Eagle’s Eye for May 2014

Eagle’s Eye Dalat International School, Tanjung Bunga, 11200 Penang, Malaysia

What’s Inside: Humans for Hire! . . . . . 2 Juniors auction themselves off at the PTO Food and Fun Fair to raise class funds

Mediocre Miguel . . . . . 3 Seniors thank juniors for the JSB with a Mexican party

Way Back When . . . . . . 3 StuCo transports students (and staff) back to the “good old days”

Musical Melodies . . . . 4 Drama Club to put on first original musical Broadway Melodies at semester’s end

Softball & Tennis Battles . 5 Softball and Tennis teams battle it out in MSSPP action

Wasting Your Youth . . . . 6 A timely reminder for students (and staff) to make the most of their time in Penang Eagle’s Eye Staff Note: This copy of the school paper has been written by the students in the AP 12 English class.

Writers: Hannah Bradnam, Stephanie Jones, Hyun Soo Kang, Justin Lao, Tommy Mallow, Alison Mays, Ana Mims, Ciera Nash, Josiah Steinkamp, Kate Sun, Reese Terry, Jennifer Vo Adviser: Mr. Tommy Tompkins

Eagle’s Eye

May 2014

Getting Loose with Gatsby

By Reese Terry The names “Shawn ‘Sigmund Freud’ Kim and Michelle ‘Helen Wills’ Chan” boomed over the loudspeaker as junior sponsors ushered the celebrity couple onto the red carpet. The 25th of April marked an unforgettable evening, bringing excitement, laughter, and even some tears to those involved.

The Junior-Senior Banquet, a much anticipated event by staff and students alike, finally began in bright lights as the senior-celebrities found their way past the paparazzi, taking in the flawless decor surrounding them. “The decorations for JSB were fantastically done. I seriously felt like I stepped back into the twenties with all the black and white photos, the old yellow “car” in the corner, and even the music,” said Justin Lao (12) enthusiastically.

With city lights in the background and the personal portraits of seniors covering the walls, students enjoyed plenty of photo opportunities throughout the evening.

Not only did the decorations impress the guests, but the live entertainment crew made a lasting impact on everyone’s memory. “I loved how the whole night was interlaced with humor—whether it was John [Kim, 11] and Micah [Martens, 11] being themselves on stage, the Photo- shopped pictures of the seniors’ faces into vintage pictures, or David [Beak, 11] playing it cool with the lock

box mess up,” Tayah Lee (10) explained excitedly. The junior class did more than step up to the plate when it came to entertainment. They hit a home run with all their guests.

Even sophomore Sarah Tan (10) expressed her feelings about evening. “I really enjoyed how the juniors entertained us or had something for us to do throughout the entire night. They did a really great job of including us sophomores in activities.”

Disappointing no one, the class of 2015 created a perfect evening for seniors, sopho-

mores, and staff, ending the night with a little surprise. Even as the three “Speakeasy Dancers” Jessie Brandon (11), Alexa Cahal (11), and Priska Sugianto (11) took the stage, not a soul knew what would soon follow their act. Invited to learn a takeoff of the 1920’s dance, “The Charleston,” all students made their way to the front of the ballroom. “I can’t believe the juniors found out a way to incorporate a dance at a Dalat function! It was so much fun to end the evening on a high note even if I am really uncoordinated,” Ana Mims (12) laughingly confessed.

Meeting the high expectations of the seniors, surprising the sophomores, and impressing (Continued on page 2, col. 1)

Sand, Surf, & a New Birth

By Kate Sun

Holding her breath, Joanna Robinson (12) closed her eyes and let the waves crash over her. The sun reflected on lapping waves, and sea salt scented the air. All about the beach, close friends and family, watched as 14 students got baptized at sunrise on 20 April. Cheers and tears mingled as the students each professed his or her faith in an act of love and thankfulness for their Saviour’s sacrifice.

Approximately two thousand years ago, the Son of God sac1

rificed Himself for the sins of mankind. Broken and bruised, He paid the price for the sins of the world—enabling believers to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

This year, Dalat decided to commemorate Saviour’s sacrifice through two events: a Maundy Thursday “Upper Room” on 17 April and the Sunrise Sunday Service on 20 April. Organized

by StuCo, the Maundy Service focused on Jesus’ time with His (Continued on page 2, col. 2) May 2014

Memories of a Magical Mother’s Day “It’s hard being away from home for the first time on Mother’s Day. I really feel grateful for all my mom has done for me and the things that I took for granted at home.”

