Taipei American School | 800 Zhongshan N. Rd., Section 6, Taipei, Taiwan | blueandgoldonline.org | VOLUME XXVIII, ISS. 01 | December 6, 2021 NEWS
Drama Production “Peter and the Starcatcher”
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FEATURE
VERDICT
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Faculty who played college sports
“The Guilty” Review
THE BLUE & GOLD SEMESTER ONE HIGHLIGHTS
History department renovates curriculum to foster global perspective By Lana Lee
Dance Production “The Nutcracker” makes a return The double cast celebrated Mrs. Flemming’s first and last production [ARIEL LEE/THE BLUE & GOLD]
By Ariel Lee “The Nutcracker,” the 2021 Upper School dance production, was held from Nov. 10 to 12. It showcased the hard work of more than 90 students and the choreography of Upper School Dance Teachers Mrs. Cheryl Lagerquist and Mrs. Deborah Flemming and Lower School Dance Teacher Ms. Kendra Ing. This year’s production had a double cast: Two dancers played the same role in alternating performances. The dancers strived to embrace their stage character’s persona. “The biggest challenge for me was finding a connection
to my character, the Nutcracker,” Lucia Vera (‘24, she/her) said. “I’m not a great actor and I have never been cursed ugly by a mouse, so at times it was hard to convey the emotions that fit with the storyline.” Equally important to the dancers is establishing a close connection within the crew. “My favorite part was becoming close with a lot of new friends and the chaotic backstage energy,” Moa Sera (‘22, she/her), who also played the nutcracker, said. The production was particularly meaningful to the crew as it was Mrs. Flemming’s final dance production before she leaves Taipei American School (TAS). This year’s choice of “The Nutcracker,’’ the first production she directed at TAS,
celebrates her final year. At the final show, Mrs. Lagerquist, Ms. Ing and the dancers invited Mrs. Flemming to the stage to take her final bow. “It was wonderful to reflect on how far we have come as the first Nutcracker was the first dance production at TAS and no one knew what to expect,” Mrs. Flemming (she/ her) said. “Now we have established that our dance productions are polished and creative performances with strong dancers, beautiful costumes and fabulous sets.” As she leaves a remarkable legacy at TAS, she feels grateful toward everyone who has supported her and her work. “I am taking away precious memories with a full heart,” she said.
All incoming upper school students at Taipei American School (TAS) will be required to study Asian and world history, starting from the 2022-2023 school year. European history will no longer be a mandatory course. The graduation requirement of three history credits will remain unchanged. However, world history will replace the European history mandate for sophomores. They will have a choice to enroll in the AP or regular curriculum. History of Asia will be the single and mandatory course offered to freshmen. They will no longer have the alternative choice to take AP World History. The renewed curriculum aims to provide students with a more global look at history as opposed to the Eurocentric view previously reinforced by the European history mandate. “Let’s face it, European history focuses a lot on North Western European history… All this stuff gets left out,” History and Social Studies Department Chair Dr. Brandon Maguire (he/ him) said, pointing to the rest of the globe. TAS’s dual identity as an American school in Taiwan reaffirms the necessity for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of world history, including that of East Asia. The renewed history curriculum reflects the school’s mission to provide an American-based education with a global perspective. “We are Taipei American School, which means we should definitely be teaching the history of where we are...and the history of America [as well],” Dr. Maguire said. “The way we approach that can be better.” Beyond fostering a more global perspective of history, the change aims to equip students with valuable skills, including learning to write an academic research paper, at an earlier stage. “Every kid [will get] to learn the skills from History of Asia that first year, so they’re set up for success later on,” Dr. Maguire said. The department plans to redesign the world history curriculum by incorporating essential lessons from the current European history courses. It also plans to address the gaps uncovered in History of Asia and the marginalisation of many populations and regions, such as Native Americans and SubSaharan Africa. “[We will teach students that] it’s a world, not just a European world, or an East Asian world. It’s a world,” Dr. Maguire said. Both the regular and AP European history courses will still be offered as electives. Juniors and seniors who have taken an AP history course or received department permission may enroll in AP European History. An exception will be made for current freshmen in AP World History, as they will still be able to take AP European History next year, as sophomores. “It’s an important change,” Dr. Maguire said. “[The new curriculum will teach students] how we’re more interconnected and similar than we are different.”
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“Peter and the Starcatcher” breaks the fourth wall
The cast of “Peter and the Starcatcher” lifted Peter up during the show to indicate that he was flying. [AARON SOONG/THE BLUE & GOLD]
By Aaron Soong and Victoria Hsu “Peter and the Starcatcher,” this year’s drama production, is the prequel to the movie “Peter Pan.” The production was held outdoors from Sept. 28 to 30 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The cast and backstage crew faced unique challenges. For example, the spotlight and light board operators had to learn how to manage the lighting outdoors, and actors had
to learn how to rehearse in an environment different than the auditorium stage. Another challenge was the close distance between the audience and actors, easily distracting the actors during the performance. Despite these challenges, the cast still had high hopes. Rehearsals began on Aug. 11, and the cast worked on perfecting the show, rehearsing afterschool everyday. Through their tireless perseverance and
preparation, the cast was able to put on a smooth performance. The outdoor stage presented new and entertaining ways for the actors to interact with the audience. The actors would often break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience while performing. For example, Black Stache made his dramatic entrance onto the stage by dancing through the audience.
