Planting Hope: RPC Sows Seeds of Chang A i H i N h Korea
byAlexisLim‘28
As soon as the bel 9:10 a.m., swarms schoolers scurry ove cafeteria, searching favorite ice cream or through the cookies to one with the most c chips. For these stud sausage bread – or per microwave pizza –stuffed belly that come areamatterofcontent many North Koreans, foodisamatterofsurv
According to NK million North Korean from malnourishm problem exacerbated COVID-19 pandemic North Korea’s border January 2020 due disease, the governm longer imported gra China and critical food failed to reach an starvingpopulation
Withthegrowings this situation, the c Publica Colloquy (RPC tofindasolution.
On Oct 30, RPC justice club that seeks awarenessaboutcurre launched a seed p event called RPSeed Chapel homerooms us and spoons to vegetable seeds in m These seeds would the over to China and subsequently enter North Korea, a process that would allow the recipients to use the seeds to grow vital cropsforfood
“Even if it’s like not a huge, huge, huge amount, it's still hundreds of thousands of seeds that could potentially help feed families,” said Brooke Lai ‘26, theclub’spresident
To make RPSeed possible, RPC collaborated with Helping Hands Korea, an organization that aims to alleviate various issues in North Korea and aid North Korean defectors in their journeytoSouthKorea.
“Wewantedtohaveourclub
be more engaged with realworld issues and like be able to make a tangible impact,” said Brooke. “But it’s kinda difficult to do that on our own as just a schoolclub,sowelookedonline to find different organizations, and we stumbled upon Helping Hands Korea, which seemed likethebestoption.”
HelpingHandsKoreapackages seeds regularly as a part of its mission to help North Korea, so RPC decided to help contribute to the cause as well “They do weeklyseed
packaging on Tuesdays and we started going there, and we asked if we could bring that to our school,” said Alexis Kim’ 25, the club’s treasurer “After the International Bazaar, we had the money for this, so we decided it’ll be a good time.”
The club used these funds to purchasethousandsofseedsfor RPSeed
Intotal,RPCcollectedaround 5,400 packs of seeds, reflecting the club’s proactivity in alleviating starvation in North Korea,notwithstandingthe
us obstacles that global tions face when assistance urishment is a huge ue in North Korea still ms kind of obvious, but otawholebunchthat's one about it,” said “We couldn’t get any from like official tions like the World ogramme, or it’s very the amount that they errightnow,atleastin coupleyears.SoRPSeed ofliketodoourpart” d the seed packing RPC understands the of spreading ssaboutcurrentaffairs ks actively to create a ity that can discuss yze global issues in a n-depth way “Every we try to hold ns about topical said Brooke.” So we had one on the we had one about the ez Brothers, the whole rsy around the Netflix added, “We also talk ternational issues like eli-Palestinian conflict e discussions, we try to our club members by gthemwithabunchof efore the meeting, and we ask them to read it over.” Besides the regular meetings, the club also tries to install posters about a variety of different topics to educate not only its current members but alsotheschoolasawhole
Despite these successes, RPC continues to face challenges in their quest to spread awareness of social justice issues, especially as ignorance pervades as a ubiquitous problem in the school community As Brooke said,“Wehearaboutthingsbut we don’t really get to engage with them, or even sometimes peopledon’tcareaboutthings.”
YISS Forensics Delivers Breakthrough Results at GSIS
On Nov 15-16, the YISS ForensicsTeamtraveledtoGSIS and brought home a wave of accolades, showcasing their skills in speech and debate With outstanding results, the Guardian team placed 2nd overall,strengtheningtheirspot on the KAIAC conference podium.
The KAIAC event featured international schools from across the nation, with the speechtournamenttakingplace on Friday and the debate tournament on Saturday Despite being a relatively small team composed of younger speakers, the YISS team earned top placings in several categoriesonbothdays.Intotal, 13 YISS participants achieved awards during the tournament, one of the highest numbers in
So what happened on each dayoftheevent?
Friday’s speech tournament was dominated by individual performances, as students achieved high results for Oratory,Prose,Impromptu,and Poetry.DespiteitbeingherfirsteverKAIACspeechtournament, Jaelyn Koo ‘27 impressed everyone with her first-place finish, moving the finals judges to tears with her dramatic delivery.
In Prose, Semee Yang ‘25, regarded the ace of the YISS speech team, also claimed first place with a powerful short piece. Moreover, Iris Kim ‘26 achieved finalist in Original Oratory, while Mandy Shin ‘27 was also a finalist for Impromptu.
Aiden Yoon ‘28 who has
tournaments, claimed second place in the Extemporaneous category Despite Extemporaneous Speech being widely known to be a challenging category because of the comprehensive knowledge required, Aiden was able to efficiently analyze current events on the spot and deliver a well-thought-out speech to impressthejudges.
“I was very nervous at first, but I tried my best to sound eloquent and use the most knowledge I could through that, I think I was able to show my full potential”, said Aiden, when asked about how he overcame the pressure of the tournament.
In addition, Seunghun Lee ‘27, a double-entry participant, not only earned finalist in
byJamiePark‘27
creative piece, but also placed first in Impromptu. “The GSIS tournament was really fun We had a smaller team than usual, but we were able to check in on one another and encourage each other between rounds,” said Seunghun about his experienceatthetournament Saturday’sdebatetournament was also a high-energy affair, with students putting forward well-knit, intricate arguments. Standout performances include Lukas Marce ‘27’s first-place finish in the Lincoln-Douglas debate, where his argument demonstrated exceptional depth and preparation. For Lukas, it was a meaningful achievement as it was his second Lincoln Douglas firstplacewin.
