to continue competing against one another.

“There is a losers bracket, so even if a team loses in a quarterfinal match, the members of that team can still make their way up to the finals,” said Harry Lee (11), ESDC member. “The format makes the tournament fair to all students and prevents students from feeling discouraged because teams that did not have advantages in terms of skill can still participate throughout the entire tournament.”

According to Timothy, despite some initial difficulties, the first official LoL tournament was successful overall in that many students par-

ticipated in the games and watched the online stream of the competition on the ESDC Facebook group.

“While we were at the semifinals stage, [a new] season of LoL was about to start. As a result, all the teams had to finish the tournament beforehand so that everyone would have played the [current version of the game],” Tim said. “It was also quite difficult setting a time when everyone could play but overall, the tournament went well compared to my expectations. We had around fifty spectators for each game and it’s amazing that the idea of a LoL tournament started out as a joke but led to a real event.”

ZEITGEIST Large-scale global surveillance network uncovered Ever since Edward Snowden leaked confidential memos regarding the surveillance systems of intelligence agencies, the National Security Agency (NSA) has been accused of collecting expansive personal information through phone and Internet records.

On Oct. 28, according to the Wall Street Journal, White House officials admitted that internal reviews conducted over the summer revealed that the NSA was spying on foreign leaders, such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel; this pushed officials to then cancel such surveillance programs. These revelations further chilled relations with traditional allies.

“French and German officials feel betrayed since it is considered a given that allies share information amongst each other, especially on common threats such as terrorism,” said Christine Kim (12), Model United Nation (MUN) copresident. “They will demand that the NSA be held accountable for its unlawful surveillance.”

The reports also revealed the involvement of other countries in Five Eyes, an intelligence community comprised of the US, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. These countries set up listening posts in embassies and consulates in 80 locations in order to intercept phone calls of

politicians and suspected terrorists According to Deutsche Welle, a German newspaper, even though officials tried to justify such actions as necessary for anti-terrorism, the revelations hurt the US image abroad, with approval ratings for President Barack Obama dropping to 43 percent in Germany.

“Members of the public seem to be tired of officials using antiterrorism to justify invasive policies,” said Jeffrey Park (9), Seoul MUN Conference delegate who discussed the issue of the surveillance of the Internet. “So I think that leaders reacted strongly to allegations in order to reassure citizens who no longer consider terrorism an excuse for controversial policies.”

Despite the controversy, governments will continue collecting information, as they have done since the Cold War. According to Peter Beckway, English teacher, there needs to be a balance between collecting intelligence for national security and protecting individual liberties.

“I understand that gathering intelligence is important for national security,” Mr. Beckway said.

“However, spying on American citizens who have nothing to do with terrorism can be a slippery slope that leads to further violations of personal freedoms.”

By Jaewon Choi

Women in power are more focused on aiding others, men on self-development

By Christine Jeong Power is an extremely vague term; there are no set qualifications that cause an individual to be powerful. However, in this huge spectrum of power, the single common factor is the influence that powerful individuals exert over others. When one possesses power, he or she also has the ability to change the opinions of his or her followers and alter the courses of their lives by providing them with either mental or financial aid.

Because of such a component of power, the term is not only applicable to politically active individuals such as Barack Obama, the US president, but also relevant to those such as Oprah Winfrey, media proprietor, or Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, who are known for their influence over others by the vociferation of their beliefs and aid to those in need.

However, given the important facet of power of having influence over others, it seems unusual that women tend to use their renown in a way that gives more to society than do the allegedly “more powerful” men.

“There is a lot of recent evidence indicating that men and women act in fundamentally different manners when it comes to the use of power,” said Anthony Loveday, AP Psychology teacher. “History has shown that female figures have a tendency to advance in a col-

laborative manner and to seek to build consensus, while male figures, due to both biological and social factors, utilize power in a more independent and aggressive manner.”

Although exceptions do exist, the general inclination is that women who wield power do more with it than men, mainly because they had a harder time rising to power. Research conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates that 10.6 percent of men receive promotions in the span of a year, while only 7.6 percent of women do; this result shows a statistically significant gender gap in promotion rates favoring men.

“Power has always been a man’s world,” said Adam Gagan, social studies teacher. “But things have been changing and now, women are playing larger roles in society than ever before. With this newly found power, influential female figures often seek to accomplish more and attempt to help other minorities’ liberation from their ‘inferior’ status as to allow development as a group rather than as individuals.”

To accomplish more in aiding others, female leaders tend to donate a greater amount to philanthropic organizations as opposed to male leaders, who appear to interest themselves more in self-development. According to a study in 2010 by Women’s Philanthropy

Institute at the University of Indiana, women are 40 percent more likely to donate than men in amounts that are twice of their counterparts. On the other hand, men seem more interested in increasing their renown with the funds they already have, for out of the traffic circles funded by men and women in power, 69 percent have been named by men, compared to a seven percent after women.

Such disparities between the ways powerful individuals spend their funds and exert influence clearly demonstrate the inherent differences in the methods the two genders choose to rule in. However, because women have gained significant authority only during the last two decades, it may yet be too early to determine the effectiveness of one gender’s practice of power over the other.

“Rather than comparing the two types of power, I think that we should look at the rise of women as a progressive movement towards balance and further equality,” Yeonjae Han (11) said. “In the past when males dominated most aspects of the workforce, there was an overrepresentation of ferocity and masculinity in the work culture. However, with an increase of women and their communal concept of power coming into light, I think that there is more opportunity for women to be representated in the big picture.”

