Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 9

Tiger Times June

Volume 53

Issue 9

ttonl.org

Editorial

And, not end by

Jenny Seo & Emily Sung editors-in-chief

You might have experienced some confusion when the top left corner of our first spread was not an editorial by Brian Ham and Eric Hwang. Instead, two new names would have greeted you––Jenny Seo and Emily Sung, yours truly––as the new Editors in Chief of the paper division of Tiger Times. From two oblivious freshmen participating in Introduction-to-Journalism sessions to junior editors learning under the previous editorial team, we now look forward to serving as your new editors as veteran seniors for the 2021-’22 school year. With this transition in leadership, we are delegated the responsibility to refine the paper with improved ideas.

However, as much as it is important to discuss changes and goals for next year, the significance of reflecting on the past cannot be overlooked in order to shape the future.

Saying that this past year has been chaotic would be an understatement.

With constant COVID scares, school jumped between offline and online classes and grade levels were unable to physically interact with each other until mid-February. Events that were originally planned were halted; it seemed as if a return to normalcy was impossible.

However, our community took on the challenges of unpredictable events and hurdles together, finding solutions for every obstacle big or small. We adapted, we remained flexible, creative, and hopeful, and during the second semester, we were finally able to return to school fully with all grade levels present. Club events were hosted through the collaboration of all members, sports tournaments resumed, and the campus bustled with activity. And on May 21, we celebrated the departure of the Class of 2021 with a limited in-person graduation.

The Class of 2021 was truly a notable one: all 98 seniors were incredibly self-driven and motivated, now having successfully completed their four year sentence. Among them, there are a few Tiger Times members we would like to acknowledge, as even during the hardest of times, Tiger Times was able to successfully publish its desired number of issues with the leadership of a few individuals. Brian, Eric, Chris, Joanne, Jiwon, Eddie, Emily, Irene, and Ashley were role models in their respective fields, acting as the backbone of both paper and web divisions.

New reporters learned under the guidance of the fearless editorial team, and were encouraged to speak their voices through words and art.

The Tiger Times staff wants to thank everyone for staying strong and making it through this whirlwind of a year––we all have come a long way. We persevered through change and our collective ingenuity, willingness, and faith in each other have never been more evident.

We are grateful for the support of this community in helping Tiger Times move forward in unprecedented circumstances as your school newspaper.

The two of us are incredibly excited to share with you the unique ideas we have for Tiger Times, but for now, we wish health and happiness to all as the future unfolds. HAGS!!

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

2 VIEWPOINT The right to take lives

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un violence in the US is an issue that always seems to be on the news—from the Atlanta spa shootings in April to the more recent Colorado Springs shooting—and is the subject of constant political debate. Although the solution seems to be simply instituting gun control laws, the reality is more complex. While it is undeniable that unregulated gun usage enables needless violence in America, regulating guns could disregard the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights, a central pillar of American democracy. Thus, the question that arises is this: should the US government prioritize saving lives from gun violence or maintaining the fundamental right to bear arms? In this case, since the right to own guns is more of a symbol of democracy than an actual effective proponent of it, the government should take the risk of prioritizing safety in order to fulfill its duty as the protector of lives as well as rights.

As stated in the Second Amendment, Americans have the unalienable right to bear arms in order to prevent government tyranny. Since the Amendment’s very reason for existence is to protect democracy, many gun advocates like the National Rifle Association (NRA) view gun control as a violation of American freedom. The NRA attempted to limit gun control legislation like the Brady Bill, which mandated federal background checks for prospective gun owners, with a Supreme Court ruling that made them optional for states. In theory, curbing the Bill would have helped Americans by protecting their rights; in reality, however, this enabled mentally ill, underage, or malicious

individuals to buy guns very easily, greatly increasing unregulated gun violence.

This is the uncomfortable truth. Guns are often not used for the benefit of the people, but to commit needless and senseless violence. According to the BBC, of all the 14,400 gun deaths in the US in 2019, 62 percent were suicides, 38 percent were homicides, and only 4 percent were accidental and war casualties. In other words, only 4 percent of gun deaths in 2019 were not born out of hatred. Along with that statistic, the approximately 300 children killed by gunfire in 2020, the 417 mass shootings in 2019, and potentially thousands more unreported gun conflicts speak for the bleak consequences of the ‘right’ given by the Second Amendment. It is clear from these numbers that the Amendment is not actually enforcing democracy—after all, is it really democratic to constantly live in fear of your life?—but a brutal culture of gun violence that continually kills and traumatizes innocents.

