Taipei American School | 800 Zhongshan N. Rd., Section 6, Taipei, Taiwan | blueandgoldonline.org | VOLUME XXX, ISS. 01 | October 25, 2023
NEWS
New principal at TAS PAGE 5
VERDICTS New Hair, New Tee, NewJeans 2nd EP do you see? VERDICTS PAGE 7 PAGE 7
OPINIONS
Inflation hits TAS but what about the world? PAGE 8
AUTUMN AWAKENING
Illustration by Ashley H. (‘24)
Stepping into wonderland with upperschool dance By Katherine Ma (‘24) & Abby Chang (‘24)
The Upper School (US) Dance team hosted its first dance production from Oct. 12 to 14. This year, the dance production was based on the renowned fantasy story, “Alice in Wonderland”. “It’s based on the book, but we added our own plot to it so it makes more sense [for the dance production],” Ms. Kendra Ing (she/ her), the upper school dance teacher and one of the choreographers of the dance, said. This year’s production showcased a variety of dance styles, primarily with influences from commercial and street dancing. The choreography featured elements of jazz, contemporary and more, creating a vibrant and dynamic stage presence. Every character was brought to life through carefully selected music and choreography. “Each character’s music is very different, which also defines and influences the style and the choreography [for each character],” Ms. Ing said. One distinctive aspect of TAS upper school dance productions is the use of doublecasting roles in all their productions. Not only does double casting assist in providing backup, but it also encourages mutual support among the dancers, contrasting the competitive stereotypes often associated with dance teams. “Our dancers feel like it’s more of a family than it is competitive,” Ms. Cheryl Lagerquist (she/her), the upper school dance teacher and performing arts chair and one of the choreographers, said. Yvonne L. (‘24, she/her) took on the role of Mad Hatter for the dance production. “The dance family is truly one of the most supportive communities out there and I’ve met some of my best friends from dance,” Yvonne said. Overall, the dance production was a noteworthy success, leaving a lasting impression on audience members. From the tech crew to dancers, everyone put in their best efforts to the show. These efforts were evident to audience members during the show. “I saw samples of the show beforehand but seeing the whole thing was truly a whole different experience,” Ariel L. (‘24), who went to see the show on its premiere night, said. “It was clear that the dancers and everyone else involved were giving it their all, and that made the show all the more memorable.”
Understanding the new add/drop policy: insight from Ms. Read By Katrina Fu (‘24) Last spring, the new add/drop policy was announced to the Upper School by the Taipei American School (TAS) administration. This decision, made by the Upper School office, personal and academic counseling office and the college counseling office, intends to encourage students to think about their course loads earlier in the year. Due to the heavy workloads TAS students often burden themselves with, the administration believes that it is important for students to consider their well-being with respect to the courses they choose.
The main change in the policy is that classes dropped after the end of Quarter 1 will now be marked with a “W”, standing for withdrawal, on the student’s transcript. This indicator is to help colleges better understand changes in a student’s schedule as it helps rule out the possibility of a transcript error. “If a student drops a course after the transcripts [for Early Action and Early Decision applications] have gone out, it can draw unnecessary scrutiny from colleges,” Ms. Becky Read, the upper school principal, said. The change is also intended to put less
stress on teachers at the beginning of the year. With students dropping out of their classes towards the end of the semester, teachers were spending a lot of time correcting the online grade books. As such, the process of transferring and switching classes affected both students and their teachers. “Teachers have to switch a student out of one class and into another during the add/drop period,” Ms. Read said. “It’s much harder for them to do so the further down the semester it is.” One of the main concerns many students had about the new add/drop policy was
the issue of balancing their schedules once school started. Students were originally told that they were not able to add more courses, balance their schedules or move classes around in the fall semester. Subsequently, they were told to do so during the previous spring semester. As such, many students were concerned with not being provided the option of balancing their schedules once they began taking their classes. “There are always exceptions,” Ms. Read said. “If a student has a legitimate reason for needing something changed, we can generally accommodate them.”
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
This year, over 67% of seniors dressed up in their class color. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS YEARBOOK]
A popular Field Day tradition is using face paint to show class pride. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS YEARBOOK]
All grades met on the field to compete in classic field games like tug of war. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS YEARBOOK]
The new dress-scoring policy only counts tops for points. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS YEARBOOK]
Many games also took place in the Derryl Franz Middle School Gymnasium. [PHOTO COURTESY OF TAS YEARBOOK]
Taking the next step at the CAT University Fair By Katherine Ma & Victoria Hsu (‘24)
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TAS upperclassmen volunteers helped guide guests at the fair. Volunteers were also involved in the set-up and clean-up processes. [VICTORIA HSU/THE BLUE & GOLD]
fter three years of COVID-19 restrictions, Taipei American School (TAS) has finally been able to host the Counseling Association of Taiwan (CAT) University Fair again. The fair welcomes admission officers from over 110 universities worldwide who come to share and meet with potential applicants. Initially established in 2017, the fair became a well-known event in the college counseling community. Mr. John Gursky (he/him), a TAS college counselor, has been a key figure in its organization, working closely with the rest of the college counseling team. “Everyone on the team is involved,” Mr. Gursky said, “There are so many pieces to setting up the fair, so everyone has a role in planning.”
