Tiger Times Volume 53 Issue 2

Tiger Times Volume 53 • Issue 2 • October 2021 • ttonl.org

layout by Bona Suh

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In a world of Batmans, be a Robin

Editorial Representation Matters by

VIEWPOINT

Jenny Seo & Emily Sung editors-in-chief

For the first time in possibly forever, Tiger Times Print is primarily run by female editors. The editors-in-chief, managing editor, production editors, copy editors, and our advisor are all women who work with one common thread: acting as the representative of the student voice. When we noticed that only women occupied all 12 positions in the editorial team, we brushed it off after a few gasps of surprise and excitement. However, what we failed to acknowledge at that moment are the substantial implications this carries.

Women drown in a sea of unspoken words.

Throughout history, women were silenced even in areas where their voices were imperative: for instance, voting, working, and reproductive rights were all granted in the 20th century. Before that, the male opinion was heard over that of females even if they had no knowledge of female political stance or body. Although significant progress has been made in the past century, the status quo displays a more subtle but nonetheless the same trend. Women are often held to unreasonable ideals: if they speak up, they are labeled as “bossy,” while keeping quiet frames them as weak and timid. Furthermore, their voices are frequently dismissed because females are viewed as shallow and pointlessly emotional.

Thus, unsurprisingly, their voices are silenced even in the journalism industry, one of the few platforms where they should be able to share stories without restrictions.

A combined study reported that women are discouraged from writing sports, economics, and politics related articles 84% of the time–– instead, they dominate “softer” genres such as lifestyle, entertainment, and health. This hierarchy of news devalues these “lighter sections” that are more likely to be buried later in the papers. Due to this, the pay gap between men and women journalists remains wide, and older women often find it difficult to retain a position in the industry. According to the Women’s Media Center, male reporters of the LA Times take home $101,898 annually while female reporters take home $87,564.

The value of news resides in its ability to supply accurate, objective, and timely information. However, with a stunning underrepresentation of women in the media, the voice of what makes up nearly half of society lacks opportunity for input. Current events are viewed less from a female perspective, nor are stories concerning female stakeholders widely covered in the media. This results in a heavily biased dissemination of information, vastly different from what it may look like with the addition of a completely different eye. Society thus perceives such information as true, disregarding the idea that another voice or perspective may exist, begging to be heard.

A healthy society with fruitful distribution of information must consist of people with different opinions, backgrounds, and perspectives to maintain an objective and unbiased point of view. While the underrepresentation of women in journalism continues to plague our society, the Tiger Times editorial board stands strong. As bright minds who will grow to contribute to many fields including journalism, Tiger Times allows us to embark on our long journey of female empowerment. This stunning team of editors will surely grow to become confident and charismatic wonder women, improving the world we live in today.

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

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“​​University of California Application Prompt #1: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.”

Universities often look for leadership activities in supplemental essays, as leadership shows communication, creativity, and organization skills. Leaders must be charismatic and strict, while creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and the responsibilities leaders undertake are often overwhelming. As the effective management of a group is highly valued, the concept of leadership has become increasingly emphasized in the education system and society. However, unintended consequences arise in SIS, where the emphasis on the importance of leadership is misconstrued. For instance, students join or start a club solely to become an executive rather than participating as an enthusiastic member.

Taking initiative as a leader is certainly meaningful and very demanding. However, the honor of leadership has become so embedded into our minds that another equally significant asset is ignored: the importance of being an active supporter.

Serving as an active supporter is equally as important as taking initiative.

Some may argue that standing in the spotlight requires more work than simply following the leaders, but being able to properly support a leader is not simple. As

a follower, carrying out plans is an equally burdensome task, since the work accomplished by a team is largely based on the members’ contributions. The captain of a volleyball team may devise a gameplay plan, but it is the team players who must execute it and use their efforts to achieve victory. Without each team player interacting with one another while using their own volleyball skills, the ball can never go across the net. In short, supporters must closely listen and simultaneously interpret the ideas and intentions of the leader, as well as communicate with each other.

Managing this with full concentration is a difficult yet crucial skill for students to continuously learn and develop throughout their lives.

In order to strengthen the emphasis on the skills of being an active supporter, SIS can implement a system that rewards group members for their active contribution. Although SIS clubs have a merit point system for their members, the unfortunate reality is that this system is mostly used by current executives to consider future executives. However, some clubs do honor the contribution of enthusiastic members. The MUN club endows awards, such as the Most Improved Member award, to several students at the end of a school year. Other clubs can follow in the footsteps of the MUN club to create an atmosphere that makes members feel valued and acknowledged for their presence and efforts. This

Passion over payment “Follow your passion.” This universally accepted piece of advice is usually the go-to for anybody who is having trouble choosing a career.

Lately, however, many people have started to question the soundness of this saying. After all, our individual “passions” may not be the most practical choice for a career. Following this logic, many have begun encouraging people to choose the highest paying job with the most benefits, claiming that these kinds of careers will ensure their happiness, or, at least, their comfort.

However, this age-long advice is not to be ignored, and there is a reason why it has often been considered such universally sound advice. In fact, choosing a career that you enjoy instead of one that pays more can have tangible benefits in the long term.

One such benefit is increased productivity. Oxford University’s Saïd Business School conducted a study in 2019 in which they attempted to find a correlation between the satisfaction of British telecommunications workers in their career and the number of calls that they made. They found that workers who rated their satisfaction to be higher made 13

percent more sales.

Though it may be difficult to imagine how contentment could affect a worker’s productivity at first, it is actually quite plausible. A happy employee is more likely to care about their work, work harder, and be more meticulous. Meanwhile, if you choose a higher-paying job but are less productive because you do not enjoy that work, you may be unable to further your career, and in the worst case it may even lead to your termination.

Furthermore, being more interested in your job can make you more likely to be noticed by your prospective employer.

Google, a company that has been praised for having a great work environment, claims on its website that it hires employees based on their “skills, interests, and goals,” supporting the idea that large companies prioritize employees seeking jobs that fit their own interests and passions.

Additionally, many aspects of enjoying your job can bring about characteristics that an employer seeks in an employee, increasing the chances that they will hire you. For instance, employers greatly value the ability to effectively communicate with others, and a study

can be done within the club by providing participation awards or even outside the club during awards assemblies through rewarding active members of each club with TIGERS awards. Subsequently, better coordination and progress of work can occur as there is an additional incentive for members to participate with more enthusiasm.

Overall, the education system tends to focus more on teaching leadership skills due to how they need to interact effectively with their audience by disseminating information and conveying their points.

Nonetheless, it is equally significant to be a good listener in interpersonal interactions, placing a higher emphasis on listening skills in the education system.

Some essential active listening skills that could be taught to SIS students are withholding judgement, asking specific questions, and empathizing with the speaker’s thoughts and feelings. In essence, being able to properly follow someone is a crucial, underlying value that is becoming increasingly overshadowed by the honor of becoming a leader, and it is imperative that everyone respects both aspects of teamwork and communication equally.

BY: John Kim Sophomore, Reporter

by Psychology Today found that having a better mood will make you more sociable and willing to talk to others.

But even if you choose a job you are happy with, it is unlikely that you will stay there for the rest of your working life, and being more content with your profession can make it more beneficial to your future. This is because employers across multiple fields often look for similar characteristics in employees, and the skills that you develop in a single career are often applicable to others. For example, you can develop your communication skills as a McDonald’s cashier, but these skills can also be used to get a more financially attractive job as a manager or a marketing director.

Despite all of these reasons why you should choose a job that you are more passionate about, critics of this idea quickly dismiss it as being idealistic and impractical, stating that amassing larger amounts of wealth will lead to much more happiness. However, the definition of happiness is far from absolute, and each individual’s idea of happiness may not always be based on monetary gain, which is why pursuing a career that fulfills your idea of happiness is more important.

According to Jessica Pryce-Jones in her book “Happiness at Work,” an average person spends 90,000 hours working in their lifetime. Instead of using those 90,000 hours trudging every day to a job that you only do for the money, participating in work that you are passionate about will make that time much more worthwhile.

This advice is especially useful for SIS students, who are often subjected to emphasis on the importance of competing for success, as it reminds them that they can individually define success and choose a job they are passionate about, even if it pays less. So, if in the future you are given the choice between a career that you enjoy and a higher-paying job, you should always choose the job that makes you smile.

