Tiger Times Volume 45 Issue 5

Snowball:

Mobile Food Cart:

New theme brought into question. Page 2

HSSC increases snack accessibility. Page 3

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

ttonl.org

issue 5

DECEMBER 2013

Habitat For Humanity shifts focus from China to Cambodia Administration to face internal faculty change

By Patricia Song and Christine Seo

During their first trip to Cambodia, 16 members of Habitat For Humanity (HFH) built two houses in Phnom Penh with Shanna and Tony Hurt, HFH advisers. HFH members had previously traveled to other Asian countries such as Thailand, China and Indonesia. The members departed to Cambodia on Nov. 27 and returned to Korea on Dec. 1. The trip allowed for more personal communication and cooperation with the Cambodian families involved.

“The HFH Cambodia and HFH Thailand trips were very similar experiences because the families we were building the houses for actually had to help out and work on the house with us,” Mrs. Hurt said.

“These trips were very different from the HFH China trip last year because we got to know the families on a much more personal level and listen to their life stories. We stacked bricks together and worked on the house as one team. It’s a different feeling if you get your hands dirty together. We grew so attached to the families we built the houses for that by the end, we are all sad to leave.”

Along with the house, the HFH members tried to provide the necessary facilities for the families, including a sewage system and a convenient location readily accessible to a garment factory and a school.

By Jean Cho and Rosie Kim

Photo by Christine Lee

Carefully laying bricks, Michelle Jang (11) builds a wall for a home in the Cambodian countryside. Sixteen students travelled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia to construct houses for the less fortunate from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.

Working with the children of two families, one whose father passed away and another whose mother had tuberculosis, the HFH members developed an emotional bond despite language differences. “[The HFH members] couldn’t talk to the members of the families that we were helping because of the language barrier,” said Timothy Kim (12), HFH treasurer. “The Cambodians could barely speak any English, but we could still somehow communicate. When we were done building, there were only tears and

smiles, and that was a pretty special experience. We communicated without language, just emotions.”

After the houses were all finished, the Cambodian families and the HFH members conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, where both the volunteers and Cambodian families cried tears of mixed emotion.

Before the HFH members departed from Cambodia, the father of one of the families gave them his own painting as a token of thanks.

“This was my very first HFH trip so it definitely meant a lot to

me because I got to experience different cultural aspects in Cambodia, get a lot closer with the upperclassmen and, most importantly, build two houses for families in need,” said Zoe Maloney (9), HFH member. “On the last day, we had a small ceremony with [the families] where they presented to us a painting. It was a heartfelt gift from them to us—it was incredibly detailed and a lot of work had gone into it. Seeing the smiles on all of their faces made me feel good because I accomplished something that made them happy.”

Psychology students teach kindergarteners about five senses

By Nagyon Kim

As a way to prove their knowledge and understanding about the five senses, AP Psychology students were given an assignment to simplify what they had learned and teach the material to kindergarten students. The classes were divided into groups, with each group assigned one sense that they were responsible for teaching to kindergarteners; each group had to come up with activities to engage kindergarteners in their lessons.

“Any educator will tell you that the best way to learn a material is to teach it yourself,” said Anthony Loveday, AP Psychology teacher.

“As a form of review of [the human senses unit], I required the students to work in groups to teach one of the five senses to the youngest kids on campus, because that would force my students to distill the informa-

Photo by Christine Lee

Talking slowly, Kelly Kim (12) and Irene Jeon (12) explain a simplified version of the auditory sense to various groups of senior kindergartners. tion down to its most bare and essential elements, guaranteeing that they clearly understood [the material].”

To ensure that AP Psychology students could effectively teach kindergarteners, kindergarten teachers

Diahn Boline, Iman Liu and Eva Levine visited each of the AP Psychology classes to provide some tips to the students. These short lectures made sure that the could teach efficiently without much hindrance and have kindergarteners understand.

“I was very grateful that I was in a school that was K-12, where we could do these kinds of projects together,” Mrs. Boline said. “I knew that it would be good for our kindergarteners to have different learning experiences, and I had no doubt that Mr. Loveday’s students would be able to present to our kids well.”

Though this is an assignment that AP Psychology students are taking part in as a summative assessment, Mr. Loveday also wanted students to learn a valuable lesson about how much effort it takes to prepare and teach a class. Although it was a new challenge, AP Psychology students were still able to enjoy the assignment.

“I’m not very good with kids because I’m slightly impatient with them, but it was a really nice and a new experience,” said Joshua An (12), AP Psychology student. “After this experience, I really started to respect teachers who had to deal with us, kids, every day.”

Peter Corcoran, Director of Schools, and middle school principal, Liset Palmitessa have announced plans to leave SIS at the end of this school year. In order to fill these central positions, the administration is recruiting replacements. In addition, there will be a new vice principal who will aid and contribute to both middle and high school affairs. The administration expressed both concern and anticipation for the changes to come.

After spending six years at SIS as high school principal and Director of Schools, Mr. Corcoran has decided to leave to the Qatar Academy of Sidra to serve as the new Director of Schools. Although his strong emotional connection to Korean society has made the departure a tough decision, he decided to take on a new challenge in contributing to the construction of a completely new school and learning to work with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

“The emotional attachment I have with the Korean society is extremely strong not only because I love the culture but also because our youngest was born here,” Mr. Corcoran said. “The six years I have spent at SIS have been the most productive and outstanding of my 30 years in the education industry. I’ll miss the Korean students terribly, for every student is truly talented in different ways and of high caliber. But a fresh eye will help bring changes and I assure that new staff members will truly be devoted to the best interest of the SIS community.”