Other students who live with their parents here in Penang took the chance to do something for their mothers. Thinking of the monotonous grind a mother undergoes in making her child food everyday, Josh Graves (12) said, “I woke up early and made my mom breakfast for her in bed. Then I washed all the dishes

and tidied up the kitchen.”

Hoping to thank their mothers for their love, students cooked ornate breakfasts or paid for dinner. “My brother and I gave our mother a cool card, and we all went out for breakfast,” said Melissa You (11).

Taking the load off their mothers’ backs for a day, children all over the world offered to help with daily chores.

Swiping her fingers across the screen, Lee posted an Instagram photo of her childhood.

Memories of the undeserved care her mother had lavished upon her family resonated across Lee’s brain. Thankful for her family and brother, Lee closed her iPad and breathed a sigh of contentment. •

Finally, with the food ready, everyone could finally enjoy the delicious Taiwanese dumplings and other dishes made by the talented cooks in the PTO. Over on the other side of the pitch, violence took place as sponge after sponge flew towards Josh Lee’s (12) head.

“Please not another one, I’m begging you.” Lee’s begging proved in vain, only prompting giggles and harder throws from those in the queue.

Mr. Bob Pagee and Mr. Scott Uzzle announced the annual Junior-for-Hire, a main event of the PTO Food and Fun Fair.

The juniors nervously lined up, each as anxious as the next.

The parents standing in close proximity claimed to hear the thrumming of hearts from where they stood. Mr. Larry Chinn got

the auction off to a flying start; going in alphabetical order, he read the names and the service each junior could provide. The bidding commenced.

A s t h e J u n i o r- f o r- H i r e reached the finish, Melissa You (11) said, “I’m really nervous no one will bid for me as I’m last on the list.” But her worrying proved in vain as a close friend bought her to carry out the chores of house cleaning and baby-sitting.

The bids had stayed in the high digits, raising a total amount of 31,150 ringgit, and an additional 4,000 on concessions.

Overall this event produced a large amount of money to fund junior events in the future, while providing great services for the community; and those who attended went home with contented tummies. •

Held outside in the amphitheater, the service included worship, devotions, and student testimonies. A wonderful and joyous occasion, the baptisms truly commemorated Christ’s mission on earth as they symbolized the death and resurrection of Jesus himself.

Pastor Tom Cura explained that “Just as Jesus died for our sins, we die to the power and authority of sin in our lives. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, we rise with Him and are victorious over sin. Going under the water is a symbol of our death to sin, and coming out of the water is a symbol of our new life in Christ.”

With this powerful symbol, the Dalat community doubly reminded students of God’s

redeeming love and his sacrifice for mankind this Easter.

Teachers and students took time to dedicate their evening to worship and prayer, and students showed their commitment through their public step of faith.

Dripping wet with a big smile on her face, Robinson stepped out of the water onto dry land. “I felt scared but happy when I was in the water. Afterwards, I was happy I did it and grateful that the people I care about could share this experience with me,” she remarked.

Humbled by Jesus’ love for them on the cross, the students responded in kind with their act of love for the Saviour. Thus with faith renewed, the Dalat community prepared for another year of service and thanksgiving for the Lord. •

By Tommy Mallow Opening up her iPad, Tayah Lee (10) flipped to her Facebook app and scanned the newest updated posts. Vintage photographs of mothers, daughters, and sons clustered every social media outlet. Clicking on her own profile, Lee discovered that her mother had posted a myriad of childhood photos that brought tears to her eyes.

For one of the first times in his life, Rahul Gill (8) took notice of Mother’s Day and thanked his mother for her love. “She really

liked it and was super happy that I had matured in some ways,” said Gill.

As students grow and learn everyday, they realize the blessing their parents have given them in sending them to such an upstanding school.

In addition to a new-found thankfulness, social media enabled many students to express affection to distant parents. Although they lived far away, dorm students felt no less appreciative toward their mothers. Chloe Castro (9) said,

Hiring Humans for Handiwork

By Hannah Bradnam “Are you ready for this?” Amy Reimer (12) remarked to a few fellow seniors as they marched towards the open field, ready to set up the face painting stall to entertain the preschoolers as

JSB...

