Staying at school
Seoul International School
While the seniors had their own trip to Incheon, the freshmen council hosted the first ever Lock-in exclusively for their class.
Volume XXXII, Issue 9 June 2009
Go to page 3 for more on Flock-in
Graduates of 2009 celebrate their experiences at SIS End: Graduates closed their high school chapter of life as they transitioned to the next. By Andrew Hwang
Parents, family members, staff and students all converged on Tiger Gym 1 on the warm and sunny afternoon of Friday, May 22 to bid farewell to the graduating class of 2009. Tears and cheers filled the room as the event went on, proving to be an emotional experience for all. The ceremony began as the notes of “Pomp & Circumstance” wafted through the air. Gentle applause from the audience as the teachers filed in, but outright whooping and hollering for the 81 students of the hour who followed them. Parents with cameras and professional photographers scrambled to get clear shots of their faces while underclassmen craned their necks to get a glimpse. Students shared a variety of feelings, of anticipation and excitement, and of both joy and sorrow as they contemplated what lay ahead of them. “Five years of my nearly twenty years is almost a quarter of my life. I have so much to miss,” said Eddie
Photo by Alex Kim
After receiving their diplomas, seniors participated in the traditional cap toss in one of the last moments the group would share together as a unified class, as the guests cheered on. Ha (12), “but then again, so much to look forward to.” Themes of the importance of friendships and the shared experiences of the grade were common in the speeches of commencement speaker Mr. Adam Jones, English teacher, Valedictorian Jean Choi (12) and Salutatorian Stephanie Choi (12).
“Every second spent becomes our past, never to come back again, but the relationships will forever always remain in our memory,” said Jean. “We are all sitting in this room as the people we are today because of the relationships and memories we have gone through, both good and bad.” Others seemed to be ready to
Students satisfied with Prom at Aston’s House Success: Themed as the Secret Garden, prom bloomed with musical performances.
All male executive council assumes duties next year Continuity: The executive council election resulted similarly to last year’s—all male.
By Michelle Yi
Large clouds drifted above Aston House on the evening of May 23. Fortunately, rain did not fall and students were able to dance and watch performances outside on the terrace. From student bands to celebrity guest singers K-Will and Baek Hwa-Yo-Bi, these performances turned out to be the biggest hits of the evening. Having paid 80,000 won per ticket, students had high expectations. Most found that their money did not go to waste. An eight course meal included delicacies such as foie gras, while the venue was festooned with gold and white. “I would say that it felt very upper-class,” said Raymond Ha (11). “Prom was great—the view and all.” One common complaint was the cold air late in the evening. However, most students still chose to stay outside, rather than retire in-
fully embrace whatever the future held for them. “We’ve been waiting since the beginning of our lives,” said Alice Jun (12) in between musical performances of senior bands Phunktion and The Circle. “It’s time to spread our wings and fly.” As seniors strolled onto the constructed stage to receive their
By Paul Cho
Photo by Jennifer Sun
K-Will made small talk with students before performing one of his most popular songs, “My Tears are Dropping.” side the house. The hotel employees also provided blankets, much like the ones in airplanes. “From the terrace, the view was incredible,” said Alice Jun (12). On the terrace overlooking the Han River, Alice Jun (12) and John Eom (12) were crowned Prom Queen and King. Eddie Ha (12) and Jane Shin (12) were voted Duke and Duchess. Students also commented that the time allotted to dancing was too short, and this year’s prom was focused too much on the performances. Only two songs were reserved for slow dancing.
Inside This
Issue
“If prom was all about watching performances, then what was the point of bringing partners?” said Joshua Cho (11). In addition, those on the dance floor were largely unsatisfied with its size. Although the High School Student Council (HSSC) had enlarged the floor, students still bumped into each other often and were “unable to dance properly”, according to David Nam (11). “By and large, our work has paid off,” said Michelle Ryu (11), HSSC member. “It seemed everyone had a good time and the guest stars amped the atmosphere.”
diplomas and awards of special recognition, they shouted out slogans of their love and gratitude to family while guests both embarrassedly groaned and cheered on. Flowers and whole bouquets were purchased by the armful by well-wishing underclassmen, who presented them with written notes and cards, for many, as final farewell gifts. “You have to face the fact that you won’t be seeing these guys for quite a while,” said David Han (12). “[But] I will be seeing my closest buds, that’s a promise.” As the ceremony drew to a close, the reality of the situation began to sink in – this could be one of the last times many would cross paths again. But in the end, the event was one for the celebration and commemoration of an era of their lives, not of mourning and sadness. “Many of you will end up in places you cannot imagine today,” said Mr. Jones in his benediction. “Class of 2009, you walked in here today as seniors, but are now graduates. Congratulations.” And with that, the 81 studentsturned-graduates erupted into cheers, throwing their caps into the air and officially marking the beginning of their life out into the real world.
