Tiger Times Volume 32 Issue 5

Science is in the air Seoul International School S o n g p a P. O . B o x 4 7 , S e o u l , S o u t h K o r e a 1 3 8 - 6 0 0 Volume II, Issue 5 February 2009

Inside This

Issue

VIEWPOINT_3

Versus: Are calculators beneficial?

NEWS_4

AP Literature and Drama II classes collaborate.

FOCUS_6

Find out what happened ten years ago...and what will happen ten years later.

LIFESTYLE_8

Personality Profile: Mr. Gray Macklin

SPORTS_10

Cheerleaders end their season at the KAIAC competition.

SMALLTALK_12

Say What: “What’s up?”

The Science Club hosted a chain of exciting and succesful events for both middle and high school.

Go to page 5 for Science Week

SIS prepares for WASC examination Nearing the end of its accreditation term, SIS is striving for yet another approval by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). A Visiting Committee (VC) has planned to visit to evaluate and gather further information about the school.

According to the WASC Accrediting Commissions for Schools website, WASC ensures that schools are running and maintaining quality educational programs. In order to do so, it conducts visitations of the facilities themselves and requires the schools to send in Self-Study reports, documenting the school’s curriculum and overall progress.

WASC then assesses schools on how effective they appear to be in their organization for student

learning, curriculum and instruction, support for students and overall development.

Just recently, the SIS faculty sent in the school’s own Self-Study report to the WASC VC. After reviewing the school’s report, six members of the VC, which consist of one member from the United States and five members from other Asian accredited international schools, have planned to visit during the week of March 8-12 to validate the findings in the report. They intend to observe classrooms, spend time talking to teachers, administrators, parents, students, and examine student work.

According to Mrs. Karen Baier, the Director of Curriculum and Staff, who is in charge of the WASC pro-

cess in SIS, the faculty is thoroughly prepared for this examination.

All faculty members were divided into subject area teams or “Home Groups”, which were responsible for reviewing and completing data sheets about the curriculum in each subject area. In addition, teachers and staff were all members of one of the four groups which examined the school’s support for student learning, organization for learning, curriculum and resource manage and development.

Aside from encouraging students to familiarize themselves with the TIGERS acronym, the school is not requiring or demanding that the students prepare for the upcoming WASC examination. The posters in the hallways are merely to help stu-

dents, who are a part of the evaluation, to view the school in light of its purpose.

“There is nothing students need to prepare for the WASC visit,” said Mrs. Baier. “All students at SIS should expect to be a part of the visitation as VC members will want to talk to students both formally and informally during their visit. Students should openly and honestly discuss their experiences at SIS.” The observations made during the evaluation process are the basis upon which the WASC Commission will grant SIS a term of accreditation anywhere between 1-6 years.

As a result, teachers and staff members encourage students to take this visitation seriously (can I say that?)

WASC accreditation is essential in students’ access to colleges and universities. It ensures that the school is a trustworthy institution for learning, and confirms the integrity of the school’s curriculum.

Furthermore, it validates students’ transcripts.

said Taiwon Kim (9), a THIMUN delegate. “A lot of make-up work, especially projects, was due in just a few days from our return.”

Teachers have expressed mixed views regarding the issue of students missing class due to extracurricular activities. Some teachers, such as Mr. Bob Havens, Head of the Computers Department, believe that missing class time because of sports is not any different from missing class time in order to sleep in.

“Either way, students miss the necessary guidance from teachers and can not learn solely from

the reading the textbook,” said Mr. Havens. “[These] students flounder because they are not receiving enough help.”

Other teachers sustain opposite beliefs. Teachers like Mr. Michael Castellani, Head of Mathematics Department, believe that it is “definitely worth missing school” when students show commitment to an activity. As long as students plan ahead by notifying teachers beforehand, they have an acceptable excuse to miss class. Mr. Benjamin Paulson, Biology teacher, shareed a similar outlook on the situation.

“It is difficult [for students], especially when they miss out on labs and are out of touch with homework,” said Mr. Paulson. “However, I’m fine with it as long as they make up the work and still show participation during class.”

Excused absences, like extracurricular activities and other priorities, have always been a concern.

However, since the school provides these opportunities, teachers and administrators annually have tolerated these events. This semester, unexcused absences have increased and have become a greater concern—

unexcused absences include arriving late to school without a hospital note or parent phone call. Although senioritis could be the issue, the fact remains that many students have increasingly not shown up to classes without notice.

Teachers primarily have shown distress over the few students who missed the same class at least twenty times, since the harsh fact is that these certain students missed half a semester’s worth of that class. Most teachers hope that the administration will come up with a more successful solution to this issue.

Certification: Students and teachers promote TIGERS acronym.

By Vickie Ahn

“...VC members will want to talk to students both formally and informally during their visit,” said Mrs. Baier

Frequent student absences raises issue Undecided: Administrators and teachers share similar concerns regarding the number of student absences.

By Michelle Yi

Students returned from winter break to battle another semester of school—or, some students have returned. Ever since second semester began, the number of student absences per day has increased greatly, according to Ms. Dong Eun Lee, High School Principal Secretary.

“About ten to fifteen [high school] students are absent every day,” said Ms. Lee. “They tend to be mostly seniors.”

Teachers began to suspect a pattern among students when they found the same students continuously missing their first period classes.

Chronic absences left constant disappointment, frustration and indifference from teachers, especially when these students turned up later on in the day.

Student involvement in school extracurriculars increased the amount of absences as well. Already in the first month of second semester, The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) conference and the basketball trip to Japan caused students to miss school days: THIMUN members missed school for more than a week, and found themselves swamped.

“Getting back on track with school work wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, but the first two days were tiring and hectic,”

Page 2 February 2009

VIEWPOINT All responsible for the maintenance of clubs

By Andrew Hwang

Though not a new phenomenon, this year has seen a spate of clubs appealing to specific niches given up on after only short periods of time. Formed by teachers and students, the casting aside of clubs even before a school year is up shows that all sides involved—the school administration, club organizers and the students themselves—have made some missteps and not fully carried out their responsibilities.

Clubs are supposed to allow groups of likeminded students and teachers to gather so activities they all have a vested interest in can be carried out. Whether it is providing a service to the wider community or teaching students new skills, clubs should be a valuable asset to the school and individual students, and in nearly all cases, they are. Nearly.

Club organizers either showed ignorance or had a penchant for extremely bad luck when they went about making their clubs. Club leaders must commit all the way through the year and provide the leadership all clubs need to keep members motivated and excited. Problems of low student turnout or lack of enthusiasm are not only the fault of the

members themselves, but the organizers’ for not doing more to raise awareness or spirit. Administrators who okay nonviable clubs and teacher advisors who fail to nudge members hard enough in the right direction contribute to the problem as well. But the solution for such a problem is simple.

Proposals for new clubs already require approval from administrators and a teacher sponsor. Summaries that detail the originality and purpose of the club are already required in application forms. What is required here is upping the ante—strengthening the original guidelines and setting a higher goalpost for the viability of club activities, and providing a more critical eye from administrators.

While this may lead to a few clubs not getting the opportunity to form, future clubs will be held to a higher standard of quality, which can only be good for their members.

Club organizers and to a lesser degree, teacher advisors, should not be afraid of using stricter measures to whip unmotivated students into shape, while at the same time members should be equally critical and responsible for their club’s wellbeing. Maybe then we’ll see an end to the unspectacular finishes of so many clubs.

Only send Val-o-grams with the right intentions Considerate: Students showed their care through Val-o-grams.

By Yuri Han

Around the world, Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to grand gestures of romance or affection.

Even at SIS, it has been traditional for students and staff to send Val-ograms to lovers and friends as a way to show their appreciation.

The High School Student Council (HSSC) began the sale of Halloween- and Val-o-grams to fill students with more spirit for the holidays. The HSSC hoped to fill students with the Valentine’s Day spirit of caring and loving others.

Val-o-grams have proven to be very popular among students.

Valentine’s Day gives an opportunity to demonstrate gratitude to friends, or for shyer students, Valo-grams provide the chance to send anonymous hints to the ones they like. Students who receive them are filled with thanks because they can tell that the senders took time and money to send them.

Some would say that Val-ograms are cliché and may even try buying chocolates on their own or show their admiration for others through words of encouragement and praise face-to-face. Students should be willing to send Val-ograms to friends. Students at times feel obliged to buy Val-o-grams for all their friends but are burdened by the cost, but the price of 3,000 or 4,000 won seems minimal compared to the gratitude receivers feel.

Students should choose to send Val-o-grams not for the sake of tradition. They should not feel a need to send them. The purpose of sending Val-o-grams is often misunderstood.

People should send and receive Valo-grams to others to share gratitude and appreciation with others. Sending and receiving Val-o-grams can be a much more worthwhile experience when we send them for the right reasons.

