Tiger Times Volume 45 Issue 3

Musical Discipline:

Tiger Spirit:

Students learn from college professors Page 5

SIS hosts AISA girls volleyball tournament Page 11

s e o u l i n t e r nat i o na l s c h o o l

Tiger Times volume X X X XV

OCTOBER 2013

issue 3

Clubs host first Halloween-themed fundraiser

By Christine Seo

A horror movie and a haunted house. Food and magic. Candy and prizes. All of these were featured at the first Halloween Carnival held by Global Issues Network (GIN) and Community Service Club (CSC) after school in the Annex on Oct. 25. With the help of Science Club (SCIC) and HSSC, the clubs collaborated in order to host a fundraiser with a Halloween twist.

“Halloween is an underrated holiday at SIS compared to [schools in the US], where trick-or-treating is a huge tradition,” said Julia Jeong (12), GIN co-president. “GIN and CSC wanted to plan Halloween as our main focus for a fundraiser in order to bring a fresh side to the holiday.”

SCIC provided special effects, such as glow-in-the-dark lights, and HSSC members volunteered to work in different booths and advertise the event. The middle school GIN also helped with preparation and sold tickets. Approximately four million won was raised by the clubs.

“I was surprised by how big [the carnival] was for a first-year event,” said Brian Devine, middle school GIN adviser. “It was extremely successful, not just in that we got a lot of people to come, but also in that we were able to spread awareness about our cause. There were also some things we organized that haven’t been done [before], such as building a haunted house and doing a mass pumpkin carving. The fact that we

Several teachers attended the mini East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Conference held at SIS on Oct. 28. Some presented multiple workshops at the event, while others learned new communication and teaching strategies that they will incorporate into their classes. Volunteers who hosted the three best workshops, which were chosen by the Staff Development Committee, were given the opportunity to propose their lessons to the representatives of the international EARCOS Conference to be held in Bangkok during March 27-28.

According to Peter Kahl, Administrator for Instructional Services, although this was his first time leading the mini-EARCOS Conference, he had high expecta-

Students explore DMZ ecology with government body

By Daniel Kim

Photo by Kelly Kim

Posing for the Polaroid booth with spooky props, Kiup Lee (11), Thomas Cha (11), Sarah Kim (11) and Yasmin Yoon (11) smile for the camera. The Halloween Carnival was held in the Annex on Oct. 25. were pioneering something that is going to be done for years to come was inspirational.”

The carnival featured a horror movie, “The Ring,” and a magic show by Damien Joonhyuk Kwon (11). Booths included the Halloween bakery, where students decorated Halloween-themed cookies, and the Chicken Blood Challenge, where students were challenged to drink virgin Bloody Mary drinks mixwith hot sauce. The main event was the haunted house, where GIN members dressed up and jumped out at students to scare them.

“I was really scared when I went

through the haunted house,” said Sujie Choi (9), carnival attendee.

“There was a character that I’m really scared of—Jigsaw from the movie, ‘Saw,’—and when I saw it, my heart dropped to the floor. I wasn’t expecting something so well prepared.

[The clubs] used really good effects, such as smoke, which made the atmosphere really dramatic.”

Although the carnival attracted a large number of students, the organization of the event did not come without adversities. Because multiple clubs teamed up to host the event, communication between clubs and time management was

difficult to handle. At the actual event, members ran into unforeseen problems, such as food shortage and rowdy participants.

“A lot of the [GIN members] working in the haunted house were stressed out,” said Alice Rhim (10), HSSC volunteer. “They were talking about how some students were ruining the haunted house by breaking the props.”

According to Mr. Devine, the clubs are now aware of what went well and what needed to improve.

Although nothing has been confirmed yet, the carnival may become an annual Halloween fundraiser.

Teachers conduct workshops at SIS mini EARCOS conference

By Yeaji Park

ttonl.org

tions, which were all met during the teacher. According to Mr. Devine, conference. the workshops he ran involved tech“I think the conference was nology and taught new skills that very successful because every staff he hopes others can incorporate in [member has] different strengths, their daily lives and classrooms. and together “I did an we are stronger iMovie workshop Together we are where I taught when we share stronger when we teachers the baand help each other improve,” share and help each sic skills such as Mr. Kahl said. picture-in-picture other improve our- and green screen,” “If teachers all stayed in their selves. It takes a vil- Mr. Devine said. “I classrooms and did a workshop lage to work for the also never collabocalled ‘How to Flip greater good,” Mr. Your Classroom,’ rated or shared their talents, evin which teachKahl said. eryone would ers don’t follow suffer. It’s a bit cliché, but I think it the traditional method of lecturing takes a village to work together for students during class and assigning the greater good.” them homework. Instead, the teachTwo of the workshops, “Making ers upload online videos and stuthe News with iMovie” and “How to dents do assignments during class Flip Your Classroom” were run by time so that [they] have a chance to Brian Devine, middle school English ask questions and discuss what they

“

didn’t understand.”

Kristy Corcoran, middle school counselor, presented a ‘Suicide Awareness’ workshop with Amy Thompson, high school counselor.

Although she did not submit her workshop to be a candidate for one of the best three to be chosen for the actual EARCOS conference, she felt that she has learned new skills through attending this conference that will improve her teaching and consulting skills.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to have an entire day to learn from our peers and I was excited to teach about something that could potentially help save a life,” Ms. Corcoran said. “I also think that because teachers got to choose which workshops to attend, they are doing what they are interested in and it could potentially help them improve the classroom environment for their students.”

Since their freshman year, seniors Alex Son, David Lee and Ik Joon Choi have made monthly visits to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), led by the government organization, DMZ Ecology Research Institute, to study the ecology of the undisturbed area. Their trips have become a tradition at SIS in which four or five freshmen join the organization each year not only to partake in the trips, but also to write reports and enter domestic forums regarding the issue.

“I was first introduced to the meetings by an upperclassman from a foreign language high school,” Ik Joon said. “He told me about caring for the environment, but I was even more interested in the group because it’s actually [involves] the DMZ, the small part dividing the North from the South that I only read about from textbooks. So I asked some of my friends if they wanted to join, and they were all really intrigued too.”

As the most heavily militarized border in the world, the DMZ traditionally prevents the entrance of the general populace. According to Alex, this isolation from human interference promotes an abundant variety of fauna that is ideal for studying the biology of rare species exclusive to the area.

“It’s a misinterpretation that the DMZ is all scary, like people are shooting guns,” Alex said. “The area we go to is actually several miles away from the actual demarcation line. However, Korean and American troops sometimes visit the camps, and we can sometimes hear them practicing drills. The siren noises and bomb explosions were actually pretty scary, but the actual place set off for nature preservation is more peaceful and also has some animals and plants that you’ll never get to see in a zoo.”

The DMZ Ecology Research Institute regularly brings together students from several other schools such as Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, Korean Minjok Leadership Academy and Daewon Foreign Language High School to collectively explore the aspects of the ecology of DMZ through various conferences.

SIS students take a unique role in the organization as native English speakers.

DMZ, page 5

VIEWPOINT 2

OCTOBER 2013

Students must be responsible for looking after valuable items

Editorial Greater club commitment required from students In a school where acceptances to various extracurricular clubs are highly competitive, students feel the need to apply to many different clubs in hopes of becoming members of the most clubs possible. To weed out applicants who simply applied for the sake of getting into a club, clubs such as Model United Nations (MUN), UNICEF and Seoulite accepted club members based on whether they could commit to different international trips.

For example, MUN specifically required its members to attend at least one international trip over the school year. While it may seem unfair for clubs to require such large commitments from students, the large amount of competition for such clubs warrants that each member fulfill these requirements.

The problem lies in students’ tendencies to join multiple clubs to pad their resumes for college. Students often overburden themselves with commitments to multiple clubs they cannot keep. Instead of joining many different clubs with the sole purpose of trying to get into universities, students should focus

on seriously committing to the few clubs that they are truly passionate about. After all, colleges look for students who genuinely care about the clubs and activities they are involved in, not students who can join the most clubs throughout their high school careers. These interests shape each student’s unique identities—students should carefully consider how their interests will reflect their future goals and aspirations before haphazardly filling out applications. An important lesson students fail to learn is that, ultimately, people need to make decisions on their own.

While students are mostly at fault when failing to meet the commitments of their respective clubs, there are ways for club advisers to lessen this burden on students. For example, scheduling conflicts between Mu Alpha Theta (MAT) and MUN forced students to prematurely reach a decision on whether they would participate in the annual Seoul MUN or the math competition held in Yongsan International School of Seoul in November. Club advisers and executive

members can provide resources which can prevent such conflicts from occurring in the first place; for example, they could release a schedule of out-of-school commitments that each club member must meet at the beginning of the year.

Then, students would be able to maneuver their way through these conflicts beforehand.

It was reasonable for clubs to admit applicants based on whether they could fully commit to the club; too many students in the past had applied to clubs without knowing if they could devote. However, to avoid the potential problems that arise from scheduling conflicts over the year, each club should share with students its own plans and expectations before the actual club application to allow students to make decisions based on which club they can fully commit to.

Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in the Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.com.

By Yeena Yoon

Orphaned possessions typically end up in two general situations: the item is either found and returned to the original owner, or the item is lost completely and is no longer to be seen. Recently, it seems the latter has been occurring more often than is ideal. Perhaps it is merely an act of forgetfulness. But the growing collection of unclaimed valuables at the lost and found indicates that students must change their attitudes towards their belongings.

Consistently, lost belongings are being handled too lightly, as few seem to pay special attention to the objects they leave behind. Instead, they are opting to simply replace their lost items with new ones. Recently, those who lost their wallets are buying new ones, without taking the initiative to check the lost and found first. This practice is the reason that the office disposes of many expensive jackets and smartphones at the end of each school year.

