Taipei American School Alumni News Magazine | 2024 by TaipeiAmericanSchool

Taipei American School ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Administrators, Faculty, and Staff

Did you know that we have more than 30 Tigers who work at TAS as administrators, faculty, and staff? They can be found all over TAS in offices and classrooms, on the field and in the gym, and they are dedicated to our students. We are truly proud that so many TAS alumni have returned to TAS to teach the next generation.

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Alumni Board Members 2023-2024

Thank you for being dedicated Tigers!

John Chen ’99

Paul Hsu ’94

Jay Cheng ’97

Grace Lee ’91

Michael Fei ’90

Lydia Lim ’97

Amy Hsu ’90

Front Row (L-R): Irene Fang ’01, Julia Lee ’11, Laurie Hsu ’12, Jim Boyle ’76, Mike Leu ’03, Adrian Town ’13

Row: Pareena Paryani ’15, Samantha Lee ’11, Evelyn Chen ’03, Sarah Peters ’95, Maria Peters ’89, Mitchell Carter ’13, Betty Chang ’92, Michelle Kao ’03, Kendra Ing ’16, Cheryl Quek ’98

Row: Weston Cooper ’08, Joan Ho ’08, Yenyen Chou ’12, Jessica Huang ’11, Brenda Lin ’94

pictured: Michael Chao ’11, Joey Chen ’98, Stephanie Hsieh ’04, Sean Huang ’09, Stephanie Lee ’04, Sanders McMillan ’13, Jacqueline Miao ’19, Sarah Su ’19, Vincente Tang ’68, Sarah Ting ’12, Julie Tuan ’93, Karen Wang ’04, Stacey Ward ’76, Carol Yeung ’98, Nicky Yeung ’99, Allen Yin Jr. ’16

Kindergarten A students enjoy fun and play

About the Magazine

The TAS Alumni News Magazine is published by the Advancement Office and is circulated free of charge to alumni, faculty, and former faculty.

Update your contact information with us: Send an email to alumni@tas.edu.tw with your current contact information. Fill out the online update form: www.tas.edu.tw/alumni > Stay Engaged with TAS > Contact Information Update Form.

Service Learning in Action with RAID ZERO Robotics in Upper School

The TAS Upper School Robotics team, RAID ZERO, is working with the Taipei City Government Department of Education (TCG DoE) to organize the 2024 RAID ZERO experience, a large-scale robotics training for students from across Taiwan. Learn about this student-led effort that is enriching our island.

Actor Justin Chien ’14

Shares Stories about TAS, Working in Hollywood, and Prioritizing Happiness

Celebrating Two Decades of Taking TAS to the Top of the World

Phil Yu ’89 reached the North Pole as a U.S. Navy Submarine Navigations Officer twenty years ago. Even after weeks of confinement to his vessel beneath the polar ice, he kept TAS in his heart.

Connie Ma (right), Alumni and Community Outreach Officer; Donna Cheng (left), Assistant Alumni and Community Outreach Officer

Cover Photo: Terry Gong ’78 gifted TAS with a gorgeous 3D paper origami figure of a tiger. Its customary home is atop a shelf in the TAS Alumni Office, where it can greet our returning alumni visitors. Thank you to Terry for this creative gift!

Head of School Letter to Alumni

Dear Alumni,

As the academic year of 2023-24 draws to a close, and with it the end of my tenure in Taiwan, I am filled with gratitude for the fantastic experiences I have had at TAS, and for a deeply enriching time in my life. It has been a privilege to lead this institution, and I eagerly anticipate becoming part of the faculty alumni network, remaining connected with this exceptional community.

Throughout this year, I aimed to immerse myself entirely in the TAS experience, which came back fully this year with the end of pandemic restrictions in Taiwan. You, as alumni, are well aware that TAS offers a vast array of activities and events beyond the daily classroom endeavors. I have accompanied our Tigers during IASAS athletics competitions, I have been profoundly moved and impressed by the dynamic dance, drama, music, and robotics happenings, and marveled at the creativity displayed by our students, whether during a Grade 2 poetry reading, a Middle School service project, or an Upper School scientific research exhibition. TAS provides enriching experiences that foster fond memories for our alumni.

Our mission, to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, well-being, and service, is evermore important. The complexities of our world demand that our students possess skills, knowledge, and resilience, which we diligently cultivate, day-in and day-out in our students and in ourselves.

This year was marked by our continued work on our accreditation, which culminated in the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ visiting team week-long stay with us. Our self- reflection work has been deep and highly collaborative, allowing us to take stock of what we have accomplished. Just as importantly, it has given us a foundation and the visibility to build our future. Our Strategic Plan is being refreshed to move us forward, and we anticipate sharing it with you in the months to come.

With all this, Taipei American School stands on the threshold of new and promising opportunities. The appointment of David Frankenberg as the 16th Head of School begins a new era of leadership and vision, as the school simultaneously celebrates an important milestone in our 75th Anniversary.

Reflecting on the past academic year and the transformations from August to June, I think of our alumni experiences and how each year, reconnecting and re-engaging with TAS brings new dimensions to their relationship with the school. I imagine myself attending next year’s 75th Anniversary celebrations, knowing that even in a few short months, the school will have evolved further. This prospect fills me with excitement and serves as a testament to the community’s enthusiasm for the innovation needed to continue fulfilling our mission.

As alumni, you epitomize the transformative influence of the Taipei American School experience and the willingness to explore the forefront of international education. Whether you are excelling in your respective fields, effecting change in your communities, or passionately pursuing your interests with integrity, you embody the spirit of excellence that defines our institution. Having had the opportunity to meet many of you this year in New York City and in Taipei, I have witnessed the profound impact TAS has had on your lives and the enduring love and pride you hold for our school, long after graduation.

As we embark on the 2024-25 school year, which also marks the commencement of our 75th Anniversary celebrations, I invite you to join us in commemorating this milestone and in reimagining what constitutes a truly exceptional educational experience for the next 75 years of the Taipei American School’s journey. If there is one lesson I have learned this year, it’s that the potential of this community knows no bounds.

With my best wishes for the next 75 years,

Evelyne Estey Head of School

Evelyne Estey (second from left) and David Frankenberg (second from right), and Board members Grace Lee ’91 (left) and Jay Cheng ’97 (right)

Head of School Letter to Alumni

Dear Alumni,

I am delighted to introduce myself to many of you for the first time, and to thank the alumni who were a part of my hiring and onboarding process over the last year. As I engaged in this process, Taipei American School’s exceptional qualities and its well-earned reputation as one of the world’s preeminent international schools became abundantly clear to me. I am thrilled to serve as the 17th Head of School of this very special community beginning this summer.

As one of the newest members of the TAS community, it is already clear to me that this is an amazing school with an incredible trajectory. You, as alumni, are a testament to the life-changing power of a TAS education.

Based on the conversations I was able to have with alumni during my visits to Taipei, I believe we are all asking important questions about the future of education, and how TAS will evolve to meet this moment of transformative paradigm shifts in the world and to prepare our students for it. I know that TAS is in the ideal position to face this future with enthusiasm and optimism; the passion, intensity of purpose, and commitment to excellence I have seen over the last year are the perfect ingredients to help TAS continue to be a global leader in innovative education.

I am looking forward to connecting with the community and listening to how each of our Tigers, past and present, might answer the many questions about what’s next for TAS. I have so much to learn about this wonderfully complex community and am excited to build relationships across the whole of the TAS family, and especially with you, our alumni.

I invite you to read more about what TAS has been up to over the past year. The most recent cycle of re-accreditation work with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges concluded this semester. The result? High marks for TAS and a dynamic Strategic Action Plan that our community will dig into over the coming months. We are also looking forward to celebrating the School’s 75th Anniversary, and alumni are certainly invited! Stay tuned this fall for specific events and look out for invitations to the Spring Fair and TAS Gala Ball later next spring.

If I may take a moment to reflect on this next chapter, in the final few weeks before my formal transition begins: the opportunity to lead the TAS community is both exhilarating for me professionally, as well as deeply moving personally.

Although I was born in the Netherlands and am from Argentina, I spent my adolescence in Hong Kong and graduated from Hong Kong International School (worry not - I’ll be cheering for our Tigers when they face off against HKIS in basketball this fall!). As my family and I pack our boxes and say goodbye to San Francisco, I am thrilled that my children will get to experience the same incredible opportunities that I did as a young person.

Like many of you, I grew up a “third culture kid” and know how critical a role that an international school can play in developing your sense of identity, purpose, and drive. The chance to return to Asia as a father, husband, and Head of School, marks a full-circle moment for me that I know I will continue to reflect upon in the months and years to come.

I look forward to experiencing Taiwan with my family, and to eating a lot of great food. In the early stages of my career, I studied to be a chef, and I connected with so many members of the TAS community over Taiwan’s phenomenal food culture (I may not have tried stinky tofu on my last trip, but it’s definitely on my list!)

I hope to see as many of you as possible over the coming months. Please look out for upcoming alumni events and get in touch with us. With thousands of alumni in Taiwan alone, I cannot wait to connect with you.

David Frankenberg Incoming Head of School

TAS Undertakes WASC Self-Study and Reaccreditation in 2024

By Dr. Liz Gale, Deputy Head of School

Taipei American School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), which recognizes that as a school, TAS adheres to rigorous, internationally-recognized organizational standards. It also means that colleges and universities worldwide accept credits earned at TAS, enhancing the significance of a TAS diploma, as well as the overall academic prospects of our students.

Recently, TAS completed an 18-month self-study process which culminated in a comprehensive Self-Study Report that provided a detailed analysis of the School’s programs, practices, and procedures against the WASC criterion. This process helped the School to identify overarching strengths, as well as areas for continuous improvement, ultimately guiding the revision of the current strategic action plan aimed at further enriching the educational journey for TAS students. The compilation and submission of the WASC report in February 2024 is a reflection of the dedication of the TAS community, as well as a commitment to transparency, and an overall focus on growth.

In April 2024, TAS welcomed the WASC Visiting Committee, a group of experienced educational leaders who were tasked with validating the selfstudy findings and providing further insight into areas for future enhancement.

The following content provides an overview of the 18 month self-study process including the results of the WASC Visiting Committee Report and next steps.

Initial Phase (Fall 2022): Preparation, Training, and Community Awareness

In September 2022, TAS began the self-study process by developing a comprehensive and careful plan to actively engage all stakeholders within the school community. Through faculty professional development sessions and parent/ guardian and student workshops, members of the TAS community gained a collective understanding of TAS’s mission, which was revised in 2021, and the foundational role the mission has within all organizational and operational practices across the school. The TAS Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team also underwent comprehensive training and retreats to equip them with historical

and current knowledge of the evaluation process. In November 2022, the Educational Leadership Team began to reflect upon and evaluate TAS’s achievements since the 2018 self-study and 2021 mid-cycle report.

Second Phase (February 2023-January 2024): Engaging the Community and Collecting Evidence

Starting in February 2023, the second phase of the self-study began, which focused on evidence collection and faculty analysis of current practices. Interested faculty members were appointed as Home Group (subject area) and Focus Group Chairs to lead critical discussions surrounding divisional and schoolwide strengths and areas for growth. During professional development days, faculty delved into student achievement data, perception data, and demographic data to further identify the critical learning needs of the TAS student body. Beginning in May 2023, faculty began to collect, analyze, and assess the current quality of the School’s programs against the critical learning needs. Additionally, some faculty also joined policy review teams to review, revise, and, in some instances, develop more cohesive key KA-12 policies. In January 2024, Home Group

TAS Mission

Taipei American School’s mission is to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, personal well-being, and service. We provide a broad American-based education with a global perspective that develops students of character who are committed to making the world a better place.

Schoolwide Learning Outcomes

In addition to a strong academic program, and a focus on personal well-being, TAS strives to support learners in being:

• Critical and Creative Thinkers Self-Directed Learners

• Collaborative Communicators

• Well-Balanced Individuals

• Globally-Minded Contributors

and Focus Group Chairs, in collaboration with the Deputy Head of School and leader of the self-study process, consolidated the findings into Chapter III of a five-chapter comprehensive report.

Third and Final Phase (January-March 2024):

Submitting the Report and Preparing for the Visit Working in collaboration with the TAS administration and key members of faculty and staff, the WASC Self-Study Coordinator further analyzed and compiled the findings into the full self-study report. In February 2024, the Educational Leadership Team began revising a comprehensive schoolwide action plan based on the findings from the self-study report. At the end of February 2024, TAS submitted the final selfstudy report and revised strategic action plan to the WASC Visiting Team.

The outcomes of the WASC self-study process have led to the development of four strategic goals, each aimed at strengthening our educational environment and ensuring our students are well-prepared for future successes.

STRATEGIC FOCUS FOR THE FUTURE:

• A Strong Foundation: We are committed to refining our practices to ensure they are systematic, clear, and aligned with our mission, fostering a consistent and highquality educational experience.

An Enduring Commitment to Learning: We aim to enhance our curricular and instructional practices, ensuring all students benefit from a cohesive learning experience grounded in current researchbased and data-driven practices.

• A Supportive, Personalized, and Empowering Student Journey: By addressing each student’s academic and social-emotional needs, we will provide a nurturing environment that encourages growth and success.

• Culture of Safety and Belonging: We strive to create a secure and inclusive environment where every member of our community feels valued, known, and cared for.

WASC Visiting Committee in April 2024 and Next Steps

In April 2024, under the esteemed leadership of Dr. Margaret Alvarez, Director of International School Accreditation for WASC, and Ms. Debi Caskey, Deputy Head of Learning at the International School of Bangkok, the five-member WASC Visiting Committee dedicated four and a half days to an indepth evaluation of TAS. The Committee engaged in meaningful conversations with our diverse school constituents – parents, students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the TAS Board of Directors. This in-depth interaction facilitated a thorough review of our organizational and educational practices, as well as our strategic direction.

The committee concluded their review process by enthusiastically validating the quality and detail of our self-study findings. They not only endorsed our commitment to a standard of excellence but also expressed confidence in TAS’s roadmap for continuous enhancement and achievement of the mission, schoolwide learning outcomes, and values. As a result, of the validation of TAS’s self-study findings and subsequent report and WASC’s Visiting Committee findings and report, TAS has received full-term reaccreditation until 2030.

Building on the momentum of our self-study and the insightful feedback from the WASC Visiting Committee, TAS is poised to embark on the development of a revised Strategic Action Plan over the next six months. This comprehensive plan will be crafted with the future in mind, integrating our self-identified areas for growth with the valuable recommendations provided by the WASC team. We will not only address the areas identified but also commit to strategically enhancing the overall educational experience at TAS. Together, through the insights and direction provided through the WASC self-study, we are excitedly charting a clear and inspiring path forward, ensuring that every student is fully equipped to achieve lifelong success. We step into this next phase with anticipation, ready to build on the excellence that is the hallmark of the Taipei American School experience.

Honoring the Wisdom of Teachers

by Celebrating Confucius’ Birthday at Taipei Confucius Temple

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

In the heart of Taipei lies the Taipei Confucius Temple - a sanctuary of wisdom and reverence. This historic temple came alive at 6 a.m. on September 28, 2023 in honor of Confucius, one of the greatest philosophers in history, in a grand celebration of his 2,574th birthday. The temple has followed this ritual for the past eight decades.