“It'salwaysreallynervousto
stand in front of judges before a debate, but I think the more experience I get, the more confidentIamthatIcanachieve betterresults,”saidLukas
The Public Forum team of ElleannaChoe‘25andJonathan Moon ‘26 secured second place after a close final round Our young debaters, Kaelyn Kwon ‘28 and Lauren Park ‘28 achieved an astonishing second place in the Parliamentary debate, showing impressive, strategic thinking. Eugene Lee ‘28alsogaveanextremely
impressive performance, earning fourth place in LincolnDouglas.
When asked to give future advice to other students trying toperformwellinfutureKAIAC Forensics tournaments, Seunghun said, “My biggest advice for new people would be to go in with an open mindset, see the judges, and adapt with it, because oftentimes it will be very different than traditional speech, and there are very different speaking styles. Once you adjust to that, I trust that everyonecandowell”
All in all, the weekend’s results highlighted the dedication and talent of the Forensics team The compelling speeches reflected months of hard work and dedication by the students, and despite facing various time challenges before November, the YISS debaters and speakers were wellprepared to achieve high results
Forensics tournaments are challenging,yetinspiringevents that many look forward to each year. As students continue to refine their craft, their achievements serve as a source of pride for the school community. With more tournaments on the horizon, the YISS team is eager to build on this momentum and reach evengreaterheightsin2025.
New JV Cheerleading Team Takes the Spotlight
One of the most outstanding aspects of the YISS experience has always been its athletics program Volleyball, basketball, swimming,soccer,tennis–all of the school’s sports teams consistently display impressive results, both in schoolandatcompetitions.
However, one team that often flies under the radar is the cheerleading squad Usually found cheering for other teams, their other talents such as tumbling, stunting, and jumping aren’t frequently shown. With their energy and enthusiasm, the cheer team has long been an integral part of YISS’s school spirit but has not always received the same attention as other sports programs due to the lack of regular cheer competitions.
Withtheintroductionofa JV cheerleading team by Coach Melanie Roberts in November 2024, more studentswillhavethechance to get involved in cheer and showcase their talents than everbefore
byJaneYun‘28
“I want to create an environment where every student, regardless of their experience level, can learn and grow as a cheerleader,” Ms. Robertssaid “It’snotjustabout cheering for other teams, but about building confidence, strength, and unity among the entirestudentbody.”
The creation of the JV cheerleading team is a strategic move to increase opportunities for students interested in cheer and to promote a greater sense ofinclusivitywithintheschool’s athletic community While the varsity cheer team has long represented competitive cheer atYISS,theJVteamoffersanew entrypointforstudentswhoare eager to become involved in cheerleading, regardless of their levelofexperience.
The JV cheerleading team is designed to provide students withthechancetodeveloptheir cheer skills and gain the experienceneededtoeventually compete at the varsity level With practices focused on building fundamental cheer skills (dancing, tumbling, jumping,etc),teamdynamics,
andschoolspirit,theJVsquadis open to athletes of all abilities, fostering a welcoming environmentforall
Most practices are focused on building and refining all talents by practicing and creating new cheers to keep the crowd and sports teams hyped up at all times. Cheerleaders learn everything from perfecting handstands and cartwheels to mastering stunts and jumps. “I never thought I’d beabletojoincheerleading,but with the JV team, I get to be a part of something so exciting and fun!” said Sophia Young ‘28,acurrentJVcheerleader
The team performed at a variety of school events, including pep rallies, games, and other school-wide activities, helping to pump up the crowd and encourage a strong sense of community. Additionally,membersoftheJV cheerteamhadtheopportunity to practice regularly, hone their routines, and develop the choreography necessary for larger-scaleperformances
The only difference between theJVandvarsityteamsisthat
JamieParkisaNewsEditoronthe BRInkEditorialBoard
players in the JV team compete in a different division at KAIAC, and they may need to further refine their skills before advancing to the varsity level But that doesn't mean there isn’t collaboration between the teams. “When we perform together at KAIAC, it feels like one big cheer family,” said Jia Wong ‘28 “We learn from the varsity team and they help guideus It’ssocooltobepartof a group with so much school spirit”
With their energy and skill, the JV cheerleading team was able to showcase YISS spirit on a larger stage as they joined the varsitysquadattheKAIAC
championships on Jan. 18 –their efforts culminating in a stunning first place in the JV division.
As the JV cheerleading team grows, YISS plans to expand its cheer program, providing more opportunities for students to train and compete The hope is that the creation of the JV team will inspire more students to join cheerleading, fostering deeper connections within the school’sathleticprogram.
The squad is just getting started, but with the continued growth of the team’s talent and its programs, there’s no limit to how high the YISS cheerleaders canfly
Model UN Team Takes On New York
byMiaMarce‘26
Tourism, tacos, teamwork, talks, and triumphs: this alliteration sums up the experience of the Model United Nations (MUN) club as they traveled to New York City betweenJan.14-21toparticipate in the Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition XXIV (CMUNCE), held annually at Columbia University. Six YISS delegates returnedwithawards
from the highly competitive conference, and despite the expected troubles that accompany traveling in a big city with a group of 20 high school students and only three advisors, parents and teachers alike were relieved that everyonereturnedsafely
The team arrived at Newark AirportinNewJerseyandspent their first morning in New York immersedinthecity They
spent the day walking around centralManhattanunderablue sky in chilly weather, exploring Times Square, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park, and Rockefeller Center First-year MUN sponsors Michael Suhany and Soran Kim led the group, while chaperone Grace Miller, a New Yorker, guided the team throughthecity.“Itwascoolfor me to feel like I was sharing my childhood with the rest of the team,”saidMs Grace
The next day, the delegates continued their tourism with a visit to the World Trade Center and 9/11 memorial before splitting up to go to either Soho for shopping or Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty from a distance.Reconveningforlunch at Chelsea Market, the students split into groups to sample a diversity of cuisines, including butnotlimitedtoJapanesebeef curry tacos from Takumi Taco, sesame soft-serve ice cream from Seed + Mill, Mediterranean “World’s Best Baby Cauliflower” from Miznon, and spicy chocolate gelatofromL'ArtedelGelato.
