BY: ARIEL LEE
The Taipei American School (TAS) administration decided last year to cancel the annual awards ceremony, where upper school students gathered to watch their peers receive academic awards, leaving the TAS community wondering how individual students and groups would be recognized for their achievements. Awards that were canceled include academic, music, arts and political science awards. The only awards that currently remain are athletic awards, which include Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards; the administration is also currently modifying the Hall of Fame.
Upper School Principal Mr. Andrew Lowman (he/him) states that the COVID-19 pandemic has played an essential role in the decision to cancel awards ceremonies as the administration deemed it unnecessary when it came to recognizing student achievements. “Like many things, COVID-19 made us hit pause on things which allowed us to reflect and ask, ‘Why are we really doing [award ceremonies]?’” he said.
The administration’s decision to cancel the annual award ceremony came after the realization that the event did not align with the community’s values. “[Having award ceremonies] tells a bunch of other people who work and who are good students that ‘you’re good, but you’re obviously not good enough.’ And so how is that building a positive community?” Mr. Lowman said. “It wasn’t something that meant a great deal to the student body.”
Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) cross country and badminton athlete Guan C. (‘23, he/him) said that although canceling awards would create a more supportive environment where students would feel less pressured, there are other methods to acknowledge student achievements. “I understand that the awards may have fostered a win-lose environment, but I do think it’s an important way to recognize student excellence,” Guan said. “Perhaps [the administration can] expand the number of awards or students receiving each award instead of canceling it entirely.”
IASAS pianist and vocalist Kimi L.
(‘23, she/her) believes that the reason for canceling the awards is not well justified since the biggest loophole in the administration’s argument is their decision to keep the TAS Athletics Hall of Fame. “The school decided that the athlete’s individual success is worth celebrating through a place in the Hall of Fame, which is well deserved, but then they subsequently cancel all other awards celebrating artists, musicians and scholars. What about [those] students?” she said.
Despite academic awards being canceled, Mr. Lowman believes that MVP awards should still be handed out as they acknowledges the achievements of a whole sports team. “What’s nice is that the MVP award is given in the context of the team and that coach then recognizes people in that space,” he said. “It’s relevant to them. They’re a team and they know each other. It’s recognized there.”
He also notes that the administration is adjusting the Hall of Fame. “We’re looking at how to do [Hall of Fame] in the future in a way that is actually more in line with
what other schools do,” he said.
The TAS community is currently coming up with more meaningful and authentic methods for groups to celebrate their success. “We have talked to club leaders of other groups and activities about having end-of-year club events,” Mr. Lowman said. “If you want to recognize students individually at that time, that’s great, because everyone who’s there understands the context of it, and you can do it in a very personal way.”
“Sometimes a ‘congratulations’ from faculties they know can mean more to students than a bulletin board,” Guan said. “[The TAS administration] could try asking teachers to email or congratulate the students’ achievements in person.”
Meanwhile, Kimi believes that if the administration wanted to cancel awards to minimize competition, it should remove all categories. “I can understand the rationale behind canceling awards in fear of student competition, but canceling all but one award category is hypocritical,” she said.
“You either cancel all or keep all.”
Taipei American School (TAS) held the first ever Media Day on Sept. 3, celebrating the season 1 varsity athletes. The event, which is an American tradition, celebrates student-athletes through all types of media, such as social media posts, montage videos and posters.
“[Media Day] helps with publicizing the team for pep rallies and [Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools] (IASAS)” Guan C. (‘23, he/him), cocaptain of the Varsity cross country team, said.
Mr. Ron Reduta, the upper school assistant athletics director and sports information specialist, who organized the event, was inspired by a visit to the International School of Manila at IASAS volleyball in 2019. The idea to celebrate athletes during their IASAS send-offs via posters, banners and other forms of media appealed to him. Mr. Reduta believed it would be a great way to inspire school pride and show support for the varsity athletes representing TAS.
Many varsity athletes are eager to show their team spirit. “I love the idea of Media Day,” Catrina Y. (‘23, she/her), cocaptain of the varsity girl’s volleyball team, said. “It’s a great chance to bond with my teammates and make memories.”
Season 1 teams, including cross country, volleyball and soccer, all showed up in uniform for their designated time
slots, when team photos were taken. Mr. Reduta also captured group photos for the starting rosters, the group of players who starts the game.
“I’m looking at different opportunities to celebrate the athletes [and] capture some cool media to make it an event that rising athletes use as motivation,” Mr. Reduta said.