“For the audience, it’s the first time they have experienced anything like this interactive performance,” Stage Manager Isabel Wang (‘22, she/they) said. As usual, the cast valued the bond they developed with each other throughout the experience. “I hope we can be a family and entertain the audience while having fun,” Nathan Sung (‘23, he/him), who played Prentiss, said.
Season 1 athletics extended as COVID-19 restrictions loosen
Students wore masks during most of the season to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. [AMBER WU AND VICTORIA HSU/THE BLUE & GOLD]
By James Hau and Annie Huang Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Season 1 athletics teams at Taipei American School (TAS) were unable to participate in Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools (IASAS) tournaments for the second consecutive year. All sports teams were also unable to participate in games against other schools during most of the season and instead played intrasquad scrimmages and games with TAS faculty. The season was then extended for a week on Nov. 18, as loosened COVID-19 restrictions finally allowed for outside competitions.
Varsity Girls’ Volleyball
Varsity Girls’ Soccer
Varsity Girls’ Cross Country
It seemed like the season was going to come to a disappointing end when the Oct. 10 tournament in New Taipei City was cancelled last-minute due to a typhoon. However, the season extension allowed the girls to play two more games against local teams. Co-captain Angelina Chen (‘22, she/her) was very proud of the team. “The girls did a really good job keeping the team dynamic up and remained very well-bonded despite not having any outside games until [the week of Oct. 18],” Angelina said.
To one of the team members Kayo Ueda (‘22, she/her), this season was short yet still packed with memories that she was thankful for. Kayo enjoyed playing and bonding with her teammates, calling them her second family. “One of the most memorable moments was gathering with my teammates to talk together before practices,” Kayo said. “We would share updates, and it’d give us an extra laugh throughout the day.” Since the team did not participate in the season extension, the season ended with senior night and one final team bonding.
The team decided to not participate in the season extension. Co-captain Jia Anderson-Salo (‘22, she/her) explained that the girls already anticipated Oct. 15 as the last race of the season. “It is a lot to ask runners to prepare for one plan then suddenly change the plan,” Jia said. The team implemented the “pack practice method,” in which runners would run as a group. “One goal during our last race was to run together,” Jia said. “There were a certain amount of laps where we had to stay together and get back into the mindset that we’re trying to work with each other.”
Varsity Boys’ Volleyball
Varsity Boys’ Soccer
Varsity Boys’ Cross Country
Unlike the girls’ team, the boys played in the volleyball tournament in New Taipei City as they were scheduled to play on Oct. 9. Co-captain Nickolas Guo (‘22, he/him) said that despite difficulties such as finding locations outside school to train during the offseason, he is proud of how the team bonded very well and cherishes the memorable moments throughout the season. “I got smacked in the face in our co-ed game,” Nickolas said. “I thought I was going to get a concussion but I was completely fine.”
With the extended season, the team was able to play two extra games. Prior to the extension, the boys only scrimmaged amongst themselves. “It was still good considering it was still a game situation, but it’s nothing like playing against outside competition,” Co-captain Miles Haynes (‘22, he/him) said. Miles particularly enjoyed the bond created within the team this year.. “The biggest accomplishment was definitely keeping and raising team spirit while coming together to play for TAS,” he said. “It solidifies the chemistry because we can learn how to play with each other.”
The boys’ cross country team focused on both strenghtening team bond and improving as individuals at the same time. “There were a lot of underclassmen that ran really well and I’m really proud of them,” Co-captain Guan Chen (‘23) said. The boys ended the season with an informal awards ceremony and evaluated their future as a team. “Considering that [the team has] never won an IASAS Championship, we were thinking about how to organize next year’s team to have the best shot,” Guan said.
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Meet this year’s new upper school faculty Profiles and photos by Sharon Lee, Victoria Hsu, Abby Chang and Daphne Wang
Mr. Gabriel Castro
Ms. Sarah Ting Ms. Sarah Ting is a TAS alumna and the Honors Biology, Anatomy and Physiology of Movement teacher. Since her graduation in 2012, Ms. Ting recalls changes in the school environment. The Dr. Sharon DiBartolomeo Hennessy Upper School Science and Technology Building, where the science office is located, was not built until the end of 2012.
Mr. Gabriel Castro teaches Algebra 1, Honors Algebra II and Honors Geometry. Mr. Castro is originally from Connecticut, but he has taught internationally for the past seven years in Puerto Rico, Colombia and Costa Rica. He enjoys hiking, running and cycling during his free time.