Seoul International School Songpa P.O. Box 47 Seoul, South Korea 138-600

Editorial: What we think This month’s editorial Involvement—it’s something teenagers tend to have little control over. We are often naïve and thus fall head-over-heels for some things—like hobbies, celebrities and, of course, love. With arguably less self-discipline than adults, we have difficulties controlling how fast and hard we fall. On the other hand, we seem to have a agespecific repulsion to some other things in life such as, say, political, social or moral issues—in short, anything that takes more than a single text message to communicate.

It’s not that we feel fundamentally alien to the array of issues that constantly surround us, and certainly not that we’re stupid. It’s simply that we’re too wont to a quick and violent love; we are inexperienced with slowly immersing ourselves in something. We take our youth for granted, but simultaneously fear its transience; we find it difficult to reconcile with the fact that our life and time is not limited to our adolescent years—yes, that adults actually have a life, too. Hence, we indulge in things that offer the most timeefficient means of entertainment.

Viewed from this angle, perhaps

maturity is analogous to one’s ability to take and sustain an interest in something that usually does not yield immediate gratification.

Then, what is a possible meaningful alternative to wandering the streets, playing games, watching television or staring at the wall? Well…arguably just about anything, but really. How about getting involved in an issue at school for a change? We all very much enjoy complaining and whining, and are moderately willing to listen other people complain and whine, but seldom do we take the initiative to do something. To get to the root of the problems.

Take, for example, the countless lunch periods we spend poking at the food in front of us, repeating like a broken record such comments as: “There’s nothing to eat,” “I can’t believe I paid for this,” or “Ew.” Somehow these clichéd lines—or rather, this type of attitude—have become a natural part of our daily routine.

Each day as we revive our traditional conversation opener, the words flow out like a rehearsed stage play, and to conspire together once again seems to unite everyone under a common banner. Sitting down for lunch without

first carping about the food seems like an anomaly.

However, if an issue is as big of a deal as for one to feel obliged to bring it up every single day, then why have we not bothered to do anything about it?

This year, there have been some major changes since the elementary school parent group established a food quality control system. Students, too, can get involved. For example, the HSSC is already initiating progress via its new blog.

Through conversations with several J&J Catering representatives, we have discovered that it is in fact possible to improve the food options.

We’re not saying that paying more is the solution. However, we can certainly explore the options and collectively choose one. For example, less variety in the menu but an improved ingredient selection.

The point is, we need to get ourselves involved. If the only school spirit we can ever muster is to criticize the cafeteria food, then we have a problem.

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

Excuse me but may I check your age Arbitrary: Age is only a number.

By Seungho Yang

Everything has a number on it, whether it is a price, an expiration date or a rating. Whereas prices and expiration dates have objective scales, ratings—the Rated-R kind—are subject to the opinions of middle-aged men discussing just how appropriate the content is. Not only is this process of rating flawed, the very idea of age used as a sole indicator of a person’s maturity is fundamentally defective in design.

The origin of ratings in the US dates back to the mid-1900s with the emergence of highly (porno)graphic movies. Although some movies resisted the change by citing free speech rights designated by the First Amendment, a series of Supreme Court cases mandated the ratings of movies.

The concept of rating itself is a step in the right direction and its attempt is synonymous with categorizing music into different genres.

The problems arise, however, when the rating system is put in practice.

According to the Motion Picture

Association of America (MPAA), “[The Rating Board] member estimates what most parents would consider to be that film and appropriate rating.” Sometimes, putting oneself in someone else’s shoes is prudent, but there isn’t just one pair of shoes; there are, in fact, millions of shoes to try. Coming up with a rating therefore is not only futile, but also misleading because of difference in standards and cultures.

Such is evident as nations do not share common ratings for the same movie or even a game. For example, there is no Korea’s NC-18 equivalent in the United States, stemming from Korea’s traditionally conservative culture.

However, the bigger problem lies in the fact that the rating is based on age. Age simply—and only—indicates how many years that person has lived. It details absolutely nothing about the person’s maturity or what the person’s parents consider “appropriate.” Moreover, it is the sexuality and nudity in the movie that most affect the ratings. There is never a movie that received NC-17 rating for its gore— unless, of course, a bare woman was the victim.

Turning from 17 to 18 does not magically boost one’s maturity. Age is too arbitrary of a unit to be used for supposedly objective standard like rating. It is like putting a price tag on a violin based on its age.

Granted, the price is determined by age to an extent but other conditions factor more. Besides, it does not take an 18-year-old to click “I am over 18.”

Therefore, the entire system must be abolished. Instead of rating movies on age, movies should be categorized more specifically and indicate if the movies contain gore, violence, nudity and so forth. The content must be judged and viewed with audience’s discretion because it was created by the people for the people. Ratings should not obstruct the creative message artists wanted to convey to the intended audience.

Recently, the song “Rainism”

by Rain was deemed inappropriate for teenagers, but the rating says more about the conservative community we live in than about the song itself. What is lost is not just Rain’s profit margin, but also artistic merit and talent when they are held back from the public by arbitrary age ratings.

Photos by Michelle Yi

Editors-in-Chief Stephanie Choi Monica Park

Copy Editors Stephanie Char Kristin Kim

Managing Editor Janice Yoon

Reporters Mellanie Ahn Michael Chung Yuri Han Andrew Hwang Eunice Kwon Elizabeth Song

Production Editor Gina Han Graphics Editor Jennifer Sun

Layout Artists Vickie Ahn Paul Cho Andrew Lim Elli Shim Seungho Yang Michelle Yi Photographers Yoonie Kim Alex Kim Jennifer Park

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 of the immediate materials and substantial physical disruption of the school.

Advisor Ms. Carolyn Brown

February 2009 Page 3

Obama will fail to revive the economy Ineffective: Obama’s economic stimulus plan will become a disaster.

By Andrew Lim

The 2008 US presidential election was by far the biggest event that happened last year not only for America, but for the international society as well. Attention was concentrated on the two presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, since the winner would have to shoulder the burden of rescuing America out of its recession which had been plaguing the global economy since September. America’s choice was Barack Obama.

For the past couple decades, the US government encouraged Americans to overspend, sometimes beyond their financial capabilities, in order to maintain its impressive growth as the world’s largest economy. Unfortunately, this overspending is what caused America to run into its current credit crunch because people over-estimated the resources they could spend and invested too heavily on mortgages they would not be able to afford. To solve this problem, the government

needs to reduce its national debt and help people realize their limits.

Unfortunately, Obama’s plan is full of naïve shortcomings that will not only not improve America’s economy, but also cause it to plunge down even further.

Obama’s stimulus plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, states that its “Plan is that it should save or create at least 3.675 million jobs by the end of 2010” by spending close to 800 billion dollars to grant the middle class tax cuts, help budget-deficit local governments, extend unemployment benefits and build green architecture.

Unfortunately, as of February 5, 2009, America’s national debt topped 10.6 trillion dollars. That is 34,929 dollars per individual. Adding another 800 billion onto the already immense number may be able to provide temporary relief, but will hit Americans even harder when tax rates eventually increase even more in the future to pay off America’s forever increasing debt.

More importantly, the 800 billion dollar plan is inadequate to sustain the economy. Goldman Sachs estimated that the economy would shrink about five percent in 2009.

To keep up with the pace of inflation

and population growth estimated to be at two percent, the plan must make up for a total of at least seven percent, or close to one trillion dollars, worth of annual economic activity to keep the economy running.

Unfortunately, 800 billion dollars used at its maximum potential only accounts for three percent of the US’ Gross Domestic Product.

However, the greatest problem Obama’s economic plan faces lies within the distribution of the 800 billion dollars in itself. According to Obama on January 10, he is willing to take “immediate and dramatic action” to revive the economy. Ironically, he plans to modernize 75 percent of federal buildings. How then, will the people who have lost their jobs and homes benefit?

The 800 billion dollars labeled as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan can easily seem like a savior for someone who has just lost his or her job. Unfortunately, this plan is both inadequate to save the economy and too disorganized to meet the needs of Americans.

America’s economy is crashing and the global economy is suffering.

Now is a time to slash government spending, not increase.

VIEWPOINT

Earn your way out of curfews Latitude: Curfews are necessary for students’ safety and discipline, but should be adjustable.

By Elizabeth Song

At a time when students try to be free of the restrictions set by adults, curfews always seem to be in the way of staying out as late as students want.

Towards this matter there are generally two extreme opinions.

The first is that students should be able to independently come and go as they wish. The second, opposing idea is that students should be kept safe at all costs, and that students need restrictions to keep them from going the wrong way.

Those who support curfews tend to argue that students are still in the stages of adolescence and may have the impulse to defy the authority of their parents. Therefore, curfews prevent such rebellious behavior as engaging in illicit behavior, which in turn keeps students from having to face the consequences of such actions, which could include endangering themselves.

In many cities in the US, local

governments set curfews for students to lower the juvenile crime rates and keep juveniles from becoming victims of crime at night.