“I was really impressed by how everybody was so trustworthy and [how] I didn't have to really ever worry about anyone falling out of line or creating any problems,” said Ms Grace “Because of the level of maturity that the students showed, they received a lot of independence when it came to going out for lunch and dinner or breaking into groups during freetime.”
Thatsameevening,delegates enteredLernerHallatColumbia where the Secretary-General welcomed all 900 delegates representing over 15 nationalities to their 25 committees CMUNCE’s Essay competition winners were announced, including Olivia Suh ‘28 for her Outstanding Essay (2nd place) Delegates then started their committee sessions, which would take place over the next three days with intense debates and collaboration on issues ranging from the real-life Monkeypox epidemic to a fictional crisis involving a rift between various godsinMythos Committees ranged in size from 19 to over a hundred delegates. “I was in the World Health Organization [and] my committeehad110peopleatfull attendance,” said Hannah Kim ‘27, who was attending her first ever MUN conference “I met a lot of funny and unique people who use jokes in their speeches,” said Hannah. “There was this one guy [who] was comparing Monkeypox prevention technologies to bowlsoframen”
Kaiden Holst ‘26 explained during a team debrief that the delegates at CMUNCE “weren’t necessarilysmarterthanus,just more confident,” especially compared to the usual competition the YISS MUN teamfacesinKorea Committee sessions were interspersed with events like the UN Mission Visits on the seconddayoftheconference,
where YISS’s delegates split up intoagroupheadingtotheNew Zealand Mission and a group heading to the Paraguay Mission. Students got to learn aboutandinteractwithrealUN country representatives, Air Force officers, and others who workbehindthescenes.
The Paraguay group finished earlyandhadthechancetovisit the United Nations Headquarters, where students observed one of the general assembly rooms and an exposition about the various committees “The gift shop there was incredible and it was really fun learning about the history of the UN and seeing how everything operated inside of that building,” said Katie Choi‘26
The rest of the day was devoted to the conference There was even a ‘Midnight Crisis’ at the conference’s designatedhotelforfourchosen committees. Lukas Marce ‘27 andCarstenHolst‘25werethe onlyYISSstudentstobecalled
OnJan 21,2025,ClaireLee‘26andMiaMarce‘26holdinguptheirBest DelegateawardsfromCMUNCEXIIXatColumbiaUniversity down, and their mettle was put to the test as they debated until 1am Attheclosingceremonies,six YISS students were honored with awards from the highly competitiveconferencefortheir hard work and dedication to MUN.MiaMarce‘26and
Claire S Lee ‘26 both won Best Delegate awards (1st place), Sharania Mandloi ‘25 received Honorable Mention (3rd place), andSaeyoonSim‘27andKhanh Duong ‘27 got Verbal Commendations(4thPlace).
When the team was later alertedthattheirflightback
wouldhaveaninehourdelay, the group spent an additional night in New Jersey, sharing theirreflectionsonthetrip With 14-hour flights, late night subway rides, and numerous rat sightings around the city, the MUN team had quite the adventure. Yet what most students seem to find most memorable were the moments the group spent together, sharing good times around delicious food with greatcompany
“My favorite parts of the trip were all the times we had together as a team, like our bonding session in Ms Kim’s room and eating meals together,” said Kaiden when asked about her CMUNCE experience “I thought that it would be quite chaotic because we ' re going to a big city with a really large group for the first time We actually had a pretty seamless experience visiting new places, going to Columbia, andhavingalotoffreetime”
YISS Has In-School Snow Day Amid Historic Levels of Snowfall
On Nov. 27, 2024, South Korea woke up to 165 centimeters(6.5inches)offresh snow That amount surpassed Seoul's previous daily snowfall record in November since records began in 1907. But it didn’t just stop there; the heavy snow continued until the next day
By the morning of Nov. 28, the weather agency reported the accumulation of 28.6 centimeters (11.3 inches) in Seoul Due to safety concerns, according to Korea JoongAng Daily, “three schools were fully closed and 27 others had their operatinghoursadjusted ”
Despite this, YISS’s school day wasn’t canceled Many students were disappointed by this “I remember planning this with the boys the day before–faking an injury, so that if I act injured, then they have a slight chanceofmaybeclosingthe
school,”saidJoshuaKo‘26.“SoI was sitting in the snow for like, tenminutes.”
Other students were merely surprised. “I was like, we’re definitely not gonna go to school,” said Eva Huang ‘27. “I didn’tevengetready,like,Iwas still in my pajamas.” As many drove cautiously to school, they were surrounded by white trees, white mountains, and whitestreets Nevertheless,YISS
operated without much difficulty as the students attendedtheirclasses.
In the interest of safety, the school prohibited high school students from going outside to play in the snow during lunch andevenafterschool However, some were able to briefly go outside during school hours and play, as long as they had a teacher’s permission. Joshua wasabletobuildamassive
snowmaninthesnow-covered courtyard, complete with a carrot-nose he brought from home “Iflifegivesyoualemon, make a lemonade. So school didn’t get cancelled, so I just decided to make a snowman,” he said Moreover, the elementary students were able to play after school. They ran around having fun with their friends.
