Issue 40 APIS Online Update April 2016

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Online

ISSUE 40.

UPDATE 57 WOLGYE-RO 45GA-G I L , NOWO N- G U, S EO UL , 0 1 87 4 , KOREA

IN THIS ISSUE:

■ Recorder Concert ■ Grade 5 Science Fair ■ Field Trips

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IN THIS ISSUE:

■ ■Asian Language Showcase Elementary Chinese & Japanese ■ ■College Essays 101 Faculty Retreat ■ Special Guests and Visitors

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Recorder Karate Players Take the Stage

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he spring recorder concert on April 5 featured a little bit of karate and a lot of music.

APIS third graders entertained a packed house in the CLC as they performed nine songs on their soprano recorders for parents, faculty, and other elementary students.

The concert featured a string of familiar tunes like “Amazing Grace” and “Oh, When the Saints.”

Parents smiled throughout as they recorded the concert, took photos, and applauded the young musicians.

The karate element of the concert illustrated the increasing difficulty of the musical pieces the students learned during the year, teacher Melinda Baum said. The students’ improved proficiency on the recorder was designed to reflect the increasingly challenging karate moves needed to earn the next belt in karate. The first several pieces the students performed required only three notes. And as the students began playing songs that required more notes and trickier rhythm, Ms. Baum explained that the students had to master these to earn each successive “belt” — green, purple, brown — in recorder playing.

The concert’s black belt song — the most difficult piece of the performance — was based on “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven. The fingering for this piece required using both hands with very challenging fingering on the eighth note patterns. When the class successfully completed the piece at the concert, they took a bow. “We are celebrating our black belt up here,” Ms. Baum said.

The students received certificates of achievement for earning their “black belt” on the recorder. In addition, all the students were given bouquets of flowers after the concert, which they held during an additional photo op for the visiting parents.

"I am very proud of the hard work my students put into the recital today,” Ms. Baum said after the concert. “They performed wonderfully!"

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Field Trip Focuses on National Identity

By Judy Park, Grade 3 Teacher & Sarah Wood, Grade 4 Teacher

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APIS third and fourth graders stop for a photo during their field trip to the Blue House.

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hird and fourth graders researched about identity and cultures around the world this quarter. We had an opportunity to visit the Blue House on April 15 to learn more about Korea’s national identity and culture. Due to a tight security system, the students had to go through security checks on the bus and at the entrance of the Blue House. This helped the students understand the significance of this building and why it’s important to Korea. While on the tour, the students saw different historical sites, the president’s residence, and other important government buildings.

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Scientific Inquiry Leads to Discovery … and New Questions

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ow can using old laundering methods like a laundry bat and India's laundering method from the past affect cleanliness compared to washing machines? How high can magnets lift different amounts of weight? Which vegetables absorb the most fluid? These questions and more were put through the rigors of the scientific method by APIS fifth graders.

Students presented their findings at a science fair, held on Friday, April 22, in the APIS dance studio. The exhibition concluded nearly two months of scientific inquiry, research, and discovery.

Grade 5 teacher Jeff Underhill shared, “Inquiring into areas of personal interest, the fifth graders discovered the formulaic workings of the scientific method. The struggle and messiness that is science came to quite a conclusion as students analyzed their projects for an audience at the science fair. In a number of projects, students stretched and challenged themselves to understand chemistry and physics to great effect, realizing a core reality of scientific inquiry: Answers bring new questions. We shared and learned from one another's hard work as a community of scientists!”

Inspiration for student projects ranged from tie-dye T-shirts to a love of jewelry, fascination with flight, weather phenomenons, or watching Mom do laundry.

Over the past seven weeks, students decided upon a question to put to the test, proposed a hypothesis, conducted research, revised their questions as necessary, and analyzed their data to form a conclusion. To prepare for the fair, students prepared tri-fold presentation boards that visually depicted their experiment, from question through conclusion, and memorized a brief speech to about their project.