TAS Head of School Evelyne Estey attended the commemoration ceremony on a day also known in Taiwan as “Teachers’ Day,” celebrating all educators past and present. “I am honored to serve TAS, and I am filled with optimism for the future as I envision the impact our students and graduates will have on the world,” she said.

Known as Kong Fuzi (孔夫子) in Chinese, Confucius was born on September 28, 551 BCE. His teachings and philosophy have impacted Asian culture, ethics, and society for thousands of years. Confucianism has not only shaped the social fabric of Asia but has also influenced countries far beyond its borders. It is only fitting that his birthday is commemorated with great pomp and grandeur since his ideals have become intrinsically entwined with Taiwan’s national identity and East Asia’s civilization.

On the day of the celebration, the Taipei Confucius Temple is adorned with vibrant red lanterns and banners, symbolizing good fortune and happiness. Visitors gather in the temple’s precincts, including local residents, tourists, scholars, and dignitaries. Traditional music fills the air, creating a harmonious atmosphere, and the scent of incense wafts through the temple’s

hallowed halls.

The highlight of the celebration is a solemn ritual paying homage to Confucius. Dressed in elaborate traditional robes, scholars and officials lead the ritual by offering incense, food, and wine to the Confucius statue. This ceremony reflects the deep respect and reverence the people hold for the philosopher. It is a celebration of his birth and a tribute to the enduring wisdom and values he imparted.

The celebration includes the most well-preserved Confucian ceremony, with a national-level “Three Consecrations” ritual and the display of music and dance, giving a total of 37 elaborate steps, which help showcase the essence of the Confucian spirit. Each year, the ceremony at Taipei Confucius Temple attracts over one thousand visitors from Taiwan and abroad who seek to pay their respect to one of the most incredible educators in history.

In celebrating Confucius’ birthday at the Taipei Confucius Temple, the people of Taiwan pay homage to a philosopher whose wisdom continues to guide and inspire generations. It is a day of cultural enrichment, spiritual reflection, and a reminder of the enduring legacy of a man whose teachings remain a beacon of light in an ever-changing world. In addition to honoring Confucius, this celebration is also a day dedicated to paying tribute to all teachers. It serves as a reminder of the invaluable role educators play in shaping the minds and character of future generations.

Left: TAS Head of School Evelyne Estey

second from

was among the honored educators present for the celebration.

Below: Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an addressed the crowd following the ceremony.

(back row,

left)

Cross-Divisional Collaboration Sparks Innovation in STEAM Education

By Brooke Burns, Assistant Director of Communications, with Alfredo Papaseit, Lower School Technology and Design Coach

TAS is at the forefront of STEAM education, an innovative approach to teaching that focuses on integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math into a meaningful whole. The TAS Lower School STEAM program is designed to introduce young learners to these content areas and to help them develop the critical thinking, problemsolving, and collaboration skills they will need to succeed in this day and age. The Extreme STEAM event brings parents and guardians together, giving them a taste of the design thinking their children learn and practice at TAS.

Our STEAM program strongly emphasizes cross-divisional collaboration, so students from different grade levels work together on various projects and activities. This collaborative approach builds a strong sense of community, allowing students to develop relationships and camaraderie across age groups. Upper School students learn important mentorship and communication skills by supporting their fellow students in their STEAM learning.

When students from different grade levels work together, they can bring various perspectives and ideas to the table. This diversity leads to more creative solutions and projects and, of course, fun, as seen in the annual Extreme STEAM family event!

The event showcased innovative and creative STEAM activities, demonstrating the potential of cross-divisional collaborations in an authentic, service-oriented setting. Supported by the Technology & Design Coaches, students create an engaging event for their fellow learners and their

parents and guardians.

Grade 5 students, demonstrating their leadership and creativity, designed engaging activities for their younger counterparts in Grades KA to 4. Some examples included designing a resin keychain, creating a parachute, or experimenting with slime recipes. These hands-on activities not only fostered cross-grade relationships but also provided younger students with an opportunity to learn from their peers.

Meanwhile, Upper School students embraced the collaborative approach by organizing and running an exciting robotics competition. In this unique event, Grade 5 students and family members were challenged to design and build robots capable of competing in a wrestling ring. As inspiration, our Upper School volunteers brought along their own robot to give our Grade 5 students a taste of what is coming in their journey at TAS. The opportunity to have their robots go up against an Upper School robot was thrilling! This exciting initiative showcased our Upper School students’ expertise in robotics and created a dynamic and intergenerational venue for learning within the TAS community.

As a parent shared, “I especially loved how committed the high schoolers were during the grade five robotics challenge. The students were intent on helping the children succeed and have fun.”

Community, Critical Thinking, and Creativity in Grade 5

By Brooke Burns, Assistant Director of Communications, & the Grade 5 Team

In planning for the 2023-24 school year, the Grade 5 team saw a golden opportunity in the six planned late start days. The entire Late Start Day could be repurposed toward activities that focused on the TAS schoolwide learning outcomes and the goals of intentionally building community, providing hands-on learning opportunities that highlight a variety of strengths of our students, and, of course, having fun!

These goals represent the essential skills and mindsets at the heart of a Taipei American School education. Given their importance, the Grade 5 team felt that dedicating regular and intense collaboration time around building these capacities in our students was an excellent objective. The Grade 5 Collaborative Tiger Team Days (a name created by the Grade 5 students!) were born.

On Late Start Days, the entire Grade 5 community came together to complete a different learning challenge that brings a schoolwide learning outcome to life. By mixing classrooms and teachers and engaging in a hands-on learning opportunity, students get to know each other on a deeper level, develop their social-emotional skills, and have fun at the same time!

On September 20, the first Collaborative Tiger Team Day kicked off with a focus on “developing students as creative and critical thinkers, collaborative communications, and self-directed learners” from our schoolwide learning outcomes. The challenge of the day? Create a ball run!

This challenge was more than an immersive, play-based learning experience; it aligned with the New Generation in Science Standards (NGSS)

of Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions (Science and Engineering Practice) and two standards from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

With the guidance of the Grade 5 teachers and educational technology coordinators, students engaged in the design and engineering process when taking on this challenge, first by imagining and planning their ball run, then creating it, and finally, improving their creation!

Grade 5 teacher Stacey Ward ’76 shared some of her observations about this learning day focused on the schoolwide learning outcomes: “Not a minute passed without students giving their ’all,’” she shared. “Groups quickly determined the strengths of their members, and every student helped propel the project forward.”

As they planned their designs, some students took a high-rise approach, stacking several layers of their ball run on top of one another. Other groups built ball runs that curved around their table like a river. In every case, students enjoyed the challenge of bringing their vision to life with engineering and working together in new groups and with other members of the Grade 5 community.

Seeing students practice the schoolwide learning outcomes so successfully was inspiring, with Stacey noting that the students’ job “required strong critical thinking skills, and everyone was eager to do their part. Not once did I have to redirect a student or mediate a conflict; they were self-directed learners throughout the day. I honestly can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a more satisfying and productive school day.”

Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue Perform at Taipei American School

By Brooke Burns, Assistant Director of Communications

Throughout the fall semester, our Lower School students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 engaged in a deep investigation of the Māori peoples of New Zealand as they learned to honor and celebrate Indigenous people around the world. This unit explored the Māori history, culture, music, and relevance as part of the Austronesian migrationwhich has roots in Taiwan!

As part of this unit, students learned a haka in the Māori language, the Ti Rakau Māori stick game. They also created their own compositions based on the natural themes found in Māori music.

Earlier in the unit, Ms. Tina Wilson, Director of the New Zealand Trade Development Center, and her family came to help our students work on their haka and perfect their technique. On Friday, December 1, the students performed for their families and classmates in a greatly-anticipated series of shows.

On Wednesday, November 22, they had the opportunity of a lifetime: to perform their haka for Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, a worldrenowned group of kapa haka performers founded in 1958 from the Te Arawa rohe (the

Te Arawa region) and affiliated with the Ngāti Whakaue iwi (the Ngāti Whakaue tribe).

As the performers introduced themselves and took their starting formations, our students performed their haka with energy and enthusiasm. What followed was an unbelievable hour of cultural exchange, from breathtaking performances of Māori poi, a dance performed by women using a ball on a string, to the unforgettable kapa haka, the war dance performed by men. Many students were called onto the stage to dance together in a beautiful moment of real-life learning.

During November, when we celebrate Indigenous Heritage Month at TAS, this was just one of the ways that our students learned to honor, celebrate, and uplift Indigenous peoples from around the world. We are deeply grateful to the New Zealand Trade Development Center and Ms. Tina Wilson, Director, for making this moment of deep learning possible for our students, and to each and every member of Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue for sharing their time, talent, and energy with our community!

The TAS Middle School Food Drive Collects Over 1,700 Items

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

Our TAS Middle School students embarked on a three-week community service project to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Their mission was clear: to collect specific food items for the Andrew Charity Association to deliver protein-rich food items to children under 15. This vital cause would bring sustenance and hope to families facing food insecurity in the Lunar New Year.

The students, driven by a sense of purpose and a desire to give back to their community, eagerly gathered essential food items requested by the association. Lists were posted in homeroom classes, allowing students to sign up for specific items and take ownership of their contributions. From cereal and granola to canned meat and vacuum-packed ready meals, the students diligently worked to ensure that each item on the list was accounted for.

Recognizing that not all students could provide physical items, an inclusive approach was adopted where students who couldn’t bring items participated by writing heartfelt Lunar New Year cards. These cards were then placed in the food boxes, adding a personal touch to the collected items and spreading joy to the recipients.

The impact of the students’ efforts was genuinely remarkable. With a focus on providing nutritious meals for children aged 3-15, the collected items were carefully assembled into food boxes by the

Andrew Charity Association once they arrived at their warehouses and delivered to families facing food insecurity. In the second year of this initiative, students achieved an even greater level of success, with 1,711 items collected to benefit 360 families across Taiwan, including several offshore islands around Taiwan, a significant increase from the previous year’s 1,400 items that supported 181 families.

Since 2017, the Andrew Charity Association has been dedicated to collecting New Year food boxes for sponsored children and their families, ensuring that they start the year with nourishment and hope. The partnership with the Taipei American School Middle School students has undoubtedly strengthened the impact of this initiative, bringing communities together and making a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Middle School Admissions Officer and Grade 6

Skills for Success Instructor Sherry Boyle oversaw the food drive. She said, “Through their dedication, empathy, and collective effort, our students have learned the power of community service and its meaningful impact on those in need. Their commitment to serving others inspires us all, reminding us of the importance of kindness, a sense of responsibility, and coming together as part of the TAS mission to make the world a better place.”

Facing the Digital Dilemma: TAS Middle School Counselors Offer Parents Advice

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

From smartphones and smartwatches to tablets and ChatGPT, technology is now an integral part of our daily lives, and parents in the digital age face unique challenges. While the digital landscape offers many benefits, from educational apps to instant communication, technology presents plenty of challenges for parents as they navigate the choppy waters of screen time, social media use, and online safety. Our TAS Middle School Tech Coach (Alex Tam) and Counselors (Jacqui Brelsford, Becca Budde, and Jason Thornberg) hosted a parent and guardian coffee in December 2023 to provide guidelines to help our TAS families navigate those challenges and answer essential questions.

The meeting kicked off with an audience poll via QR code, with results displayed in real time. Parents were quizzed on their perceptions of issues like using smartphones with internet access, screen time, bedtime cutoffs, etc., for TAS students in Grades 6-8. The actual results gathered from our Middle School students were compared with their parents’ perceptions and with trends in the United States. While some parents and guardians in attendance may have underestimated how our students use technology, they were interested to see that technology used by their children came within the averages of children living in the United States.

In sharing how parents and guardians can support healthy technology use, our counselors recommended common sense guidelines for helping kids stay safe and how to help students be kind, create healthy boundaries around technology, and think critically about the digital landscape. They offered access to a Family Tech Planner document to help parents and guardians start vital conversations and manage family expectations around tech use. The counselors also described proven methods to help children self-regulate, like creating a calendar, setting timers, rewarding good behavior, and modeling the same skills as adults.

Above all, our counselors stressed preserving the sanctity of sleep – an issue of enormous importance for Middle School students’ growing minds and bodies. The key takeaways were:

• Make the child’s bedroom a “no connection” zone

• Set up a charging station in a public area of the home, outside the bedroom

• Minimize screen time before bed

• Model healthy sleep habits

Another critically recommended approach is to use digital media together as a family, from following duplicate social media accounts to playing games and watching online videos highlighting diversity.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, parents and guardians must adapt quickly, staying informed about the latest apps, games, and online trends to guide their children safely to adulthood. Navigating these challenges demands a delicate blend of supervision, communication, and education to empower parents and children to make informed choices in the ever-evolving world of technology. Above all, parents and guardians must model the behavior habits they wish to instill in their children. Our TAS Counselors and Tech Coaches are here to support families every step of the way!

school and

Relationships Over Ranks“Ranked: A Musical”

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

Returning to a fall musical after a hiatus due to COVID-19, Upper School Drama Teacher Austin Farwell and the excellent production team at TAS rallied nearly over 100 students to the stage, backstage, the technical booth, and the orchestra pit to put on an incredible show November 9-11, 2023 in the Guy Lott Jr. Auditorium. “Ranked” is a new show set in a dystopian world where class rank determines students’ future, and they’ll do anything to be top of the class. Written by high school music and drama teachers, Ranked was inspired by the students they taught, who also contributed to creating their characters.

The play gave TAS students a chance to play someone a lot like them with many of the same, albeit exaggerated, pressures to perform. “Ranked is a new musical written for high school students, so it is relevant, current, and timely. It deals with the stresses and pressures of higher education, the need for balance, and what it means to succeed,” said Farwell. “This show makes people think, feel, celebrate, and possibly even change their thinking!” he added.

As Emily W. ’25, who perfected her role of Sydney, told us, “Being part of Ranked was an experience I wouldn’t have given up for anything. From turning into a completely new character to embracing a part of me that I’ve never seen before and making relationships both onstage and off stage, every second was worth the 3-month wait. I loved being on stage and capturing the essence of the audience while giving them the energy straight back.”

Ranked follows friends and families in a dystopian world, where school ranking is the most essential thing in their lives. One’s university, job prospects, and status in life are all determined by high school grades, and this has students at Ranked Academy

tearing themselves and one another apart to perform. From high anxiety to betrayal, students in Ranked Academy suffer under the pressure of performing until one day... The ranking system is paused after a scandal is uncovered: parents were paying for higher ranks!

The message wasn’t lost on the cast. Jolie C. ’24, who wowed as overachiever Alexis, remarked, “Ranked was such an important show for TAS to do, I think; some topics, like academic stress and toxic competition, really hit home for everyone. Ranked, and more importantly, Alexis, taught me to take a step back from toxic perfectionism, to put my mental health first, and to just... take a minute and breathe. We created something really special that I’ll hold dear to my heart forever.”

Moya B. ’25, who expertly took on the lead role of Lily, agreed, “I can confidently say that the message behind Ranked hit home in most of the actors who were overwhelmed with the pressures of school and everyday life. Yet we created a family and a support system for each other which truly showed in our performances by how comfortable we were together and through the energy we shared on stage.”