I

LONG LIVE THE KING

I

G

The Paradox of Women Empowerment

By Sarah Y. Kim

Miley Cyrus’ explicit performance at the 2013 Video Music Awards (VMAs) ignited a series of debates on Cyrus’ responsibilities as not only a public figure but also as a woman in the music industry. According to The Independent, a fresh debate has begun on the place of women in the modern world, regarding whether or not sexual expression in the arts and media is a means of uplifting or condemning female empowerment and how women can successfully empower themselves. Society’s expectations remain divided.

The debate was propelled forward after Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor wrote a letter to Cyrus, warning her of the dangers of women being prostituted by the music industry. Connor’s letter, though widely praised, was sharply criticized by singer Amanda Palmer, who felt that telling Cyrus what to do to empower her own sex was in fact the opposite of women empowerment. The UK Parliament also stepped in to criticize Cyrus as an anti-feminist. Cyrus angrily lashed out and told the BBC Newsbeat that she sees herself as one of the “biggest feminists in the world” by telling women not to be afraid of anything. She also retorted that female nudity is beautiful, not undermining.

“Miley Cyrus might think she is the biggest feminist in the world, but she has no taste,” Jihoon Yang (10) said. “She is trying to say girls should be proud of being naked. She gives the wrong impression of what woman empowerment really is all about. Women empowerment is so much more than what she makes it.”

The merging of female sexuality and music is not new to the public, and neither are the polarized viewpoints on the relationship between sexual expression and women empowerment.

American singer-songwriter Madonna, who is often referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” helped kick-start a sexualized music era in the 80s.

Madonna believes that having the freedom to express oneself sexually establishes self-empowerment. She was, however, also accused of glorifying women as sexual objects. Such was the impression she gave in her performances; in the 1984 VMAs, for instance, she sparked controversy as she sang “Like a Virgin” whilst rolling around suggestively in a revealing, punk-style wedding gown and her infamous “Boy Toy” belt.

Madonna paved the way for other controversial stars, like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and

Miley Cyrus. Sexuality has been integrated into the music industry to the point where audiences consider singers like Taylor Swift singular due to her lack of sexual expression. That lack of sexual expression has garnered her praise. Supporters see her as proof that women do not have to get naked to become popular. On the other hand, Swift has been criticized as an anti-feminist for her lack of sexual expression; these critics see her as submissive, hesitant and suppressed. This is an image that has been further strengthened by the romance-centered, lovelorn nature of Swift’s songs.

Society has demonstrated an increased opposition to this kind of passive romance, and this is evident in other forms of media. This was the case with the Twilight saga, a series of vampire romance novels by Stephenie Meyer in which a human girl, Bella Swan, falls in love with a vampire who wants to kill her. “You may wish she had loftier goals and a mind of her own,” said Jennifer Reese in a review of Breaking Dawn for Entertainment Weekly. Despite being criticized as an anti-feminist, Meyer was ranked #49 on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2008, and named one of the Most Influential Women of 2008. Meyer also stated that Bella was an example of feminism because she was able to determine her own life course.

American actress Natalie Portman, a self-proclaimed feminist, believes that Hollywood tends to favor unrealistic representations of women.

“The fallacy in Hollywood is that if you’re making a “feminist” story, the woman kicks ass and wins,” she said in an interview for Elle UK’s November issue. “A movie about a weak, vulnerable woman can be feminist if it shows a real person we can empathize with.” Every woman, stated Portman, should be accepted, whether or not they are sexually expressive.

“I think the problem [with women empowerment] is that people actually think that there is an ideal ‘empowered’ woman,” said Courtney Caldwell, English teacher. “It makes women try to fit themselves into molds. There’s the Miley Cyrus [mold], and then there are those [women in power] who are like buttoned up, independent men. Miley Cyrus may not be my brand of feminism, but she is still a woman in power. I have friends who have settled down and have children, and they’re criticized for it. And others criticize me for being independent.”

Layout by Patricia Song

LIFESTYLE 8

NOVEMBER 2013

Juniors discover passion for skateboarding Airlines allow passengers more

flexible use of electronic devices

By Yeena Yoon

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Nov. 7 that US passengers will soon be able to use their mobile devices throughout their entire flight. Before, mobile devices were prohibited until the plane reached an altitude of 10,000 feet, because of risks of mobile communication interfering with airplane chatter.

However, on Nov. 1, a JetBlue flight from New York to Buffalo became the first commercial flight to allow the gate-to-gate use of electronic devices; other airlines, including Delta, are planning to follow suit.

“What this policy tells me, is that people would rather air on the side of convenience than safety,” said Gray Macklin, counselor. “It doesn’t take too long for planes to rise to 10,000 feet; what marginal convenience can people get from just a couple of minutes on their electronic devices? If we can’t unplug ten minutes before landing and departure, then we have a problem as a society.”

The policy was approved by the FAA, but discouraged by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the collective bargaining representative union for over 59,000 pilots.

Though ALPA has consistently supported a gradual expanded inflight use of mobile devices, safety remains its priority.

“It’s a problem for me, because we don’t know how much of a problem it is,” Mr. Macklin said.