The government must recognize unregulated guns as what they really are—a threat to national security where in too many cases, anyone with a fake ID can acquire killing machines—and start imposing regulations like stringent mental health and background checks to assure that guns do not fall into the wrong hands, even at the cost of breaking the Second Amendment.

Some may argue that breaking the Second Amendment will set a precedent for breaking more Amendments, therefore increasing government power to a dangerous level.

However, there have been many instances where they were bent or broken by the gov-

ernment to maintain order, yet the Constitution still held its authority. For instance, the Patriot Act instituted after the events of 9/11, gave the government power to surveil people’s private digital data to find potential terrorists. While many argued that it went against the Constitution by breaking the Fourth Amendment, the right to privacy, the Act helped protect the country against terrorism, revealing that in moments of crisis, breaking amendments are often necessary.

Similarly, the government cannot institute desperately needed gun control legislation without bypassing the Second Amendment; but without such legislation, countless innocents will continue to be shot.

It is important to note that although the Constitution may need to be violated at times to ensure the safety of the American people, this does not mean that the entire document is not fundamentally important.

The Constitution, which has helped maintain freedom in the US through both eras of turmoil and peace, should continue to guide American laws. Nevertheless, the world has changed greatly in the 200 years since the Constitution was created. Guns, then considered an effective tool against government tyranny, are now ineffective against the largest nuclear arsenal in the world and instead used more to commit violence among citizens. Just as how the US has changed, the Constitution must change with it in order to continue upholding American democracy.

BY: Rosa Suh Sophomore, Reporter

AP exam season: when absences are the norm You have yet to review three AP US History units for the exam coming up the day after tomorrow. You also promised yourself to take a practice exam on the Princeton Review textbook that you procrastinated on until now.

But if you go to school, you simply will not have the time to finish everything. Under the mounting pressure, stress, and anxiety, you ask your mom to call the school office and excuse you from today’s classes.

The AP exam season is the only extended period of time during the year where the absence of masses of students is expected.

Under the school policy, a student may be excused from classes the day before a morning exam or the morning before an afternoon exam if their parents inform the school. However, it has become a norm for students to miss even earlier days in order to focus all their attention and energy on the exam preparation and compensate for weeks of procrastination. Several, albeit fewer, also miss their fourth-period classes right after taking the morning test to reward themselves with a day of rest. Such excuses, though understandable, are piling up absences in May, and we must find ways to alleviate this recurring issue.

Some students’ decisions to miss multiple days leading up to their AP exams culminate in a variety of issues. First and most noticeably, schoolwork is delayed, not just because students generally prioritize AP studies over regular homework, but also because they

miss lectures and learning experiences when absent. The absence of one can encourage their peers to miss school as well, spreading an undesirable mentality. Absences also affect teachers: while teachers are already forced to adjust to students’ absences at the time of their AP exams, absences prior to this day double their burden to rearrange plans. Meanwhile, the remaining, present students may feel like their time in classes is highly unproductive.

Despite these negative consequences, it is still understandable why students decide to miss classes; AP exams are a one-time occurrence for which they have studied all year, so the pressure to do well is, as a peer of mine said, “through the roof.” Especially for students taking multiple AP subjects, giving extra time to review only seems like the correct, generous thing to do. In short, we do not necessarily have to blame students for missing school during AP weeks. We must instead encourage them to weigh their priorities more wisely by emphasizing that keeping track of regular school work and grades is more important than scoring a 4 or 5 on their AP exam—a fact that many overlook. Reminding students to start studying for their exams and discouraging them from procrastinating at an earlier stage, no matter how cliché it may sound, would also make a key difference when done officially.

Additionally, while we cannot control students’ decisions for absences, we can certainly

address the underlying reasons behind them.

One is that, as teachers reduce the level of rigor for their classes and even provide free periods to avoid burdening students during AP weeks, many simply do not see the need to attend these classes. If teachers counter this by maintaining the high rigor of classes, however, students would merely feel more stress. Hence, an alternative option is to allow teachers to choose each of their classes to be either mandatory—not accepting AP studies as an excuse for absences—or completely optional. Implementing a clear class-based attendance policy would not only help teachers easily adjust their plans by setting a predictable number of students attending, but also give students a sense of how wisely they should spend their time in and out of school.

Both students and teachers hold responsibility for maximizing productivity and simultaneously minimizing stress levels during the AP exam season. As teachers manipulate their class attendance policies themselves, students should strive to end the school year with a strong, motivated attitude. Most importantly, students should focus on setting their priorities straight and considerinwg if it is truly necessary to miss school: a lesson that ties back to wise decision-making throughout their entire high school career.

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Web-PaPer Liason

GLOBAL NEWS

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Tiger Times Staff

Tiger Times 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.