(Continued form page 1, col. 4) the staff with a new spin on JSB, the juniors raised the bar for the classes to come. “A Night with Gatsby” brought more than just humor and awe, for the touch of sentimentality infiltrated the evening through the tributes and the personalized picture books of the seniors.

Although already engraved in the memory of the Class of 2014, the juniors found yet another way to impress their honored guests. “The best touch was the JSB DVD’s that the juniors gave to the seniors. They really capture the fun of the night and allow us to go back and remember JSB whenever we want,” Joanna Robinson (12) said, happily applauding the juniors’ thoughtfulness.

A night full of laughter and tears, a night forever etched in everyone’s memory, “A Night with Gatsby” embraced tradition with an innovative spin, making it a special night for all guests.

From the booming loudspeaker beginning the night to a dance signifying the end, all students and staff enjoyed their stay at Gatsby’s Mansion. • Eagle’s Eye

the PTO set up their food stalls.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Sally Chang (12) said, a little less than confident. The girls admitted that they had never had the opportunity to experiment with face painting before, so 21 March would become their first.

The football games began next to the basketball court, led

by Josiah Steinkamp (12), with a hoard of seniors busily keeping the children entertained Just as the face painting began, a group of first grade girls approached, requesting that they become decorated in the theme of Disney’s Frozen characters; the girls got to work.

Easter Activities...

(Continued from page 1, col. 4) disciples in the upper room before His crucifixion. With John Kim (11) and Zachary Tan (10) leading an acoustic worship session, students and teachers united to worship and reflect on the goodness of God. Tan later reflected, “I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the “Upper Room” because it brought different kinds of people with different experiences and views together.” With thankful hearts, people basked in Scripture as they reflected on the Father’s love.

The following Sunday, 14 students took the leap of faith to get baptized whilst the young morning sun rose above them.

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May 2014

A Not-so-Great Night with Mediocre Miguel

By Josiah Steinkamp Stepping through the open chapel doors, Mr. Scott Uzzle, the rest of the sponsors, and a mass of juniors entered to the sound of cheering and clapping.

Receiving their complimentary KFC chips and salsa, each junior and sponsor sat down looking at the eyesore decorations littered across the room.

Sitting next to Mr. Bob Pagee, Mr. Uzzle chuckled at the signature Mexican names given to each person, when suddenly a loud bang of a water bottle signaled the start of the evening’s festivities.

Each year, on the day after the JSB, the seniors put together a small dinner of thanks for the juniors to show their appreciation for all the hard work the juniors had put into the banquet.

Coined the “After-JSB Dinner,” the seniors aim to spoof the JSB night in any way possible.

Spoofing the marvelous party at Gatsby’s from the previous night, the seniors spun the title around with a spicy new flavor, naming it “A Night at Mediocre Miguel’s.” The juniors then had to sit through a party in which Gatsby died, leaving everyone to head over to Mediocre Miguel’s party instead.

Throughout the night the juniors laughed and giggled while eating an array of Mexican dishes as they witnessed different acts performed on stage.

Watching people such as the magician Harry Hernandez, the up-and-coming boy band “Juan Direction,” and Mediocre Miguel, kept the night lighthearted and funny.

“My favorite part was when

#waybackwednesday

By Ana Mims

High school students anticipated the day of 30 April. After the Student Council’s successful first semester event, Spirit Week, students cheerfully looked forward to another day to dress out of uniform—especially one with a theme.

Way Back Wednesday served as a blast from the past: StuCo members asked students to dress up like they did as children or from a different era. The day did not just call for just a clothes change, however; it also implemented a no-iPad policy and a recess time for high school students.

The day started with a meeting on the center court—reminiscent of elementary school assemblies. John Kim (11) led the students in a series of stretches, which proved difficult for those in elaborate or layered costumes.

“It was definitely a creative idea; I just had a hard time being packed in so close to everyone—not to mention being incredibly warm in my layered 80’s costume!” Reese Terry (12) Eagle’s Eye

said with a laugh. “Watching John demonstrate the specific stretches was probably the highlight of the entire morning.”

The day proceeded normally from there, except for students— and teache r s—having to adapt and adjust to a no-iPad environment once again.

“Being without my iPad for the entire day felt like I was missing a limb. I didn’t enjoy it one bit; at the same time, though, it was good for me to take a step back and realize that there’s more to life than technology and entertainment” reflected Alison Mays (12).