This year, the event was open to other Taiwanese schools, such as Taipei European School (TES) and Hsinchu International Academy (HIA). The college counseling team was excited to bring this opportunity back to Taiwan and share it with 21 other high schools in attendance. “We want to use our resources to give high schools across Taiwan access to things that come like second nature to us at TAS,” Mr. Gursky said. To continue attracting college admissions officers from around the world, it is imperative that TAS upholds its hospitable reputation. In this effort, the college counseling team recruited the Art Honors Society (AHS) to design a mural, incorporating Taiwanese cultural elements, welcoming admissions officers to Taiwan. Besides this, college admissions officers
were provided with lunch and bubble tea. “The conversations that I have been having with students are amazing,” Megan Buckley (she/her), the assistant director of international admission at the University of Denver, said. “I think the students are really thinking about the right things and choosing the best university for their future.” The CAT University Fair was a great opportunity for students to explore new universities and build relationships with college admission officers. “I think the CAT Fair really gave me the opportunity to explore what universities around the world have to offer,” Lorraine W. (‘25), a junior at TAS, said. “It gave me a lot to think about when I begin the college application process next year.”
TAS Returns to All American High School Film Festival By Erin Wu (‘25)
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Film students take advantage of the New York City skyscrapers as a background for photos and videos. [ERIN WU/THE BLUE & GOLD]
or the first time since the pandemic started, students of the upper school film production program are finally returning to the All American High School Film Festival (AAHSFF), an international film invitational held in the heart of New York City. The basis of the competition is, ten weeks before the competition, an open-ended prompt that all films must include is released by the festival. This year’s prompt is ‘What you don’t know’. Students have until the start of the competition to complete ideation, preproduction and any other preparations they wish to have before arriving in New York. The competition is held over the course of two days, where students are expected to film, edit and submit a finished piece to be judged alongside hundreds of other films all created by high school students from around the world. Since the start of the school year, a team comprised of ten film students have been in
the process of preparing for the festival that will take place in mid-October. “We are well into the pre-production process and we’ve generated a ton of ideas,” Mr. Brett Barrus, one of the team’s producers, said. “We’re definitely getting close to having a story structure that we’re happy with.” After settling on a story, some students then move on to production training, where they get used to the technical aspects of filmmaking, including how to use camera, sound and light equipment. Other students continue to work on the script and development of the story. Until the start of the competition, students are not allowed to produce anything that will be used in the final film other than costumes and props since they must adhere to the requirement that all footage is filmed in New York. “Until then, we’re just going to be doing a bunch of rehearsing, running lines and trying different blockings.” Mr. Adrian Town, another
producer, said. In order to emulate what the process will be like in New York as much as possible, they are aiming to replicate the kind of spaces they’ll film at and practicing filming the scenes. “This is the first time I’ve done such a long, planned-out film. I’m excited to see how our team will execute that.” Sofia H. (‘25, she/her) said. As the first time Taipei American School (TAS) students have been able to attend the festival since the COVID-19 pandemic, the film students and advisors alike are all looking forward to the event. “I’m really happy we’re getting back to these events. I think these experiences really galvanize teams and create a lot of excitement that leads into the next year where younger students become the leaders,” Mr. Barrus said. Students are also eager to take part in such a renowned festival. “I’m a little scared to disappoint, but I’m looking forward to what we come up with.” Aiden H. (‘25, he/him) said.
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
By Victoria Hsu (‘24) & Aiden Shen (‘27)
Taipei American School (TAS) athletes returned to the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) sports competitions after a year of success last year. The volleyball and cross country teams traveled to Singapore American School (SAS) and soccer athletes traveled to Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) to compete on Oct. 11 to 15.
SOCCER BOYS - SIXTH
GIRLS - SECOND
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[PHOTO COURTESY OF JIS ATHLETICS]
he boys soccer team placed sixth overall in the IASAS tournament. This year, the team was led by captain Jason P. (‘24) and assistant captains Daniel T. (‘24) and Evan H. (‘24). Although IASAS did not end in the way he wanted, Evan still believes that his team played well. “The games just came down to the last minute every time,” he said. “So if we had capitalized on a few more of our chances, then our outcome in the tournament would have been different.” As a senior, Evan is sad to leave TAS soccer behind. “JV and Varsity soccer have given me great memories and experiences that I will never forget,” he said. “It was great being able to play this beautiful game with all of my teammates.”
[PHOTO COURTESY OF JIS ATHLETICS]
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he girls soccer team placed second, losing their final game against SAS by two points. This year, the team was led by captain Ava T. (‘24). Alongside her were two assistant captains, Maya K. (‘24) and Chloe L. (‘24). Even though they had an unfortunate loss in the championship game, Ava is still happy with how her team performed during the IASAS tournament. “I am so proud of the way our girl’s team played during IASAS,” she said. “Entering the tournament, I was confident in my team’s physical and mental abilities, and I was right to be. We performed better each game, and I am so thankful to have ended my high school season with them in the finals.”