Mr. Dale Hutchison
Ms. Liz Albert Ms. Liz Albert, an upper school history teacher, has been teaching for over 20 years in places like Thailand and Ethiopia. She has found transitioning to a new school in the middle of a semester to be challenging. “It feels like we’re playing catch up trying to figure out how everything works and the way that people do things here,” Ms. Albert said.
Mr. Dale Hutchison is an AP European History and US History teacher. He has taught in Arizona, Manila, Dhaka and Shanghai. He enjoys biking and hiking and has also played Ultimate Frisbee, participating in the College National Championships while attending the University of California, Santa Barbara. He hopes to learn Mandarin while he is in Taiwan.
Mr. Jeff Laufer
Ms. Jessica Wile
Mr. Jeff Laufer is teaching Physics and AP Physics 2. Prior to coming to TAS, he taught physics, math and computer programming at Suncoast High School in South Florida for eight years. Mr. Laufer is excited to explore the science department’s resources for teaching physics using hands-on activities.
Ms. Louisa Christen
Ms. Louisa Christen is a TAS alumna who now teaches Spanish 2, Spanish 4 and AP Spanish Language and Culture. She has taught Spanish in Washington DC and worked with Teach for America. “It’s really special that I’m an alumna because I’ve seen different versions of all the same students,” Ms. Christen said.
Mr. Caleb Lott
Ms. Jessica Wile is the K-12 electronic resources librarian who specializes in research. Ms. Wile worked in Canada as a librarian for 20 years. She enjoys painting, using mediums like acrylics, oils and charcoal. “It’s just every day [that] I’m learning more about Taiwan and having amazing experiences,” Ms. Wile said.
Mr. Shawn Kang Mr. Shawn Kang is an English teacher who teaches English 9, English 10 and Honors English 10. This is Mr. Kang’s 10th year of teaching. Mr. Kang is very excited to teach all his classes. “I have just been having the time of my life so far,” he said.
Mrs. Sonali Hutchison Mrs. Sonali Hutchison has been in college counseling for 12 years. Before coming to TAS, Mrs. Hutchison advised in Manila, Dhaka and Shanghai. In Manila, she taught at the International School of Manila (ISM), one of the other schools in the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS).
Mr. Caleb Lott is the upper school head athletic trainer. Prior to coming to TAS, Mr. Lott worked at the University of South Carolina and taught at Shanghai American School (SAS). Mr. Lott is a certified trainer, a certified K-12 physical education teacher and a registered emergency medical technician.
Ms. Cassy Lee
Mr. Dave Albert
Ms. Cassy Lee is the upper school librarian. Prior to becoming a librarian, she taught art at Chinese American International School in San Francisco. “I think people, especially other faculties, administrations and the human resources (HR) team, have made it as easy as they could to make me feel welcome,” Ms. Lee said.
Read more about them at blueandgoldonline.org
Mr. Dave Albert will be teaching AP Calculus AB, Honors Precalculus and Geometry. He has lived in many countries, including Puerto Rico and Thailand with his three children and wife. He believes it is important for his students to appreciate learning rather than memorizing equations and rules.
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College athletes turned faculty members Finding college scholarship opportunities By Lana Lee As tuition fees reach unprecedented levels every year, the cost of college is becoming a challenge for an increasing number of families. In 2021, the average annual tuition and fees for a public college as an outof-state student is US$22,698, and that for a private college has reached US$38,185, according to U.S. News data. In an attempt to relieve students’ financial constraints, many schools offer financial aid and scholarships based on either need or merit. While need-based scholarships require an external application or request, merit-based scholarships are often part of the admissions process: A student will be automatically considered for merit scholarships just by virtue of application. Private scholarships, granted by companies, service groups, foundations, organizations and individuals, are also available for financial support. Their criteria are often very narrow; international students without U.S. citizenship rarely qualify for scholarships based in the U.S. Most private scholarships that Taipei American School students could apply for may not be substantial in value, ranging from a few hundred dollars to, at most, a few thousand dollars. However, their cumulative sum may offer appreciable aid by eliminating college expenses beyond tuition, such as books, or the amount of student loans students may have to borrow. Fastweb is a good resource to search for private scholarships by specific characteristics according to your unique strengths and interests. Fastweb also has a database that helps you find schools within your budget range and articles that offer general financial aid advice. Scan the QR code below for a list of U.S. colleges that offer meritbased scholarships. You may want to consider them if financial aid is a strong consideration for your college selection.
Ms. Hannah Limmer celebrates at home plate with her teammates after winning the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2014. [PHOTO COURTESY OF MS. LIMMER]
By Victoria Hsu Taipei American School (TAS) teachers have a wide range of skills, from teaching a variety of subjects to coaching varsity sports teams. It is no surprise that many teachers have played sports in college.