The responsibilities of the executive council were passed down to a new set of members on April 30. Nick Hong (11), Albert Kang (11), Andrew Han (11), Andrew Lim (11) and Alex Kim (11) were to take on the roles of executive president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and historian respectively. The council vowed to dedicate themselves to their duties in front of the entire school. “It was a tough competition, and I’m glad I’ve won,” said Nick, upcoming executive president. “I have a lot of things planned for next year, and I hope to work to improve the student council.” One of Nick’s plans includes reformation of the council’s strike system by issuing one censure, or warning, at a time; two censures would equal one strike. He believes
these would help regulate the council by penalizing those who violate lighter rules such as being late to meetings. Nick won by a majority vote of 54 percent against Jennifer Sun (11), the current junior council president. For the vice presidency, Albert won by a majority vote of 58 percent against Michelle Ryu (11), current junior class level representative. The other positions were uncontested. “[After having worked] for three years with Nick, I’m sure he and his council can carry out the legacy as well as we did,” said JongSeok Kim (12), current executive president, at a council general meeting. “I wish him the best.” There were complications with the election process, which delayed the results. The number of students voted and the number of votes did not correspond, so the administration underwent a reconfirmation process in order to find out who voted more than once. However, the gap between Nick’s votes and Jennifer’s votes was large enough to disregard the extra ballots.
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Voting in HSSC elections should continue to be mandatory. Students and staff react to news of swine flu, or the H1N1 virus.
The Tiger Times bids all members of the class of 2009 good-bye. Delicious brunch choices are revealed in the Kitchen Taste Off.
Freshmen involve themselves in creating a new baseball team. Faux News shows how SISers really feel about seniors’ graduation.
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June 2009
VIewpoint
Editorial: What we think
This month’s editorial
“We’ve got spirit, yeah, yeah, we’ve got spirit, yeah! S-I-S, we’re ready for success.” This is how one of many SIS cheers goes. Yet, it is a shame the rest of the student body does not seem to share such pep. Students openly acknowledge that there is a general lack of spirit at SIS. And yet, not many take initiative and actually try to spark school spirit. Becoming more involved does not take much individual effort, but collective involvement can really make a difference. Just imagine a basketball game with packed bleachers—with spectators decked out in blaring orange, black and white, with face paint, pom poms and posters. Now that’s home court advantage for you. Much of the burden to increase spirit is shouldered by the High School Student Council (HSSC,) as they are required to take the lead in garnering such excitement. However, because students are generally harsh critics with high expectations, the HSSC is naturally hesitant to launch large-scale projects with risky investments.
And yet, the most frequent criticisms the HSSC receives include remarks on high prices and low levels of excitement. These are not problems the Student Council can solve on its own. Student participation is ultimately what is needed—the student body’s degree of involvement is what determines whether any HSSC event will work, and how well it will work. Students refuse to attend school functions that were “lame” the previous year. However, the Student Council’s very job is to evaluate its past events and then fix the flaws it identifies. Students should expect improvement with each year— even traditions can change in how they are carried out. It is not so much what you do as it is who you do it all with. If Lock-In had had a more impressive turn-out, there would have been at least a slight increase in the level of enjoyment just because there would have been more people to enjoy it with. This in turn would encourage the HSSC to introduce more new events and experiment, because it can expect similar future successes.
But seeing how this is not happening at status quo, the best solution as it stands might be to include an activities fee as part of students’ yearly tuition. Although many students denounce this potential policy for making attending events essentially mandatory, there is no doubt that attendance will rise. When money is involved, it suddenly starts to matter. With a tangible incentive for students to show up to events, this may serve as a temporary solution that could be enforced until students recognize the inherent value of participating and engendering spirit. This fee could be removed once people start showing definite signs of willingness to be involved without necessarily being financially “forced” to. Wouldn’t it be splendid if the “S” in the acronym TIGERS could stand for “Spirited Souls?” We should work to make such a revision even worthy of consideration. Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in Tiger Times, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.
Students should be required to vote at all council elections en seriously as a body. Students can By Andrew Hwang
As SISers graduate and head off into the real world as adults, they will find that the decisions made by people at the top have wide-reaching implications and that they have a responsibility to have their voices heard. But it can be difficult to grasp the enormity of such a concept, especially on top of demanding studies. The answer can be found in forcing students to participate in their High School Student Council (HSSC) elections. As incredibly hypocritical as it sounds to teach students about civil society through force, the one place where teens have an opportunity to learn about the election process is in school. Students are already forced to do a lot of things that may seem unnecessary such as annotating required reading. But it is the responsibility of the school to educate the child in preparation for the future: and that includes instilling the value of contributing to the community. Mandatory voting also helps the HSSC become respected and be tak-
only begin to view elections as worthy of their attention when the school appears to do so as well. However, despite the school’s current policies, little thought or consideration is given by many into council affairs. Surveys are often responded to with jokes, discussions about candidates are held five minutes before heading to the ballot boxes and others vote simply for or against friends. Therefore, other measures do need to be taken in order to truly increase student enthusiasm. Efforts that turn the election process into one that encourages student participation is required instead. Muddling about with a single speech by candidates minutes before students are sent off to cast ballots does nothing to promote an atmosphere of discussion and debate about the candidates who will be in charge of the biggest events the following year. Putting more emphasis on early campaigning, the issues and giving more time to students for contemplation are all necessary steps to educate students about elections and remove the apathy that plagues so many.
Annual awards ceremony lacks Waste: Basement area used ineffectively Space next to meaning for many students the parking lot should be used effectively.
Valueless: Faculty should motivate and encourage all students to try and earn recognition by receiving such awards.