BY: Junseo Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

October 2021

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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 53 Issue 2 Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-in-Chief Emily Sung Jenny Seo Website Editor-in-Chief Sarah Ju Paper Managing Editor Skylar Peck

Website Managing Editors Woojune Kim Jordan Kim

Graphics Editor Jennifer You Photo Editor Alice Lee

Production Editors Bona Suh Website Design Clara Lim Editor Minjae Chun

Paper Copy Editors Rosa Suh Rachel Yoon Katie Kim Aimee Choi Website Copy Editors Katherine Suk Sunny Lee Erin Choi

Layout Artists Yuzine Yi Junseo Lee Reporters Hannah Kim Jennifer Kwon Isabelle Lee Jack Lee Hugo Lee Bin Ma John Kim Katelyn Oh

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

Viewpoint Feature: In recent decades, it has been established that adolescents have a biological tendency to resort to later sleep times. However, entering high school, students find themselves forced to get up early in the morning, thus struggling to secure enough sleep during the night. Given the health issues associated with sleep problems, it may be time for us to consider one room for adjustment within our control: when school starts. We must heed this call and set our priorities to create a healthy and productive learning environment for all.

Why is sleep so important to students?

How could the adjustment to SIS’s start time foster a healthier learning environment?

Sleepy students need more sleep: let’s start school later

It is commonplace to see sleep-deprived SIS students slouching on the couches, often recovering from enervating all-nighters. Yearning for the ‘ten more minutes’ in bed, teenagers are viewed as simply too ‘lazy’ to get up early. While it may seem as though this indolence is the issue, in reality, the problem may stem from a different source, school. Fortunately, this crisis has a potential cure: pushing back the high school’s start time.

At the onset of adolescence, students are naturally inclined to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning due to a delay in circadian rhythms, according to research by UCLA Health. However, with SIS requiring students to arrive early on campus by 8:00 a.m, many are incapable of obtaining enough sleep at night while balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and fun.

Insufficient sleep can heighten the risk of depression, anxiety, and many other mental health conditions. In fact, sleep and such unhealthy conditions are mutually reinforcing; because poor sleep worsens mental health that then impedes sleep, the body creates its own negative feedback loop. The unhealthy reliance on caffeine also plays a part in this vicious cycle.

Despite caffeine’s ability to supply extra jolts of energy during the day, it can lead to more fatigue because of an associated decrease in quality of sleep.

Delaying SIS’s start time would be ideal to prevent unhealthy chronic sleep deprivation. According to a recent study

by Lisa Meltzer, a pediatric psychologist

at National Jewish Health in Denver, high school students saw significant benefits from this change. After two years of later school, 20 percent of the students reported less daytime sleepiness because they got an average of 3.8 more hours of sleep a week.

Also, the push-back would reduce stress.

Survey results collected by the American Psychological Association in 2013 found that teenagers with low stress levels slept almost an entire hour more per night than those with high stress, and getting more sleep is proven to decrease levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Furthermore, later school start times are associated with improved academic performance. Since a later start schedule would be in sync with students’ delayed circadian rhythms, it will help students concentrate better, absorb more information, and stay alert throughout the day. This would help ensure a positive cycle, preventing unfortunate late-night study sessions caused by the lack of daytime learning. The Association for Psychological Science documented in 2016 that adequate sleep can decrease necessary learning time by over 50 percent, and students who slept between learning sessions grasped information at a faster rate than those who did not.

One essential question then arises: how much should the start time be delayed?

Studies by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine show that simply setting back the start time by thirty minutes from 8:00 a.m. can drastically promote teenagers’ quality of life. That being the case, it would be

intuitive for SIS’s high school to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

However, the idea does not come without concerns. If SIS were to start later, it would have to end later. Seoul’s traffic congestion during rush hour is severe, and the current SIS timetable is almost tailored to avoid the busyness. But the pushed back schedule would present a different story; even a mere thirty-minute delay could trap buses in traffic, defeating the purpose of a longer morning by increasing travel time.

Critics also argue that the later end could hinder students’ after-school activities and reduce the time students have for test preparation, homework completion, and participation in social activities. Moreover, the issue of sleep could be attributed to student choice; regardless of the school’s start and end times, students may abuse such adjustment and resort to procrastination.

On a larger scale, delaying SIS’s high school start time could pose scheduling conflicts for athletes that have to attend after-school sporting events, and adjusting for only upperclassmen may complicate the entire school timetable.

The benefits of a later school start time outweigh these disadvantages. Students interested in securing the extra time could opt for transportation unaffected by traffic such as the subway. If the time is allocated to sleep, students will be able to increase efficiency at school, which would reduce the work periods and enhance performance. Also, the more awake students are, the better they will manage their time, easing the aforementioned concerns.

Although some students may continue to disadvantage themselves by staying up late regardless of the school’s start time, all students should be given the opportunity to replenish themselves through thirty more minutes of sleep. Meltzer’s study additionally confirmed that elementary and middle school students, though to a lesser degree than high school students, do also benefit from the push-back. Therefore, to minimize the logistical issues, SIS could consider a change not only for the high school but the entire school.

Student opinion reflects these benefits.

SIS high school students maintained a generally positive stance on this hypothetical adjustment. For example, Jacqueline Lee (10) mentioned that she would benefit from the extended mornings because of the differences in her school performance and concentration between days with and without sufficient sleep. Although her after-school schedule may have to undergo alterations heeding the change, sleep is her priority, and she expressed that the gains offset the losses.

A change in SIS’s start time will have an immediate impact on the school community. The school should prioritize the creation of a healthy learning environment for students, and though obstacles exist, they are surely surmountable. After all, it is up to the school to decide whether this adjustment to the start time will be a viable cure.

BY: Katelyn Oh Sophomore, Reporter

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SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs

Student debaters compete in WSDL On July 31, Gray Macklin offered an opportunity for students interested in debate to join the World Schools Debate League (WSDL). Hosted by LearningLeaders, a debate and public speaking coaching organization, and the Harvard College Debating Union, WSDL is a global competition in the format of Asian Parliamentary debate open to students from 21 countries and territories around Asia. In the tournament, students debate on several subjects including politics, economics, or environmental policies. Because it is an interschool tournament where the members of the teams are from the same school, the twelve participants from SIS have been divided into two teams, each consisting of six members. These teams include students who are interested in public speaking and had past experience in debate. The students are excited to compete in the tournament and hope to win multiple rounds.

“I joined this tournament to improve in debating and keep my skills solid. I try to compete in tournaments consistently, and this is helping me a lot in that,” Henry Hatridge (10), participant in the tournament, said. “We only competed in two rounds so far, with one win and one loss. I am very excited to continue debating against other debaters in a global tournament.”

HSSC brings back school spirit with new projects As SIS progresses further into the school year, the HSSC is getting started on various new projects.

Some of the activities they prepared were Freshman Late Night on Oct. 7 and Secret Pen Pals throughout the second and third weeks of October.

The main purpose of these activities is to bring back the school spirit that faded during the pandemic.

“We aimed to provide students with some time to interact with each other and just have fun,” David Lee (9), HSSC member, said. “Though some changes had to be made to the plan, we still tried our best to keep the event enjoyable. When preparing and planning for new projects, we make sure to ask the student body themselves. Once we have a list of ideas, we consult our advisors, the members of the student body, and the older council members to decide the best options.”

Along with Freshman Late Night, the HSSC launched another exciting project called Secret Pen Pals. Students that signed up for the event were assigned an anonymous pen pal and wrote letters to each other.

To ensure the anonymity of pen pals, the HSSC received and sent the letters directly to the participating students.

A total of 32 students participated in the event, making sixteen pairs and. Students discussed their favorite hobbies, movies, songs, classes,

SIS launches competitive VEX Robotics team In Sept. 21, Activities Director Jonathan Ames announced that SIS will be launching a competitive team for the VEX Robotics competition. The Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, a global high school robotics program, is hosting the annual tournament with more than 20,000 teams from 50 countries. Teams will be competing against other teams from KAIAC schools, such as KIS, SFS, and APIS. Players will participate in practices and competitions every Wednesday and Friday after school in the Robotics Room. In the tournament, students have to build their robots and have them complete certain tasks.

