THE SARAHRIAN
INTRODUCING THE EDITION... by Hansae Jung
As we reach the end of another exciting year in Sarah House, it is time to reflect on how far we have come, and how we have continued to grow as a house. From the energy on the Sports Day to the togetherness of House Shout, from the grit shown in Cross Country to the spirit demonstrated during the Canons Cup and Volleyball event, every challenge has unquestionably made us stronger. We have faced each moment with determination and spirit, proving that through teamwork and resilience, we do ‘get better and better’. Now, let us celebrate and reflect on not just what we have achieved, but the incredible journey that we have taken to get here.
FROM OUR HoH AND AHoH: Mr Mccue and Mr Harris
One of the most important aspects of House life is providing leadership opportunities whenever possible. For our current Year 11 leaders, the standout moments of the year were undoubtedly House Singing and Commercial Dance. These events showcased incredible teamwork, as all the House Leaders came together to guide and support the entire House no small feat. During House Song preparations, they demonstrated exceptional leadership, organisation, and above all, patience, resulting in an outstanding performance. The commercial dance was, as always, a joy to be part of the whole process from the initial ideas, through the tutor and lunchtime practices, to the fun-filled and joyous end dance. It was a privilege to be part of these two events, which gave students the chance to grow and strengthen their leadership skills.
This year, Sarah House has truly flourished as a united team. I’ve never seen the Sarah spirit shine as brightly as it has recently This was most exemplified by the House Cross Country, which, for the first time ever, we were the Champions. It wasn’t about individual brilliance, but a collective determination, with students from all year groups giving their best, supported wholeheartedly by their tutors. That same sense of unity carried into Sports Day, where students showed incredible commitment and a genuine desire to do their best. House Shout echoed with pride, led confidently by our new Year 10 student leadership team, who have already brought kindness and thoughtfulness to their roles. I’m confident their positive influence will continue to make Sarah House a warm, supportive, and inspiring place to belong.
What a fantastic year it has been for Sarah House. We get better and better!
HOUSE DRAMA
House drama was one of the memorable experiences where students from different age groups collaborated with great dedication to perform on the stage successfully.
The title of the piece was “The Cliche High School”, where a concept of “Individuality” is not present, bringing students a chaotic situation as a new student, Jane, arrives. Also, the students are categorised as Nerd, Jock, and Plastic, but even if they like a certain type, their true personalities are vastly different inside. The content was creative to stimulate the curiosity of the audience, motivating students to have the same goal to maximise the humour, visible exaggeration and delivery of the central message. The central message of this piece was “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”, as Oscar Wilde said, and “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” as Dr. Seuss said. This message conveys that individuality must be embraced, and no one should put people into boxes. Instead, their differences should be accepted, and the true values behind them must be supported, showing that everyone is special in their own way.
At the beginning of the practice, other students and I were not fully aware of what tone of voice, physicality, and other drama skills must be appropriately used in order to effectively portray characters, which led to awkward performance and ending up reading the texts from the script without specific emotion.
HOUSE DRAMA
However, thankfully, continuous feedback and encouragement from the director enhanced the overall quality of the performance. It didn’t stop at the director’s advice – each student contributed their own innovative ideas, which were creative and gradually improved the quality with every practice. As the performance day was nearly approaching, the director helped actors by meticulously reviewing their costumes and provided individual feedback to make sure every detail followed what the script intended.
Although the result was somewhat disappointing as Sarah was placed third out of five houses, I consider the process of preparing for this remarkable performance as the most exciting and rewarding experience of my drama journey.
HOUSE QUIZ...
All five houses were buzzing with excitement as students gathered for the whole year quiz competition! This event turned into an unforgettable afternoon of fierce competition, laughter, and teamwork, as participants tested their knowledge across a wide range of topics from music to geography to pop culture and sports.
Each tutor group formed a passionate team, with a total of 10 teams across the library The atmosphere was electric as the competition kicked off, each round filled with eager whispering and requiring fast-paced thinking that kept everyone on their toes Every student and tutor raced against the clock, furiously scribbling answers and strategising to outsmart the other tutors and their own hardworking teams. The room erupted in cheers, clapping, and nods of approval (and groans) as the answers were revealed after each round, with the competition getting more intense by the minute
What made the event even more thrilling was the bonus round, where the visage of Mr. Crebier haunted many-a-tutor who attempted ambitiously to guess who the mystery man was! Students had the chance to win their points with some wild, unexpected trivia questions that tested every last tidbit of general knowledge the students could muster up. Every answer brought either a moment of triumph or hilarious disappointment.