By Jennifer Sun
By Elizabeth Song
At the end of each school year, students trudge into the auditorium, anticipating a long assembly during which awards are given to mostly the same students each year. The repetitiveness and lack of impact of these ceremonies has left students unwilling to attend these ceremonies. The routine of these assemblies is the same: the teachers briefly describe how particular students were very hardworking, how the students’ strengths lied in a certain area and then list the names of those who received the awards. While the routine does make the assemblies quite dull for most students, the problem also lies in the fact that every year, the same students receive the same awards for the same areas of study. Due to this redundancy that continues each year, fewer students pay attention every enusing ceremony and are not motivated to try harder in any of the subject areas in order to receive the awards.
Photo by Jennifer Sun
Mr. John Rider, drama and English teacher, presents an award to William Jun (11) for his contribution to drama. The reason teachers give the same students the same awards is, to a degree, justified because these students are some of the most diligent and highly enthusiastic students; they also tend to be stronger than their peers in those certain subject areas. However, there are many other students that also show talent and are just as zealous about certain subjects. These students may not necessarily have the highest grades or be the strongest student in the class, but recognizing these students who show as much dedication, if not more, makes the most of those classes. Thus, if the school sincerely wants to fulfill its educational goals in helping students become the kinds
of people described in the TIGERS acronym, the point of these award ceremonies should be that the faculty encourage and award those who worked very hard, though they may not have gotten the highest grades: an award for greatest student improvement, perhaps. By awarding these students, they would also feel that they are being recognized for their effort and would feel even more determined to increase the amount of effort that they put into those subject areas. Additionally, by breaking this “monopoly” on awards, other students would recognize the possibility of receiving recognition without getting the highest grades and would feel encouraged to work harder as well.
Editors-in-Chief Stephanie Char Janice Yoon Seoul International School Songpa P.O. Box 47 Seoul, South Korea 138-600
Managing Editor Kristin Kim Production Editor Seungho Yang
Graphics Editor Jennifer Sun Reporters Mellanie Ahn Yuri Han Andrew Hwang Elizabeth Song
After years of anticipation and two years of construction, SIS got a new turf and a new basement building for extra space. Despite the large capacity of the building, only three of the rooms are used as elementary music, strings and Spanish I classes. Two other bigger rooms are used every May for AP testings. Otherwise, the basement largely remains empty. To make effective use of the new facilities, the school should invest in renovating the basement area. If the empty space can be used for purposes other than holding a few classes, the overall quality of facilities would improve greatly. The administration has decided to make use of one of the main rooms—the rooms usually used for the AP testing—and construct a gym for kindergarteners. More renovations such as this should be made in the basement area. For instance, the auditorium holds about 270 people. This means that the auditorium cannot hold the entire high school students at once. At the recent UNICEF teacher talent show, the auditorium could not provide a seat for everyone; thus, many resorted to sitting on the floor. Besides the small capacity, the size of each seat is also problematic.
Layout Artists Vickie Ahn Paul Cho Andrew Lim Michelle Yi Photographers Yoonie Kim Alex Kim
Many high school students, as years pass by, complain that the seats are too small to sit comfortably in for a long time. “Whenever I sit in the auditorium, I get leg cramps,” said Hannah Kim (11). “The seats need to be bigger so that older students can comfortably sit.” The auditorium is lacking in terms of stage facilities as well. While the lighting and sound system are adequate, the overall size needs to be bigger. The school would benefit if more space was given to drama class. Large props currently stored in the back stage should also be moved to other places so that drama students have enough room to change clothes. “During the run of Mamma Mia!, there was not enough room for actors to change,” said Mr. John Rider, drama teacher. “There was even one occasion where Helen had to change in front of other people.” Limited stage space is also problematic during concerts. The auditorium lacks enough space for all high school symphony orchestras to fit during two bi-annual concerts. Thus, entire symphony orchestra resorts to sitting in cramped seats. School should continue on with its agenda to develop school facilities. It should effectively utilize the newly acquired space in the basement. Then, the current auditorium in the main building can be turned into another facility, such as conference rooms or computer rooms.
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
June 2009
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News
SIS responds Freshmen express varied opinions about Flock-in Freshto swine flu Unrewarding: men respond to Flock-in By Mellanie Ahn
With a total of 4,780 cases in 30 countries, including three cases in South Korea, the swine flu, also known as H1N1, has received more coverage by the media than any other issue for the past couple of weeks. The World Health Organization raised the alert level to an alarming “Phase 5” out of six maximum phases, which caused many international governments to fear in case of a global pandemic. With Korea under risk of this particular virus, students and teachers expressed their concerns about swine flu and its spotlight in the media. Mr. John Rider
“I do not believe that the virus exists. I have no evidence, but how many people do you know have the [H1N1 virus]? Do you know anyone who knows someone who has the virus? Is it a coincidence that the virus suddenly gets 24/7 coverage during the biggest financial melt down? To me, the government [simply wants to turn everyone’s attention away from the financial crisis.] So all I am saying is for people to question stuff: question the TV news, question the newspapers; question this article!”
Emiri Mizuo (10)
“I am really scared that the H1N1 virus might spread in Korea. I think I am mostly scared because there are so many reported deaths of this flu, and because viruses are very unpredictable due to their nature of constant mutations.”