“At the beginning of the competition, there is an autonomous portion where they have to program the robots to automatically perform tasks. In the second part, the students will get to remote control the robots.” David Bonar, robotics coach, said. “The teams have to accomplish varying tasks with their robots. These tasks include picking up objects, placing them on poles, putting the robot on a seesaw, and properly driving the robots to the place on the fields using programming.”

WASC visits SIS David Coleman, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development, announced that the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) will be evaluating our school environment this October. WASC is an organization that provides accreditation of public and private colleges, universities, and secondary and elementary schools, in countries on the West Coast of the US to East Asia. Every six years, they assess SIS in several ways to see if it matches their criteria for accreditation. For instance, they check the school environment and the quality of the educational programs to make sure that the students are able to learn effectively. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, this evaluation took place virtually, starting from Oct. 12.

“Each NHS member was in an online call with an evaluator from WASC, using an Ipad set up on a tripod.” Bryan Kim (11), NHS volunteer, said. “They asked a lot of questions about classes and how they operate, and mainly about the strengths and weaknesses of the school environment. Most importantly, they evaluated the school environment to find ways to improve it.”

BY: David Kim Sophomore, Reporter

layout by Yuzine Yi

Photo by Alice Lee(11)

and sports in the letters and found common interests. Some students even decided to take the subject even further and confess their hardships to their pen pals. In all cases, students took this opportunity to learn how to socialize, empathize, and express themselves.

“I am really happy for the council members that the projects are taking off well,” Emily McClintock, new advisor of HSSC, said. “I recognized that one of the struggles of HSSC is transitioning from what it used to do before the pandemic to adjusting to so many COVID-19 restrictions. My hope for HSSC this year is to reclaim or rethink some of the old events that we used to do before COVID-19 to foster better school spirit and have people from different grades get to know each other more.”

The HSSC projects not only bring the student body together but also foster the leadership and creativity of HSSC members. Even though dealing with schoolwork alone is a difficult task, the HSSC are all dedicated to making SIS an even better school.

“Personally, the biggest challenge for me is being able to connect with the student body,” David said. “It is hard to think of ideas that will satisfy most of the student body. As a freshman and a new member, I really want to make a positive impact in the high school community and use this

opportunity to get closer to the rest of the high school students and staff.”

The activities the HSSC is preparing are aimed towards improving the school environment. During the early stages of the pandemic, many previous activities were canceled. Both students and faculty members are in need of a brighter school atmosphere.

“Last year, we had to cancel Snowball and prom because of COVID19, but we hope that those events can happen this year.” Eric Lee (11), public relations executive, said. “We want our events to not only alleviate stress from a busy school year but also directly respond to the student body’s needs and concerns.”

As Eric hoped, the HSSC seems to be on the right track. Many students that participated in the activities that the HSSC presented so far displayed positive responses.

“The Freshman Late Night was really fun and enjoyable,” Waan Choi (9), freshman who participated in both Freshman Late Night and Secret Pen Pals, said. “Everyone forgot about their academic stress during those hours and socialized with their friends, which many of us were not able to do recently due to social distancing. I look forward to more events like this.”

BY: Hannah Kim Junior, Reporter

SCHOOL NEWS

#RelatableStress: overcoming procrastination

E

veryone reading this probably has binge-watched Netflix the night before an important summative. Due to academic pressure and in-school competition, you have probably grudgingly dragged yourself out of bed at 3 a.m. to complete the assignment due the next day, which is impressive, considering how I used to start homework due at 8 a.m. at 6 a.m.

Procrastination is often glamorized in SIS, especially when general small talk amongst students revolve around the issue of who stayed up the longest and who missed school because they passed out from stress.

It is almost as if procrastinating—and, consequently, not sleeping—is an emblem of their self-discipline and strong willpower.

However, from a person who used to procrastinate until midnight and somehow finished her work—albeit with poor quality—in a time crunch, only to be passed out on some sofa with dark circles stretched across half of her face the next day, I vouch that the toxic lifestyle is not worth it. The only reward I obtained from forcefully depriving myself of sleep was a rather hefty GPA deduction and a punishing burnout. So after conducting some serious research, doing some reflection, and completing a detailed experiment over the summer on productivity and self-improvement, I would like to provide some advice on how to overcome procrastination.

First, recognize the importance of staying ahead of deadlines. Sadly, the SIS school

curriculum is notorious for sometimes cramming summatives in the same week. If formative assessments and study guides are prepared ahead of time, you can dedicate more time to urgent tasks.

Second, take on a new mindset. Procrastination is a habit and the more you practice it, the more embedded it becomes in your lifestyle. Fortunately, it is still possible to change this habit by implementing and sticking rigorously to a routine. Once it becomes habitual, you will find yourself needing less willpower to follow your routine and becoming less lenient to procrastination. Set a timer, force yourself to finish your assignment in a set time crunch, and try to get all your work assigned on the day finished on that same day.

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By Jasmine Jeong Third, create a personalized, organized study system to maximize efficiency. There are three main components to a proficient system: a deadline tracker, to-do lists, and a reward system. Having a calendar with all of the deadlines helps you identify the most urgent tasks and gives you a sense of how you can allocate your time to get those assignments done.

Based on the overall big picture from the deadline tracker, break larger assignments into smaller tasks and organize them into to-do lists. For instance, if the assignment was to write an essay, break down the assignment into finishing the introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion.

Every small accomplishment provides you a sense of triumph, which motivates you to accom-

plish more.

Finally, have a reward system to incentivize yourself to finish your work. For example, promise yourself that you can watch a new episode of “Squid Game” once you finish five of the small tasks on your to-do list. By rewarding yourself, you increase your happiness twofold by feeling both a sense of accomplishment and having time to spare for your hobbies.

The inescapable vicious cycle of procrastination and sleep deprivation is a path that no one should have to endure. Please do not be fooled by the quote “diamonds are made under pressure” because the pressure that students are put through when they procrastinate is not worth the result.

Students and teachers enjoy their Chuseok holiday With a special week-long break from school during Sept. 20-24, students and teachers had the chance to take a rejuvenating break and celebrate Chuseok, a Korean traditional holiday celebrated for the full harvest moon. This year, not all families were able to reunite due to COVID-19 regulations limiting the number of people allowed to gather in-person. Despite the difficulties created by the ongoing virus, students and teachers spent meaningful time with their families and made many precious memories in different ways.

“I visited my grandparents and helped cook food, such as galbi-jjim and songpyeon, for our family,” Liz Kim (10), Korean food enthusiast, said. “My grandparents were happy to see me and even gave me gifts. It was so wonderful to talk with them while eating delicious Korean food together.”

Similar to Liz, Joanna Pan, Chinese teacher, also spent time with her family and tried several Korean dishes over Chuseok. Because she wanted to compare how Koreans spend the Chuseok holiday season to how Taiwanese people spend Mid-Autumn Festival, she thought it would be interesting to stay outside and visit various locations in Seoul with her husband and her children.

“We went to Myeong-dong and tried out delicious street food, such as kimbap, bulgogi, and rice cake,” Ms. Pan said. “We also took a cable car up to N-Seoul Tower, hiked up Namhansanseong, and cycled by the Han River. I also had the chance to call my parents living in Taiwan and chat with them. See Wen Lim, elementary and middle school Chinese teacher, surprised my family with moon cakes, which we enjoyed eating.”

Henry Hatridge (10), an avid traveler, had a quite different Chuseok break. Although his family usually spends Chuseok in Korea, this year, they decided to visit Henry’s paternal grandparents who live in the US.

“Our family went on a short yet refreshing trip to the US,” Henry said. “After traveling to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, we made sure to visit my paternal grandparents in Los Angeles, and they welcomed us with lots of hugs. Besides the special time we spent with my grandparents, one other favorite memory of my trip was having some delicious Chipotle again.”

In addition to celebrating Chuseok, the week-long break allowed students and teachers to escape their hectic school lives. Eunie

Choi (11), travel enthusiast, thought that it was best for her emotional well-being to simply relax at the countryside with her family and hang out with friends.

“My family drove to Yeong-deok gun and ate local seafood there,” Eunie said. “I also visited the beach and played with my dogs, which was really fun. Besides the relaxing trip I had, my friend invited me to her birthday party, and we had so much fun together.”