Ms. Hannah Limmer (she/her)
Ms. Limmer, the associate athletics director and coach of the varsity softball team, attended West Texas A&M University to play Division II softball for the West Texas A&M University Lady Buffaloes. Although she was recruited to be a catcher, Ms. Limmer also played as an outfielder. As a student-athlete, learning time management was a big part of Ms. Limmer’s college experience. With the stress from homework, tests and practices, she found it worthwhile to make sure she stayed on top of her work. Besides being able to
manage her time well, Ms. Limmer also found that the friendships she made with her teammates and coaches really stuck with her. “I still have a good relationship with my coaches from college,” Ms. Limmer said. “I still talk to some of my teammates.”
Mrs. Becca Budde (she/her)
Mrs. Budde, a middle school counselor, attended Princeton University and played Division I soccer with the Princeton Tigers. Mrs. Budde was usually a center midfielder, a position that plays both offense and defense. Mrs. Budde played soccer from when she was about 4 years old until she started a family and no longer had enough time. Soccer is a highly competitive team game that requires communication and bonding with one’s teammates. So it is no surprise that Mrs. Budde’s favorite part is
when her team is able to work together and play their best. “When you are on a team and everyone is playing well, it just feels like magic,” Mrs. Budde said.
Mr. Jordan Brown (he/him)
Mr. Brown, an upper school history teacher and assistant coach for the varsity boy’s basketball team, played soccer for Haverford College. At Haverford, Mr. Brown played as both a striker and wing. Strikers were placed the closest to the opposing team’s goal; their job was to score or create opportunities for their teammates to score. Wing players were placed on the left or right side of the striker. “It was good to play with a group of guys and play with them for years,” Mr. Brown said. “I made some good relationships [through playing on the team].”
Alumnus Andrew Chau in “Seqalu: Formosa 1867”
Andrew Chau starred in “Seqalu: Formosa 1867” as British merchant William Pickering. [PHOTO
COURTESY OF ANDREW CHAU]
By Audrey Hwang Andrew Chau (‘08), a Taipei American School (TAS) alumnus, is now starring in the Taiwanese miniseries “Seqalu: Formosa 1867,” which is available on Netflix, MOD and LINE TV. The TAS Alumni Office organized a Fireside Chat on Sept. 23, where more than 30 students, alumni and faculty joined to listen to Andrew’s experiences at TAS and in acting. Andrew’s history teacher, Upper School History Teacher and Social Studies Department Chair Dr. Brandon Maguire, was among Andrew’s teachers who attended the Zoom call.
“I always think it is great to watch our students grow up,” Dr. Maguire said. Upper School History Teacher Mr. Richard Arnold recalls Andrew’s stage presence through watching his performances in the upper school drama productions.“He is able to project whatever part he has really well… You don’t [even] think he’s acting,” Mr. Arnold said. Andrew’s interest in acting and theater stemmed from an encounter in a TAS English class. Andrew’s ninth grade English teacher Mr. Thomas facilitated a dramatic reading during class, where Andrew performed a ghostly howl and even fake cried.
Mr. Thomas then introduced Andrew to the drama teacher. A year later, Andrew was cast in the upper school drama production “Bang Bang You’re Dead.” After graduating from TAS, Andrew studied theater arts in college and worked in lighting for nearly a year. Andrew then decided to pursue a career in professional acting and has been doing it ever In 2013, Andrew moved back to Taiwan, where he played different roles prior to playing William Pickering in “Seqalu.” “Seqalu” is a Taiwanese miniseries released in August 2021. It reconstructs the history of the fatal Rover Incident in 1867, when the US sent a military expedition to investigate a shipwreck in Taiwan. The miniseries explores the complexities of history, specifically in relation to cultural compositions in the Hengchun Peninsula. After the American merchant ship Rover was shipwrecked off the coast of southern Taiwan, there were conflicts among different ethnic groups in the area, including interactions with the local Indigenous people, witnessed later by main characters Le Gendre and Butterfly. “My hope is that this makes people find those lost traditions [that are] universal in their vulnerability,” Andrew said. “I think that honoring their presence and existence is important.”
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Twin business partners promote sustainable fashion through crochet shop Fuzzl
Sabrina and Veronica recently collaborated with Kristina Hong (‘22) to produce a handmade soap crochet package called Soap Pockets.
By Sharon Lee Fuzzl, founded by Sabrina Hong (‘22) and Veronica Hong (‘22), is an online shop that sells handmade and customized crochet items. The shop aims to help customers adopt a more sustainable wardrobe and encourage the transition to slow fashion. “As consumers, we were falling into the fast fashion hole,” Sabrina said. “When we stumbled across crocheting, we realized that not only is it aesthetic, but it is also a
sustainable alternative to fast fashion.” Sabrina and Veronica spent a month planning and creating products before the shop’s launch in July 2021. As co-owners of the business, they were involved in every step of the process. “It is a very humbling experience, especially because we turned from twin sisters to business partners,” Veronica said. Starting an independent online business came with many challenges. “We are very
thankful for the overwhelming amount of support we received, but because our products are handmade stitch by stitch, it was hard to balance the production speed and quality,” Sabrina said. Nonetheless, customers were impressed by the efficient online ordering system. “The ordering process was very smooth, and I loved all of their cute designs. I bought a white and purple crop top and it goes well with any other outfit,” Jane Lee (‘22) said.