HOUSE QUIZ (CONTINUED)
As the final round approached, the tension in the air was palpable The room was filled with nail-biting anticipation as the top teams fought for the coveted grand prize about 5 house points and ultimate bragging rights. In the end, it was the most dedicated and quick-thinking team that took home the metaphorical trophy, but every student walked away with a smile, having enjoyed the thrill of the challenge.
This event successfully brought the whole school together in a fun, exciting way, and it ’ s clear that this will be a tradition that everyone will look forward to year after year.
CROSS COUNTRY...
by Sean Kwon (Y7), Henry Han (Y8)
Work is defined as force multiplied by displacement. On the day of the cross country event, it was evident that a lot of work had been done by everyone.
Cross country is definitely not the easiest house competition of the year, and this year was no different Running 800-meter loops or all-out 3.2km races, you are bound to be exhausted; nevertheless, as a house, we ran tirelessly and without stopping. One could say that our house had the best runners or that we had the most consistent group of runners To a certain extent, that might be true, but that is not what set us apart as a house and as a teamit was dedication The pure dedication and sheer grit every single one of us displayed on that day were what set us apart.
As we headed out for the start of the race, the slow but steady beat of our marching feet echoed into the distance Although it was just the start, the thought of having to run for the majority of hours scared me and probably many others Despite the hot weather and difficult conditions, everyone fought and persevered through the difficult challenge of the annual cross country.
The elite race was a much different story, with runners being provided with the challenge of running a set distance of 32km and 5km for years 7-9 and 9-10, respectively
CROSS COUNTRY (CONTINUED)
Unlike the flat course of the token race, the elite race had a much more dynamic course On paper, the course had a net elevation gain of 0m, but it would be foolish to view this course as easy or a quick course Starting at the base of the bridge in the pathway of peace, I was instantly met with a monumental hill before (luckily) being greeted by a long downhill section But the joy merely lasted minutes as I faced another monumental hill Eventually, everyone finished at a blistering pace and finished the race with incredible times
Overall, our effort and determination of every individual person helped us achieve an incredible result in first place. Even though our result was incredible, I think the determination and grit that were on display were inspirational and were a true display of Sarah’s house sp
HOUSE SHOUT... by Anna Ryu (Y8), Hayoon Cho (Y8)
On May 16th, our school was filled with so much energy, excitement, and a whole lot of house pride as each house stepped up to the challenge of the annual House Chant
If there’s one thing Sarah House knows how to do, it ’ s making some serious noise and the House Chant event proved just that! When the mic dropped and it was our turn, we brought the energy like it was nobody’s business All of the practice during tutor time and lunch times paid off
Chanting in full volume was right down our alley From the very first line to the last, every Sarah student gave it their all; no holding back or half-hearted mumbling We shouted, clapped, and basically roared with pride, which turned our chant into a full-blown performance The rhythm was sharp, the timing was on point, and the spirit? THROUGH THE ROOF!
We came in 3rd place not a bad outcome at all, and definitely something to be proud of! The house chant wasn ’ t just about winning (although, let’s be honest, we definitely deserved it) It was about showing what it means to be part of Sarah House having each other’s backs, hyping each other up, and just vibing together as one team In those few electric minutes, we weren ’ t just a group of students yelling into a mic we were a family moving as one
So special thanks to the house captains, and hats off to everyone who brought the fire and made Sarah’s chant one to remember More of this energy, please!
Don’t forget…
We get better and better!
SPORTS DAY + CANONS CUP...
by Henry Jiang (Y9), Jaewon Kim
(Y9)
This year ’ s sports day was like no other, a wave of energy, spirit, teamwork, and unforgettable moments. Sarah made it ’ s mark with an impressive display of resilience, determination, and house pride
Held under clear blue skies, and with a lively school atmosphere, the exciting day consisted of the classic track and field events, the fun Canons Cup competition, and finishing off with a close and competitive tug of war. The track and field portion saw our Sarah athletes participate in sprints, longdistance runs, high jump, long jump, shotput, and relays While the competition from Mulchat, Jeoji, Geoman, and Noro was strong, our students showed incredible determination and teamwork The 100m and 200m races were particularly thrilling, with several of our runners holding their own in tightly contested battles
Having won the Canons Cup last year, we were back to defend our trophy from the other houses Events included the water-obstacle course, which tested agility and coordination, challenging students to devise strategies to conserve water in the bucket or to go purely for speed; the chicken games: an assortment of chicken-oriented competitions which had teachers whacking students with pool noodles and kicking rubber chicken heads over the fence; and finally the passing the sponge, which involved Sarahrians transferring wate n
SPORTS DAY (CONTINUED)
As the students participating in the Canons Cup were doing their best, our volleyball team was dominating the house volleyball competition Followed by a decent score of key stage 4 students, the KS3 volleyball team was great The girls’ team came first, and the boys’ team came second
The day ended spectacularly, with the highly anticipated tug of war, a true test of strength and teamwork Sarah House faced off against the other houses in a series of tense, closely fought matches that had the whole field on edge Every pull was met with determination and roaring support from the sidelines Our battles against Geomun and Jeoji were especially thrilling, with the rope teetering back and forth before being pulled to victory by the Sarahrians
As we participated in the sports day, we showed passion, and we showed the power of the phoenixes
Dear fellow Sarahrians, be proud of ourselves You are the heroes, the warriors, the winners As a team, we showed how it could be great as a group
Thank you for your contribution We are Sarahrians
REVISITING THE CANONS CUP...