Mr. Reduta hopes that Media Day will create a buzz of excitement among the student body. “[When] season 2 begins, I want athletes to be asking, “When’s my Media Day?”’ Mr. Reduta said. With some adjustments and improvements, Mr. Reduta aims for Media Day to become a new TAS athletics tradition for varsity teams.
“I’m looking at different opportunities to celebrate the athletes [and] capture some cool media to make it an event that rising athletes use as motivation.”
Starting July, Mr. Jay Cheng (‘97) was elected as the new board chair of Taipei American School (TAS), as Ms. Tina Koo stepped down as chairwoman after a nine year term.
Prior to being elected as chair, Mr. Cheng’s contributions to the TAS community stemmed from his time as a student — Mr. Cheng was one of the first students to help wire TAS to the Internet. “[Back then,] no one knew what the Internet was,” Mr. Cheng said. “There was no club or class for that… There was a lot of student involvement in the initial creation of something that is so important to the backbone of education today.”
Mr. Cheng’s passion for technology also extends back to his college days at the University of Southern California, where he started his first business, GigaFast, which manufactures computer networking
products.
In 2015, with three other TAS alumni, Mr. Cheng founded WeMo Scooter, one of the world’s largest shared electric scooter businesses providing green economic transportation in Taiwan. WeMo has transformed the urban landscape of Taipei, promoting environmentally-friendly, affordable electrified transportation.
Carrying his entrepreneurial and serviceoriented foresights, Mr. Cheng’s vision at the Board is to establish acquired skills for TAS graduates to make impactful, largescale contributions to society. This is part of the Board’s Strategic Plan 2021-2026, which aims to “promote living a life of service,” cited in Strategic Area 2: Supporting Student Life.
Head of School Dr. Grace Cheng Dodge, who works closely with Mr. Cheng and the TAS Board, said, “Mr. Cheng’s background as an entrepreneur gives him a fearless ability to think outside the box while recognizing
that the world of education has been turned on its head during these pandemic times.”
“He is open, transparent and accessible, and his leadership and guidance through our partnership will help me lead the school as best I can,” Dr. Dodge added.
Following the previous Five Year Strategic Plan, which focused on promoting science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) education at TAS via the Solomon Wong Tech Cube, Mr. Cheng hopes to use his role as chair to advance the school’s wellness initiative, central to the Board’s Strategic Plan.
Its objectives include focusing on learning results that consider the “whole child, including social-emotional, intellectual and physical wellbeing.” Mechanisms to achieve this include providing professional development to assist in the improvement of assessment practices, among other ways cited in Strategic Area 1: Focusing on Learning.
Under Mr. Cheng’s leadership, the school has already accomplished several things under the Strategic Plan, including hiring a new director of inclusion and wellbeing as well as infusing social and emotional learning into the curriculum as early as lower school, according to Dr. Dodge.
“One thing I learned from speaking to faculty is that they really want students to change the world [after TAS],” Mr. Cheng said. “It’s difficult for students to go out and do that when [they don’t have a robust support system].”
Additionally, Mr. Cheng’s new role as chair comes alongside five new appointed board members. “I actually celebrate the introduction of fresh ideas and people onto the board,” said Mr. TK Chiang, vice board chair. “I believe the current board is a very diverse group. However, I would emphasize that everyone’s interest is well-aligned to the long term strength of the school.”
of their academic and private lives to their school accounts, which include Microsoft, Google, PowerSchool, Canvas and other external platforms.
“You have a very reasonable expectation of privacy,” Mr. Hudkins said. “But you have zero expectation of confidentiality.”
according to Mr. Quek.
Another strategy adopted, Data Minimization, aims to collect minimal data. “You can’t lose what you don’t have,” Mr. Quek said.
For Grades 10 to 12, Mobile Application Management (MAM) allows the IT Department to make compliance rules indicating regulations for distributing applications. Applications include anything provided in the Adobe Creative Cloud. For instance, MAM allows the IT Department to check if there are security patches and whether the operating system is currently up to date.
By Audrey Hwang (‘23)Taipei American School (TAS) students and faculty have been receiving pop-ups on their Google browsers since the start of the 2022-23 academic year, requesting that the user indicate that they are not a “robot.”
Former Information Technology (IT) Director Mr. Dan Hudkins speculates that, with limited Internet Protocal (IP) addresses that handle information across a network, a TAS Google user has become a part of a Botnet, a network of private computers infected with malicious software.
Google has a policy of verifying sources that indicate an unusual amount of traffic from that same source, said Mr. Hudkins, who continues to oversee the IT Department before leaving Taiwan on Sept. 30.
As the IT Department continues to work with Google, the case remains under investigation.