Such curfews proved to be effective in fulfilling these goals in more than half of the cities, as shown by the decease in these cities’ crime rates.

Those who do not encourage the existence of curfews, assert that because students are becoming adults and more curious about the world around them, they should be given the liberty to explore their environments and make mistakes for themselves. Controlling students too much can backfire by causing more stress and making them feel trapped, leading to increased dissent. This has been proven by some of the cities that enforced curfew laws, which backfired and increased the cities’ crime rates instead.

But because students are still in the process of learning to discipline themselves, some kind of curfew is necessary. The best way to compromise between students’ freedom and the need for restrictions could be to have a flexible curfew, which would depend on how responsibly the student behaves. Students could work to prove their accountability in order to earn more freedom, which would be a win-win situation.

VERSUS NO

Over-reliance: While our fingers are busy pushing away at buttons, our minds are doing less and less mental pushups.

The calculator is undoubtedly an excellent example of how technology makes life more convenient, but sometimes life becomes much too convenient: when students depend on their calculators more than is absolutely necessary.

Of course, there is always the temptation to archive equations in calculators for exams. As with any gadget, calculators have the immense potential to enable students to cheat. But students should understand the reasoning behind equations such as sine law without having to resort to equations punched in beforehand on a calculator. Take trigonometry: teachers and textbooks explain how sine law, cosine law, trig identities and more are all linked together. Even if a student does not memorize every single equation, they can be derived from one another. Calculators discourage such mastery of math.

Even when the majority of students use calculators honestly, the capabilities of calculators begin to surpass students’ skills, or students bypass independent thinking and simply find the answers. The mantra that a TI-89 can solve the SAT IIC Math is true to an extent, since the “solve” and “factor” functions can ace a good portion of the test. Korean public school students, whose math classes stress minimal calculator use, are famed for better math performance than students in American curricula.

An overdependence on calculators also hurts students during noncalculator sections on school exams and Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Outside exams, calculators give students the impression they do not need to invest a great deal of time or concentration into math— “I’ll just cram and then fudge the test with my calculator.” And while indicating the process by which one arrives at a final solution is crucial, calculators jump over such steps.

Even if one focuses on the applications of math, leaving calculations to the calculator and “higher” thinking to people, students cannot comprehend the full scope of extensions from such basic calculations if they do not even have a grasp of the calculations. Pythagoras could not have created his theorem without understanding the basic characteristics of triangles; nor can students hope to build off his theorem without a full understanding of the original theorem first.

No one expects students to find 414 pi without a calculator. But the expectation that students can solve functions should not be lowered just because machines can do it too. While homework might take more time without a calculator, as Kanye West said, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

By Stephanie Char

IS THE USE OF CALCULATORS

BENEFICIAL?

Photo by Yoonie Kim

YES

Simplifying the steps: The TI-84s and the 89s do not make students a less of a mathematician.

Fact: No one enters a math class in SIS without a TI-84 or TI89 calculator. Math curricula and textbooks over the years have been adjusted to include the use of these efficient tools, and for some classes, having at least one Texas Instrument calculator is a requirement. This is because application questions on tests and quizzes look more for the thinking process rather than the actual calculations. For one, application questions in math certainly do not ask for the solution to the equation x3+3x2-5x+2=0. That is the calculator’s job. Figuring out the angle of the sun relative to the ground is ours.

The seemingly unlimited power of the machines’ ability to calculate is simply there to address the growing complexity of the modern math class. Curricula are slowly moving beyond the concept of a calculation driven class, and there are more applicationbased questions appearing on tests and quizzes. Application questions usually come with a background story, and students must figure out which theorem/formula best applies to a specific situation. These type of questions deal with real life situations in which math must be used outside the ordinary realm to figure out a practical, logical solution to a problem.

The calculators cannot do the thinking for the students.

To argue that calculators interfere with students’ simple math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) is silly, because the first handheld electronic calculator was invented in 1967, and have been around ever since. Other forms of calculators have been used from the beginnings of history, when the abacus was used to simplify tedious calculations. The first ever mechanical calculator was invented in 1623, but that did not stop the world from producing the world’s greatest mathematical geniuses such as Isaac Newton, the father of modern calculus, and John Nash, who revolutionized the concept of the Game Theory in application to math, to name a few.

Calculators are certainly more helpful than they are harmful because they provide students the opportunity to delve deeper into the field of mathematics. The use of calculators in class reduces the time spent tediously on numbers, and actually makes efficient use of class time possible. But it must be noted that in order to use the advanced applications of any of the Texas Instrument calculators, students must first master the concepts behind the actual calculations.

Sources: www.vintagecalculators.com www.npr.org

By Alex Kim

Page 4 February 2009

NEWS Seniors excel beyond school walls Gifted: SIS is populated by talented twelfth graders with numerous accomplishments outside of school.

By Eunice Kwon

Apart from in-school successes, many students enjoy basking in the limelight out in the real world. Seniors, who are at the last steps of their high school career, shared their achievements outside SIS. One of SIS’ oldest and consistent bands is Phunktion, a band made up of Eddie Ha (12), Andy Chung (12), Alice Jun (12) and Nate Lee (12). Phunktion is noted for its performances featuring Minji Reem, an alumni trumpeter, and William Jun (11), a guitarist. This group of talented musicians plans to perform at Mosaic English Café in Jeong-Jadong.

The opportunity could not have been possible if it were not for the initiative of its members.

“I was surfing through Facebook,” said Andy, “and I found out that there was a concert going on at a café in Jeong-Ja. I wrote in their comment box that we wanted to perform, and then the next day, a guy asked me to send some samples.”

Being able to perform for a new audience is an exciting prospect for Phunktion, and they expect to bring about a new level of professionalism. Music, however, is not the only talents that the seniors possess.

Though he first grabbed a golf club in sixth grade, Teaseung Kim (12) only began to play golf seriously two years ago. Since 2007, Teaseung has been a part of the Korean

Youth Golf Association (KYGA), through which he can participate in youth competitions.

Recently, Teaseung took part in the Imperial Lake Tournament and placed in the upper half. At the moment, he is still in the process of training, since he had to take a short hiatus due to college applications.

However, he was still enthusiastic about his plans to take part in more tournaments in Korea and train hard to gain the semi-pro license.

This license not only gives a title, but it also allows the golfer to join professional-level tours with monetary prizes.

“Watch me get in the top ten,” said Teaseung, “and watch me tan in the process.”

Three seniors, Karen Kim (12), Christine Choi (12) and Sarah Park (12), traveled to Bulgaria in July of 2008 to participate in a debate competition hosted by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) and finished as octofinalists.

They participated in a Karl Popper debate, which requires the debaters to provide a policy as to how to solve a problem. Jenny Jun, an alumni, coached the team during the earlier parts of the summer and even followed to Bulgaria for assistance.

Recently, Karen Kim, Christine Choi and Rachel Choi (12), with a slight member change, participated in Korea High School Debate Championships (KHSDC) and placed as quarter-finalists.

SIS has also its very own published writer, Jon Choi (12), who has had two written pieces published in Arirang, a literary magazine. Jon wrote about the presiden-

tial elections in the spring and the Korean beef demonstrations in the fall of 2008.

“I felt that it would be an interesting opportunity to write something and have it published,” said Jon. “It seemed fun, but it turned out to be a lot of hard work, but I still thought it was a very beneficial experience for me.”

Arirang issues with Jon’s articles can be found in the Secondary School Library.

The numerous benefits of being talented students not only include recognition and pride, but also monetary rewards. SIS will receive one thousand dollars to advance science and math education, thanks to Michael Chung (12), a semi-finalist of the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search Competition, who will also receive one thousand dollars worth of prize money.

“I’ve been conducting some independent research [on genetics] since freshman year to explore my outside academic interests,” said Michael.

He wrote a 20 page research paper on “determining the possible genes responsible for causing congenital tooth agenesis.” His interest in this subject area allowed him to go the extra mile and become the only SIS winner of or even applicant to this competition.

High school shows lack of interest in hoodie sales

creative.”

“If I was a high school student, I probably wouldn’t want to wear the same hoodie as a middle school student,” added Mr. Keith.

Many female students found that the SIS color scheme of black and orange in itself was unappealing, while another suggested reason for low sales was the lack of awareness.

By Kristin Kim “I was able to spot the puny The sale of SIS hoodies by the poster on the already-crowded bulMiddle School Student Council letin boards, but I’m pretty sure my (MSSC) did not generate an enthusi- friends just passed by them,” said astic response from the high school Jennifer Lee (10).

A majority of students respondstudent body. ed that they did not Each year, the about the MSSC has designed “I try to buy as much know hoodie sales despite and sold hoodies to school merchandise the posters around fundraise and promote school spirit. as possible because the school and announcements in the Due to the success wearing your school daily bulletin. of hoodie sales in “It was defithe middle school colors promotes nitely out there,” last year, the MSSC school spirit, and I’m said Jonathan Choi expanded its cona representative,” (12). “We only have sumer base by inourselves to blame cluding the high said Mr. Keith. for being ignorant.” school.