VOLLEYBALL BOYS - SECOND
GIRLS - THIRD
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[PHOTO COURTESY OF SAS ATHLETICS]
he boys volleyball team placed second, losing the championship match to SAS. The team was led by co-captains Justin L. (‘24), Adam T. (‘24) and Max C. (‘24). “Winning and losing is not everything,” Max said. “It’s about what you can learn from your defeats and victories that matter.” Although losing the championship game, Max believes that his team played well. “I think it was a deserved win for SAS,” he said. “We fought our best and put on a good show for everyone to watch.” Max is confident that his team will be ready for next year, so long as they put time and effort to train. “I think the highlight of this season was seeing the younger players grow and mature,“ he said. “I hope they continue to improve as players after the season ends.“
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[PHOTO COURTESY OF SAS ATHLETICS]
he girls volleyball team earned a bronze medal, winning their final match against SAS. This year, the team was led by co-captains Ella J. (‘24) and Rafi L. (‘25). Despite not ending the season the way she wanted, Ella is still immensely proud of her team. “I knew that if we were to lose to a team, it wouldn’t be because we had less skill, but because we lost to ourselves mentally,” Ella said. “I think after this IASAS, the team will come back next year even hungrier and more determined than ever.” Nonetheless, she is still proud of her team and the journey they’ve been on together. “I think we played amazing and we proved to all the IASAS teams that we are the better team,” she said.
CROSS COUNTRY BOYS - FIRST
GIRLS - SECOND
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[PHOTO COURTESY OF SAS ATHLETICS]
he boys cross country team placed first, defending their position from last year. The team, led by co-captains Charlie H. (‘24), Matteo O. (‘24) and Sawyer S. (‘26), had 32 points. After placing first in the 5K and 3K race, Charlie believes that this year was a success. “IASAS this year was one to remember. As a team we finished 1st,” he said. “This is only the second time in TAS history that we have won and we did it back to back.” As defending champions, the pressure was greater than ever on this year’s team to defend their title. “Last year we brought an unstoppable team, but this year, we beat our past,” Charlie said. “I am so proud of this team and look forward to the future of TAS Cross Country.”
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[PHOTO COURTESY OF SAS ATHLETICS]
he girls cross country team placed second this year with 52 points. The team was led by co-captains Kaitlyn L. (‘24) and Elliette S. (‘24). The girls cross country team also faced many issues like injuries and sickness. Because of this, Elliette is proud of how her team did at the tournament. “Of course we are super grateful to have placed so high, but deep down we know that first place should have been ours,” Elliette said. Even though there are many younger runners on the team this year, Elliette is confident that her team will be ready for IASAS next year. “We have a strong team of girls who are hungry for gold,” she said. “I have no doubt that they will prove everyone wrong and kill it at every race.”
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
NEW TIGERS
Let’s welcome our
Abby Chang, Katherine Ma,
Ms. Ya-yi Weng (she/her)
Dr. Liz Warrick (she/her)
Mr. Parth Patel (he/him)
Ms. Ya-yi Weng is a new upper school Mandarin teacher. She has taught at New York, Connecticut, Virginia, Pennsylvania and California. Ms. Weng lived in Taiwan before moving to the US for school and work. “I’ve always thought about coming back to Taiwan,” she said. “I’ve been away from my family for the past nine years.” Even though the school year has only just begun, Ms. Weng feels a strong sense of community within TAS. “My favorite thing about TAS is that everyone is trying so hard to help you adjust and help [me] feel good about being here,” Ms. Weng said. The biggest lesson Ms. Weng hopes to teach her students is the value of learning life skills, like compassion. “I teach tolerance. I teach respect. I teach kindness to others in spirit,” she said. “I just want this world to be a better place for everyone.” [Photo Courtesy of Ms. Ya-yi Weng]
Dr. Liz Warrick is the new K-12 Electronic Resources Librarian. With over 20 years of experience as a librarian, Dr. Warrick has worked in various countries such as Senegal and China, with Taiwan being her seventh country. She started her career as an parent, volunteering to help the library. “I loved it so much, so I decided to switch over to school systems,” Dr. Warrick said. Her biggest challenge so far has been living without her kids. “I’ve just been kind of putting one foot in front of the other,” she said. However, Dr. Warrick is very excited about supporting students in their research. She is especially eager to help students get their works officially published. Moreover, she hopes to make more connections with various departments. “I would love to see a collaboration between the arts and the sciences being empowered by technology,” Dr. Warrick said. “If I did that, I could die happy.” [Photo Courtesy of Dr. Liz Warrick]
Mr. Parth Patel is a new upper school teacher who teaches courses in mathematics, computer science and robotics. As one of the new mentors, Mr. Patel is looking forward to becoming involved in the TAS First Robotics Competition (FRC) team. Having been a member of a FRC team himself in high school, he hopes to continue building his experience through being a team mentor. Having never been to East Asia, Mr. Patel’s transition to Taiwan has come with its fair share of challenges. “The first thing I noticed [when I came to Taiwan] is how illiterate I am,” he said. Nevertheless, he enjoys having the opportunity to expand his professional skills by teaching in a different environment and culture. In line with his passion for technology, one of his favorite things about TAS so far has been the Solomon Wong Tech Cube. “The Tech Cube is amazing, especially with all of the types of resources we have here,” Mr. Patel said. [Photo Courtesy of Mr. Tobie Openshaw]