The following day, on Nov 29, it snowed heavily again, covering everything from the streets to the trees and the cars. Similarly to the first snow day, school didn’t get canceled and students had to come to school Some leftover snow was turning into ice, making certain places dangerous and slippery. The school’s janitors worked hard to clean the snow in areas such as the courtyard and the elementaryplayground
Lydia Ro: The Senior Who Redefined Speed
byOliviaSuh‘28
During the summer, Seoul's temperatures can rise up to 36˚C Despite these harsh weather conditions, Lydia Ro ‘25 trained all summer in the scorching heat to chase a goal she knew she could reach: breaking the YISS girls cross country5Krecord
When Lydia first started runningfortheYISShighschool cross-country team as a sophomore in 2022, her time was 28:13 seconds for her 5K races. However, merely two years later, she ended her fall senior year cross-country season with a time of 19:14, breaking the previous school record of 20:44, which is 1:30 slower than Lydia’s career personalrecord
However, it took months of hard work and dedication for this dream to come true. There were many obstacles along the way–asaseniordealingwitha “mountain of college apps and essays and art portfolio,” it was especiallydifficultforhertofind a balance between her two passions: art and running. Additionally, her “personal issues [had] been a real battle which caused self doubts” Despite these physical and mental challenges, Lydia had a clear goal set for her senior season
In the summer of her junior year, Lydia ran for hours in the heateverydayaspartofheroffseasontraining.“Aftertakinga1 week break from track season, I got right back into training and running everyday,” she said “I mean it was hard because I would get up at 6 or 7 and got out for my morning run. Then at2,headtotheartstudio,back at home at 10 after and slave away college essays I was tired but it was the only schedule that worked ” In addition to running, Lydia had to spend extrahoursworkingonart
When fall season came, she ran up an endless number of hills, just as she reached the top oftheschoolleaderboard.Inthe second conference meet at OMHS, she broke into the YISS top5leaderboardwithatimeof 21:35. With more botanical garden runs, speed ladders, and Han River workouts, she broke her previous record with a time of19:57.However,herworkwas not done With more training and perseverance – running every day after school on top of her many responsibilities as a senior, from college applications to AP course work –sheclearedtheYISSgirls'all-
time leaderboard with a time of 19:14
NotonlywasLydiasuccessful among other Korean international schools at KAIAC, but she also excelled overseas. In the API Japan tournament, Lydia placed 2nd place out of more than 160 runners, earning her the API division title of 1st place Her hard work helped herplace 3rd overseas and also 3rd in the Pacific International division.
Lydia said, “My middle school self would have not agreed at all I didn’t like sports and the only reason I did it was because of my friends And I hated running. But it all changed whenIjoinedcrosscountryin
sophomoreyear”
Theremarkablebondofthe cross country team helped create a sense of community Lydia never would have imagined. She noted, “I remember my former captain said this: ‘It’s the XC magic.’ I don’t know what my high school would have looked like without the cross country family” Throughout her cross country career, her teammates encouragedherandpushedher to continue running, and she will never forget when her former Coach Marquis used to say, “‘We’re doing your guys sports punishment’... but running gives you this incrediblefeeling.”
Crosscountrymaybebased on individual times, but accordingtoLydia,itis“moreof a team sport than any other teamsport.Yesit’sanindividual competition but you need people to be there to cheer on you and push you The difference that a teammate can make telling you to kick is so amazingtoseeandexperience.” Forher,theteamisafamilythat mentally and physically supports each other, encouraging each other to try theirbest
When asked about Lydia’s contributions to the team, Emma Shin ‘26 said that Lydia is a “great leader and works harder than anyone [she] know[s]... We can tell how much she loves the sport” As one of the captains, Lydia was also prepared to help her teammates and took care of everyone Lydia wants her underclassmen to “never take timeforgranted.”Lydia’slegacy tells us that her journey was a marathon, not a sprint. Success comes from much more than blowing wishes on a dandelion andhopingtheywillcometrue.
PhotobyMr DaniloTadeo
The Environmental Impact of Food Waste at YISS
byKoominChung‘26
PilesandpilesofuneatenJ&J meals go through the conveyor belt every day, destined for the trash instead of a student’s stomach Trays filled with halffull bowls of rice and sludges of leftover penne pasta are common sights in the YISS cafeteria
Food waste is a noticeable issue at YISS. Every day during lunch, students are seen discarding unfinished meals into trash bins, contributing to the larger global issue of food waste However,it’snotjustthe uneaten food that’s contributing to the problem Single-use plastic packaging fromsnacksanddelifooditems add to the growing pile of waste
According to the United Nations, food waste accounts for 8 to 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally. When food is discarded, it decomposes in landfills, releasing methane a gas25timesmorepotentthan carbondioxide Beyondthis,the
resources used to produce the wasted food water, energy, and labor are also lost To put it in perspective, the water wasted annually on uneaten food equals three times the volumeoftheHanriver
At YISS, we see this issue firsthand Cafeteria staff frequently report trays filled with untouched meals being tossed into the trash. “We see traysfilledwithuntouchedfood every day,” one J&J staff membershared.“It’sfrustrating because we work hard to prepare these meals. If students only took what they planned to eat, it would make a big difference”
Butit’snotjustthefoodthat’s beingwasted Single-useplastic packaging, such as wrappers from snacks and drinks, is another major culprit. These items,whichcantakehundreds of years to decompose, accumulate over time and contribute to the growing problem of plastic pollution. Whileasinglewrappermight
seem insignificant, the waste generated over an entire school yeartellsadifferentstory.