Joanna Kim shared three things she learned through her participation in the science fair: “1) the scientific method itself; 2) patience — I wanted to do it all at once — [I] had to slow down; 3) [It’s important to be] very exact, for example with the water measurements.”

From start to finish, the fair was abuzz with visitors eager to learn what APIS fifth graders had discovered.

Learn about...

Thermodynamics from Christine Air Pressure from Claire Magnetic Force from Cullen Car Pollution from Edric Acids from Jacob Centripetal Force from Jaeho

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Electromagnetic Force from Jeannette Fluid Absorption from Joanna Mechanical Work from Joyce Crystals from Rin Flight Lift from Somang Water Pressure from Tu

What Is It Like Being a Curator?

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By Anna Sea, Art Teacher

n April 13, 27 high school Art I students headed to the Buk Seoul Museum of Art with Mrs. Anna Sea and Ms. Pat Hallinan to see an exhibition for children, titled “Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Navy, and Purple.�

The reason why they went to a children's exhibit was because these older students will be in charge of curating our elementary students' artworks and writings for the 6th Annual Pacific Pencil Art Exhibition on May 12.

High school students will be working in groups to come up with ideas for displaying, mounting the artworks, making brochures and guide maps, and creating interactive arts and crafts stations for our elementary students and parents to enjoy.

All of our students got great ideas from walking around the current exhibit based on the theme of rainbow colors at the Buk Seoul Museum of Art. They looked closely at the placement of each artwork, the name labels, how they used the wall space, and what made the visitors interact with the display. During the field trip, Jamie Yoon (Grade 9) said,

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"I am so attracted by how they used the wall space and the name labels, but I want to make more interactive brochures so the visitors can actually have space to make their own drawing on the brochure."

With all the ideas that they've gained from this field trip, they are going to start gearing toward the fun of being a curator, something that they have never experienced before.

We are very excited for this opportunity and are looking forward to the outcomes that we will witness on Pacific Pencil day!

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College Essays 101 with Dr. Erik Brodnax

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n early April, incoming APIS Director of College Counseling Dr. Erik Brodnax visited APIS and hit the ground running.

APIS juniors and their families had the opportunity to meet 1:1 with Dr. Brodnax during his visit, while all secondary students were invited to a college admissions workshop preDr. Kim interviews Dr. Brodnax at the opening of the college essays workshop. sented by Dr. Brodnax and Mr. Martin Walsh. Mr. Walsh has previously served as admissions officer at Stanford University and Santa Clara University. He is currently a college counselor at Harker School in the U.S. Dr. Brodnax graduated with a B.A. (summa cum laude) from Princeton University and received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Dr. Brodnax served as an assistant director of admissions at the University of Chicago. After working in the admissions side for six years, he then moved to Hong Kong to work as a senior admissions consultant for a private college consulting firm for six years. With more than 12 years in college counseling, Dr. Brodnax brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to prepare our juniors for success in competitive college admissions.

On April 4, Dr. Brodnax hosted one last APIS event — College Essays 101 — before heading to the airport for his flight back to the States.

The workshop opened with APIS Director Dr. Euysung Kim interviewing Dr. Brodnax so APIS juniors could learn a bit more about Dr. Brodnax’s background, interests, and first impressions of APIS. Dr. Brodnax shared that APIS has “very respectful” and “very studious” students, ones who are “devoted to learning.”

One of the key takeaways Dr. Brodnax wanted to leave with students is: “[The] process [of applying to college] is not just about getting in — the process is also about preparing to go and then going. As you spend your time here ... at APIS, you need to focus on making sure that you acquire the skills and the knowledge and the education you need to make the next step. For example, if you’re pre-med and you’re taking AP Bio, really learn the bio, because otherwise you’re going to struggle in college.”

Asked what led him to college counseling, after his background prepared him for a world of career options, Dr. Brodnax shared, “I like seeing you [students] maximize your full potential and realize your dreams.”