“The airline pilots who are responsible for the safety of themselves, the crew and the passengers, should have the final say, because they are the ones ultimately responsible for the flight.”

Though a majority of airlines have favored the change, according to Michael P. Huerta, head of the FAA, not all companies have a uniform stance. SIS students, such as Joshua An (12), have expressed doubt at making such drastic changes to Korean airlines.

“I think that Korea should not apply such a new rule yet,” Joshua said. “Until this technology is proven to be safe for passengers regardless of any situation, Korean airlines shouldn’t be early pioneers of this plan. Korea is one of the most mobile-centered places in the world, so allowing this system will mean a massive influx of mobile data that could possibly hinder flight.”

The European Aviation Safety Agency, which participated on the FAA review panel, has announced that it would analyze the passing of a similar decision before clarifying its own policy.

Heirs,” a drama that has recently become popular among Korean teens.

She also tries to visit a new place in Korea every other weekend, and is also reading books regarding the Korean education system. In order to familiarize herself with the Korean language, Ms. Caldwell has even taken a Korean class with her fellow staff members.

“I really appreciate her attempt to learn about our culture,” said Liana Kwak (10), US Literature student. “I believe that in order for students to work well with teachers, teachers should also try to understand their students. It’s good to see Ms. Caldwell doing that for us. I have more things to talk about that are not related to academics, and I can connect with her better.”

Her venture into international teaching symbolizes more than just cultural exploration. With last year being her tenth anniversary since her diagnosis with leukemia, Ms. Caldwell was finally able to feel free moving abroad, leaving her doctors and family behind. Her doctors had told her that only when ten years

have passed since her treatment could she consider herself as fully recovered.

“I had leukemia for a year and a half,” Ms. Caldwell said. “I went to a small private liberal arts college where they took care of my family and me when I was really sick. All of my professors helped me, and I don’t know if I would’ve got that kind of attention [anywhere else].”

Despite her hardships, Ms. Caldwell is not willing to let those memories block her from maintaining a positive and a curious attitude.

According to Ms. Caldwell, she is very open about her days when she was diagnosed with leukemia, unlike other survivors who may not be comfortable discussing their past treatments.

“I know that there is a general respect for the authority here that is very different from the US, but I think that students coming to a teacher for a conversation about things is just always the way to go,” Ms. Caldwell said. “I want my students to be curious, and I want them to know that I’m curious too.”

By Min Ji Suh

With a year before college applications and acceptance letters, juniors are often put under much pressure. Emphasis on academic excellence leaves little to no time for leisure. However, despite their academically rigorous lives, juniors Jay Yuu, Tony Kwon, Jungsun Bae and Sallie Kim began pursuing a newfound hobby at SIS: skateboarding.

Inspired by YouTube videos featuring examples of skateboarding tricks, Tony first proposed the idea of skateboarding to his friends in September. According to Jay, the small invitation was all it took to rekindle his interests in the outdoor activity.

“The first time I actually rode a skateboard was five years ago in San Diego,” Jay said. “I stopped for a while, but when [Tony] invited me to go boarding with him one day, it sparked my interest again. He first got me into it, and then we got Sallie and Jungsun [involved].”

With the lack of interest in skateboarding and skateboarding teachers in Korea, the four juniors explored their capacities through practice. Using online tutorial videos as resources, they self-taught their techniques.

“There are a lot of step-by-step

Photo by Kelly Kim

Gaining interest in skateboarding, Tony Kwon (11) often practices basic skateboarding skills such as kickflip and ollie during his free time. videos on YouTube that show you how to do tricks on a skateboard,” Tony said. “If one person is having trouble, the rest of us try to help and teach each other to become better boarders. I think that’s what makes it fun—the fact that your friends are there to help you.”

Despite having planned regular meetings at the Jukjeon skate park every two weeks, the academics-focused life of a typical junior makes it difficult for these boarders to find free time. According to Sallie, her schoolwork always deters her from riding the skateboard.

“Even during the long weekend with parent teacher conferences, I

really wanted to go skateboarding with my friends, but didn’t have any time because there was so much to do,” Sallie said. “I always have to check how much homework or studying I have to do before I plan to go practice.”

Though the limited times of practice can be frustrating, Sallie says skateboarding helps alleviate academic stress.

“It’s refreshing when I ride the skateboard since I’m only thinking about how to master the technique,” she said. “I’m not worrying about my AP Chemistry grade or my British Literature essay; I get time to take a break for a little bit.”

What is the “real world” like? New teacher connects to students through culture

Jenny Jun, class of 2008, majored in International Studies at Georgetown University. She recently started working in Delta Risk.

1. Can you describe your work at Delta Risk?

I advise foreign companies, governments and banks on how to bolster their online security by helping them figure out priorities and bridges between regular banks and government agendas.

2. How did you feel about International Policies after learning about it in depth?

Actually, it was a pleasant surprise. I learned how governments, private sectors and civil societies work with one another. Before college, I thought public diplomacy was limited to big name non-governmental organizations, but in fact, it involves many government agencies.

3. Which extracurricular activities helped you with your job?

Georgetown has a very big Model United Nations (MUN) club. I noticed that in Georgetown, members are truly devoted and interested in MUN unlike most high school members. Also, the programs involved various activities in which members have to pretend that they are in an actual crisis. These activities helped me apply the skills I learned in the classroom to real-life situations.