It was an intensive process, but our students’ bonds and experiences with one another and the audience will be something they will never forget. And being a new musical, so much of the experience was new for everyone. Logan C. ’26, who shredded the guitar as part of the pit orchestra, told us, “One of the biggest reasons why I chose to do the musical is because it forced me to learn how to be a part of an experience that I’ve never done before. The end result was so satisfying, though, and I was really proud of myself for taking the leap into the unknown.”

Tiger Classic Invitational Track & Field Event a Record-Breaking Success

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer, and Ron Reduta, Associate Athletics Director

The weekend of March 15-16, 2023 at Taipei American School was full of excited student athletes, their parents, and friends. The air resounded with event announcements, starter pistols, and spectator cheers as the 2024 Tiger Classic got underway. From pre-race jitters to post-race celebrations, the energy on the field was palpable!

This annual, invitation-only event featured competitors from 13 schools, with a combined 342 athletes competing in 38 events, making it the largest Track & Field event held on the TAS campus. Athletes ran in a wide variety of races, and competed in shot put, high jump, triple jump, long jump, discus, javelin, hurdles, and more.

Throughout the 2-day event, the atmosphere was electric with intense competition as the Upper School athletes encouraged each other to reach new heights. Many of our visiting athletes set Tiger Classic records, with several TAS students setting a

new school record.

The athletes weren’t the only ones working hard to make the Tiger Classic a success, as over 50 TAS Athletics faculty, staff and volunteers devoted themselves to running a memorable and stellar event and, in the process, probably set a few records of their own.

One volunteer, Julian Thornbury, our Middle School Health and Physical Education Teacher and Track & Field Hurdles Coach, served as the voice of the Tiger Classic, announcing events, providing running commentary and play-by-play analysis and during the final awards ceremony on Saturday evening.

During the awards ceremony. Mr. Thornbury encapsulated the primary benefit of such a vast event, “How many of you had a personal best at this event?” he asked. “The reason you performed better than ever before is because of your competition. Please join me in a round of applause for all the competitors who helped you to reach that height.”

Top left: Iris L sets a new record in the Girls Triple Jump.

Top right: Group selfie of 342 Tiger Classic competitors.

Bottom left: Victor L. in his recordbreaking high jump attempt

Bottom right: Charlie L. sets a new record in the Boys 3000M.

Service Learning in Action with RAID ZERO Robotics in Upper School

By Brooke Burns, Assistant Director of Communications

An incredible service-learning experience has returned to TAS after a COVID-19 hiatus! The TAS Upper School Robotics team, RAID ZERO, is working with the Taipei City Government Department of Education (TCG DoE) to organize the 2024 RAID ZERO experience, a large-scale robotics training for students from across Taiwan, with an eventual goal of establishing 20 additional robotics teams across Taiwan and bringing back the Taiwan Regional Robotics Competition, part of the FIRST Robotics Competition league. This is a follow-up to a 2-day training session that RAID ZERO initially put together in 2018 for 22 schools across Taiwan, funded by the Central Taiwan Science Park, and conducted at their AI facility in Taichung.

As part of their initial work, our students investigated the need for relevant training on robot design, fabrication, and programming, as well as electrical engineering, for students across

Taiwan. How could the teams, established in 2018, continue to develop, and what kind of time, resources, and training were needed to expand youth robotics in Taiwan?

To prepare for this project, our students work across several classes during their Upper School experience. From their first class in the Tech Cube, students learn technical skills, such as design and fabrication, programming, and electronics, that they internalize and transfer through the training modules. A large part of the focus of these classes is soft skills – learning to work in groups, negotiate and solve problems collaboratively, respectful and inclusive communication, and how to add value to a team while relying on team members. Students learn to set 3-week goals to help forecast the project’s progress. The goals are reviewed every three weeks to compare the projects’ progress with actual progress, which helps the students refine and improve their goal-

setting skills. These skills prepare our students to take on this service experience successfully!

In planning for the 2024 RAID ZERO experience, students had to review the successful 2018 program and design an updated training for the TCG DoE. This included crucial research on affordable materials to help new schools create sustainable programs, and organizing requests to the TCG DoE for the space, funds, and logistic support to host a large-scale robotics training for students from across Taiwan.

The preparation phase required hours of research, planning, and inquiry from our students. Supported by faculty, they first polled the different schools with robotics programs around Taiwan to understand what they most wanted to learn during this event. With their peer school’s goals in mind, they assessed the existing resources at these schools; from there, our students used this data to design applicable training plans. Thanks to their clearly articulated plans, research, and connection to the real needs of both students across Taiwan and the island itself, our students received funding approval from the TCG DoE.

On December 7, 2023, they welcomed over 120 students from across the island to an initial training session at TAS. After a campus tour, the students broke out into small groups and worked across three floors of the Tech Cube on essential components of robotics.

One session included learning to use Onshape, a newer, web-based CAD design software that is free for students and accessible to a wide range of schools. Another session focused on electrical wiring for the FRC bots, autonomous path planning for the programmers, and basic fabrication techniques to build a sturdy frame.

In addition to the (sometimes literal) nuts and bolts, students learned how to lead outreach efforts and develop basic strategies in competition. Tech Cube Director Matt Fagen talked about the importance of good sportsmanship, the spirit of collaboration in FRC (even with your opponents), and the importance of valuing and listening to your teammates’ perspectives.

The next phase of the students’ plan is a workshop with even more students in the Y17 building in the early fall of 2024. Our students will design a large-scale (70kg) robot mainly using parts readily available in Taiwan and share this design with their fellow students at other schools. This design will make growing robotics programs sustainable for local teams and help them keep their programs running steadily after these events are finished. The Taipei City Government Department of Education will support this project through the purchase of all materials and by hosting the event at the Y17 facility.

During this two-day training event, our students will demonstrate their learning by delivering sessions on the key components of a robotics program. These sessions will be informed by their work and reflection on the sessions that took place in December 2023.

TAS is excited and grateful that the Taipei City Government has agreed to partner with our students, and that they trust our Tigers to plan and deliver this content based on the success of the 2018 initiative. Our students hope to evaluate the success of this initiative by creating more local robotics teams and, ultimately, by having a local regional robotics competition. More teams means more opportunities, making this type of hands-on STEM programming more accessible to a more significant number of students across Taiwan. Our students will provide data and information to help support future work, and ultimately hope to encourage the Ministry of Education to fund the Taiwan regional robotics competitions in the future to serve students all over the island.

TAS Voices: Pride in Our Identities

By E-chieh Lin, Director of Inclusion and Wellbeing

In October 2023, TAS joined the island of Taiwan in celebrating Pride. The concept of Pride in LGBTQ+ communities is hard-won, and many people around the world have fought for rights, acceptance, and the freedom to be themselves. Pride in one’s identity is not limited to the LGBTQ+ community. All of us can likely reflect on a time when we were lifted up and supported in our identities, whether they are cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, national, ability, and other identities, and times when others have tried to make us feel like our identities should not exist or to be ashamed of who we are.

People in our community have shared with me moments when they felt like they were made to feel shame for one or more of their identities. As some of you may have read in my messages to families last school year, I have felt shame for my own identities because of the words and actions of other people. In my work with students, families, and employees, my goal is for all of us to expand our mindset on identity, to understand the power of the words we use when talking about identity, and to see how we have the choice to uplift others in their identities, rather than causing them to feel shame.

Shame has a toxic effect on a child’s development. Pride Month allows us to reflect on how to support ourselves and others in our unique identities, find ways to feel pride for who we are, and celebrate those around us. Our community is stronger for being diverse. Not only are we empowered by our differences in identity, but these differences also help make us more creative and more impactful as a group.

While all of us can share moments of pride in our identities, and moments when we felt shame, I have asked members of our employee Queer Affinity Group to share their reflections with us, in honor of Pride month.

As you read, consider the following questions:

How does this story align with my own experiences of Pride in any aspect of my identity, or experiences of shame?

If a friend or family member came to me with this same story, how might I react?

• What emotions did I notice first while reading this story?

Reflections from Faculty

“I have not always been proud of my queer identity. In fact, for many years, I was ashamed of it. I grew up in a very conservative household and my family attended a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. As a teen, my parents sent me to conversion therapy, and I encountered significant mental health challenges because of that experience. During those dark years, I did not find pride in my queer identity, but I did find support from members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Even when I was not ready to come out publicly and embrace my true and authentic self, it was the community that lifted me up and protected me from my worst demons.

When I eventually developed enough courage to share my truth – and come out – my journey towards pride was still a work in progress. And that’s the thing about “coming out” – as a member of the queer community, we don’t come out just once, it is a constant process. Every time I introduce someone to my husband, I am once again coming out. Every time I enter a new social or professional space, I must decide when and how to share my queer identity. It’s not easy, but it is part of the queer experience – and each member of the community experiences it differently. But as I have grown over the years and become more comfortable in my queerness, I

have continued to find love and support from the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. That love has helped grow my pride from a repressed secret that I only wrote on my private LiveJournal to a daily celebration of my queerness through the “Proud” pin I wear on my ID lanyard. My journey has not always been one of joy and happiness, but after the storms, there was always a rainbow – a symbol for both my pride in my identity and the resiliency of the queer community.”

choices we each make to design our lives, from our personal style to our identities. Pride is also rooted in the families and communities that we build for ourselves. I can remember coming out to family and friends when I was in college, and that was the first time I felt like a part of the LGBT community.

“For me, pride is the dignity a person finds in their creative self-determination and the pleasure and joy in sharing in the self-expression of their authenticity with others. Pride is rooted deeply in self-creation, which is constituted by the

When I decided to look for a teaching position overseas over a decade ago, I was initially nervous. I had a good LGBT community in New England and at the boarding school where I worked, but I was not sure how I would be accepted overseas, living as a gay man who is out to both students and colleagues. I could definitely not return to the closet, for my own mental health. I remember vividly coming out in the interview process for TAS, noting on my resume that I had served as the advisor of the Gay Straight Alliance at my former school and using that as a way to bring it up. I knew from the way everyone reacted that I would find a safe and welcoming community here in Taiwan, and at this school. I have served as the advisor of the LGBT alliance in the Upper School for over a decade now, and I am proud to be a permanent resident of Taiwan.”

Kevin B. Held EdD, MFA, Robert Edmund Jones Chair in Technical Theater

Chase Williams (left), MA (World War II Studies), Upper School Social Science Teacher and Director of Speech & Debate

Gala Ball

18th Annual TAS Gala Ball

Friday, April 26, 2024

Background photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Actor Justin Chien ’14 Shares Stories about TAS, Working in Hollywood, and Prioritizing Happiness

By Connie Ma, Alumni and Community Outreach Officer

In the Netflix series “The Brothers Sun,” Justin Chien ’14 plays Charles Sun, the Taipei gangster son of Mama Sun (Michelle Yeoh). How did a TAS alum go from the Black Box Theater to acting in a global release alongside Oscar winners? In this interview, Justin shares how his six years at TAS paved his way to becoming a working actor. On Monday, April 8, Justin visited the Honors Acting 1 class at TAS and did a flex talk for the TAS community entitled “From Taipei to Hollywood: A Talk with Justin Chien ’14, Star of ’The Brothers Sun’”.

What was your experience at TAS as a student like? How long did you spend at TAS?

I attended TAS from Grade 7 to 12. My two younger brothers and younger sister also attended TAS. We had amazing teachers who really cared. At TAS, I had the opportunity to do so many different things, like cross country, rugby, dance, music, and traveling overseas. I was also president

of Reach Out. I had a really good time here, and I developed a lot of friendships. TAS is probably one of the best schools in the world for exposure to different things.

I had a lot of classmates who were focused on their grades and resumes. But I cared about being happy, and I think that helped me thrive in my academics and sports. From a young age, I was told I was more mature than other people. There were moments when I felt alone, and I had to learn how to be happy in those moments. I think a lot of times, people do things that they don’t really want to do, because they don’t want to be alone or lonely. But I think all of us will be alone at some point, and the sooner you’re able to be comfortable with that, the sooner you’ll be able to have more genuine relationships and genuine friendships and be much more efficient with whatever it is you want to do in life.

How did this perspective shape your path while at TAS and afterwards?

It was important for me to define what my relationship was with academics, sports, and my own identity. The experience set me up for college really well. I knew my purpose was to become a working actor. I didn’t have my first drink until I was 22 or 23 because I knew that it wasn’t going be helpful to my goals. But also, if studying for eight hours for a test was going to make me miserable, then I wanted to study efficiently and get a good grade, while still having time to play video games and soccer because those things made me happy. I needed good grades to get into a good college, but I knew that being happy overall and doing things that I enjoyed was really important to me. So, I found a way to do both, which was to work with a great degree of focus and be efficient. That’s still something that I do today.

How did you aspire to become a working actor while you were a student here?

I remember the exact moment. I had this lightning bolt moment when I did ‘Macbeth’. When the lights came down, I felt this surge of electricity through my body, and I was like, whoa,

that’s cool! I’ve never felt that before. I made the decision at the end of my sophomore year. I was like, you know, I want to give this acting thing a shot. It was in those moments I got to think about what I really wanted and how I wanted my life to turn out.

Can you share some of your favorite experiences, memories, and teachers from TAS?

I loved Grade 7 Camp Taiwan. We took the bus to Tainan, and there was a water park. It was my first time staying off campus with friends, and it just felt great. I also loved intramural sports. We traveled down to Morrison to play soccer one time,

and it rained so hard we played all of our soccer matches indoors. In Grade 9, I made IASAS crosscountry, and we went to ISB and got silver. In Grade 10, I made IASAS for three sports. In Grade 11, I switched to theater, and played Banquo in ‘Macbeth’, and then ‘The Laramie Project’ in Grade 12. We even did a senior prank where we reenacted ‘Les Mis’ by barricading ourselves at the front of the school. Some of my favorite teachers include Mr. Peter Stanley, who was pretty tough, but I respected him, Mr. Anthony Ives, who taught me AP Psych, Mr. Steve Anderson, Mr. Cory Edwards, Ms. Kaity Kao, and Ms. Megan Yonkey.

Justin Chien ’14, Co-President of Reach Out (front row, third from right) (US 2014 Yearbook)

Justin Chien ’14 on the Varsity CrossCountry Team Junior Year (US 2013 Yearbook)

Justin in the first episode of Netflix’s “The Brothers Sun”

Tell us about your college experience at the University of Southern California.

I also loved my time at USC in the BFA program, which was a conservatory style program. I learned so many things in those classes that are now just built in and a part of me. The biggest thing it drove home was the importance of discipline. I understood how much of an edge it gives you in acting.

In my freshman year, I tried everything. In my sophomore year, I said, I can’t do everything; my college experience will be defined by the things I say no to. I organized my life and time so I would be in the best position to work before or as soon as I graduated. For example, I signed with my manager my junior year of college, and I am still with them. I majored in theater, and I finished my general education requirements early, so that my junior year and senior year, I could do a film minor, with classes in screenwriting and cinematography. I also got certified to be a personal trainer with the school gym, so I could work while I was auditioning.