Additionally, Niko Lambert, science teacher, used this time to travel

around different areas in Korea, such as the west and south coasts.

Though it was difficult for him to meet with his relatives, he was able to try out new activities he would not have time to enjoy during busy school weeks.

“I had a five-hour long, refreshing drive to camp near the south coast,” Mr. Lambert said. “I had so much fun having barbecues by myself and eating grilled seafood by the shores.

Although I could not visit my relatives living here in Korea, I gave my parents living outside Korea a

video-call to tell them about the memories I made while camping.

Overall, I believe that the one-week Chuseok break made it possible for everyone to have a refreshing, cozy time with their families in their own special way.”

BY: John Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Money talks at US colleges

Two years ago, the nation was shocked when actress Lori Loughlin—or cool Aunt Becky—was charged for paying a half a million dollar bribe to guarantee her two daughters spots on the University of Southern California’s rowing team. Meanwhile, under 5 percent of past student loan borrowers who applied for debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program have been relieved. These two cases paint the persistent socioeconomic stratification resulting from the expensive nature of higher education in the US. In fact, in 2018-19, four-year undergraduate college students spent an average of $18,383 in public institutions and $44,306 in private institutions for tuition and fees: costs rarely seen in other countries. But have US colleges always been this way?

Higher education in the US at its nascent stage was marked by exclusivity and homogeneity, namely, of white, upper-class men. A writer from the Harvard Crimson says that the first graduates of Harvard, for instance, received their degrees in the order of the “rank their families held in society.” The concept of providing aid to lower-income students did exist early on as well, though to a minor scale. In 1838, Harvard created an agency that offered zero-interest loans to competent students— though still exclusive to white men—who could not afford tuition. Other top schools began adopting such loan programs, and by the early 1900s, lower-income applicants gradually constituted an underrepresented minority of elite colleges’ student bodies.

Nevertheless, the exclusive origins of private college admissions have lingered.

The financial strains of college-level education have not been limited to private schools. After the G.I. Bill promoted education for World War II veterans, and as the federal government funded higher education to compete against the Soviet Union in the Cold War, the nation was on its way to making higher education a more accessible experience. However, as the US underwent economic stagnation and saw the rise of a conservative movement in the 1960s, major politicians’ austerity policies, which cut back on funding for higher education, rendered the no-tuition policies of several public colleges unfeasible. With this change and the continuous rise of higher education costs, students have increasingly relied on federal student loans.

The enduring connection between socioeconomic status and access to higher education has raised extensive discussions on how meritocratic, or elitist, US college admissions are. A primary concern is whether purely meritocratic admissions are possible in a nation where inequalities prevail in students’ lives long before the college application process, making the standard meritocratic admissions criteria not as standard as intended. Moreover, while some support policies like need-based financial aid as partial solutions, others claim they are merely reactive approaches to historically rooted problems of inequity.

The connection between wealth and higher education is certainly stark today.

The average student loan debt is at a record high, college admission scandals from wealthy households make headlines, and some elite schools admit more students from the top 1 percent of income than from the bottom 60 percent. Schools recognize this, however, and are searching for better ways to reduce the hierarchical and elitist atmosphere of the admissions process. Yale and Princeton, elite Ivy League schools, Aimee Choi

have each set plans to expand their enrollments by at least 10 percent in an effort to make their education slightly more accessible, while maintaining its high-quality standards. Need-blind admission policies have also become widespread among colleges, allowing more financially strained students to be admitted, though many colleges cannot guarantee to afford sufficient aid to those admitted. When aid is guaranteed, need-blind admissions are more favorable to lower-income students, as applying for need-based financial aid may reduce their chances of being admitted.

The federal government is also striving to more effectively address the inequities associated with higher education.

The PSLF, which serves to relieve public-sector workers from their student loan debt, has long been criticized for its inefficient system that has relieved a small minority of borrowers. Under mounting pressure, the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced plans on Oct. 5 for major changes in the program that would facilitate the relief process. In 2019, federal agents also arrested several wealthy parents involved in bribery during the college admissions process, who were then charged for their crimes. Although public commentaries criticize the leniency of the sentences, the government regards Aunt Beckys’ illegal, back-door entrances into college with increasing scrutiny.

Though the high cost of US colleges is largely attributed to high levels of competition, a rise in student loans, limitations of state funding, and the costs of student services and campus amenities, schools have yet to figure out how to equitably distribute this financial burden among their admitted students. So far, students’ wealth has been a major determinant of their access to higher education, which is, in turn, an essential step for future success. As schools and the government strive to put an end to this pattern that perpetuates inequality, a more educated and less economically stratified America stands ahead.

International reputations to treasure Just like how the American dream attracts immigrants, it is also well recognized that American universities’ diversity opens up numerous opportunities for international students. What started off as colleges for the training of Puritans into ministers grew into a complex network with diverse students and talent brought to life on campuses. With over a million international students going abroad to attend American colleges, this phenomenon arouses curiosity regarding the qualities that make American colleges so appealing to international students.

American universities primarily appeal to international students because of the benefits that come along with a US college degree. According to World Education News and Reviews, 74 percent of international students choose US universities because of the respect a US degree earns in their home counties.

In addition, 82 percent of international alumni are employed within 6 months of graduation.

International students are also drawn to US universities for their global prestige; five out of the top 10 best colleges in the world of 2021 are from the US. Colleges such as New York University, University of South California, and Northeastern University are leading with the most international students. With such a reputation in the global community, education in the US brings opportunities for students to improve the lives of the people in the global community. Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Eric Danquah, a Ghanaian doctoral student at Michigan State University, set out to Ghana to help farmers grow white yams. Venera Fusha, who has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Enterprising from Colorado State University, helped college students in Kosovo become entrepreneurs.

Another appealing feature of US colleges is the flexibility in class selections. Like universities in other countries, American schools operate on an undergraduate system that usually requires four years for completion, but they are unique in that students can declare their majors after their sophomore year rather than before enrollment. In most universities, students in their freshman and sophomore years have to complete a core curriculum, a set of required general education classes; this allows students two years to explore various interests before deciding on one area of study to pursue. With 80 percent of all students changing their majors at least once, students can take advantage of the flexibility in their learning: an opportunity that universities in other countries do not commonly offer.

Not only do many international students strive to pursue higher education

in the US, but US colleges welcome them with open arms. Many colleges emphasize global education; in addition, international students bring benefits to the US economy. Unlike American students, who are eligible for federal financial aid, most international students pay full tuition to go to American colleges. This has a significant impact on colleges: according to the Association of International Educators, more than a million international students contributed $38.7 billion to the American economy in the 2019-2020 school year and more in previous years.

Colleges have measures in place to create a welcoming environment for the increasing population of international students. International houses— which are dormitories for international and American students—allow for crosscultural exchange through their daily life experiences as well as through diverse enrichment programs. For example, the international house at the University of Chicago provides musical and cultural performances, programs to reach out to international organizations in Chicago, language learning, and debates with guest speakers from the Global Voices Performing Arts and Lecture Series.

Numerous universities have an international housing system, indicating how international connections on campus are playing important roles in universities.

However, international students experience unique challenges in attending college in the US. Constant changes in immigration policies, especially getting visas, causes fluctuations in the number of international students attending schools. According to the Institute for International Education, 90 percent of international students on university campuses delayed their studies by a semester because of the strengthened border policy and internal reinforcement by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adapting to a new cultural environment is another prominent challenge.

In particular, international students may feel intimidated by the huge diversity of students. Differences in international students’ and Americans’ mannerisms are another major cultural clash. For example, Americans’ directness and emphasis on individuality could intimidate some international students who grew up in more collectivist cultures, though most international students overcome this challenge once they spend sufficient time in America.

Overall, education in American colleges unlocks many doors of opportunity for international students, and the development of an international society in colleges could become major steps for a global education despite some obstacles international students might face. With the value of an American education being treasured in so many ways, as international students, our education should become stepping stones for our communities progress. The goal of learning is not simply to obtain knowledge but to show it through action.

Therefore, being an international student is something that we should be proud of because it means there is something we could bring service to the world through education.

Ian Park Layout by Yuzine Yi

8

GLOBAL NEWS

North Korea and South Korea conduct missile tests After failed talks between President Moon Jae-in and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un to negotiate Korean unity and peace, matters are looking somewhat bleak on the Korean peninsula.