4. What are your goals?

I had no idea that I would be working in Delta Risk a few years ago; I do not know where I will end up. Still, I will continue working at Delta Risk for now. However, I honestly enjoy studying and delving into one specific area. Therefore, I picture myself going back to graduate school and possibly become a professor.

By Amelie Hayoung Koo

FALL FILM

FRENZY Graphic by Christine Lee Sources: IMDB, CGV

By Nagyon Kim

Yearning for a new adventure in a new country, Courtney Caldwell, new English teacher, came to SIS in hopes of learning more about Korean culture. Born and raised in the small town of Port Townsend, Washington, Ms. Caldwell came to Korea after she earned her masters degree at the University of Notre Dame for her first international teaching experience.

“I loved where I was teaching, but I wanted to learn [and] grow,” Ms. Caldwell said, “If I teach in the same place for a long time, I don’t think I change things enough nor do I become [well-rounded] as a teacher. Because of that, I [decided] that international teaching would be a way I could travel, which is one of my favorite things in the world, and teach, which is my other favorite thing in the world.”

To overcome cultural barriers, Ms. Caldwell watches Korean movies and dramas, including “The

The Hunger Games:

Cloudy with a Chance

Released on

Released on

Catching Fire Nov. 21, 2013

Summary: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

of Meatballs 2 Nov. 21, 2013

Summary: Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he’s forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.

Friend 2

Released on

Nov. 14, 2013

Summary: Set 17 years after the events of Friend (2001), Lee Jeong-suk takes Lee Han-dong’s son, Choi Sung-hoon, under his wing as when they meet in prison. However, events take a turn as Choi learns the truth as to why and how Jeongsuk is in jail.

NOVEMBER 2013

9

LIFESTYLE

YouTube Music Awards features mainstream artists

MUSIC AWARDS TOP

MACKLEMORE & R. LEWIS

YouTube Breakthrough

TAYLOR SWIFT

AWARDS

YouTube Phenomenon

GIRLS’ GENERATION

EMINEM

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Source: Stereogum Graphic By: BASON PARK

The First-Ever YouTube Music Awards (YTMA)

By Christine Seo

Lady Gaga performed her new song, “Dope”, in front of a live audience for the first time at the first annual YouTube Music Awards (YTMA) on Nov. 3, among other mainstream artists such as Eminem and Avicii. The live awards ceremo-

ny began at 6 p.m. EST in New York City and streamed live through YouTube’s own channel, YouTube Spotlight. About 60 million YouTube account users worldwide voted on the nominees for the six categories: Video, Artist, Response

Anonymity function on Ask.fm rouses cases of cyber bullying

By Jean Cho

Responsible for the death of nine teenagers during the past two years, social networking site Ask. fm and its controversial anonymity function has recently aroused great public disapproval. Although it was originally created with a good intention to allow people from all over the world to interact with one another, events have taken an unexpected downturn for Ask.fm and its administrators, as cyber bullies continue to exploit the site’s anonymity function.

The teenage suicides began with the death of 15-year-old Ciara Pugsley in Sept. 2012. Eight other teenagers, ranging between ages 12 to 15, also took their lives after being bullied through the website.

The victims received negative comments regarding their physical appearance and, in more severe cases, death threats from anonymous haters.

“I was really shocked to hear about the suicides because these kids are all the same age as me or even younger,” said Jenna Kim (10), an Ask.fm user. “I never realized that ask.fm, a website where I use to interact with old friends and make new friends, could become a killer.”

Since Ask.fm was created in 2010, the issue of anonymity has

been hotly debated because of the possible dangers of the Internet.

Despite such potential setbacks, Ask.fm now has around 70 million users as of August and is especially popular in the United Kingdom.

“I only used Ask.fm for a couple days now but I did encounter some offensive questions,” said Alix Kim (9), an Ask.fm user. “Just reading the questions, which were mostly sexually offensive, made me cringe and think again about using this site. I’m currently on the brink between just ignoring the questions and using the site or getting rid of my account.”

As many people mourned the most recent suicide of Rebecca Sedwick, a 12-year-old victim of cyber bullying, experts have started to question the safety of Ask.fm.

Because the Internet is a virtual community where actions are not monitored by sources of authority, governments such as that of the US are currently struggling to find ways to combat teen suicides.

“Students must be aware of who can see their personal information online and be able to filter the type of information they are posting online,” said Amy Thompson, high school counselor. “Children have to be responsible and take care of themselves when they’re online because there’s only so much that adults can do to help and protect them.”

and Innovation of the Year, as well as YouTube Breakthrough and YouTube Phenomenon. As YTMA was streamed online, it was available to all international viewers.

“Although YTMA didn’t gain enough viewers to become known

as a major awards ceremony, it was innovative, in the way that it had the potential to reach a lot of worldwide viewers,” said Yoon Lee (10), a YTMA viewer. “Currently, the only two famous multi musicianstreaming services are YouTube and iTunes. Usually, large concerts like YTMA are restricted to certain countries you have to go to in order to watch the concert. However, now that YouTube is allowing everyone to watch these large music concerts online, this breaks down the barrier between the haves and have-nots because [those who are] physically unable to go to the concert can now enjoy it.”

YTMA was different from other music awards shows because it was accessible to everyone online for free. It was viewed as direct competition to the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), as both featured nominees like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. However, while this year’s VMAs viewership peaked at 10.1 million and the Grammys at 28.4 million, YTMA peaked at a little over 220,000.