According to Dong Eun Lee, high school secretary, a lost belonging undergoes a very simple process.

Somebody finds a valuable and reports it to Mrs. Lee, who then enters an announcement on the daily bulletin and stores it in the lost and found. Many valuables are yet to be claimed, but have been taken off the daily bulletin because no one seems to be looking for them.

Responsibility is a very crucial theme in the discussion of ownership, and is a necessary trait that all students should have. Students who are able to maintain such accountability for their lost belongings will also be able to maintain respectable positions later on in their future careers. If students cannot follow the duty of keeping their valuables intact, it will be difficult for them to assume responsibility for larger, more important issues. To prepare for the future, students should remember to develop their sense of liability.

Though students may not realize the importance of their belongings, they should be held accountable for their lost items. Instead of resorting to the purchase of replacement items, students should take initiative by conscientiously checking to see if their belongings are secure or not and by visiting the lost and found.

Weighted GPA system restricts More selectivity in early decision needed individual student development

By Michael Kim

By Christine Jeong

It is no exaggeration that SIS is an academically rigorous high school, where most students are driven to get “perfect” grades to be accepted into prestigious universities. Given this academic pressure, it is not surprising that some parents and students at SIS regard non-academic courses as less valuable than core subjects because these counterparts are supposedly less demanding and time-consuming.

However, according to Caitlin Lopez, head of the art department, students must be committed to art projects, especially when taking challenging courses such as AP Drawing. Although there may not be tests to prepare for, non-academic classes demand that students actively work on pieces that involve a disparate but equally challenging approach to work.

Evidently, non-academic and academic courses require divergent forms of intelligence and cannot be placed on a scale. Depending on what career students wish to pursue, the importance of certain subjects varies and is difficult to measure.

According to Peter Corcoran, Editors-in-Chief Jiho Peter Kim Mark Kim Jr. Managing Editor Min Ji Suh Production Editor Dasoo Milton Yoon Graphics Editor Christine Lee Website Editor Darin Son

Copy Editors Celine Hwang Daniel Kim Sara Shin (Web) Helen Song Photographers Yeni Cho Hollis Hwang Kelly Kim Advertisement Amelie Koo (Man.) Claire Yun (Rep.)

Director of Schools, SIS’s objective is not to weigh the relative merit of courses but to promote individual talents. If SIS implemented a weighted grade point average (GPA) system, students would take classes that would award them with credits rather than those that might help them develop their passions.

Admissions officers at universities also recognize students’ individuality and do not negatively assess students who have chosen elective courses. According to its website, Harvard University acknowledges that it “wants students with vastly different credentials.” The continuation of an unweighted GPA system is more likely to bring about this coveted course selection diversity.

According to Fredric Schneider, Dean of Students, a weighted GPA does not provide students with any advantages. Admissions officers consider the magnitude of an applicant’s course load, making the weighting system of the GPA irrelevant.

At such a formative stage of development, students should not take subjects that they are not interested in just for their supposed importance. Instead, they must be encouraged to take advantage of the variety of courses that SIS offers and focus on reinforcing their unique talents.

Reporters Jean Cho Jungho Daniel Choi Nagyon Kim Sarah Y. Kim Christine Seo Website Reporters Heejin E. Hong Christine Jeong Michael Kim Rosie Dahyeon Kim

Among the 48 students that sent early decision applications to colleges last year, only 19 were accepted, 13 were deferred and 16 were denied. This year, 15 of the students applying for early decision sent applications to top-notch schools like Harvard despite the low likelihood of acceptance. Rather than waste resources such as these, students should consider relegating the early decision application as a supplement to the normal application instead of using it to apply to the most prestigious schools possible.

The deadline for the early decision application is significantly earlier than the normal application, which is due on Nov. 25 for most schools. In addition, SIS requires students applying for college to submit applications roughly a month earlier for administrative purposes.

After these stringent preparations are completed, the applications are sent to the schools to be pitted against those of students worldwide who have designed their applications for their early decision schools, as well as fellow students at SIS who have taken the bandwagon approach.

The early decision application is

Cartoonist Yeaji Park Layout Artists Jaewon Choi Eunie Jang Hareem Kim (Web) Bason Park Patricia Song Yeena Yoon Adviser Mr. David Coleman

particularly appealing for students because it satisfies the high expectations of their parents. While the bandwagon phenomenon is to be expected of students at high-level academic schools, there is a need for serious discussion about the viability of early decision applications and the irrational decisions students are making concerning college applications, such as applying to colleges that are certain to reject them.

The purpose of early decision applications is to give students a chance to apply to attainable schools with specifically crafted applications, not to squander opportunities by applying to schools they have

Tiger Times seoul international school Songpa P.O. Box 47 Seoul, South Korea 138-600

little chance of getting accepted into.

By using early decision applications for unattainable goals, any possibility of acceptance through the normal application also vanishes.

While it is the discretion of seniors applying to colleges to which course of action they will take, it is important to heed the advice of the administration. Early decision serves the specific purpose of binding, but is being overused by students applying to the their most prestigious choices. Students should review their priorities and think realistically about their chances of getting into high-status schools with early decision.

The Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

OCTOBER 2013

Student emphasis on standardized testing proves unnecessary

By Celine Hwang

Over the last year, news reports about students in South Korea cheating on the SATs have been prevalent in the media. While there have been various scandals related to the SATs in Korea, according to Gray Macklin, counselor, because there have been fewer ACT test-takers, the ACT test has had significantly fewer cheating incidents. As a result, more students are deciding to take the ACT in addition to the SAT in hopes that college admissions officers will not disregard their SAT scores. Despite the advantages students may gain from having two standardized tests on their transcripts, it is unnecessary for students to prepare for both the SAT and the ACT. To begin with, American universities will not be able to overlook SAT scores because they cannot simply assume that all Korean students have earned their scores dishonestly.

While college admissions officers may be suspicious of students whose SAT scores are dramatically inconsistent, it remains an undeniable fact that academies similar to hagwons in Korea exist in the US as well. In affluent areas of the US, students who can afford to attend SAT preparatory classes may also gain access to unreleased test questions. Due to the lack of transparency regarding students’ attendance of the various hagwons, colleges and universities cannot assume that all Koreans are prone to cheating.

Furthermore, instead of rush-

ing to the conclusion that taking the ACT will resolve this issue, students should remember that the SAT cheating scandals stem from the misconception that standardized tests are the most important part of a college application. While the majority of schools in the US require students to submit a standardized test score, according to Fredric Schneider, Dean of Students, the most important element of a student’s college application is his or her grade point average (GPA). Even if a student has a perfect SAT score, a low GPA may jeopardize the student’s chance of getting into a prestigious college.

Hence, instead of obsessing over improving their SAT scores by a few points, students should focus more on maintaining their academic performance at school.

Rather than being pressured into taking the ACT test because of concerns regarding the validity of SAT scores, students should take the ACT only if they feel prepared.

While taking the ACT test in addition to the SAT test may be beneficial, students should remember not to overemphasize the importance of standardized tests. Initially created to prove students’ aptitudes and potential in universities, standardized testing should not be regarded as a source of academic stress for students but as just one aspect of a college application that includes many other components. If students begin to rely on the ACT as a replacement for the SAT, the ACT will unquestionably become subject to the same amount controversy as the SAT has in recent years.

Graphic by Christine Lee

Source: TIME, Oxford American Dictionary

F O U R

E S S E N T I A L

ST E HR MUS T TDO OK W N NOW CONTINUING RESOLUTION (n.): a measure to fund the government at existing levels without debating a new spending bill FURLOUGH (v.): to force an employee not to come to work and often dock his or her pay accordingly SLIMDOWN (n.): a nickname for a partial government shutdown, emphasizing that many parts of the government are still in operation SHUTSTORM (n.): a government shutdown marked by confusion and controversy BIPARTISANSHIP (n.): of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies

VIEWPOINT

Warmer welcome needed for new students

By Christine Seo

At SIS, everyone seems to know everyone. The school is so small and homogenous that it allows for more interaction between smaller numbers of students, resulting in closer bonds between less people.

However, with the arrival of 48 new high school students this year, a significantly larger number than those of previous years, new students are having a harder time adjusting to the school’s social community. Instead of sitting back and assuming that the new students will effectively transition into the school, the student body should take the initiative to help provide a more welcoming atmosphere for them.

This year, returning students are having a difficult time giving attention to every single newcomer, only because there is a relatively higher number of them. Each new student should be valued for his or her own

unique character and should not be dismissed as just another new student.

It is intimidating for new students to acclimate to an unfamiliar school and unfamiliar people.

To ease their transition, the school needs to provide new students solid opportunities to interact with returning students. As they grow older, students have less time to socialize with their friends, much less get to know new students. Because they do not get enough school opportunities to interact with other students, events like Freshman Late Night should be organized for each grade level in order to solidify and form new bonds.

Students may not feel the responsibility to welcome new students into the school because the lack of school spirit results in an attitude of indifference. School spirit goes hand in hand with teamwork and building a cohesive student body. In order to make the new students feel like they are a part of the

school community, the school administration should collaborate with the HSSC to organize events like field days at the start of the school year. This is a tradition that many schools like Seoul Foreign School (SFS) celebrate, where each grade level gathers as a team and competes with others in small games and competitions. The competition factor of the event would motivate both new and returning students to socialize and meet new people as they collaborate and work together toward a common goal.

The counseling office has planned a “buddy” system for the second semester, where students can sign up to help out newcomers with their transitions to the school. With more space available due to the construction of the new building, the SIS community may become even larger with the arrival of more new students. Helping them acclimate to life at SIS is important for the student body right now and, even more so, for the future.

