March issue

VOLUME 5

ISSUE 6 MARCH MARCH 2018

1

2

THE QUILL

DEAR READER As the school year slowly approaches its end, things are becoming more hectic for some as so many things happen all at once, including tests, extracurricular activities, and more.

The Quill presents to you some of the finest pieces of writing ranging from recaps about each grade’s SALT trips (or, for seniors, senior trip) to the Capstone projects that the seniors had tirelessly been working on for almost two years and the extracurricular activities in school. Over the past year, our very own Varsity girl’s basketball team has swept numerous medals from both regional and international competition.

Now flip through the following pages to explore what fellow eagles have achieved over the past month, whether it is the medals that the Varsity girl’s basketball team have swept from both regional and international competitions or the upcoming school production. Simply sit back and relax as the interviews narrate what has been happening in school and be advised by a fellow senior member regarding the Capstone project.

Quillfully yours, PUNPUN & AMY

MARCH 2018

3

THE

TEAM Mark Cooprider

Advisor

Amy Limtrajiti

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Pawan Wirawarn

Art Director

4

THE QUILL

PunPun Leelamanthep

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Allan Rubio Amy Jain Arjav Sanghavi Daniel Shin David Bang Ferdinand Edward Gene Boonpienpol

WRITERS Hayoung You Hyunwoo Koh Isaiah Xumsai na Ayudhaya Joseph Ha Jessica Shah Jedi Kanchanabogin Jooyoung Kim

EDITORS Alex Tam Arjav Sanghavi Erica Kim Karuna Khatri Pumpanchat Suthisampha LAYOUT DESIGNERS Kantapat Jungpaibul Napatsorn Chadanuntakul Pawan Wirawarn Ruchipat Kumpusiri Yunkyoung Kim Nutthun Tulayathun Ryu Ngammuang

McKenna Sanchez Naran Suvarnpradip Pam Rangchaikul Serumi Yoon Tachpol Posaphiwat Thanapeam Sirisereewattana Vichida Phisitkul

PHOTOGRAPHERS Apichaya Sethaudom Artch Dechpokked Chayut Srirungrojana Joanna Pinsuvana Napassorn Wongakkarakhun Nutthun Tulayathun Ouki Nishioka Pawat Wirawan Thaam Limwattananon Thapakorn Yongphiphatwong Werawut Withayarukson Gene Boonpienpol

MARCH 2018

5

6

THE QUILL

TABLE OF CONTENTS Freshmen Salt Trip

6

sophomore salt Trip

12

Juniors Salt Trip

18

Senior Trip

24

INTERNATIONAL DAY

30

Capstone interviews

36

a word on capstone

48

varsity girls’ basketball

52

team korea

56

thai day

60

lord of the flies preview interview

66

advice column

72

How to study for ap exams

76

MARCH 2018

7

FRESH

SALT

Words by Thanape

8

THE QUILL

HMEN

trip T

Photos by Nutthun Tulayathun eam Sirisereewattana

MARCH 2018

9

I’d like to summarize our 9th SALT trip with a short phrase:

Tiring but fun Personally, I actually greatly enjoyed the trip. From painting the walls to almost drowning in a cave, it was all entertaining. In today’s small article, I will be leading you into what happened to us freshmen on our first high school SALT trip.

10

THE QUILL

The first day was quite interesting, as most first overnight school trips are. After driving for an hour or so, we reached our destination. The army camp’s obstacle course was waiting for us. Some of the activities included crawling under barbed wire and through pipes, and balancing yourself on a log bridge.

However, there was one looming obstacle that freaked out almost everyone. It was the zipline. Many of

us were daunted, but those that were daring enough stomped up the wobbly staircase and glared courageously at the wire. It was an activity which most feared, but I really felt like the majority enjoyed it.

The second day was the community service portion of our SALT trip. We painted the walls of a school in four main colors and taught English.

Our main goal was to provide a suitable learning environment for the children, so that they could be motivated in their studies. There were times when people complained, but overall we worked hard and completed the work quite early.

MARCH 2018

11

The third day, we had our outdoor activities, and got to choose between cycling, hiking, caving and kayaking.

And of course, the final day, we left early in the morning– dead and exhausted.

However, the activities and work we did weren’t the only reasons it was a special trip. What made it so special was the community effort we had through the teachers’ sessions, and seeing our whole grade working with

12

THE QUILL

one another. The teachers not only created entertaining activities for the trip, but also provided opportunities and shared experiences that further enhanced our understanding.