“I didn’t watch the awards ceremony because the promotions and the advertisements didn’t convince me that the ceremony was particularly special,” Yujin Choi (10) said. “As YTMA was held for the first time, it needed to have a specific hook that would attract a lot of viewers, something that made it different from all the rest of the music

awards already out there. Although YTMA was special in the way that it was online and available to everyone, not many people watched it because the show featured the same artists that other shows like the VMAs do. There was nothing that set it apart from other music awards ceremonies and nothing particularly special about it.”

According to Ryan Kim (12), a YouTube Partner, YTMA would have gained more viewers if it had established a fresh and different focus from other awards ceremonies by giving recognition to low-budget viral made by the artists on YouTube who became famous just by uploading their own videos to the site.

“I think it’s very impractical to even hold a YouTube music awards because YouTubers who work hard to produce content themselves are often shot down by famous celebrities [who are] already supported by big companies,” Ryan said. “I don’t like the idea of it, and in essence it’s kind of like those music awards at the end of the year where already famous singers are awarded as always. It didn’t feel like a community-based awards system. If YTMA focuses on the non-celebrities in the future, it would be the only awards ceremony that awards the YouTube stars. More people would watch it and YTMA would establish itself as a special and different awards ceremony.”

DANIEL KIM’S SEARCH FOR

HIDDEN GEMS

Infinite Challenge fuses comedy and music Although recently overshadowed by plagiarism accusations of “I Got C” by Primary, Myung-Soo Park and Gaeko, the Infinite Challenge Freedom Road Pop Festival continued the biennial tradition that began in 2007. In the first event, the team brought in two professional collaborators; in this year’s festival, every member worked with as many as three prominent musicians across different genres. Displaying continuous improvement for every festival, the fourth Pop Festival from the Infinite Challenge team presents comical twists on a variety of songs ranging from hip-hop to electro and R&B. The opening song, “Things That will Disappear” by Jun-Ha Jung, KimC, So-Ra Lee and Beenzino, is an ambient electronic song rare in the K-pop market. The production is reminiscent of the UK garage scene with its more-is-less approach.

Combined with Lee’s eccentric voice and Jung’s surprisingly deep voice, the song exhibits a unique deviation from the jocular image of the comedian.

The appearance of the trending rapper Beenzino completes the hype of the track as an all-star coordination of singers.

There are definitely some songs in which the clumsy effort to incorporate humor into the music arouses questions.

For example, the comedic reference to his protruded mouth (“I can’t eat anything, so my mouth continues to bulge out”) detracts from comedian JaeSuk Yoo’s collaboration with Hee-Yul Yoo and Jo-Han Kim, “Please Don’t Go My Girl,” an otherwise perfect recreation of the 90s slow jam.

On the other hand, “Call Me Oppa,” by Hong-Chul No and indie band Rose Inn, provides a comical relief that is perfectly complemented by a driving rock sound. Similar to

2009’s “Sweltering Gull,” the repetition of the single phrase, “call me oppa” is catchy, while the lyrics of the verses about an aging man is fittingly humorous.

Understandably aimed toward a mainstream audience, the album provides a musical palette with something to satisfy every type of fan. However, the casual nature of the album does not restrict it to a one-time listen. It is true that the root in comedy provides a sense of unity to the album, but the album’s significance is that it is pushing the entrance of comedy as a substantial subpart in today’s K-pop industry.

SPORTS 10

NOVEMBER 2013

Sports Photo of the Month

Varsity boys basketball team defeats APIS in dominating home game

By Yeaji Park

Preview

On Nov. 23, the varsity boys basketball team won a home game against the Asia Pacific International (APIS) Green Hawks. According to Tim Munro, varsity boys basketball coach, the players were slightly tired and looked slow as they were warming up especially because it was in the morning.

1st Quarter

Photo by Yeni Cho

Driving in for a layup, Isaac Kim (12) shoots over two defenders during the home game against APIS on Nov. 23. The Tigers won their ninth consecutive game with a score of 41-19, continuing their undefeated streak.

Unable to break through the Tigers’ impenetrable defense, the APIS Green Hawks were not able to score a single point during the first quarter of the game. The first quarter started off intensely when two minutes into the game, Gene Kim (12), shooting guard, quickly dribbled the ball across the court and shot a two-point field goal. The Tigers were able to propel themselves further ahead after a shooting foul was called against an APIS player, giving Gary Kim (12), small forward, two shooting opportunities, which he both successfully made, increasing the gap to a score of 4-0. The Tigers eluded the Green Hawks’ attacks through their defensive screening tactics and offensive maneuvers.

The first quarter ended with a score of 16-0 and no fouls made by the Tigers.

2nd Quarter

4th Quarter

The varsity boys basketball team started the second quarter with a dominant lead as APIS players lost possession of the ball. After a series of consecutively made shots from the Tigers, the Hawks finally scored their first two-point field goal nearly four minutes into the second quarter, shifting the score 22-2. As the game progressed, the APIS players attempted to overturn the score, closing the gap to 27-7, but eventually trailed behind the Tigers. Forty-nine seconds before the second quarter came to an end, the Hawks were given two shooting opportunities as a result of a foul committed by the Tigers. The Hawks successfully made both of the shots, eventually decreasing the Tigers’ lead to 27-9 and putting pressure on the Tigers to respond in the third quarter.