High school While roughly half of the middle school student librarian Ms. Carolyn Fazenbaker, body and many teachers bought who was in charge of hoodie sales, these hoodies, very few high school suggested that high school students just “don’t have as much school spirit students made purchases.

“I absolutely love ‘em,” said Mr. in general.”

MSSC president Irene Lim (8) Bryan Keith, Activities Coordinator.

“I try to buy as much school mer- expressed her disappointment at the chandise as possible because wearing lack of interest, but also her determiyour school colors promotes school nation to help create a more successful marketing campaign next year. spirit, and I’m a representative.”

“I want to tell next year’s MSSC One of the primary reasons for the lack of interest from students was to create a prettier design and start advertising earlier using attentionthe design.

“The face of the tiger in the grabbing methods,” said Irene. “But smack middle does not make me I guess the success of the sales will want one,” said Kevin Son (11). “I still depend on the level of school wish the design [could] be a bit more spirit, which is very low right now.”

Apathetic: Despite the continuing tradition of success for the middle school, there was a low turnout of high school hoodie purchasers.

AP Literature and Drama II undertake a joint project

Collaboration: Drama II students are performing tragedies that were written by AP Literature students.

By Elizabeth Song

The Advanced Placement (AP) Literature and Drama II course schedules were aligned so that the Drama II class could analyze and act out scripts written by AP Literature students.

Out of the five scripts that were written by the AP Literature students, Drama II students voted to perform two of the scripts called “Johnny Silver” and “Wreckage of Rooney Records.”

“Johnny Silver” was written by seniors Jong-Seok Kim, Monica Park, Eunice Kwon and Karen Kim. This tragedy is about a young man who was widely known and praised in a small, rural town. He struggles to deal with the pressure to do well and eventually succumbs to evil, which leads to his downfall.

“I think our script was chosen because it’s a relatable story for most students, especially Korean kids,

because they feel the pressure from their parents and the people around them who want them to do well,” said Jong-Seok Kim. “We’re all living a tragedy.”

“Wreckage of Rooney Records” was written by seniors Hannah Choe, Betsy Han, Elli Shim and Gautam Kumar. This tragedy is about a record producer who lets money and fame go to his head, but eventually learns that in the end personal relationships are all that matter—the hard way.

“Our script was chosen probably because we included a lot of stage directions and considered the material the drama class had to work with, such as the number of people and props,” said Betsy Han. Each script was written so that it could be performed within 25 minutes, which Mr. John Rider, the Drama II teacher, called “Lunch Box Theater.”

According to Mr. Rider, he and Ms. Katherine Trueman, the AP Literature teacher, had been thinking about making this project ever since Ms. Trueman became the AP Literature teacher last year. However, last year it was too late to change the course schedules to match up.

They considered this cross-pol-

Photo by Yoonie Kim

Springing up on the table, Justin Oh (10) acts out a fight scene with Ted Kim (10) during the Drama II class rehearsal. lination between AP Literature and Drama II because the AP Literature course had a unit on tragedy, covering literary pieces that were both plays. Seeing this link, they decided to align their timetables.

“The idea of this project is fabu-

lous because it is more authentic in that it is not just an assignment,” said Ms. Trueman. “There is the pressure to write well for an audience other than just the teacher so it bumps it up a notch.”

These productions will be per-

formed towards the end of February and possibly into March.

As Drama II students prepared for these performances, they generally showed a positive response to this new project in that they were relatable.

“I think that since the scripts were written by people my age, I can connect to the plot and the characters more easily,” said Rebekah Lee (11), a Drama II student.

Mr. Rider has planned another joint program, but this time with Mr. Michael Castellani, head of the Math Department, for Math Week. The Drama II students will perform a play called “Proof,” a Broadway production about math by David Auburn.

This play will be performed by a small group of Drama II students. The plot surrounds around the daughter of an insane mathematics professor who proved a mathematical theorem that her father was unable to prove himself. Thus the production is appropriately called “Proof.”

“I’m always looking for new performance opportunities because I really try to get the actors out there to gain more experience,” said Mr. Rider.

February 2009 Page 5

NEWS

Science Club provides students with educational experience J&J works Improvement: With to improve more participants this quality of food year, the weeklong event provided many students an educational experience.

By Kristin Kim

By Mellanie Ahn

Photo by Yoonie Kim

Paddling with flippers, Mr. Benjamin Paulson, AP Biology teacher, floats on a student-made stryofoam raft in the swimming pool during the Float-’Bout-Teachers event.

rk

Pa Jennifer Photo by

Floating teachers on studentconstructed boats, blowing paper darts, and dropping eggs were the key events of the annual Science Week, during the second week of February. Hosted by the SCIC, otherwise known as the Science Club, the events involved the whole student body including elementary, middle, and high school students.

The Float-‘Bout-Teachers event started off the Science Week on Monday with the help of the science department. In this particular event, the students were told to devise ways to float teachers on umbrellas, kickboards, plastic noodles, and balloons. “ T h i s event was a great success,” said Christine Youn (11), the president of the Science Club. “I personally was not responsible for organizing Science Week but I was very proud of what we had accomplished. The participants seemed to enjoy themselves, watching their teachers float helplessly on junk, and seemed to have learned a lot from this particular event.”

However contrast-

ing from the previous day’s event, the Paper Blow Darts event experienced a lower turnout.

“It was a little bit disappointing because only about ten people came when we expected a bit more than fifteen people to come,” said Sandra Kim (12), the student leader of the Paper Blow Dart event.

“Many people came only because it was mandatory or for extra credit.”

Even with the low turnout the few students who participated in the Paper Blow Darts event expressed mostly positive feedback.

“It was fun,” said Andrew Eom (9), a participant in the event.

“But they should have made the rules clear-

er and I don’t think the [Science Club members] explained the scientific aspects of this event.”

Despite the Science Club’s efforts to educate the students and show them how science works in everyday environment, some students walked out of the events with very little knowledge of what they have learned due to the fact that many of the later events were disorganized.

“I didn’t think [the Jeopardy event] was that fun” said Eunice Lee (9), a participant. “Most of us just went and tried to answer as many questions as possible for the donuts. It was pretty disorganized and I don’t remember half of the answers [to the questions.] I just went because all of the freshmen had to go to at least one event.”

“The Jeopardy event actually taught me a few facts that were in a way that was amusing and informal,” said Timmy Chung (9), a participant who won the Jeopardy event. “But the Egg Drop event was really disorganized and the in-

structions were vague.

Personally I didn’t learn much from that event.”

E v e n though several Science Week participants commented that several events were disorganized, many of its participants had fun trying new activities and learning a couple of new scientific facts along the way. Photo by Jennifer Sun

“The price of food is the same at Seoul Foreign School (SFS) and SIS,” said Mr. Nam Sang Gyu, transportation director.

According to a recent poll which surveyed 60 random high school students, only 7 responded that they are somewhat satisfied with the quality of J&J food and 45 felt that the food is too expensive. However, when asked how much more they would be willing to pay to improve the quality of the food, 24 students said they were not willing to pay more, and 20 responded that they were willing to pay 500 to 1000 won more.

Coaches, teachers and students who have traveled to SFS for various purposes have questioned why SFS is served a wider variety of food than SIS. “SFS’s cafeteria is very large, which is why they have more foods on sale,” said J&J manager Ms. Jae-yong Kim. “But because our kitchen and cafeteria in general are so small, we will not be able to increase the variety of food, but just the quality.”

J&J’s efforts to keep its promise of serving better food have increased.

Every day after lunch, the chefs and nutritionists hold a thirty minute meeting to discuss the menu in depth.

J&J food specialist Mr. Jooyong Kim will be visiting SIS for three weeks to work with the J&J staff and also help improve the taste of food.

“Though I am a new manager here and I can not comment about the food prior to my arrival, I think it’s safe to say that we will be making strides in the next few months especially by using the new recipes and methods Mr. Yong teaches us,” said Ms. Kim.

March filled with anticipated events Updates: Students wait for the events to come with high expectations.

By Eunice Kwon

Photo by Alex Kim

Matthew Lee (11) packages Val-O-Grams with different candies and chocolates using an array of cups and wrappers.

After a month of low-key activity, the High School Student Council (HSSC) geared up for upcoming events, including the anticipated Task Auction, which will take place on the first Monday of March.

HSSC’s next assembly will be the Task Auction, where teachers, students and administrators auction off “tasks,” such as baked goods, a date or homework late passes. In previous years, the names of those who pay more than 100,000 won for a task were entered into a raffle for a prize.

“We already asked specific individuals to volunteer tasks,” said Jong-Seok Kim (12), executive president of the HSSC. “A [tenta-

tive] list will be made by February 18.”

