Graduation Highlights & Awards Valedictorian - Christopher Y. Kim Salutatorian - Joan Kim Alumnus of the Year - Mr. John O’Donnell ‘70 Alumni Committee Award - Won Hee Cho & Dhira (Web) Khewsubtrakool Scholar-Athlete Award - Su Jean Park IB Senior Award - Claire Young Fine Arts-Scholar Award - Jung Hyun Alex Lee Seoul Foreign School Award (selected by the SFS Board) - Claire Young Int’l Businessperson of the Year Award - Dhira (Web) Khewsubtrakool Joan Kim Class of 2015 Salutatorian
high school and reaching this point. The last four years were definitely not easy. We have all asked ourselves MULTIPLE mes, “Why? Why am I doing this? Why did I take the IB diploma?” We wonder if knowing the fact that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell or the difference between the Council of Europe and the European Council will ever be useful to us in the future. BUT, despite the fact that we have complained endlessly about our workload and especially the acronyms of the IB – IAs, IOCs, FOAs, CAS, and more, we can’t
First, thank you to the faculty, for all that you’ve taught us and those endless hours you have spent on us. Although we students may constantly complain about the workload you give us, I am con nuously amazed by how you manage to grade all the papers of your dozens of students from your numerous classes on me. Thank you for sacrificing some of your personal me for students when they need extra help or just need advice. Thank you for constantly giving us support and never giving up on us. Your words of encouragement are what brought us here today. Thank you to the parents, for having one of the hardest jobs in the world and doing it successfully. Whether you were waking us students up an extra hour earlier so we can cram for our test that day or making us midnight snacks so we have the energy to stay up longer, you have sacrificed so much of your me and energy suppor ng us and dealing with our stressed out selves. We could not have done any of this without you. But most of all, we should thank ourselves, the Class of 2015, for working so hard throughout
deny that we really have learned SO much during those four years, and that high school has filled us with some of the happiest moments and greatest experiences, along with the best friends you could ever ask for. Like the senior retreat, where we sat around candles and made confessions and shout outs. Placing first in KAIAC for mul ple sports. Staying up late at night, skyping with your classmates to finish that TOK presenta on. The musical this year that took everyone’s breaths away. Sure, there were experiences that were not‐so‐great, such as procras na ng your extended essay or re‐wri ng your college applica ons nine mes only to get rejected from your dream school. Yet with the support from our families, teachers, and each other we got through these struggles and now we are all si ng here today,
Dhira (Web) KHEWSUBTRAKOOL, above & Won Hee CHO, below—recipients of the Alumni Committee Award ready to graduate.
High school has regularly challenged us to step out of our comfort zones and because we did so, we have made it through many obstacles. So, my advice for the class of 2015 for this transi on comes from the Disney princess movie, Tangled: “Venture
outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.” Congratula ons, class of 2015, and best of luck in all your future endeavors. 13