So you hit the ground running as an actor after graduating from USC. What was your path from starting out to booking “The Brothers Sun”? The first two jobs I booked out of college were plays. They’re amazing because they force you to learn so many things about how to be present and how to address new things. It taught me how to be even more disciplined, and how much you have to sacrifice. I performed while I was sick, I’ve worn a diaper on stage, I’ve improvised and made-up lines. It’s one of the best ways to train an actor because there’s no safety net. There’s an

old adage that TV is the writer’s medium, film is the director’s medium, and the stage is the actor’s medium. You can really do anything you want once the lights come on. When I was working on those plays, I learned how to be flexible, consistent, and adaptable. I treated every job no matter how big or small, every audition, like it was practice for my Tony, Oscar, or Emmy.

After COVID happened, I came back to Taiwan. 2021 was a difficult year for me, because I got close to a lot of opportunities. So, I knew I had what it took, but for some reason, it wasn’t clicking. My partner at the time was really doing super well. I felt jealousy and insecurity, and I felt shame about how I was experiencing those emotions. I had been out of school for a number of years, and I hadn’t had the breakthrough role yet. I had to ask myself, I’m not having a good time anymore, do I enjoy auditioning? Can I deal with these negative emotions? What’s my purpose for doing all of this? I had to answer all those questions honestly.

At the end of 2021, I was one of three people up for a Disney show package, and I didn’t get it. It was hard, but I said to myself, I’m at a turning point. I can be angry at God, I can be angry at the world, or I can believe that there’s something else there for me. I worked a lot on my gratitude and mindfulness, which really helped. A month later, I got the audition for “The Brothers Sun”.

And the rest is history! In January 2024, Netflix released “The Brothers Sun,” in which you are acting alongside Oscar winner and legend Michelle Yeoh. Tell us about this experience. I loved it with all my heart. It was one of my top

Justin (center) as Charles Sun in Netflix's "The Brothers Sun"

ten life experiences. When I booked “The Brothers Sun,” I started crying, because it felt like I was finally having my breakthrough. It wasn’t all for nothing, all the side jobs, all the callbacks, and all the auditions. I finally had something to show for it. Michelle is a friend now. We text, and we hang out a few times a year. I loved doing my own stunts. I’ve always been interested in martial arts, so getting to do it on stage was great. I felt like I got to do it all as Charles Sun: fight, have a romantic arc, and comedy too. Unfortunately, it wasn’t renewed. It is interesting for me to talk about it now, because it feels like now that chapter has officially been closed. I’m really proud and grateful for the whole experience.

I listened to the hAAPI hour podcast episode you did with Melissa Cho ’17, where you said that you felt like this role of Charles Sun was written for you. How did you develop that character?

When I was developing this character, I felt really compelled to bring as much of myself as possible. There’s usually some overlap for every character that I play, but with Charles, there was a lot of overlap. We both care deeply about our families, we’re disciplined and goal-oriented people, and we both enjoy martial arts and eating. So it really felt like this role was written for me.

I guess I really wanted it to be that way, because I felt like it gave me a lot of freedom. That way, there’s nothing to blame for how my performance

is received. If people didn’t like that character, then they didn’t like me. I hope people like who I am and my performance, but at the end of the day, I prioritize what I think about myself way more than what other people think about me. That’s something I also learned in high school. It sounds like this was the role and the show of a lifetime for you. What were the challenges and downsides of being in this show?

My health definitely took a toll. I was running on fumes by the end. I took a few injuries here and there. But that’s just a necessary part of the sacrifice. One of the hardest things for me was letting go of the idea of being good and letting whatever was there come out. That’s really hard. I want it to be good. But after shooting it, I didn’t find out how it turned out for nearly two years.

Reflecting back on your experience at TAS, what would you like to tell your high school self? What advice would you give to current students at TAS?

I would tell my high school self that you’re on the right track. I would reaffirm what I did, because I wasn’t sure at times. It’s okay to be alone. Real friendships are balanced friendships, not the ones where you’re doing all the work.

Generally, I would tell students that you should spend time thinking about what you want to do in life, and then go after it. Don’t leave any regrets, and don’t give any excuses. Be honest about what those things are and what they’re not. Chasing dreams and passions is important, but you have to be realistic and have a plan. Check in with yourself, and really think about your happiness.

Another thing I do a lot more now is taking care of my mental, physical, and spiritual health. I’m obsessive now about sleep. On average, I get 6090 minutes more sleep than I did at TAS. I even use a sleep tracker.

What upcoming news can you share about other projects that you’re involved in? Do you hope to do more than acting in the future?

I’m doing a lot of auditions and some writing projects. Whatever I do next, I hope it’s quality material that people will enjoy. When you’re starting out in entertainment, you have to be a specialist who is very good at one thing. In this industry, being a jack of all trades, master of none, is not helpful. I don’t have any desire to write full time or direct a project, but eventually, I know I will. I want to create more opportunities for people who look like me and don’t look like me.

The leads of Netflix’s “The Brothers Sun”: Justin (left) with Michelle Yeoh (center) and Sam Song Li (right)

Class of 2023 Class Agents Report on Freshman Year

By Guan Chen ’23 and Andre Hsieh ’23, Class Agents for Class of 2023

This article is written by the Class Agents for the Class of 2023. Guan Chen ’23 is a first-year student at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. Andre Hsieh ’23 is a first-year student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

The Class of 2023 is a fortunate batch that was able to start college without the effects of COVID-19. With the mask restrictions completely off and all extracurricular activities functioning in full gear around campuses, it was hard to imagine that not being able to see each other’s faces was only a few years ago.

Still, adjusting to college life wasn’t easy. For Guan, he had to adjust to the notoriously cold winters in Chicago, the so-called “Windy City”. Temperatures would drop to -20 degrees Celsius, and oftentimes, he had to trudge through the snow to make it to his classes. He started out the year exploring the different Registered Student Organizations (RSO) and a little bit of downtown Chicago. He was able to catch his first NBA game between the Nets and Bulls (both very mid teams, but the game was tight until the very end!) and first NHL game! If you’ve been following his Instagram stories, you’d find a clip of hockey players squaring off and beating each other up on the ice as the referees glide gracefully on the side. It’s truly an experience.

In the classrooms, the core requirement forces

Left: Andre at football game

encourages Guan to take a wide variety of disciplines, from “SOSC 14300 | Mind: How our Brain Constructs Reality” to E&M. As someone who finds math interesting, he has also been taking proof-based courses as a gateway to the math major, with the recent class “MATH 20250 | Abstract Linear Algebra” being the toughest of all. Guan learned that UChicago, with its theoretical emphasis, is really a school that shapes you as a thinker and actively encourages different perspectives on an issue. While TAS was more practical in terms of its coursework, the liberal thinking and high expectations were helpful in preparing Guan for the humanities classes (shoutout to Dr. Lipsett!). He also attributes his academic and social approach to the late Mr. Matlock, who always encouraged Guan to step out of his comfort zone and never stop learning.

But while he enjoys the rigor from classes, Guan makes sure to take breaks by spending time with friends in their apartments, singing karaoke downtown, and feasting on Asian cuisine in Chinatown. Dining hall food is pretty average, but he always craves Asian food every once in a while. Guan also found a home in the badminton team, where he plays with mostly fourth-years and graduate students downtown and participates in various Midwest tournaments. He was able to make it to the semifinals in group B in the most recent UIUC open, and he is looking to further that record in the upcoming Illinois Open! In the

Guan with fellow members of UChicago Taiwanese American Student Association (TASA)

Right:

next few months, Guan is hoping to continue extending his interests and get the most out of his first year before returning to Taiwan in early June. He very much misses the good food, convenient transportation, and the lower cost of living back home. That said, downtown Chicago has some really nice restaurants, with the exception of deep-dish pizza, which he found a little overrated (sorry!). If anyone is coming to the Midwest area, he’d be happy to take you around or give you some recommendations!

As for Andre, he has enjoyed spending the school year soaking up the sun in Los Angeles! Though transitioning from the small-town vibes of TAS to the craze of a school as massive as USC was initially quite challenging, he learned to be open to everything happening on campus and was quickly absorbed into the Trojan lifestyle. He went from not even knowing the rules of American football to showing up to EVERY SINGLE (!!) home football game at the Coliseum, supporting Caleb Williams and the boys in an exciting (though disappointing) season. His highlight of the season came when he nearly experienced three heart attacks during the Arizona game, one for each missed kick or dropped catch that extended the game into three overtimes.

Another aspect of the LA experience that Andre got to see first-hand was the celebrity culture, as big names like Travis Scott, Olivia Rodrigo, Lebron James, Scottie Pippen, Sydney Sweeney, Laufey, and more, all made appearances at USC. One important thing that Andre had to learn was how to manage his time, balancing academics

Bottom left: Andre with Rex Liu ’23

Bottom right: Andre at basketball game

Right: Guan with UChicago Badminton Team

with personal hobbies with a healthy social life. Regarding this, a tip that he would give to everyone, whether in his class or just entering college, is to not disregard the importance of spending time with friends. As Guan has already mentioned, hanging out with friends is a great way to blow off some steam and enjoy your youth, the latter of which is imperative as time really does move faster than you would think. Additionally, college is probably the best place to meet people that you would never otherwise meet, so it is important to dedicate enough time to getting to know those who will likely stick with you for the rest of your life.

To conclude, Andre is incredibly happy that he chose the West Coast and USC, and he would like to say that if there is anyone currently deciding between the East and the West Coast, choose the West Coast. West Coast best coast, you won’t regret it! FIGHT ON!

Celebrating Two Decades of Taking TAS to the Top of the World

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

Phil Yu '89 reached the North Pole as a U.S. Navy Submarine Navigations Officer twenty years ago. Even after weeks of confinement to his vessel beneath the polar ice, he kept TAS in his heart. He placed a Tiger Pennant on the Pole in honor of his TAS mentors, who inspired him to pursue a Navy career. In 2003, Phil presented TAS with a plaque containing that pennant and a vial of water from melted North Pole snow. We reached out to him recently, and here is the story in his own words.

"Seeing the TAS pennant that accompanied me to the North Pole in 2003 brings back such fond memories of my time in the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer.

The purpose of the North Pole trip was scientific and contributed to our collective understanding of submarine operations and the environment in the Arctic. Taking advantage of the USS Honolulu's ability to stay submerged for weeks under the polar ice cap on nuclear propulsion, our civilian scientists conducted in-depth studies of

this inhospitable but vitally important and unique body of water.

I was the Navigation/Operations Officer, and I was responsible for getting us to the North Pole and back safely. To accomplish this, my team and I had to learn a specialized technique of submerged navigation designed for high polar latitudes. Stuck under the ice for weeks and weeks, we did not have connectivity to GPS satellites. We had to rely on purely inertial means of navigating a 6900-ton submarine while avoiding deep ice keels - downward projecting ridges on the underside of the ice canopy.

My parents and my teachers at TAS inspired me to pursue a life of service and my dream career as a naval officer, and my TAS buddies have remained lifelong friends. In particular, I am grateful to former TAS Assistant Principal Keith MacPherson's mentorship and guidance, which helped me reach my goals through a Naval ROTC scholarship at Stanford University.

Twenty years have passed since I brought that pennant back from the North Pole and presented it to TAS. I stayed in the U.S. Navy all these years and retired in 2022 as Rear Admiral. My incredible wife Jenn and our three boys share our love of Taiwan, and we maintain a strong connection to our friends and family in Taipei."

We salute Phil Yu's service to his country, loyalty to TAS, and achieving the rank of Rear Admiral. We hope this serves as a reminder to the TAS administration, faculty, and students that there is no limit to where inspiration and belief in the TAS Values and Mission can take you.

Left: The inscription reads, “This pennant was proudly flown at the North Pole in OCT 2003. LCDR Phil Yu, USN. TAS Class of 89.”

Right: This plaque, hanging in the TAS Main Lobby commemorates Phil Yu’s achievement.

TAS Alumnus Phil Yu retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Rear Admiral.

Jessica Huang ’11, Teaching Artist and Lifelong Learner

By Connie Ma, Alumni and Community Outreach Officer

Jessica Huang ’11 gained a passion for theater and design at TAS. After graduating, she became a freelance costume designer and eventually transitioned back to working at TAS in theater and art. She is also the designer of this year’s TAS Alumni t-shirt, a redesign of a popular shirt she made for Orphanage Club in 2008. In this interview, we revisit Jessica’s favorite memories about TAS, her evolution as a designer and teaching artist, and what it means to her to be a part of TAS’s next chapter.

When did you come to TAS? Do you have any siblings who also attended TAS?

I moved from Rancho Palo Verdes, CA, USA to Taipei, and I started TAS in Grade 2 in the second semester. I remember most of my elementary school teachers: Ms. Jao, Mr. Andersen (who is still here!), Ms. Paradis (also still here!), and Mr. Tucker. I was in Blue House in Middle School. My brother Wesley Huang ’10 entered in Grade 3, and he currently lives in Texas.

What are your best memories from your time as a student here? How does it feel to be involved in that as a faculty member now?

I was a part of StuGov when I was a student in

Upper School and we hosted Field Day and Spirit Week. I remember at one of these events, there was a teacher’s dance. Mr. Keenan was dancing on a table, and it broke. The crowd went wild! Our Dean of Students at that time, Ms. Megan Yonkey, taught me so much about organization. She also created space for us to take agency and own our leadership style.

I was very involved in theater and productions. I went to ISKL IASAS as the tech delegate my senior year, so I worked the lights and sound for drama and dance. I remember messing up a cue during the show, and I was very hard on myself. When I see students being hard on themselves nowadays for missing a cue, I can understand where they’re coming from.

In March 2023, I traveled to Kuala Lumpur as Assistant Director for IASAS Drama. Our show “Our ResponsAbility” was about the war in Ukraine. It had been twelve years since I had gone as a student delegate. It felt like a full-circle moment, and I was in awe of how strong the IASAS program is from a faculty perspective and felt a lot of joy for the students as they supported each other through performances.

Jessica (center) with her Fashion & Costume Design class in May 2023

It sounds like you have such vivid memories of participating in theater productions as a student. How did that have an impact on your career, college and afterwards?

I was accepted to Brandeis University as a midyear (Spring Admit), so I decided to study abroad in London for the first semester. The arts culture in London had a great influence on me – I had a blast going to free museums and the West End. My parents did not limit me in choosing an artistic career, but they (and society) did warn me about the financial difficulties that I could face. Thus, I had my heart set on studying biology at Brandeis, but I took a scenic design course and that led me to doing more theater things! I majored in theater and minored in legal studies. When I graduated, I started freelance costume designing in Boston while working at an oyster bar in the South End called Row34. I was doing the “starving artist life”. At first, I had nothing lined up, which led me to believe my portfolio was terrible, but one company in Chelsea called Apollinaire Theater hired me, and I ended up having a full year of gigs – one gig just led to another! Eventually, people were reaching out to me. It was a great year of exponential growth and discovering the Boston theater scene.

Can you tell me about one of the gigs that you did? What kind of costuming did you do?