Dr. Brodnax is passionate about theater, and while at Princeton won the thesis prize for his play adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Of Mules and Men.” “I learned for the sake of learning,” Dr. Brodnax shared, while encouraging APIS students to do the same. Students were instructed to

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College Essays 101 with Dr. Erik Brodnax get specific about their passions and interests and use what they identify as inspiration for their college essays.

The biggest takeaway from the talk, however, was how important it is to start writing right now.

Dr. Brodnax left students with suggested summer writing assignments to guide them toward their college application essay that will be a key piece of their full application.

Due to how important the essay component is to every college application, APIS has invited Dr. Brodnax to host an APIS summer institute on the college application essay from June 1324. For more information and to sign up: https://sites.google.com/a/apis.seoul.kr/apis-summerschool/11th-grade-institute.

Summer Assignment for Rising Seniors Write a 250-word essay that describes one of your favorite activities.

Write a 250-word essay that begins with the sentence: The most important discovery I have made in high school has been ________________.

Write a 250-word essay that describes the most important aspect of your personality. Why that one?

How has it changed over time? Where do you think it will lead you in life?

Describe one of your most difficult experiences in life in 250 words. Why that experience? What did you learn? How would you do things over again if given the chance?

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The Steps to Writing a Great Essay‌ 1. TOPICS: Come up with ten topics that jazz you. Narrow that down to three.

2. BRAINSTORM: Write down any and everything that comes to mind when you think of your topic of choice.

3. Choose the CAPS (Common Application Personal Statement) question that fits your topic choice.

4. OUTLINE—linear or non-linear 5. DRAFT, DRAFT, DRAFT: Begin writing realizing that it will more than likely take at least 10 drafts before you can begin polishing.

6. POLISHING: Begin checking for structural errors, grammatical and spelling errors, and verb tense, agreement, and spiciness. Think of your essay as the chance to tell your story just the way you want to tell it! Be original, be daring, and have fun!

The Five Finger Rules: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Always tell the truth Be specific Structure communicates talent Show; tell sparingly Always outline and be prepared to draft

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Lock-in Fosters Class Camaraderie

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By Mei-Mei Timpson (Grade 8)

he lock-in is an annual event that the middle school students can participate in. Every year the SRC strives for students to have a fun and enjoyable experience. In this overnight event, students have the choice to hang out in rooms that hold certain activities, such as karaoke, gaming, and chatting. Sadly, due to the cold weather, the water games that were to take place at the beginning of the event were canceled. Instead, the SRC compromised by having several games of capture the flag in order to start the lock-in with a bang. Subsequently, many students expressed the joy they received from this game.

However, the main event that the SRC prepared for the students was zombie tag. Anna Kwon Frankl (Grade 8) explained, "When we were the zombies, we went into classrooms, hunting for ‘victims.’ We made the entire thing much more frightening on purpose, too."

Much to the SRC’s surprise, an astonishing number of students chose to participate in the lockin this year. Approximately 63 middle school students signed up to come to this event. Clara Oh (Grade 7) stated that the "lock-in was an event that will always be in my heart. It was a time where all the sorrow went away and everyone enjoyed the time as one. Doing unbelievable dares and chasing each other in the dark was an experience that I will never forget. This experience gifted by God is irreplaceable. ❤" After the lock-in, Jacob Kim (Grade 8), the SRC president, exclaimed his overall satisfaction for this event. "The lock-in,” he stated, “was successful and enjoyable for many students. We may have had conflicts in planning this event here and there but the SRC was able to solve them even at the last minute and move on. By far, this has been a great lock-in and we, as an SRC, look forward to [pleasing] students more in the future."

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share chicke at the n lock-in .

Psych! It’s Not About Toys

Students in Ms. McRoberts' psychology class, from left, demonstrate the Immortal Lizard, a group's business plan, and a toy idea that makes a child's imaginery friend come to life.