According to Irene DeShazo, Admissions Director, and Gray Macklin, middle school counselor, both administrators were truly talented and beloved members of the SIS community who contributed their positive energies to shape the atmosphere of the school.

“We all know that the loss of these two important people will impact the administration due to the fact that their leadership dictates the climate of the school,” Mrs. DeShazo said. “Although we cannot be sure that the new administrators are going to be as hospitable and warm as Mr. Corocan and Ms. Palmitessa, I trust that the changes will be for the good and that we will be able to weather this storm as we have in the past.”

VIEWPOINT 2

DECEMBER 2013

Orchestra recommendation policy encourages diligence

Editorial Multiple choice questions crucial for college-preparatory exams memorized information, it is not the case for AP classes and other high-level classes at SIS. Multiple choice questions for AP Exams require students to analyze different answer choices based on their knowledge of the subject. While multiple choice questions may not generate the same level of critical thinking free-response questions do, they still test students on their knowledge of the content while making them analyze the information they have learned.

However, the administration’s wishes to focus more on free-response questions are not unfounded. The recent trend in assessing students in standardized tests has been to use fewer multiple choice questions and more short answer and essay questions. For example, the AP US History, Physics and Chemistry exams were recently changed to incorporate more short answer and essay questions rather than multiple choice questions. The College Board has also announced that it will redesign the AP Art History and European History courses.

The administration’s efforts to help

One of the goals of the administration is to set a curriculum that best prepares students for a college-level education. The different methods of assessing students is crucial in determining how well students will perform in the future. To achieve this goal, over the past few years, the administration has shifted the focus of SIS’s major summative assessments so that free-response questions are prioritized over multiple choice questions. Recently, the usage of multiple choice questions has been criticized because they usually test a students ability to memorize and subsequently regurgitate information. However, the reality of major tests required to apply to college, such as the SAT and AP tests, shows that the administration should not completely discount the usage of multiple choice questions.

A common misconception of multiple choice questions is that they do not require students to think critically to answer questions. Although it may be true for some questions, such as those that ask for basic definitions and other

students prepare for these upcoming changes are commendable.

While it is true that colleges do not primarily use multiple choice questions to test students, the administration should still use multiple choice questions in certain assessments. For example, it would be appropriate for mid-term and final exams, especially those in AP classes, to have a relatively smaller portion dedicated to multiple choice questions, so that teachers are able to assess a student’s knowledge of basic information. It is ultimately the responsibility of the school to prepare students for the future.

Hence, for the sake of familiarizing students to tests surrounding college application process as well as assessments in universities, the school should balance the use of multiple choice questions with free response questions.

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.

By Celine Hwang

In the past, all high school students who wanted to audition for orchestra were given the opportunity to do so. However, from next year, HS Orchestra conductors Julia Kim and Michael Ganus will only allow students who receive teacher recommendations to audition for orchestra. Because the recommendation policy restricts students who display poor behavior and a lack of effort from auditioning, it will ensure full participation from orchestra members.

To begin with, because orchestra is an after-school class that only takes place on Mondays, it is crucial for orchestra members to be dedicated to the ensemble. While other ensembles meet every other day, orchestra members only meet around five times a month. Hence, individuals should utilize their time throughout the week to prepare for orchestra practice. Students who skip class or do not practice their individual parts are slowing down the progress of the entire orchestra.

While innate musical skill is

important, students who are talented will never improve without practice. Therefore, it is logical for music teachers to observe students’ behavior and recommend students who are likely to contribute positively to the ensemble. By restricting auditions from irresponsible students, this policy assists those who are truly passionate about music.

Although students may be concerned with the selective aspect of this policy, according to Ms. Kim, all students who attend class consistently, practice at home and demonstrate rehearsal skills will be eligible to audition for orchestra. Furthermore, while students who take music courses such as Band or Strings will be prioritized, those who do not take such classes will not be excluded. In order to ensure fairness, music teachers will conduct interviews with students they are not familiar with.

By placing an emphasis on effort, this policy effectively teaches students to approach music classes the same way they would approach core classes. Instead of relying solely on their skill, students will have to prove their commitment to their musical studies.

Player exclusivity required Clubbing theme unsuitable for Snowball in varsity player contracts

By Sarah Y. Kim and Sara Shin

By Christine Jeong and Michael Kim

Envision the championship game about to end in a tie. The buzzer rings, and only 30 seconds remain until the end of the game. The top players form up to break the tie and win the game, but the star player has a strained ankle from a week ago.

What could have been a refreshing victory turns into a disastrous defeat. Naturally, varsity teams often retain capable players on the bench to avoid such situations, however the fact remains that varsity players are constantly at risk of injury.

An injured player who cannot participate to his or her full potential would only be hindering the ability of the team, since he or she would be ruling out potential game plays that could be realized if all players were included. In an effort to prevent such calamities from incapacitating players, limiting the activities of varsity players to their given sport is necessary. Such a limitation will allow athletes to play competitively throughout the season with minimal health risks.

In competitive varsity sports, where the risk of injury is already 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

very high, contributing to the already existing risk of disability by pursuing recreational sports seems highly irrational. To ensure that this limitation is kept, the pre-existing code of conduct for varsity players should restrict athletes to one sport during their sport season.

Although recreational sports should be practiced on a regular basis to maintain fitness, it is sensible to suppress one’s desires to participate in other sports during the player’s sport season, which lasts approximately three months. Even players who plan on joining multiple varsity teams in a year should be aware that making a commitment entails making a decision to particpate in a single sport per season.