by
Ryan Park (Y7), Sophia Kim (Y8)
After a strenuous morning of events, when all nerves are relinquished and the body reclines into a state of languor, it occurs An event of perpetual laughter and cheers, of ecstasy and humour, of camaraderie and solidarity The Canons Cup Instead of the nerve-wracking events where a millisecond’s difference classified everyone into strict numerical orders, where even a flicker of hesitation governed the trajectory of one ’ s throw, the Canons Cup presented one ridiculous event after another
Jumping, spilling, crawling Water seeps to the floor, only to be trodden and slipped upon Laughs echo around the astro, where scores do not matter, but enjoyment is key Another splash, someone drops the pail of water A fountain of water rises high in the air Suddenly, time freezes, and the water hangs in the air Then it comes crashing down, and a puddle of water gathers The Cup is a hive of activity Colours fly, as teams struggle against time and each other A shriek fills the air The whistle has blown It’s over The teams make their way to the next round Another wet one Sigh The sponge starts full and ends up empty, as every hand tries to carefully hand over the trembling liquid Every shirt is drenched, every face is full of laughter Waves of cheering as finally, the last person receives the water and pours it into a bowl.
Every droplet of water seemed to cleanse the atmosphere of the tension and imbue juvenile delight once more. Red, yellow, green, purple, and blue alike, all drenched and grinning An unmistakable grin marked every face, visages rekindled with jubilation and joy Even the chicken race, first met with sceptical glances and hesitation, ultimately evoked subtle grins, merry chortles, and thundering guffaws At the end of the day, the Canons Cup reminded Sarah House of the true value of a House: joy and unity
On the Sports Day, the following Sarahrians set new school records in respective events:
Marcus Bjoernsvik (Year 7)- 100m and Shot Put
Beckie Lim (Year 8) 200m
Dohyun Kim (Year 8) Shot Put
Ashely Choi (Year 9) 800m
Benjamin Kim (Year 10) 100m and High Jump
Jayden Lee (Year 11) Standing Triple Jump
Sol A Yoon (Year 11) Shot Put
Special congratulations for these aforementioned Sarahrians–a bright sports future lies ahead of Sarah House!
CLOSING: SARAH’S 2024/25
by Dahyun You (Y7), Nayoon Kim (Y7), Ariel Woo (Y7)
“We get better and better” from day one, Sarah House proved this was more than just a motto Starting in the Senior School as new Year 7s, we didn’t know what to expect. But stepping out of our first House Competition with pride and energy, we truly felt it The spirit, the teamwork, the supportiveness it wasn ’ t just hype It was real and was Sarah
Even in the moments when other houses thrived, Sarahrians did not give up When we chanted the House Shout, we shouted with pride When we sang the house song, we sang with our hearts As we moved forward as a team, we rose with each other, always supporting and working together Our passion, spirit and guidance from our great leaders brought us up to where it is now, and Sarah never went back
Despite ending last year in 5th place, our drive burned like a phoenix’s flame And like that, ‘Operation 2nd Place’ was born, a motive to rise up with our full potential Giving everything we had, we both grew as a team and as individuals Gradually, we began to see progress with astonishing results rising from 5th to 4th, then slowly heading for 3rd, a small yet significant improvement. We truly got better and better!
Sarah’s journey this year was determined and full of growth I watched as our house handled setbacks without losing its spirit. Through every point earned and every challenge faced, Sarah grew and stuck together Now, as Term 3 comes to an end and we await our results for the 2024/2025 academic year, there’s a true sense of anticipation (and hope) that our hard work will pay off However, whatever happens, one thing is clear: Sarah House is ready to keep pushing forward, getting better with every step of the way
SARAH’S 2024/25 (CONTINUED)