Beyond external threats to TAS’s internet safety, TAS-affiliated accounts are subject to privacy, confidentiality and cybersecurity risks. With over 1,800 students on TAS accounts, students have entrusted much
Different employees in the school, however, have different permissions to access data in different systems, current IT Director Mr. Samuel Quek said. For instance, registrars would require access to student schedules, principals would have access to all student and teacher accounts in Canvas and educational technology teachers would likewise have access to student accounts in Clever, Seesaw and Canvas.
The IT Department has employed several projects to review security posture, requiring employees who have access to sensitive student data to use Multi-Factor Authentication, a data security method in which a user must present a combination of two or more credentials before logging in,
MAM is done to ensure that each application functions without the potential of malwares that often come with external applications. Serving as the operators of these applications, including Adobe Creative Cloud, the IT Department has full access to information and data across these applications.
In each instance of oversight by the IT Department, data on TAS accounts belongs to the organization that owns it all: TAS.
“Generally, we follow a password policy that is complex enough to keep our accounts secure and private,” said Mr. Jason Kiang, who is the upper school electronic systems info specialist.
Ultimately, like many other work or school accounts, data entrusted on those platforms is merely private, not confidential.
Mr. Jay Cheng and Dr. Grace Cheng Dodge welcome students outside of Taipei American School’s main entrance on the first day of the 2022-23 academic year. [PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. JAY CHENG]“You have a very reasonable expectation of privacy. But you have zero expectation of confidentiality.”
IT DEPARTMENT
Sophie H. (‘26) contributed reporting
Zoe L. (‘26, she/her) is a freshman who transferred from a local Taiwanese school. Before coming to Taiwan, Zoe used to live in the U.S. In her free time, Zoe enjoys playing video games and badminton. She plans to try out for the badminton team when season 3 sports begin. Aside from badminton, Zoe has involved herself in other extracurricular activities such as the Mahjong Club, Climate Change Club, and AARF (Animal Rescue) club.
Compared to her old school, Zoe does not find TAS to be more academically rigorous and is adjusting well to her current course load. “The block schedule makes [the school workload] less stressful,” Zoe said. Zoe has had some difficulty adapting to TAS’s large campus. Nevertheless, with the help of her Reach Out buddies, Zoe has been able to navigate the school campus and adjust to the TAS community well.
Katie L. (‘26 she/her) is a freshman who transferred from Shanghai High School International Division. Katie is adjusting pretty well to TAS so far because it is similar to her school in Shanghai. The only differences are the smaller class sizes and longer class periods.
In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, playing the bassoon, coding and learning biology. Katie is thrilled to be part of the varsity soccer team this year and looks forward to hanging out with others who share the same interests.
Navigating the new school environment and getting used to a different currency has proved to be difficult for Katie. Despite these challenges, Katie is enjoying being at TAS because of the wide variety of options for her. “There are a lot of choices we can choose for class, and there is also a wide variety of sports we can join and lots of clubs,” she said.
Yiran W. (‘25, she/her) is a sophomore arriving from Sewickley Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is interested in fashion and music, namely playing the guitar.
“It’s very easy to adjust [to TAS],” she said. “There’s lots of people that are very friendly.”
Yiran is taking advantage of the diverse number of classes at TAS that were not available to her in the past. “I’m taking fashion and costume design, which is an elective that my old school did not offer,” she said. “There’s a lot of choices and a wide variety [of classes].” Although Yiran has faced some challenges in terms of getting to class on time and handling the workload, she has been adjusting to TAS with relative ease.
Grace F. (‘25, any) is a sophomore arriving from Tianjin, China. Originally from Denver, Colorado, she moved to Taiwan after spending six years in Tianjin. Some of her interests include writing, playing volleyball and acting. The classes offered at TAS are a change from what she is used to at her old school, the International School of Tianjin. Students there were not offered electives nor were they able to choose classes. “You’re given English, Science, History, Physical Education and Math. We didn’t have any electives. The class system was very different,” she said.
Grace has not been facing too many challenges transitioning to TAS, but she does recall having some difficulty finding the bathrooms and other utilities in the first couple weeks of school. She is also getting used to having slightly longer days and earlier mornings, but she has been enjoying her time here at TAS so far.
Camryn L. (‘24, she/her) is a junior coming from Los Altos High School. Originally from the Bay Area in San Francisco, Camryn moved to Taiwan this summer. In her free time, Camryn enjoys playing soccer, reading, listening to music and playing video games. TAS has a relatively small student population compared to her old school. In spite of the smaller class sizes and the different grade systems, Camryn feels welcomed to the TAS community. “The school community is like any other school community [in that it is] inclusive,” Camryn said.