Following the Task Auction is the annual Lock-In in the first week of April. On the day of Lock-In, the afternoon is dedicated to high school Field Day. This year, there were many talks of a joint Field Day: earlier this year, UNICEF planned to host a carnival with the Community Service Club, but due to its clash with the HS Field day, the project was not carried through.

HSSC offered to work together with UNICEF to organize this year’s Field Day. Other organizations are also attempting to take part in this highly anticipated event.

“National Honor Society (NHS) is also looking to work with the student council,” said Christine Youn (11), historian of NHS. “A jointproject in a big event will help raise awareness of what we do.”

During Lock-In, the Junior Council will host the Tiger Palooza, a

talent show for high school students.

Students look forward to these events. Freshmen are excited at the prospect of participating in a new event, while seniors are expecting much for their last ever.

“I’m looking forward to the adrenaline rush that I get when I’m on stage [of Tiger Palooza],” said Cathy Park (12). “But I’m going to be really sad afterwards because it will be my last performance.”

Much of the enthusiasm derives from the success of the Val-OGrams the Junior Council that were distributed on Feb. 13.

After receiving feedback from the student body that the HalloweenO-Grams were disappointing, the HSSC put more effort into making the Val-O-Grams more worthwhile.

The inventive ideas of offering two different types of Val-O-Grams and giving out teddy bears to seven lucky winners added to the success.

10 Years into the SIS in

10 years?

Courtesy of Tracy Lee Photo by Jennifer Sun

From the Tiger Times archive

Babies of the 90’s visit past icons

By Eunice Kwon

In America, children woke up as early as six in the morning to catch the cartoon marathon One Saturday Morning on ABC. Kids begged their moms to buy Lunchables to take to school. On the other side of the hemisphere in Korea, the craze for High-five of Teenagers (HOT), Sea Eugene Shoo (SES), and other groups fired up. Boys cut their bangs to match those of Moon Hee-jun, a member of HOT.

Welcome to the 1990’s.

As high school students, rushing by seems to be the popular lifestyle. Caught in the middle of a flurry of papers to write, applications to fill out, tests to study for and equations to solve, students have no time to stop and think back at their innocent and carefree past.

This is the moment to revisit the 90’s, back when things were much simpler.

Cartoons

Music

Nobody can describe the 90’s without mentioning the boom of Pokémon. Regardless of where one lived, Pokémon was a hit; stickers, toys, game boy packs and most importantly, Pokémon cards played a huge role in the lives of many children. Magic School Bus was another well-liked cartoon that elementary kids looked forward to watching during science classes. In many cases, much of the science knowledge derived from the numerous episodes of the Magic School Bus.

Back in the days, the battle between the Backstreet Boys and N’sync was prevalent throughout the 1990’s; on the bus, it was common to see girls squabble over which group was better. When Britney Spears took the world by the storm with “Baby One More Time,” dancing to the song became popular.

In Korea, HOT created history in Korean music. Not only did the fan clubs become more official, but also Korean music became cool or more modern. Girl groups, such as SES and Fink.L.E., appealed to the male population with their innocent and girly music.

Games

Movies

The golden game of the past was without a doubt Seven Up Heads Up. With seven people walking around trying to decide whom to pick, children eagerly waited for the press of the thumb. The simple pleasure of being chosen and attempting to guess beats any computer game that is popular these days.

During our childhood, there was an explosion of Disney movies, such as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Mulan. 1990 also marked the beginning of our favorite series of Home Alone and Jurassic Park. For a slightly older generation, Schindler’s List, Sleepless in Seattle and English Patient made a hit, but the biggest hit was Titanic. In Korea, Chin-goo and Shi-ri became a turning point for Korean movie industry.

Sayings

After a successful and popular Cap’n Crunch Cereal commercial, the phrase “[If you love it so much,] why don’t you marry it?” became a popular response to all sentences that started with “I love…” For young children, the best saying was the obnoxious “not!” tacked on to the end of a compliment; for example, one would say, “You are so pretty…not!” Perhaps the most popular saying, however, was a retaliation that kids, mostly girls, used: “Talk to the hand.” With a hand gesture to go along with it, this phrase caught on to the 90’s generation in a snap.

Books

Girls from the 1990’s most likely remember the Babysitter’s Club or Babysitter’s Club Little Sister

by Ann M. Martin. The two series grew up with the late 80’s and 90’s generation, as they included man worries and drama female children experienced in elementary and middle school. The Goosebumps series by R. L. Stine was adored by boys; the appea ing covers with textured titles and the horrifying sci-fi plot all added up to the attraction.

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PAST and FUTURE The yellow school bus came racing down the street, as it burst its doors open in my face. I climbed in as the autopilot’s robotic voice greeted me in, scanned my finger print, and took my attendance. I sleepily sauntered through the elementary and middle school sound-proof cubicles and slid the doors to the high school area where many of the students were sound asleep on scarlet plush couches in the back of the bus.

I slowly sunk into one of the plush couches in the corner, pulled at the ear plugs that were attached to the couch, and selected a song from my personal playlist, that was saved into the school database, from the mini screen attached to the seat in front of me.

I fell asleep until the couches started to vibrate alarming us that we had arrived at school. As soon as the bus conveyer belt that looped around the school paused at the front steps, the students were allowed to get off.

I thought to myself. “Oh my gosh, I just hate the front steps. I have to climb up all these stairs…Why can’t we just install escalators? All this nonsense about preserving the school’s identity. How is preserving a huge set of staircase from the 1990’s with stone lions on the sides keeping the school’s identity?”

Nevertheless, after a tiresome climb and a wave at Lottie IX, the school guard dog, I finally stepped onto the escalators that soon led me from the first floor to the third and then to my locker. I simply love to open my locker.

In fact, our school had recently purchased a new set of lockers for the whole student body. These lockers are so high in technology that they open whenever I touch any part of the surface of my locker. And as soon as it reads my finger print, it would glow a certain color of my preference.

Then after detaching my laptop from the built-in charger in my locker, I ran into my first period class. I was just in time for biology. There was a huge spotlight on the hologram stage, and I realized that I was just in time for the lecture given by the Harvard professor about the circulatory system in front of

about a thousand, live students from across the world.

Because I spent the whole night before watching clips on Youtube, my eyelids began to feel heavier by the moment. ZZAPPP!!! My body felt a jolt of electric shock. I shivered momentarily while I tried to shake off the feeling. I forgot that I programmed my chair to run a slight electric current through my body, for incase I ever missed a part of a lecture.

And the classes dragged on until an announcement for a lunch break was made. The students all lined up in the cafeteria in front of a whole row of J&J vending machines. When it was my turn, I decided to go to the Chinese food vending machine and pressed a combination of buttons for stirred fried chicken, rice, and some herbal tea.

Without further due, I dug into my lunch.

Mhhm. The taste of J&J machine food. Nutritious, delicious, and fast.

The school day went by like a breeze. As I climbed back into the back couches of the bus, I sighed in relief and thanked the sound proof cubicles for keeping the savage-like elementary kids quiet. And I began to wonder how in the world my parents survived a bus ride without sound proof walls.

By Mellanie Ahn Courtesy of Tracy Lee

Judgement Day is Near Ranging from literature to video games, the year 2012 is given special attention.

In all of these seemingly fiction sources, there is one aspect in common: argue that from year 2012, the world will simply come to an end. Some of these published works have some credible information that enlightens people about the possibility of this happening while other ideas are just out of the box.

The most widely spread ideas about what will happen in 2012 are the geophysical and cosmological speculations. One of them was proposed by John Major Jenkins, who claimed that a physical alignment will take place between the earth, sun and the galactic center on December 21, 2012. He claims that with this alignment, it is most likely that there may be an unknown gravitational force that can destruct the Earth. However, experts argue that this alignment will be no different from a typical solstice.

Besides some notions related to scientific thought, there were also metaphysical speculations about the future. 2012 is claimed with some New Age beliefs to be a year of great spiritual transformation. Several esoteric sources interpret December 21, 2012 as the completion of the thirteenth Baktun cycle in the Long Count of the Mayan calendar, which means there will be a drastic change in world order.

“The general idea behind this ‘end of the world’ prophecy is credible and incredible at the same time,” said David Han (12). “On some scientific aspects, it is as though those events may actually happen, but there are many other widely fictional speculations, which are just ridiculous. Above all, it is the future and no one knows.”

Even in modern times, the prophecy of the menacing 2012 seemed to remind the people through the media. An example is Francis Lawrence’s film I Am Legend (2007), in which the tragedy of a cure for cancer mutates into an airborne strain that kills 5.4 billion people in the world. Another example is Paul Anderson’s Death Race, which was released last summer. In the film, the US economy fails, which then leads to a series of events that lead

the world to a disaster. In the aspect that the current US economy is not so much thriving, there is some possibility of the events in the movie coming true.