Mr. Micah Cook (he/him)
Mr. Patrick Young (he/him)
Mr. Lawrence Zhou (he/him)
Mr. Micah Cook is a new upper school social science teacher. He teaches AP Seminar, AP Economics and coaches the Upper School Speech and Debate program after school. Prior to moving here, Mr. Cook had visited friends in Taiwan and thus is already adjusted to the new environment. He is excited to continue improving his Mandarin in Taiwan, “If I had ever wanted to move to Asia, I knew Taiwan was going to be the best choice,” Mr. Cook said. As a speech and debate coach, Mr. Cook is excited to help TAS expand their program even further. He hopes to introduce the students to World School Debate and British Parliamentary Debate, which are different debating styles. “TAS has a very American style of debate,” he said. “I would like to expand their knowledge to get them involved in other international tournaments.” Mr. Cook believes that it is extremely important for students to maintain a passion for learning. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a spark to be ignited,” he said. [Photo Courtesy of Mr. Micah Cook]
Mr. Patrick Young is a new upper school English teacher and Journalism advisor. Prior to coming to TAS, he taught English at Seoul International School for 7 years. According to Mr. Young, the transition to Taiwan has been full of pointing at things on menus and using Google Translate. “I didn’t know where anything was,” Mr. Young said. “It’s difficult when there aren’t big stores to complete all errands [as compared to South Korea].” Coming from a smaller school in South Korea, Mr. Young finds the technology in TAS to be challenging. “I have not worked with anything related to Microsoft for like 25 years,” Mr. Young said. However, Mr. Young is optimistic about overcoming his difficulties and is thankful for the support he has received from the TAS community Mr. Young’s teaching philosophy is centered on being the most substantial source of support and aid for his students. “I’m trying to help them get from wherever they were to higher on the mountain one way or another,” Mr. Young said. [Photo Courtesy of Mr. Patrick Young]
Mr. Zhou is a new upper school social science teacher. He teaches AP Psychology, Public Speaking and coaches speech and debate. Before coming to teach at TAS, he previously taught speech and debate at local high schools in Kaohshiung, Chang Hua, Taichung, New Taipei and Taipei City to help students improve their English, debate and research skills. The help of other teachers in the department, he has been able to transition to TAS smoothly. “I don’t think it has been too challenging of a transition, namely, because other teachers here, especially Mr. Ives, have been incredibly helpful,” Mr. Zhou said. Mr. Zhou has found TAS to be very similar to the teaching environment in the United States. “[TAS] is very much reminiscent of private school in the Bay Area. Although with a little bit more Chinese spoken in the hallways,” he said. One of Mr. Zhou’s favorite thing about TAS is the opportunities for students to explore their interest and passions outside of the classroom setting. [Photo Courtesy of Mr. Lawrence Zhou]
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the blue & gold october 23, 2023
ON SITE
new faculty and students
Victoria Hsu, Katrina Fu
New Interim Head of School: Ms. Evelyne Estey
Ms. Estey poses for a photo in her office [ABBY CHANG/THE BLUE & GOLD]
Ms. Estey smiles in front of a borrowed artwork from the art department she liked. [KATHERINE MA/THE BLUE & GOLD]
Taipei American School (TAS) welcomes Ms. Evelyne Estey (she/her) as the interim head of school for the 2023-2024 school year. Ms. Estey has an extensive background in education. Before coming to TAS, she was the head of school at Lycée Français de New York. “I love the head of school job, I’m passionate about education,” Ms. Estey said. “While looking for an opportunity outside of the United States, where I have lived for 40 years, I discovered an opening at TAS.” Although her time in Taiwan has been brief so far, she observes that it is a very different environment in comparison to the other countries she used to live in, including New York City and Paris. “There are no snow days, rather, typhoon days!” she said. Besides experiencing Taiwan’s temperamental weather, Ms. Estey has been enjoying the liveliness of Taiwanese culture and the safe metropolitan, Taipei. As interim head of school, one big project Ms. Estey has been getting involved in is the self-study project for The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) because the 20232024 school year is an accreditation year for TAS, where TAS will be reviewed for the quality of its programs. She has been working alongside Deputy Head of School Liz Gale, who leads the project. She has also been tasked with assisting the next Head of School, David Frankenberg, in his
transition for the 2024-2025 school year. Ms. Estey is excited to explore more of the community at TAS. “I want to visit as many classrooms as I can,” Ms. Estey said. “I want to visit and see as many performances, games, and practices as I can to get a good sense of the co-curricular life of students.” In this pursuit, one event that Ms. Estey is most excited about attending is the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools (IASAS) basketball tournament that is being held at TAS during the season two sports.