On Sept. 16, both North Korea and South Korea fired missiles.

North Korea conducted two missile tests, firing two missiles into the ocean off the east coast of the Korean peninsula. In response, South Korea conducted its own missile tests, firing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) missile within 3 hours after the North Korean missile tests, signifying a growing arms race and building tensions in the Korean peninsula.

Over the past few years, South Korea has started to rapidly expand its arms development.

Although President Moon earlier in his presidency attempted peace talks with Kim, the talks have been mostly fruitless and tensions are now rising between the two countries.

“The recent exchange of missile tests between North and South Korea do seem to signal a shift in diplomatic relations,” James Kowalski, MUN advisor, said. “The peace talks have obviously failed

at this point; the missile tests may mark a diplomatic reset for sincere peace talks to take place.”

The main event linked with the missile tests and North Korean aggression is the Biden administration and President Moon’s recent agreement to end a 40-year-old bilateral agreement that restricted the range and payload of South Korean missiles, allowing South Korea to develop much more powerful missiles. The agreement was met with backlash from North Korean officials who believe it to be a direct act of hostility and aggression.

“The Biden administration certainly played a large role in triggering the North Korean missile tests,” Peter Kim (11), politics enthusiast, said. “The ending of the bilateral agreement significantly increased the destructive capabilities of Korean missiles which are a major security threat to North Korea.”

North Korean missile tests are not new. They have happened with relatively high frequency throughout the past few years. The recent tests, however, involved the successful testing of North Korea’s advanced long-range cruise missiles that puts South Korea,

Japan, and even the United States all within easy striking distance.

Moreover, the South Korean tests in response to the North Korean ones are a stark contrast to their more placid attitudes in previous cases.

“The recent tests are unique in that both sides are simultaneously displaying their new military technology,” James Tyvand, AP World History teacher, said. “Historically, when sides are about to negotiate they start displaying military might to one another so that they can negotiate from a position of strength. There is a possibility that the recent exchange of missile tests are precursors to imminent negotiation between North and South Korea on the arms issue.”

The missile tests and South Korea’s response to them have been met with mixed reactions from the South Korean public.

Some believe responding to aggression with aggression was the right move considering the recent violations of South Korean rights and increasingly aggressive activities of North Korea. Others believe it was a risky move that builds up unnecessary tension.

“I think the public would generally have a positive view of the

Chinese government bans private education

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n early September, the Chinese government imposed a strict ban on private tutors and restrictions on private schools. The “Law on the Promotion of Private Education” was introduced to China’s highest administrative body in April and went into effect after the Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang signed the reform into the Chinese law.

However, the new legislation yielded a negative response from the public. Chinese parents expressed their frustration for being unable to provide an education they saw as fit for their children. In fact, many question whether the ban would even make a difference in limiting the scope of the private education system as many wealthy parents are already moving “underground” and paying private tutors excessively expensive amounts of money to give their children an upper hand in succeeding.

“I think that this policy will make a difference, but it will not be so impactful to the point that this changes everything,” Jeonghyun Yoon (11), Chinese SIS student, said. “For one, the official reasoning for this was to reduce the burden on the students, but students who need extra help outside of class can still do lessons in secrecy or watch educational videos that the Chinese government provides for extra help.”

The definitive implications of this ban will require more time to evaluate, yet the ban already seems to have had a major impact on Chinese soci-

layout by Clara Lim

ety, driving many parents into confusion and anger. Nevertheless, the Chinese government remains indifferent to such responses as it seems that they have a plan in mind to spur the development of their country.

The Chinese government perceives the rapid expansion of private education, including both private tutors and private schools, as corrupting the public education system.

Many wealthy clients are able to afford higher quality education overseas or international curriculums in prestigious private schools. This unequal quality of education was seen as a primary factor for undermining the Chinese public education system, thus propelling the wealth gap in Chinese society.

“I think China naturally prioritizes high quality education because it wants to foster more economic growth,” Vanessa Cui, Chinese teacher, said. “Based on this goal, the government probably wants to make higher quality education more accessible to the public through the public education system.”

Another goal of the Chinese government was to decrease the capitalization of the education system through the ban. Prior to the implementation of the law, public schools could privatize parts of their business and foreign entities could hold ownership stakes over Chinese tutoring companies and private educational institutions. The Chinese government seems to address

these issues by preventing public schools from privatization, prohibiting foreigners to own parts of the Chinese educational institutions, and going as far as banning foreign textbooks.

Some also speculate that the ban was to demonstrate the extensive control China exerts over its society. As the private education industry makes up an immense portion of the economy, China’s decision to impose a radical ban on the entire industry effectively demonstrated the extent of power it holds over society.

“I think the Chinese government is definitely trying to exert its authoritarian control over its citizens through imposing stricter policies,” Michelle Bok (11), member of MUN club, said. “After all, because the overall economy is shifting towards a capitalistic one, I think the Chinese government wants to redirect its policies to fit its socialist stance.”

Although the consequences of China’s ban on the entire private education industry is currently only limited to Chinese society, it is inevitable that this piece of legislation will have future global implications and influence the way the global community perceives private education.

BY: Jasmine Jeong Junior, Reporter

retaliatory missile tests by South Korea,” Joonsung Kim (10), a Korean politics follower, said. “For many years, Korea has done little about the missile tests and this retaliatory test shows that South Korea can stand up against North Korean aggression. It is an encouraging sign of strength that South Koreans will welcome.”

Neighboring countries have also expressed great concern over the recent North Korean missile tests. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sees them as outrageous launches that threaten the security of the entire East Asian region while the US military’s

Indo-Pacific command in Hawaii stated that although the tests were not an immediate threat to US security, the destabilizing impact of the tests are clear. The exchange of missile tests between North and South Korea poses a buildup of tensions that may threaten not only the Korean peninsula but the international community as well.

BY: Hugo Lee Junior, Reporter

Texas abortion law reaches Supreme Court

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n Sept. 1, the Supreme Court allowed a law imposing a nearly complete ban on abortion in Texas, to pass. Senate Bill 8, colloquially known as the Texas Heartbeat Bill, prevents abortions until 6 weeks of pregnancy and threatens to overturn the historical Roe v. Wade decision.

“Abortion, to me, represents the freedom that someone has over their own body,” Yenna Ko (11), pro-choice advocate, said. “If someone decides to have an abortion, it is probably because they think that is best for them and their body.”

The decision was made five to four, with a clear distinction between the different political leanings of the judges. Five largely conservative justices backed the law. However, conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the three liberal judges—Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Stephen Breyer—opposed it.

In Texas, Senate Bill 8 prevents doctors from performing abortions if a heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. The law does not make any exceptions, including non-consensual pregnancies. However, it is up to civilians, not law enforcement, to report violations of the law.

“I think that the abortion law in Texas is taking a step in the right direction in intent, but not in execution,” Peter Kim (11), anti-abortion advocate, said. “While I do believe that a heartbeat bill is rather fair, I think that trying to enforce that bill by having civilians police each other for profit is wrong.”

Doctors say most people are not aware that they are pregnant at six weeks.

According to Planned Parenthood, this means that the law prevents about 85 to 90 percent of possible abortions.

“I think the legislators who passed the law failed to consider the multitude of different circumstances that people who want abortions find themselves in,” Eunie Choi (11), pro-choice supporter,

said. “There are so many situations and so many kinds of people that this law affects, and this decision almost scares me because of how restrictive it is.”

One of the most important milestones of abortion laws is the Roe v. Wade decision, which was made in 1973. At the time, most states outlawed abortion, only authorizing it for limited reasons like fetal anomalies or preserving the health of the carrier. It was a seven to two decision and even today, it allows abortion until up to 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

“It is scary to think about other states that may fall in line with this,” Leslie Gregori, a teacher planning to retire in the US, said. “I do not think Texas is alone in its stance on abortion. It could be really frightening and detrimental to women in the entire country if this becomes something that spreads.”

There seems to have been an increasing amount of traction in anti-abortion and pro-life movements in recent years, such as the Missouri anti-abortion case that the Supreme Court will be hearing on Dec. 19.

As of now, most anti-abortion laws have been prevented from being enforced.