One minute into the final quarter of the basketball game, the Tigers scored a basket and the APIS Green Hawks shot two consecutive baskets, resulting in a score of 37-17.

As the two teams contended to overcome one another, a series of fouls were called against both teams. Two minutes before the end of the final quarter, the APIS Green Hawks shot their last basket and a few seconds before the game ended, Michael Sun (10), power forward, shot the final basket of the game for the Tigers, finalizing the score to 41-19 and ensuring a decisive victory for the SIS Tigers.

3rd Quarter

After a short half-time break, the third quarter kicked off with the Green Hawks’ possession of the ball. They shot the first goal during this quarter of the game, altering the score to 27-11, and started to catch up to the Tigers once again. However the Tigers widened the point gap as Isaac Kim (12), small forward, did a layup and raised the score to 31-13. The Green Hawks and the Tigers concluded the quarter by each shooting a goal, securing the final score of 35-13.

Overview The Tigers had a successful win on Saturday, however despite these early victories, the team still has some aspects to improve upon and work on for other games in the future. “One minute into the game, we already had scored and I could tell that we were going to be victorious, and we won,” Coach Munro said. “Although I think we did fine for this home game, the boys still need to concentrate harder and work more on their defensive strategies such as being able to effectively guard an opposing player who does not have possession of the ball. Ultimately we always have to have our eyes on the ball because that is what gains us points.”

Boys soccer team prepares for season early Teachers take initiative in

organizing sporting events

By Rosie Kim

By Jungho Daniel Choi

Contrary to previous years, the varsity boys soccer team has been taking multiple measures to prepare for the soccer season early on in the year. In addition to holding weekly soccer boosters since the second week of November, the boys are also participating in an unofficial, newly-formed tournament in January.

Since varsity boys soccer coach Tony Hurt is usually on the field with the players, soccer boosters act as more than just casual games amongst team members. The routines that take place during the soccer boosters are similar to those that take place during regular soccer practices since they usually transition from a small warm-up such as jogging to a full field game.

“Boosters give us a chance to make mistakes and fix them,” said Patrick Chin (12), varsity boys soccer player. “[It is] very possible that we will win first place at the KAIAC tournament, so we need these boosters to [build] experience prior to the season. The main advantage is that we get to use the full field, which isn’t the case throughout the actual soccer season.”

In addition to boosters, the boys are participating in the first unofficial soccer tournament in which Seoul Foreign School, Yong-

Photo by Yeni Cho

Guarding the ball from incoming defenders during a drill, Eugene Yang (11) pivots around to find a teammate to pass the ball to.

san International School of Seoul and Seoul American High School (SAHS) are combining their teams to compete against a combination of SIS, Korea International School and Gyeongi-Suwon International School (GSIS). Each team is drafting 20 players from the three schools, and the boys are using November and December to prepare for the upcoming tournament in January.

“The idea was brought up by the SAHS soccer coach,” said Gary Kim (12), varsity boys soccer captain. “When the GSIS captain contacted me about it, I thought it was cool so we jumped in. I believe that we are fully capable of winning because our squad is very strong. This is also good preparation for the season because a lot of our players will

be able to get more in-game experience, playing against skillful people.”

Last year, the varsity boys soccer team ranked second in the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournament and first at the KAIAC tournament, defeating GSIS, the former champions.

Because of high records from last season, Coach Hurt has very high expectations for this season.

“We only graduated four players, so we’re returning most of our team,” Coach Hurt said. “We had real desire last year, but we can’t just expect [the same results] this year.

Generally speaking, the seniors are done by the time they get to second semester, but we need all players keeping it together to at least have similar results.”

Just as some teachers organize sports seasons for students, certain teachers take the initiative to put together different types of athletic events in which staff members can participate. Every event occurs regularly, on certain days of the week.

Manon Harrison, elementary Reading Specialist, decided to organize disc ultimate (formerly called ultimate Frisbee) games on Sundays and yoga classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mrs. Harrison participates in the games as well, as she believes that these events help teachers stay active and healthy. “[Teachers] are so busy that we sometimes can’t motivate ourselves to take the time to work out on our own,” Ms. Harrison said. “However, when something is scheduled each week, we’re more committed and it’s motivating to know that others will be there as well. It’s also nice to be social and hang out with other staff members.”

Brian Devine, middle school English teacher, who organizes staff basketball every Thursday, said that the number of teachers participating in different events depends entirely on the dynamic of the teachers and the types of sports that they enjoy.

8

When staff basketball was first organized, students were invited to play with teachers because not many teachers were interested in basketball. However students still continue to play during off-season periods even with more teachers involved.

“When we play just with teachers, the games are a lot more physical—it’s more of an adult game,” Mr. Devine said. “When the students are around, we have to tone it down a little bit. But we still like playing with students because they add a fast pace to the game. They might not be as skilled or experienced, but they’re quicker. It just adds a different kind of competition to it.”

Students also say that games against teachers are not only enjoyable, but are also useful in terms of improving their skills. Alex Son (12), who often participates in these student-teacher matches, said that he gets to play in a more physical manner when playing with teachers, as opposed to playing with other students.

“Playing with students helps you adjust to a more organized game, but playing with teachers helps you think on the fly,” Alex said. “I also have to deal with stronger teachers, and participate in more advanced games. I think teachers like playing with skilled students because there’s just more decent competition.”