“I love the head of school job, I’m passionate about education.” In turn, the TAS community has been very welcoming to the new interim Head of School. “It’s really exciting to see the students walk into school. Every so often, the Lower School students greet me with a ‘Bonjour,’” she said. “It’s very cute.” As she reflects on her time at TAS so far, Ms. Estey is filled with gratitude. “I would love to thank everyone in the community that I’ve had the great fortune of meeting for their kindness and care in welcoming me,” she said. “It has made my job and transition into TAS wonderfully easy.” Note: Checked over by Ms. Estey for accuracy and revisions.
New Upper School Principal: Ms. Becky Read Taipei American School (TAS) is delighted to welcome Ms. Becky Read (she/ her) as the new upper school principal. Prior to coming to TAS, Ms. Read taught social studies in the United States and also worked as an administrator in Shanghai American School (SAS) and Morocco.
“I’d like to know what’s going on in school from the student’s perspective.”
Ms. Read stylishly poses for a headshot. [PHOTO COURTESY OF BECKY READ]
Ms. Read’s decision to join the TAS Upper School was primarily motivated by her fondness for working with older students, seeing their educational needs and growth potential and her eagerness to collaborate with other like-minded teachers and faculty. Additionally, Ms. Read’s desire to renew her experiences in Asia and take up a new challenge contributed to her choice. “I found that I was missing some of my adventures,” Ms. Read said. “So I wanted to come back [to Asia].” Despite her eagerness to move to Asia, Ms. Read still faces many challenges in Taiwan. The weather, for instance, is
something that Ms. Read finds difficult to adjust to in Taiwan. “Taiwan is humid compared to where I have lived,” Ms. Read said. “So getting used to humidity has been quite challenging.” Additionally, Ms. Read acknowledged that TAS, as a larger institution, required a long period of adaptation. Understanding her role, how she fits into the school system and how others work throughout the school has been her central focus. As the COVID-19 pandemic loosens up, Ms. Read is excited to demonstrate the importance of community building, a theme she finds especially impactful. She is dedicated to nurturing a sense of togetherness among teachers, students and parents. To further gain insight into student experience, Ms. Read is looking forward to spending time in classrooms and interacting with students. “I’d like to know what’s going on in school from the student’s perspective,” Ms. Read said. “I hope that people won’t mind if I stopped by and asked some questions about what they’re doing.” She believes that if people work together, they not only get more done but also get to recognize each other’s humanity. FUN FACT: Ms. Read’s go-to McDonald’s order is a Filet-O-Fish without the tartar sauce.
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
INTRODUCTION TO INCOMING CLUBS By Erin Wu (‘25) & Annabelle Hsu (‘27)
With the new school year comes a plethora of new school clubs started by students with a drive to create a community for various interests. Through shared hobbies and passions, students are able to find mutual enthusiasm in the diverse variety of clubs. This year, a number of clubs have been founded with purposes in the fields of arts and crafts to robotics and science. The Blue and Gold talked to a couple of presidents of the new clubs, here’s a brief introduction to Flourishing Love and Block with Block.
Flourishing Love: Artistry & Connection
Members of Flourishing Love arrange bouquets together. [PHOTO COURTESY OF
F
lourishing Love is one of the new clubs at Taipei American School (TAS) this year. Their mission is to spread relaxation, creativity, and love through floral arranging during events and outings. Throughout her years in the upper school, club president Angela C. (‘24, she/her) has turned to floral arranging as a therapeutic, calming activity to relieve stress and explore her artistry. She hopes that the activity will connect the TAS community and provide the same relaxing effect for students and staff alike. Besides flower arranging, Flourishing Love has brainstormed activities like donating to organizations and traveling to community institutions. “[A potential activity] our officers [suggested was] going to orphanages and teaching [the kids] how to create paper flowers or other small activities,” Angela said. As for her future plans for Flourishing Love, Angela hopes that the club can continue after she graduates. As a senior, she can only be president for a year, but with Claire L. (‘26) as vice president, Luna L. (‘26) as an activity head, as well as many other new members joining this year, Flourishing Love will surely continue to blossom.
FLOURISHING LOVE]
Block with Block: Service & Sustainability
Members of Formosa Charity reconstruct an old home. [PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAEWON B. (‘25)]
B
lock with Block, another new club this year, is dedicated to making the community greener and servicing those around Taiwan that live in underprivileged areas. Started by Chaewon B. (‘25, she/her), the club helps restore and build homes for people living in underfunded areas and those that have been displaced due to natural disasters. The members also strive to make cities and communities more sustainable by raising awareness about climate matters. What prompted her to start the club was a service project she attended over the summer with Formosa Charity, a nonprofit organization based in Taiwan that reconstructs houses for neighborhoods in need. “We started in a region in Nantou that had been destroyed by a forest fire,” she said. “When we started, [Formosa Charity] had gathered a bunch of [construction materials and] were able to build a fully stable house just from that.” The sheer extent of their endeavors made Chaewon want to assist the effort somehow. For that reason, she started a club to collaborate with Formosa Charity. In the future, Chaewon wishes to have outings alongside Formosa Charity to regions around Taiwan that may need enrichment. Ultimately, she wants everyone to understand the impact of climate change and be able to help those affected by it through the club. “I really want to be able to bring students along on this mission because I think we tend to be less exposed to these issues,” she said.