Tim Chung (9)
“I am pretty indifferent about the swine flu. According to medical officials, the swine flu is being treated like the common flu. So it means that it is lethal, but curable as well. But the diseases that scare me are the ones without a cure.”
Peter Hong (11)
“I think it unfortunate that people cannot go to work or school because of the swine flu and that it is causing economic crisis in countries like Mexico. But I wish I had [the swine flu] so that I would not have to come to school.”
Amy Kim (9)
“I recently heard about swine flu spreading in a hagwon and was scared by the news; I hope I don’t have it.”
Christine Youn (11)
“I heard that the whole swine flu thing was a conspiracy because the US government supposedly has been manipulating the publicity of this virus to limit Latin American workers from Mexico. I am not sure if the virus actually exists but I do believe that the media has bloated a lot of what has been going on.”
efforts with complaints. By Yuri Han
Flock-in, the freshmen finale of the year, took place from May 8 to 9 and received a wide range of reviews. As an event limited to freshmen only, it provided them the opportunity to socialize with friends, but failed to meet many students’ high standards. The critiques of the high school Lock-in discouraged freshmen to attend Flock-in. The poor attendance contributed to the overall dissatisfaction regarding the event: 47 out of 85 freshmen did not attend. “After the high school Lock-in, we got a bad impression,” said Ryan Jeon (9). “That is why I did not go, and most people said that Flock-in was not that great.” The freshmen council failed to respond to some of the critiques of Lock-in. For example, students had difficulty sleeping because of the
poor heating at Lock-in, as well as at Flock-in. Aside from two events, the movie, “The Italian Job,” and the talent show, which nine freshmen participated in, the rest of the evening was reserved as free time for students. The Freshmen Council strived to respond to students’ complaints that there was not enough time for individuals to bond at Lock-in, but Flock-in also lacked activities for the freshmen to enjoy. “It was kind of boring,” said John Park (9). “It was disorganized, and everyone was just doing what they wanted. There was not much to do.” A trip to the beach had originally been planned for the freshmen class. However, at the freshmen scheduling session, less than 15 students voted to go to the beach. Students felt that the beach would be too far and that there would be not enough activities there. On the other hand, freshmen took advantage of the large portion of the schedule exclusively dedicat-
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Song
Freshmen prepare to perform at the Flock-in talent show. ed to free time. “There are good and bad points of Flock-in and Lock-in,” said Julian Moon (9). “[Flock-in] was an opportunity for me to practice basketball, hang out with friends, and play badminton. Flock-in was like an extended time to hang out [at school].” Whether Flock-in will happen
again next year depends entirely on the upcoming freshmen council. “We really tried to plan a good Flock-in,” said Stephanie Song, freshmen student council treasurer. “But the execution did not go as we planned. Some students did not like it as much as others. I definitely think [the] next year [freshmen student council] should do it.”
Senior class enjoys one final journey together Memorable: A week before graduation, the senior council hosted a trip for the graduating class of 2009. By Vickie Ahn
In place of the Senior Lunch this year, the Senior Council replaced the event with a Senior trip. On May 16-17, SIS’ first senior trip was hosted by the Senior Council 2009. Approximately 30 seniors and three chaperones: Mr. Gray Macklin, Mr. Damon Six and Ms. Christy Willis, attended the event. After a successful event, the group returned at about 1 pm on Sunday May 17th. With a fee of 50,000 Won per student, seniors and chaperones were provided with transportation, food and housing during the trip. From SIS, the group of students and chaperones were taken to Geum-
Photo courtesy of Tiffany Cho
Seniors of the class of 2009 pose for the camera during their retreat to Geumeenae, a pension located in Incheon. ee-nae a pension in Incheon via an approximate two hour bus ride. At the pension, the Senior Council prepared a flexible schedule consisting of a list of activities ranging from
field activities, to mudflats, to fireworks and even a campfire. Unfortunately though, due to the cold weather and rain, the group was forced to spend most of their
time indoors. However, this unexpected change in weather did not seem to disappoint or detract from the success of the event. “Even though it was cold, we still held our barbeque and made s’mores together outside,” said Christine Choi (12). “Later, when the weather became too chilly, we just went inside and told scary stories and watched TV together. It didn’t really matter what we did, just the fact that we were there to experience it together made the trip meaningful and memorable.” Meant to be just a two day, one night trip the group returned back to SIS at around 1 pm on Sunday, May 17th. The general impression and reaction to the event was positive. “This whole trip was a just a really [valuable] time for seniors to bond before we leave for college,” said Christine. “It should definitely be a tradition that rising seniors and the class that follows thereafter carries on.”