Volume 52 Issue 9 August/September Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-In-Chief Jenny Seo Emily Sung Website Editors-in-Chief Sarah Ju

Paper Managing Editor Skylar Peck Website Managing Editors Woojune Kim Jordan Kim Production Editors Bona Suh Clara Lim

Web-Paper Liason Reporters Graphic Editor Aimee Choi Rosa Suh Jennifer You Sunny Lee Website Design Jennifer Kwon Editor Erin Choi Photos Editor Minjae Chun Isabelle Lee Alice Lee Katherine Suk Layout Artists Jack Lee Marketing Jasmine Jeong Hugo Lee Manager Hannah Kim Rachel Yoon Katie Kim Yuzine Yi Bin Ma John Kim Katelyn Oh

Grace Lee Ian Park Junseo Lee David Kim Paul Moon Daniel Shin Cherlin Kim Joseph Chun Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Trial of Derek Chauvin marks milestone to justice

The trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer accused of killing George Floyd on a street corner last year, was held from March 8 to April 20 in the Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court. After the three-week trial and a 10-hour deliberation over a course of two days, the jury came to a final verdict. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. As a consequence, he faces up to 40 years in prison, but it is likely that he will receive less time.

“I was relieved, but the whole incident was still tragic––it does not change the fact that George Floyd died,” Ginna Schultz, World History teacher and Minnesota resident, said. “ It seemed that the defense had few things to say, and it was interesting that Derek Chauvin did not take the stand. I think the prosecution crafted their case carefully—they were careful in providing all the evidence. The use of emotional testimonies was also interesting, and I think the judge was fair in making the decision. I was glad that it was not a mistrial.”

During the trial, the main discussed topic was whether Floyd died from being pinned to the ground by Chauvin or from his heart disease and drug dosage.

Dr. Martin J. Tobin, a pulmonologist, testified on the prosecutor’s side that being handcuffed and kneeled on led to insufficient oxygen being transported to Floyd’s lungs. Dr. Jonathan Rich, a cardiologist, also testified that drugs and heart disease

were completely unrelated with Floyd’s death and that his death could have been avoided. On the contrary, Dr. Andrew Baker, a medical examiner for Hennepin County and witness for the defense, testified that Floyd had hypertensive heart disease, which put Floyd at a greater risk of dying of any physical stress as he would need more oxygen than a normal healthy heart would.

“The verdict was half surprising and half-expected because the jury could have been affected by society’s attention on the trial,” Henry Hatridge (9), a black lives matter supporter, said. “It sets the best example of how society should have been and should be like in the future. The police system is inherently and systemically racist so this single case cannot solve everything, but it stands as an example for future cases.”

Following an intensive series of testimonies from specialists, family members, and bystanders on Floyd’s death, Steve Schleicher, the prosecutor, delivered the closing statement for the trial by focusing on describing the final moments of George Floyd.

On the other hand, the defense’s final statement focused on the “Burden of proof ” and that every single element has to be proven completely, without doubt, to have Chauvin convicted. When the verdict came out, President Biden delivered a speech about how the verdict was a step forward to equality, and Floyd’s family showed satisfaction with the verdict. Philonise Floyd,

graphic by Rachel Yoon

5% of police officers who have committed crimes get arrested

the younger brother of George Floyd, a witness at the case, also expressed his contentment and wanted to celebrate the victory.

While the civil activist Rev. Jesse Jackson did convey his relief for the victory, he still believes that the celebration has to be “premature” and that “this is a first down, not a touchdown.” With the success of George Floyd’s

trial, Benjamin Crump, the Floyd family’s lawyer, hopes that the trial of Kim Potter, the police officer that killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old African American, will have similar outcomes.

“I understand that the issue of police brutality against minorities, especially the Black and Latin American communities, has always been a serious issue

throughout American history,” Yoonseo Kim (10), AP US History student, said. “The verdict of the trial was a big step towards recognizing the severity of the problem of police brutality against minorities in the United States.”

BY: Saewoong Ian Park Freshman, New Reporter

Investigation of student’s death at Han River park continues

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n April 30, Sohn Jung-min, a medical college student, was found dead in the Han River six days after being reported missing near the Banpo Han riverside park. It was reported that he was drinking with his friend, whose name is not yet revealed, at night when he suddenly went missing. The police are currently investigating the cause of his death and conducting an autopsy report, as there were no security cameras within the area of the incident. As of now, three witnesses have stated that they saw the two young men at the park until early morning. The incident caught the attention of the public, as there are currently numerous unanswered questions as to how this occurred.