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t looked and sounded like a business class. For two days at the end of April, groups of students in Sarah McRoberts' seventh period took turns getting up in front of the rest of the class and presenting their “company’s” idea for a new toy. “It’s the Immortal Lizard!” members of the first group announced during its turn, as students held up a green, stuffed lizard and demonstrated the toy’s unusual detachable tail.

“It’s the Sticky Explorer!” enthused another group, explaining the marketing plan for their educational toy that involved sticking symbols of different cultures on a map.

But the class wasn’t really about toys or business plans or even public presentations. The class was psychology. And the project was about the application of psychology in the real world.

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Ms. McRoberts introduced Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development to students this spring.

Piaget suggested that children’s thinking develops through four stages — sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. To make the concepts more than just dry answers on the next class quiz, Ms. McRoberts assigned a project that required the students to apply those stages to a new toy idea. For instance, what kind of toy would be enjoyable and educational for a child in the concrete operational stage?

Ms. McRoberts asked each group to invent four toys, one that would be appropriate for each of Piaget's stages. For the final presentation, the students picked their best invention and then pitched the toy idea to the class, with the other students playing the role of potential investors.

The toy idea that earned the most investment was Bring Your Imaginary Friend to Life, created by Cathy Lim, Grace J. Kim, Daniel Bae, and Paul Yoo, all grade 11. This group presented the idea of children drawing a picture of their imaginary friend and then parents sending in that picture to the company, which would then create a replica of the child’s vision.

Daniel explained how his group’s toy fit the focus stage of preoperational (ages 2-7): “During this stage, children experience pretend play: toddlers often pretend to be people they are not like and may play these roles w/props that symbolize real life objects and often create imaginary friends.

Thus, we thought we should take an extra step from the existence of imaginary friends and create them as a physical version — these physical friends can be a great playmate. Also, children are egocentric, so we should create a toy they can just play with individually.”

Ms. McRoberts said she was pleased with the students’ work. “Through this project, students had to understand and apply key psychology terms, collaborate, problem-solve, critically think, evaluate themselves and each other, communicate, draw, design, understand budgets, learn about marketing, and use persuasive elements,” she said. w w w. a p i s . o r g

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Principal’s Note: What Is Important?

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s I have grown older I have found myself pondering a question that I am sure we have all considered from time to time … what is important? I have found, as my life has become filled with more and more and more, that answering the question has become more difficult, because asking what IS important also forces me to consider what is NOT important.

At times, distinguishing between the two can be difficult. In those times I often turn to those I trust and ask for their guidance. I listen for their ideas, I learn from their experience, and I hope for some wisdom to help me make the tough decisions.

For our senior students, this time of the year is a time where they are forced to consider this question a little more closely as they plan for their life after APIS, whether it be travelling the world, entering the workforce, or beginning an undergraduate degree at college.

For our 9th to 11th graders, the time of the year is approaching where decisions need to be made about courses for next year, so “what is important?” becomes a critical question.

As those students and their parents begin to consider what is important, both for course choices for next year and life beyond APIS, it is important to remember that APIS houses a wealth of ideas, experience, and wisdom in its teachers and administrators.

Seek out a trusted APIS faculty member and share your concerns. Listen for some ideas, learn from their experience, and benefit from their wisdom.

We all have to answer the “what is important?” question every day, so please remember that the faculty of APIS is ready and willing to help you find your answers.

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April SNAP

SHOTS

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Say Cheese !

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WASC Visit Offers Chance to Reflect

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n April, two representatives from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visited APIS for a mid-cycle review of the school’s accreditation status. Janet Torncello, chair of the visiting committee, and Pat Park met with parents, students, the administrative team, and faculty members during their April 19 to 21 stay. Ms. Torncello and Ms. Park visited classrooms, asked questions, observed the school in action, and then created a report with commendations and recommendations that they submitted to the WASC commissioners in California. A commissioner will consider the committee’s report and decide if the additional three years of accreditation will be granted. WASC will report its decision to the school this summer, probably in July, according to Ms. Torncello.