Students who frequently visit the deli may not consider the environmental impact of their choices. Their reliance on single-use packaging is a clear area for improvement. “The packagingforsnacksanddrinks adds up quickly,” another J&J employee explained. “It’s something we’d like to see addressed, but it’s not entirely inourcontrol”
According to research from theEPA,Americansgenerate42 milliontonsofplasticwaste
STUDENT PROFILE
annually,withalargeportion coming from single-use items While no specific data is available for YISS, other schools havereportedtheproductionof hundreds of pounds of waste per week, highlighting the urgencyforchange
Reducing waste is not just about protecting the environment but also about taking responsibility for the resources we consume. At YISS, the opportunity to lead by example is clear and it starts with every tray, wrapper, and unfinishedmeal
Elim Kalilov: Podcaster and Entrepreneur
byIsaacShim‘27
YISS has the privilege of hostingstudentsfromallover the world with different backgrounds–as well as with unique hobbies and interests–whichhelpsmakeit a much more diverse and interestingschooltoattend.
Elimbek Kalilov ‘25, or Elim,isoneofthesestudents.
He’s from Kyrgyzstan, a country located in Central Asia He’s also a polyglot; he aks five languages! While speaks English, Korean, d Kyrgz, he also speaks zakh and Uzbek. He says t this language comes m Kyrgyzstan, and said t“it'sacodelanguagethat se with my friends since st people in the world n't know much [of these guages]”
In Kyrgyzstan, he prefers spend his time in the untains and the untrysideratherthaninthe y, as he finds the hills ming. “I can eat a lot of at with cousins and play gameswhilereadingbooksin clearair,”hesaid
What makes Elim stand out even more, however, is his initiative An innovative and entrepreneurial person, Elim runs a podcast, interviews entrepreneurs from many differentcompanies,andmakes and edits videos himself while conducting the interviews He doesallofthiswhilekeepingan excellent academic record and remaining on the principal’s honorroll
ElimhasbeenatYISSforfour years; before, he was at a small international school in Yangjae, where one grade only had eight students Before that, he went to a Korean public school, which is why he can speak Koreanwell.
Before Elim started his own podcast, he was an avid listener of podcasts He learned from an acquaintance who ran a podcastthatGoogleofferedfree studiostouse.Thefirstgueston his podcast was his group leader for a hackathon he was competing in, who sold a startup for a couple of million dollars, which was very impressivetoElim
One of the highest points of his podcast journey was when the Chief Technical Officer of Coupanglistenedtohispodcast andtoldElimthathelikedit.
Elim said that the biggest guest he had was the CEO of YCombinator, who he says are the “gods” of startups, as they are the biggest accelerators in the world for businesses and thoughtleaders.Elim’spodcast, called “Modern Marco Polo Podcast” on YouTube, currently has107thousandsubscribers
Elim also had his share of difficultiesthough Elimhadthe opportunity to use a professionalstudioforfreewith high-quality cameras to record one of his episodes, but the recording failed and he wasted people’s time but also didn’t capitalizeonthechancehehad.
When asked about how he finds the time to run a podcast, Elim said, “I found time [for the podcast] as I didn't really care about school as much, didn't really attend any clubs, and did thebareminimumtogetagood grade I also didn't do a lot of things other than startups and tech-relatedthings,”saidElim
Onatypicalweekday,Elim’s day starts at 6:30, around the time when a lot of other YISS studentswakeupforschool He drinks coffee or tea, and during oppsblock,hetalkswithfriends or does work He says that he skips lunch to do school work too
Outside of school, he has manyhobbies Helearnsboxing andjujitsu,hikes,rockclimbing, and archery He loves reading books and going to new coffee shops, but he loves meeting people. He likes meeting new strangers and having dinner with professionals, especially with entrepreneurs and businessmen.
As a senior in high school, Elim would give this piece of advice to underclassmen: even people you trust and respect may tell you things that may turn out to be untrue He says that people have biases and limited beliefs in certain things, “so always test your assumptions about everything andyourworldviews.”
He gives the Korean workplace as an example. It’s generally perceived that Korea isalimitedplaceforinternships andstartups,especiallyfor
foreigners and high schoolers
However, Elim said no one testedthattheorytoseeifitwas true “Because no one had the guts to test the Korean culture, there were so many more opportunities available that I couldtakeup,”hesaid
In10years,Elimwantstostill be running the podcast, but he doesn’twantmillionsof
listeners; he wants a reasonably small listening community of around 10,000 people. He said thathewouldwanthislistening community to be “exceptional people and people who I would wanttobefriendswith.”
He says that he wants a holding company based on educationandcommunity,
with a portfolio of 100 million dollars.Hewantstogetmarried and have kids, have five passports (somehow), and be able to spend time and live life with people he cares about Although this is just where he envisions himself, Elim seems to have an assuredness for his goals in the future and a clear visionforhispathforward.
New York City: “The City of Gods”
bySeunghunLee‘27
In the wise words of Lil Wayne, “Haters only hate things they can't have and the people they can't be It's just a littlethingcalledjealousy.”
It turns out that New York Cityhashaterstoo.
Some of them say, “New York City is disgusting and dead”
Otherspointout,“NewYork Cityhasfallenfromgrace”
And finally, a random, traitorous taxi driver dared to utter the words, “New York is the worst place on planet Earth to live. You could not choose a worseplacethanthis.”
Yikes For a city long considered to be the heartland of America and the epicenter of western culture, it appears as if New York City – where the lights shine brightest and the peopleneversleep–isreceiving a lot of “shade” in its public perception
In some respects, it is undeniable that New York City has lost the initial pizazz that it once had Crime has consistently risen over the past few years, and the sound of police sirens continue to pierce the night on a daily basis. Poverty has also increased; in 2022, the number of adults in povertyjumpedby5%whilethe percentofchildrenlivingin
OPINION
poverty met an alarming 25%
Furthermore, New York City is still one of the most unequal cities around the world, showing signs of extreme incomeinequalityeveryyear.