“There are several possible scenarios suggesting that this incident may have been an accident or a crime. However, in the

current situation, I believe that people should not be making statements about the incident without having sufficient evidence,” Allison Lee (9), a student interested in the investigation, said. “The public seems to be formulating the case as a definite crime although there has been no critical evidence to prove so.

The circumstantial evidence may support their ideas but the public should be more careful about their bold claims that it was the friend who murdered Sohn.”

Suspicions rose after the media discovered that the only person with Sohn at the time of his disappearance was his friend.

In addition, when the friend was asked for his shoes and trousers to be searched for evidence, he stated that he threw them away because they got dirty overnight.

He was also in possession of Sohn’s cell phone but did not

reach out to Sohn’s family when they were searching for him for hours. He also called his mother for 30 minutes around the time Sohn disappeared, which some infers is because he panicked after killing Sohn. When questioned by the police, the suspect mainly replied by stating that he could not recall what occurred that night.

“I believe there could be numerous reasons the friend called his mother at 3:30 am. He might have been scared that he could not find Sohn Jung-Min, or he possibly thought that his mother was worried that he was not home yet,” Steven Nave, World History teacher, said. “Even if this was an accident, the police should question the friend since he was probably the last one to see Sohn Jung-Min. They also need to check more security cameras to find more potential witnesses

or to look for the actual incident that caused his death. Lastly, questioning the three people seen on the security camera will be of utmost importance to move the case along.”

As a result of this incident, petitions were created by residents living near the Han river to have more surveillance cameras within the area of the Han River park and bridge. According to Seoul City’s 2020 data, there were only 162 cameras monitoring the parks, which did not cover the area of the incident. While people were initially worried that security cameras would invade the public’s privacy and possibly be abused by the government, public support for the installation of more security cameras has increased through this incident.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-Hoon has also made a statement that he will be improving the safety around the

parks by changing the National Health Promotion Act to prohibit drinking at the Hangang Parks.

“I never really looked for security cameras, but I do not recall seeing a lot of them near the bridge or the parks. Most of the parks there are usually just large fields, which would make it difficult for security cameras to cover all of the areas,” Yevene Hwang (9), a student who lives near the Han River, said. “After this incident, I noticed that the residents became more cautious.

Even my parents would not let me go out into the parks at night, even though I live close to them. If additional security cameras were installed, these incidents would be prevented and security would definitely improve.”

BY: David Kim Freshman, New Reporter

to infinity and beyond!! to infinity and beyond!! “

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Eric Hwang If I had to attribute the source of my personal growth as a leader, I would have to give credit to the upperclassmen who came before me, learning the ropes of being a publication EIC and student council member by imitating their examples. I developed as a leader in the shadow of their traditions, and hopefully in my own time, I’ve added some positive traditions of my own that will be carried on after I’m gone. My most significant memories from high school will be singing karaoke on the bus back to school after a varsity soccer game, laughing with my friends in the senior lounge, debating about sports at lunch, and all those other times when I was smiling around people I cared about.

”

Hannah Yoo I delved into Ambassadors and drama with hopes to improve my singing and acting. Over time, I established my position within the performing arts realm at SIS by participating in numerous theater productions and choral events. When I listen to my sophomore year recordings, I often find myself laughing with the inaccurate notes and uncomfortable breathing points. This is my twelfth year at Seoul International School and it was heartwarming how I was able to see so many of my peers change since elementary school.

“

Layout by

Bona Suh

” michael Cho

SIS provided me friends and teachers, like Mr. Warkentin, to expand upon my experience and knowledge.

I decided I wanted to be thoughtful, always improving, curious, interesting, and a good friend–all of these things that I cannot explain in a few words. I’ll remember trips like AISA Math and SEAMC, where I competed in math and met some of my best friends right now. One thing I will repeat to anyone who asks is that I feel I have been really, really lucky in my life in the people I’ve met and interacted with, and SIS has been no exception. I’ll remember life at SIS, and there’ll be more things to be sad about at night once I’m gone.

”

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Edward Lee Everyone in this school is very competitive, reaching for a 98-99 GPA. It is a real pain to reach those grades from what I know, and I guess I learned to suck it up and work harder. Aside from that, I also gained moderate social skills and all that along the way as well. I think the lots of the competitions I went out to, be it Quiz or Forensics or Mock Trial, were my most significant memories throughout high school––winning medals and plaques are great. But other than that, just the little things in life were my favorite memories, especially come senior year. I remember making a nice couch-bed on the senior lounge where I spent half the day. Lots of great stuff.