“It’s really a valuable experience,” said Principal Bruce Knox of the mid-cycle review. The WASC representatives look at the school’s action plan created as a result of the school’s original accreditation visit. Then they look for evidence that the school is following through on that plan.

The WASC visit in April was a chance for the school to pause and reflect on its direction, Mr. Knox said.

WASC granted the school accreditation in 2012, essentially giving APIS its stamp of approval for the following six years, which is the maximum term of accreditation that WASC awards. The visit in April was just a mid-cycle visit and was not as extensive a process as the initial accreditation.

It is rare that a school would lose its accreditation as the result of a mid-cycle visit, Ms. Torncello said, although a school might be encouraged to refocus in certain areas.

Accreditation is important. “It gives people outside of the school a level of confidence that what is delivered inside the school is rigorous and challenging,” Mr. Knox said. Accreditation also indicates that the school is practicing responsible financial management and responsible educational management.

Institutions of higher learning in the United States pay attention to whether or not a prospective student graduated from an accredited school. “WASC certifies that the school is a worthy institution of education,” Ms. Torncello said. She noted that colleges and universities in the United States rely on such accreditation as assurance that a school offered a rigorous and appropriate education and that they can expect a student from an accredited school to be prepared for undergraduate work.

The WASC visiting committee did not share the specifics of its final report on this midcycle visit to APIS. However, the representatives indicated the review was a positive experience. “We’ve greatly enjoyed our visit,” Ms. Torncello said.

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Empowering Youth to Help Build a Just and Sustainable World

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n April 26, APIS welcomed special guest, Mr. Robert Landau. Currently the director of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), his previous roles have included deputy-superintendent of Singapore American School, director of the Western Academy of Beijing, and director of the International School of Prague. Mr. Landau has been a leader in international education for more than 40 years and came to APIS to share about a foundation he helped to create in Cambodia, as well as his work with the Global Issues Network (GIN), an organization dedicated to empowering “students to take action as leaders, team members, community advocates, and problem-solvers,” while “actively addressing global issues with project based peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.”

Presenting for all secondary students, Mr. Landau also met after school with faculty members, asking students and staff to critically reexamine how we are interacting with the world on a daily basis, and what shifts we might make to more fully integrate meaningful global connections into our everyday lives.

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Mr. Landau opened his talk for students by urging them to consider that the majority of children in this world don’t have clean water to drink, don’t get the vaccinations they need, and don’t have schools to go to.

“There are only two things that we can give in this world,” he said. “One is money, but the other is time.”

Through his experiences across the globe, Mr. Landau has realized that money helps temporarily but time is the seed that truly grows.

His work helping to set up the Liger Learning Center in Cambodia and the organization he helped to create, Cambodia’s Future Foundation, reinforced what he has long known. Referencing John Dewey, Mr. Landau said, “ ... permanent learning occurs when you act.” Whether that action is taken by one of the 80,000 students from over 100 nationalities around the world currently working with GIN, or by a single Cambodian high schooler in a rural Cambodian village, the collective sum of students acting from their passions and strengths is leading to positive global changes.

GIN grew out of the work of World Bank Vice President Jean-François Rischard, as described in his book, “High Noon: Twenty Global Problems, Twenty Years to Solve Them.” Students involved with GIN pick a global issue they feel passionate about and work to create change around that issue on a local, and eventually global, level. GIN students and schools have opportunities throughout the year to participate in conferences held around the globe that bring students with similar passions together and pair them with professional mentors in their field of interest. At the high school level, Mr. Landau contends, students are equipped to donate even more than their time or money — they are ready to become activists for change.