A few challenges that Camryn has faced in this new environment include having trouble finding bathrooms and navigating the school campus without a map. Despite that, she is adjusting to TAS fairly well and feels comfortable in this new environment.
Mahdy M. (‘24) is a junior who transferred from Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he lived for three years prior to coming to Taiwan. Mahdy was born and raised in the U.S. until he was 13 years old when he moved to Amsterdam. One of the main challenges Mahdy has faced adjusting to TAS is getting used to the large campus. “There’s no map to show you where [everything] is so [I’ve had] to rely on other people and [my] own memory to figure out where [all my] classes are,” Mahdy said.
Nevertheless, Mahdy does his best to involve himself in the TAS community. At the club fair, Mahdy was able to sign up for and learn about the many different clubs at TAS. “I actually really like how many extracurriculars there are and how [signups are all] set up. It makes it really easy to find and sign up for whatever I am interested in,” Mahdy said.
Jazzton L. (‘23, any) is a senior transferring from Shanghai American School (SAS). Jazzton feels that the school environment here in Taiwan is similar to that in China. Having relatives that live in Taiwan also made moving and adjusting to life fairly easy.
As both SAS and TAS are international schools, many aspects, such as the electives offered and daily schedules are similar. One challenge Jazzton faced when transferring, however, was the required graduation credits. They are currently trying to fulfill their Computer Science and Robotics graduation credit by taking Mechanical Engineering. TAS, while having a diverse range of classes and electives, does require students to take certain subjects before graduation. “Students must take U.S. history, which isn’t required anywhere else,” Jazzton said.
Darian T. (‘23 she/her) is a senior this year who transferred from Marymount International School Rome in Italy. In her free time, Darian enjoys playing sports.
The class sizes of TAS are a little different compared to her previous school. TAS has roughly 200 students per grade whereas there were only 40 students per grade at her old school. Darian likes the TAS student body so far. “I make friends really fast and I like the [school] environment,” she said. However, Darian faced some difficulties getting to classes in time and familiarizing herself with new teachers and new classmates. A lot of her classes were on a different track than from her previous school, making it hard to get used to. Despite the difficulties, Darian is adjusting fairly well to the TAS environment.
TAS has many programs dedicated to helping new students adjust to the school community. Reach Out is a service club that pairs new students with buddies that are familiar with TAS. Buddies help new students navigate their first few weeks of school.
Chloe W. (‘23 she/her) is the co-president of Reach Out. She is passionate about pairing new students with the right buddies so they can easily transition into the TAS community. “It’s satisfying to know that by the end of the year our buddies end up being close friends with the new students,” Chloe said.
Reach Out also hosts many gatherings and socials to help new students bond with other students throughout the year. For example, the club hosted a dodgeball activity in the A3 Lower School Gymnasium (LSG) last year. The game proved to be a great bonding experience for everyone who participated. “[Reach Out] may seem like a really cheesy school-affiliated welcoming committee but [the club] actually [provides] really nice bonding experiences,” Chloe said. “We have a lot of fun at our socials.”
Zoe L. Katie L. Yiran W. Grace F. Camryn L. Mahdy M. Jazzton L. Darian T.The Blue & Gold talked to the 13 new upper school faculty members this year about their teaching philosophies, previous experiences and goals they hope to achieve in the coming years. Read their full stories on The Blue & Gold website — https://blueandgoldonline.org/.
Mrs. Melinda Berry (she/her) is a US math teacher. She believes strongly that all students have the ability to be successful in her math classes. She loves to help students overcome challenges so they can grow to become more confident in their math skills. She hopes to be a guiding figure for the students that may need a bit more support and encouragement.
Mr. Luke DallaGrana (he/him) is a 5-12 band teacher. He taught in Vietnam for 10 years before coming to TAS. This will be his 14th year teaching music. Mr. DallaGrana enjoys the relaxation and relief of music and the special connections that people can form with it. “Music has also always been really important in making connections, in school and out of school,” Mr. DallaGrana said.
Mr. Jim Farley (he/him) is a US history teacher. Mr. Farley is looking forward to assisting juniors with their year-long research papers. “I love the beginning of a research project: exploring topics, narrowing down research questions and figuring out what is something you want to become an expert in,” he said. “I’m very excited about the start of that process and seeing the direction students take.”
Ms. Madeline Horan (she/her), a US English teacher, teaches English 9 and Honors English 10. Previously, Ms. Horan taught English literature in Japan for seven years. She is excited to teach poetry and Shakespeare’s works. “I can have students use [their] personal narrative voice, [and they] can be creative with [their] writing so that [they] can have emotional reactions to what [they] read,” she said.