“

“

” Eric Yoon

Various opportunities that were given to me at SIS, such as performing with Blue Note and the band program ,really improved my confidence as a player. Whether it was playing with the other saxophones as a section leader or directing the scores for the jazz band, I felt increasingly comfortable with both leading and performing music. In the end, it was the small moments that added up to make high school what it was: special shoutout to Sam Hong’s push-up form and Steven’s neck for holding out despite significant stress.

”

Ashley Park As an artist, I feel as if my art has developed to become unique to my own personal beliefs and is characteristic of my own personality through rushed brush strokes. I believe that some significant memories stem from the relationships I formed throughout the years: hanging out with my friends in the senior lounge and laughing at the most unfunny jokes really helped me even in the hardest, most stressful times.

”

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Claire Kim Some of the most significant memories in high school were when I travelled with my teammates to other schools to compete in different sports, like when I traveled to Japan during my freshman year to compete in the AISA girls soccer tournament. During this trip, I was able to build closer bonds with upperclassmen and was able to take the sports to a more serious level as we were competing with schools from different countries. I was lucky enough to meet amazing coaches who supported me and pushed me to my limit throughout my high school years.

”

4

SCHOOL NEWS

Art department holds AP Art Show After school on April 30, the SIS art department displayed its annual AP Art Show, an end-of-year event that allows students, parents, and faculty to appreciate the year-long projects of SIS artists. Students enrolled in AP Drawing, AP 2D Design, and AP 3D Design spent the evening discussing their works with viewers in the school atrium. The art pieces spanned a variety of subject matters, including feminism and environmental issues, on which students had conducted “sustained investigations”— the theme for this year’s AP art courses. The exhibition remained unveiled for the wider high school student body to view until May 7.

“Our whole Studio Art class went to see the exhibition,” Vivienne Chung (10), nextyear AP Drawing student, said. “I found it very interesting because there were so many different concepts and ideas incorporated into the artworks. I also liked that they were showcased in the atrium because it made it possible for anyone passing by to take a look and enjoy the art. The exhibition made me excited about the course that I will be taking next year.”

This iteration of the AP Art Show saw a number of new developments. For the first time, the exhibition was held in the atrium instead of the first-floor foyer of the high school building. The establishment of a formal gallery space assisted in creating a more professional environment for students to display their oeuvre. Another unprecedented feature of the exhibition was the inclusion of 3D design pieces such as sculptures—a decision that has been commended by the SIS community for adding a new dimension to the diversity of the artwork.

The show was also run in conjunction with the AP Research TED Talks, which involved seniors enrolled in the course delivering presentations on their research projects.

“I chose prosthetics as my topic of investigation,” Christine Cho (12), AP 3D Design student, said. “After researching my topic then experimenting with a number of mediums, I produced several works, and out of those, I chose my favorite ones to display.

Showcasing our artworks definitely proved how hard we had been learning and creating all year. Also, listening to the viewers’ feedback and getting to see these artworks through the eyes of strangers were quite intriguing.”

Though the exhibition went smoothly, COVID-19 unfortunately posed a few complications. Due to the frequent fluctuation between online and offline classes throughout the school year, students often had to work in virtual settings, sometimes without necessary materials. The number of visitors on the opening night also had to be limited in order to adhere to social distancing protocols. Nonetheless, those involved in the exhibition expressed appreciation for the possibility of an in-person exhibition, as last year’s art show was fully virtual. Despite COVID-19 prevention measures, the art show was able to retain most of its facets, with a celebratory performance by the SIS Jazz Club Blue Note and lively interactions between artists and their audience.

“I think the AP Art Show was amazing,” Jane Mitchell, AP art teacher, said. “Part of an exhibition is its opening, when parents can come and we can celebrate with the students. We had to put in some protocols due to COVID-19, but essentially students were able to walk around, talk about their work, and enjoy the celebration of an incredibly difficult year’s work. The overall standard for the exhibition was incredibly high.”

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Paper Managing Editor

Graduation continues despite COVID-19

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umerous events have been canceled due to COVID-19 and the hectic combination of online and on-campus school this year, including high school prom, several KAIAC tournament leagues, and various international trips, while other activities were postponed. The ceremony for graduating seniors, however, is still set for May 21st, with heightened hopes and expectations from those who are anticipating the fateful day when students are handed their symbolic cap and gown.

“I think these restrictions are generous considering the fact that many schools around the world weren’t able to have graduations in the first place,” Wendy Kang (12), a graduating senior, said. “In the face of the pandemic, SIS is one of the few schools having offline ceremonies. And though I am sad that there won’t be more people attending, I don’t think these restrictions will greatly hinder my experience at graduation; I think it’s more than enough to

have my family and the other members of the senior class attend as we collectively celebrate the conclusion of high school and say a final farewell to both SIS and this stage of my life.”