But is this enough to conclusively claim that New York City is no longer the greatestcityintheworld?
Don’t ask me Just ask Bronx native Tracy Morgan: “No, no, no,no,no,no”
Let me preface by saying: thereisnoabsolutewayto
determine which city is the greatest Each city has its own unique qualities and features that distinguish them from other locations, and there is no standardwaytocomparethem
However, we can still measure the “greatness” of one city by recognizing its achievementsandhistory.With that said, by understanding each of its iconic features, it becomes unquestionably clear that New York City is far ahead ofitstime,competition,and
haters.
One of the most common criticismsofNewYorkCityisits deteriorating infrastructure Its transportation systems are often called out for being slow and dilapidated, and its sewage networks are notorious for being almost non-existent. But whatdoyouexpectfromoneof the oldest and most historic subwaylinesaroundtheworld?
TheNewYorkCitySubwaywas opened in 1904 and initially startedoperationswith28
stations. Not only is it still the largest in the United States, but the New York City Subway also has more active stations than anyothermetroline Onitsfirst day of operation, the subway line had 150,000 riders – in 2023, that number had reached anastounding36millionriders perday.
I can almost hear the haters WhataboutLondon,whichhas an even older subway line? What about the Shanghai Metro, which has the longest subway network in the world? Firstly, despite having twice the land area of New York City, London only has 272 available stations and 11 lines in its subway system. Compare that to the New York City Subway, which boasts a record 472 stations and 36 lines Enough said.
AsforShanghai,itisobvious that the Chinese city has longer subway lines Shanghai is almost eight times the area of New York City, which means that longer lines are inevitable. However, it is crucial to note when both subway systems were built. Shanghai’s first metro line was completed in 1993, which is almost nine decades behind New York In other words, despite having 90 yearsworthofadvancementsin engineering and technology, Shanghai spent around the same amount of time as New York to construct its first subway line. And this is not because the first Shanghai line was longer. Upon operation, both the Shanghai and New York line had a total length of around38kilometers.
All of this is not meant to downplay the achievements of LondonorShanghai:rather,itis meant to demonstrate how NewYorkCityhadtheforesight and ability to do what other citiescouldonlydolateron The infrastructure and organization of the city is unparalleled in bothscaleandhistory.
Another aspect of the city that is often attacked is its overcrowded streets and touristyattractions.
If this is the deciding factor that prevents a city from being the greatest, then it automatically eliminates other places such as Paris, Rome, and Tokyo Rather than assessing whichcitycanattract–oravoid
–tourists,thecriteriashouldbe who can attract an internationalrangeofpeople.
Thisisoneofthestrengths of New York City and another opportunity to “take down” anotherfamouscity
Tokyo is often regarded as one of the most advanced and futuristic cities around the world It is also an extremely popular tourist destination, with almost 20 million visitors in 2023 alone. While New York City has much higher tourism rates, it would not be fair to directly compare these numbers because New York also has domestic visitors. Once domestic tourists are factored, the number of international tourists who visited New York City actually comes out as 11.6 million
But if we break down the numbers, we can immediately notice a clear difference between tourism in Tokyo and in New York. As of December 2024, Tokyo 644% of all tourists were from East Asia, and almost 25% were from South Korea alone. Other countries who sent the most tourists to Japan were China, Taiwan,andHongKong.
Meanwhile, the data shows an opposite trend in New York City In 2023, New York City was a destination to travelers from around the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Brazil, Mexico, and China. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of tourists from all world regions increased
Yetthecosmopolitannature of New York City extends beyond tourism New York City also happens to be home to various global organizations that epitomize diversity and international collaboration Some of these institutions include the United Nations Organization, the United Nations Security Council, and countless Missions to the United Nations In other words, 190 countries rely on the city to serve as a mediator between their governments and the globalcommunity.
Outside of urban development and international diplomacy, New York City is an icon of many other pillars in society: music and entertainmentinBroadway;
food and shopping in Chelsea Market; finance and stocks in Wall Street; sports and the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famousarena
Simplyput,NewYorkCityis a pioneering paradise and a place where different cultures meet to interact and compete with one another It is a city for those who have the drive and mindsettobecomethebest Itis a battlefield where people from all over the world can prove they have the character and skills that are recognized worldwide as the keys to success
joining a city culture that reflects on the past to look into the future. It is this timeless culture that sustains the life of New York City and keeps it awake. This is what differentiates New York from other cities – that are either upand-coming newbies who have much to prove or outdated oldies who have not shown signs of life for years. As ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith (who is also a Knicks fan) would say, “That’smytake”
SoallowmetojoinNewYork native and rapper Fivio Foreign inintroducingyoutoNewYork. “WelcometotheCityofGods.”