But furthermore, everyone was able to wholeheartedly participate in service and come together as a grade to support ourselves and others– which I think resulted in a truly memorable first high school SALT trip

MARCH 2018

13

14

THE QUILL

SOPHOMORE

SALT TRIP Words by Hyunwoo Koh Photos by Thaam Limwattananon & Joanna Pinsuavana

MARCH 2018

15

The sophomores weren’t able to get enough sleep the night before SALT because they were very excited. As they entered the resort, their jaws dropped in awe due to the magnificence of its appearance. Their first day was laidback. The students visited a museum and learned about biodegradable materials and dams. When they came back to the resort, they listened to sincere speeches from their teachers. The other three days were spent serving others. They taught kids English, played sports with the kids, and helped with construction. Through their hard work, they demonstrated the true spirit of ICS. Also by serving others with sweat and effort, the students of ICS were able to strengthen their interpersonal bonds.

The last day was the hardest day since they had to leave the place where they had made so many memories. All of the students agreed that they certainly had the most remarkable experience.

16

THE QUILL

What was the one major thing you did in SALT Trip?

LEO: On the second day we went to a

Thai school. There were many different groups each assigned a different task.

The tasks included playing games with kids, helping out with the construction, and teaching the kids English and arts and crafts. I was one of the people who entertained the kids. I had lots of fun playing soccer, volleyball, and tag.

MARCH 2018

17

18

What is your favorite memory from the trip?

Did you learn anything from the trip?

I believe SALT trip is not only about helping others, but also about getting to know ourselves and our class better. Our friendships were definitely strengthened by this trip. My favorite memory would be playing card games with my friends during free time. Since the beginning of our sophomore year, we have never really had a chance to hang out with each other. But SALT trip gave us an opportunity to bond once again.

As many things pass through my head, one phrase stands out: “Small things can impact big things”. It was our theme for this year’s trip. Many people think they can’t change the world because they are too small, too powerless in comparison to the world. But what if all of those small people stood up to make a change? This phrase inspires me tremendously and I am trying to imply it into my life.

THE QUILL

How would you summarize this trip in one sentence?

Although it was tiring, I really enjoyed spending time with my friends.

MARCH 2018

19

JUNIOR S

20

THE QUILL

trip SALT

Words by Mckenna Sanchez Photos by Bryce Yongphiphatwong

MARCH 2018

21

The 11th grade SALT trip is notorious for being the hardest and substantially challenging SALT trip of high school and middle school, and for the class of 2019, it certainly lived up to its expectations. The first started off with a long bus ride, followed by a trip to a rural school where they taught English.

When finally arrived, the students were given the opportunity to engage in some very meaningful

22

THE QUILL

conversation with the Karen people about their specific needs. Through learning about their hardships and struggles, the students gained valuable insight on their daily lives, which helped motivate them to work even harder the next day.

The next morning, the students were brought to the church, and were instructed on what to do. Though the majority had never worked with cement, they learned quickly.

There were two main groups; those who mixed and laid cement, and those who dug up trenches along the side. Both were equally grueling work, but the students showed tremendous effort under the hot sun.

As the second day came to a close, the students went back to the hotel, exhausted, but proud of the work they had completed.

MARCH 2018

23

“After thethe firstfirst dayday of labor, I feltI felt really “After of labor, tiredreally because I had beenI had in the suninall tired because been day,thebutsun at all theday, same really buttime, at theI felt same proud howofmuch time,of Iour felt class really for proud our we preserved, mostweofpreserved, us never class fordespite how much having donemost anything this.” despite of us like never having done anything like this.”

- Allan Rubio Remarked Allan Rubio, class rep.

The second day was not so smooth, as most of the students were sore from the previous day’s work.

24

THE QUILL

Nevertheless, they got to work, and eventually managed to lay a foundation of cement for the church.

Emily Person, who worked with mixing the cement, reflected on the second day’s work:

“It was definitely harder waking up, and going to work the second day of labor. All of our muscles were sore from the grueling work the previous day, but I think our class showed a great amount of grit and determination. At the end of the day, seeing the community members faces made it all worth it.�

Though undeniably challenging, most of the junior class could agree that the shared burden of labor resulted in new friendships and a greater class unity, and now that the hard part is over, they cannot wait for Senior trip.

MARCH 2018

25

SENIOR TR 26

THE QUILL

RIP

CLASS OF

Words by J-di Kanchanabhogin Photos by Pawat Wirawarn

2018

MARCH 2018

27

The magic of the Senior trip is that it is the last time a group of people will ever be together again on a trip; thus, there was mayhem. It being our last time, all of us set out to make it the best they could, yet some of us had other agendas in mind. The definition of the word “best� varied from person to person. Some chose to ignore the bad, seeking to bury themselves in only the good. Others, realizing they

28

THE QUILL

only had to spend three more months with this set of people, saw this as an opportunity to let loose and be honest about all the good, the bad, and the ugly they saw in their class. This opportunity presented itself on the last night, where tears flowed like Niagara Falls, when the teachers decided to create a soap opera by giving us time to share as we sat cross-legged in a circle with a microphone to pass around.