Although varsity sports should not limit players’ personal interests, code of conduct contracts should be implemented to maximize the potential of varsity teams. These contracts would drastically lower the risk of injury for players, allowing both the coach and the team to have a fruitful season. It is damaging to the teams if varsity players show limited comitment to their sport, whether it is for preparations for another sport or purely personal needs.

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.)

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

With Snowball’s change in venue from four or five star hotels to the school gym, the HSSC Sophomore Council has decided to adopt “Club Aurora” as the theme for this year’s Snowball, transforming the atmosphere and dress code to be more casual and mirror a real club. Yet, the HSSC has broken something else: the decency of celebrating at Snowball. Snowball’s theme indirectly encourages high school students to go clubbing and engage in related inappropriate behavior.

Unlike previous years when Snowball’s target audience was specifically freshmen and sophomores, this year the HSSC has decided to target all grade levels. Therefore, it is more likely that a wider range of students will be exposed to an environment similar to that of a real club. Special lighting effects that are choreographed with the help of a professional lighting crew, music played by a well-known disc jockey and fluorescent green and pink entrance bracelets will all contribute to the clubbing atmosphere that this year’s Snowball aims to achieve.

Though the venue will obviously not allow alcohol or drugs, “Club Aurora’s” attempts to imitate an actual

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

club will still introduce students to a teenage-unfriendly space that they are too young to experience, thereby indirectly promoting clubbing and other related activities among high school students.

Furthermore, not only does this indirectly acknowledge that clubbing is acceptable, but in some respects it also invalidates the school’s strict policies on inappropriate behavior. The fact that the HSSC, a school-recognized organization, is hosting an event that is based on a setting that usually prompts improper school behavior is ironic.

It is understandable that the HSSC wants to make Snowball a more enjoyable event that encourag-

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

es dancing through a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. The time and effort that it invested into this annual event cannot be ignored.

However, the council did not have to choose a club theme to entice students. The casual dress code and new setting in Tiger Gym 2, not the clubbing atmosphere, were enough to incentivize students to be more active and enthusiastic. Next year’s Sophomore Council should try and incorporate the ideas of a more relaxed environment and casual attire, as this year’s council has done, but avoid choosing a theme that introduces and promotes such a controversial topic among high school students.

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.

DECEMBER 2013

3

NEWS

HSSC mobile food cart creates greater accessibility NEWS BRIEFS

By Hollis Hwang

Every year, HSSC incorporates changes to SIS in various ways to improve the school system and raise spirit. So far this year, the council has organized unprecedented events such as the Halloween Dress-Up event, an on-campus Snowball with de-emphasis on formality and a location change of the food cart.

HSSC, however, has continued its efforts on improving the food cart system. On Dec. 4, the council introduced the mobile food cart that intends to increase accessibility among students. The food cart, which was located in the Foreign Language wing in the first floor last year, was brought up to the third floor because of the distractions it created to kindergarten classes.

The new area, however, was rather remote and unapproachable, especially among underclassmen.

“I think the mobile carts on the lower floors are much better,” Sue Lee (9) said. “My class after office

Photo by Yeni Cho

During office hours on Dec. 5, James Lee (12) and Judy Kim (11) stand in front of the atrium in festive attire to sell food at the mobile cart. hours is always on the first floor so I never think about going up after my first period. But also because of the lower and upperclassmen relationship, a lot of the students in our grade, including myself, are sort of intimidated to go there. They aren’t mean or anything, but we feel the

ZEITGEIST Chinese air defense zone inflames regional tensions Flouting its military strength and growing regional influence, China imposed an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the Yellow Sea on Nov. 23, requiring all aircraft to provide flight plans, declare its country of origin and maintain communication. According to The New York Times, this zone includes the Senkaku Islands, which is controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. As a result, China received strong international criticism.

“Unlike its Japanese or Korean counterpart, the Chinese [ADIZ] overlaps with those set by other countries,” said Alex Lopez, Asian Studies teacher. “Therefore, neighboring countries expressed strong opposition because they do not want to set a precedent for the Chinese government being allowed to do whatever it wants in the region.”

Despite threats of military action against incompliant aircraft, Japanese officials have defied Chinese requests for flight plans and have instructed civilian airlines and patrol planes not to provide additional information. In response, the Chinese air force has conducted regular patrols since

Dec. 5 in order to strengthen monitoring of the zone and to respond appropriately to deal with threats to Chinese airspace.

“I think the [ADIZ] will be counterproductive because it will only strengthen the influence of Japanese nationalistic politicians who will call for the protection of Japanese sovereignty over the islands,” Shota Ono (10) said. “But I think China will continue such provocations to evoke patriotism in citizens and distract them from domestic problems.

The establishment of the ADIZ over the Yellow Sea also sparked fears that China would establish an ADIZ over the South China Sea, where it has territorial disputes with other nations.

“Considering that South East Asian countries, such as the Philippines and Vietnam, lack the political clout and economic influence of Japan and Korea, China probably will become even more aggressive if its power in the Yellow Sea is inadequately challenged,” Mr. Lopez said. “As long as there are significant natural resources in the South China Sea, China will continue exerting its claim to islands.”

By Jaewon Choi

need to show respect and, I guess, not stand in their way.”

By reaching out to customers by covering the area nearby the library and atrium, the mobile food cart not only creates more convenience for student buyers but also will increase the workload on the HSSC’s part.

According to Judy Kim (11), junior class public relations officer, the student council will need to increase the number of people on each shift to operate the mobile carts along with the one on the third floor.

“We have one person who is selling tickets dressed in a Santa Claus costume to promote school spirit and match the Christmas seaon,” Judy said. “We also need to make sure students are not just stealing from the mobile food cart, so we made sure that the upperclassmen are responsible of it rather than the underclassmen.”