Although students ran out of steam as the day went on, by the time the bell announced G-Block, they suddenly had a second wind. A horde overtook the center court, playing games such as four-square and drawing with chalk on the pavement.

Most, however, chose to enjoy nap time in the Student Center.

we had a special debut of “Juan Direction,” the best part being when Tommy Mallow (12) ruined their “juan chance” of getting recognized when he messed up the lyrics,” said Micah Martens (11).

Relaxed in their chairs, the juniors tried to pick out what spoofs the seniors highlighted throughout the night. “I really liked when Mediocre Miguel kept letting everyone know exactly where he was. It was a good spoof of us trying find Gatsby during the night of JSB,” said John Kim (11).

On the other side of the spectrum, the seniors had a blast putting on the entertainment, food, and decorations. “The After-JSB was awesome because it felt like putting on a mini JSB in less than eight hours. We truly had a lot of fun; we just wanted

to show appreciation as well as just have fun with juniors after all their hard work to honor us,” said Sam McIntyre (12).

Nathan Unruh (12) said, “For me it was a juanderful experience to be a part of Juan Direction with all the other Juans in the band. Our number juan song, “Juan Thing,” really rocked the stage even though we messed up our juan chance of getting noticed.”

As the night ended with hypedup students having just finished the chicken dance and whacking a piñata filled with candy, the juniors slowly and reluctantly made their way out the doors.

With “Juan Thing’s” silly lyrics still stuck in their heads, the juniors left with smiles on their faces, laughing about all funny aspects of the night at the not-so-great, kindof-okay, sort-of-all-right party at Mediocre Miguel’s. •

“It was a great time for me to relax and have a short break in the middle of the day,” said Gabriela Mims (10). “I felt re-energized and ready to finish the school day well.”

StuCo president, Ina Park (12), said, “Going off the popular social trend #throwbackthursday, StuCo decided that something similar before the long weekend would be really fun. Recalling how successful Spirit Week was in the first semester we thought

that we should definitely integrate a dress-up, as well as a reminiscent, day for students.”

The day brought a surge of memories to many of the students and staff. In fact, one of the alumni, Ms. Laura Danneker, even dressed in uniform as a student.

Way Back Wednesday fulfilled StuCo’s intent of a fun-filled day perfectly as students enjoyed wearing their comfortable and wacky costumes to school. •

Taking Time to Relax & Recharge

By Stephanie Jones Combing through the Dalat calendar for the next day off, students could take comfort in the prospect of a week-long break in the middle of the second semester. Whether exhausted from endless extra-curricular activities, overbearing schoolwork, or simply the endless trials of growing up, spring break offered an opportunity to take a breath and recharge.

Derrick Lim (11) said, “I was incredibly grateful for the breather because the workload leading up to AP exams was becoming really intense, and I was barely getting enough sleep.

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During the break, in addition to sleeping in, I took long naps pretty much every day!”

Students who didn’t reserve the entire week for long days inside and quality time with the comforters, planned more adventurous endeavors.

“For the break I went snorkeling among the Phi Phi islands, stocked up on cheap Red Bull, and asked Joyce [Lee, 12] to the JSB at a romantic restaurant on the beach,” said Tommy Mallow (12), who had arranged a holiday to Thailand with Lee, Micah Martens (11), and John Kim (Continued on page 4, col. 1) May 2014

Viriliter Age

By Jennifer Vo

On this particular day, the chapel seemed like any other evening. With the final ring of the school bell, students flittered around joyously, ready to end the day. While most students would have jumped at the chance to head home, one group came ready for training as they pushed their way into the chapel.

A united front formed that day because of the blue armor they wore, exclusive to their troop. On it read “Viriliter Age,” a Latin phrase representing their cause to “act courageously.” The time had come to

uphold the reputation of their art as the high school Drama Club.

A single command sliced through the sluggish atmosphere, silencing the murmurs of the stage. “Come on people, projection! The audience won’t be able to hear you if you talk like that. More enthusiasm! Disney faces!,” shouted Mr. Mark Sasse during the drama practice as students scurried about to get into position. With Miss Laura Danneker and Mrs. Rachel Chand coaching the singing and dancing on the side-

The Battle for a Five

By Hyun Soo Kang

Pencils sharpened, erasers ready, supplies double-checked—the troops tiringly carried drooping eyelids and heavy eye-bags to the battlefield with apt firearms on their numbed fingers. Deep sighs and sincere prayers filled the air. The time had finally come for the final showdown to prove what they had trained for all year-long. With the commander’s order of “You may begin,” the battle began—the battle for solid “5’s” on their AP exams.