Before the outbreak of COVID19, multiple guests and relatives could see the commencement, including invited underclassmen. Currently, however, only two relatives are allowed to attend in order to fulfill the 400 attendee restriction, alongside the 50 faculty members that will be partaking in the event. Though school administrators have strived to return to normalcy by allowing the Ambassadors, who have sung at the ceremony since 2012, to attend, graduation this year has still been affected by the preventative measures against a potential outbreak. Attendees, for example, have been spaced according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and temperatures will be meticulously checked, while visitors have been asked to arrive in a single party, eliminating the

possibility of graduates arriving with their peers.

“I’m still glad the graduation is getting the full go-ahead this year,” Claire Kim (12), another graduating senior, said. “Initially, I was worried that graduation would be canceled, especially since other school activities were as well. But now, I’m just excited that I’ll be able to celebrate the culmination of my efforts with two of my closest family members. Admittedly, it is bittersweet that I won’t be able to celebrate this with a few more of my relatives and several underclassmen, but ultimately the bottom line is that I’m glad the graduation hasn’t been moved online.”

Since graduation serves as a rite of passage for most high school students at SIS, ensuring the ceremony continues to happen is important for current seniors as well as their parents.

Handling the ceremony in such a flexible manner maintains both the safety necessary to combat the ongoing global pandemic without detracting from the commencement the way an

online version could. As of the current status quo, graduation seems to be excellently prepared to prevent outbreaks of COVID19 whilst ensuring as much of a memorable experience as possible for graduates.

“The problem with graduation this year has been the predictability of what’s going to happen with the pandemic,” Gray Macklin, coordinator of high school graduation, said.

“But last year’s graduation was a lot more stressful and difficult, especially since we moved the ceremony up two hours due to predicted rain, but by now we’re all used to it. As we got closer and closer to May 21st, we planned ahead and rotated the orientation of the stage, meaning we’ll most likely need little to no last minute COVID-19 related changes. I don’t anticipate any problems whatsoever—the only concern we have at the moment is the weather!”

BY: Grace Lee Freshman, New Reporter

Alan Kang: an ode to 13 years at SIS

Alan Kang (12) has spent almost every day of the last 13 years walking through the halls of SIS. For many at this school, he is a close friend, responsible student, admirable upperclassman, or simply a familiar face.

But as the curtains come to a close, Alan has begun to reflect on the treasured memories he made here.

“My first real memory of SIS is watching the clouds slowly drift across the sky during nap time in Senior Kindergarten,” Alan said with a faraway look in his eyes. “I was mystified by how the clouds would move and change in shape to resemble dinosaurs. Every day, I would set up my blanket and pillow in a location where I could see outside the window.”

Alan also mentioned that he misses the times when JJ catering would deliver lunch to the kindergarten classrooms.

“I always attempted to be the first one to get food by standing close to the classroom door,” he said.

Alan encountered a fair share of other humorous situations as a young SIS Tiger. For instance, during his fourth grade business presentation, he inserted an image of Boo the Pomeranian, a popular internet sensation, on the last slide. His fourth grade teacher then went on a tirade about how unprofessional his presentation was.

“Honestly, I was a bit sad that my teacher did not like my final slide, but I now laugh when looking back on the experience— especially because I am very interested in studying business in college,” Alan said. “SIS has been a place where I have been able to learn so many lessons, not just on which graphics to avoid when making presentations.”

Although Alan did not expect to stay at one school for so long, he believes his time at SIS has been more than rewarding.

“I know it may sound sappy, but I was able to find a second family within these ancient walls,” he said. “I have known

some of my closest friends for more than 10 years. They stuck with me all throughout the chaos that is middle school and the roller coaster ride that is high school.”

Initially, Alan felt very nervous about entering high school. The prospect of having to balance his grades and his extracurricular activities was particularly daunting.

“I freaked out on my first day of high school,” he said.

“I thought I was going to be so busy as a freshman. When I look back on that day, I smile because freshman year was the easiest.”

Now that he has graduated from high school, Alan is looking forward to attending Emory University. Being a student at the same school for 13 years has somewhat limited his opportunities to socialize with a wide range of people. When asked if he had any advice for rising SIS seniors, he chuckled and took a deep breath.

“People change, so do not

obsess over the friends you have lost,” Alan said. “Instead, focus on branching out and surrounding yourself with people who see you for who you are. I actually met some of my closest companions during junior year.”

Alan’s connection with SIS is one that will reside within his heart as he leaves to pursue a college education.