The mobile cart does not only signify the change within the food cart system but also the continual efforts of the HSSC in developing school system. “[The system] is another way for us to get our products sold, a more inventive way, since we are so used to doing things in one way,” said Sean Syverson, HSSC advisor.

“Having a food cart on the third floor patio is another idea. It would be interesting to see how it goes and how our works are responded.”

NHS to increase interaction with orphans through toy drive

By Eunie Jang

The National Honor Society (NHS) added new changes to their annual toy drive, which will take place on Dec. 19. NHS members have been delivering gifts donated by students and staff to the Chungwoon orphanage located in Sangdo dong.

“We allowed children to pick two gifts or one gift under 100,000 won so that they can get more than one little thing,” said Amy Thompson, NHS adviser. “[This year], we’re bringing more students and teachers and we will have our students perform Christmas songs.”

According to Kelly Cho (12), NHS president, in previous years, NHS members just gave the gifts to the orphange, and there was a lack of actual interaction between members and the orphans. This year, they wanted to get the orphans more involved by hosting events that everyone could get involved in.

In addition to giving presents, NHS organized various performances. Christine Lee (12) will be playing her ukulele, Patricia Song (10) will be singing and Damien Joonhyuk Kwon (11) will be performing his magic tricks.

“We are putting on a mini Christmas performance for the orphans there because last year we realized that we are the sole representation of Christmas for these kids,” said Sydney Ko (12), NHS member. “[They were so happy getting] simple things like sticker books, and to just imagine how happy they’ll be this year is so satisfying.”

There will be various performances other than musical performances, such as Tim Gardes, librarian, dressing up as Santa Claus.

“There was one little boy who didn’t get the toy he wanted last year due to a misunderstanding,” Kelly said. “ Looking at his sad face, I felt terrible. Therefore this year, NHS is working extra hard to make sure each child receives the present they want.”

Ms. Thompson says that in previous years, NHS members were only able to drop off orphan’s gifts without much communication, so this year they have tried to extend the time they can stay at the orphanage. “[The toy drive] is getting better every year,” Ms. Thompson said. “[This year] everyone [will be able to] see children open up the gifts and hang around. It’s really nice seeing them open the gifts and get excited.”

dfvwe

Tri-M visits Gangnam Severance Hospital during Thanksgiving

Photo by Rosie Kim

Yoojeong Lee (10) performs “Nel cor piu non mi sento” on Nov. 29 at Gangnam Severance Hospital.

Using their musical talent, Tri-M members performed in front of patients at Gangnam Severance Hospital on Nov. 29 during Thanksgiving break. According to Yasmin Yoon (11), Tri-M secretary, members have always visited orphanages for the disabled, but this was the first time they performed at a hospital.

“We are testing out places we could go to volunteer in the future,” said Christine Kim (12), Tri-M president. “From these experiences, I hope the members will further learn how to be better musicians by exposing them to different audiences and realizing how they can use their talents to help others. This will serve as an incentive to strive to be better musicians.”

Clubs participate in Typhoon Haiyan Relief efforts Recently, several clubs raised money to provide relief for victims affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Korea Animal Service Association (KASA) raised around 200,00 won through churros sales and Habitat for Humanity (HFH) earned over 200,000 won from its latest bake sale and sales of bracelets. Additionally, UNICEF held a talent show and a bake sale on Nov. 27, raising over 1 million won. A total of over 10 million won was raised with Dr. Kim’s donation.

“The great thing about the fundraiser was that there was a complete school-wide event everyone helped out with,” Shanna Hurt, adviser of HFH and UNICEF, said. “One elementary class donated 330,000 won, and the middle school held a talent show on Dec. 4 to raise money.”

GIN launches minority rights campaign Last year, Global Issues Network (GIN), in an effort to raise awareness about human trafficking, supported Not for Sale, a non-governmental organization that fights human trafficking. This year, GIN launched a campaign focusing on minority rights, specifically those of migrant workers and the disabled.

“We’re planning to focus on the Korean community,” said Grace Song (12), GIN president.

“Last year, we donated funds to an international NGO. However, this year, we will be visiting organizations and helping out through hands-on work. This will help us directly figure out where our efforts and money are going.”

By Kelly Kim

facebook

2013 Year in Review

2013 Year in Review Timeline

About

Photos

Layout by Eunie Jang Graphics by Eunie Jang and Christine Lee

Friends

Post

More

Photo / Video

Write Something...

About Ranging from shifts in political power to a gradual recovery from the economic recession, and from the advancement of technology to the development of popular culture, the year 2013 has experienced a myriad of events that will be remembered and recorded in history. The following posts will cover some of the pivotal events and prominent figures that highlighted the year.

2013: The age of SNS and YouTube

By Claire Yun and Yeaji Park

In the year 2013, there has been an increasing number of ways people c social networking sites (SNS). The media can be vital in spreading culture ing new icons people can be informed about.

Music

Websites such as YouTube allows anyone to upload anything, from video

crisis in Syria, to pop culture, such as Miley Cyrus’s Video Music Award

spread a vast amount of uncensored and accurate information, YouTube

Spring activists. Not only did social media aid the revolution, it also helpe they are not the only ones experiencing brutality.

Reflektor

AM

Random Access

Settle

“For the crisis in Syria, I have seen on the news that there are footages le

happening,” Shota Ono (10) said. “YouTube and Facebook allow everyone

become more aware. When people watch these videos, they get inspired changes to come upon these Middle Eastern countries.”