Dangers of partisan politics displayed in recent shutdown of US government

By Jungho Daniel Choi

OFF

3

With all federally funded national parks within the US having been closed, and all non-essential government workers having been furloughed for days, it is clear that the recent 16-day US government shutdown took a toll on the American people. Bipartisan negotiations eventually ended the shutdown on Oct. 16.

The government shutdown was caused by a disagreement between Democrats and Republicans regarding a funding plan for the new fiscal year. The Republican Party (GOP) refused to agree on a fiscal deal unless it delayed or defunded the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Democrats refused to pass the spending bill that the Republicans came up with, because they believe that the ACA benefits large portions of the middle and lower classes.

The government shutdown negatively impacted both political parties and the US itself. The Republican Party was weakened due to differences in opinion within the party, and the Democrats were embarrassed by their inability to end

the crisis. The entire nation was also negatively impacted, with its economy suffering as a result.

Politicians often do not look for solutions to crises, but instead think of how to use these situations for the benefit of their own party. The problem only escalates when radical politicians refuse to negotiate, such as in the case of the government shutdown, when the radical right refused to negotiate with the liberals on the matter of the ACA. Moderate politicians need to work together to form bipartisan plans to solve problems. This would allow Congress to legislate quickly and efficiently while keeping both parties somewhat satisfied.

Negotiations also provide more perspective on the core issue. Political debates on controversial issues mean that politicians and citizens understand these issues better. This increased perspective would lead to more innovative solutions that would be more appealing than any solution that had already been considered. However, when one party refuses to talk about the issue due to party politics, this cannot occur.

Such was the case with the GOP during the US government shutdown.

The radical right wing conservatives’

refusal to participate in bipartisan talks and resistance in maintaining their partisanship led to the lengthening of the time in which the US government was non-functioning.

Partisanship within the US government also tarnishes its image in the minds of its citizens. Because the radical right wing of the GOP refused to negotiate with liberals, people have come to be more disapproving of the Republican Party itself. According to a recent Princeton Survey Research Poll, three-quarters of the American population disapprove of the behavior of the GOP during the crisis, and three in 10 of all Americans blamed the GOP for the crisis. The crisis also had an impact on Americans’ trust in Congress, regardless of the party affiliations of different politicians. In fact, approximately half of the American population now believes that replacing most Representatives within the US legislature would be beneficial.

Because of the dangers of party politics, the government shutdown was not only instigated, but was also lengthened for a longer period of time. To prevent such future crises, the government must learn to work together and come up with bipartisan policies for the benefit of all.

NEWS 4

OCTOBER 2013

NEWS BRIEFS Strings master class teaches valuable experience to musicians HSSC looks to change food cart

Photo by Hollis Hwang

Handing a ticket to Shawn Kim (12), Rachael Lee, senior treasurer, helps out at the food cart.

Last year, food cart was located in what used to be the Foreign Language wing of the high school building. However, with the change in location to a more remote area on the third floor, the food cart has not been seeing as much success compared to previous years.

To fix this issue, the Junior Council is considering some changes to the food cart system to attract more customers.

“Since the number of customers we have this year is not as large as last year’s, the Junior Council is considering making a mobile food cart,” said Judy Kim (11), junior class public relations officer. “We are also looking to get shelves to clean up the food cart and organize it, so that [it doesn’t] look as bad and messy from the outside.”

Administration approves several senior privilege proposals The Senior Council successfully approved part of its proposal for senior privileges. Now, seniors who have study hall at the beginning of the day can come to school late, and those who have study hall during last period may leave campus early, only if they do not need to return to campus afterwards. Seniors can also register their phones to the school wireless Internet.

Other proposals, such as not attending AP classes after taking the AP exams, are yet to be finalized. “[Senior privileges] give students a chance to experience a college-like environment during high school,” said Julia Jeong (12), senior class vice president. “Stude nts are given the opportunity to spend their time on more important activities outside of school.”

Sophomore Council changes date of Snowball In an attempt to attract more students to Snowball, the Sophomore Council and the administration decided to change its date from Nov. 2 to Dec. 20, the day before winter break. Many students were unsatisfied with the original date, because it conflicted with the SATs and was in the middle of the semester.

“One of the challenges about holding dances at [the end of the semester] is finding chaperones, because a number of our teachers are leaving to go on their holidays, said Peter Corcoran, Director of Schools. “But it seems that there are more and more teachers staying in Korea for at least part of their holiday break.”

By Nagyon Kim

By Kelly Kim

After hearing about the strong musical program at SIS, three professors from the University of Notre Dame traveled to Korea in order to find musicians suitable for their university-level music programs.

Tricia Park, violinist, John Blacklow, pianist, and Peter Smith, music theorist, came to SIS to lead a strings master class on Oct. 11.

During a master class, an expert of a field comments on the performance of a particular student, while other students spectate and listen to any feedback offered by the professional. In preparation for the master class at SIS, two students were selected for each of the violin and piano sections: John Kim (10) and Claire Kim (9) for the piano section, and Angela Jang (10) and Amy Cho (11) for the violin section.

“It was nerve-wracking to perform because I had never faced such professionals before,” Angela said.

“After my performance, Ms. Park demonstrated the music herself and commented that I should add dramatic aspects to the music. She

Photo by Kelly Kim

John Blacklow, pianist and professor at the University of Notre Dame, performs a solo piano piece as a musical example for the student musicians participating in the strings master class organized on Oct. 11. pointed out my flaws and advised me on how to improve.”

At the beginning of the class, students watched the solo performances of Ms. Park and Mr. Blacklow. Students were then split into two groups to listen to the solo performances and teachings of the violin and piano players.

“The professors’ teaching methods were similar to mine, but they

talked more about the big picture of music,” said Julia Kim, strings teacher. “I was glad they talked about methods of ‘expression’ because that is what most SIS students lack. The class provided a different [perspective] because students heard collegiate level comments and worked with experienced professionals.”

Ms. Park and Mr. Blacklow were impressed by the talent of SIS

students. The three professors will also visit several schools in Taipei and Shanghai to teach more classes.

“I was very impressed by the performers who were quite musical,” Mr. Blacklow said. “They were bright and eager, and they were willing to try new [methods]. I felt inspired to share what I can to help them express their vision of their piece.”

NKHR members volunteer at Government requests changes for KBS Beautiful Dream Concert international school textbooks

By Heejin E. Hong

The Korea Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra’s music resounded through the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center, one of the largest performing centers in Korea.

The 2013 Beautiful Dream Concert, held on Oct. 16, was free for all who wished to attend. SIS North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) members were invited to help out during this 100-minute concert, a performance hosted purely for charity.

The annual event marks its seventh this year and has been dedicated to raising awareness and funds for North Korean youth who have found refuge and new opportunities in South Korea. According to Amy Thompson, NKHR adviser, 14 club members volunteered to manage the donation table and guide benefactors to their respective seats.

“The founder of SIS NKHR, Diane Rhim [Class of ’11], suggested that I to talk to the official NKHR branch for activities that [we] could participate [in],” said Angela Son (12), NKHR president. “This event was a significant event [for NKHR]

and [an opportunity] to get along with NKHR people outside of SIS.” Students arrived at Seoul Arts Center by 3 p.m. and were delegated diverse responsibilities. Divided into groups, volunteers prepared mug cups that were presented to patrons who donated over 20,000 won, organized pamphlets and programs and guided attendees until 8 p.m.

“We had times when we had to remove pamphlets we had just put in because the concert hall would not allow such direct fundraising,” said Jasmine Oh (9), a volunteer. “Our efforts taught how difficult volunteer work can be and [gave me] a sense of respect for these organizations.”

The concert raised over 10 million won and drew more than 2,000 attendees, including diplomats and government officials from the Ministry of Unification.

“The expectations were very high so even the slightest mistake [could tarnish] the club’s reputation,” said Julie Hwang (9), a volunteer.

“We had to act like professionals in an area that we never had experience with, which was difficult. Although it wasn’t the most comfortable experience, [it was] true volunteer work and I felt pride in it.”

By Sarah Y. Kim

When the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) made a decision in 2012 to adhere to the standard international name for the East Sea, the “Sea of Japan”, Koreans were rankled. Dispute has always brought forth tensions between the two countries—the controversy over the East Sea and its name has been one of them. This September, the Korean Ministry of Education suggested international school administrators to consider referring to the body of water as the East Sea or at least as both the East Sea and the Sea of Japan in the curriculum.

“Mrs. Ganus and I pulled out all the textbooks that we use here and we bookmarked them to see how many incidents of Sea of Japan versus East Sea or both East Sea and Sea of Japan there were,” said Peter Kahl, Administrator for Instructional Services. “Some might see this [policy] as censorship. I don’t.

It’s a long-standing dispute between Korea and Japan, where both sides have documentation.”

The mandate also requires in-

ternational educators to emphasize that North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 and not minimize atrocities committed by Japan toward comfort women. Mr. Kahl said that the Ministry of Education is trying to standardize education in Korea for the increasing variety of international schools, ensuring consistency between the education of Korean history at Korean schools and international schools.

“Most of these changes reflect the relationship between Korea and Japan,” said Tony Hurt, history teacher. “We still have good relations with Japan though; animosity isn’t so prevalent amongst youth.”

Cultural sensitivity is an expectation of international schools.

Seeing as Japanese students attend SIS, the administration aims to take their culture into consideration.

“I actually don’t care which sea belongs to whom,” Akane Yasuda (10) said. “I feel like Japan already has a wide sea border, so Korea might as well have it. One reason Japan has to fight over the territory is that allowing Korea to get the land will make them lose power. The Japanese government has no choice but to keep fighting.”

OCTOBER 2013

5

NEWS

Students donate books to help SIS triumphs at KAIAC Debate Tournament educate less fortunate children By Christine Lee

By Sara Shin

More than 72 million of the world’s children are deprived of a primary education. To combat this issue, Freedom to Read (FREAD), a non-school sponsored club founded

by Elisa Han, Class of ’11, has been providing children with the basic means of education: books. Through book drives with the elementary school at SIS, FREAD has managed to reach out to children in South Korea and other indigent countries, including Nepal and Cambodia.