Student Council advocates annual activities fee Innovation: The council considers charging each student 200,000 won in the near future. By Andrew Lim
As part of a continued effort to increase transparency, the Student Council is advocating the addition of an activities fee to tuition to fund High School Student Council (HSSC) sponsored events. If initiated, about 200,000 won would be paid along with the school tuition at the beginning of the year in exchange for free admission to school activities including Lock-In and Tiger Palooza. The idea was first proposed by
current junior class president Jennifer Sun’s mother, who plans to introduce this idea to the parent council and administration if she receives positive responses from the executive council and HSSC advisors. “The idea of having an activities fee is widespread in many universities,” said Mr. Gray Macklin, HSSC adviser. “We are trying to utilize that in SIS.” By advocating the approval of a new activities fee, the HSSC is hoping to encourage participation in school activities and eliminate the image that the HSSC is merely a ‘money making machine.’ “[If the proposal is passed,] instead of worrying about logistics, the HSSC would be able to concentrate more on the fun of activities, not the money-making aspect of fundrais-
ing,” said Mr. Macklin. The cost of major events like Snowball and Prom would significantly decrease, addressing the increasing number of complaints about how Prom and Snowball are too expensive. If the proposal is accepted, the HSSC’s monetary system will be revolutionized. Moving away from the status quo in which the council must fundraise to reach a certain goal, council members will have to stay within a set budget and learn how to utilize the funds they have. “The treasurer’s job definitely gets more educational if the proposal is accepted,” said Edward Ha (12), executive treasurer. “Instead of struggling to raise enough money for fundraisers, treasurers can learn how to professionally manage
set budgets the way real treasurers would do in the government.” However, complaints regarding the mandatory aspect of the fee are starting to emerge. These complaints center around the allegedly highly undemocratic nature of the activities fee. “It is a good idea, but I do not think it is fair for the students who do not like to attend school events” said Ellen Park (11). “People who don’t participate are wasting their money.” The proposal has not yet been approved by the administration and parent council. Strong support will be needed from all grounds in order for the proposal to pass. “It is a good idea, but it’s still up in the air,” said Mr. Macklin.
Until we meet again... Here are a few shoutouts to the wonderful seniors who served on our 20082009 Tiger Times Staff. Thank you for all of your hard work. We will miss you.
Monica Park “Wish you the best of luck and thanks for being the sweetest editor ever!” – Alex Kim “Thanks for being a great editor and say hi to the cornfields for me when you pass them.” – Elizabeth Song “I fear for the frog and bird populations soon to be decimated at Northwestern. Go easy on the critters. Thanks for cheering me on and doing stupid things I could laugh at and admire. I love you, coffee soon.” – Janice Yoon
Stephanie Choi “Sorry for eating all the chocolate and starburst. We’ll miss you!”– Elizabeth Song “I’ll miss all the food stuff. Your cookies and cakes and all the rest. But most importantly I’ll miss you even moreeeee! Love youu.” –Yoonie Kim “I’m glad I will not have to endure any more of your torture next year. Just kidding, you’ve always been the senior with the shoulder to lean on. And ridiculously delicious food, too. That’s always a plus. I love you, visit.” – Janice Yoon “SABJIL sisters for life! Hope you have a blast at college!” – Your SABJIL sister, Jennifer Sun
Dear Graduating Class of 2009,
Congratulations on finishing high school paid off, and now you are ready to take your first With every year, the bittersweet moment co the supporting teachers, students and friends at SI and special to the school, and the seniors will alwa 31st graduating class of SIS also joins the alumni their talents with others. We will always think of y of our yearbooks and pass by your faces in the H all will be treasured forever. Many will tell you that this is the time whe responsibilities and become accountable for some stage in your lives, we hope that you will carry on continue to become your very best. You all have s all may go. SIS has been so fortunate to have suc dents that has lent out so many helping hands to t SIS community. We can only hope to be as capab be lucky to have any of you. We will miss you so much and hope to see good food with you. Have a great summer and be
Elli Shim “I will inherit your work ethic next year.” – Paul Cho “I’m going to miss you a lot next year! It’ll feel weird being a layout artist for Seoulite and Tiger Times without you.” – Vickie Ahn “Had fun in AP Lang and in Tiger Times! I’m going to earn money tutoring next year HAHA” – Alex Kim “Good luck in university! I enjoyed working with you in cheer and journalism!” – Mellanie Ahn “Espanol clase with Senor Coleman was interesting haha. Buena suerte in college!” – Michelle Yi
Goodb
Michael Chung “I will inherit your work ethic next year.” – Seungho Yang “I will also be inheriting your work ethic next year, rest assured.” – Janice Yoon “CHIC IN PINK. Have fun at Stern and come visit me next year.” – Jennifer Sun “Will miss you in calc and journalism next year!” – Stephanie Char “You’re so funny. We’ll miss you.” – Yuri Han “Thanks for all the good advice.” – Paul Cho “Stop hating UPENN.” – Andrew Lim
Gina Han “Our production editor—thank you for everything! We’ll miss you so much.” – Michelle Yi “Hwa-ee-ting.” – Andrew Lim. “Prom partner dilemma solved <3” – Yoonie Kim “Thanks for being such a great sunbae. Uh… good luck.” – Andrew Hwang “I can’t imagine anyone else as my layout editor.” – Vickie Ahn “Gina! I am very sure you will be successful in Notre Dame. Have fun!” – Mellanie Ahn
l! Finally, the past 12 years of hard work have steps out of high school. omes when the seniors finally say good-bye to IS. Each senior class brings something unique ays be our role models and friends. This year’s in leaving their mark on the school by sharing you appreciatively as we flip through the pages Hall of Fame. The memories we have with you