Other SNS tools that grew in popularity this year are Facebook and Twitter

the number of Facebook users increased to over 1 billion as of March 201

Overgrown

The 20/20 Experience

Yeezus

mbv

ten most frequently visited websites according to Statistics Brain. These

celebrities and political figures to reach a wider audience in nations arou

“Social media influences the world in the sense that people get somethin

elementary school teacher. “In the past, Lady Gaga used to be very famo

Movies

out, making her an icon of pop culture. These things that they did was

always about attention, the art is constantly changing, and provides som

Through unprecedented changes in the media and the freedom to shar YouTube, 2013 has influenced people in a way that allows them to get thoughts and ideas. The year of 2013 proved that the world that dares who are meant to change various aspects of everyone’s lives.

“SNS is a way for the new and poor to express themselves allowing the

The Great Gatsby

Iron Man 3

The Ender’s Game

Catching Fire

‘American’ could enjoy,” Yoon Lee (10) said “Things such as pop culture

largest population possible, no longer making it a melting pot of ideas b

Home

More

2013 Obamacare controversy dominates American politics

By Bason Park As the first political impression of the second term of the Obama administration, The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) has been arguably one of the most controversial policies of the year.

Despite the heavy anticipation for the live launch of Obamacare on Oct. 1, only six people in the nation successfully enrolled in health insurance plans under the online federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov, according to the House Oversight Committee. First signed as a law on March 23, 2010, and eventually upheld by the Supreme Court on June 28, 2012, Obamacare’s main purpose was to provide more Americans access to affordable qual-

can share their ideas through different

ity health insurance and to reduce the growth in health care spending in the long run.

and news, starting trends and producThis program aimed at increasing the availability of health insurance through consumer protection, regulation, subsidies and taxes while maintaining and extending coverage for already existing private and public forms of

os featuring political issues such as the

insurance such as employer duties, Medicare and Medicaid, eventually promoting a gradual conversion of all

ds performance. Having the capacity to

health insurance industries to Obamacare by 2014. However, the slow and seemingly malfunctioning online

e played a big role in helping the Arab

federal marketplace full of error displays, lengthy delays and system breakdowns for individual purchase plans

ed the Arab civilians become aware that

thwarted its progress.

“Although Obamacare was not disapproved by the majority, the website was definitely not a success,” Courtney

eaked by the civilians regarding what’s

Caldwell said. “The point was proven for the people who initially distrusted the government and said every little

e to understand what is happening and

negative thing towards [Obamacare]. But in the long run, more people will get access to better health care if the

d and spread the word, allowing more

with technical improvements.”

Even before concerns with the federal marketplace, however, Obamacare has been a constant hotspot of politi-

r. From 100 million users back in 2008,

13 and Twitter is ranked one of the top SNS has made it much more easier for

cal conflict throughout this year in the United States that resulted in a heavy burden for the Obama administration. Although this policy was declared constitutionally legal by the Supreme Court, several state governors, mainly those of Republican ideals, strictly opposed this idea because of issues with cost effectiveness.

und the globe.

“The political structure in America has been experiencing a gridlock especially throughout this year,” said John

ng to talk about,” said Brittany Stanzel,

ous, and now Miley Cyrus in on her way to elicit response. Since pop culture is

mething trendy in our lives.”

re a wide variety of topics on SNS and faster information, and affecting their to try new things and is full of people

Hurt, history teacher. “It is extremely difficult for the Democratic White House to enforce its policies effectively when there is a Republican senatorial majority. There is also the ongoing issue of states not compromising with the federally implemented policies.”

Amidst the aforementioned conflicts, nevertheless, the Obama administration made a collective effort in order to ameliorate its situation. The administrative team ensured that 50,000 Americans can register for the service at any given time of the day, and that up to 800,000 citizens can register per day. The rate of online enrollment also increased as 29,000 people signed up on the first two days of December, which was around 2,000 more than that of the entire month of October, according to CNN. “There have been a lot of arguments against Obamacare especially because of the failure of nationwide com-

e world to do mainstream things every

munication with the website,” Harry Lee (11) said. “However, since the ideals and intentions of the policy are

e is being tailored to be enjoyed by the

beneficial, in the long run, there are going to be less public disapproval and more advocates for the policy. I

but a selling machine.”

think that this can be considered a step towards democratic progressivism.”

LIFESTYLE 6

DECEMBER 2013

Korean movie night helps teachers’ improved cultural understanding

By Yeena Yoon

In order to familiarize the western staff with Korean culture, Angela Erickson, former secondary librarian, proposed to spend a part of the library’s funds to purchase Korean movies three years ago.

Since then, teachers from all deparments have met once a month on Friday evenings not only to watch the films, but also socialize with one another.

According to Tim Gardes, secondary librarian, the teachers’ goal is to view films considered to be classics of Korean cinema and to gather insight and knowledge about the ways of Korean society. Teachers take this event as an opportunity to learn about aspects of Korean society that are difficult to understand as a foreigner.

“After watching the movie, ‘Mother,’ [the teachers] were all in awe of understanding the Korean ajumma,” Mr. Gardes said. “We always make jokes about ajummas on the subway, but this movie demonstrated to what length [they] will actually go to protect [their] children. It gave us a real understanding of what [an ajumma] is actually like in the family unit.”

Not only do Korean films offer insight into the country’s social system, but they also allow teachers to identify with a different culture.

According to Mr. Gardes, one of his personal favorites was one called, “The Chaser”, a thriller that reached a total of 5.13 million viewers in 2008.

“I was just blown away that Koreans liked it so much,” Mr. Gardes said. “Some of these movies are really violent, and the Korean directors’ taste of this violence initially surprised me since Korea is such a safe place. I kept asking myself, ‘Does that really happen here?’”