Like Han believes, it is really hard to set the line between the reality and fiction for these speculations because 2012 is years away. However, this ongoing parade about the many possible events that can happen in 2012 may be derived from people’s desire to actually know when human civilization will end. Until that year comes, no one can certainly know.

By Michael Chung

Courtesy of bioplanet.com

Page 8 February 2009

LIFESTYLE

How typography defines you.

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Graphic by Jennifer Sun

If Alfred Hitchcock was still alive, Transsiberian is a movie he would have directed. Starring Woody Harrelson (from 3:10 to Yuma) and Emily Mortimer, Transsiberian is a thriller that follows an American couple traveling across Russia who get caught up in a chase of drug trade and murder.

Its Hitchcockian cocktail of photography and music builds and maintains the suspense and fear throughout the movie, with its setting of Trans-Siberian train adding laustrophobia to the mix.

2 | “Fringe”: “Fringe” is when “The X-Files” meets “Lost” and “Heroes”. This new TV slot on Fox, by J. J. Abrams (producer of “Lost” and Cloverfield), is a sci-fi show with a blend of future technology and conspiracy. The team consisting of an FBI agent, a scientist nicknamed “Frankenstein mixed with Einstein” and his son solves case after case of paranormal incidents.

Since only about half of the season has aired so far, anyone can catch up with the highly acclaimed show on Wednesdays.

3 | digg.com: Digg is among the first social content networking websites where users share online content from articles to photos to video by digging. Once the webpage is digged, other users can digg the story if they like it, and once there are enough “diggs,” it can appear on the front page, allowing even more diggers to see it and digg. Digg boasts a fan base of over 200 million users making even the most obscure but interesting web pages (and hours and hours of internet surfing) just a click away.

Kristin’s

KitchenTaste-Off Casse Croute

☺☺☺

Conveniently located by the main entrance of Rodeo Street, Casse Croute is one of those places you pass by all the time without taking notice. Offering a different taste from the classic waffle and ice cream combination, the freshly cooked waffles are covered with a sauce of your choice (strawberry, kiwi, chocolate or caramel), topped with yogurt ice cream, and folded in half like a sandwich. Since the store is a stand, there is no place to chill out with friends and you can only get the 3000 won waffles to-go. But while I was walking around I realized that the waffle sandwich wasn’t a drippy disaster, as I had expected, but a drippy delight. The combination of slightly sour yogurt ice cream and the sweet waffle which initially seemed repulsive created a unique harmony.

Goodbye, typewriters.

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1 | Transsiberian:

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Showering serves many unique purposes Useful: Students shower for purposes other than hygiene.

By Yuri Han

Showering is commonly known as a method to cleanse our bodies. The daily routine has taken on more uses, however, with the growing number of products created for bathing. In addition to washing ourselves, students find that showering has soothing and invigorating effects as well.

Shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other hair treatment products are what people usually think shower products are limited to, but products have expanded to include bath salts and minerals, bath oils, moisturizers, and aroma therapy.

Students use these products to

relax their senses. Many students, for example, use products with a pleasing aroma, since they relax our muscles and please our senses of smell. Aroma therapy has also proved to cure health problems such as digestion and headaches.

“I use a lemon face pack while I shower,” said Jenny Han (10).

“Whenever I smell lemon, I feel relaxed and calm and tend to think positively. I also like how my skin feels a lot smoother and refreshed.”

Depending on their personal preferences, students choose to shower in hot or cold water. Both choices have similar therapeutic effects. Students prefer to shower in cold and hot water to calm or rejuvenate them, respectively.

“I like taking warm showers in the morning,” said Soyeon Kim (11). “If you take cold showers in the morning, it startles you and makes your muscles all tense.”

Taking cold or hot showers also have the effect of raising heart rate and relaxing the muscles. Other students who do not take showers in the morning usually prefer taking cold showers in the afternoon after a long day of school.

Occasionally, it is healthy to take showers under very hot or cold temperatures for short periods of time. When at extreme temperatures, however, water can have negative effects on the body, such as the formation of rashes and slight nausea.

“When I go into the shower, I wait ten minutes before I use any shampoo,” said Jungho Han (10).

“I want to stay longer in the shower because showering is a way for me to postpone homework, cool down, and relax.”

Sources: www.thebodyworker.com www.marksdailyapple.com

On this month’s menu: Waffles!

What is better to complement the sweet scents of springs than mouth-watering waffles?

☺☺☺☺☺

The Sand

Upon her suggestion, alumni and food expert Minji Reem and I visited The Sand, which was hidden among the maze of streets behind CGV in Gangnam. The three options included waffles with ice cream, fruit, or both with towering piles of whipped cream as a given. A side order of coffee and hot chocolate further satiated our sweet tooths as we watched the cooks busy in action in the open kitchen, one of the most defining characteristics of The Sand; we were lucky to receive a seat with a clear view and watch our masterpiece come to life. The sofas and interior decoration were set up in a manner as to elicit a communal feeling. No more than 20 people can be seated so there may be a wait, but I still recommend that you visit The Sand with a loved one or good friend.

Though swarming with couples, it was the perfect place to chuckle about old times and catch up with Minji.

February 2009

Page 9

LIFESTYLE

Not-so-romantic husband at home, beloved teacher at school Mrs. Macklin on the last day of that month at 11:59 PM in a singing room or Noraebang. He sang for Anyone who has taken Mr. her “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Macklin’s class and has listened to Presley, an allusion to a scene in a his enthusiastic lectures knows that David Lynch movie. In the film, the Mr. Macklin can go on and on about main character is about to sing for any subject in history. However one his angry girlfriend “Treat Me Like thing every student doesn’t seem a Fool,” when she asks him to notice is that he never talks to sing “Love Me Tender” about himself. His personal instead. He refuses her life is completely closed off request—and says he would and unknown to the student sing that song only to the body. However through this woman he will marry. interview, he gave But after thirteen Tiger Times a little years of marriage taste of what his life Mrs. Macklin was outside of school still convinced that was like. her husband was Once a unromantic. She custodian during went outside his high school without a jacket and graduate to see if her school years, Mr. husband will lend Gray Macklin, her his coat. Seeing that AP US History he never did, she told and World History him he was the most teacher, knows how unromantic guy ever. to handle ‘dropped’ A n o t h e r ceilings, change any account Mr. Macklin kind of light bulb, and remembered was when even trim hedges. He he was dating Mrs. worked as a custodian Macklin. Mrs. Macklin during the day and asked him to plan her attended night classes birthday party; however to balance out his job his only problem was and education. that he forgot when her “One thing I birthday was and then learned during [my she refused to speak to experiences as a him. custodian] was that you “You don’t are never too educated understand when I say to work for a living,” she didn’t speak to me. said Mr. Macklin “I just It means literally not liked to get out, instead Photo by Alex Kim looking at me or even of sitting around in an being around. But she office during an internship.” started talking to me again when I After university, Mr. Macklin gave her a Sony CD player for her came straight to Korea and married birthday present.” his wife Mrs. Ji-eun Macklin, Despite Mr. Macklin’s inability currently a hagwon teacher. They had to show his very tender side, this dated each other for one year when Valentine’s Day the couple spent Mrs. Macklin told her boyfriend that their time playing pool, a sport she would only accept his marriage in which they both used to enjoy proposal that month and refuse if he playing during university. proposed at any other month.

So Mr. Macklin proposed to

By Mellanie Ahn

By Stephanie Char Dandy: While you finish off the last remnants of your Val-O-Grams and other holiday sweets still lurking somewhere in the corners of your locker, consider the comparative benefits of the following chocolates.

CANDY Kisses

Snickers

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

SERVING

GLORIES PER SERVING

These frivolous sweets are meant to substitute for the real deal, but are actually even Five better. According to a British study, the oral sensation after eating chocolate lasts longer than it does after kissing.

As its name suggests, this candy will make you laugh out loud. Peanuts add to the per- Three itty sistence of the uplifting effect Snickers have bitty bars on your mood.

A Ferrero Rocher is the chocolaty equivalent

Ferrero of a Ferrari: expensive and smooth. They’re Rocher also really fast—to disappear down your

One

1200

2400

900

throat, that is.

Just like every awkward party needs an ice-

and some music, every person needs Twix & breaker Two crunch and sound in his or her life. This small Crunch some bars goodie is easy to share while showing a lot

2200

of care and cookie or rice crispy chew.

“Her-she’s” may seem exclusively targeted at

Hershey’s & girls, while Mr. Goodbar sounds much more Mr. Goodbar masculine. Whichever you prefer, these sta-

Four

1000

ples of chocolate cannot be missed out on.

*Recommended glories per day: High school students who are overworked or just in need of some culinary sunshine should intake at least 5000 glories per day. *Allergy information: Those who are chronically gloomy, not just those temporarily down due to overcast February skies, should avoid all the above foods unless recommended by a medical professional.

Graphic by: Michelle Yi

A: Hurt them. Or not.

Q: What is the next necessary step after you miss the school bus?