One technically challenging show I remember was called “Miss Penitentary,” written by Laura Neubauer and performed at the Boston Playwright’s Theatre. The show is about a beauty pageant inside an all-women prison. There was a dream sequence where a contestant’s dress had to rip in multiple ways. This was a low budget show, so it was expected that the dress could be pulled apart and put back together again. Thankfully, the producer was an experienced stitcher, so she walked me through the magic of closures (Velcro and snaps!). I learned a lot about sewing through trial and error – things I had not learned while working as a stitcher in the Brandeis Costume Shop. Most of the shows I worked on were very low budget. I did a lot of thrifting, fitting, and returning.

That sounds like an amazing experience. How did you end up back at TAS?

In 2016, I came back to visit TAS and saw the upgrades made in the auditorium and saw a job opening at TAS for the assistant theater technician, which was a part-time staff position. I liked the idea of working with new equipment and the chance to check out the theater scene in Taipei. I also felt like I could learn a lot from the Technical Theater Manager Kevin B. Held and Theater Technician Chris Bryant who were both hired after I had graduated. I am fortunate enough to be their colleagues and continue to learn from them. So I started as the assistant theater technician moved up to assistant theater manager. In those positions, I costumed Grade 5 through 12 drama productions, and I assisted with any technical needs in each of our theater spaces. Then I started teaching fashion and costume design, and that’s what allowed me to be in a classroom setting. I realized that teaching was something that I really enjoyed and wanted to get better at. It also helped me find my artist voice and develop it in a more fulfilling way. Since last year (2022-23), my focus shifted towards teaching Theater Arts, a performance focused theater course and Visual Arts, including Fashion and Costume Design, Art and Literature, and Painting.

Tell us a little more about how working back at TAS has helped you explore and develop your artist voice.

High school theater is often stereotyped as a space for drama queens, fun games, and avantgarde goofiness. I believe these stereotypes are there to protect what people fear exploring most: truth and vulnerability. Students have excellent truth detectors, and I’m continuously fascinated by their behavior when they are faced with a power dynamic – one which I must acknowledge, hold, and/or breakdown responsibly in the classroom space.

Left: Upper School Drama Production Animal Farm (2010)

Center: Jess (center) as a student with US Dance faculty Cheryl Lagerquist ’98 (left) and Deb Flemming (right) in 2011

Right: Jessica Lin ’11 (left) and Jessica Huang ’11 (right) graduating from Brandeis University in 2015

In my lifetime of experiencing theater and collaboration, I’ve come to learn that theater is the study of truth. Whether it’s about ourselves or our community, the art form invites self-reflection and openness to self-discovery. This invitation can be daunting and challenging as the truth may not be easy to face. When we are willing to explore truth together, we will inevitably learn and grow. I am excited for the future of theater at TAS as the art form ties deeply with the work of SEL (Social Emotional Learning), DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice), and belonging.

Another reason I love working at the high school level is because during performances there are more unpredictable moments (also known as memorable mistakes) and greater lessons learned. The best part is observing students solve problems when something off-script happens. In 2020, Upper School Drama performed “The Miracle Worker” which is a play about Hellen Keller’s story. We had rationed portions of real food prepped each night for actors to eat on stage. One night, one of the stage crew students threw away the polenta too early. I witnessed her panic when she realized she made the move too soon. In those moments, I step back, remain calm and encourage them to problem solve under pressure (like Ms. Yonkey would have me do). The student ended up shredding toast into bits as a solution – not quite polenta but it worked!

Tell us about your involvement in the Orphanage Club (OC) during your time at TAS.

I went to a general meeting in Grade 8, and I thought, this club seems very active. What attracted me was that middle school and high school students were together. There was this big brother big sister structure and bonding with liaison groups. At one point I became a committee chair and tutored for Friday blind school. I felt there was a lot of purpose to connecting with the local community. There were lots of opportunities to design things too, like the raffle tickets, posters, and T-shirts.

How did this original TAS blocks shirt come into being? Did OC regularly make shirts?

Yes, I think students regularly designed shirts. For example, we had a very popular 800 shirt with the address of the school and the member’s names on the back designed by Sogen Lee ’09. OC members used to wear them for events and Rummage Sales. As for the shirt with 9 blocks, Flora Wang ’10 verbally envisioned the shirt and I drafted the shirt using Microsoft Paint! I put it together in one night. I don’t know if it was popular or not at the time, but when I came back to work at TAS, I saw people wear that shirt. Naden Rowe was wearing it, Value Huang was too, and I saw Stacey Ward ’76 wearing it. And that’s when I realized that it had some staying power.

Tell us a little about your experience redesigning this shirt for the TAS Alumni audience.

We first talked about redesigning this shirt as a TAS Alumni shirt in spring 2023. From a costume designer’s perspective, it was exciting to remake a design! This time, I used proCreate on the iPad. The design process for me started with my reflection on what the TAS identity means to me now. I designed two versions – one had calligraphy style letters that break out of the boxes. The other one, which was selected, is a call back to the old design. It was also a fun challenge to use the new brand colors.

What does it mean to you to be an alumna teaching at TAS? What does it feel like to see the next chapter of the school’s history? Do you feel like you’ve come full circle as the one working with students backstage and in the classroom now? It means the world to me to give back to the community, in a way. Initially, it felt like coming full circle, but now, I think it’s really a linear progression, where I’m still headed upwards! I’m still getting a lot out of the community, and I’m still learning so much from being here. Part of that is because I am still a student – I’m currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Educational Theater program at NYU, for which I take classes during the summers. That’s also my philosophy as a teacher – even when I’m a teacher, I’m a student in the room.

Left: Jessica Huang ’11 (left) and Stacey Ward ’76 (right), sporting the design Jessica made

Right: Alumni visiting TAS and wearing the new TAS Alumni T-shirt designed by Jessica

Alexandra Heagney ’03, Zoo Education Officer, Brings Animals Into the Classroom

By Donna Cheng, Assistant Alumni and Community Outreach Officer

Zoo Education Officer Alexandra Heagney ’03 developed her passion for education at TAS. Now she works in science education in Sydney, Australia. In this interview, she shares with us her favorite memories and influential figures from TAS, what is involved in being a Zoo Education Officer, and how she has given back as an alumna.

What was your experience at TAS as a student like?

I started at TAS in Grade 6 and graduated in 2003. I had a wonderful experience in both my Middle School and Upper School years at TAS. You become so resilient because it’s an ever-changing population of people. It’s a transient community so you’re constantly learning how to accept that, but also make friendships that often last a lifetime.

It’s very difficult to work out who you are and what you’re good at doing, especially if you’re a teenager, but TAS has a place for everyone, whether that’s through sports, academics, music, or creative arts. I found my place through IASAS and sports. I played 4 years of IASAS for soccer, and I also played touch rugby and ran athletics in my sophomore to senior years.

Another favorite memory would be Spirit Week. I think one of the most incredible aspects of this event is that absolutely everyone gets involved in Spirit Week, including teachers. It is a time when your whole class bands together to compete against the other grades. It is a brilliant event with such wonderful comradery. I also feel really lucky to have been part of IASAS because I wasn’t necessarily the most athletic person, and through sports I was able to connect with people from different grades.

My younger brother, Sam Heagney ’04, also graduated from TAS. He used to work at TAS and helped with TYPA as well. He’s recently moved back to Canada but is still very connected to TAS. My mom, Sheila Heagney, is a teacher’s aide in the Lower School at TAS.

What are some of your favorite memories at TAS?

My favorite memories are probably the ones that I have made with the group of friends that I have had since Grade 6. We recently met up in Taipei for a wedding. It’s hard for us to all get together, especially with kids and work, but when we get together, it’s like no time has passed. We’re connected by what we’ve gone through in high school together, living abroad and also through some of the most important years in growing up.

Who were your favorite teachers?

There are so many wonderful teachers that shaped me throughout my schooling at TAS which makes it challenging to just pick a few. Mr. Gabert was one of my favorite teachers and he was my biology teacher. I think he would be shocked to know now that I teach science because I wasn’t necessarily the most science minded person. Biology was one of my favorite classes because of the way he taught it. I am a very visual learner, and he used it to bring biology to life. He would physically run out one door and through another just to show how the heart valves would work. From this, I too try to bring learning to life for my students and he inspired me to do this.

The other one would be Ms. McDowell who was a phenomenal English teacher. I was not the most academic student, but she was able to connect with me and she always had time for me. She always ensured those middle learners didn’t get lost or left behind. I’ve taken the way she approached education and embedded that into how I teach now, making sure no students get overlooked. The last, and one of the most important, would be Ms. Michelle Lawgun, who’s still a rugby coach at TAS. She was my rugby coach and mentor, who had a really positive influence on my life, and I still keep in touch with her. She was able to help students and players build confidence in themselves to see what they

can be and achieve, and that is something that has made me more successful today.

Tell us a little about your background. What did you do after TAS? What did you study in college? I’ve loved education ever since I was little. When I graduated high school in 2003, I had 9 months before college started in Australia, so I started working as a teacher’s aide in Grade 1 with Grace Lee ’91 in the Lower School at TAS. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but those 9 months really cemented it for me. I did a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Chinese and minoring in Education and Psychology at Sydney University. I also did a Master’s of Education program, specializing in Primary Education. I’ve now been teaching for 14 years in total, mostly at the primary level, and for the last 4 years, I’ve been a Zoo Education Officer.

Can you share what a Zoo Education Officer is? What do you do?

A Zoo Education Officer is a public school job funded by the Department of Education. We teach students from kindergarten to Grade 12. We develop and teach classes in science, technology, geography, and business studies to up to 100,000 students a year, from private, Catholic, and public schools, from Sydney all the way to Western Australia. We get different kids from every walk of life every single day, so you have to have a breadth of knowledge.

We also have a lot of projects going on at the zoo on top of our teaching. I run the Zoomobile outreach program, which is taking animals on the road. We take animals into schools to deliver lessons as well. I also lead a STEM-based conservation project called “Project Penguin” that challenges over 1,300 students from primary schools and high schools in New South Wales to come up with a solution to one of the issues that the Little Penguins face in their environment. At the end of 10 weeks, they bring their work to Taronga Zoo and invite Ministers and media to the exhibition.

My passion for animals and this work has probably grown exponentially in the last four years. Not

only do I work with other educators, I also work with scientists who are doing groundbreaking work in conservation globally. I get to talk to other experts and work with the keepers and learn about animal care. I’ve had an incredible and enriching opportunity working here.

What are some of the challenges that you face as a zoo education officer?

One of the challenges is how agile you have to be. You don’t know what students you’re going to get or what the kids are going to be like. Your approach has to change to engage different age levels. You have to be flexible and know how to respond if kids act out. Time management is also quite challenging because we’re teaching all day but we’re also trying to lead and manage projects in between at the same time. We also deliver professional development for teachers in STEM education as well and we try to engage teachers in what we do here at the zoo.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you did some remote visits to TAS elementary classrooms. Can you share more about those visits back at TAS?

The first remote Zoo visit I did was with my mom’s Grade 2 class in March 2021. My mom’s class was doing life cycles. They watch the life cycle of a mealworm and a cricket. So I talked about the life cycles of animals and I brought in animals that use crickets and mealworms as food. I also introduced some typical Australian animals like blue-tongued lizards, ring-tailed possums, green tree frogs and even snakes. It’s a cool way to be able to bring learning to life for them. After that class, the other Grade 2 teachers also requested it. So the remote Zoo visit has continued every year since. We also have a lot of materials on our website that are available for teachers and parents: https://taronga.org.au/education/tarongaeducation-tv I wanted to stay in touch with TAS because I had something I could offer. TAS gave me so much in terms of education and now I am in a really great role with experience and expertise in STEM education, so I want to give back.

Left: Alex Heagney ’03 played soccer at TAS (front row, second from left)

Right: Alex Heagney ’03 shared her work with zoo animals with TAS students remotely

Lin King ’12 Returns to TAS with Wisdom for Aspiring Writers

By Jim Klar, Communications Officer

When writer and translator Lin King ’12 was asked what advice she’d give to her younger self during her conversation with Creative Writing faculty, moderator, and fellow alum Brenda Lin ’94, King replied, “I would have committed earlier to writing. I would have said, ‘If you’re interested in it, you should do it.”

King returned to TAS in January 2024 for a day of creative writing workshops and events. During FLEX, students, parents, guardians, alumni, and faculty attended an engaging and personal talk about King’s career and perspective as a writer.

During her PTA-sponsored forum as a visiting author, King recounted how her love of writing was fueled by her TAS teachers. “One in particular, Patricia Jones, encouraged me to write fiction and submit to contests. From Taipei, those competitions can seem far away, but she ushered me through the process and got me thinking that creative writing was something I could pursue in college, too.”

After graduating from TAS, Lin earned her BA in English from Princeton University with minors in East Asian Studies and Creative Writing. She achieved her MFA in Fiction and Literary Translation at Columbia University, where she also taught undergraduate writing. Her work has appeared in Boston Review, Joyland, Public Books, and Slice, among others, and has received the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers.

Even amidst these accolades, King acknowledged that the inherent fear of being a writer made it difficult. “I was afraid of committing to writing. And it is scary because if you go all in, with no plan B, there is no safety net,” she related. Still, she shared, it was the support from the TAS faculty and her family that made the difference. “It’s hard. But my parents were so supportive. They were open to me pursuing something other than tech, medicine, or law. It was just like - this is what I was good at. When I was at TAS, that’s where I excelled, and those were the classrooms I felt good in. And I just kept going in that direction.”

Ironically, leaving Taiwan and missing the language and culture of her birthplace led to her becoming a sought-after translator. “When I

went to the US, I really started to value everything that I learned here from being Taiwanese,” King recounted. “The more I was away from Taiwan, the more I wanted to keep that part of myself very close. After a while, I wanted to pass that on to other people, which is why I came into translating Taiwanese literature.”

King’s translations from Mandarin Chinese and Japanese into English have appeared in Asymptote, The Margins, and Columbia Journal. Forthcoming translations include Yang Shuangzi’s novel Taiwan Travelogue (Graywolf, 2024), and her latest work, “The Boy from Clearwater,” a historical graphic novel series on the former political prisoner Tsai Kun-lin (Levine Querido, 2023-2024), released in November 2023.

Regarding the age-old issue of writer’s block, King described what works for her. “If you have writer’s block, start where it’s easiest. Start writing where it feels most possible. It is grueling, and you have to write a lot of awful first drafts. But just keep at it and make them better from there.”

We’re proud of all that Lin King has learned and shared with our community! Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring her visit and supporting the dreams of our aspiring Tiger writers!

TAS Upper School English Teacher Brenda Lin ’94 (left) interviews Lin King ’12

Alumni Speakers & Volunteers

Sean McKeon ’93 is a licensed social worker. He visited his former history teacher, Mr. Arnold, in October 2023, where he spoke to his history class about his work as a psychologist in prison within the United States. Thank you for sharing your experiences, Sean!

In March 2024, University of Texas at Austin professor Arnold Jin ’99 spoke to students in the Honors Introduction to American Law and the Western Legal Tradition class about his experience working in law. Arnold has worked as an attorney at the ACLU and now teaches Asian-American jurisprudence among other courses as assistant professor of instruction in the Center for Asian American Studies at UT Austin. We are glad you visited, Arnold!