The increasing fidelity of Korean films is what makes viewing these movies so entertaining, according to Peter Valerio, high school math teacher.

“Historically, there’s been a renaissance in the past 10 to 15 years in Korea,” Dr. Valerio said. “There are things that would definitely not happen in Hollywood films that happens in these films.”

Such movies to be shown at Korean movie night are carefully chosen through the perusal of many online sources and ratings. Often relying on Top 10, Top 20 ranking lists to make the choices, teachers also receive recommendations from Dr. Valerio.

“I’ve seen quite a few Korean movies, so I recommend ones that I like, and that I think other people would like as well,” Dr. Valerio said.

“I’ve grown up in a particular film culture, so the cinematic conventions in Korea are very different from other countries.”

DANIEL KIM’S SEARCH FOR

HIDDEN GEMS Jeff Bernat builds on signature sound The 25-year-old R&B singer films his Korean audience with his iPhone during his March concert, seemingly bewildered by their ability to sing along perfectly, word by word, to his single, “Call You Mine.”

One only needs to watch any of his other live performance footage to realize Jeff Bernat’s extraordinary popularity in this country; his voice is almost drowned out by the collective singing. The Filipino American YouTuber’s debut album, “The Gentleman’s Approach,” released in 2011, spread by word of mouth and eventually became so popular that it received a Korean license release. It’s worth noting that Bernat does not even have his own Wiki page, and has just over 40,000 YouTube subscribers.

This discrepancy between his popularity in Korea and the US can easily be attributed to the singer-songwriter’s music, which appeals to the Korean sentiment perfectly. The romantic lyrics, smooth voice and

most importantly, his instantly catchy hooks, share a surprising similarity to mainstream Korean R&B, but is different enough to attract the attention of Korean fans. His sophomore effort, “Modern Renaissance,” expands upon Bernat’s rather simple success formula, diversifying in terms of lyrical content as well as the sound itself.

This album’s most apparent improvement from his previous work is greater mastery over production, epitomized by the lead single, “Workflow,” featuring Dumbfounded. From the beginning of the track, the groove is decisively led by the bassline, rather than the electric piano. This is a significant deviation from Bernat’s previous hits, which rotated around a single electric piano loop that pervaded throughout the song.

Another surprising addition is the jazzy piano solo, adding a more organic feeling to his music. Such developments demonstrate the artist’s growth from just a skilled melody-maker to

a competent beat maker.

Bernat also displays an increased maturity in his lyrical content on songs such as “Plenty of Reasons,” moving away from the admittedly cliché and straightforward romantic lyrics from the previous album. Relationships remain the thematic focus for the singer, but the content is more sophisticated.

Although this may be a disappointing move for fans of his more playful lyrics on previous songs (“Cool Girls”), this seems to be a natural step for a growing musician whose new album reflects his continual progress in fine-tuning his distinct, R&B sound.

What is the “real world” like? Anti-game addiction bill sparks controversy

By Heejin E. Hong

Jason Park, class of 2004, majored in Sociology and graduated from NYU in 2009. In college, he spent several years training Brazilian JiuJitsu. Now, he is preparing to open a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy in Seoul.

1. How did you first learn about Jiu-Jitsu?

I was initially motivated to learn Jiu-Jitsu after watching Royce Gracie defeat multiple giants in a no holds barred freestyle fighting tournament called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Fortunately, There was a jiu-jitsu academy named “Workshop” a couple blocks south of Washington Square Park and I quickly fell in love with it after taking the lesson.

2. What part about Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu intrigued you the most?

Jiu-Jitsu was special because the size of the contestant does not matter. Therefore, it gave me a fair chance to win in the sparring sessions in each class. The most special part about the sparring session lied in fighting students without punches or kicks, which meant that I had to demonstrate specific Jiu-Jitsu moves.

3. What inspired you to open a Jiu-Jitsu Academy?

Firstly, I learned that Jiu-Jitsu was the most effective form of selfdefense and a form of sports at the same time. However, most of the Jiu-Jitsu academies disregarded the foundational principles of street applicability, energy efficiency and natural body movements. I was deeply disappointed and decided to open an academy that emphasized the true beauty of jiu-jitsu.

4. Do you have any future goals?

I want to expand the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy curriculum and reach as many people in Korea as I can. Specifically, I want to empower as many kids, students, adults, older men and women to participate in jiu-jitsu. For me, if I’m not helping somebody else or making a difference in someone else’s life, I’m not doing anything.

I want to change lives by teaching people [about the activity] I’ve come to love.

By Amelie Hayoung Koo

The Korea Internet and Digital Entertainment Association (KIDEA) lobby held a conference on Nov. 21 protesting the proposed Addiction Act. The bill establishes a National Addiction Control Committee, which will devise measures to prevent citizens and rehabilitate victims from four addictions: alcohol, drugs, gambling and gaming.

“The government is a reactive, not a proactive body,” said Gray Macklin, counselor. “The current industrial model is to make games that [are addicting], just like how cigarettes are designed. [The model] punishes people who make games a part of their life and reward people who make it their [entire] life. There’s enough of a pattern of recurring problems in Korean gaming society to warrant intervention.”