Mr. Brian Mutschler (he/him) is a US health and PE teacher. Mr. Mutschler’s long history of teaching and experience in so many different countries has given him insight into varying cultures and the effect that culture has on schools. “Living in different countries [definitely] changes your perspective a lot,” Mr. Mutschler said.
Mr. Taylor Stevens (he/him) is a US assistant athletic trainer. He hopes he can serve as a support system for students. “I hope that I am a resource for students to come to whenever they have injuries or questions about injuries, that I can help them maintain their health and wellness and just be a great resource for their health,” he said.
Mr. Chris Bryant is the US assistant tech theater manager this year. “There’s lots of cool people to work with and people from all over the world, both faculty and students,” he said. Despite the hectic schedules, he is currently working on props and costumes for the US drama and dance shows. “I would like for everyone that reads this to come to our shows when they are on stage,” he said.
Ms. Bea Chang (she/her), a US English teacher, teaches English 9 and Honors Asian Literature. Ms. Chang enjoys playing basketball, reading, writing and hanging out with friends in her free time. She is also coaching the varsity girl’s basketball team this year. To be more creative and engaging, Ms. Chang carries her favorite stuffed animal, Stitch, to all her classes.
Dr. Irish Farley (she/her) is a US academic support teacher. Originally from Denver, Colorado, she taught in Tianjin, China for the past six years. Coming from a relatively small school in China, Dr. Farley’s transition to TAS has been a bit difficult. “There are so many teachers and students [at TAS], so it’s a lot to learn in a short amount of time,” she said.
Mr. Austin Farwell (he/him), the US drama teacher, teaches Theater Arts, Honors Acting 1 and Honors Acting 2. Prior to coming to TAS, Mr. Farwell taught at The American School Foundation in New Mexico and Louisiana State University. He enjoys exploring new restaurants, traveling and playing sports like flag football in his free time.
Ms. Sean Huang (she/her) is a US Comprehensive Counselor. She is also an alumna, having attended TAS for high school. A word of advice Ms. Huang has for students is that you only live once. “As teenagers, we often think that we’ll get the opportunity to do things later,” she said. “But no, time runs away. So any thing that you want to try, any classes that you really want to take, just take it.”
Mr. Ron Reduta is a US assistant athletic director and sports information specialist. Before becoming an official member of TAS faculty, Mr. Reduta was a parent and coach at TAS. As a full time faculty member, Mr. Reduta hopes to have a positive impact on students. “[I want to] help them grow both athletically and mentally,” Mr. Reduta said.
Mr. Andy Taylor (he/him) is a US performing arts teacher. Originally from the UK, Mr. Taylor previously taught at a British international school in Malaysia called Garden International School for the last seven years. “What I love about teaching music is usually the students that are doing it. They love doing it,” Mr. Taylor said. Teaching allows him to see the growth his students achieve and embark on a learning journey alongside them.
By Abby Chang (‘24), Aina Chen (‘26), Ariel Lee (‘23), Erin Wu (‘25), Katherine Ma (‘24) & Victoria Hsu (‘24) Sophie H. (‘26) contributed reporting
“I haven’t been to the U.S. since [the pandemic started] so it was really fun going back to visit family and places I really like,” Annie Y. (‘23), who visited Seattle, said. “This summer was a lot more eventful and fun than the past few years when I wasn’t able to travel.”
Taiwan
“Going to Paris was truly an unforgettable experience and definitely the highlight of my summer,” Claire L. (‘26) said.
The Blue & Gold surveyed 104 students on where they went and what they did over the summer.
Taipei American School (TAS) students started Clothes4Roe, an initiative to raise money to help protect access to abortion in post-Roe America, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer.
Clothes4Roe hopes to inform students of the issue, spread accurate information and raise money through clothing drives to help people seeking abortion access in the U.S.
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized abortion as an implied constitutional right through the ruling of Roe v. Wade. This decision was overruled in Dobbs v. Jackson this summer, where the majority decision made abortion illegal in some states, ignoring decades of precedent. Because of this new ruling, many states have made or are planning to make abortion illegal, not even making exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
severe legal consequences if they attempt to abort a fetus.
Considering these factors, Sonia F. (‘23), Isabel L. (‘23) and Chloe H. (‘24) all decided to take action by raising money through selling clothes to donate to the Brigid Alliance, which supports post-Roe access to abortion.
“We thought clothes would be the easiest and most sustainable way,” Sonia said.