Advanced Placement, a program created by the College Board, offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Students might receive course credits from colleges and universities if they score a “3” or above on these exams (from a scale of “1” to “5”).

Unlike regular high-school courses in which the final exams covers materials from one semester, these exams covered materials taught over the course of a year.

“The test was so difficult,” said

Spring Break...

experience. Seeing the simplistic way of life the locals led reminded me how privileged I am and how much I take my life for granted,” she said.

Whether volunteering in the Philippines, snorkeling in Thailand, or sleeping in Penang, all students welcomed spring break and the opportunity to momentarily step back from school. When the time came to return, however, students could start renewed and no longer felt the need, at least for a while, to comb the Dalat calendar for upcoming days off. •

(Continued from page 3, col. 4) (11). “It was really a cool trip and a great learning experience as it was the first time I battled the world without my parents. I feel as though I gained a lot of independence.”

Meanwhile, around 1,500 miles away, Joanna Robinson (12) chose to take the time off to embark on a mission trip.

“Along with [Mr.] Brandon [Orr] and a group of other kids from my church, we went to the Philippines. It was a life-changing Eagle’s Eye

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lines, the musical scene began to take shape.

The eight girls spun like spinning tops at the exact same moment, dancing every movement with utmost precision and passion. They cut through the air with effortless grace in their motions.

Suddenly, without warning one of the dancers toppled over, falling with a hard thud. As Jackie Ashkin (12) reached her hand out, she spoke friendly words of reassurance saying, “The dancing really is my favorite part, but it’s way harder than it looks!”

The music died down as the scene came to an end, pausing only for a moment, before Hannah Graves (10) strutted confidently on stage like a warrior in battle.

As David Beak (11) looked on the practice, he leaned over and shared his love for drama with his fellow actors, offering some words of encouragement to ease the anxiety of the upcoming performance.

“The most enjoyable thing about being in our musical has to be the variety of songs we

get to perform with an array of vast emotions from amazing and cute actors and dancers. A musical is entirely different from a normal drama because we get to ‘act’ out the songs rather than ‘sing’ them. Our musical will take spectators on a roller coaster of emotions that show both happiness and sadness.

So don’t worry guys! We’ve practiced hard!”

Beaming with pride, the cast braced themselves as the cue chimed through the loudspeakers, signaling the start of the next big number.

The uniqueness of this student-written play would debut in one week; and though the nerves ran high, the cast felt ready to go. Their passion permeated their lines and movements knowing that all of this would soon pay off with a brilliant performance, unlike any ever seen at Dalat. They felt determined to live up to their calling, mustering up their courage for a final chance to speak boldly and act courageously. •

Daniel Ha (12) after completing his AP calculus exam. “I mean, it’s a college-level course, plus everything that we’ve learned over a year comes out!”

Because of the challenging nature of these courses, students needed to put in extra effort to make it through alive. Though about three quarters of the students endured the agony of the vast workload, the rest fell behind and gave up mid-way through the campaign. For the unprepared and discouraged “soldiers,” they could only hope for luck to somehow rain on their tests so that they could get at least a score of “3.”

“The multiple choice section was ridiculous,” said Dong Jae Koo (12), a survivor of AP tests.

“I was like, oh, I haven’t used choice ‘b’ for quite a while, so I’ll guess choice ‘b’ for this one!”

At the opposite end of the spectrum, however, well-trained troops left the battle scene with a smile. “The test was way easier than I expected,” said EunHyo Chang (12) after finishing his AP statistics exam. “I’m pretty confident that I received a “5.”

In other words, for the fight-

ers who withstood the year-long courses with commitment, AP exams simply turned out as manageable trials to check what they had learned.

“After taking so many APs [eight to be exact], I learned that doing an AP is not hard after all,” said an AP-veteran Franco Lee (12). “Passing the exam is as easy as ABC, and getting a “4” or a “5” just requires a little more dedication b e - yond that.”

“Put your pencils down.”

That signaled the cease-fire.