[COURTESY OF SABRINA AND VERONICA HONG]
Fuzzl’s most popular products include customizable scrunchies and coasters with avocado and bear designs. Despite the large time commitment that goes into making and packaging every order, both Sabrina and Veronica believe it is a very rewarding experience. “It is always fun to see our customers’ and our own visions come to life,” Veronica said. “The feeling of creating something only using a few skeins of yarn and a crochet hook is magical.”
A check-in with IASAS schools, one year later As the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) community heads into the second full year without its usual camaraderie, competition and face-to-face interactions, the COVID-19 situation at each school varies greatly. Below are the updated situations of each IASAS school, accurate as of Nov. 15, according to their official websites and cited sources.
By Audrey Hwang and Abby Chang
Taipei American School (TAS)
Singapore American School (SAS)
Jakarta International School (JIS)
International School Manila (ISM)
After a sudden COVID-19 outbreak in May, TAS students transitioned to online learning on May 18, 2021, two weeks before the semester ended. The class of 2021 graduated without an official graduation, with seniors receiving their high school diplomas in a TAS parking lot drive-through. After a summer of decreasing COVID-19 cases, the fall semester started with in-person learning. Semester 1 athletics and extracurricular activities started without outside competitions and events. Loosening COVID-19 restrictions later allowed for interactions with local communities. The dance production from Nov. 10 to 12 was also opened to parents. However, MUN conferences and debate tournaments remained online.
SAS is back on campus and currently operating in-person classes and activities while following COVID-19 guidlines. Singapore has issued contact tracing tokens that indicate whether someone has tested positive or negative for COVID-19. According to SAS student Sarah Datta (‘22), SAS requires students to scan their tokens into school every day. Due to various restrictions, studentathletes face limited freedom in their sports activities. “Thankfully our coaches have been very enthusiastic, as have the players,” SAS student Henry Wong (‘22) said. Music classes have also been affected. For instance, woodwind instrument players are only allowed to perform in groups of five, and the choir is not allowed to sing.
JIS has recently implemented a hybrid schedule, including in-person classes and online, asynchronous learning. As students return to campus, JIS is slowly transitioning back to in-person learning, but with fewer activities and many safety guidelines. “The more the students take advantage of hybrid classes, the more life and energy they bring to campus,” JIS Athletics Coordinator Mr. Jake Stockman, said. JIS’s largely outdoor campus also allows for more socializing. Activities are to be slowly reintegrated, with optional student-led sports offered throughout the week. Students in the Student Athlete Leadership Program have worked with the Athletics Office to advertise, plan and host sporting events.
With Manila enduring one of the longest lockdowns, ISM has been operating online since March 13, 2020. Students currently remain home and are learning through 60-minute Zoom classes with 15-minute transition periods. Due to government regulations, ISM has not been able to conduct any sports programs since March 2020. The school hopes to safely reintegrate the athletics program once students return to campus. According to Mr. Mark Pekin, director of athletics at ISM, both faculty and students at ISM have been doing an amazing job maintaining through the distance learning period. “It has been a lesson in patience and perseverance in life,” Mr. Pekin said.
Looking forward to IASAS’s return: International School Bangkok (ISB) ISB students are finally back on campus beginning Nov. 8. The school has made adjustments to ensure the safety of all students, including social distancing and physical dividers in dining locations, which have been moved to open air areas. Due to the increasing vaccination rates among grades 7 to 12, ISB will be allowing more extracurricular and athletic activities. Many classes at ISB are modified according to the COVID-19 restrictions. Students are required to wear their masks and keep a social distance of two meters in physical education classes. Students are physically distanced during dance classes and isolated with dividers in music classes.
International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) ISKL opened its first vaccination center on campus on Sept. 29. Seniors and juniors have been back on campus since early October, and freshmen and sophomores have slowly returned over the past weeks. However, there are students who choose to stay home and continue digital learning. Students returned to in-person learning with a new Adaptive Scheduler Program, which was implemented to cater to students’ adjustments from online to in-person learning. This schedule includes a later class start time, shorter classes and an extra wellness period called Panther Block where students hold club meetings, attend advisory, receive academic help and play sports.
SAS student Sarah Datta (‘22) “I hope [IASAS hosts] get to host people and bring them to Din Tai Fung or get hosted and visit the Petronas Towers or Taipei 101 … Or if they are lucky they can get extra water breaks in the Jakarta haze or get driven by golf cart around Nichada [in Bangkok].”
ISB student Olivia Bates (‘23) “I feel lucky to at least experience IASAS once … I hope that the travel restrictions will ease up.”
TAS Athletics Director Ms. Kim Kawamoto “We can’t wait to offer our student-athletes the experience of healthy, respectful competition and the creation of new friendships that makes IASAS so special.”