After decades of failed negotiations brokered by dithering statesmen bent on securing their personal legacies rather than the legacy of the people and countries that they serve, the time has finally come to step up and redeem the reputation of the silent majority on the Korean Peninsula the ones that long for a strong, united Korean Republic under the constitution established by the ROK in 1948, maintained by a free, transparent, and prosperousadministration
The path forward does notconsistofsimplyblaming the engineers of past processes; instead, it requires a careful deconstruction and serious reevaluation of the pastbyallpartiesinvolved,as well as a thoughtful, openminded approach to how we asasocietyand,byextension, the whole world can best learn from the mistakes of times past and work towards the greater good of the Koreanpeoples
Thefirststepin
re-examining the history of this complex, decades-long struggle must be a refresher on the events that have transpired north of the 38th parallel in what is commonly known as North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
The DPRK was birthed in the aftermath of World War II by the Soviet Union (USSR), which installed a communist puppetregimenorthofthe38th parallel, effectively dividing the Korean Peninsula into two halves. Ever since then, the North has been ruled under a relentlessly brutal iron fist by one family: the Kim Dynasty
The founder, Kim Il-Sung, was inspired and trained by the leftists of Russia and China ever sincehisyouth
The reign of Kim Il-Sung, which lasted from around 1948 until his death due to a sudden heart attack in 1994, was mired by purges, harsh central planning of economic activity, and infrastructure projects, along with a very cordial relationship with the USSR Throughouthistenure,the
relationshipbetweenNorthand South Korea was tense, confrontational, and fraught with hostility Although relationsdidimproveasaresult of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, to which the North sent a delegation of athletes, the controversy around the DPRK’s nuclear testing programs led to the abrupt suspension of its relationswiththeSouthin1993.
Then came the second patriarch of the Kim Dynasty: KimJong-Il Notoriouslyknown for his economic ineptitude, Kim Jong-Il presided over massive famines in the 1990s that crippled the North Korean food supply while upwards of 3 million people were starved, impoverished, and in some reports, even killed Following in the footsteps of his father who implemented Juche, Kim alsoenforcedthe Songunpolicy in the North, which effectively secured his legacy of economic mismanagement.
In foreign affairs, Kim effectively manipulated his counterparts down South, masterfully utilizing the “Sunshine Policy” for his own gain by basically guilt-tripping the South into sending over technology, shipments of grain, and contributions Furthermore, Kim Jong-Il thwartedWesterndiplomatsby promising not to develop nuclear weapons, but in practice continuing the advancement of the secret nuclearweaponsprogram,even successfully conducting an underground nuclear weapons test. Finally, after his death in 2011duetoanunexpectedheart attack, he was succeeded by his son,KimJongUn
Kim Jong Un, who is still in power to this day, is ruling an era of change At first, many South Koreans and members of Western political circles around the late 2010s saw him as a more moderate and reformminded leader than his predecessors However,that
wassoonprovenutterlyfalse.
By mercilessly executing his family members, including his elder half-brother and uncle, Kim Jong Un solidified his image as a brutal tyrant, no less oppressive than his predecessors His rule has been marked by a foreign policy of pragmatism;sittingdownat the negotiating table when necessary, and firing excessive barrages of missiles as a sign of confrontation and deliberate provocationonotheroccasions
Duringthe2018Pyeongchang Olympics held in South Korea, the North, much like in 1988, sentadelegationofathletesand political envoys to the South, in a supposed show of unity However,muchlikehisfatherin foreignaffairs,KimJongUnwas an expert in diplomatic manipulation, and he used the Olympics, along with the brief summits between himself and Moon Jae-In – the thenpresident of South Korea – and between him and Donald Trump, to rebrand himself as a benevolent dictator, not a despot.
Allofthisgoestoshowhow the priorities of North Korea have essentially remained stagnant ever since the end of theKoreanWar Thatis,tostop at nothing to protect the security of the regime and to grasp every opportunity given from naive overtures by both South Korea and the United States as a window for exploitation, whether that’s boosting the reputation of the DPRK or advancing its defense and self-sustainability capabilities
Moving on down, the modern nation-state of South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), is by definition, a very nationalistic country Born out of colonization and numerous subjugations by stronger powerswithinitsvicinity,South Koreahasalwaysheldimmense reverence for its freedom fighters and kept steadfast dedication to the maintenance ofitssovereignty.
Broadlyspeaking,thisside of the DMZ includes primarily twomainfactionsthatcompete witheachotherforpoliticaland socialinfluence
On one side are the ethnic nationalistswhogenerallyfavor
warmer relations with the North They want peaceful coexistence along with closer economic and diplomatic cooperation with North Korea. The ethnic nationalists also dislike supposed foreign intervention on the Korean Peninsula, and they often look upon actors like China, Japan, andtheUnitedStateswithgreat apathy.
Why? Well, this is because their entire philosophy hinges onbeingpatriotictotheKorean people as a whole, of which the DPRK is also included The ethnic nationalists view all externalforcesoperatingwithin the Korean peninsula as undermining this perceived connection and potential for cooperation
These ethnic nationalists have existed in some form ever since the Korean War and their activitycanbegenerallydivided into three epochs. Each phase hasitsowndistinctiveelements while also sharing a glaring commonality with the rest: all three times have been times markedbyoppositiontoforeign intervention, and goals of fosteringcloserinter-peninsular ties
The first period lasted from the Korean War roughly until theliberalizationofSouthKorea in the late 1980s and early 1990s, during which the ethnic nationalist bloc largely materialized in the form of prodemocracy movements, often staging protests and rallies to callforopenelectionsandother reforms
The second period is commonly referred to as the DJ & RMH era of 1997 to 2007. During this time, Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moon-Hyun, prominent ethnic nationalist figures of the first period, were elected in close races consecutively, both on platforms of detente with the North and decoupling what they perceived as excessively warmrelationswithbothJapan and the United States. During this era, the “Sunshine Policy” was in full swing, with South Korea shipping loads of grain, among other supplies, to the North, often in exchange for disingenuous and vague commitments from North Korea.