As the pencils dropped with a thud on the tables, the troops released their sighs of relief.

Good job to all AP test takers of 2014; may the College Board honor you with the honorable “5” medals. For all the others planning to take APs next year, dedicate just a little more energy and don’t fall behind. • Sources of Clip Art http://prescotttourism.wordpress.com http://thegraphicsfairy.com/vintage-clipart-back-to-school/ http://www.nfaredandwhite.com/ news/2013/05/20/ap-exams-preparestudents-for-collegiate-work/ http://www.deerlake.leon.k12.fl.us/stact/softball/Clip%20Art/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=1 http://www.clipartpal.com/clipart/sport/ tennis_148087.html http://bmhscomputers.blogspot. com/2011_03_01_archive.html http://www.cornichon.org/cgi/mt4/mtsearch.cgi?IncludeBlogs=2&tag=Groupon &limit=20

May 2014

Battling Men and Mother Nature Rain pitter-pattered onto the field with merciless abandon as the boys softball team engaged Penang Free School. Stepping up to bat, Sam Huang (9) placed his foot firmly into the wet and slippery mud, readied his bat, and waited for the pitch.

Finally, after what seemed a lifetime, the ball left the pitcher’s hand, flying towards Huang with reckless abandon; and a hushed silence fell over the crowd as they waited for something to happen.

Traveling across the bridge to the mainland on 6 May, the boys’ and girls’ softball teams brought their battle-hardened spirits and various talents to challenge the other teams of

By Justin Lao won two out of three—and we had tons of fun even though we didn’t go through to the semifinals.”

“Being a catcher is absolutely terrifying; you have to squat all day and put on smelly equipment. But being able to play my favorite sport alongside my coaches and so many of my teammates made it completely worth it,” said Eunice Um (12) Whilst the softball teams exchanged hits and steals on the turf, the tennis players found themselves exchanging hit after hit on the hard concrete. Faced with formidable opposition, the players fought valiantly and came out of each match with grateful hearts and a smile.

“This season was really great

the state. Facing both their opponents and also the elements, the softball teams fought valiantly against the opposition.

“The days looked promising with the sunny atmosphere, but we were greatly deceived,” said Samuel McIntyre (12). “Mr. [Brian] Brewster’s prophetic sayings became reality as rain slapped our faces and rolled down our jerseys, creating mud pits wherever we walked.”

“The competition was really tough, and we got put with all the hardest teams from the island,” said Joshua Basha (11).

“We dealt with it though and

What’s in the Window Seat?

After the show, Elisabeth Brokaw (10) said enthusiastically, “Sam did an amazing job as Teddy because his character was hilarious, and he really acted like he believed he was the President of America.”

The play quickly progressed inducing gut wrenching laughter from the audience at the antics of the characters until the secret finally came out. The two sweet old aunts had a special little secret nobody knows about: 12 dead bodies in their cellar.

Their poor nephew, the love struck Mortimer Brewster, played by Ben Finley (9), discovers this dangerous secret when he accidentally opens a window seat that hides the twelfth dead body. Unable to comprehend what his eyes see, Finley does a double take, suddenly convinced that Teddy, in his insanity, has murdered someone. The two aunts with sincere and perfect innocence declare that the man “is one of our gentleman” and go on to explain that they end the presumably miserable lives of old men without a family or home. This they do by offering the men a glass of elderberry wine spiked with arsenic, strychnine, and a pinch of cyanide.

“It’s one of our charities!” exclaims Waters.

The situation only gets worse when the wanted-for-murder Jonathan Brewster, played by Marshall McManus (11), shows

By Ciera Nash

​O n stage a pair of sweet old ladies Abby and Martha B r e w s t e r, played by M e l a n i e Wa t e r s ( 1 2 ) and Ciera Nash (12), reveal that behind their innocent and genial looks hides something a little bit more... murderous.

The two main characters of the 1940’s play Arsenic and Old Lace started the night of drama off with a bang as the Intro to Theater Arts class hosted a Reader’s Theater in the chapel.

When the audience first walked through the chapel doors, the first thing they noticed was the stage—or rather lack thereof. By setting up the stage so that the audience almost became one with the scene itself provided a unique and interesting perspective for the action going on in their midst.

The seating captured the stage with chairs on either side of the Brewster living room. When Eagle’s Eye

asked about the effectiveness of this style of staging, Mr. Mark Sasse, teacher of the class, stated, “The unique staging that we were able to figure out really helped get the audience as close as possible to the action.