en your life begins and when you take on more eone other than yourself. As it is an important n your experiences and education from SIS and such bright futures ahead of you wherever you ch a talented and compassionate group of stuthe underclassmen and served as leaders of the ble as you all. We know any university would
Jennifer Park “I FINALLY GOT A PARTNER FOR PROM.” –Yoonie Kim “Thank you for being so sweet. Let’s continue our random talk sessions even while you’re overseas!” – Kristin Kim “Thank you for all of the advice you have given me this year.”- Yuri Han “Fun in Introduction to Publication and Tiger Times with you! Have fun in college! “– Mellanie Ahn “Good luck in college.” – Seungho Yang “Hey! You finally graduated. Thanks for the earphones that time.” – Andrew Hwang
e your faces again. Visit SIS and bring lots of est of luck for the future! Lots of love,
Tiger Times
Eunice Kwon Photos by Jennifer Sun and Alex Kim
“Layout artist to reporter! Journalism will feel empty without you (and soccer and cross country). Disney marathon?” – Michelle Yi “Thank you for the helpful advice you gave me at the Quill and Scroll Dinner. Good luck even though you don’t need it!” – Kristin Kim “Thank you for showing me around the work study duties. Visit!” - Yuri Han “Will miss you for everything next year. Thanks for all the help and advice!” – Stephanie Char “The field is going to be so quiet without you.” - Vickie Ahn
bye class of ‘09
Page 6 June 2009
LIFESTYLE Summer Lovin’ How to best spend your summer as an upcoming… Freshman: Take it easy, kids. There really is no reason to panic about your first year in high school. Do NOT mass enroll in hagwons or hire too many tutors. Sure, you can do a bit of previewing, but you should not attempt to learn all your course material beforehand. Educationally speaking, freshman year is a big step up from middle school, yes, but the gap is not so wide that you need to sacrifice an entire summer to fill it in. Maybe take a trip to Tuvalu before the global warming sinks the island. Sophomore: Starting this fall, your lives are going to get a lot less livable… so fully enjoy and take advantage of this summer. Perhaps you could attend a summer program abroad to further strengthen your skills in an area of interest, such as a performing art. There are an infinite number of nerd camps you could go to, too, such as CTY (Center for Talented Youth) and EPGY (Education Program for Gifted Youth.) Really, the program names speak for themselves. Simply make sure you have completed your summer assignments, especially for your AP history course. And if you really are feeling overambitious, you can begin prepping for the SATs (this way, you do not have to focus specifically on the PSATs.) Junior: Summer vacation, what? As rising juniors, you should forget about having fun. “Fun” no longer has a place in your vocabulary—well, at least not until you destroy your SATs and APs. Spending a summer hagwon hopping is more acceptable now than ever before, even though it is not particularly encouraged for the sake of preserving your physical fitness and psychological sanity. There really is not much advice to offer. Good luck. You’ll need it. Senior: Study hard, party harder. Spend this summer recharging. Make up for all those sleepless nights you spent memorizing AP Language and Composition monologues and cramming three centuries’ worth of US history. Make up for all those Friday nights out and Saturday morning brunches you missed out on with your friends. If you want to be a rocket scientist, sign up for an internship at a lab and go blow stuff up. If you want to be a rapper, start recording your debut album. Just remember to take some time to do some legitimate soul-searching, in preparation for college applications. Go college touring and stop at all the Ivy Leagues for your parents’ sake. And if you feel you aren’t special enough for Harvard, you still have an entire summer to create an identity of your own. Explore.
[Mac]
Mac “just works.” It is extremely different from Windows in terms of interface, but the way the Mac works is more logical and comfortable. Instead of a taskbar, Mac has a dock in which different applications (Windows equivalent of programs) are located. Clicking an icon brings up all the windows of that specific program. Mac also features “hot corner,” which allows users to assign a specific action when the cursor is dragged to the corner of the screen. You can assign ‘show desktop,’ ‘bring up Widgets’ and ‘Expose.’ Widgets such as dictionary, clocks, notes are small applications that you can download from Apple.com and bring up to the screen for useful purposes . Expose minimizes all the windows proportionally so that they fit into the screen. It’s a better and quicker version of alt-tab (but don’t worry there is alt-tab for Mac). In terms of functionality, Mac is fast. Very fast. Everything snaps.
[Windows 7]
Windows had an uphill battle against its competitors ever since the release of poorly received Windows Vista. Windows 7, the upcoming operating system by Microsoft, might change everything. At a glance, Windows 7 is almost identical to Vista; however, at a closer inspection, Windows 7 is a definite functional and visual improvement. Instead of the traditional taskbar in which individual programs took up their own space, the new taskbar unifies and groups all those programs under icons. You can also “pin” programs to the taskbar; in other words, the new taskbar functions like an advanced Quick Launch you see next to Start. In addition, Windows 7 features Aero Snap and Aero Shake. When users drag a window to the right or left of the screen, the window automatically snap into a shape so that it only occupies exactly half of the screen. The effect produced is equivalent to using multiple monitors. With Aero Shake, when you “shake” a window, it automatically minimizes every other window and cleans up the clutter. Most importantly, though, Windows 7 is noticeably faster than its predecessor—and almost as fast as Windows XP. All the actions you perform on screen are snappy and everything just works better. The speed itself alone is enough incentive to upgrade Windows Vista.