A: Bus hop.

Many students do not take advantage of the fact that SIS uses several buses (creatively labeled using the letters of the alphabet) to transport everyone to and from school.

Because concentrated numbers of students tend to live in certain neighborhoods classified as hagwon havens, many of these buses cross paths. Study your neighborhood and locate school buses that make stops nearby after your own bus has left. Find out where such buses pick up other students and when. So, on mornings when you miss the bus by only a couple minutes, do not waste time drowning in self misery. Detour to your new destination. Run. Run. RUN. Tip: stay physically fit so you can catch the other bus before it unknowingly leaves you behind, too. If the bus driver proves to be a direct threat to your bus hopping, play the parent card. “My father owns [insert name of big company here], what now? Let me on.” (This has a 93.44% success rate like NASOR, as the claim does not apply to all. Plus, at least a few heirs of such large businesses already have private transportation.)

Happy hopping.

Q: What measures should be taken to silence the loud kids on the bus who interfere with that extra half-hour nap you really need?

SIS elementary school children are somehow not intimidated by threats, so don’t bother. Their parents are also proactive and will probably respond if you get physical, so don’t even try. Rather, put on your happy face and prepare for Plan A, short for Appease. Consult them in a firm, yet friendly manner. Ask them nicely to put away their PSPs and refrain from screaming out strings of swear words they have yet to fully understand.

If they refuse, turn to Plan B, which stands for Bribery.

Bribe them with sweets or other fascinating gadgets that do not make sounds. Reminder: whatever you do, do NOT lose your cool, because they will too—guaranteed.

After you negotiate with them, return to your seat and stretch out for the best nap of your life.

Q: You overslept and there is still much work to be done. How do you do it on the bus?

A: Do not despair.

Indeed, some drivers are quite reckless, but this cannot be helped (they allegedly compete amongst each other in driving to SIS the fastest) and can be managed very easily. When you get yourself settled on the bus, slump slightly in your seat, prop your foot up against the edge of the arm rest in front of you, and use your bent knee and a folder as a temporary desk. If the person sitting next to you is the type who never stays still when sleeping on the bus, position his or her head so that it is leaned against the wall and not against you. Memorize your answers and write them all at once while the bus waits for a green light or is stuck in traffic, instead of trying, and failing, to write while the bus is in motion. Use a gel pen so that you do not have to press into the paper too hard when writing. Too much pressure combined with the lurching bus can result in holes, which decrease your homework’s level of professionalism.

By Elizabeth Song Butterflies flutter in your stomach. Your heart races in your chest. You steal glances over your shoulder. And you hope to dear god that you are not blushing. These are just some of the symptoms of adolescent love. By the time students have graduated from high school, almost everyone has experienced them at least once. When having such feelings, students tend to express them in various ways.

Pearl Kim (11) “You show that you like someone by telling them straight up. I’m a bold person and I hate dragging things on or playing “games.”

Andy Chung (12) “I tend to show some more feelings toward her than to other girls. I always try to be there for her and try to show her that she's special to me, such as by complimenting the girl a lot and just doing good service for her.”

Photos by Jennifer Park Graphic by Paul Cho

Page 10 February 2009

SPORTS

SIS Cheerleaders enthusiastically spirit to finish line Tournament: Cheerleading season ends with KAIAC Cheer Competition at KIS with KIS and YISS taking away first place.

Photos by Jennifer Sun

Varsity Cheerleaders put Rachel Nam (10) up to a half stunt during their rehearsal of their final routine in front of the student body on the day before the KAIAC competition.

under a strict time limit with violation boundaries set inside the gym along with other rules set under KAIAC guidelines. After long debates in previous years about the subjectivity of judging by coaches, all schools were judged by professional judges from the National Cheerleading Association (NCA). Each routine was

By Elli Shim composed of dances, cheers, jumps and stunts, all varying in choreogOn February 7, after two years raphies that required weeks of hard at Taegu American High School work and practice.

(TAHS), the annual KAIAC Cheer“For about a week, we had afleading Competition’s venue changed ter school practices to about 6:30 or to Korea International School (KIS), even 8:00. We had to anticipate misattracting crowds of friends and takes and ways to transition from family in support of the cheerlead- them,” said Betsy Han (12), Varsity ers from the Cheerleader.

“We worked really eight schools In the AllSIS, KIS, Star competition, hard,” said Helen Lee TAHS, TCIS, cheerleaders had (12). “I think we did an to perform specific OAS, SAHS, ICS-U and awesome performance gymnastic moves, YISS. ICS-P such as a round-off, so I’m proud of the was unable in addition to three team.” to attend the jumps and a chocompetition reographed cheer. due to member injuries. Three dif- Changes in the KAIAC manual apferent competitions were hosted in plied to the All Star competition: the Junior Varsity, Varsity and All cheerleaders had to chant the same Star categories. lyrics in the cheer they performed.

“We worked really hard,” said Each school had about two competiHelen Lee (12), captain of the Var- tors try out with a total of 10 winsity team, “and I think we did an ners, of which TAHS took first and awesome performance so I’m proud second place. SIS had three particiof the team.” pants, Helen Lee (12), Cathy Park The SIS Junior Varsity team (12) and Mellanie Ahn (11). won second place behind KIS. The Though they were all rivals, SIS Varsity team placed fourth out of cheerleaders from different schools eight schools, while for the first time cheered each other on and displayed in years, first place streaking TAHS a sportsmanship. Close to the end of did not take the winning plaque. In- the competition, coaches from each stead, YISS won first place while of the teams presented flowers to TCIS and OAS took second and their senior cheerleaders followed third place, respectively. by a final performance by the KIS All competing teams arrived Junior Varsity cheerleading squad in early in the morning for prep and which kindergartners, first graders a five minute practice time on the and second graders joined, bringing floor, and were required to perform the KAIAC competition to an end.

Swimmers kick off to yet another promising season Alteration: Swimmers

overcome the challenges of the changes to this year’s swimming season.

By Yuri Han

The Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ swim teams started their season with many changes from last year including a new coach, Mr. Aaron Harring, and new Korean American Interscholastic Activities Conference (KAIAC) regulations. Swimmers trust they can adjust to these revisions and have an even more successful season than last year.

The teams reduced their team numbers to twelve boys and twelve girls this year due to KAIAC regulations. Before, an additional six people were allowed to participate as exhibition swimmers in games.

Accordingly, swimmers were able to take part in meets, improve their technique and motivate themselves to become full members of their swim teams, even if they could not place.

Photo by Alex Kim

During a pre-season practice, a seasoned veteran swimmer Nick Hong (11) works on his butterfly strokes, in preparation for the upcoming KAIAC and Japan competitions.

The changes are viewed as constructive modifications, since athletes will be able to practice with swimmers with similar abilities.

Although exhibition swimmers will not be able to practice during meets, the time swimmers spend at meets will also be reduced since there will no longer be any exhibition heats.

Swim team members can use the extra time then to practice.

“[The rules] will help the team stay more organized,” said Debbie Kim (10), Varsity Swimmer. “The changes made this year will help the team. There are also a lot of good new members this year, so I think we have a pretty strong team this year, as we did last year.”

Last year, the boys’ team had nine members, but enough students tried out this year so that the team

had 12 members. On the other hand, the Varsity Girls swim team that to cut many students who tried out to maintain the maximum number of students allowed on the team.

“I think we’ll perform much better than last year,” said Herbert Chun (11), former captain of the Varsity Boys. “We have more boys, so we have a better chance of beating YISS, which will make us place

third for sure. We have a really good team like last year.”

Since only the fastest members were chosen and most swimmers are good at the same stroke, the captains of the varsity swim teams wonder whether there will be fast swimmers for all the events.

“They’ll have to train more to get better at every stroke,” said Rebekah Lee (11), Girls Varsity cocaptain. “We don’t have as many practices as last year. We’ll do well this season. We won’t do that well the first meet, but we’ll be first in the end.”

The Varsity Girls and Boys Swimming teams are scheduled to compete in Osaka, Japan for the first time. In previous years, the swimming teams have gone to other countries including Singapore, but they decided to participate in the Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) this year. They left school on February 19.

“From my experience of traveling, competing is a great way to make friends,” said Aline Kim (10), Varsity Swimmer. “After such [an] experience, people definitely want to travel again and compete again.”

February 2009 Page 11

SPORTS

PHOTOS OF THE

STATS

Parting words

“Both the girls’ and boys’ teams have improved a great deal, but could have done better at every game: the boys sold themselves short when competing with historically stronger teams, when they can compete with all the teams in the league. To play better, they need to have more confidence, which can definitely come from playing with competitive spirit on their own off season.”—Coach Chris Hinrichsen, Varsity Boys Basketball.