To attract attention to their campaign, they worked to plan everything within a week and digitize it to inform other students of their initiative, setting up platforms on Instagram.
experience, especially seeing the many people at the clothing drive supporting the cause.
“There were volunteers that came from other international schools and they traveled far distances,” Sonia said. “It’s also nice to know a lot of people care about the same thing that I do.”
The students involved hope that people will learn from their experiences. Taking action towards certain issues is not as scary as it seems, they said.
The Clothes4Roe team collected nearly 300 items in their first clothing drive on
With greater danger and difficulty in accessing abortions, these new laws strip people of bodily autonomy. Low income communities and marginalized peoples are also disproportionately at risk of facing
Despite the efficiency of preparing for the clothes drive, there were still challenges that the students encountered. One major challenge was raising as much money as possible since selling clothes to thrift stores typically begins at low price points. They were able to make the decision to separate clothing to sell through Instagram and through a local Taiwanese thrift store, 2nd Street, to maximize profits.
Amidst challenges, the students involved still felt it was a gratifying
“I think Clothes4Roe shows the power of youth and our ability to instantly mobilize as a community,” Isabel said. “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and excited for the future.”
This year, Sonia, Isabel and Chloe hope to collaborate with RiseUp, a TAS club that supports the feminist cause, and other clubs to organize another Clothes4Roe sale and make it an annual event.
“I think it’s important it’s not just a summer thing, even if people aren’t talking about it,” Sonia said. “I think the entire year I want to still be able to continue supporting abortion centers and access to abortion.”
“I’ve been to many baseball stadiums in the past, but Coors Field in Colorado was probably the most beautiful ballpark I’ve ever been to,” Cayden K. (‘26) said.
“Although I was unable to travel anywhere, I was so happy to finally be able to adopt a cat named Soka,” Ashley C. (‘23) said.
“Circe” is a novel by Madeline Miller, who will be virtually visiting Taipei American School (TAS) on Sept. 29 and 30. Other notable works by Miller include “Song of Achilles” and “Galatea: A short story.”
“Circe” depicts the life of the eponymous character, the daughter of Helios, the Sun Titan. Set during the Greek Heroic Age of mythology, the book blends a number of Greek myths into a singular adaptation, written from the perspective of Circe, who narrates the events in relation to her life. However, contrary to the portrayal of Circe as a cunning enchantress whose only desire is to see men suffer for her own entertainment — as seen in the epic “Odyssey”— Miller approaches the character of Circe with an unexpected amount of compassion.
The book starts out with the upbringing of Circe, who retreats into isolation after being disdained by both her mother and siblings. However, as the story progresses, she faces a number of adversities — each one
more afflicting than the last — that result in subtle changes in how she views the mortal and immortal world until she no longer has faith in anyone around her.
An aspect of the book that stands out is the character development of Circe. Miller is able to depict each and every shift in Circe’s psychology, from the desperation she feels to please those around her to the hatred she harbors for the humans that exploited her. Because her thought processes are all clearly expressed, the line of reasoning behind her actions can be understood with ease by readers. Again and again, she is wronged by both the gods she calls family and the humans she calls friends to the point where readers themselves can sympathize with her character. Reading from Circe’s perspective immerses readers into the story and forces them to acknowledge her humanity, so much so that we see her almost as a heroine instead of the evil seductress depicted in other Greek legends, although her actions remain unchanged between the different
interpretations.
Miller’s writing style consists heavily of figurative language, yet clarity is still a priority. Miller utilizes metaphors and similes to bring mystical locations such as Aiaia, the island Circe is exiled to, and the halls of Helios, her father’s abode, to life. Including imagery to describe the setting is effective, as such details are crucial to understanding the plot in full depth. However, the figurative language is never convoluted to the point where it detracts from the purpose and strays from the plot — it simply gets the point across.
Overall, the book deserves all the rave reviews it has received as it not only gives readers context into Circe’s actions in relation to other Greek myths, but it also delves so much deeper into the psychological impact of trauma. The events Circe faces are, ultimately, still prevalent in modern society, and her coping mechanisms are seen in humans nowadays as well. If a book with themes of power, self preservation and individuality are to your liking, “Circe” is a must-read.
One of the biggest ‘80s revival contributors is “Stranger Things,” which follows Eleven, a girl with powerful psychic powers, and her friends. The show, which is set in the 1980s, was created by the Duffer brothers. The highly anticipated fourth season focuses on the mysterious deaths of teenagers and delves deep into the creation of The Upside Down, the alternate dimension that houses many monsters.