At the conclusion of Mr. Landau’s presentation for students, Dr. Kim stressed to students, “What I want you to do is be able to develop your own passion and know you’re not too young to get involved and make an impact.” w w w. a p i s . o r g

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Students Shine While Showcasing Foreign Language Skills

Elementary and secondary students perform a Japanese song together at the APIS Asian Language Speech Showcase.

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n April 28, Principal Bruce Knox opened the third annual APIS Asian Language Speech Showcase with a moving brief introduction in Lao. Lao phonetic spellings and English translations appeared on slides as Mr. Knox shared how he can speak Laos, which he didn’t learn until he was in his 30s. But he said he wishes that he could speak Korean, Chinese, and/or Japanese. APIS is unique in its East Asian language offerings, and Mr. Knox and fellow APIS faculty members celebrate the tremendous talent and passion for language acquisition demonstrated by students across APIS. Around 60 students across grades 1-12 shared the stage at this year’s event. They took turns showcasing their foreign language skills through solo and group presentations performed in their non-native language. Chinese department chair Grace Gao said the foreign language department teachers chose to reframe the event as a showcase this year, instead of a competition, in order to highlight student growth, versus placing an emphasis on students competing with each other.

“Many more students participated in this event compared to last year. It included a variety of programs — skit, video, an interview with a teacher, and even martial arts, not just speeches.

[The variety] enriched the quality and aim of the event for students to build upon their passions and strengths and [help] create positive change as leaders of the 21st century," said Korean department chair Emily Kim. From Korean as an additional language (KAL) students wowing the audience with speeches and a student-created musical composition to taekwondo performances and a humor-filled video created by Grade 5 KAL students, with the assistance of APIS senior Robin Chae, which filled the auditorium with laughter, audience members were enthralled throughout the showcase.

Costumes, props, and varying presentation formats, including studentcreated and traditional skits that captured cultural idioms, such as the Chinese “The Fox and the Tiger” and “YuGong Moves the Mountain,” a tale of perseverance, contributed to the success of this year’s showcase.

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3rd Annual APIS Asian Language Speech Showcase Japanese language teachers, Junko Furusawa and Naomi Anno said, “We were really impressed with the students and their great, great effort! Thank you, APIS students!!”

Students were poised, proud, and excited to share their growth. To conclude the showcase, Grade 5 student Rin Choi stepped on stage and read a moving testimony and letter of thanks to the foreign language department teachers, on behalf of all APIS students: “Every day, you sacrifice your time to give us what we need. As children, we need love and attention and you teachers give us more than we need. It's like each step you take gives us a handful of gold. So today, on behalf of everybody, we would like to give you these plants as an emblem of our growth and your care. You find us as seedlings, and you push us up, help us, build stamina for us, and before you even know it, we're starting to bloom flowers. This process would have not been completed without you. You’re our water, sun, and our family. We love you and thank you.”

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What Did Mom Say?

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he Faculty Forum question for our April edition of the APIS Update is related to two upcoming holidays — the U.S. holiday of Mother's Day and the Korean holiday of Parents Day. We asked staff and faculty to think about a funny or valuable piece of advice or saying that their mother (or a mother-like figure) passed on to them.

My mom always told me to “be kind and loving.” Every day when I got home from school she would ask me how my day at school was and then would ask. “Did everyone at recess have someone to play with?”

If there was someone who was alone at recess, she would ask me if I played with them or asked them to play with me.

- Kim House, second-grade teacher

Momma Murphy always preached this to my brother, sister, and me. It hits the A (Aspire) and P (Persevere) of APIS. “When there is a will, there is a way!” Pappa Murphy always talked about Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.

- Andy Murphy, dean of students

It wasn’t until I became a father and began to use this particular word with my daughter that I came to learn the word was completely made up — by my mother! It was made up to describe that wonderful feeling of being warm and comfortable and relaxed and happy and contented, like when you hop into a bed with freshly laundered sheets and a big warm comforter and are sipping a delicious hot chocolate!