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Should parent Why do TAS students not get enough sleep? teacher conferences continue on Zoom? By Annie Huang The annual parent-teacher conferences were held on Zoom this year due to COVID-19 restrictions that prevented parents from entering the school campus. This is the first time that conferences have occurred online in the history of Taipei American School (TAS). Currently, there has not been any announcements regarding the continuation of online conferences. However, I think most people would be happy to see them continue. For this year’s online conferences, parents pre-scheduled an appointment to talk with each teacher. “You have a list of who you are talking to well in advance,” Upper School Biology Teacher Dr. Jonathan Hsu said. “Since there was a schedule, it was easier to get the student’s files and information prepared ahead of time,” he said. The meetings were limited to eight minutes with short breaks in between, which were appreciated since breaks were hard to schedule during in-person meetings. “I feel like I knew exactly what time to be there,” Upper School Dance Teacher Mrs. Cheryl Lagerquist said. “If I needed to go to the bathroom, I knew when I could go.” One challenge of in-person conferences is waiting to talk to a teacher if they are speaking with another family. Since Mrs. Lagerquist has children who attend TAS, she also felt that it was more convenient to meet with her child’s teachers. “As a parent, I really appreciated not having to wait,” she said. This was also the first time teachers were able to interact with parents and students without masks in a long time. “I loved that I could see their faces,” Mrs. Lagerquist said. “In the gym, it’s hard to hear what they are saying, so without the mask I could hear and understand them better.” Despite initial concerns, most teachers did not encounter any issues. “Almost [everyone] showed up on time. There were no connection issues, and they all turned on their cameras and were really happy to meet,” Dr. Hsu said. In fact, it seems that more people showed up at online conferences than in-person. “I noticed a lot more students that were also in attendance,” Dr Hsu said. He stated that he appreciated being able to address his students and the parents directly. In-person meetings can provide face-to-face interactions; however, considering the current state of maskwearing, this seems to have less of an impact. Additionally, people prefer the convenience and clear scheduling process of online conferences. Overall, the successes of online conferences seem to outweigh the benefits of in-person meetings, especially given the current COVID-19 situation.
By Amber Wu The topic of students not getting enough sleep has been a long-term and rather controversial discussion at Taipei American School (TAS), where students often assert that the root cause of their lack of sleep is the excessive homework load. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that students above the age of 13 should receive more than eight hours of sleep each night. However, on an Instagram poll conducted by The Blue & Gold, the average amount of sleep a TAS student receives is six hours. Many adults attribute that electronics as the main cause of students not getting enough sleep, as the time students spend on their devices pushes back their bed time; however, many upper school students disagree. “Grade deductions force the student to sacrifice health for the grade,” Caleb Radik (‘22, he/him) said. Even if teachers limit the amount of homework on only one day to help students
By Laura Hsu We are always searching for food that satisfies three specific criteria— convenience, taste and price. Though it is easy to turn a blind eye and grab a to-go package from a fast food restaurant, we can only take sustainable action, if we start to become more aware and informed of what makes food sustainable.
What is sustainable food?
Sustainable food is not limited to the topic of food. Instead, it consists of multiple factors, such as how food is produced, distributed, packaged and consumed. An important aspect consumers tend to ignore is food miles, which is the journey of foods from produce to the markets, which produces an abundance of carbon emissions.
Sustainable farming practices
Profitable businesses do not have to come with negative environmental impacts. Sustainable farming practices that contribute toward maintaining or increasing food production but maximizing positive environmental impacts require in-depth knowledge about the ecosystem and detailoriented processes to protect plants and animals.
get more rest, students bodies will not align with their circadian rhythms, the internal biological clock that manages sleep-wake cycles, preventing them from falling asleep at an earlier time. “Homework is why I don’t get enough sleep,” Dylan L. (‘23, he/him), who gets seven hours of sleep, said. “And even if I have less homework on a certain day, my body is already used to a certain sleep schedule, which makes it hard to fall asleep.” Students have come up with various solutions that the administration could enforce to allow students to get the sleep they need. “I think a ‘homework log’ system in which students insert the amount of time they work on homework can help teachers realize that we’re spending a lot of time on tasks they think we spend a little time on,” Vanessa Huang (‘23, she/her) said. Guan Chen (‘23, he/him), class of 2023 officer, is starting an initiative to help
underclassmen lessen their stress through hosting discussions about sleep, time management, work environment and more. “Although we are still discussing the format, we truly believe this initiative can better prepare underclassmen as they navigate through high school,” Guan said. The administration has also discussed putting a limit on rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in hopes of helping students minimize their workload due to concerns about student’s wellbeing. “It makes a whole lot of sense to put limits on the number of certain types of courses students can take, which TAS has never done,” Mr. Andrew Lowman (he/him), the upper school principal, said. Ultimately, although electronics can play a huge role in preventing students from getting more sleep, the immoderate homework load remains as the main source of the issue.