Varsity Basketball

MONTH

Conference Tournament

Boys

6th

5th

Girls

7th

5th

Varsity Soccer

Tigers on the field had a strong showing in both their preseason activities and lengthy tryouts held in mid-February. With the graduation of many veteran players, noticeably seniors from the boys’ team, new players were “really into it” and showed a great deal of enthusiasm, according to Coach Elissa Nunes of the Varsity Girls’ team. Coach Nunes and Coach Erik Custer have focused on plyometrics thus far to increase leg strength and more control fitness with the soccer ball, including five kilometer runs like previous years, but this time, dribbling all the way. With a high turnout for tryouts and morning runs, Coach Mitchell Waters’ philosophy for the boys’ upcoming season embodied a competitive spirit aiming for first place. The Tigers’ season will open with a friendly match against Global Vision Christian School (GVCS), while the boys and girls are headed for Osaka and Yokohama in Japan, respectively, to compete with four to five other Asian schools in April.

Varsity Swimming

A cap of 24 Tiger Sharks was set for the Varsity Swim team this February, 12 boys and 12 girls.

While in previous years, any swimmers committed enough to attend practices swam with the team and competed as exhibition swimmers at tournaments, new KAIAC rules have eliminated all exhibition rounds in an effort to shorten lengthy swim meets. The top twelve were chosen based purely on speed by new trainer and aquatics teacher Coach Aaron Harring, who has created set routines for Mondays and Thursdays, with Wednesdays designated especially for relay races. Swimmers are exempt from Tuesday and Friday practices to be well rested before meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Another new face to the similarly new pool, although not to school, Coach John Rider has joined the Tiger Sharks after four years of experience with elementary students’ swimming boosters. The team has been scheduled for a trip to Osaka, Japan beginning February 19 to sneak in some competition before KAIAC begins.

Varsity Boys’ Basketball team travels to Japan Experiment: The sports department took a step to enter into a global setting.

By Paul Cho

The Varsity Boys’ basketball team’s visit to Yokohama International School (YIS) was an effort to provide an opportunity for students to be exposed to the world outside SIS. The administration placed more importance on the international component than on victory.

“We wanted cultural exchange from a competitive learning atmosphere,” said Mr. Bryan Keith, Activities and Athletics Director.

The school has offered international trips for students who are part of an academic clubs such as Model United Nations (MUN) and Mu Alpha Theta (MAT). International sports events, however, have decreased after the administration eliminated APAC and Far East from the list of annual sporting tournaments four years ago.

By entering the YIS tournament, the school is planning to create an organization of its own with inter-

national schools in Vietnam, China, The basketball team did engage and Japan. The administration is in a new environment, but prioriplanning to involve the school in an tized winning over sight-seeing. In association that holds tournaments fact, the school finished second out annually and consistently. of the four schools, Osaka Interna“I think it is a good opportunity tional School (OIS), YIS, and Nato compete, gain some confidence, goya International School (NIS). and become “Meeting and global citicompeting with “Meeting and competzens,” said schools that are not ing with schools other from the KAIAC Varsity Basketball Coach than the KAIAC schools league was fresh Mr. Chris was fresh and new,” said and new,” said BriHinrichsen. an Kim (12), capBrian Kim (12), The athtain of the Varsity letes who travBasketball team. captain of the Varsity eled abroad “Although we knew Basketball Team. also respondthe trip was a good ed positively break from school to the tournaments held abroad. work and stress, we still wanted to “Getting the opportunity to win, and we worked hard for it.” visit a foreign country and compete The boys played a total of against other international schools four games, each against the three in Japan was lots of fun,” said Jona- schools and twice with OIS. SIS than Choi (12), Varsity Basketball played against OIS in the finals, and player. “SIS should definitely con- lost by a score of 48 to 41. Eventutinue this program.” ally, SIS came in with a two win two However, the players failed to loss record. There were also events interact with other students at the at the end of the tournament in which tournament.

Jonathan received first place for the “We just wanted to beat them,” free throw contest and Brian, John said Jonathan, “not make friends Ho (12), and David Yi (11), were sewith them.” lected as All-Tournament players.

Photos by Alex Kim

Page 12 February 2009

Small Talk

*

*

**

*

* What is up with “what’s up”?

Parents. Paranoid parents. Obsessive parents. Overprotective parents. Strict parents.

Whatever kind they are, parents are parents.

As typical teenagers with hormones that are usually all over the place, we often have conflicts with them and their exertions of authority over our lives.

Marlin is most obviously the overprotective parent. He cannot let Nemo go outside anywhere without holding his fin, and constantly reminds Nemo that the one thing that he has to remember about the ocean is that it’s not safe.

Nemo is exasperated by how he has to beg his father to let him go to school and count how many stripes Marlin has (he has three) to show that he’s in good enough shape to go out.

And when he finally is released into the “drop-off” on a school field trip he goes against every restriction his father set by doing something Marlin had always dreaded.

He touched the butt.

We have all touched the butt before. This sign of rebellion defines the stage we are going through—struggling to become independent beings and be treated like them.

Despite her inability to do anything much but “just keep swimming,” Dory does say some wise words about Marlin’s promise to not let anything happen to Nemo when she says, “Well, you can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Nemo.”

But there are times when as teenagers, we must learn to put ourselves in the oppositions’ shoes and remember that despite some of the unreasonable restrictions of our parents, they Therefore, while it necessary for our parents to learn to let go, it is also important for us to try to respect that our parents have the best of intentions and are willing to do things like travel across the entire ocean to find us, like Marlin did himself.

So although our relationship with our parents may not as be as Squirt’s and Crush’s, we should always keep in mind that our parents want the best for us.

Sweeeeet. Totally.

FauxNews Experts are warning of what has been called a “pandemic of epic proportions.” With preliminary findings showing at least 99 percent of Americans afflicted with a yet unnamed, devastating disorder, potentially hundreds of millions have had a drastic reduction in their quality of life.

The full list of symptoms has not yet been fully documented, but clear trends exist within all demographic groups affected.

“Loss of consciousness and strange hallucinogenic visions that could come from a drug induced haze are norms you run into when facing this kind of problem,” said Robert Hooker, doctor at New York’s St. Marie Hospital, as he

“What’s up” has been considered cool for a curiously long time and is currently what is “up” in popular culture. A replacement of more well-established phrases such as “hello” and “how are you,” “what’s up” is now the most popular casual greeting available.

Overused in both face-to-face and cyber space conversations, “what’s up” basically asks the other person what he is doing or thinking about. Even though it is thoroughly clichéd, it has yet to be considered “old.” This is most likely because in comparison to other greetings, it has been around for far less and is used mainly by adolescents. Its possible origins lie with the phrase “what’s the update.”

This question is usually responded to in one of several ways, most of which indicate a loss in meaning of the original question. “What’s up” is almost always followed by “nothing much,” which either unintentionally or purposely serves as a shutdown mechanism. Sometimes, smart alecks take the question literally and reply with something along the lines of “the sky.” This also fails to progress the conversation. The really lame (you know who you are, no hard feelings), after being asked “what’s up,” cheerily say “chicken butt!” Again, not much is added to the exchange by this remark.

Less often, “what’s up” is used for clarification, especially after having been zoned out during an entirely one-way conversation. It asks for a repetition of what has already been said, much like “back up” or “what?”

If the following happens on a first date, one must realize it is also the last.

“So then she was like, ‘Oh my God, I literally, like, died!’ Dude, are you even, like, listening to me?”

“Wait, what’s up?”

The phrase “what’s up” has been shortened and rephrased for convenience and originality, or what little originality can be achieved in still sticking to this overused greeting. People ask each other “whassup,” “sup,” “wsup,” and, unfortunately, “whassabi.”

So, what’s up?

SAY WHAT *

By Elizabeth Song

thoughtfully puffed on a large, oblong tube. “Then you basically wake up without any recollection of what happened in the last eight hours – a truly traumatizing experience.”

Worse for the victims is that nearly every single afflicted individual then repeats this process every night. Almost all sources contacted by this paper have gone through this cycle at least once a day since the disorder’s existence was first brought into light.

“Every night at midnight, I just can’t help myself,” said Evan Juarez, a father of two. “I get so weak, my eyes close… it’s terrible losing a third of your life to unconsciousness.”

Yet what causes so many millions to suffer so has thus far gone unexplained. Theories ranging from radiation emitted by the moon to the buildup of harmful, manmade pollutants in our environment have sprung up, but all have been largely discredited.

JANiCE YOON

Luckily though, it seems that East Asians, especially those of high school age, seem to have to have developed an immune response to this disorder.

“These people really don’t seem to get stopped by this thing, if only for a couple hours a day at most,” said Laura Weinberg, writer and social commentary. “We have much to learn from our brothers across the seas.”

One anonymous Korean private teacher with intimate knowledge of the supposed immune response gave researchers hope after stating he believed the disorder would soon be completely eliminated in Asian students.

“Discipline and a strong work ethic conquers all problems,” he said. “With our schedules, we will ensure nobody will ever close their eyes again.”

By Andrew Hwang