Critics of abortion are largely made up of right-wing Christians who are motivated by their religious beliefs. They commonly refer to the sanctity of life, in which it is written in the Bible that human life should be regarded as sacred and protected, in anti-abortion rhetoric.

“I have been raised Catholic, so I know there are certain expectations the Church sets up,” Ms. Gregori said. “I understand why religious factions would say it is wrong to abort a child; however, I do not think that any institution should control bodily autonomy.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Junior, Copy Editor

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

9

Bus drivers and monitors: Heroes behind the wheel

When we SIS high schoolers get on the school bus each morning, drowsy and bleary-eyed—no longer bright-eyed elementary schoolers enthusiastic to chat with friends—we are usually preoccupied with looming summative deadlines or struggling to recover from a late-night study session. As a result, we often fail to appreciate the constants in our bus experience: our bus drivers and monitors. We might mumble a quick “hello” to them as we sleepily collapse into our seats and later “thank you” when we trudge off, but admittedly, our interactions with them do not go much beyond that. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize and appreciate the people who are so important to our daily lives.

So, we at Tiger Times spent some time getting to know our bus drivers and monitors.

Especially for students who have attended SIS for many years, bus drivers are a reliable presence.

We can trust that they will get us to school on time regardless of most circumstances (though sometimes we might secretly wish to be late to first period), and it is comforting to have a regular bus routine when it feels like everything else around us is changing as we grow up. What we seldom see, however, is the amount of effort that goes into ensuring our comfortable transportation every day.

“We arrive at school before 6 a.m.,” Lee Duk Chun, driver of Bus C, said. “After we clean and disinfect the buses, we set off on our separate routes to pick up students. All drivers depart from school at 6:20 at the latest, and depending on the route, some drivers start their day as early as 5:30.”

In addition to punctually transporting students to and from school, bus drivers are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring student safety at all times.

“We prioritize safety over everything else,” Mr. Lee said.

“Therefore, we hold weekly meetings to discuss safety precautions.

We ensure that we do not speed and that at each stop, we wait until all students are seated before we move on to the next.”

Bus drivers are one of the first people students interact with during the day. After years of seeing students get on and off every day throughout the school year and driving the same students on the same route for a long time, bus drivers develop unique relationships with students.

“We see students every day and grow fond of them over time— especially the ones who have been riding since kindergarten,” Mr. Lee said. “They feel like our children. As time goes on, we see students grow, and it gets sentimental.”

Also closely interacting with students are bus monitors, who work tirelessly to provide us with

relaxing bus rides by enforcing rules and even enthusiastically conversing with younger students. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have been additionally entrusted with conducting safety procedures such as ensuring social distancing, checking students’ temperatures, and collecting Orange Passes.

“Every day, we try to think of better ways to interact with all our students,” Jeong You Me, monitor of Bus J, said. “We find it easy to empathize with high schoolers because we know how tough their academic lives must be, and even though the younger kids, particularly those who are just entering puberty, do not always listen to instructions, we still enjoy them.”

Though monitors typically spend a shorter amount of time at SIS compared to drivers, they too develop a soft spot for students.

“Even those of us without prior experience interacting with children come to grow fond of our

students,” Kim Hee Jin, monitor of Bus E, said. “When talking to other bus monitors, we each take pride in the students on our respective buses, referring to them as ‘our kids.’ When students move away or transfer schools, we genuinely miss them.”

It cannot be easy to drive or supervise a bus packed with students every day. As tiring as it may be, our bus drivers and monitors enjoy interacting with students. It is never too late to start expressing our gratitude for those who greet us every day and get us safely to our destinations, and small gestures of appreciation are a great place to start. So on your way home today, go say thank you and smile at your bus monitors and drivers!

BY: Alice Lee & Skylar Peck Juniors, Photo & Managing Editor

10 SPORTS & LIFESTYLE Netflix devotes more resources to Korean content

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n February, Netflix announced that it would be investing $500 million into producing and promoting Korean content inover the course of 2021. With the newest Korean original show “Squid Game” becoming “Netflix’s biggest launch hit,” Netflix appears to be following through on its statement.

“The surreal nature of the show is what got me hooked,” Samuel Hong (11), “Squid Game” fan, said.

“The life-or-death scenario that the characters are in is crazy to watch. Seeing not as well-known elements of South Korean culture in a Netflix show is also really cool.

I honestly did not think that the show was going to reach international fame because its plot is based on Korean social hierarchy, but I think that Netflix effectively marketed the show to reach a wider audience.”

Netflix is known for its topnotch marketing strategies. Not only is it one of the only streaming services that suggest content based on users’ previous interests, but it has also begun to use social media in an informal way when promoting movies and shows.

For example, “if u haven't watched squid game yet, wyd ????” is the caption of an Instagram post on Netflix’s official account. By advertising its content in a funny and relatable way, Netflix’s social media accounts have amassed more than 121 million followers.

“I find Netflix’s social media marketing strategies to be very effective,” Hyeonseo Park (11), Instagram user, said. “Netflix is great at pulling out fun clips from movies and shows that make you want to go and watch more. Netflix has started doing this for popular Korean and Thai content. I am excited to see more Asian movies and shows become as popular as ‘Squid Game.’”

Netflix’s investment in Korean content has also contributed to an

increase in the conversation surrounding Korean societal issues.

A Twitter thread on racism in South Korea went viral after user Uju Anya commented on how Ali, the only non-Korean character in “Squid Game,” “snivels in sirs” and is depicted as “subservient.”

On a more lighthearted note, Korean snacks have become popular worldwide. For instance, making Dalgona, a sugary Korean snack that was featured in “Squid Game,” has become a trend with the hashtag “#dalgona” being under more than 292,000 Instagram posts.

“I like how Netflix is helping expand Korean culture’s outreach,” Claire Lee (11), fan of the Korean Netflix original show “Sweet Home,” said. “I think that entertainment is really helping generate conversation worldwide on various topics from traditional Korean values and snacks. Over the past few months, more of my friends back in Shanghai have shown interest in traveling to South Korea.”

The increase in Korean content’s popularity has had an impact on SIS faculty as well.

“My family and friends back in the states have been bombarding me with texts about their new favorite Korean shows,” Jeffrey McEvoy-Hein, mathematics teacher, said. “Debunking their misconceptions about life in South Korea has been fun. I personally enjoy watching Korean movies—‘Train to Busan’ and ‘Parasite’ are my favorites.”

BY: Katie Kim Junior, Copy Editor

Hit or Miss:

White Sox manager Tony La Russa prioritizes resting his starting pitchers for postseason On Sept. 24, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the Chicago White Sox clinched the American League (AL) Central division title for the first time since 2008 in the first game of a doubleheader. However, following the easing of pressure to win after the clinch, White Sox Manager Tony La Russa has started resting many of his starters and even some of his position players to ensure a full, healthy roster come October, despite the opportunity for the White Sox to grasp the no. 2 seed and home field advantage in the American League Division Series (ALDS) with a strong final stretch. Ultimately, the White Sox ended up losing the no. 2 seed to the Houston Astros and lost 3-1 in the ALDS on Wednesday. So, was La Russa’s trade-off of home field advantage for a healthy roster a hit or miss for the White Sox? Did it have an impact on their loss in the ALDS? Overall: Miss La Russa is one of the most renowned names in baseball.

With three World Series titles, 12 division titles, a 1408-1182 regular season record, and an impressive 50-42 postseason record that places him second in the all-time list for managerial wins, the Hall of Famer is arguably the most successful manager to manage the game of baseball. As much as his career is decorated with countless successes and titles, however, his prioritization of resting his starters and key position players over the last few weeks of the 2021 regular season is questionable.

The first half of the White Sox season was impressive. Although they had a slow start in early April, including an opening series loss to the lowly Los Ange-

les Angels, the White Sox immediately picked up momentum and started crushing their opponents with their talent-loaded roster. Despite injuries to key players like Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert, unlikely young stars like Yermin Mercedes stepped up, leading the team to a winning percentage almost north of .600 in the first half. However, throughout the second half of the season they played mediocre .500 baseball despite the return of key players, and finished the season with a slightly disappointing .574 winning percentage.

Part of this slackening in performance is due to La Russa’s resting of starting pitchers and many of his key position players throughout the final stretch.