Animal cruelty in the food industry
be a great way to make sustainable food choices. In addition, consuming foods such as herbs, vegetables or fruit not only has great nutritional value, but also helps support plant life and reduces unnecessary negative environmental impacts.
Animal cruelty, also known as the act of neglecting or abusing animals, is highly prevalant in the food industry. One of animal cruelty’s biggest culprit is the process of intensive production of meat in a short period of time. In fact, Compassion in World Farming, a registered charity in England and Wales, has been campaigning to end factory farming. To employ better protection for animals, farmers can provide pasture grazing and not confine animals to limited spaces.
Sustainable employment
Food brands that employ sustainable practices pay workers a living wage and provide workers with safe working environments. Brands may also support local or regional economies by offering job opportunities in local areas.
Making sustainable choices in food consumption
The first steps you can take to “walk the talk” is to start making sustainable food choices. If you reduce the amount of meat, fish and dairy in your diet, then unethical animal practices can also be reduced. Reducing food miles can also
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the blue & gold december 6, 2021
The Blue & Gold reviews new fall releases “Dune”: A movie adaption that does justice to the book series By Ashley Tseung
The most recent cinematic adaptation of “Dune” is the best one yet. [PHOTO COURTESY OF LEGENDARY PICTURES]
“Dune” was originally written by Frank Herbert in 1965, while its film adaptation in 2021 was directed by Dennis Villeneuve and stars Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Dave Bautista and other actors. Despite “Dune” being an awardwinning novel, many people are still unaware of what the story is about. “Dune” is a sci-fi story set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society. The plot centers around Paul Atreides, a young man born into a complicated fate. He must travel to the most dangerous parts of the universe to secure his family’s status and his people’s safety. After watching the movie, many
people felt that two hours and 35 minutes was too long. However, it is necessary to keep the movie accurate to the novel, and it helps to pull the viewers into the “Dune” universe. The cast of the flim did an excellent job staying true to the original book characters. Chalamet allows Paul to evolve to fit the throne assigned to him at birth while maintaining his personal dreams. He adds a new layer that allows viewers to form a deeper attachment with Paul. Furthermore, “Dune” mirrors the political dynamics and conflicts going on in our world. The spices, which characters in “Dune” desperately try to acquire, are
significant because they are used for space exploration and are symbols of wealth, similar to the way oil is sought after in modern society as a valuable resource. “Dune” also alludes to historical conflicts. The conflict between the main factions in this story, the House Atreides and the Fremen, reflects the conflict between colonists and indigenous peoples. These elements make “Dune” relevant and worth learning about. Not only has “Dune” influenced many sci-fi favourites today, it is also an example of how a movie can emphasize environmental stress, capabilities of powerful people and the development of countries against imperialism.
“The Guilty”: Jake Gyllenhaal captivates audience in one-man thriller By Annie Huang
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a 911 operator in the Netflix Original thriller “The Guilty”. [PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTURES]
Thriller movies are known for evoking extreme suspense and excitement. When you think of thrillers, a scene of a man sitting at his desk for 90 minutes does not typically come to mind. Yet, the Netflix Original “The Guilty” was able to deliver a captivating narrative while essentially only featuring one actor in one location for the entire film. “The Guilty” straps down the complex visuals of many modern thrillers and instead highlights the emotional nuances of the main character. The film features Joe Baylor, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, a policeman who has been temporarily assigned the responsibility of answering 911 calls. Taking place inside a police center, the plot is
developed through the dialogue between Baylor and his callers. When the movie was shot in 2020, COVID-19 was at its height. The screenplay itself was shot in 11 days, which is considerably quick for a long-form film. According to an interview with Jake Gyllenhaal conducted by Jimmy Fallon, the director Antoine Fuqua tested positive for COVID-19 just a few days before production began. He ended up directing the film from a van equipped with screens that had access to the cameras, communicating to the cast and crew remotely. Despite the challenges that threatened the success of this film, the final product did not fall short. Gyllenhaal’s emotional performance brings the script to life and allows
the viewer’s imagination to run wild as they picture what is being described. All the 911 calls in the film were performed in real time on a live Zoom call, with the real-life delays and sounds from the calls kept in, further bringing the film to life. “It really allowed me to take on the story as more of a first person narrative. Everything he did seemed like something I would do in that situation,” Victoria Bloomfield (‘23, she/her) said after watchingThe final product is a unique thriller full of surprising twists that, quite literally, kept myself and others on the edge of our seats. “The twists really subverted my expectations and had a lot of deeper meanings than what I would’ve initially expected,” Victoria said.