The game control laws mandate the committee to conduct an information survey every five years and utilize the results to devise additional plans. The committee is further empowered to restrict production, marketing or sales of games, possibly through taxes. The Korean government has justified the bill by citing statistics that claim 50,000 citizens are highly addicted and in need of treatment. Furthermore, cases such as the murder of a mother by her game-addicted son

graphics: Yeni Cho source: korea.go.kr

Shut Down Law

Selective Game Time Law

Cooling Off Law

Prohibits gamers under the age of 16 from gaming between midnight

Underage gamers can compromise gameplay time period with their guardian

Underage gamers can play online games a total of 4hrs per day, automatically logging off after 2hrs for a mandatory break

and 6 a.m Ministry of Gender Equality

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

have alarmed the public, pressing the needs for regulations.

“The new law prevents students from leaving their houses and playing games at PC rooms, which is the only positive aspect of the bill.” said Jean Huh (12), a member of ESDC. “Otherwise, the law has no use. Teen gamers still can forge parent’s social security number to play around government regulations.”

Lobbying groups have challenged the efficiency of the approach, claiming that the bill criminalizes the entire industry, rather than specifically treating victims.

The bill’s characterization of game addiction alongside alcohol, drugs and gambling is expected to tarnish the industry’s reputation. KIDEA also drew parallels between the bill and the burning of comic books in

Ministry of Education

Korea during the 1920s, criticizing the bill as an act against cultural creativity. In response to the bill’s implications, many speculate that domestic game productions will further decline.

“The fact that the government is so adamant about game regulations is unfortunate,” said Justin Yoon (11), an avid gamer. “It’s difficult to understand why [Korea] has to be embarrassed that its games are well-designed. Furthermore, I have a life out of the virtual world, and so do the thousands of other gamers. Gamers need trust and guidance from the government, not babysitting and this bill is more of the latter.”

Online petitions have collected over 300,000 signatures. Such opposition has stalled government procedures in passing the bill.

DECEMBER 2013

SportS photo of the Month

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Shielding the ball from the KIS basketball player, Alex Son (12) drives into the lane for a layup at KIS on Dec. 4. The Tigers won with a score of 52-31.

During a trip to France, Melissa Hubley, varsity swimming coach, received news about her pregnancy on July 30, her husband’s birthday. After the expected delivery of her child in April, Coach Hubley will be away on maternity leave and end her four year run as the varsity swimming coach.

“Luckily, swimming is one of the activities that are recommended for pregnant women to participate in right up until their due date,” Coach Hubley said. “My role as a swimming coach will not change at all since I’ll be able to be in the water and teach until my due date. Unfortunately, my role as varsity swimming coach will have to be cut a little short this year because my due date is before the end of swim season.”

After Coach Hubley leaves, Tim

Gardes, secondary school librarian, and Akio Iida, third grade teacher, will take over as the coaches. Coach Gardes has been the varsity cocoach with Coach Hubley for the past three years and Coach Iida also has just finished his first year coaching middle school swimming.

“I had a lot of fun coaching the middle school students and seeing them improve,” Coach Iida said. “I hope to share this experience with the varsity swimming team. I would like to interact with the students and keep them entertained with lame jokes that make their eyes roll.”

According to Coach Hubley, both coaches will be capable of continuing the season, regardless of her absence. Besides a slight shift in leadership after her departure, all of the routines, procedures and expectations will remain the same.

“I think the team is already familiar with Coach Gardes’ coaching style and Coach Iida has been a great

SPORTS

Disputes disrupt Qatar World Cup plans

By Daniel Choi and Hareem Kim

WORLD CUP 2022 QATAR STADIUMS

Graphic by Heejin E. Hong

There were cries of corruption in 2010 when Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. The controversy over Qatar’s bid for the 2022 World Cup has continued and shows no sign of resolution.

According to BBC, four of the 12 members of the FIFA voting committee have been accused of accepting bribes to favor Qatar in the voting process. One of these members, Jack Warner, has been suspended by FIFA. Also, Mohammed bin Hammam, who was instrumental in getting Qatar’s bid accepted, was forced to stop his campaign for the FIFA presidency after being accused of bribing 25 FIFA officials.

“I’m pretty sure corruption was involved in the decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar,” said Patrick Chin (12), soccer fan. “Qatar has made no significant contributions to the soccer world, and its presence in professional soccer is practically nonexistent. Every country wants to host the World Cup because of economic benefits and Qatar has a lot of rich oil companies that could have easily bought the location.”

In addition to the corruption,

Swimming coach position to change midseason

By Yeni Cho

7

addition to the group of SIS coaches,” Coach Hubley said. “His expertise, calm manner and keen eye for detail will be an asset in the pool this year. As long as the swimmers stay motivated and focused, they should perform exceptionally well at [international conferences].”

Although Coach Hubley will not be with the team during such competitions, according to DongGi Park (12), varsity team captain, the team hopes to make this season the most memorable for her.

“I really enjoyed having Coach Hubley as the coach of our team,” DongGi said. “Since she has been here for so long with us, she established an important presence in our team, not only as a coach who guides us to become top-notch swimmers, but also as someone who can guide us beyond swimming. I think everyone will really miss her and I genuinely wish the best for her as she goes on her maternity leave.”

AL-RAYYAN STADIUM

Location: Al-Rayyan Capacity: 44,740 Motif: Rainbow ribbons and flags

AL-KHOR

AL-SHAMAL

Location: Al-Wakrah Capacity: 44,120 Motif: Desert Oasis

Location: Al-Shamal Capacity: 45,120 Motif: Dhow (traditional fishing boat)

STADIUM

concerns about Qatar’s hot summers led government officials to propose several solutions, such as implementing air-conditioned stadiums, or hosting the World Cup in the winter. However, a World Cup during the winter would not only break the tradition of hosting the tournament in the summer, but would also create scheduling conflicts with different soccer leagues. Controversy has also arisen over Qatar’s privilege as the host nation to participate in the World Cup, even though it rarely qualifies under normal circumstances.