“SIS will forever have a special place in my life because I basically grew up with the people here. Whenever I reminisce about my childhood, I will think of my time at SIS and how much I grew as a person from kindergarten to high school,” he said with a small grin on his face.

“This school will always be my home away from home, and I am grateful to everyone who made my time here special.”

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Marketing Manager

LIFESTYLE & SPORTS

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Transgender sports ban sparks controversy

The recent decade in the US has been defined by active progressive movements aimed at eliminating discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and gender. Accordingly, much progressive legislation has been passed in the 21st century in response to these calls for reform. However, in the past month, there has been an anomaly to this trend. A striking majority of states are considering passing legislation to ban transgender women from participating in women’ sports. Ever since Idaho passed the first transgender sports ban legislation in 2020, four more states—Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and South Dakota—have banned transgender women from school sports. More states seem to be following in their footsteps; out of the thirty states filing for the same legislation, a considerable number including Texas, Michigan, and Florida are leaning toward enforcing the ban.

“My first impressions of the transgender sports ban was that it was very unjust and unfair,” Daniel Kim (10), avid follower of news, said. “But thinking about it, I see that transgender women might have an unfair advantage. I doubt that surgical procedures or hormone suppressions will be enough to even out the physical advantage so I see that the conservatives have a point. However, we must be careful not to alienate transgender women.”

The main rationale for banning transgender women from school

sports is that many transgender women retain an unfair biological advantage over cisgender women.

Transgender women retain much of the stronger muscles they had as men and are biologically stronger than their cisgender counterparts. As a result, many of the statesmen, such as North Carolina Republican Mark Brody are justifying their transgender sports ban legislation by voicing their goal to ensure fair competition for cisgender female athletes.

“I think transgender women likely have a physical advantage in sports,” Timothy Munro, physical education teacher, said. “Even with testosterone suppression it is hard to completely eliminate the hormones so some degree of physical advantage is inevitable. While I am strongly against any legislation that targets specific groups of people, there is some biological foundation behind this new legislation.”

On the other hand, opposers of the transgender sports ban legislation argue that such legislation is unconstitutional as they are a direct violation of Title IX, which states that discrimination based on sex is not allowed in education programs including school sports. Democrats argue that by discriminating against someone because their current gender is different from their assigned gender at birth, the legislation is discriminating against sex which goes against Title IX. Oppo-

nents are also concerned that concrete state legislation banning transgender individuals from school sports would instill the impression that society does not welcome transgender individuals and alienate transgender individuals from society.

Apple, Samsung unveil new products

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n April, Apple and Samsung hosted launch events, in which both electronics companies showcased new products.

Apple’s virtual “Spring Loaded” event on April 20 was the company’s first event of 2021 and treated customers to long-awaited product reveals that surpassed sky-high expectations. Though smaller in scale, Samsung also launched a series of new products in their “Galaxy Unpacked” event.

“Although both events were held virtually, I think this resulted in more benefits as the public has shown great interest,” Melissa Kim (9), a technology enthusiast, said. “I found the events very interesting, though Apple released multiple products while Samsung only released an upgraded Galaxy Book Pro.” At Apple’s “Spring Loaded” video event, Tim Cook—the CEO of Apple—introduced five major updates to the company’s product line. The most significant change was seen in the redesign and complete overhaul of the iMac desktop PC, with the brightcolored and skinny new models diverging from the original silver. The product also showed much improvement regarding the thin bezels and the M1 chip. Furthermore, after the many rumors about Apple’s launch of an item-tracking gadget, the company finally announced its new AirTag—a small, coin-shaped Bluetooth low-energy device that can help you easily locate and keep track of your items. The other three products that saw updates were the iPad Pro (with 5G and the new M1 chip), Apple’s flagship iPhone 12 (in purple), and the Apple TV 4K (with Siri connectivity). On the flip side, Samsung only introduced a few new products as they had already spread their launches over multiple events since the beginning of this year. The focus of April’s launch was their Galaxy Book Pro series, which were developed in partnership with Microsoft to give users an “effortless experience.” The Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360 both boast to be their thinnest and lightest laptop designs to date while emphasizing the coexistence of power and mobility.

“Although I’m not sure about the updates in detail, I personally think the Galaxy Book had the greatest improvements,” Allison Lee (9), another technophile, said. “Through this renewal, I believe Samsung satisfied the consumers from the perspectives of both function and design. I also think the new colors of Apple’s iMac were a great addition.”