According to Agnes Schuppel, faculty member involved in FREAD, FREAD collected about 2,000 books from the book drive held on Sept.

12-15 and plans to donate its earnings to Cambodian orphanages during its visit on Nov. 31-Dec. 1.

“I have been a member [of] FREAD for four years,” said Kelly Kim (12), FREAD executive. “The children living in Yeongdeongpo really shocked me; they lived in urban slums and were raised abusively.

This experience motivated me to stay committed to FREAD, and I was able to understand what a privilege education is and why I should continue to [help] educate others.”

While in Cambodia, FREAD also hopes to see local children run at the annual International Mara-

thon in Angkor Wat with shoes that members donated last year. Though children were restricted from participating in the marathon, FREAD registered those who wanted to run.

Thomas Han, FREAD co-founder, Class of ’13, received donations for every kilometer he ran and contributed all of his earnings to support impoverished Cambodian children.

“Dick Hoyt, who pushes his physically impaired son, Rick Hoyt, in a wheelchair while running marathons together, inspired me to start running for this cause,” Thomas said. “Rick told his dad, ‘Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.’ Like Rick forgot about his disabilities, the Cambodian children, too, let go of their troubles while they ran. After the success of our first marathon fundraiser, I chose to continue running.”

Previous charity endeavours, such as trips to Mongolia and Nepal in 2012 and 2011 respectively, were also opportunities for SIS FREAD members to join hands with students from Gyeonggi-Suwon International School (GSIS) and Korea International School (KIS). FREAD managed to create three libraries for three schools in Pokhara, Nepal and the following summer, donated heaters to Mongolian homes. After the Cambodia trip, FREAD plans to hold another book drive from Nov. 25 to Dec. 20.

Miley Cyrus is the only thing on her mind as she scrambles to organize her thoughts about the celebrity.

As the timer announces that there are only 30 seconds left for her to prepare, Angela Yoon (10) calmly stares at the quick outline she made, her mind mentally organizing the five-minute impromptu speech she would present shortly. Angela’s confidence as she spoke of her admiration of Cyrus’s individuality and composed nature got her first place for Impromptu Speaking at the 2013 KAIAC Debate and Speech Tournament, which was held at SIS from Oct. 11-12.

“I honestly didn’t expect first place at all,” Angela said. “The weekly practices always helped because I got to work together with the other people but I did not anticipate a result like this, which served as a pleasant surprise.”

The SIS forensics team swept the competition, placing in every category they competed in at the tournament. For parliamentary debate, sophomores Lauren Ahn and Eva Hong placed first, while Angela Yoon and Yoon Lee (10) ranked second; in public forum, Jiwhan Moon (9) and Claire Kim (9) placed first after defeating sophomore Rosie Kim and Sarah Kim in the finals. Eva and Rosie won second and third place

Students communicate DMZ findings with others From page 1 “A majority of the forums are conducted in Korean, except for special English sessions,” said Lauren Ahn (10), a participant in the Youth DMZ Peace Life Forum held on Aug. 10 at Yeonsei University. “We represented the more international view, and it was surprisingly true that the way Korean students understood the DMZ was drastically different from the way we do.”

As a culmination of the work that they have done, the DMZ students held a small exhibition last year in the atrium, displaying the photos they took at the DMZ. Deeply moved by the students’ efforts, Hyung-Shik Kim, headmaster, expressed support for the program and is planning on hanging the photos throughout the school campus.

“I’m really proud of the students as the headmaster of school,” Dr. Kim said. “The whole world does activities like UNICEF or [Habitat For Humanity], but the DMZ is unique to Korea. As many students know, I am an animal lover; I really want to back up these kids by spreading the beauty of nature throughout the

Photo by Christine Lee

Explaing her admiration for Miley Cyrus, Angela Yoon (10) fluently supports her argument at the KAIAC Debate tournament on Oct. 11-12. respectively for impromptu speech; Jungho Daniel Choi (10) and Jeffrey Park (9) won first place in extemporaneous and original oratory speech respectively.

“This was my third year coaching and there was much more enthusiasm about the tournament compared to last year,” said Lee Piscioneri, speech coach. “It was definitely more exciting for me because I got to coach students that I taught last year and our team was made up of such talented people.

The speech side was extremely successful and I can only hope that next year, we’ll return to the tournament as the same well-rounded and passionate team.”

The debate team, while cel-

ebrating their hard-earned victory, understands that it must continue to improve to perform well in future tournaments. Many of the team mentors and participants pointed out areas of improvement to build a stronger team.

“I know that for next year’s tournament, I can improve by learning more about history or following current events [more closely],” Angela said. “In an event like impromptu, evidence is one of the most important things that can really help your speech. The team in general could also improve by doing the same and practicing their speeches at home. I know that if we follow through properly, SIS will be successful for years.”

ZEITGEIST Partisan differences shut down US government for 16 days

Photo Courtesy of Yanis Park

Lauren Ahn (10) poses in front of a grass field next to the DMZ on Aug. 17. She continues to make monthly trips to research. school.”

Building off of what they have done for the past years, the students plan to continue their exploration of the nature in the DMZ and participate in various camps and forums, including the Environmental Report Presentation held in Seoul National University on Nov. 9.

“I’ve thought about making this

an official SIS club,” Ik Joon said.

“However, the organization limits the entrance to a maximum of five students from each school per year, and we don’t wield a lot of power because the head organization mostly manages each of our roles. We plan on continuing the tradition by recruiting freshmen to join the rest of the SIS students in this opportunity.”

For the first time in almost 20 years, the US Congress failed to agree on a budget for the new fiscal year. This inability lead to a government shutdown that commenced on Oct.1 and cost $24 billion dollars, according to Standard and Poor’s, a credit rating agency.

It ended on Oct.17 after Congress passed a last-minute deal that will open the government until Jan.15 and raise the debt ceiling until Feb.7. During this shutdown, public services that were not considered to be absolutely essential, such as welfare benefits provided to veterans, museums and national parks, were closed. As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal employees and workers in the defense or consulting industry went on extended unpaid leaves.

“Because I had less work than usual, I decided to visit Korea a few weeks earlier than I had initially planned,” said Jenny Jun, Class of ’08, who works at a consulting firm in Washington D.C. “My friends who are usually busy working for defense firms were also told not to come to work because projects funded by the government were temporarily suspended.”

According to Gray Macklin, high school counselor, this impasse resulted from the attempt of the conservative faction of the

Grand Old Party to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Barack Obama’s new healthcare system, which was to commence this fiscal year.

“The [ACA] passed against their will in 2010 and cleared the Supreme Court in 2012, so the Republicans did not have any options left, other than refusing to sign any budget that weakens the healthcare reforms,” Mr. Macklin said. “[The government shutdown] only led to lower disapproval ratings and frusteration among the voters so the Republicans had to leave healthcare reform alone when negotiating a deal.”

Unless politicans can come up with a long-term solution to reduce the increasing national debt, which surpassed $17 trillion dollars on Oct.22, such stalemates are likely to reoccur in the future.

“This deadlock between the two parties reminded me of the failure to raise the debt-ceiling until the last minute in August 2011, leading to increased economic instability in the US and around the world,” said Kristen Park (11), a Government and Politics student.

“Since the reopening of the government and raising of the debtceiling is merely temporary, I think there will be delays in negotiating a new agreement next year.”

By Jaewon Choi

LET THE GA An exclusive cutout

StarCraft II (2010); Terran Marine

The fastest selling PC game of 2010, StarCraft II is the sequel to the award-winning real-time strategy game, StarCraft (1998). The GomTV Star League, a monthly Korean tournament, is the largest StarCraft II professional tournament in the world.

Source: Shack News

World of Warcraft (2004); Undead Mage

As of July 2013, World of Warcraft is the world’s most subscribed massively multiplayer online role-playing game. In 2012, Blizzard Entertainment, the game’s developer, began a new series of tournaments, called the Battle.net World Championship Series, for World of Warcraft.

Source: VG 24/7 and IGN

New attitudes help gamers enjoy athlete status By Jean Cho Gamers are stereotypically believed to be socially awkward couch potatoes who lock themselves up in a dimly lit room and often times have problems with hygiene. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case in the world of professional gaming. As the level of interest in electronic sports (eSports), the term for professional gaming competitions, has skyrocketed over the last decade, more and more people have started to grow a new form of respect for gaming.

Although there were only ten competitions in 2000, by 2010, there were more than 260 professional tournaments where gamers from all around the globe gathered. After StarCraft was first released in 1998, other competitive games such as Warcraft, Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) and League of Legends were launched, thereby increasing the variety of competitions that players could participate in. According to Marilou Pagarigan, Technology Support teacher, games were enhanced from their precedents in terms of graphics, leading to an increased interest in eSports.

“I think the design is now much more engaging, meaning that the graphics are in higher resolution and that the capabilities and strategies are better explored than they used to be,” Ms. Pagarigan said. “But now companies made better programs that improved the overall look and the feel of

the game. If such enhancements are continued to be made, I strongly believe that the interest in eSports will continue growing exponentially.”

ESports communities often receive sponsorships from large businesses in order to hold international competitions, which are usually broadcasted online and on television. In order to prepare for competitions, top professional gamers train daily for around eight to 13 hours, which is comparable to the amount of time that professional sports athletes train. During these workout hours, gamers do not spend their entire time in front of the computer screen. Instead, they exercise at gyms, swim or engage in some type of physical exercise to build their stamina, which enables gamers to have longer gaming sessions and better concentration.

Although stereotyped to be lazy and disorganized, professional gamers have a strict schedule that they abide to and are devoted to keeping that rhythm of life.