With a double-digit lead over the second place Cleveland Indians, La Russa eased the workload of his starters, calling up Triple-A starters to toe the rubber. Elite front-end starters Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodón, once at the forefront of the Cy Young race, are now weak candidates as they have failed to meet the bare minimum of innings required to qualify for the Cy Young. With La Russa resting his front-end starters, the White Sox have considerably slacked in the second half of the season.

While La Russa’s intentions were to maintain the health of his key players, his moves were excessively cautious. The vast majority of the “injuries” that the White Sox starters and key position players are suffering from are minor contusions and soreness. In fact, Rodón was on the injured list (IL) for two straight weeks due to “shoulder fatigue,” and shortstop Tim Anderson was on the IL for over two weeks due to a minor hamstring strain.

Throughout that stretch in which Rodón and Anderson were absent, the White Sox barely maintained .500 baseball and lost home field advantage to the Astros.

The loss of home advantage may have very well decided the series loss for the White Sox. The White Sox are drastically different teams at home and on the road—at home, the White Sox post an AL-best 53-28 record whereas on the road they are not even a .500 team, posting a mediocre 40-41 record. Unsurprisingly, the White Sox, a losing team on the road, lost the first two ALDS games to the Astros in Houston, falling into an extremely disadvantageous 0-2 hole. Although the White Sox won Game Three in Chicago, they suffered a 10-1 defeat in Game Four, eliminating them from the postseason.

Moreover, resting the starters certainly did not help the White Sox out in the postseason. All four starters failed to give the team length in the ALDS, failing to pitch more than five innings.

If anything, the starting rotation was a complete failure in October, forcing the bullpen to work many innings and blowing up games.

The White Sox started the season with World Series expectations. La Russa’s resting of his starters down the stretch were meant to set the team up for this goal—instead, the decision stranded the White Sox on the road to be run over by the Astros in the first round.

BY: Hugo Lee Junior, Reporter

“Shang-Chi” pioneers Asian representation in Hollywood

On Sept. 1, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” debuted at no.1 in the Korean box office, featuring for the first time a predominantly East Asian cast and starring Chinese-Canadian Simu Liu as the dominant role in a major Marvel blockbuster.

With the ongoing pandemic, theatergoers found themselves hesitant to venture into the cinemas.

layout by Junseo Lee

Despite this, Shang-Chi has had 1,735,763 admissions in South Korea so far and garnered an impressive 98 percent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“It was great,” Lindsey Lim (10), Marvel fan, said. “I loved going to the cinema for the first time in a while and seeing new special effects, action, as well as Asians being represented. Once again, Marvel has used

its past experience to make a film I personally think is worth watching.”

While many consider “ShangChi” to be a step forward for Asian American representation in media, however, especially considering that only 1.4 percent of Hollywood-produced movies have Asian Americans as protagonists, others argue that the studio has promoted “Shang-Chi” significantly less than other movies such as “Black Widow.”

“Personally, I think that ‘ShangChi’ didn’t have as much exposure and hype that previous Marvel productions did,” Brandon Choi (10), Marvel fan and advocate for Asian representation, said. “It is a bit disappointing because although ‘ShangChi’ is a big blockbuster with an Asian lead and a mostly Asian cast, they are not promoting it enough. Had they done so, I feel that it could have been more impactful in combating whitewashing in Hollywood.”

In recent times, large studios including Marvel have begun to diversify their cast and become more

inclusive, as exemplified by the 2018 film “Black Panther,” which was chiefly comprised of African American actors, “Crazy Rich Asians,” which primarily showed Asian American actors in main roles, and Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which featured a black and Puerto Rican lead.

This is a significant shift from prior films, which often casted minorities as stereotypes, racist caricatures, or side characters with little to no impact on plotlines. As consumers push for more movies starring actors they relate to, moviemakers have begun to deviate from the norm to accommodate this market.

“As a community that is relatively underrepresented, especially in that genre, ‘Shang-Chi’ is bound to be impactful,” Jeffrey McEvoy-Hein, Marvel enthusiast, said. “The black community was excited when ‘Black Panther’ was released, and ‘ShangChi’ could be of equal value to the Asian community.”

So far, it seems unclear as to whether “Shang-Chi” will be enough of a success to be the impetus for more Asian American representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Though it currently is one of the highest grossing films of 2021 with $330 million in sales, China, the largest market in the world for movies, has yet to approve it for release. As it misses out on such a crucial market, Marvel may be hesitant to produce “Shang-Chi” counterparts in the future.

Regardless of the controversy that surrounds the promotion of “Shang Chi,” it remains true that Marvel has taken a pioneering step in creating a film focused on Asian American actors. Hopefully, other movie studios will follow in its footsteps to diversify their cast and understand the growing demand for diverse representation.

BY: Grace Lee Sophomore, Reporter

MULTIMEDIA

DEEP_FRIED_INTERNET Jeff Bezos: Shining businessman or unethical plutocrat?

When comedian Bo Burnham released his long-awaited album “Inside” in the early summer of 2021, many of his fans were confused by two songs on the tracklist. Not one, but two songs were about Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and the richest person in the world. These two songs were aptly named “Bezos I” and “Bezos II,” two hairless anomalies nestled in an album that was otherwise pretty normal for Bo Burnham standards. But these songs, ironically, came to be the star hits of the album, with approximately 1.5 billion TikTok videos made using the song as the background music. Similarly, parodies of the song were posted and received millions of views on YouTube.

This is not the first viral meme starring Bezos. For several years, netizens have made memes of his famous bald head and immense wealth. More recently, memes were created around the launch of his Blue Origin spaceship, in which Bezos and his crewmates became the first civilians to make a successful space orbit around Earth. Netizens made fun of the cowboy hat he wore to the flight and the questionable shape of his spaceship.

While these memes may imply that the Internet likes poking harmless fun at Bezos, a closer look will show that there is genuine criticism in their jabs. In

Hannah Kim

“Bezos I,” Burnham sings, “C'mon Jeffrey, you can do it/Pave the way, put your back into it,” over an overly cheerful synth reminiscent of stereotypical corporate music. The irony of the song lies in the fact that Bezos is known for forcing his workers to work overtime; hence, the statement that “he puts his back into it” contrasts bitterly with the reality of the situation.

On a similar note, some people criticized Bezos for spending billions on a recreational space flight instead of improving working conditions for Amazon workers. Therefore, these memes are not praising Bezos; rather, they are expressing frustration toward his arguably unethical business policies and actions.

But Bezos’s exploitation and wealth are not recent developments. In fact, many have actually praised Bezos for his work ethic in the past. So why are netizens criticizing him now?

The answer lies in generational rifts. In the United States, public opinion on many matters is divided by generational lines. As societal values are reevaluated, discarded, and recreated, the perception of these matters has changed along with them. Spanning a wide variety of topics like jazz, the Internet, and Fox News, Baby Boomers and millennials (backed by Gen Z) are often stuck in a grudging stalemate over whose opinion is right.

One of such figures is Jeff Bezos. To older generations, namely Baby Boomers, Bezos is the paragon of

rosa suh

the American Dream. Through the power of perseverance, he turned a business he started in his garage to a global multibillion dollar corporation. To them, he is living proof that the US is a meritocratic society where people can climb their way to the top with hard work, no matter their starting point. But to millennials and Generation Z, Bezos might as well represent everything negative about capitalism. They see Bezos’s wealth as the product of extensive environmental pollution and preexisting privilege. To millenials and Gen Z, little to no hard work was involved in his success, and if there was, the morality of actions are offset by his violations against the less fortunate.

Admittedly, these memes about Jeff Bezos have not changed much about the situation. Bezos continues to rake in money at unbelievable rates. In all honesty, this is to be expected; after all, Bezos is a multi-billionaire who has the money to eradicate poverty in the US multiple times over if he wished so. It is naive to think that he would be affected by a few memes.

However, the memes about Bezos do indicate that there has been a momentous shift in attitudes about capitalism. In a society like the US, where children are taught from birth that hard work overcomes anything—where “rags to riches” is firmly ingrained in the national mindset—this may signal that the country is on the verge of a great change.