800 CHUNG SHAN N. RD. TAIPEI 11152 TAIWAN EDITORS-IN-CHIEF VICTORIA HSU (‘24) ABBY CHANG (‘24) MANAGING EDITOR (PRINT) KATHERINE MA (‘24) MANAGING EDITOR (WEBSITE) ERIN WU (‘25) STAFF WRITERS KATRINA FU (‘24) SOFIA VALADAO (‘26) AIDEN SHEN (‘27) ANNABELLE HSU (‘27) ADVISER MR. PATRICK YOUNG MISSION STATEMENT The Blue & Gold is a student-run publication dedicated to sharing stories from the Taipei American School community. Produced and distributed free of charge monthly during the academic year by staff writers at TAS, The Blue & Gold strives to showcase and interrogate the community it serves. CORRECTIONS We take all measures possible to report accurately, and seek to bring professional, thorough reporting to our readers. Please report any inaccuracies in Blue & Gold content to out email, blueandgold@tas.tw. OP-EDS AND EDITORIALS Editorials collectively represent the opinions of the Blue & Gold’s editorial board, while op-eds represent the opinions of each writer. Opinions in The Blue & Gold do not necessarily reflect the views of TAS student body, staff, faculty, or administration. THE BLUE & GOLD ONLINE The Blue & Gold runs an online edition that publishes articles every weekday when school is in operation. Find the website at blueandgoldonline.org. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letter submissions from all readers. Email your signed letter of under 500 words at blueandgold@
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
New Hair, New Tee, NewJeans 2nd EP do you see? By Erin Wu. (‘25)
NewJeans, a five person K-pop girl group from the independent Korean record label ADOR under HYBE, has quickly amassed one of the biggest global fan bases following their debut just over a year ago. Being the fastest K-pop acts in history to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, it’s no surprise that their most recent album ‘Get Up’ continues to break international music charts after its release on July 21, 2023. The songs on the album, like many of their others, incorporate a mix of R&B, hip-hop and pop elements.
New Jeans
Super Shy
ETA
The album starts with the track “New Jeans”, a lively, upbeat song about personal transformation and being confident in the process. The quick beats are accompanied by light hearted lyrics like, “New hair, New tee, NewJeans/Do you see,” The repetitive nature of the lyrics, tune and rythm make for a catchy song, complete with the distinctive voices of each member that add a unique flair.
“Super Shy” starts off strong with the song opening to the chorus. It then follows a Jersey Club rhythm, which is characterized by fastpaced drumming and staccato usage. The song employs a range of vocal styles, which feels new in the K-pop world, such as: a talking-singing style that shows up repeatedly in each verse. The signature choreography makes the song entertaining, though one drawback is the short runtime at around two and a half minutes long.
The following song, “ETA” (estimated time of arrival) follows a story revolving around a friend of NewJeans that suspects her boyfriend of cheating. The lyrics encourage her to embrace her selfworth and to quickly leave the troubled relationship. This darker theme of cheating is completely masked by the same pattern of animated ‘dance music’ that continues throughout most songs on the album.
Cool With You
Get Up
ASAP
The song “Cool With You” also stands out in terms of vocals, as the less intense instrumentals allow the member’s voices to stand out a bit more. It does a good job of combining R&B elements into pop music, which is what NewJeans seems to do best. It feels much more on-brand to them as a group compared to the other songs in the album. They also include a variety of vocal styles in the chorus, having some lines sung and some lines whispered, making the song more unique.
“Get Up” is the shortest song on the album, being only thirty-six seconds. However, it is one of, if not the most memorable song that delivers a fresh take in contrast to the other songs. The tune is definitely more laid back and dreamy, which works really well with the members’ soft vocals. The length, however, does make the audience wish for slightly more. With the song consisting only of a verse and chorus, the chorus seems repetitive when that’s all there is, sung back to back.
The last song, “ASAP” contains one of the most prominent backing tracks of the album. The girls repeat the words ‘Tick-tock, ticktock, tick-tock”, emphasizing the message: young love feeling urgent in the sense that it’s difficult to get through long periods of time without communication. However, though the song is catchy, it feels a little lackluster to put at the end of the album, especially because it leans into the upbeat energy that feels slightly too similar to the other songs without delivering a strong impact.
[PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWJEANS KR]
[PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOR]
Barbie: a fluorescent feminist fable By Erin Wu (‘25) & Sofia Valadao (‘26) Greta Gerwig’s hit movie “Barbie” — starring Margot Robbie as the protagonist and Ryan Gosling as her overlooked boyfriend Ken— has become the highestgrossing movie of 2023, making $575 million within the United States and $1.3 billion internationally. A cinematic reinvention of toy company Mattel’s most famous doll franchise, the film follows Barbie – a stereotypically feminine and rather naive doll – as she navigates her journey out of the perfect-pink matriarchy of Barbie Land into the epically disappointing realm of the Real World. Taken aback by reality that seems to be turned against her, Barbie struggles to grasp the credibility of the Barbie Land system she is accustomed to living by and suffers through an identity crisis.
From evoking intense feelings of nostalgia and celebrating femininity to addressing current social discussions regarding gender equity and empowerment, Barbie really does it all. The film’s tongue-in-cheek dialogue and its comical dance sequences are guaranteed to make you laugh, yet its deeply emotional monologues about societal pressures and the bittersweetness of girlhood will leave with tissues in hand. Barbie balances comedy and sombreness excellently, while also leaving much of the story up to the interpretation of the audience. However, many have criticized the movie’s use of fairly surface-level feminist ideas and the over-trivialization of its male characters. Though these criticisms are true to an extent, their implementation into the film is not
inherently reprehensible. Yes, the feminist notions explored in the movie may appear to lack profoundness. But is it not important to be enlightened about the foundational values of this movement before mainstream media delves into more convoluted topics? Yes, the majority of the film’s male characters are trivialized and undervalued. But wasn’t the whole purpose of that creative decision to expose the irony and hypocrisy of the patriarchy? While valid to an extent, such judgments unintentionally perpetuate the issues that Barbie highlights. Thus, if an ideal activity includes looking to embark on an emotional rollercoaster or simply to be transported back to the days when pink Dreamhouses and polka-dot Schlond Poofas were all that mattered… look no further as Barbie does it best.
[PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES]
Oppenheimer: Mystic Fiction & Historical Reflection By Sofia Valadao (‘26)
[PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES]
“Oppenheimer”, Director Christopher Nolan’s chilling biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, has generated $925.9 million internationally (as of late September 2023) since its release on July 21. Starring Cillian Murphy as the eponymous main character, alongside other acclaimed actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, the film depicts the top-secret Manhattan Project —during which a team of American scientists developed the atomic bomb in a scientific-innovation race against the Nazis— and the ramifications of the dropping of such a bomb on Japan. Through Nolan’s unique blending of historical accuracy and obscure fiction, as well as Murphy’s impeccable embodiment of Oppenheimer’s intellectual brilliance and internal moral conflict, Oppenheimer not only portrays the sense of uncertainty and
foreboding America was experiencing during World War II, but it also questions the prioritization of scientific innovation at the cost of morality. Additionally, smaller details like the eerie string music that charts Oppenheimer’s story and Nolan’s strategic alternation between different color palettes for different characters’ perspective immerses audiences into this unsettling story even further. However, a considerable amount of backlash has been recieved from Japanese viewers regarding the lack of focus placed on the devastation that Japan endured after the dropping of the bombs. The only aspect of the film that remotely addresses the suffering that Nagasaki and Hiroshima went through was a scene showcasing the reactions of Oppenheimer and other scientists to President Truman’s radio announcement confirming the
droppings. Though it is true that the movie is centered more on the development of the bomb rather than the war it was used for, the unforgettable destruction that was inflicted upon Japan is an element of this historical event that simply cannot be swept under the rug. Shedding light on the bomb’s impact on Japan could have not only given a voice to the victims of the bombing, but it could have also further served the film’s purpose as a cautionary tale for the dangerous consequences of nuclear weapon innovation. Despite this, Oppenheimer is a thoughtprovoking and deeply moving cinematic masterpiece that not only immerses audiences into this intensely complex event in history, but provokes them to challenge the placement of scientific discovery over human decency.
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the blue & gold october 25, 2023
Disney’s Snow White (2024): a feminist marvel Money Made Simple or a woman-bashing flop?
By Katherine Ma (‘24) When 2021 started seeing the end of COVID-19 lockdowns, the global economy entered a period of recovery. However, with this abrupt turn of events, came an inflation surge that has had resounding impacts. According to Statistaw, 2022 saw an 8.73% global inflation rate, marking the highest rate seen in years. With such inflation, prices of goods and services have seen a significant rise. So what is behind this inflation? The recent inflation surge can be attributed to an imbalance between supply and demand, brought on by blocked supply chains caused by the pandemic and the RussoUkrainian War. Shortages caused by these blocked supply chains have thus led to a rise in the prices of goods and services, ultimately promoting inflation. Going forward, some sources like the International Monetary Fund predict a gradual decline in global inflation rates while others like Statista warn of a recession, leaving the global economic outlook uncertain.