In April 2024, actor Justin Chien ’14 visited TAS and worked with Honors Acting students as well as Honors in Film Production students. Justin starred in the Netflix series “The Brothers Sun,” which was released in January 2024. He spoke to students about his experience in drama and critiqued student performances for the screen. Thanks for all your help, Justin!

Each year, NOVA Weekend gives TAS students and other students across the island a chance to tackle big questions through entrepreneurship. In March 2024, NOVA asked students to identify a problem in education and propose a solution. Throughout the day-long event, alumni, parent mentors, and judges helped students brainstorm and test ideas while guiding them as they developed products and pitches.

Thank you to all the volunteers, especially Iris Hsu ’88, Kent Wu ’95, and Paul Torkehagen ’04!

Alexander Hoyte Goudsmit ’89 was one of the first students to attend school at our current campus, 800 Zhongshan N. Road, Section 6. As a photography student in his postbaccalaureate year, he took pictures of this campus in its first year. In April 2024, he came back to visit campus and shared his experiences at TAS, his art school experience, and his love for photography, which has persisted as a hobby ever since his time in Taiwan. Here is his first photography assignment: the wellknown spiral staircase. Thanks to upper school art faculty, Michelle Kao ’03, and her students for welcoming Alexander to your class!

We were delighted to invite Lin King ’12 back on campus to share her career and personal journey as a writer and translator with students, employees, parents, and alumni. In conversation with Creative Writing faculty moderator Brenda Lin ’94, Lin discussed her focus on the humanities and stories from Taiwan as well as her experience at TAS. After graduation, Lin majored in English at Princeton University and studied creative writing at Columbia University. Lin’s newest translation project of a Taiwanese graphic novel, “The Boy from Clearwater,” was released in November 2023. A big thanks to the PTA for facilitating and sponsoring this event!

The Human Library is a unique opportunity to “read” someone else’s experiences by sitting in a small group and listening to a human “book” share their story. We can then learn from one another by asking respectful questions and connecting with each other’s experiences. This special event was held for the third year in the Upper School Library over two days in April 2024. Thank you to our alumni who participated as human books this year: Michelle Ferng ’06, Weston Cooper ’08, Tasha Ing ’13, and Kendra Ing ’16! Our gratitude to our human librarians and facilitators who made it possible!

Event & Reunion Pictures

San Francisco Alumni Brunch

In July 2023, TAS alumni gathered on the West Coast for the first time since 2019 at Yank Sing in San Francisco. We had over 80 Bay Area alumni attending, ranging from the Class of 1967 to 2021. Alumni and Community Outreach Officer, Connie Ma, also shared the latest news from TAS. Alumni enjoyed the chance to network, catch up, and enjoy a tasty brunch. Yank Sing was founded by Henry Chan ’64 and his daughter. The current owner, Vera Chan Waller, thanked alumni for coming. Our thanks also goes out to attendee Sam Dogen ’95, who provided free copies of his book Buy This, Not That for attendees.

Alumni vs. Boys Varsity Volleyball

The Boys Varsity Volleyball team returned to the court in August 2023! To kick off their fall season, the boys took on a team of TAS alumni, which ranged from the Class of 1994 to 2022. Though the Alumni team did succeed in winning one set, the Boys Varsity Team came away with three sets and the overall win. Congratulations to the boys varsity team, and thanks to our alumni for coming back to play!

Taipei Alumni Fall Happy Hour

We had a great turnout at our Taipei Fall Happy Hour in September 2023! Alumni enjoyed beer and drinks, hearty bar food, and even a little TAS trivia! We had more than 40 alumni between the Classes of 1966 and 2021 in attendance. We hope you had a great time connecting with your fellow TAS alumni at Barcade Taiwan!

Alumni Parents Gathering

Did you know that we have over two hundred current parents who have walked the halls of TAS as students themselves? Our alumni parents enjoyed a special social event in October 2023, mingling with each other and meeting Head of School, Evelyne Estey, and Chief Advancement and External Relations Officer, Caroline Baugh.

Alumni Employees Luncheon

Did you know that more than 30 alumni currently work at TAS as administrators, faculty, support staff, and substitutes? Alumni employees gathered in September 2023 and had the opportunity to meet our new Head of School, Evelyne Estey, and Chief Advancement and External Relations Officer, Caroline Baugh.

A Conversation with Philip Wang

Philip Wang of Wong Fu Productions came to visit TAS in October 2023. In a conversation with current parent, Joan Huang, from the TAS Cultural Connection, Phil talked about his background and Asian American identity, what it means to be an Asian American producer and creator, and his visit to Taiwan. In addition to coauthoring "RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now," Phil is also the co-founder of Wong Fu Productions and Bopomofo Cafe. Phil spoke to a combined audience of current parents, students,employees, and alumni. Thank you for your time and thoughts, Phil! This event was sponsored by the Office of Inclusion and Wellbeing.

Tigergram Postcards and the Freshman Care Package.

In November 2023, Upper School students and faculty created Tigergram postcards during FLEX to send to our newest alumni in the Class of 2023. These Tigergram postcards carry our good wishes and encouraging thoughts to those Tigers as they transition to life after TAS and living away from Taiwan. Current students were also able to put themselves in the shoes of those new alumni and visualize what it will be like to start the

Alumni Thanksgiving Dinner

Alumni, family, and friends were grateful to celebrate Thanksgiving together on campus for the first time since 2019. More than 200 attendees enjoyed turkey breast, the Chinese chicken leg, and all the trimmings, with slices of apple and pumpkin pie. Alumni were also able to meet our new administrators and heard from alumni Board members, Lydia Lim ’97 and Jay Cheng ’97. A big thanks to our beer sponsor, Crafted (Raul Garcia), and our hot sauce sponsor, Empress Hot Sauce (Jane Chen ’08)!

next chapter of their life after TAS. Thanks to everyone for creating over 270 postcards! Each participant also received a complimentary Tiger Brownie. And an extra big thank you to Lyn Y. ’25, who created this

special Tigergram postcard design! Postcards were mailed out to Class of 2023 alumni with a print of a special art project by Upper School students from 2020.

PTA Fall Family Festival

Alumni returned to campus for the PTA Fall Family Festival in October 2023. Open to TAS community members and their guests, the day featured haunted houses, live performances, food trucks, and more. More than 120 alumni and guests attended this annual fall event. Check out these alumni families enjoying the Fall Family Fair!

College-Age Chicago Alumni Dinner

In November 2023, Class Agents organized a dinner in Chicago’s Chinatown just for college age students in the Chicago area. Attendees bonded over shared experiences at TAS and adjusting to the Windy City. Stay warm, Tigers!

Alumni Homecoming Tea

Online Tiger Shop Pop-Up

The Online Tiger Shop Pop-Up was a great success! We received 55 orders from alumni all over the world and were excited to debut our new Alumni T-shirt! Through the pop-up, alumni also made more than 75 donations to the Hope N.F. Phillips Scholarship Fund! A huge thanks to everyone for supporting TAS students. We hope you enjoy your new Tiger Gear!

More than 50 college-age alumni from the Classes of 2019-2023 returned to TAS just before winter break in December 2023 for the Alumni Homecoming Tea! They reunited with their classmates, saw former teachers, and enjoyed snacks and hot drinks.

Class of 1993 30-Year Reunions

Can you believe it has already been 30 years since the Class of 1993 graduated from TAS? Alumni gathered in the US during summer 2023 (right) and in Taiwan in winter 2023 (left). The Class of 1993 Stateside Reunion took place in Park City, Utah, in July 2023. Alumni spent the weekend

mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, enjoying pool time, and reminiscing about more than thirty years of friendship! In November 2023, Taipei-area alumni and their families gathered for a buffet dinner at the ACC in the 2F California Room with a photographer and a photobooth setup. To continue the weekend, alumni also enjoyed dinner and

karaoke in a private room at Ji Pin Boutique (吉品海鮮餐廳) in Xinyi. About 25 alumni came together to mark the occasion. Congratulations to the Class of 1993! Thanks to the Taipei reunion organizers Conny Lin ’93, Regina Saga ’93, and Class Agent Edward Wang ’93 and stateside reunion organizer Ben Voegele ’93 for keeping classmates connected!

Class of 2003 20-Year Reunion

In December 2023, 36 members from the Class of 2003 gathered at Pastaio in downtown Taipei to celebrate their 20-Year Reunion. The frequent comment was, “It’s so nice to see everyone together again!” The highlight was trivia with everyone trying desperately to recall details such as the class colors and who was voted Person You’d Most Want to Marry. (Answer Key: green, white, black, black; Jen Chi & Kent Wu.) Thank you to reunion organizers Michelle Kao ’03 Pearl Chen ’03 Leo Cheng ’03, and class agent Jeff Wang ’03!

New York City Alumni Lunch

Head of School, Evelyne Estey, hosted an alumni lunch in New York City. She had a wonderful time meeting the alumni community in the US and sharing updates from TAS. Huge thanks to our regional NYC alumni volunteers, Jennifer Feng ’02 and Sandy Chen ’97, for their help facilitating the event!

Class of 2013 10-Year Reunions

Can you “13elieve” it’s been 10 years? Alumni gathered in the US in fall 2023 (bottom) and in Taiwan in winter 2023 (top). 23 alumni (and their plus ones) from the Class of 2013 met up for a night of dinner, drinks, and karaoke in New York City in September 2023. They dined over scrumptious Chinese food at Hutaoli before taking a stroll to a local KTV spot where they belted out tunes of Taiwanese and American pop alike. At least four traveled from as far as Seattle to attend the reunion. The event also featured a gift box from the Alumni Office and the beginnings of a time capsule they hope to reveal in ten years or longer. In December 2023, 40 alumni came out to MUD Bar in Taipei where they shared drinks, laughter, and reminisced over their senior yearbooks. Big thanks to Young Chen ’13 and Class Agent Nick Yeh ’13 for planning the Taiwan edition of the ten-year reunion, and to Mina Chen ’13 and Alvin Choi ’13 for their support on the stateside reunion. The Class of 2013 looks forward to connecting in more ways in the future!

How to Navigate Life through a Purpose-Driven Education at TAS and Beyond

In February 2024, Boston College Professor Belle Liang, Ph.D., spoke to TAS Upper and Middle School parents, Upper School students, alumni, and employees. The Zoom webinar was about the science of navigating life, debunking myths around hyper-competitiveness and success, as well as an alternative mindset that leads to lasting success and well-being. Dr. Liang’s encouraging, hopeful, and evidence-based presentation gave attendees a new perspective.

Dallas Alumni Gathering

The Dallas Alumni Gathering in January 2024 garnered alumni from the Classes of 1963 to 2015! Alumni enjoyed connecting with each other and hearing updates from our Chief Advancement and External Relations Officer, Caroline Baugh.

Navigating the Complexity of Asian American Identity with Arnold Jin ’99

In March 2024, TAS welcomed back Arnold Jin ’99, assistant professor of instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. A lawyer by trade, Arnold teaches Asian American history, jurisprudence, and psychological perspectives. He shared historical background on the model minority identity and its intersection with the mental health of Asian American students who come from success-frame environments. Arnold discussed at length Dr. Erin Ninh’s study, Passing for Perfect, which closely examines the phenomena of college impostors who appear to be largely and uniquely Asian Americans.Thank you to the Office of Inclusion and Wellbeing for sponsoring this event!

Los Angeles Alumni Happy Hour

More than 60 alumni joined us at the Los Angeles Happy Hour in January 2024! A big thank you to our Class Agent, Justin Hsu ’15, for sponsoring this event at the Ritz-Carlton Downtown Los Angeles. Alumni enjoyed catered food from the Taiwanese restaurant, Pine and Crane, and were able to hear the latest news from our Chief Advancement and External Relations Officer, Caroline Baugh. See you next time, SoCal!

Class of 2020 Winter Reunion

In December 2023, the Class of 2020 had a reunion at 榕 RON Bar in Shilin, which marked the first time many classmates had seen each other since graduation. With a turnout of over 40 people, classmates mingled and caught up over drinks and food, reminiscing on the past and talking about plans after college. Thanks to Class Agents and reunion organizers Emily Hsu ’20 and Yan Ying Mor ’20!

TAS Upper School Career Day

In February 2024, 37 alumni, current parents, employees, and Taipei community members showed up at the first Career Day held at TAS in over a decade. More than 70 upper school students listened to volunteer professionals discuss how they entered their industry, how their academic experiences affected their careers, and the importance of enjoying your career. Board Chair and current parent, Jay Cheng ’97, gave a keynote speech before students and volunteers launched into a networking session with one-on-one conversations. Alumni and Community Outreach Officer, Connie Ma, moderated a short panel discussion about career paths with internal medicine doctor, Charles Liao ’00, winemaker and Class Agent, Icy Liu ’01, and current parent and general counsel, Cindy Hsu. Thank you to the Upper School Office for cosponsoring this event, and a deep and heartfelt message of gratitude for all of our engaged volunteers!

From Taipei to Hollywood: Justin Chien ’14 Returns to TAS to Share His Story

In April 2024, Justin Chien ’14 the star of the Netflix series “The Brothers Sun,” returned to TAS to do a FLEX talk for the community. He also visited the Honors Acting 1 class and Honors Film Production class at TAS. Thank you so much for your stories and advice and experience, Justin! And our gratitude to Upper School Performing Arts & Drama Teacher, Austin Farwell, for the interview.

Back to School Day for Worldwide Reunion III and Chicken Leg Lunch

In March 2024, more than 70 alumni visited TAS as a part of the Worldwide Reunion III, a week-long trip back to Taiwan organized by Lloyd Coleman ’73. More than 30 local alumni also turned out to welcome back the group, which included some alumni who were returning to Taiwan for the first time since they attended TAS. The Back at School Day included a school tour, presentations and performances by TAS students, the delicious Chinese Roasted Chicken Leg lunch, and a class held by none other than Master Teacher, Mr. Richard Arnold. This was also an opportunity for alumni to see the Pagoda, which could be found on Senior Island at the Shilin campus for many decades. Students and employees alike enjoyed the chance to meet some of our most enthusiastic alumni. Thanks to Lloyd for organizing this reunion (as well as previous ones held in 2016 and 2018), and bringing our Tigers back to TAS!

Celebrating Our Tiger Babies!

The arrival of each baby is a unique and special moment for every family. The TAS Alumni Office helps our alumni and employee families celebrate this milestone and welcome their newest family members with the gift of a TAS bandana bib and Tiger Baby onesie, both made by les enphants. Thank you to Brenda Lin ’94, a parent and faculty member herself, for supporting this initiative!

Our TAS community is made up of many generations of Tigers who have contributed to the school, so we are glad to give back in a small way through our Welcome Tiger Baby package. If there is a new addition to your family, please fill out this form so we can send you a Welcome Tiger Baby package: https://www.tas.edu.tw/alumni/ welcome-tiger-baby

Alumni Shine at Upper School Spring Music Concerts

Our TAS alumni shone at the US Spring Music Concerts in April 2024. The Saturday concert, “Royal Resonance: Spirits, Heroes & Coronations” showcased the String Orchestra, Orchestra, and TAS Community Choir (100 Students/Faculty/Staff/Community members) and Orchestra in Mozart’s “Coronation Mass in C Major”. Famed tenor, Rex Wee ’93 (center right), was a soloist for the Coronation Mass. He was accompanied by his fellow alumni on strings, David Tang ’94 (left),

Edward Wang ’93 (center left), and James Chang ’06 (right), and Middle School Performing Arts/ Music Teacher, Betty Chang ’92 (center). The TAS Community Choir also included Stephanie Hsieh ’04 and former faculty, Karen Jao. Congratulations to all on a wonderful, resounding performance!