“Some people think gaming is a joke and don’t take it seriously, but you can easily tell that it is a big deal by looking at how much professional players earn,” said Jihoon Yang (10), Electronic Strategic Development Club (ESDC) co-secretary. “Although some people might think that there is nothing more to gaming than simple mouse-clicking, this

is not true. From my experience, I can say that gaming requires careful planning, spontaneity and creativity.”

With $454,544.98 being the highest earning in the world, eSports is now a $60 billion industry. As a result, professional gamers have boosted their socio-economic status in the global community. Now, famous gamers are being issued the P-1A visa, designated only for ‘internationally recognized athletes’. Moreover, famous ‘cyber-athletes’, such as renowned StarCraft player Yo-Han Lim, have their own fan clubs with more than half a million people in them. Such clubs are mostly composed of teenage boys aspiring to follow in their footsteps or females who find these gamers attractive. No longer looked down upon, many professional gamers have expanded their spheres of influence by becoming role models for the younger generation.

“South Korean players have been doing exceptionally well in eSports competitions, such as the League of Legends World Championships in early October,” Jason Moon (11) said. “Gamers with such talent should really be recognized by the public because they are representing their countries like athletes participating in the Olympics. I personally believe that people need to surpass their negative stereotypes of gamers and learn to support them.”

Layout by Dasoo Milton Yoon Graphics by Jaewon Choi and Christine Lee

AMES BEGIN! BEGIN game by tiger times

DOTA 2 (2013); Kunkka

Released earlier this year, DOTA 2 is a multiplayer game with over 550,000 players online daily. The International, an annual worldwide DOTA 2 competition, boasts the largest prizepool in the history of eSports, exceeding two million dollars.

Source: GameSpot

League of Legends (2009); Kassadin the Void Walker

League of Legends, released by game publisher Riot Games, is now the most played PC game in the world. Earlier this year, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services made a decision to recognize League of Legends players as professional athletes.

Source: Forbes

Gaming culture proves to be major part of Korean culture By nagyon kim At the 2013 League of Legends (LoL) World Championship that took place from Sept. 16 to Oct. 5, Korean professional gaming team SK Telecom T1 took home the championship, defeating all other professional gaming teams around the world. Since the original StarCraft was released in 1998, competitive online gaming, also known as eSports, has become a popular phenomenon in Korea, with 17 million out of 48 million people in Korea who play games on a regular basis today, according to the National Broadcasting Company.

The success of games such as StarCraft, Sudden Attack, Call of Duty, FIFA Online and LoL has led to the recognition of the gaming industry as a part of national Korean culture and its economy. “[Games are popular] because they are rooted in Korean history,” said Timothy Kim (12), Electronic Strategic Development Club (ESDC) co-vice president. “It started out even before StarCraft was first released. Koreans love strategy games. We have traditional games like baduk and jang-gi [Korean traditional games], which require strategies. With these kinds of games [in our culture], the generation before ours was hooked into playing games like StarCraft, and that mentality is now carried onto our generation today.”

According to Erik Anderson, ESDC adviser, the environment that South Korea provides is ideal for widespread online

gaming. According to Bloomberg, not only do public areas, such as parks and subways, offer free Wi-Fi networks around Korea, but the Internet is also extremely fast anywhere in the nation. Korea has also once again ranked highest in its average Internet connectivity. Other facilities in the nation include PC Bangs (Internet cafes) which are readily accessible nationwide.

The constant development of these advanced facilities that Korea provides for both professional and amateur gamers are continuing to boost the nation’s gaming industry, as they provide a suitable and the most up-to-date environment for playing games. As a result, many major Korean corporations, even if their business may not involve eSports, are sponsoring professional gamers who would then represent their company in international gaming meets. This is not common outside Korea, where companies affiliated with the gaming industry, rather than major national corporations, sponsor gaming teams. “[Corporations like] SK Telecom are companies whose main goal is ultimately to make money,” said Chloe Choi (10), ESDC member. “If the companies sponsor these groups of talented gamers [that] land on the top spot, then all of the gaming community will see the company’s logo on their players’ uniform. And if the team wins, or gets close to winning,

which was the case at recent championships, then the company will gain more fame and profit from the community.

Games are now really big in Korea, and I think the popularity of gaming has reached a point where it is a part of Korea’s national identity.”

According to Imagine Games Network (IGN), South Korea could be seen as the Jerusalem of the gaming world, a clear nickname that proves how large the presence of gaming is in the nation. Its popularity has established gaming as one of the most crucial industries in the nation, as well as an important aspect of the Korean identity. Korea is also unique in that it actually turns gaming into a professional job equivalent to a sports athlete, thanks to the public’s general respect towards games.

“As far as the growth [of the Korean gaming industry] goes, you’re going to start seeing more Korean gaming companies because right now the main gaming industries are in the US and Japan,” Mr. Anderson said. “Soon, [eSports] competitions are not going to only be events that [major corporations] sponsor. Gaming companies will also start making new strategy games, fighting games, first-person shooting games, or puzzle games that are going to catch on and become mainstream [forms of entertainment]. It would be cool if we could even see [eSports] as an official Olympic sport.”

LIFESTYLE 8

OCTOBER 2013

SIS students attend Bieber Concert cially enjoyed his acoustic covers of his songs.”

After the concert, Bieber held a meet-and-greet event that was part For the first time in South Koof the special 1,450,000 won VIP rea, Justin Bieber performed live at package. Jinny, a self-proclaimed the Seoul Olympic Park Gymnastics fan of Bieber, paid for the opportuStadium on Oct. 10 as a part of his nity to meet the pop star in person “Believe World Tour.” Eight thouand take a photo with him. sand fans, including Korean ce“The staff members were relebrities such as members of Girls’ ally strict about the meet-andGeneration, attended the concert. greet procedure,” Jinny said. “They While students such as Jinny Park took away our phones because we (10) felt that the concert was enweren’t allowed to take pictures joyable overall, they were disapof Justin Bieber with [our] perpointed by the complications sonal devices. There was no that arose during the concert. meeting and greeting, it was “I went to the same tour more like waiting in line in Los Angeles this summer to take a photo with him. I and it was a lot better than was mad that I paid a lot of the one that took place here money [to meet him], but in Korea,” Jinny said. “Justin couldn’t even say hi to him Bieber has a larger network properly.” of fans in the US compared Overall, though the to here. Also, not a lot of peoconcert was disappointing to ple attended the concert and I those who attended with high think that was why Justin Bieber expectations, it was still a rare did not perform to his best abiliexperience to see the famous Caties.” nadian pop star perform in Korea.

The concert included spe“Before the concert, cial production events such as I wasn’t a big fan of Justin Photo Courtesy of Jinny Park Bieber’s drum performance Jinny Park (10) poses with Justin Bieber Bieber so I was not anticipatalong with the song “Beauty at the Seoul Olympic Park Gymnastics ing a great concert,” Judy Kim and a Beat,” and Big Bang Stadium concert hall entrance on Oct. 10 (11) said. “However, during member G-Dragon’s perforthe concert, I was surprised mance of “Crayon.” Additionally, “The concert was really awe- by how exceptional his perforBieber invited one audience mem- some,” Yerin Kim (12) said. “I was mance was. I was especially imber to the stage and serenaded her a little disappointed with his late ar- pressed with his active dance moves with his song “One Less Lonely rival, but once he arrived, he gave and his [good looks]. Now, I am a Girl.” For the last song “Believe,” an amazing performance. I espe- fan of Justin Bieber.”

By Yeni Cho

Bieber took a unique approach to his performance and played the piano while singing.

However, because Bieber arrived at the concert hall late, the concert started 37 minutes after the designated concert show time. The audience had to wait and the performance time was shortened.

J.K. Rowling to write script for new series of Harry Potter spinoff films

By Jungho Daniel Choi

The magical world of Harry Potter will be brought back with a series of new films at an undetermined future date. On Sept. 12, Warner Bros. announced that these films would be written by Joanne “J. K.” Rowling, the author of the original Harry Potter series. They will be based on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a book published in 2001 to supplement the Harry Potter book franchise.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is supposedly a textbook that was used by Harry Potter and his friends to study magical creatures. The film adaptation will not be a prequel or a sequel to the original series, but will instead focus on the life of the fictional author of the textbook, Newt Scamander. Rowling has announced that the film will take place in the 1920s, about 70 years before the time frame of the main Harry Potter film franchise.

“Even though [the spinoff] isn’t strictly about Harry Potter, and is set in the past, I think Rowling will be able to entertain fans with it,” Jenna Kim (10) said. “I can’t really judge it until I’ve seen it, but my immediate reaction to the news was just overall excitement. I was also really surprised, because Rowling

said that she wouldn’t write more Harry Potter stuff.”

On the other hand, according to Ronald Slachta, English teacher and Harry Potter fan, although he enjoyed the Harry Potter films, he will probably not watch the spinoff because of concerns regarding the authenticity of the new spinoff.

“I don’t mind watching movies made from books, and what I liked about the Harry Potter series was that it got kids to read,” Mr. Slachta said. “So it was one more way that I could connect to my students. Then I was excited to see the movies, and I had that in common with them.

They could see me as someone who was a reader. [But] this is more of a spinoff type of situation. Harry Potter had its run, and [Rowling] made the announcement that it was over, and I took her word for it.”

Despite varying predictions on the quality of the spinoff series, according to Tiffany Kim (11), the series is expected to be mostly popular among Harry Potter fans.

“There are so many hardcore Harry Potter fans, and they are probably looking forward to another spinoff series that will be officially created by J.K. Rowling,” Tiffany said. “Rowling is probably relying on the loyalty of enthusiastic fans to come watch the movie because the spinoff series is going to expand the Harry Potter universe instead of altering it.”