(SIS-Specific Advice One Shouldn’t Take Too Seriously)
Kristin’s
KitchenTaste-Off Photo by Kristin Kim
Flying Pan
☺☺☺☺
Located next to Hard Rock Café, the Flying Pan is easy to miss but hard to forget once visited. All classic breakfast and lunch platters are served, but specialties include the chicken avocado sandwich, eggs benedict and the crunchy bread salad topped with fresh and dried fruits. The Flying Pan is perfect for those who are a part of the Korean “wellbeing” cult. If you are vegetarian, like myself (since a few weeks ago… ironic, I know, considering that the last column was a comparison between beef and pork samgyupsal,) then I recommend the Country Omelette. The harmony of cooked cheddar cheese, bell peppers and juicy mushrooms will make anyone forget about meat.
On this month’s menu: Brunch! Photo by Kristin Kim
☺☺☺☺☺
Suji’s
If the Flying Pan looked and felt like a delicate vintage furniture shop, Suji’s is no different from an American diner. Maybe it was because we were surrounded by foreigners, or the big serving sizes of the New York style bagels with salmon and cream cheese, bacon and cheese omelets and three-layered blueberry sauce pancakes that we ordered. Though slightly on the pricey side, each dish was served with juice or coffee and a side platter of deliciously cooked potato wedges. On the odd day that you feel like having French toast and a smoothie for dinner, go for it. Suji’s is opened from 10 AM to 10 PM at Itaewon, Coex Mall and Jeongja-Dong.
June 2009 Page 7
SPORTS Students and teachers compete in their final soccer match of the year The class of 2009 left behind advice for their fellow athletes
Commitment
“[You should] pursue both your academic interests as well as athletics, maintaining a good balance, and always wholeheartedly make a commitment to [your] sport…regardless of the greater academic demands that are to come.”—Alex Kim, Varsity Tennis
Leadership “It’s really easy to neglect things like sport if you don’t have pure passion for it, because when things get busy you tend to focus on the things that are ‘graded’ and recorded—sport is something that cannot be judged by a piece of writing or what not so it’s easy to neglect it. But seniors are usually captains, and so it’s important for the team that they don’t completely neglect the team.”—Helen Lee, Varsity Cheer
Quality
“Don’t get caught up in how much time you play, but instead how well you play during that time.”—John Eom, Varsity Soccer
Spirit On May 14, teachers beat Varsity boys soccer players 9 to 5.
“Do not be shaken by the results of your games. Always finish your season with the same passion you started it with, so that you have no regrets.”—Nate Lee, Varsity Volleyball and Soccer
Balance
“Don’t mess up your grades for sports.”—David Jung, Varsity Tennis
Photo by Andrew Lim
Awards ceremony commemorates athletes Acknowledgement: The Awards Ceremony recognized students for their achievements. By Yoonie Kim
The SIS Awards Ceremony took place on May 15th. With all of the students present, the ceremony was divided into different subject areas. In the athletics department, Albert Park (10) received the Manager of the Year, Amy Jung (11) and Nate Lee (12) received the Unsung Hero
awards while Sohyae Lee (12) and Andrew Chung (12) received the KIAC Scholar award. The Athlete of the Year award is a highly competitive award that is given to the student with the most memorable participation in sports. This year’s recipients were Andrew Han (11) and Rachel Kim (12). Andrew and Rachel were both active in volleyball, with Rachel also playing basketball and Andrew soccer. The Same Sport Athletes awards recipients were chosen from students who participated in the same
sports for five consecutive years. Herbert Chun (11), Alex Kim (12), Nick Hong (11), Jiwon Choi (12), John Eun (11) and Irene Huh (11) were acknowledged for their dedication in swimming, tennis, soccer, and cross-country, respectively. Last but not least, the three Sport Athletes award was given to students who committed to three or more sports. Among the pool of these multi-skilled athletes, Amy Jung (11), John Eun (11) and Eunice Kwon (12) were chosen as the recipients.
Photo by Jennifer Sun
At the ceremony, Mr. Michael Castellani celebrates the mathematical achievements of exceptional individuals.
Avid freshmen baseball fans introduce their sport to rest of school Proposal: The Lottis inspire the creation of a new baseball team on school campus. By Mellanie Ahn
Photo by Jennifer Sun
Freshmen play baseball during Flock-In as they prepare to launch a new team for their upcoming school years.
Every Friday afternoon, David Lim (9) and his freshmen baseball team, the Lottis, ride the school bus to their home ground practice area at Jung Ja Cho. Thus far, the Lottis have played a couple games with other local student baseball teams that they found online at Naver Café. “We started around mid April,” said David, founder of Lottis. “We were unorganized and threw and hit on Sunday morning. And then we decided we should get together a team and compete with other random teams
we could find on the internet.” The team was named Lottis after Headmaster Dr. Hyungshik Kim’s dog. According to David, he felt that the dog was the school mascot and it represented the school the best. He also said that after practicing almost every week for half of the year, his team improved a lot compared to how they were before. “We were first not really good because none of us ever played in a real baseball game,” said Taeyong Shin (9), a member of the Lottis. “But David trained our team well and we are definitely improving.” The Lottis are not only having fun during their leisure time, but the team is also planning to spread its enthusiasm for baseball by creating a new school baseball team with Mr. Christopher Moore, a geometry
teacher and a huge advocate of the school baseball team proposal. “I first talked to Mr. Bryan Keith, the Activities and Athletics Director,” said Mr. Moore. “He seemed to like the idea, so we are now working to make this idea work out. Nothing is set or sure. We just recently held a meeting for those who were interested in baseball and the turnout was great.” Although there was only one girl who was interested in joining the baseball team, many freshman and sophomore boys who were interested. “I am a huge fan of baseball,” said Mr. Moore. “I played it and coached it. And with the recent Korean baseball team playing very well in the Olympics, this seemed to have stirred up a lot of enthusiasm.