Missed the event? Make sure to check out our log-in only Alumni Resources page for recordings of events for alumni: https://www.tas. edu.tw/alumni-zone/news-resources/alumni-resources (Contact alumni@tas.edu.tw with questions)

Class Notes

In September 2023, John Hillis ’56 (left) who was in the first graduating class of TAS, met with Peter Landerman ’58 (middle), who attended Grade 10 when John was in Grade 12. The last time they met was in 2018 when Pete visited John and his wife in their home in Amman, Jordan. Pete and his partner enjoyed slathering themselves in therapeutic mud before floating in Jordan’s Dead Sea, the lowest spot on the planet. In October 2023, John and Peter also met with Peter Shek ’56 (right) in Southern California. As members of the first graduating class of TAS, John and Peter S. worked together to collect ads for the 1956 Pagoda, the inaugural TAS yearbook. All three were a part of a barbershop quartet along with Tony Yu ’56 Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago, who passed away in 2015. The three alumni enjoyed reminiscing about people and events during their time at TAS and leafing through the digital version of the Pagoda, reflecting on the extraordinary changes that have occurred at TAS and the world in general since they were in high school together, 67 years ago!

Joel Wight ’61 writes, “I was in the graduating 8th grade class at TAS in 1957. My sister, Rena, was a junior and voted “Most Popular” in her class. My mother, Maxine, taught music and the glee club (I still remember them singing “Climb Every Mountain” in the living room of our billet immediately across the small street from the gymnasium at the original school). In recent years, we’ve lived on Whidbey Island off Seattle in the Puget Sound where my parents and Rena passed. I

have the fondest memories of TAS and Taipei from those years.”

Larry Levy ’64 reports the publication of his father’s collected letters home from World War II in the New Guinea Theatre, where he served for 22 months. The collection is annotated and minimally edited. The book is available only as an ePub for now. Paperback and hardback versions will come later. Learn more about “The War Letters of Horace Levy” on Amazon Books. In his retirement, Larry is active in conservation causes and is an avocational archaeologist and historian.

In March 2024, former TAS admissions director Winnie Tang ’65 met old friend and Grade 5 teacher Stacey Ward ’76 met for coffee at Lutetia in Tianmu and were also joined by current parent Paul Hsu ’94.

Pamela Blizzard ’71 (far left) started her career in Silicon Valley, working at Hewlett Packard in accounting and marketing. When her two sons were born, she and her husband Willis moved back to Richmond, VA and eventually settled in Raleigh, NC. There Pamela stumbled into a

career in educational reform, launching two charter schools and one STEM education center. She is now retired, chairing the boards of a local professional theater company and a non-profit organization which helps girls get into game development. Pamela is also advancing the work of an educational nonprofit to restart schools in Tigray, Ethiopia, post-civil war. Both her sons now live and work in California.

Cynthia Sah ’71 is a marble sculptor living and working in Italy. Her works are present in numerous public and private collections worldwide. She has been working with her partner and sculptor, Nicolas Bertoux, since 1995. Cynthia and Nicolas showed a dual solo exhibition titled “Synergy,” which ran from April 13 to May 24, 2024 at the Double Square Gallery in Taipei. The exhibition marks the two artists’ first collaboration with the gallery together, which adopts the form of a dual solo exhibition featuring more than forty pieces of sculptures. Known for her use of marble, Sah injects a unique force of life into her works through the rhythmic contour of her sculpture that conveys a sense of Zen and softness. Bertoux has long engaged in architectural design and public art. His work reflects a profound understanding and mastery of the relationship between artwork, site, and environment. This exhibition draws inspiration from the interweaving structure of organic elements unveiled by the philosophical idea of “synergy,” while investigating the manifestation of this idea in the dichotomous narratives of human thoughts. Learn more about Cynthia’s work here: www. cynthiasah.it.

Peter Young ’73 currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii and would love to get together with TAS alumni in Honolulu. If you are interested, please email Peter directly at southpacific.peter@ gmail.com or contact him on Telegram or Viber at 650-296-4987.

Jon-Claire Lee ’74 is a film producer and director in Australia. His feature film “Greed” has received North American distribution and is now available on major streaming platforms for all to enjoy in the US and Canada. “Greed” tells the story of an Indian man who gets deeper and deeper involved in the Australian gangland underworld. He only wants to get enough money to go back to his homeland to rescue his parents from abject poverty, but he is forced to make increasingly difficult decisions that go against what’s left of his conscience. Watch “Greed” on Amazon, Walmart, and MovieZyng.

Jan Watten ’74 visited Taipei in March 2024 and was interviewed by the Taipei Times about her mother Jeanne Watten, who opened and ran the Art Guild (藝術家畫廊), Taipei’s first contemporary

art gallery, from 1967 to 1974. The article includes Jan’s memories of living in Taipei in the 1960s and 1970s, the independent Taiwanese artists who got their start with the Art Guild, and Jeanne’s lasting influence in Taiwan and on her daughter.

Mark Houston ’75 has retired after 39 years in the banking industry. Mark retired in December 2022 as the President & CEO of Bright Bank in Boise, Idaho. Prior to this, he was with Wells Fargo Bank for 15 years as the head of the Wealth Private Banking Group over a five-state region from Alaska to Wyoming. Over his career, he has received numerous awards, such as 2022 CEO of Influence and 2020 Excellence in Finance. He continues today serving on several boards that focus on helping victims of sexual abuse and violence and children with behavioral issues.

Robert Sutherland ’76 wrote in with some photos of a get-together by alumni from the Classes of 1976 and 1979 in September 2023 on Oahu, Hawaii. “We are all still very close knit and have had many get-togethers over the years but this was special.”

Thomas Lin ’77 (left) attended TAS with his sister and brother. He was active on the swimming and waterpolo team with Mr. Thomas Nystrom. Thomas went on to Boston University and received his MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management with a focus on Finance and Corporate Strategy in 1987. He went on to Wall Street and finished his career as the treasurer of UBS Taiwan in 2001. He revisited TAS in March 2024 and was thrilled to see his former teacher Mr. Arnold.

George Smith ’77 and his wife Joanne welcomed a new greatgrandson in February 2024! Congratulations to George and his family.

Nuala (McKeon) O’Sullivan ’87 went into nursing after graduating from TAS. Her younger brother Sean McKeon ’92 also graduated from TAS. Nuala currently lives in Florida and has three grown children. On a

trip back to Taiwan in March 2024, she was delighted to meet her old friends Maria Peters ’89, Sarah Peters ’95, and Mr. Arnold.

Iris Hsu ’88 and Class Agent Dan Cooper ’89 were happily married in Kauai, Hawaii on July 7, 2023. In attendance were many TAS alumni friends. They currently live in Taipei and enjoy spending time with their respective children and two dogs. They look forward to attending future TAS alumni events.

Immer Liza Ravalo ’88 recently retired from Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada after 25 years as a special education educator in Title I public schools. She served as a middle school principal for the last seven years.

Nancy Yuliana Sanjoto ’91 is a lawyer practicing and living in Indonesia. Since 2003, she has been the owner of Sanjoto & Partners in Jakarta.

Matt Davies ’92 has published his third novel, “The Broken Wave.” It tells the story of two boys who go through a tragic event as children and how the trauma of that event ripples through their lives into adulthood. The story was inspired by a real friendship between Matt and Tom Wolfenden ’92 (minus the tragedy!). Read more about the book on Matt’s website: www. matthewryandavies.com.

Kelly Lee Nichols ’96 recently became engaged to her fiancé Leon Joseph Watts. Kelly and Leon have two American Staffordshire bull terriers. Kelly misses her friends from TAS and is still in touch via Facebook. She lives in Queensland, Australia where she was born. She misses Taiwan and hopes to travel back sometime in the near future. Congratulations to Kelly Lee!

Richard Liao ’96 (right) worked on Wall Street for the past 17 years after receiving his master’s degree

from Princeton University. Some of the banks he previously worked at include BNP Paribas,Royal Bank of Canada, and TD Bank. During the two years before and after COVID-19, he lived abroad in Hong Kong to head the global bond trading business for ANZ bank. He currently resides in New York City as a Managing Director at a boutique brokerage firm and is in the process of starting his own fund.

Geo Chen ’98 is a full-time investor and blogs about his trading and investing journey. He and his wife, Angela Huang ’00, also manage their family foundation. He has given talks in the past about global macro investing and philanthropy on various platforms like Realvision. com, Saxo Bank, and on podcasts. Connect with Geo on LinkedIn.

Tammy Fan ’99 lives in Singapore and works for the Culinary Institute of America as a Pastry Chef instructor. She was back at TAS in December 2023 for a visit and to catch up with her classmates back in Taipei.

Class Agent Edward Wang ’99 (right) was awarded the National Taiwan University GMBA Distinguished Alumni Award by Professor Shing-Yang Hu, Dean of College of Management. Congratulations to Edward!

David Chang ’99 is the founding secretary-general of Crossroads 社團法人台灣全球連結發展協會, a nationallevel non-profit organization actively connecting Taiwan with international communities and resources. David authored an op-ed entitled “Rethinking immigration to halt a growing economic security crisis” for Commonwealth Magazine in September 2023. In this op-ed, David tackles Taiwan’s imminent demographic challenge, delving into the aging population issues in Taiwan and dissecting the factors that underlie this bleak perspective.

Rick Liu ’00 (middle) came back to visit TAS with his family, including his brother Young Liu ’98, in November 2023. He and his family now reside in Washington, D.C. where he works for the government as a financial officer. His son, Asher, turned eight in January 2024.

Stephanie Hwang ’02 works as a general surgeon for Kaiser Permanente in the Los Angeles area. In her spare time, she and her boyfriend Ernest enjoy hiking and hanging out with their dogs.In September 2023, Stephanie enjoyed her return to Taipei to visit TAS and reunite with her science teacher Mr. Olson.

Gastroenterologist and social media personality Dr. Austin Chiang ’03 came out with his first book, entitled Gut: An Owner’s Guide with DK/Penguin RandomHouse in April 2024. Gut: An Owner’s Guide is an informative, practical, and engaging introduction to this hidden-away part of the body. We tend only to pay attention to our gut when it tries to tell us something – when it feels uncomfortable or something goes wrong. This myth-busting book focuses on all aspects of gut health so you can steer clear of Dr. Google and discover what will make your gut happier and healthier.

Gut is an illustrated, colorful hardcover book written for the general public to help understand most topics in gut health and gastroenterology in a more digestible and fun way. Unlike other “gut health” books, not only are there common/practical themes of how to care for your gut, but also the history of our medical knowledge in this space, lessdiscussed diseases, procedures and technology, and sections specifically set aside each chapter to bust some common gut health myths!

Dr. Austin Chiang is the Chief Medical Officer of the Endoscopy business at Medtronic, the medical device giant, and a practicing gastroenterologist at an academic center in Philadelphia. Also known as the Tiktok Doctor (@ austinchiangmd), Austin is a world-renowned expert in gut health and TikTokstar who believes everyone has a right to know and understand their body. He translates medical jargon into simple, clear prose, answering

frequently asked patient queries and investigating what we fear and most misunderstand about our gut.

Paul Torkehagen ’04 is the international business development director for Medigen Biotechnology Corporation. In August 2023, Medigen’s COVID-19 vaccine became the first Taiwan-made vaccine authorized by the World Health Organization.

Karen (Lin) Jung ’05 (left) visited TAS with her sister Jennifer Lin ’07 (right) in April 2024. It was the first time they’ve been back in Taiwan together since 2010! Karen graduated from Cornell University as well as UCLA Anderson and is now managing marketing operations at Epson America in Los Angeles. Jennifer graduated from University of Michigan in 2010 and also earned a Masters in Social Welfare from UCLA in 2013. She is currently a clinical supervisor at Seneca Family of Agencies, a non-profit providing mental health counseling services for youth and families.

Godwin Yung ’06 graduated from Reed College and Harvard University, and he now works as a data scientist at Genentech/Roche, a pharmaceutical company. Godwin and his wife Cathy live in the Bay Area with their two children Becky (5) and Jayden (1). Their family stopped by to say hello to Mr. Arnold during their visit to TAS in

December 2023. Fun fact: Both Becky and Jayden’s middle names were chosen for figures in US history, a testament to Mr. Arnold’s influence on Godwin in his class.

In January 2024, Stephanie Kuo ’07 founded AGNI, an athleisure lifestyle brand,operated together with fellow alumnae Jesseca Lam ’14 Renee Wong ’14, and Tiffany Wang ’14. While Jesseca, Renee, and Tiffany have been friends since Middle School, Stephanie and Jesseca are also now family by marriage. The four alumni are combining their backgrounds and expertise in marketing, graphic design andUI/UX, marketing and coding, and fashion business, to work together. AGNI in Sanskrit means the “Fire God”. With the motto “Athleisure wear Empowered by Passion and Individuality,” AGNI is creating a community that ignites and nurtures our inner fire by inspiring each other to lead passionate and healthy lives. AGNI produces sustainable and versatile pieces that you can wear to the gym and to brunch with your friends. Message the AGNI team on Instagram (@agni.wear) for a special TAS discount, and check out the website: www.agniwear.com

Haruka (Togashi) Koga ’08 attended TAS from Grade 1 to 3. She now lives in Tokyo, Japan, with her husband, and her sister Yukiko Togashi ’99 who graduated from TAS. Haruka worked at All Nippon Airways, and has now transitioned to working as a teddy bear illustrator and as a secretary at Baker & Mckenzie. In October 2023, she visited TAS and Taiwan for the first time in decades, where she enjoyed a soft pretzel with cream cheese, which she remembered fondly from elementary school.

Miu Ide ’09 (left) and Io Ide ’12 (right) both currently live in Tokyo, Japan. The two sisters both visited TAS in August 2023. Io works in hospitality while Miu is a dancer.

Gerry Lee ’09 got married to Jody Liu ’09, in Los Angeles in July 2023. He thanks Taipei American School for helping him find the love of his life! Congratulations to Gerry and Jody!

Marina Tsurugai ’09 (left) and her family visited TAS in April 2024 for the first time since she left in 2006. She and her husband, Julian, now teach in Japan and reside there with their one-year-old son, Jordan.

Karen Chen ’10 got married in June to husband, Brian Chen, in San Francisco. They visited TAS and her former teachers in September 2023. Congratulations to Karen and Brian!

Sun-Ming “Jessica” Pan ’11 moved from Taiwan to the Bay Area in Grade 6. She graduated from UC Davis and Columbia University, and now works as a director at an anophthalmic start-up in the artificial intelligence deep imaging and surgical robotics space. Jessica re-visited TAS in December 2023 while on her two-month tour traveling through Europe and Asia. She is so proud to see how much the school has advanced, especially the new Tech Cube. Jessica’s sister Jennifer Pan ’99 also graduated from TAS.