The word is “snugglybonk.” Now, whenever I have that feeling (of being snugglybonk), I always think of my mum!

- Bruce Knox, principal 16

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My mom always stressed the importance of having many friends in life. Whenever I had any conflicts with other children growing up, my mom would remind me that the kids who seem the meanest need a friend and kindness the most. It is great advice that helped me through my teenage years and I still think of often as an adult.

- Carly Shinners, mathematics teacher

My grandmother, Clara Fischer, a first-generation American of German immigrant parents, would say, “If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.” And that is how she lived. She did everything with excellence.

- Susan Craton, communications officer

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At the age of 16, I left the only home I'd ever known to be an exchange student to Austria for my senior year of high school. I landed with the most amazing host family and found a second home in this world. Most days were filled with a sense of love, belonging, and wonder, but on my birthday, which fell early in the school year, I walked home feeling lonely and really missing my friends back in the U.S. When I reached my host family's house, my host mom immediately recognized the sadness in my eyes, and my tear-stained cheeks. She gave me a big hug and sat me down at the kitchen table. As always, she listened, supported, and lifted me up. That day, she also offered a piece of advice that I have carried close to my heart ever since. She knew I was an avid journaler (filling seven journals during my Austrian year alone!), and she invited me to begin each journal entry with seven gratitudes — things I was grateful for. It could be as tiny a detail as the feel of sunshine on my skin on a perfectly warm day, or it could be a letter from a loved one, coffee with my host mother after school, lunch with a friend, or the chance to help someone else. I found that even when I turned to my journal with difficult things to write about and process, I would still always begin with a list of seven things I was thankful for in that moment.

More than 20 years have passed since I began this practice. In the meantime, science has validated what my host mother long knew — gratitude transforms, brings joy, and invites connections to life and others.

Even in the hardest of moments and days, there is something or someone to be grateful for. This is why when I say goodnight to my sons, I also ask, "What are you grateful for today?"

- Caroline Webster, communications officer

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Librarian's Pick: Family Love and Relationships

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he International Day of Families is observed on May 15. Many children and young adult books show lovely stories about family love. It is also fun to read contemporary stories that show the lives of non-traditional families. I hope these books will help you to find the true meaning of family.

Told through the letters of 10-year-old Lydia Grace in the summer of 1935, the story starts with her traveling to the city to live with her Uncle Jim. This Caldecott Honor book shows how a young girl overcomes difficulties with a positive mindset and the love of her family. Lydia Grace’s goal was to make her uncle smile with her sunny personality and her gift of gardening. An ambitious rooftop garden fills the uncle’s bakery with flowers and many customers.

The story shows the impact that one small individual can make within family love and care.

L E V E L: K - G2

L E V E L: G4 - G8

L E V E L: G4 - G8 L E V E L: G9 - U P

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Willow Chance is a shy genius, obsessed with nature, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It was never easy for her to associate with people other than her adoptive parents. Tragically, these parents die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a world. But she is helped by some new friends — Mai and her family and a school guidance counselor. Willow Chance is an extraordinary child who has a tragic story. But, instead of being sad, the story is about her finding hope with a different family and her efforts to make positive changes in her life. This novel is about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.

How would you feel if one day your life changes completely, and you are relocated as part of the witness protection program? Living with a fake identity makes it hard to get close with others. This is the life that Meg and her family are living. Meg's mother is an alcoholic, her father is depressed, and her 11-year-old sister is having trouble coping. Meg starts to figure out how to make things better, and the beginning of that is facing the reason why they are in the witness protection program in the first place. With the family’s secret, will they ever be happy again?

w w w. a p i s . o r g EDITORIAL TEAM: ■ Euysung Kim Director ■ Nicole Suh Art & Design Editor ■ Josephine Shim Communications & PR Team Leader ■ Susan Craton Writing / Editing Staff ■ Caroline Webster Writing / Editing Staff