What is the “real world” like? ‘Gravity’ flies to top of box office charts Andrew Chung, Class of 2008, majored in Community Regional Development at UC Davis. He is currently in Shanghai looking to become an intern at American Chamber of Commerce in the Corporate Social Responsibility division.

1. Why did you major in Community Regional Development?

I like engaging with people and interacting with them. Thus, I focused on the political side of community planning. My major gave me the opportunity to learn more about how people work together.

Also, the study revolved around teamwork, which allowed me to take part in leadership roles.

2. What were some hardships in college?

Time management has always been my weakness since high school.

It was sometimes hard to divide my workload with hockey but I committed to both and I studied extremely hard in order to keep playing the sport that I love. Furthermore, in my freshman and sophomore year, I did not know what classes to take. I slowly overcame this problem towards the end of college because I got used to the system.

3. How did playing hockey in college impact you?

Last season, we went undefeated for the majority of the season until we lost to our rivals in an overtime match. We finished the season with 19 wins and one loss, ultimately finishing second after the playoffs. Playing hockey gave me a break from the extensive studying as well as an opportunity to show and build my leadership. I was offered a coaching position after graduating, but I had to decline due to other commitments.

4. Do you have any advice for SIS students?

Do not overdo yourself to ace every class and score 2400 on the SAT. Of course, going to a good college is important, but whether you graduate or not is even more important. Also, get involved with clubs, meet new people and create a diverse community. Don’t stay close to your own group of friends. Expand and meet other people. That way, you’ll be able to find great opportunities.

By Amelie Hayoung Koo

By Patricia Song

Starring globally famed Academy Award winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, “Gravity”, a 3D science fiction thriller and space drama film, has been sweeping the box office charts worldwide after its release. The realistic and high definition graphics as well as the original plot contributed to the movie’s success.

The movie features Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, and Clooney as Lieutenant Matt Kowalski, the commander of the team of astronauts on the shuttle, Explorer.

A week into their mission, a Russian missile strikes a defunct satellite, causing a chain reaction of destruction. As the only two survivors remaining, they are forced to abort their mission and struggle to safely return to Earth.

Due to the fact that the filming technology could not catch up to the desires of the director, Alfonso Cuaron, it took about four and a half years to produce “Gravity.” The movie includes many single-shots, filmed without cutting any parts, of action packed scenes, which amazed many audiences. Because of its popularity, the movie’s box office hit $175 million just 10 days after its release globally. In addition, 84 percent of all the box offices grosses were from 3D showings in its open-

MYTHBUSTING GRAVITY Is there really no sound in space?

there is sound, but it is not audible because A: Well, there is a lack of the medium (air) in which sound can travel through.

Do tears float off in zero gravity?

Although one might be compelled to believe A: No. that the tears will float off like all the other objects in space, the tears will stick to the cryer’s face because of surface tension.

Is the movie situation possible? a possible worst-case scenario, but there is A: Itanisinfinitesimal chance that all of the technological shortfalls and extraterrestrial accidents will occur simultaneously.

Graphic by Daniel Kim

ing weekend. It is also 2013’s second highest after “Iron Man” in weekend sales on Fandango.

In addition to garnering large audiences, “Gravity” has also been praised by critics and viewers. It received positive ratings on film review websites: a rating of 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 8.7 out of 10 on IMDb. The film has especially been commended for its expert use of 3D graphics.

Despite the movie’s growing popularity, “Gravity” is also receiving criticism for the inaccuracies in some of the science behind the film.

Neil deGrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist and science commu-

Source: Reader’s Digest

nicator, found fault with several scientific elements in the film, which he shared via Twitter. However, even these critics have expressed their appreciation for the creative film. “[The film] itself is very original. The plot that revolved around a natural disaster in space was something I had never seen before,” Sarah Hahn (10) said. “I thought that it would be interesting to watch ‘Gravity’ in 3D or IMAX because the graphics were appealing in the trailers, and I was not disappointed.

It was one of the only films that I thought was better in 3D because of its stunning graphics.”

9

OCTOBER 2013

iOS 7

Graphic by Bason Park Source: EngTechmag.com

ICONS: flatter look with new grid system for greater consistency

iTunes Radio: streaming radio stations tailored to personal tastes

POPULAR

FEATURES AirDrop: sends files to people nearby using wi-fi and Bluetooth

Ra

7 S O i of

Sense of depth: motion sensor used to drive 3D wallpaper effect

te doption A 64.0% One Week Later

One Month Later

73.0%

One Day Later

18.5%

New student aspires to pursue culinary arts professionally

By Claire Yun

While other students are nervously preparing for pop quizzes at private academies, Liana Kwak (10), a transfer student from Gyeonggi Suwon International School, goes to an academy for other reasons. She attends cooking classes five times a week: four times to learn Korean recipes and one time to learn how to bake small goods. Although Liana enjoys cooking as one of her greatest hobbies and as entertainment, she also has plans to pursue culinary arts professionally.

“My interest in cooking started a long time ago,” Liana said. “I loved to cook since I was a very young girl. I always had to cook for myself at home, since both of my parents work outside. I think I discovered the roots for my passion in cooking when I made food alone at home.

That recreation developed into one of my greatest interests, and now I want to major cooking in college.”

Whereas academics are usually the default major for most students, culinary arts, the study of cooking and kitchen management, is a rare area of interest for students at SIS. There are currently only about 179 out of the 3953 universities in the US that provide culinary art courses.

“There is one restaurant in New York City with a Korean main

Apple’s introduction of new iPhones generates mixed reviews from users

By Jean Cho

Noficiation Center: at-a-glance view of one’s day available from lock screen itself

chef who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and also got nominated in the honorary restaurant rating company called the Michelin Guide,” Liana said.

“Although he is a male chef, he is my role model. That is one of the reasons why I want to attend CIA.” According to Sarah Park (10), one of Liana’s close friends, Liana is the type of person who feels comfortable developing new recipes and sharing them with a large group of people.

“Liana often bakes delicious treats, such as cookies and cheesecakes, and brings them for us to eat both in and out of school,” Sarah said. “Although I never saw the actual process of her baking, I can see for sure that she is really passionate about cooking. Usually, Liana just watches us eat to see our reactions.

If others think that her food is delicious, that makes her want to make more treats for others to eat.”

Liana strives to not only improve her cooking skills, but also to spread her passion for creating new dishes.

“I think the first step to becoming a successful chef is sharing my interests. I hope to share my interests and skills with a larger audience by proposing a cooking club in school,” Liana said. “If I am not able to make a club, I want to start a cooking or restaurant blog. I hope there are many people who want to join the group.”

LIFESTYLE

For the first time after Timothy Cook was appointed as CEO, Apple Inc. has released two new mobile products: the iPhone 5S and 5C. Although released in the US on Sept.

10, the two new iPhones have been available in Korea since Oct. 25.

Despite the fact that the two products were released on the same day, the gap between the global sales of the two products is evidently growing larger and larger. According to Kernel Graphic Interface Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, sales for the 5C are 33 percent less than expected, while the demand for the 5S is greater than the current supply.

According to Cook, the combined sales for the two mobile devices hit the 9 million mark within the first week of their debut. This record exceeds the iPhone 5’s debut sales of 5 million last year. Experts cited that out of the 9 million, a larger portion came from the 5S sales. Potential buyers such as Kate Moon (11) expressed satisfaction with the new design and features of the 5S. “I really love the simple but sophisticated design of iPhone 5S,” Kate said. “Not only is it really attractive, but it also has the fingerprint identity sensor instead of the

normal home button. I think this is really clever because a fingerprint is something that you can’t lose and something that is unique to every individual.”

In addition to the fingerprint identity sensor, the iPhone 5S has other features that have never been

“

The two products are for different audiences,” said Sung-Ho Yoo, Macsquare System Representative. “The 5C is more for students and younger generations who previously regarded iPhone products to be too expensive while the audience for the 5S is not as restricted.”

incorporated into a smartphone before. The 5S is the first 64-bit smartphone in the world. Unlike other cellular devices, which have A6 chips, the iPhone 5S has an A7 chip. This particular type of chip is used primarily in computers and gives the iPhone 5S higher quality graphics, faster photo capture abilities and other updated features.

“The two products are for dif-

ferent audiences,” said Sung-Ho Yoo, Macsquare System Representative. “The 5C is targeted mainly towards students and younger generations who previously regarded iPhone products to be too expensive while the audience for the 5S is not as restricted.”

Although the iPhone 5C is about $100 cheaper than the 5S, it is not doing as well in sales. The iPhone 5C differs from previous Apple products mostly in terms of its physical design. The back cover of the 5C is made of hard plastic, which comes in five different colors: green, blue, yellow, pink and white. However, current iPhone users, such as Yoon Lee (10), showed little enthusiasm for the 5C. “Although the 5C’s main focus is supposedly its appearance, I personally think that the physique is what deters customers,” Yoon said.

“A lot of people around me buy Apple products because they feel like they are more reliable and premium compared to other phones. But the fact that the 5C is made out of plastic just takes away from the image of luxury that many people want.”

Despite the split in sales, Apple revealed plans to continue active advertising for both models in hope that the 5C becomes the phone representative of the middle class and that the 5S remains strong in its sales.

DANIEL KIM’S SEARCH FOR

HIDDEN GEMS Miley Cyrus looks for musical identity in ‘Bangerz’ After making headlines with her Video Music Awards performance, Miley Cyrus clearly expressed her desire to move away from her status as a teenage Disney star and become an oddball pop star like Rihanna or Lady Gaga. Her recent coverage seemed to propel her first single, “Wrecking Ball” to the top of the Billboard chart, and Cyrus took the perfect opportunity to solidify her presence in mainstream pop music with a studio album. Her latest studio album, “Bangerz,” captures the breadth of her ambitions, with mixed results.