Charlie Brooks ’12 visited TAS in December with a few good friends from the Bay Area and New York. He was able to catch up with faculty who taught him between Grades 6 and 12, including Ms. Anderson and Ms. Connor. He was also able to reconnect with Mr. Moran at TYPA who is a parent of his close childhood friend. After attending university in Los Angeles, Charlie moved to San Francisco and currently works in Strategy and Operations at Google.

Sidney Hou ’12 got married to husband Reid Tomihara in Hawaii in September 2023. They shared their good news with the Alumni Office during their visit back at TAS. Congratulations to Sidney and Reid!

Rohit Ayyagari ’12 attended TAS from Grade 4 to 10. He currently works in business and strategy at Roku and lives with his wife Sanchi in the Bay Area. Rohit and Sanchi revisited TAS in October 2023 and were reunited with his former music teachers Mr. Stephen Abernethy and Ms. Jennifer Anderson.

On October 13th, 2023, Nick Yeh ’13 married his fiancée Christal Liu, after two and a half years of long distance, in the Bay Area surrounded by family, friends, and of course, TAS alumni. This was the second marriage that the Yeh family celebrated this year, after his brother Matthew Yeh ’15 married his fiancée in June. Congratulations to Nick and Christal!

Justin Chien ’14 is starring as Charles Sun alongside Academy Award-winning actor Michelle Yeoh in the Netflix series “The Brothers Sun,” which premiered on January 4, 2024. Congratulations, Justin! Check out Justin’s interview in our Alumni Features section.

Adrienne Shih ’14 (center) got engaged to her fiancé, Alex, in 2022 and is planning to get married in 2024. She visited TAS with her family in October 2023 and shared her good news with us. She and her fiancé now reside in Washington, D.C. where she works for New York Times as an editor. Congratulations, Adrienne!

Robert Tseng ’14 is currently in the final year of medical school at Yale University in New Haven, CT, USA. He intends to enter a general surgery residency upon graduating next year. Currently, Robert is also volunteering as an AP Research advisor at TAS with his former teacher Mrs. Darby Sinclair.

Class Agent Duanduan Hsieh ’15 is the Senior Assistant Dean of Admission at Occidental College. Duanduan graduated from Dickinson College in 2019 with a degree in Art and Art History. He went on to work at Pitzer College before joining the Admission Team at Oxy in July 2022. He last visited TAS in September 2023.

After graduating from college, Leon Yim ’16 (right) spent time working as a COVID-19 contact tracer, EMT, and research associate. Soon, Leon will be joining the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s medical scientist training program in Dallas, where he continues to be interested in cancer immunology research and is planning on specializing in oncology.

Osbert Yu ’16 (right) works as a process engineer in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He visited TAS in October 2023 to reunite with his former teachers Ms. Connor, Mr. Lopez, Dr. Morgan, and Dr. Lipsett. He was also happy to see his former classmate Kendra Ing ’16 who now teaches dance in the Upper School.

Vivian Teng ’17 (middle) graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2021. She lives in New York City and currently works in the real estate and finance industries. She came back to visit TAS in November 2023 to see former teachers like Mr. Arnold and Dr. Lin.

Catherine Chang ’19 graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in June 2023 with a degree in Biology. Along with her colleague, she won the Penn’s President Engagement Prize to develop their non-profit Act First to teach Philadelphia high schoolers critical first aid in three different avenues: CPR, opioid reversal, and bleeding prevention. These lessons tackle high cardiac arrest rates, the opioid crisis and gun violence — problems plaguing Philadelphia and many other cities in the U.S. Act First hopes to instill confidence in students and equip them with the knowledge they need to be an active bystander. Catherine is working full-time as Act First’s Executive Director.

Keanne Chang ’19 graduated from the University of Chicago in June 2023 with a degree in Economics and Comparative Human Development. In fall 2023, she started as an Analyst at Education Resource Strategies in Boston.

Alumni in science always come back to see Mr. Olson! Donna Chen ’19 and Sarah Su ’19 came back in February 2024 to see science teachers, including Stephanie Hsieh ’04, Mr. Olson, and Carol Yeung ’98 (left to right).

Class Agent Douglas Lee ’21 (left) visited TAS in August 2023 with classmates Derek Chan ’21 (center)

and Yosen Lin ’21 (right). Doug is now a junior at Northwestern, while Derek and Yosen are attending the University of Chicago and UC San Diego respectively.

Tommy Shim ’21 attended TAS from Kindergarten to Grade 3. His younger brother was also a student at TAS. Tommy now lives in South Korea and is a sophomore in college. He is studying to become a radiologist.

Eming Shyu ’21 (left) and Class Agent Emma Wu ’22 (center) returned to TAS to see Señora Martinez (right). Eming is a junior at Yale University. He is majoring in global affairs and economics, and in

Former Faculty

Former faculty

Bonnie (Wirkala) Campbell taught at TAS from 1968 to 1970. She now lives in Chicago, IL, and invites alumni and former faculty living in the Chicagoland area to reach out to her at bcampbell@ rivermontcollegiate. org.

Former TAS faculty Dave and Jan Farmer (left and center) are retiring this year from the American School in Doha after seventeen years. Dave has been serving as the Head of Athletics at ASD. Dave and Jan both taught at TAS from 1997 to 2006. Congratulations to Dave and Jan on a welldeserved retirement!

summer 2023, he worked at the US Treasury. Emma is a sophomore at Yale University. She spent summer 2023 studying at the Prado in Madrid. She is majoring in art history.

Audrey Hodowany ’22 worked as a TA for middle school students this summer at TAS Summer Academy. She is starting her sophomore year at Ryerson University in Toronto, where she is working on a nursing degree.

Kristine Chen ’23 (right) began her freshman year at University of Washington in fall 2023. She intends to major in sociology.

Former music faculty Ray Heberer III (right) writes, “I’ve come out of retirement for one semester. I’m now at the American School Doha in Qatar. The fun never stops!” He is pictured with TAS alum and fellow ASD colleague Pin Xuan Luo ’05.

In Memoriam

Peter Landerman ’58 passed away on November 25, 2023, at the age of 83. In 1956, he was the Vice President of his sophomore class at TAS. His closest friends were John Hillis, Peter Shek, and Tony Yu, all members of the Class of 1956, the first TAS graduating class, with whom he joined to form a barbershop-style quartet. Pete went on to live a quite extraordinary life. Following academic degrees at UCLA, including a PhD in linguistics, he did extensive research on South American indigenous languages, particularly endangered Aymara and Quechua dialects in the Andean highlands of Bolivia and Peru, of which he collected live recordings currently archived for further research at UCLA.

Pete was an accomplished linguist, fluent in native-speaker-level Spanish in addition to the indigenous South American languages he was familiar with. After university graduation, Pete joined a student tour to Russia where he was involved in a traffic fatality that landed him in an infamous Moscow prison as the sole nonpolitical American prisoner. More than a year later he was released, but only after acquiring a fluent command of Russian! Among his many achievements, Pete was a talented guitarist and could accompany himself in performances of Spanish and Russian folk songs in his resonant bass voice. He is survived by his Colombian-born wife, Olga, as well as his friends who will greatly miss him.

James “Smitty” Smith ’78 (left) passed away in his home in Houston on July 16, 2023. James earned a degree in architecture from the University of Houston and practiced as an architect for his entire professional life. He was well traveled, having grown up in places like Hong Kong and Taiwan. He is preceded in death by his second wife Lesley Hall ’79 (right). He is survived by his sister Nancy, and three children Katherine, Margaret, and James, and his granddaughter Abigail.

Claire Ann Chennault ’66, elder daughter of Claire Lee Chennault and Anna Chan Chennault, passed away in hospice care on October 22, 2023. The cause of death was metastatic colon cancer. Claire Ann was a dedicated pianist throughout her life who won awards in student competitions during her youth. An adept learner of foreign languages, Claire Ann spoke Chinese fluently and became conversant in French and Spanish. She attended Annunciation Catholic School, and later boarded at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and at Holton Arms. After graduating from the Taipei American School, she took courses at George Washington University.

Claire Ann’s keen intellect and talents were shadowed by illness. Her last residence was at Alfred House in Rockville, MD. Her lively interest in others, candor, and generosity of spirit attracted friends wherever she lived. She leaves behind a loving sister Cynthia ’68, brother-in-law Pierre Sikivie; and two nephews Paul and Michael. Claire Ann will also be dearly missed by her aunts Sylvia Wong and Loretta Fung, and by 10 cousins and their children. Claire was buried on April 17, 2024 at Arlington Cemetery at the gravesite of her parents General Claire Lee Chennault and Anna Chen Chennault.

Claire (second from left) is standing next to US Vice President Hubert Humphrey at the site of her father’s bust in Xinsheng Park, Taipei, in January 1966.

Former faculty

Delia “Dee” Colville Harris passed away on November 12, 2023. Dee taught mathematics in the Middle School. During her time at TAS, she was involved in several extracurricular activities for her students, including the GreenClub, MathCounts Club, and coaching sports. She was also actively engaged in supporting the local orphanage. She is survived by her husband George, who worked on the Taiwan HSR as a civil engineer, and her children John Harris ’92, Michael Harris ’93, Laura Geri ’94, Daniel Harris ’96, and William Harris ’99, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

Thomas “Tom” Dudley Jr. ’67 passed away on August 1, 2022. Tom was an Army brat, born to a career Army officer who served during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. A member of the Cadet Corps at Virginia Tech, Tom was commissioned in the Army in 1971. He entered the Soviet Foreign Area Office (FAO) program in 1980 and graduated from the US Army Russian Institute in Garmisch, Germany in 1983. Tom served on the Army Staff as a Soviet analyst and contributing author to the Army “Black Book” and as a Soviet Specialist at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tom helped spearhead Operation Provide Hope bringing supplies to the former Soviet states, for which he received a Humanitarian Service Medal. After retiring from the Army, Tom worked as a contractor with Booz, Allen, Hamilton as a planner and controller supporting war gaming exercises.

Tom is survived by his wife, Claire “Linet” Doty ’67, whom he met in their senior year at TAS. Linet’s dad was a career Marine Officer, and both fathers were assigned to the attaché staff at the US Embassy in Taipei. After graduating from TAS in 1967, Tom and Linet married in 1972. Tom is also survived by his son Thomas Dudley III (Jessie) and daughter Claire Laura Evans (Kevan), and three grandchildren. Tom was buried on August 19, 2022 at the National Cemetery at Fort Logan, Colorado.

After a lifetime fight against the struggles of heart disease, Pamela Sue Dedricks Byklum ’80 passed peacefully on December 30, 2023 due to complications of her fourth heart surgery, the first of which dated back to her youth. Pam was a Christmas baby, born December 25, 1961 to parents Tom and Mary Dedricks. To ask Pam where she was from was a lesson in World Geography. From Northfield, MN to Atlanta, GA to Pittsburgh, PA, to El Paso, TX, to Taipei, Taiwan, to Seoul, South Korea to Rochester, MN, Pam was a citizen of the world. Her father’s work with General Instruments Corp. took the family on a long journey that eventually brought them back to the United States. Pam attended St. Olaf College in Northfield prior to her first teaching job in Seoul. To the delight of Daryl Byklum, she landed a teaching job in Rochester, MN the same year that he returned home to Minnesota and also got a job in Rochester after teaching in South Dakota.

Pam and Daryl were united in marriage on July 10. 1993. They both taught Grade 7 social studies at John Adams Middle School in Rochester where both would finish out their teaching careers after 30+ years. Besides loving her job as an educator, Pam was skilled at quilting and needlepoint. She left many masterful creations behind and always consulted husband Daryl as her fabric colorconsultant. She loved baseball and her Minnesota Twins but also followed the Minnesota Vikings and, much to Daryl’s amazement, loved NASCAR racing. Pam is survived by husband Daryl, formerly of Grygla, father Tom (Becky Phillips Dedricks), sisters Elizabeth ‘Beth’ ’83 (Kevin Cairns), Rebekah Dedricks, and Martha Dedricks ’89. The family is thankful to Mayo Clinic for the excellent care provided to Pam and the talented, dedicated, and compassionate staff they met along the way.

University Matriculation by Region 2021-2023

Institutions where TAS graduates from the Classes of 2021, 2022, and 2023 enrolled. Boldfaced print indicates institutions attended by graduates from the Class of 2023.

Asia

City University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

International Christian University

KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology

Keio University, Mita Campus

Korea University

National Taiwan University

National University of Singapore

Sophia University

Tamkang University

The University of Hong Kong

Waseda University

Australia & New Zealand

Monash University

The University of Western Australia University of New South Wales University of Sydney

Canada

Carleton University

McGill University

McMaster University

Nova Scotia College of Art & Design

Queen’s University

Sheridan College

Simon Fraser University

The University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Toronto Metropolitan University

University of Calgary

University of Guelph

University of Ottawa University of Toronto

University of Windsor

Western University

York University

Europe & United Kingdom

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Charles University

Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne

Franklin University Switzerland

Imperial College London

King’s College London

Leiden University

Les Roches

London School of Economics and Political Science

Loughborough University

Maastricht University

Radboud University

University College London University College Utrecht

University of Amsterdam

University of East Anglia

University of Edinburgh

University of Manchester

University of Oxford

University of St. Andrews

University of Warwick

Utrecht University

United States

Babson College

Barnard College

Berklee College of Music

Boston College

Boston University

Brandeis University

Brigham Young University

Brown University

California College of the Arts

California Institute of Technology

California Lutheran University

California Polytechnic State University, Pomona

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

California State University, Long Beach

California State University, Sacramento Carleton College

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

Chapman University

Claremont McKenna College

College of the Atlantic

Columbia International University

Columbia University

Connecticut College

Cornell University

Davidson College

Denison University

DePaul University

Drexel University

Duke University

Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester

Eckerd College

Emerson College

Emory University

Fordham University

Franklin & Marshall College

George Mason University

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Gonzaga University

Goucher College

Harvard University

Harvey Mudd College

Hope College

Hult International Business School

Indiana University Bloomington

James Madison University

Johns Hopkins University

Kennesaw State University

Lafayette College

Loyola Marymount University

Maryland Institute College of Art

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Michigan State University

Mt. San Antonio College

New York University

Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University

Northwestern University

Occidental College

Oxford College at Emory University

Pace University

Pepperdine University

Pitzer College

Pomona College

Princeton University

Purdue University

Quinnipiac University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhode Island School of Design

Rice University

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Santa Clara University

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Southern New Hampshire University

Stanford University

Stony Brook University

Syracuse University

Texas A&M University

The New School

The University of Texas at Austin

Tufts University

United States Naval Academy

University of Arizona

University of Arkansas

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Riverside

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Chicago

University of Delaware

University of Illinois at Urbana

Champaign

University of Maryland

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Michigan Ann Arbor

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Notre Dame

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

University of Puget Sound

University of Rochester

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Southern California

University of Virginia

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Utah State University

Vanderbilt University

Vassar College

Villanova University

Virginia Military Institute

Washington University in St. Louis

Wellesley College

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Wesleyan University

Yale University