Customers’ reactions to the recent events have been somewhat polarized. Apple, usually a proponent of form over function, has received criticism for choosing function over form in its new iMacs, which included a lower chin without the Apple logo and a white bezel. However, the engineering aspects of the desktop computer such as the new M1 chip, a 1080p camera, and Touch ID on the keyboard have garnered positive attention from the public. In addition, the wait for the AirTags was long, but Apple impressed many with their Find My software technology. In response to people’s concerns regarding location services and privacy, Apple confirmed that their anonymous encryption system ensures that the company cannot track the location of individual AirTags or the identity of the Find My device searching for them. In terms of Samsung, critics have characterized the company’s freshly “unpacked” PCs by their thinness and weight, entering the close fight for the throne of the thinnest and lightest. According to reviewers, this lightness did come at the price of their durability, and experts have predicted that consumers will find a tremendous value in both the portability and robustness of the new Galaxy Book Pros.

“The two companies’ futures are extremely different,” the SIS IT Office Assistant said.

“Both Apple and Samsung have succeeded in creating products that are faster, more powerful, and more convenient. Despite the criticism directed at some of these products, I believe these items have now become indispensable parts of our lives.”

BY: Katelyn Oh Freshman, New Reporter

“The transgender sports ban is certainly one of the most controversial legislations,” Sean Lee (10), avid follower of human rights news, said.

“There are solid arguments on both sides. But personally, while I think the biological advantage cannot be

ignored, I think the Democrats have a strong point in that the legislation is a violation of Title IX and a threat to civil rights.”

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Reporter

China censors Chloé Zhao’s Oscar wins

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he 93rd Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, took place on April 26 at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre. Chloé Zhao was awarded Best Director and Best Picture for her recent film “Nomadland,” becoming the first Chinese woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. However, China turned its back against her, primarily due to what she previously said about China.

During her interview with Filmmaker magazine in 2013, she commented that China was a “place where there are lies everywhere.” Consequently, the Chinese public and state media began to censor her and “Nomadland” on internet platforms such as Weibo, WeChat, and Baidu.

Furthermore, no information of her Oscar wins was reported nor live-streamed in China’s official news sources.

“Chloé Zhao winning best director was definitely a key moment in Oscars 2021 as one criticism for last year’s Oscars was that no female directors were nominated despite the presence of great directors such as Greta Gerwig,” Brian Cho (10), film enthusiast, said. “I heard that Zhao’s direction in ‘Nomadland’ was phenomenal and deserving of her awards. Furthermore, I am excited to see what she could deliver in the upcoming Marvel movie ‘Eternals.’ It was unfortunate to hear that her achievements were being censored in her homeland.”

Although born and raised

in Beijing, Chloé Zhao was Despite the censorship, influenced by Western soci- Chloé Zhao’s efforts and ety, having attended schools contribution to the movie in London and Los Angeles. industry are continuing to Nevertheless, she remem- be internationally recognized bers her native and cultural and supported. Directed and heritage which was apparent written by Zhao, the film is during her Oscars acceptance based on the 2017 nonfiction speech, when she mentioned book “Nomadland: Surviving her childhood memories of America in the Twenty-First memorizing Chinese poems Century” by Jessica Bruder. with her father. She recited a The film wistfully yet powline of a poem called “Three erfully portrays the life of a Character Classic” using modern nomad called Fern, Mandarin Chinese and who loses her job and decides spoke about the significant to purchase a van to travel impact that line, which around the country searchtranslates to “people at birth ing for work. Zhao and her are inherently good,” had on film have also earned awards her life. Despite her heartfelt at the Golden Globes and the remembrance to her times British Academy of Film and in China, the backlash has Television Arts (BAFTA). In raised international concerns addition, Frances McDorfor her, stressing how the mand won Best Actress in censorship may devalue not the Oscars for her stellar peronly the honor of her Oscar formance of her role as Fern. wins but also the value and “Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadrecognition of her film. land’ made it possible for “I believe China is enforc- people to visually see the ing political beliefs in their difficult realities of modern mass media, which inter- nomads by how the main estingly differs from Korea character’s life falls apart applauding Bong Joon-Ho amid a successful life,” Tim and Youn Yuh-Jung,” Anika Gardes, librarian, said. “In Kurebayashi (9), movie fact, I believe the Chinese enthusiast, said. “As Chloé media missed the opportuZhao was not only the nity of turning around her second woman but also the previously negative views first Asian woman to win about China as they could Best Director, she should have used her success to show be praised for her ability to how the Chinese are successsurvive and find success in a ful no matter where they go, difficult film industry. I think instead of simply censoring that the censorship against her historic achievements.” her is uncalled for and ironic because while the Chinese media initially cheered on her awards at the Golden Globes, BY: John Kim her Oscar wins faded out.”

Freshman, New Reporter

8

A YEAR IN REVIEW

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