In an abrupt transition from country-pop music from Hannah Montana to hip-hop material, Cyrus seems awkward at times, trying to fit into her persona of ego. Cyrus’s effort in “Do My Thang,” with the unabashed lyrics “Every single night and every single day, Imma do my thang, Imma do my thang,” comes off as an overly conspicuous attempt to

establish her pompous image.

The beat itself does not help, as it unsuccessfully tries to incorporate elements of trap music.

It is also quite evident from her unwieldy flow that Cyrus is nowhere near a rapper as she is a singer.

Cyrus hits the sweet spot when she refrains from venturing too far into the hip-hop territory and remains in the boundaries of pop. She seems more comfortable singing with the whistling and old school guitar strokes of “#GETITRIGHT” than shouting “I’m a female rebel” with Nelly on “4X4.” Her rebel image itself isn’t the problem; Cyrus simply does not have the skills to rap or sing convincingly over a hiphop track like contemporaries Rihanna or Nicki Minaj. The contrast of “#GETITRIGHT”’s sexy lyrics and its generally bouncy, bubblegum pop atmosphere, provides a more fitting stepping stone for Cyrus to shift away from her Hannah

Montana days.

Some of her pop ballad numbers, especially the album opener, “Adore You” serves her clean voice well. Cyrus seems to have overreached herself throughout the album, which actually proves to be harmful to the coherence of the album, as treacly breakup ballads such “Maybe You’re Right” come right after the aforementioned “Do My Thang.” As a whole, the album does manage to yield a handful of light-hearted pop standards and touching ballads after most of the “banging” duds have been culled out.

OCTOBER 2013

The LG Twins, the seventhplace team last season, excelled this season and became runner-ups in the pennant race of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) behind the Samsung Lions, the 2011 and 2012 season champions for both the pennant race and the Korean Series. As runner-ups, the Twins went straight into the playoffs for the first time in 16 years and played during the postseason for the first time in 11 years.

As predicted, the Twins initially performed poorly and placed seventh out of nine teams. However, during the “33 games of fate,” the team displayed quality performances by winning 22 games and only losing nine, while two games were cancelled. Ultimately, the Twins reached second place behind the Lions, who became the champions of the regular season and headed straight to the Korean Series. The Twins also set a record of 10 consecutive winning series and was the first team to gain a secure spot in the four teams entitled to play during the post-season. However, their loss to the Hanwha Eagles on Oct. 2 pulled them down to third place; Nexen Heroes became second and Doosan Bears maintaind their standing at fourth. Yet, the runnerup was not decided until the last day

of the season, Oct. 5, when the Heroes, Twins and Bears all had games, because the win and loss counts of the three teams were fairly similar.

“My prediction for this year’s ranking was in this order: SK Wyverns, Lions, Bears and Lotte Giants,” said Lauren Ahn (10), a Wyverns fan. “These four teams have most frequently played in the playoffs for the last couple of years, and I did not think there would be a drastic change in rankings from last year.”

On Oct. 5, the Twins played against the Bears at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium, home to both teams.

At first, the Bears led the Twins 2-0 with back-to-back home runs, but the Twins were able to make a comeback and win the game 5-2 with multiple hits during the sixth inning. Adding to the victory, Byung Kyu Lee, the captain of the team, won the batting champion of the year title with a batting average of 0.348. While the Twins were celebrating their win, the Heroes lost 1-2 to the Eagles dropping down to third place. The Twins’ win and the Heroes’ loss resulted in the Twins ending the regular season successfully as runner-ups.

“My favorite moment would be the last game of the season since that one game determined the fate of the Twins, Heroes and Bears, and [the Twins were able to] win,” said Justin Koo (12), a fan of the Twins for

10 years. “I am really proud of the Twins going straight to the playoffs, [and gaining a] greater chance of going to the Korean Series.”

Playoffs, held as the best out of five games, started with high expectations from the Twins, since the Bears, the semi-playoffs winner, spent a lot of their energy eliminating the Heroes. However, the Twins made eight defensive errors throughout the playoffs, and were eventually defeated by the Bears on the first, third and fourth games, held on Oct. 16, 19 and 20 respectively, being eliminated from the race and losing their chance of becoming post-season champions.

The Korean Series, organized as the best out of seven games against the Bears and Lions, started on Oct. 24 at Daegu Baseball Stadium, home of the Lions. The Lions were capable of setting a record of wining three consecutive pennant race championships this year for the first time in KBO history.

“I am pleasantly surprised about the Twins’s sudden rise in the rankings,” said Sean Syverson, English teacher. “As I am a Twins fan, I was hoping that the Twins would be able to go to the Korean Series.

But, honestly, I did not have high expectations since the Twins did not do great in previous years. For next year, I hope the Twins will come up victorious and beat the Lions, the top team in KBO.”

Wins Twins for the

Graphic by Dasoo Milton Yoon

The 2013 KBO season proved to be a memorable run for the Seoulbased baseball team, the LG Twins. For the first time since 2002, the Twins reached the playoffs and placed third this season.

Season in Numbers

2

nd place regular season

74 3

0.283 batting average

0.578 win rate wins

0.355 on base percentage

3.67

rd place in KBL playoffs earned run average

Past Standings

2013 season

By Hareem Kim

2012 season

Twins make postseason after 11 years

would meet for practice and bond.

After getting close outside of school, we were able to get closer at school as well. We’d help each other out at school, play jokes and spend time together in places like Yongpyong over winter break. Spending time together brought us closer.”

As they enter high school, however, the Tiger Sharks are becoming increasingly busy and unable to accommodate regular practices into their schedules. Defeating their opponents, once so easy for the team, is now becoming a more insurmountable task.

“We used to [be known] for winning a lot, but that started to fade as we grew older,” David said.

“Our opponents practice everyday to become professional players.”

Despite these obstacles, the Tiger Sharks are determined to continue with the sport. Jack, for instance, has embarked to Canada to pursue hockey by attending a prestigious hockey camp. The other team members continue to have practices from time to time, and their fervor has not faded, nor have the memories.

“I still remember the time I scored a hat trick in a game when I was in fifth grade,” Jaeha said. “And I remember the crowd chanting. At that moment I felt that the [fervor] of practice had reached its peak.”

No matter what happens to his team, Jaeha feels that the valuable experiences he had with his team members will ultimately pay off.

2011 season

Passing by a John F. Kennedy High School runner, Akane Yasuda (10) sprints her last lap around the course. The cross country team participated in the Asia Pacific Invitational at Guam from Oct. 16-20.

Ice hockey is not just a fleeting hobby for the SIS freshmen and sophomores of the Tiger Sharks hockey team. Nearly a decade has passed since they first wielded hockey sticks, and yet they continue to pursue ice hockey outside of school.

Korea has a relatively small number of student hockey teams, and these SIS students happen to part of one of them.

“I started playing hockey in kindergarten because my friends were playing,” Jaeha Kim (9) said. “I decided to continue with the sport because it requires upper and lower [body] strength. It was a perfect exercise for me. Within two hours of playing hockey you’d be able to feel your muscles growing. It’s [an] action-packed [sport]” The Tiger Sharks train at multiple places every few weeks, including Yatap-dong, Suhyeon-dong and Godae. Since elementary school, The Tiger Sharks have been participating in and winning multiple competitions such as the Seongnam Ice Hockey Tournament and the Gyeonggi-do Cup. David Choe (9) even qualified to make the Junior Korean National Ice Hockey Team and got the opportunity to compete in Osaka. For him, the memories of the challenging experience remain vivid.

“I remember my coach often laughed at me and held me back because I was the worst at stretching,” David said. “As every second passed [during the game], I felt more butterflies growing [in my stomach].

The tension really started to build up. We ended up dominating a lot of the [games in the] tournament.”

Some of the Tiger Sharks are dedicated enough to the sport to consider taking their interest to a professional level. Jack Choi (9), for instance, who has competed in Canada, has expressed interest in pursuing hockey professionally in Korea, though he is not certain of his plans for his future hockey career. For the moment he sees it chiefly as a source of pleasure.

“It’s just fun to be with friends and get to be active [by] playing sports,” Jack said. “I’ve been playing for many years and have made many new friends. I hope I get to play hockey until I’m 40.”

Though the players came from different backgrounds, they were able to bond due to their mutual interest in hockey. David, who came from Boston, where hockey was popular, found best friends in his teammates, who were sources of security when he came to SIS as a new student.

“They helped me a lot when I came to SIS [in 5th grade],” David said. “They were close from a young age, and I became close to them through hockey. Every weekend we

2010 season

Photo by Bason Park

By Sarah Y. Kim

2009 season

Sports Photo of the Month

Freshmen, sophomores pursue ice hockey as extracurricular activity

2008 season

SPORTS 10

8 7 6 6 7 3

Star of the Season: Byung Kyu Lee - Holds record for oldest player to win the Batting Champion (highest batting average) - Holds record for oldest player to hit cycling hit (a single, double, triple and a homerun all in the same game) - Holds record for most consecutive hits (10)

Source: Naver Sports, LG Twins

OCTOBER 2013

11

SPORTS

Varsity volleyball girls show improvement at AISA despite outcome

By Rosie Dahyeon Kim

Playing on home ground, the varsity girls volleyball team competed in the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournament from Oct. 18-19 against four different schools. Korea International School (KIS) took the number one spot from last year’s champions Senri and Osaka International School (SOIS) in the finals, and the Tigers lost to Yokohama International School (YIS) in the semi-finals. Although ranking fourth above Korea Kent Foreign School (KKFS), the girls volleyball team displayed a visible progress from last year in their play. “[AISA] was a good tournament because all teams were very even in their level of play,” said Cheryl Lambie, varsity girls volleyball coach. “I knew we weren’t going to get last place, but it was really hard to predict the results beforehand. There were many close matches, and we didn’t have as many wins last year.