NOVEMBER 2013

11

SPORTS

Cheerleading teams look forward to progressive season

By Hollis Hwang

Entering the gym on his first day of cheer practice, Sabin Macklin (9) could not ignore the hushed whispers and stares, or the fact that he was the only guy among all of the cheerleaders. Uncertain if he would make the basketball team and persuaded by his cheerleading friend, Eunie Jang (10), to try out, Sabin decided to take on something new by joining cheer this year.

“My friends were all really confused because I spent almost all my time playing basketball and getting hyped about the season,” Sabin said.

“But when the season approached, I told them I was going to cheer instead. My parents were proud and some teachers commented on how it was a manly or fearless move.”

Getting into the varsity team was a surprise for him because he had decided to join the day before tryouts. Sabin also did not expect to be welcomed by the team instantly; he was oblivious to the fact that the cheerleaders were, in fact, excited

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Back-basing Bethany Ko (10) in a straight-up, Sabin Macklin (9) practices stunts with Eunie Jang (10) and Yanis Park (10) before the game against YISS on Nov. 20. This is his first year in cheerleading.

about him joining the team.

“We always wished to have a male cheerleader on our team,” said Soo Kim (12), varsity cheerleading co-captain. “We can do so many

more things with male cheerleaders as base in the stunt group because they tend to be much stronger. But on top of that, Sabin is a great jumper and tumbler. So far, things are go-

Science teacher pursues Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

By Celine Hwang

In middle school, Erik Anderson, science teacher, began pursuing Taekwondo as a means of selfdefense. Although he did not expect it then, his participation in this Korean martial art would lead him to Jiu-Jitsu, a hobby that is now an essential component of his life.

“I had a great plan to get in shape and beat up the guy who was bullying me,” Mr. Anderson said.

“After I came back to the school, the bully apologized and taught me that martial arts would not have solved anything. In a way, that kid was one of my most influential martial arts instructors because he changed my view of martial arts and taught me not to go down a path of aggression.”

After his encounter with Taekwondo in middle school, Mr. Anderson pursued other martial arts such as Judo. However, he first learned about Jiu-Jitsu six or seven years ago when he first began teaching. The principal of his school in New Hampshire, Mikel LaChapelle, had taken Japanese Jiu-Jitsu classes

in Korea and encouraged his coworkers to participate in the sport.

“It took me a while to get convinced because I was so busy working on my masters degree and I did not have a whole lot of money,” Mr. Anderson said. “I was a little apprehensive because when you start a new activity, you need to commit to being bad at it for a while. I realized later that I enjoyed being an athlete and not just [exercising to] stay in shape.”

Since then, Mr. Anderson has continued to train in Jiu-Jitsu but has turned to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because of the lack of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu instructors in Korea and the physical exertion required in Japanese JiuJitsu . Mr. Anderson visits Apgujung twice a week for two-hour Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sessions.

“When I was learning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu in the states, I was third in the nation, but I realized that the sport is really rough on the body because it involves strikes, throws and chokes,” Mr. Anderson said. “In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu you can spar as hard as you want but all you have to do to stop the match is tap.”

Not only has Jiu-Jitsu served as

a means of recreation and physical activity, but it has also assisted Mr. Anderson in understanding his students and reflecting on the concept of learning.

“Participating in Jiu-Jitsu has given me an opportunity to think about learning,” Mr. Anderson said.

“Sometimes teachers forget about learning because they focus on teaching. When I practice Jiu-Jitsu, I reflect on my performance by taking videos and studying moves online.”

Despite the difficulty of pursuing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while teaching and inconveniences such as bruises, black eyes and sore shoulders, according to Marilou Pagarigan, Mr. Anderson plans to continue studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu far into the future.

“When Mr. Anderson comes home from practice, he is refreshed and invigorated,” Ms. Pagarigan said. “Jiu-Jitsu helps him clear his mind and wherever we travel, Mr. Anderson looks for a place where he can practice Jiu-Jitsu. Even when he rides the train to practice, Mr. Anderson studies specific moves because Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most interesting aspects of his life in Seoul.”

ing much faster than last season and with the help of Sabin, I hope we can successfully get advanced stunts for our competition.”

A male member, however, is not

the only change for the cheerleaders. With the completion of the two gyms, the varsity and junior varsity teams now have an entire gym for themselves to practice in. According to Soo, the new gym allows for more space and accurate positioning in preparation for basketball games without having to imagine being on a court.

Along with a new facility, both cheer teams have new coaches, Andrea Goodrich, varsity coach, and Amy Thompson, junior varsity coach. Experienced as cheerleaders and coaches, they bring in new routines while learning the teams’ customs.

“Coming in clueless was hard because the varsity team was already set in its last year’s ways and routines,” Coach Goodrich said. “Also, because I have worked mostly with girls, I am now learning what the male role in the cheer is. Sometimes we have to modify cheers so that he looks good doing them. And I hope that since Sabin has taken the first step [to join], other guys will see cheerleading as a sport that males can participate in.”

MC SPORTS

COMMENTARY This column is a short commentary on sports events that are happening around the world. The commentators, Christine Lee and Milton Yoon, express their opinions about these sports events. This particular episode is about Eun-seon Park, South Korean soccer player who is under the spotlight for her “questionable” gender.