Page 8
June 2009
Small talk
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The moment that everyone has been waiting for since the column about “Hakuna Matata” was published has finally come. Summer. While it may be filled with many hours of hagwons and tutoring for the more unfortunate among us, summer is when we spend our time not worrying about grades and instead use it to relax and catch up on the hobbies we were not able to enjoy during the school year. It is the time when we can join the Lost Boys to go fight Captain Hook and his evil crew, run away from the giant crocodile and swim with the mermaids in the Mermaid Lagoon. While Wendy Darling’s parents were right in saying that we must grow up to face the world of adults and unfair flamingo crochet matches with people like the Queen of Hearts, we are not quite grown up yet. Thus, it is essential that we make the most of the
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few years left of the youth that Walt Disney and his descendants have worked to preserve. Summer is a time when we are free from the ev** eryday burdens of school (pretend for a momethat hagwon homework is not a burden); therefore, we should not stay “un-duh-dah sea” and get out on land, for summer adventures will never come to us while we are simply staring and singing “I’m wishing,” in to a well with the neighboring little forest creatures. Start a new project (like Take0). Visit new places in the city (isn’t Apgu getting old?). Eat new foods (no more dak-galbi or Myung-in Mandu, try reading the Kitchen Taste-Off). Make new friends (Seoul has a population of 10,356,000). The wishful thinking of the school year is over. It is time for us to finally put our words into actions. So sprinkle a bit of pixie dust and fly off, and visit your own little Neverland—for every ending is a new beginning. By Elizabeth Song
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Where is the good in “good-bye?” Every May, yet another class graduates SIS, leaving a gaping hole in the high school’s social fabric that is filled the following fall by scarily energetic freshmen. At graduation and prom, teachers say their final, parting words of wisdom. Underclassmen show their gratitude with bouquets and gifts. The ceremonies, parties and traditions may seem unnecessarily lavish, and may be to a certain extent, but really are simply signs of our inexpressible appreciation, to which a price tag cannot be attached. As these gatherings come to a close, people say their good-byes. Hugs are exchanged, hands are shaken and tears are shed. So really, what’s so great about parting ways
that the last word we utter out of our mouths is “good-bye?” Where is the good in “good-bye?” “Good-bye” generally carries a tone of formality and closure. It resonates with the implication that there will be no second chances or encounters, and that people will most likely not cross paths again. Just ask a member of the classic boy band, N’Sync. The lyrics to their song “Bye, Bye, Bye” state “I wanna see you out that door. Baby, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye.” Obviously Justin Timberlake didn’t want that relationship to drag out any longer. And yet, some good can be found in saying good-bye. As much as it marks the end to one event or
Say What?
chapter in life, it signals the start of another, of the unknown—the beginning of something that could potentially be incredibly epic. Whereas some see graduation as the sorrowful end to the “best years of their lives,” it is actually a rite of passage that results in both increased independence and increased social commitments. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Amen, Spiderman. So for all those who typically dread endings, regardless of whether they result in “happily ever after” or a devastating dead-end, stop dreading. Live looking for the good in life and for the good in “good-bye.” Congratulations, Class of 2009. And good-bye.
JANiCE YOON
FauxNews Underclassmen breathed a collective sigh of relief as seniors headed off towards graduation, diplomas in hand, celebrating the departure of, according to them, a particularly abusive and mean-spirited class of 2009. “Good riddance,” said Timmy Dee (9), standing by his parents at his brother’s graduation. “These seniors did nothing but make class interesting and dared to brighten up my day—especially my brother.” Other students recounted similar stories of horror, detailing the callous invasions of privacy by their older peers. “One time, this senior asked me how my day was going, and I was just like, mind your own beeswax!” said Sandra Poh (11). “Who do they think they are?” Younger athletes and academics also celebrated the end of the domination in all categories by their upperclassmen. “They were the best in sports, math, science, writing, acting, debating, the list goes on,” said Reggie Connor (10), Varsity Soccer player. “With them gone,
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we might have a chance to get something as well.” Teachers and faculty became reluctant defenders of the graduating class, giving faint-hearted mumbles when pressed further about their true opinions. “Guess they did get into some good colleges,” said Mr. John Kumas. “I suppose they were quite talented in all areas, in addition to being wonderful students and people. But that’s all I’ll give you.” Unsurprisingly, it was the parents who seemed most disappointed with the departure of their children. “Now that we can’t control every detail of our children’s lives and live through them, I don’t know what I’ll do,” said one. In the end, only the seniors themselves stubbornly refused to be let down by the wave of cirticisms. “We’re graduating with our friends and we have plenty of places to go,” said one. “That’s all that mattes to us.” And so, they left with their heads held high. By Andrew Hwang
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