Photo by Jean Cho

Preparing for their game against Korea Kent Foreign School (KKFS), the varsity girls volleyball team warms up in pairs in their new gym on Oct. 18. The Tigers won with a set score of 3-0.

We played fairly consistently against KKFS—we sometimes tend to play down to some teams’ levels, but there weren’t very many mistakes in that game except for some of the serves, which were silly mistakes.”

According to Coach Lambie, the team knew they weren’t going to place first last year because of SOIS’s exceptional play. This year, however, the Tigers showed improvement by beating SOIS in one of the sets in the

English teacher develops interest in Formula One racing after attending race in Mokpo

By Min Ji Suh

As a European racing league sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, Formula One (F1) boasts the highest class of single-seater auto racing in the world. Every year, F1 organizes 19 races in different cities, one of which is Mokpo, Korea. First introduced to Korea in 2010, the race has continued to garner attention for the last four years not only from local citizens, but also foreigners in the country, including English teacher, Peter Beckway.

This year, the F1 race took place from Oct. 4-6, with qualified practice races happening on the first two days and the actual race on the last.

Mr. Beckway, a relatively new F1 fan, attended the event.

“Unlike me, my wife has been a fan of F1 for a number of years,” Mr. Beckway said. “In fact, she went to [one F1 race] when she was a kid.

We started streaming all the races on our laptops, and one day, decided

that since we were living in Korea, we could actually watch it live in Mokpo.”

The attendance rate for the F1 race this year was 160,000 people, and different nationalities were represented at the race, including Korean, British and Australian. The race was broadcasted live globally, delivering the excitement of the event to many fans to their homes.

“People are interested in F1 because it is an interesting marriage between technology and athleticism,” Mr. Beckway said. “There is the driver who drives the car, which is a physically and mentally strenuous activity, but there is also a whole team of people who try to design the fastest, most powerful car every year. The people who design these cars are often times considered just as important or just as valuable as the athlete who drives them. It is also fun to watch cars drive very fast over 200 km per hour.”

According to Mr. Beckway, it was important to attend this year’s race in Mokpo because it is likely that Korea will not host it next year.

Due to Korea’s fairly new racing history, there is usually a low turnout rate for the F1 race, indicating little national interest in the event.

“Mokpo is in the middle of nowhere, which is why sports commentators, workers and drivers don’t like to come to this event because there is nothing to do,” Mr. Beckway said. “Many races are held in glamorous cities [in countries] including France, Italy, Germany, Brazil and Singapore. But Mokpo is built three hours away from Seoul, so a lot of people consider it a problem.”

Despite the lack of audience members this year, Mr. Beckway expressed definite interest in attending other F1 races in the future.

“It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the race very much,” he said.

“We had great seats, and it was fun to see an event that I normally see on TV up close. Being there live, seeing the cars up close and hearing how loud the cars are, I felt I was part of a larger experience. My wife and I definitely will hope to go to another race in another country at some point in the future.”

preliminary round, despite overall defeat.

“I think we improved primarily in spiking,” said Joanne Lee (12), varsity girls volleyball team co-captain. “We also learned to read what

the opponents might do, so we were much more prepared when the ball came over to [our side]. However, I do think that we could have had a much more positive attitude on the court.”

Because many of the games were sparsely attended, according to Coach Lambie, the girls could not take full advantage of the home ground games. The team yielded the best results against KKFS, when they were supported by the biggest crowd.

“We could have played better with more support from the student body,” Tiffany Jung (10) said. “Nonetheless, I’m satisfied with the results and I think our improvements were clearly shown throughout the tournament. I think I learned the most from SOIS in the AISA tournament.

Their sportsmanship award was well deserved because the amount of trust shown between them during the games was something I had never witnessed before. Next year, I want our team to improve in this aspect of teamwork and communication more than anything else.”

MC SPORTS

COMMENTARY This column is a short commentary on sports events that are happening around the world. The commentators, Christine Lee and Milton Yoon, express their opinions about these sports events. This particular episode is about Hak Seon Yang.

Milton: Hi everybody! This episode, we would like to introduce a super athlete who definitely deserves more respect and recognition from his fellow Koreans!

Christine: Please welcome the star gymnast of our proud nation, the player who dominates the vaulting world, Hak Seon Yang!

Yang: Thank you MC! I hope this opportunity will bring more attention to my achievements and my sport!

Milton: Could you describe your sport to our viewers?

Yang: Sure! Vault is a sport that uses an apparatus, or a jumping board. The players run and springs on the apparatus with their hands, and they have to execute their routine in the air before landing on the mat safely.

Christine: You have become such a successful athlete at the tender age of 20! How were you able to get where you are right now?

Yang: I had an extremely tough youth; my father’s income was extremely low and after he was injured, our family was forced to live in a greenhouse. Despite the hardships they had to deal with, my parent supported my training since I was nine years old.

Milton: I heard that you had to provide financial support for your family?

Yang: That’s right. When the Korean Gymnastic Association took me into consideration, I began to receive a modest income from the organization. I had to make

sure that I put 150 percent effort into my training because my entire family depended on me.

Christine: Leaving the past behind, you finally reached the global, international stage in the world of gymnastics. How do you feel about that?

Yang: I love how I can compete with the best among my field and, more importantly, prove that I’m better than them. I have already clinched the gold medals from the Olympics last year and the World Gymnastics Championships this year, so now I just want to maintain my dominance.

Milton: The entire world was looking out for your new move, the “Hak Seon YANG 2.” Why did you not use it during the World Gymnastics Championships?

Yang: I was already comfortably in the lead at the time and I didn’t want to use up my special move and the element of surprise this early. It took a lot of time to invent this new move and I’ll definitely be using it soon, so I hope that they continue to monitor my efforts in the upcoming weeks!

Christine: The future is bright for Korea’s superstar, “The God of Vault!” Well, that’s all the time we have for this commentary.

Milton: We’ll return with more content next month and everyone please spread the word about our relatively unknown hero!

Yang: Thank you everyone! Remember the name Hak Seon Yang!

Disclaimer: Although this column is based on facts, the interviews are entirely fictional.

SMALL TALK

By Bason Park

FAUX NEWS

12

OCTOBER 2013

Private institutions promote value of rote memorization

A few days after the SAT controversy, during which private institutes were accused of illegally distributing unreleased test materials to students, a myriad of students and parents began to panic about the lack of credibility behind standardized testing. Renowned private college counselors decided to hold a nationwide conference to solve this ongoing problem.

After deep rumination and multiple discussions, the counselors came up with the ultimate solution: making students take the Another Certified Test (ACT). According to counselors, the ACT, unlike the SAT, is a “pure, innocent and undefiled” test but is “just as challenging and qualified” as the former. As soon as it was reported that the number of students registering for the ACT exceeded that of those registering for the SAT, hagwon directors nationwide launched quests to acquire unreleased test questions.

“To maximize students’ opportunities to get into top colleges, we decided to raise money through parents in order to obtain the unreleased tests from secret connections that we have,” said Roger Madison, director of Academy of Integrity. “Bribery is ultimately not a sin if we think about the students’ bright futures in their dream schools. We firmly believe that the end justifies the means.”

Although students cast doubt on the aforementioned motivations, their parents nevertheless forced them to attend these private institutions, arguing that it was in the students’ best interest to do so. Eventually, students such as Ronald Ko (12) claimed to have realized the important underlying value of these institutions.

“After scrutinizing every possible passage and answer choices to the questions that will appear on the test, I began to build a sense of confidence within myself,” Ronald

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

said. “I realized that I am actually competent and I began to forget about my pathetic report card. After all, memorizing is a crucial skill that I can benefit from, especially since I am going to continue test-taking in college.”

In an effort to ameliorate the students’ performances, several of the aforementioned private institutions created a system of mobile hagwons that are temporarily stationed in colleges. Each of these academies

threatened college professors and illegally obtained confidential material, charging students a minimum fee of $500 per test.

“In order to live life effectively, students need to be able to take shortcuts,” Mr. Madison said. “Our job is to minimize the time and stress wasted by focusing on what is actually being tested. This way, students are able to focus less on studying and more on important aspects of college.”

STUFF STUDENTS SAY S

ABOUT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIE

1 2 3 Photo by Christine Lee

Impersonating Erin Hogshead, English teacher, Soo Kim (12) explains the value of dressing up for Halloween. The HSSC introduced this new event during the Open Meeting on Oct. 23.

4 5

Freshmen: I’m going to study so hard in high school and be involved in 10 different clubs and then get accepted to my dream school, Harvard/Yale/Princeton!

Dream big while you still can: you still have the luxury of not knowing the names of any other universities Sophomores: Okay, high school is really difficult…

Maybe I should start thinking about applying to easier schools… like UC Berkeley.

When you say this in Korea, people may agree with you, but say this anywhere outside of this country and you’ll have a mob after you.

Juniors: If I get over 2300 on this SAT, I can get into any school that I want! This is the most important deciding factor in my entire high school career!

You are absolutely correct. Skip school and sleep through all your classes to do well on your SATs! More importantly, don’t forget to miss your school commitments to go to hagwons and memorize answers.

Seniors: Why do I want to go to this university? What do I want to study in college? Where do I see myself in 10 years? Why was I born on this planet? I have no idea!

Yes, college applications will make you question your entire existence. But don’t forget to present yourself as someone you are definitely not because the real you isn’t good enough for any schools.

Oh, colleges are visiting today? Well, I’ve never heard of them, so they’re obviously not worth checking out.

It’s definitely great for you to be narrow-minded about which colleges you’re going to apply to. Don’t research any extra colleges; you don’t want to settle for anything less than the absolute best!

Meet Helen Song!

Disclaimer: All comments are in good fun. Please don’t hate. Appreciate the humor.