A reason why “Stranger Things” is so enjoyable is due to the incorporation of ‘80s culture. Vivid colors, from Eleven Hopper’s colorful mall playsuit to Will Byers’s much criticized bowl cut, enhance viewers’ experiences immediately drawing fans to the ‘80s influenced appearances of the characters.
Perhaps the most notable aspect in the fourth season is the rise in popularity of ‘80s music. Songs such as “Material Girl” by Madonna and “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper trended when previous seasons were
released. “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush re-entered multiple music charts and became the most streamed song on Spotify when the first volume of the fourth season was released. Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” which was introduced in the season finale, also joined Kate Bush’s hit at the top of the charts.
Hence, “Stranger Things 4” exquisitely encapsulates ‘80s nostalgia, establishing a unique bond between viewers and ‘80s traditions.
The second season of “Only Murders in the Building” attracted a lot of attention from viewers with the pushes and pulls as the mystery unravels.
The show follows three strangers who all live in the same building, the Arconia. They meet and develop a friendship from a shared interest in a true crime podcast. In season two, the three find themselves possibly implicated in a murder. The core trio are given layers to their character as they explore their lives and relationships in and outside the Arconia.
Two of the main actors, Steve Martin and Martin Short, both starred in popular films in the ‘80s.
After retiring from stand up comedy, Martin starred in films such as “Three Amigos,” “L.A. Story” and “Men Don’t Wear Plaid.”
Short was featured in a variety of movies such as “Innerspace,” “Cross My Heart” and “Three Fugitives.”
Martin’s character Charles, who is an actor, regularly talks about his most popular and successful role as a detective in a show from the ‘80s. Additionally, Charles recorded the 1989 song “Angels in FlipFlops,” which has been sampled by famous current artists such as Missy Elliott and Post Malone.
The show not only references elements from the ‘80s but also embraces the cast’s older members, resulting in a unique energy with fun banter and references.
Current highest-grossing film of 2022 “Top Gun: Maverick” impeccably weaves ‘80s nostalgia into the plot. The long-awaited sequel was directed by Joseph Kosinski with stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprising their roles from the original 1986 film. The film follows main protagonist Maverick, who trains a new generation of TOPGUN graduates for a life-threatening mission while rebuilding his relationship with his late best friend’s son.
Although both movies primarily focus on the adventure of naval aviators, the sequel refines storylines for Maverick. Cruise still perfects Maverick’s arrogant personality from the original film, but he allows his character to explore maturity through the loss of his best friend and as an aspiring guide to the younger aviators. Maverick not only builds a romantic relationship with Penny Benjamin once again, but the film masters the pacing of the couple’s arc by building suspense
and tension to show the rocky side of the relationship.
Both films are really similar in the sense that they are action-packed. “Top Gun: Maverick” captures the audience’s attention through intense plane flying scenes, such as Cruise’s stunts, which included flying a plane, that allow viewers to feel as though they were part of the scene.
Not only does “Top Gun: Maverick” embody the same charm the original film had, it also exceeds the expectations set in the original film, attracting millions of viewers.
The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) installment, “Thor: Love and Thunder,” expertly pays homage to the films of the ‘80s through costume, music, stunt and other references. Directed by Taika Waititi, the film embarks on a galactic adventure.
Thor’s retirement gets interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, a cosmic killer who seeks to murder all gods. To combat the threat, Thor creates a team consisting of King Valkyrie, Korg and Thor’s ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who embraces the mantle of “The Mighty Thor” after wielding Mjolnir, Thor’s magic hammer.
The film attempts to balance the outthere, fun energy of rock and roll with more serious themes of love and sacrifice.
“Thor: Love and Thunder” masters ‘80s music by placing four songs from Guns N’ Roses, a popular band from the ‘80s, on its soundtrack.
Each song is well placed and elevates
the film’s quality. “Welcome to the Jungle” introduces the audience to the film, establishing the energy the film aims to bring. “November Rain” in the final battle scene starts slower and softer, then escalates to be a more tragic experience, reflecting the high emotional stakes.
Additionally, the vibrant colors and style of the costumes add to the ‘80s aesthetic.
Thor’s Ravager outfit of a red leather vest, snug white shirt and tight jeans pays homage to Kurt Russell in “Big Trouble in Little China” (1986).
The entertainment industry is currently in the midst of bringing back ‘80s nostalgia, whether that is remaking, rebooting, reviving or even creating projects centering around the ‘80s. Popular entertainment projects released this summer have piqued interest from the audience due to their flare and aesthetics, establishing a cultural legacy. [PHOTO COURTESY OF MARVEL STUDIOS] Top Gun: Maverick Thor: Love and Thunder [PHOTO COURTESY OF BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING] [PHOTO COURTESY [PHOTO COURTESY OF 21 LAPSBy Amber Wu (‘23)
The media shapes a society’s politics, economics and culture, exerting power over the people. Yet, the extremity in many news outlets prevents citizens from forming their own opinions — evident not only on a daily basis, but especially during major events.