Thethirdperiodencapsulates
the presidency of Moon Jae-In, from2017to2022,withareturn to the “Sunshine Policy”. This most recent stage of ethnic nationalism has been characterized by the infiltration of many South Korean institutions by pro-North Korean narrative sympathizers, and the slow remodeling of the South Korean education system to rewrite its own history in reverence of controversial historical figures linked to the North
On the other side of this political and social rift are the state nationalists who adopt a more cynical attitude and broadly approve of a more confrontational relationship with the North. They believe that American intervention is necessary to protect the free republic of South Korea from falling to anti-state procommunistforces
Much like the ethnic nationalists, this faction has been active through three different eras which in turn are characterized by confrontation with the North, general skepticism of its preludes, and closer ties with the United StatesanditsWesternbloc
The first period of state nationalism can be traced –similar to ethnic nationalism –from the Korean War until the liberalization of the ROK. During this age, the presidency of Park Chung-Hee and Chun Doo-Wan shaped this faction’s outlook on both domestic and foreign policy and laid the groundwork for this movement’s philosophy to be based around the country’s founder, Syngman Rhee. Throughout this period, heavy state regulation of vital industries and sectors took place,withageneralopenness
to foreign investment along with the maintenance of a hawkish strategy against the North through a robust selfdefensecapabilitynetwork.
The second period of state nationalism was during what is known today as the MB era, or the presidency of Lee MyungBak from 2008 to 2013, and by extension, of Park Geun-Hye from 2013 to 2017. In this period, general cynicism towards the North was the norm, with few overtures being made and a general mood of confrontation enveloping the peninsula,leadingtoeventslike the shelling of the YeonpyeongdoIslands.
The third period is the one currently incumbent in the presidency of South Korea: the Yoon era, starting in 2022 and yet to conclude This era has beenclearaboutitsglaring disdain of the communists of North, with a policy to contain the threat of the Kim regime while bolstering both security andeconomiccooperationwith Japan and the United States through routine military exercises and joint command of criticalintelligenceservices.
From a careful autopsy of this conflict, it is evident that straight diplomacy of interKorean relations has failed. But it is also clear that being overly confrontational is against our interests. As of now, the best approach forward is to strengthen Korea's defense industry and strategic autonomy, ramping up funding for intelligence operations and research in the technologies of thefuture
South Korea should absolutely not – under the current circumstances, especially with the North declaring in January of 2024 that reunification was not a priority anymore for them –extend any premature olive branchestotheDPRK.TheROK should focus on building strong connections with all parties involved in this conflict to, over time, diplomatically isolate North Korea and work towards promoting the absolute degeneracy of the Kim regime ontheinternationalstage
Let it be known across the globe:Anewerahasbegun
Teacher Pet Peeves: Classroom Do’s and Don’ts
byDaineLee‘26
Goingintoanewschoolyear, students often share similar worries: Does my teacher like me? Am I doing what I need to do to succeed in this teacher’s class?Thesethoughtsmaystem from the fact that getting close to teachers is a process that takestimeandmayevenstretch throughout the entire school year.
Though there is no “perfect formula”todevelopingastrong relationship with a teacher, gettingtoknowtheirpetpeeves in the classroom is an effective first step towards not only gettingtoknowthembetterbut also learning what traits teachersvalueintheclassroom.
Showingalackofinterest
In the classroom, YISS teachers in particular hold a high value for students who actively show that they are interested, and body language plays an important role in doing so. For BethanyStallings,anAPEnglish teacher, one of her greatest pet peeves is when her students wear their hoodies up inside She equates this behavior to wearingsunglassesindoors
Furthermore, though this maybenosurprise,sleepingis another no-no. Ms. Stallings saysthatstudentssleepingin
IllustrationbyBrookeLai‘26
herclass“feelslikeapersonal attack or disrespect,” implying totheteacherthat“youarenot worthmytimelisteningto”
Though they understand, sleepinginclassstillfeelslikean insultagainstteachers,whoput time and effort into their lessons.
Jim Milliken, who teaches AP Psychology and Comparative Government, feels similarly about sleepers, as he “sympathizes, but also feels personally offended” when students choose to put their headsdowninhisclassroom.“I loveworkingwithstudents whoareinterested,”hesaid,as theyareabletoaddmuchmore to the classroom, especially in classes such as his, where discussionishighlyvalued.
Forgetting what school is really about
With an overload of homework and summatives throughout the year, it's easy to feel like a working machine, especially whensportsand
one is getting hurt. This is strongly influenced by the fact that he believes “sometimes [students] forget about what they learn, but experience stays forever.” It’s going to be hard, but it's important for YISS students to remember that the most important thing they can take away from high school is what they experienced, so it's crucialtomakethemostofit.
Participation, Participation, Participation
One phrase every single teacher emphasizes at one point in the year is participation. However, this isn't without reason It’s because teachers truly value the contributions of their students in the classroom, as it is what determines the classroom mood Most of the time, participation is valued because teachersareawarethat,without fail, students will always have somethingmeaningfultotake
awayfromparticipation.
“Something important to me is that students feel comfortable to say what they really think, or to have a different opinion,” said Ms Stallings. She encourages her studentsto“nottosuckup,but tobetheirrealselves,”knowing that it is “okay to disagree with studentsandteachers,”asboth teachersandstudentscanlearn fromeachother'sdifferences.
Fear of participation often stems from an anxiety about being judged, or one’s idea not being perceived well But, it is during these times that it becomes more important to speak up. Proper classroom environments will accept everyone’s ideas, and learn to understand the perspectives of others, even ones that are difficulttounderstand
ForAPBiologyTeacherRoneve Sarao, he welcomes a classroomthatis“noisywhenit comes to academic noise,” because he wants proactive students and high participation Mr Miliken also places a strong emphasis on participation “I like open discussion, for students to feel comfortable, safe, and be honest and process whatever we’retalkingabout,”hesaid
How to Ace AP Literature & AP English Language 101