(Happy) Marriage Story: teacher edition

With the sound of a blaring alarm, every morning is a battle for teachers. They are often the first faces to greet the school and prepare to welcome their half-awake students. However, hectic mornings are improved for some with a peck on the cheek or a walk to school hand in hand. Although it is hard to imagine what the life of married teachers at SIS must be like, some have decided to share their experiences.

Why did you decide to work in the same school?

“SIS is the first school we are working together in,” Michael Ganus, band teacher, and Michelle Ganus, social studies teacher, said, smiling at each other. “It has been around nine years.

We decided to work internationally on the same campus because we wanted to be together.”

“The benefits that come along with international school packages played a big part,” Eugene Lee, science teacher, and Megan Lee, English teacher, added. “We ended up working in the same place because SIS provides basic necessities including visa requirements or housing for international teachers.”

Are there any positive or negative aspects of being in the same workplace?

“The fact that we both have the same schedule is a great benefit,” Jeffrey McEvoy-Hein, math teacher, and Julie Hein, science teacher, said while holding their two daughters.

“We are able to enjoy the same amount of time with our kids and split up our work evenly. A downside, though, is that we sometimes have students that want to conference with us after school which conflicts with our responsibilities as parents, such as picking up our children.”

“One benefit of working together is being able to see each other during the day,” Adam Yannakakis, PE teacher, and Carolina Paglialunga, Spanish teacher, said with a grin. “We also have holidays at the same time which allows us to plan trips together.”

As parents and as teachers, do you find balancing parenting and teaching to be challenging?

“Although having to balance both is difficult at times, patience is really the key,” Mr. and Mrs. Lee said. “It is hard to focus on grading assignments or teaching online when there is a screaming kid in the background.

But in his point of view, Mom and Dad are only looking at the computer and not paying attention to him. We have to understand that and try to balance that as much as we can.”

“Since most teachers live in the same apartment complex, we always had to make sure that we did not have parent-teacher conferences whenever we met one of our girls’ teachers in the neighborhood,” Mr. and Mrs. Ganus chuckled. “​​When you are a parent and a teacher, there is a lot of overlap in that we care both about the students and children,” Mr. Yannakakis and Profe Caro explained. “In a way, we want to teach our students like parents. We like to see them grow.”

Although many couples struggle with the idea of mixing their personal and professional lives, the married teachers at SIS make it work—and they have fun doing it together.

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SMALL TALK

That Theater Nerd.

‘Mean Girls’ the musical: so fetch!

Teen comedy “Mean Girls,” directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey, raised a generation of 2000s babies who constantly quote lines from the film. The iconic nature of the movie is unsurpassable, and its musical counterpart is just as terrific.

Most of you may be thinking, “When in the world did that happen?” Well, the musical “Mean Girls,” also written by Tina Fey, opened on Broadway in April 2018.

Although its run ended in early 2020, the show remains a must-watch bootleg for fans of the movie or those who wish to reminisce about their days in high school.

Both the “Mean Girls” movie and musical start by introducing a very naive and awkward Cady Heron. Due to her parents being scientists, she grew up in Africa and was homeschooled; she describes her lonely childhood in “It Roars,” an upbeat tune that is backed by a wide array of wind instruments. Thus, when she gets her first taste of life in an American public high school, she is taken aback by the cruel laws of popularity that divide her fellow students. Soon she meets Janis Ian and Damian Hubbard, who inform her of the clique-

By Katie Kim

based cafeteria seating arrangement in the jazzy number “Where Do You Belong?.”

The light-hearted tone of the soundtrack is abruptly interrupted by the ominous sound of a bass guitar and a cafeteria table moving toward center stage, on top of which are the Plastics: Regina George, Gretchen Wieners, and Karen Smith. The other students cower in fear as Regina, the most popular girl in school, begins to sing about how she is “ the prettiest poison you’ve ever seen”—a terrifyingly accurate statement.

Cady, interestingly, ends up in the good graces of the Plastics. Seeing this as an opportunity to get revenge on Regina for ruining her life in middle school, Janis hatches an intricate plan to initiate the downfall of the school’s queen bee.

I will admit, while the “Mean Girls” musical soundtrack is amazing and does a great job at adding humor that is similar in style to the jokes in the movie, it occasionally borders on cheesy pop music. For instance, the song “Fearless,” in which Gretchen expresses how overwhelmed she is after escaping Regina’s ferocious claws, sounds like a Kidz Bop song. However, there are obviously great numbers as well; a fan favorite is Karen’s Halloween-themed song “Sexy,” which is lowkey a feminist anthem—ironic, considering that Karen is considered the least intelligent character in the musical. The musical also allows Regina’s manipulative nature to shine, particularly with her solo song

“Someone Get’s Hurt”—which is great for belting in the shower, by the way.

Cady Heron raised me. Not only do our names rhyme, but we also both have horrifically bad flirting skills. Cady has a bit of a crush, I mean a huge crush, on Aaron Samuels, Regina’s ex-boyfriend. She falls in love with him at first sight and then begins to sing “Stupid With Love,” a choral number about how she finds it hard to flirt with boys due to her being homeschooled for most of her life. Cady completely changes herself for Aaron’s approval and loses herself along the way, making the audience take pity on her. Nevertheless, the final message of the show is that everyone should be true to themselves, which is a little cliche but still heartwarming.

The show is not necessarily funnier than the movie, but it is certainly raunchier. Many pop-culture-related jokes have been given a modern twist, but many of the show’s most memorable jokes play on lines in the original film. Unfortunately, the number of fat jokes the show squeezes in due to Regina’s weight gain is highly inappropriate, and the physical comedy is occasionally too over the top.

Its plot may be a little crazy, but “Mean Girls” is definitely the “fetchest” musical of all time. In the iconic words of Regina George: get in, loser!

Little Lens, Larger Ends

Let’s talk respectful talk

By Skylar Peck The first time I heard the word, I was in fourth grade, dozing off on the bus ride home. The fifth-grader across the aisle from me called one of her friends “retarded,” and in my childish naivete, I figured it was advanced academic jargon only students in the fifth grade and older knew. As soon as I got home, I rushed to look it up in my copy of the Oxford Primary Dictionary.

There was no entry for that word, however, so I let go of the curiosity. It was only years later, long after my peers had begun using it as well, that I found out exactly what the “r-word” meant and the extent to which it could be hurtful.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the r-word as “a person affected with intellectual disability” and “a foolish or stupid person,” classifying both definitions as “offensive.” Though unbeknownst to many, the r-word is actually hate speech and a form of discrimination: it is a slur against people with intellectual disabilities. However, more commonly used—at least among students who do not intend to offend people—is its second definition.

Many high schoolers casually use this word to refer to their neurotypical friends who exhibit behavior that is deemed unintelligent, almost like a friendly insult; unfortunately, it seems not many realize the pernicious weight that the word carries.

Part of this ignorance is due to the recency of the r-word being declared offensive and politically incorrect. In fact, “mental retardation” was an official medical term until 2010, when the US government during Obama’s presidency passed

layout by Alice Lee

Rosa’s Law, replacing the slur with the term “intellectual disability.” In addition, ableism—prejudice and discrimination against disabled people—has not gained as much traction as other social issues. As a result, many teenagers are cognizant of the harmful implications of homophobic or sexist but not ableist language.

Whether it be caused by genuine ignorance or malicious intent, hate speech is hate speech nonetheless. Hearing the slur used against them can take a toll on the self-esteem and emotional wellbeing of intellectually disabled people by inducing them to believe and internalize prejudiced notions.

Moreover, aside from being a slur, the r-word is harmful when used against neurotypical people because it perpetuates negative stereotypes about intellectually disabled people. When people use it to describe their friends whom they consider “stupid,” they are unknowingly insinuating that intellectually disabled people are lacking in intelligence and, by extension, less than neurotypical people.

Ceasing to use the r-word can reduce the marginalization of intellectually disabled people and allow them to feel more included and accepted. Fortunately, saying the r-word is not a difficult behavior to correct once students recognize the impact their actions can have on others. SIS may consist of mostly neurotypical students, but once we leave its doors for good, we will undoubtedly encounter situations in which socially conscious, respectful language will be not only appreciated but necessary.

photo of the

month

Performing in the atrium, Erin Choi (12) and Justin Seo (12) sing Paul Kim’s “Every Day, Every Moment” for club MP3’s Open-Mic performance.

Photo by Alice Lee