“It is noble of FIFA to promote Arab countries to host the World Cup for the first time,” said Tony Hurt, varsity boys soccer coach.

“But soccer is ultimately dom

STADIUM

inated by the South Americans and the Europeans. Middle Eastern teams that qualify for the World Cup usually do not hold a candle to European or South American teams.”

Socio-political concerns have sparked critics’ attention by Qatar’s lack of tolerance for homosexuality and alcohol. Furthermore, a recent report from The Guardian in September found that the Qatari government has been exploiting thousands of Nepalese immigrants by forcing them to build World Cup infrastructure while refusing to pay them. Although Qatar claims that the World Cup will not be tainted by these or other political issues, the global community continues to doubt whether Qatar’s statements are trustworthy.

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 horse, Clifton Promise.

Milton: Hi everybody! This month’s guest will be the first guest that walks on four legs!

Christine: Ladies and gentlemen, please give up your carrots and sugar cubes for equestrian horse, Clifton Promise!

Milton: Oh, and all Horse-toEnglish translations have been generously provided by Bing.

C. Promise: Thank you two for having me!

Christine: So, Promise, can you briefly tell our readers about who you are?

C. Promise: Well, I am a 14-yearold gelding owned by France Stead, who represents Clifton Eventers. I’ve been working with equestrian Jonathan Paget ever since 2010 and we’ve formed a great partnership and bond between the two of us.

Milton: We recall you two working well together at the 2012 London Olympics, but do you think that this year was your most successful year?

C. Promise: Most definitely.

This year I placed first in the Badminton and Burghley Horse Trial, two of the only six equestrian events at the Concours Complet International four-star level; I was the first horse to

win both in the same year since 1989.

Christine: Seems like you’ve finally hit your prime! But what is this controversy surrounding you two in recent weeks?

C. Promise: Well, in short, some of my blood tests have revealed hints of reserpine, a banned athletic substance. I have no idea if I took the drug or not because I simply accept whatever my trainers, dietitians and coaches give me. Right now, I am temporarily suspended from all competitions while Paget is facing a two-year ban from all events.

Christine: Do you think that Paget is guilty for this whole fiasco? Did he break his promise to abide by the athletic morals, Promise? Haha…

C. Promise: I really don’t think that he should be blamed for all this. I know what kind of person he is and his moral code. I hope that everything will clear up and we can go back to riding like we did in the past.

Milton: Thank you, Promise for joining us at this time of difficulty.

Christine: That’s all the time we have for this commentary. Bye!

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

SMALL TALK F F U T S

Y A S E L P O PE

1

2 3

Here’s a study guide that includes everything that will come out on the exam. Look it’s not that long, there’s not that much material to study!

Well the teacher’s study guide may only be half a page, but the super study guide that you’re going to make with the smartest people in your grade is going to be at least 20 pages long. Good luck!

Meet Helen Song!

5

Hang in there. After this last week of exams, you’re completely free! Just bear it for one week This is only actually true for us seniors. For the juniors, sophomores and freshmen who are going to busily study for SATs over the winter break, enjoy your “free” time!

By Bason Park

Students express apathy towards award-winning school newspaper

The Jaguar Herald has been the Newbery International School of Wonping’s award-winning school newspaper for more than five decades. The editors of the publication have only recently discovered the paucity of student readership through an online survey run by the school administration, which showed that approximately less than three percent of the students actually read the articles on the paper.

“I consider myself an active reader of The Jaguar Herald,” said Jaejo Hee (12), student representative. “Every time a new issue is out, I at least take the initiative to pick it up from the stand and place it on the benches. Sometimes a stack of newspapers can serve as a comfy cushion for the overworked students to sit on during break. In this way, I am fulfilling my role because all of this is for the benefit of the student body.”

In the history of their publication, according to the editors of The Jaguar Herald, there were 17 letters to the editor, approximately 90 percent of which were written by teachers. The few students who made an effort to write letters to the

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

You guys have a whole week of no tests to study for these exams!

It’s not that bad.

Yes, down week! A whole week of no tests! Only a poster, video and elaborate presentation due for every class, no big deal. Plenty of time to study!

These exams are worth 15 or 20 percent of your grade. They are very important and will affect your grades heavily.

Only if you do poorly! If you fail, your final grade will drop by over five points. Don’t worry though; if you do well, your grade might rise by one point!

FAUX NEWS

DECEMBER 2013

This final exam should test you on the material you’ve been studying steadily throughout the last three months.

Having promptly forgotten everything we’ve learned this semester right after the test, it’s more like the material I was able to cram into my head in three days.

ABOUT FINAL EXAMS

4

8

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

editor requested that the publication remove unattractive photos of them.

“Although I never waste my time reading the articles about my own school, I’m proud to say that once a semester, I pick up the newest edition of the school paper and scrutinize the photos in color,” Yevina Jackson (9) said. “In order to prove that I actually pay attention to the school paper, I sometimes write a letter to the editor about some photos of myself that I do not like.”

On the other hand, students such as Nadalee Joman (11) use editions of the school paper to conserve the environment.

“Because my family is not the most financially stable, I decided to bring a stack of newspapers home to use as towels and toilet papers,” Nadalee said. “Using one object for multiple purposes is a vital skill one needs in life.”

After an extensive study done by the Department of Psychology at Newbery International School, it was proven that less than 5 percent of the students who actually took the time to read this article would have read this sentence.

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Clapping to “Skip to My Lou,” Concert Choir enthusiastically performs during the Winter Concert on Dec. 5. It was Dennis Darling’s, choir conductor, last winter concert in SIS.