The world nervously watched U.S. House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) arrive in Taipei, Taiwan on Aug. 4, marking the highest-ranking U.S. government official’s visit to Taiwan in 25 years. The House Speaker, who took the most tracked flight of all time according to Flightradar24, had not included a trip to Taiwan as part of her itinerary but decided to stay over 19 hours in Taipei, although she was urged not to by the Biden administration.
Pelosi’s visit has generated global attention on Taiwan, causing the island to become one of the most prominent nations battling for recognition. Despite Pelosi reaffirming the “One China” policy, which officially recognizes the People’s Republic of China with Taiwan as its province, China has repeatedly expressed its disapproval of the visit through militaristic and economic means, further increasing cross-strait tensions.
Both domestic and international media have continually emphasized negative effects that come with Pelosi’s visit, such as economic strains with China and increased military conflicts. This negative perception of the visit has incited more fear within the public instead of providing informative
knowledge for citizens. That being said, it is essential for Taiwanese people to draw their own conclusions regarding the visit instead of having their opinions controlled by the media.
One of the most reported and analyzed effects of Pelosi’s visit is the rising conflict between Taiwan and China, highlighting a possible Chinese invasion. Global media coverage of China responding with a series of live-fire military drills around Taiwan, including the firing of 11 ballistic missiles near the island, has alarmed many people regarding a potential attack. Taiwan has since retaliated by tightening security, working to improve defense capabilities and making greater investments to protect the island from escalating tensions, even shooting down Chinese drones hovering in Taiwanese restricted air space.
Even though militaristic conflicts have increased exponentially due to Pelosi’s visit, global coverage of these drills fails to mention China’s economic issues and its inexperience with war. As a country that has not fought an actual war for more than four decades, China has not had the opportunity to test its technologies despite investing in its military.
A Chinese invasion could end up badly as the country would not only need to navigate the geographic terrains of Taiwan but would also need to face geopolitical threats from other nations that would object to an invasion. Furthermore, the media does not bring up China’s economic struggles due to a severe drought of Yangtze River, affecting
the nation’s main access to its economic fundamentals. A high-scaled war would only further damage China’s economy, causing the country to lose some power in the East Asian region.
As the media continues to present extreme information about a possible outbreak of war to elicit public reaction, people in Taiwan must determine the accuracy of these news reports and draw their own conclusions on the effects of Pelosi’s stay in Taiwan.
Moreover, news agencies have reported heavily on China straining economic ties with Taiwan. China has recently implemented new restrictions on imported Taiwanese goods, such as frozen fish, fruits, biscuits and sweets, eliciting public concern about Taiwan’s economy.
However, according to Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), China’s new trading restrictions on Taiwan only affects 0.04% of Taiwan’s economy. Because Taiwan has gradually steered away from Chinese trade over the years, the products that China has restricted are only a small fraction of Taiwan’s exported goods. Its deterrence from Chinese trade has allowed Taiwan to emerge as independent from China’s trade bans, proving media reporting inaccurate.
Fundamentally, Taiwanese people should scrutinize the accuracy of media reporting surrounding the effects of Pelosi’s visit to form their own opinions, as the media continues to lean towards sensationalist presentations of the visit in order to evoke greater public response.
800 ZHONGSHAN N. RD. TAIPEI 11152 TAIWAN
AMBER WU (‘23, she/her)
AUDREY HWANG (‘23, she/her)
ARIEL LEE (‘23, she/her)
VICTORIA HSU (‘24, she/her)
ABBY CHANG (‘24, she/her)
KATHERINE MA (‘24, she/her)
ERIN WU (‘25, she/her)
AINA CHEN (‘26, she/her)
MS. JEI-JEI TAN (she/her)
The Blue & Gold is a student-run publication dedicated to sharing stories from the Taipei American School community. Regularly publishing content by student reporters during the academic year, The Blue & Gold strives to inform our school community by covering events and issues relevant to TAS and showcasing the diversity of our community.
We take all measures possible to report accurately and seek to bring professional, thorough reporting to our readers. Please report any inaccuracies in our content to our email, blueandgold@students.tas. tw.
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 the TAS student body, staff, faculty or administration.
We welcome letter submissions from all readers. Email your signed letter of under 500 words at blueandgold@students.tas.tw.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August despite threats from China.