“The Making of an Ordinary Woman”: Taiwanese theater storytelling By Laura Hsu
The two season drama has captured the hearts of Taiwanese audiences with its blend of theater and television storytelling. [PHOTO COURTESY OF YINGYIN]
“The Making of an Ordinary Woman” released its second season on Netflix in August. With short 45 minute episodes and 10 episodes per season, the show has captured the hearts of many who relate to Taiwanese culture. The first season begins with the story of Chen Chia-Lin, who is played by Hsieh Ying-Xuan, a renowned Taiwaneses actress who won the Best Leading Actress award at the 55th Golden Horse Awards. Chen Chia-Lin is originally from Tainan, a city on Taiwan’s southwest coast, and has decided to move to Taipei in hopes to establish a successful career. She lives with her boyfriend in Taipei who eventually proposes to her, but to everyone’s surprise, she decides to turn down the marriage and travels back to her hometown in hopes of finding herself.
This series is unique in that there is no structured storyline. Instead, the director brings the audience on an adventure to explore the various events Chen Chia-Lin encounters, from building her own house in the suburbs to her job as a Tainan tour guide. For me, this show is more than just a light-hearted narrative of a middleaged woman finding herself. Instead, the director interweaves scenes from Chen Chia-Lin’s childhood into the main storyline of her current life in Tainan. The hardships and difficulties Chen Chia-Lin faces allows women from the same era to relate to her and even see themselves in her shoes. Many of the cultural elements and influences come from the typical encounters of a Taiwanese woman who is molded by the culture and society around her. The hardships and difficulties Chen Chia-Lin faces allows women from the same era to
relate to her and even see themselves in her shoes. Yen Yi Wen, the director of the series, comes from a theater background, which allows her to successfully integrate theater acting into the traditional way of television storytelling. For example, in a scene in which Chen ChiaLin dramatically runs to her boss’s office, all the employees stand in a typical theater formation and deliver dialogues as if they were monologues. This innovative way of incorporating rather dramatic scene sequencing within a traditional television series framework truly adds an element of interest to those who do not usually enjoy drama acting. Overall, I would recommend those who resonate with Taiwanese culture to watch the series as it perfectly synthesizes cultural elements as well as relatable storylines to make a fun, breezy two season series.
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the blue & gold december 6, 2021
Restaurant Wonderland offers exquisite taste and unobstructed Taipei view 800 ZHONGSHAN N. RD. TAIPEI 11152 TAIWAN EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LANA LEE (‘22, she/her) MANAGING EDITORS SHARON LEE (‘22, she/her) LAURA HSU (‘22, she/her)
Those dining at Wonderland can enjoy the view in a socially-distanced manner. [DAPHNE WANG/THE BLUE & GOLD]
By Abby Chang and Daphne Wang Wonderland, also known as Drunkland, is a restaurant known for its amazing views overlooking Taipei and eye-pleasing aesthetics. Located in Shilin District, Wonderland sits high up in the Yangming Mountains. Wonderland, which opens every day from 5 p.m. to midnight, is the perfect restaurant for hanging out and taking Instagram-worthy photos. The restaurant is filled with decorative props, such as colorful
LED lights, which make the place look lively. The dining area outside consists of several tables and lounging sofas. The indoor dining areas have a comfortable atmosphere with fairy lights. The restaurant has a minimum charge of ND$500 per person, as well as a time limit of two hours. The menu encompasses a variety of Italian, Thai and Western dishes. A vast display of fried side dishes, ranging from fries to fried assorted vegetables is also available. Beverage options include milk tea,
coffee, tea, juice, smoothies and alcoholic beverages. The restaurant offers set meals which cost at least NTD$580. The set comes with a drink, soup and desserts. Each order was served in an efficiently, in approximately 10 minutes. Wonderland definitely matched our high expectations. We would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an aesthetically pleasing place to dine, enjoy nature and take pictures.
Best and most controversial looks at Met Gala 2021 By Ariel Lee The theme of this year’s Met Gala was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” The nation’s wealthiest celebrities and politicians presented unique interpretations of the broad theme, creating a few looks that were cohesive and some that were highly controversial.
Cara Delevingne used a phrase trademarked by independent artist Luna Matatas without crediting her. Gemma Chan paid homage to Hollywood’s first Chinese-American actress, Anna May Wong.
US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s look received a wave of backlash due to perceived hypocrisy.
Yara Shahidi’s look honored iconic fashion icon, entertainer and activist Josphine Baker by incorporating elements of Baker’s wardrobe.
@The Blue & Gold Podcast Alumni podcast “Taipei Tiger Talk”
Ms. Lily Yang’s art show “Conscious Creatures”
COPY EDITOR AUDREY HWANG (‘23, she/her) SECTION EDITORS FEATURES EDITOR ABBY CHANG (‘24, she/her) VISUALS EDITOR VICTORIA HSU (‘24, she/her) STAFF WRITERS AARON SOONG (‘22, he/him) JAMES HAU (‘22, he/him) ANNIE HUANG (‘23, she/her) DAPHNE WANG (‘24, she/her) ASHLEY TSEUNG (‘25, she/her) ADVISER MS. JEI-JEI TAN (she/her) 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 regularly 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.
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SOCIAL MEDIA & MULTIMEDIA AMBER WU (‘23, she/her) ARIEL LEE (‘23, she/her)
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