The live-action remake of Snow White from Disney is projected to release in March of 2024. [COURTESY OF THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY/WALT DISNEY ]
By Sofia Valadao (‘26) After centuries of belittlement and oppression, it seems like the world finally gives a damn about women (about time at that). Whether through the rising popularity of matriarchal fantasy movies or girlempowering Instagram accounts, feminism has firmly planted itself in our world and has no intention of backing down. But, while modern-day feminism seems to be doing an excellent job at maximizing liberation and freedom of expression for women, many of the paradigms that it now promotes unintentionally induce more harm than good. First revealed in 2016 by The Hollywood Reporter, Walt Disney Studios’ classic film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is going live-action: Snow White is expected to hit theaters by March 2024. But, the new film’s deviation from its predecessor’s characters and plot line has sparked an unprecedented amount of backlash directed towards the film. Inaccurate racial casting and Disney’s supposed hatred for people with dwarfism aside, the creative decision that Snow White’s creators have received the most criticism for is the titular princess’ shift in life aspirations: the 1937 Snow White was a quiet and gentle girl who dreamed of finding true love, whereas the 2024 Snow White is an ambitious young woman who
scoffs at romance and strives to become the leader of her kingdom. From the surface, the purpose of this plot change seems fairly obvious: stray away from the original’s apparently outdated character, and provide young girls with an apparently more empowering role model. Even the film’s lead actress Rachel Zegler herself said in an interview with Vanity Fair, “[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs] is an 86-year-old cartoon, and [the new] version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’”. But such a drastic storyline shift forces us to ask ourselves, was there actually anything inherently sexist or outdated about Zegler’s 86-year-old forerunner? Sure, striving solely for true love and a life revolving around the domestic sphere may be a path that’s becoming less and less popular amongst young girls…but does that make it innately wrong? Is mainstream media now suggesting that housewives and stay-at-home moms are inferior to their career-driven counterparts? Snow White is a prime example of a liberal facade that’s becoming increasingly common in modern media: pseudo feminism—actions or statements that appear to align with feminist values but are not genuinely grounded in a belief in gender equality and the empowerment of
women. Snow White’s creators claim to have shifted the protagonists’ aspirations in the name of liberating women, yet deviating away from a story that was not necessarily sexist in the first place suggests that certain types of women are more deserving of recognition and respect than others, which contributes to the female hierarchy that pseudo feminism has established. Perhaps long ago, when women were confined to motherly responsibilities and were completely shut out of the workplace, striving solely for female financial independence and career success was the primary focus of feminism. But it’s no longer the 1950s. After decades of women proving their ability to thrive in professional settings, feminism is no longer about urging women to defy every societal expectation that has been set for them throughout history, but is rather about supporting and uplifting them regardless of how they choose to live their lives. We must understand that feminism will never be a stationary, unyielding ideology: it evolves as we evolve. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good story about a fiery, breadwinning teenage girl leading her people and not taking poisoned apples from nobody…but Snow White just doesn’t happen to be one of them. And that’s okay.
Inflation has hit TAS, but what about the rest of the world? By Aiden Shen (‘27) The Village Snack Bar (more commonly known as the snack bar) is one of the biggest money-making places in Taipei American School (TAS). The snack bar used to have affordable prices and some decent french fries. This has since changedsorry, the price has changed (and there are no more french fries). At the snack bar you used to be able to get a cookie for 18 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD). Now, prices have hiked up by 55%, making them 28 NTD. These changes don’t seem like much but the prices have hiked a whole 10 NTD since 2020. So what happened? Don’t we pay enough for school already? Not to mention that the lunch boxes are sold at astronomically high prices. You can buy a box of hard rice with a cold piece of chicken for 210 NTD. That’s outrageously expensive. Students make up 90% of the people at TAS. That being said, they are the main customers at the snack bar. These raised prices have caused some distress among the student body. “Quite frankly,
the rise in price is outrageous, the snack bar-as its name suggests- is supposed to be a place where students can get snacks and not have to pay a tremendous amount of money for snacks,” Ayden C. (‘26, he/ him), a sophomore at TAS, said. “The overall quality of food has also gone down and is tricking clueless kids into spending way more than they should have to pay.”
“The overall quality of food has also gone down and is tricking clueless kids into spending way more than they should pay.” But how does the global situation tie into this? Eric Wang (he/him), coowner of restaurant Salt & Stone, has seen the impact of global inflation on food first hand. “Due to rising food
costs, prices have inevitably gone up. This often puts restaurants like Salt & Stone in a challenging position, striving to strike a balance between customer price expectations and sustaining a profitable business,” Eric said. “Our price hikes have been modest, with increases only around 10-15% since 2020. Yet, it’s worth noting we held off any price changes until early 2023.” So the global situation puts TAS in a hard spot. The management doesn’t want to charge us more than necessary but the question still stands: How do you keep business profitable without compromising quality alongside it. Restaurants all around the world are increasing prices. Eric revealed that the prices of food hiked 5-6% between 2020 and 2023. Looking around the world, how much is TAS actually shielding their students from the harsh realities of international inflation and how much of the rising food prices are not lining the pockets of staff members but compensating for the large issue around the globe: Inflation.
The snack bar serves different lunch boxes everyday. [AIDEN SHEN/THE BLUE & GOLD]