This helped with the intimacy of the production. Plus, having two sides to the action really enhanced the theatrical experience.”

Indeed, the unique set-up seemed to drop the audience right into the middle of the action as though they had joined the Brewster family.

When the lights dimmed and the play began, Waters and Nash, and an eccentric Teddy “Roosevelt” Brewster took center stage and began the hilarity.

Roosevelt, played by Sam Hofer (9), became an instant hit with the crowd when he declared himself President Theodore Roosevelt and yelled “Charge!” while running up the stairs.

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because we had some new players that we could train, and we saw a lot of improvement in them,” said Noah Graves (9).

“MSSPP was a great learning experience even if we didn’t w i n . It gave us a chance to compete and test our skills under pressure which is really fun.”

With a resounding “CRACK!” Huang watched his handiwork soar into the sky, and he began running as fast as he could. Racing towards the white bases, he rounded second and third with only home plate left. Cleats spewing dirt and grass in every direction, Huang finally arrived at home and then faced the smiling and cheering faces of his teammates. •

up along with a tipsy, German, plastic surgeon Dr. Einstein, played by Noah Graves (9).

Things come to a head as the dangerous criminal discovers the bodies in the cellar and decides to use the Brewster home for his own dark purposes.

The audience is left to wonder, when will the insanity end?

“The great thing about the play,” said Kimberly Horton (9), “is that you’re not quite sure how it’s going to end until you get there.”

Full of humor and eccentricity, Arsenic and Old Lace made the audience laugh like never before as they enjoyed the hilarity and the drama, the murder and the love. Both actors and audience enjoyed the play to the fullest, making the Readers’ Theater an unforgettable night full of comedy and craziness for all who went to watch. •

May 2014

Wasting Your Youth and Other Enjoyable Pastimes

By Alison Mays

“I wish I had stayed home to play video games more.”

“I really regret kayaking that one Saturday.”

“I should have paid more attention in Algebra.”

What do all of these statements have in common? They all border on the ridiculous and absurd.

As we journey through life, we come face-to-face with regrets of all kinds. Whether young, old, knowledgeable, naive, exciting, or intrepid, we all deal with the painful ache of missed opportunities or deplorable deeds.

These regrets we carry with us, however, do not persist as regrettably unavoidable. One student accurately summarized the popular behavior exhibited in the average adolescent: “I go home, sleep, eat, go on Tumblr, then

repeat,” says Melissa You (11).

Ms. You, like many others in her generation, has unfortunately fallen prey to the sluggish appeal of partaking in paradoxically inactive activities, such as internet surfing.

Dalat International School students have a wonderfully unique chance of experiencing things early on in life that many people never experience at all in their life.

For one, our campus sits less than 20 feet from the ocean’s shore. When walking to class, we feel the warm rays of the sun beaming through the spaces between the leaves in the trees.

And when the heat gets uncomfortable, a refreshing breeze sweeps across the campus and cools us down. How many teenagers can profess to studying on a tropical island?

We live in a digital age, but that does not mean we need to stare at a screen for hours with friends, giving meaning to the term “socially unsociable.”

Look up. Look around you.

See things in a different light and marvel at the culture and nature that illuminates our life in every direction.

“Game of Thrones” will wait for you, and “League of Legends” will not go anywhere.

You, however, will not stay here forever and will transition from this place we call home in less time than you may believe. Take it from the seniors who have lived a few more years than you.

“My biggest regret is not branching out and meeting more people. I would just stay in my comfort zone and that meant being antisocial,” said Chen Kwang Vong (12).

As you grow old, you will not look back on your youth and regret all the days you went out and did something adventurous. You will not see the hours of idle entertainment as something of worth.

As teenagers we face temptation to fall into stereotypes of limitations and emotional imbalances, which not only makes everyone around us believe we stay contained on a short leash of capability, but also tricks us into believing it as well.

But we have more power than that credited to us. The power lies within our determination and motivation to flourish and grow in life—not just to succeed in getting good grades or climbing the social ladder.

So urge each other on, stay positive, and never settle for anything less than all that you can give and do. •

Dalat International School Tanjung Bunga 11200 Penang, Malaysia 6

Eagle’s Eye

Eagle’s Eye

May 2014