Christine: Hello readers! Welcome to another episode of MC Sports commentary. Milton, today’s guest is someone who we should all give a big, welcoming hug.

Milton: Indeed. After the sudden intense scrutiny and interest in her “real” gender and role on her team, our guest, Eun-seon Park shows remarkable perseverance.

Christine: Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Eunseon Park!

Park: Thank you so much for having me today.

Milton: So what exactly happened?

Park: I am 180 cm tall and weigh 74 kg. Due to my androgynous physical appearance, the managers of six Korean women’s professional football league teams are threatening to boycott if I continue to play, claiming it is unfair for someone who might not truly be female to play on a female team.

Christine: How did you feel when you first heard about this apparent “controversy?”

Park: Truth be told, I was extremely hurt and disheartened. I couldn’t believe that the other teams would try to boycott my participation in future games if I didn’t get a gender test.

Milton: But didn’t you already take gender tests in the past?

Park: Yes. I was extremely humiliated because I have undergone many tests in order to compete in the World Cup and the Olympics. However, I refuse to let these threats bring me down; they’re just jealous that I had a record of 19 goals in 22 games last season.

Christine: How did the Seoul Sports Council general secretary and coach react to the boycott?

Park: He said that to have me undergo so many gender tests when they ultimately prove that I am female every time was a violation of my human rights. I’m thankful for their support.

Christine: Really, these people need to know when enough is enough. It’s rude and extremely offensive, no matter what the player’s appearance is like.

Milton: I agree whole-heartedly, Christine. It was nice getting input from the victim herself, so thank you Ms. Park for being so frank with us.

Park: No, thank you for giving me the chance to!

Christine: Well, that’s it for our sports commentary, folks!

Milton: Remember guys, although it may seem trite, don’t judge a book by its cover! We’ll see you guys next issue!

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

SMALL TALK STUFF

Y A S E L P O PE ABOUT GRADES

3

NOVEMBER 2013

1

Students: How could my teacher give me this horrible grade? I always knew he/she hated me! This is all his/her fault.

Of course, you should definitely blame your teachers because this grade was in no way affected by how you did on the test. If your teacher hates you, don’t even bother studying; there’s no way you’re going to get an A in that class anyway.

2

Parents: I heard that (insert name) got a higher score than you! How come your grades aren’t as high? How come you aren’t as smart? Why are you such a failure?

This seems shocking, but maybe you shouldn’t measure your child’s achievements by how well they did in comparison to others! Studies from the schools you so desperately want your children to attend actually say that grades don’t accurately measure a person’s intelligence.

By Bason Park

FAUX NEWS

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Teachers: If you get anything lower than an 80 on your test, you can make it up to a 90. But if you get an 81, that’s your final grade.

Well, I guess this means that if I’m unconfident about a test, I should just completely bomb it this time and make it up to a 90 later. I mean, it’s only the difference between a C and a B!

4

Meet Helen Song!

Colleges: We don’t only check the grades of our applicants! Students are not their scores; we want students who care about more than just academics!

Don’t be fooled, the average student of every single university was in the top 10% of their high school class. What they really mean is that you need to have a perfect GPA, perfect SAT and ACT test scores AND a variety of extracurricular activities!

Holy Tower sets world record; school purchases cleaning robots

Littering at an unprecedented rate, high school students at Yosemite International School were recognized earlier in November for their contributions to the newly constructed “Holy Tower.” The students attended a ceremony, where the 200 meter Holy Tower broke the Guinness World Record as the highest peak of trash ever known to mankind.

“I am proud of the fact that the school was able to actually get together and initiate such a meaningful project,” said Kayle McClain (12), student representative.

“This not only encourages school spirit but also establishes the genuine satisfaction after a notable accomplishment.”

In fact, the Holy Tower serves as a tourist attraction, which provides a huge portion of the school’s funds. Despite this success, the school administration did make an effort to reduce the amount of littering; however, this policy was met with criticism from the student body.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that we, students who work hard in school, have to pick up the trash after ourselves,” said Amanda Jordan (11), president of Conservation Club. “Why don’t we have private maids and other peasants pick up our trash in school like we do in our homes?

The rich and privileged kids are not meant to handle dirty business.”

Regarding this matter, the school also

Disclaimer: All comments are in good fun. Please don’t hate. Appreciate the humor.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

asked the environmental department to start a campaign to prevent students from littering. To the dismay of school administrators however, the teachers of the environmental department collectively presented a resolution to the situation, which proved to be popular among the students.

“What comes from nature goes back to nature,” said Ivano Humpback, adviser of Go Green Club. “In our new Campaign for Reflective Learning, we required the members to litter as much as possible so that elementary and middle school kids can actually learn something meaningful while picking up trash for Earth Day. Active engagement is the only way to raise awareness about the situation.”

In an effort to reduce the amount of trash around the school, officials have launched an initiative to order private cleaning robots for every high school student. These robots are specifically designed to eat and crunch up any piece of trash whenever the assigned student litters on the floor.

“The private cleaning robots were implemented effectively by the school administration,” said Tation Madwick, high school principal. “We are currently trying to order permanent robots so that they can serve for the rest of the students’ lives through college and beyond.”

Photo by Christine Lee

Performing Lee Juk’s “Running in the Sky,” Dustin Yoon (11) passionately sings during the rehearsal for the UNICEF charity concert. The event took place Nov. 27 during activity period.