This trip was far more than just a hollow tear jerker, however, as I believe everything that transpired during these four days was genuine. It was perhaps the most authentic moment in all of my ICS years, and probably was for everyone else as well; past grudges were settled, appreciation was given out, non-existent people became existent, and rights were defended.

It was truly magical to see how so much could change in merely two hours, how things could become so real after the first three days were spent aimlessly rolling around in the sand and getting sunburnt while kayaking out

in the open sea without the teachers’ permission. Admittedly, some people’s time there went up like a puff of smoke, as those 3 days before the final night were the most relaxing time in our high school career. Overall I would rate the senior trip a solid 5 out of 5 — a trip I would recommend that everyone go to just for the feels. Oh, it is also a good time for guys to ask girls out to banquet. Just imagine it: the setting or the rising sun combined with the lazy I-just-woke-up feeling in the air. It’s the perfect opportunity to charm/trick an unsuspecting young lady to go to banquet with you. Hasta la Vista, Baby.

MARCH 2018

29

30

THE QUILL

MARCH 2018

31

INTERNATION Words by Serumi Kim Photos by Pawat Wirawarn

32

THE QUILL

NAL Day

MARCH 2018

33

34

THE QUILL

International Day, ICS’s annual celebration of the diversity and beauty of cultures, took on another success on February 23, 2018. The day-long festivity started with students proudly displaying their traditional dresses during school hours. Afterschool, various booths offered samples of delicious foods, and the day ended with a mesmerizing show of colorful dances and entertaining acts.

In the morning, before the school bell could announce another day of learning, one could find hints of the awaiting festivities as peeks of colorful fabric and textured cloths swirled

past. The halls of the school building were filled with a number of students proudly representing a glimpse of their culture in their traditional dresses.

While some were dressed in simple and more modern adaptations of their traditional clothes, others were fitted in an eye-catching array of glittering skirts and headpieces. The occasion managed to spark conversation among students as they traded thoughts and compliments on the cultural diversity of ICS. This simple deviation of the school uniform had been a time of learning and appreciation among both students and teachers.

MARCH 2018

35

However, International Day officially started its festivity after school, with the variety of country booths located throughout the high school cafeteria, middle school commons area, and around the school’s soccer field. These booths boasted a collection of rich foods and some simple interactive activities that can be found in the particular country. Students, parents, and administrators crowded around these booths, eager to try foods that, for some, can only be encountered once a year, on International Day. The Thai cha yen, Indian samosa, Korean kimbap, American cupcakes, and Japanese gyozas were some examples of the diverse array of foods that could be found on the day.

36

THE QUILL

After the display of delicious meals, International Day ended with a vibrant and captivating performance. It started with the procession of flags, in which selected students or teachers bore their flags down the auditorium aisle and onto the stage while garbed in their traditional attires. This year’s procession was especially notable with its colorful clothing and stately audio to match. After all of the flags were presented, students went up on the stage to share a piece of their culture, either through dance, song, painting, or stunt. When International Day finally concluded, everyone was able to go home amazed and content in yet another fruitful celebration of community and diversity.

MARCH 2018

37

38

THE QUILL

CAPSTONE

INTERVIEWS Words by Amy Jain & David Bang Photos by Nutthun Tulayathun & Proud Sethaudom

MARCH 2018

39

40

THE QUILL

pUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF SPECIAL NEEDS

By Paeng C. Could you tell us about your Capstone Project?

What drove you to choose this cause in particular?

I want to pursue a career in music therapy, and helping people with special needs is a big part of what I plan on doing. I realized that there are students with special needs at my school that have very limited social interactions with other high school students. With this, other high school students will also have a chance to learn and cooperate with these kids.

Music is a universal language and a great way to unite these two groups.

So I held a simulation event where other high school students could get a sense of what it feels like to have special needs. There were also activity sessions where these two groups were able to interact with one another.

I am interested in kids with special needs and in music therapy.

What was your process from start to finish through the idea-making to the presenting process?

Okay, so first I would say this: you get an idea, then you make plans, and then you try and make that plan happen.

What are some difficulties you faced through the process and how did you overcome these obstacles?

Finishing the project before the due date was difficult because my capstone had to be done in school, you know, whereas other people were able to do their capstone during the summer.

MARCH 2018

41

42

THE QUILL

How has this project changed you?

I learned what it feels like to have special needs, and I will always treasure that feeling.

What are your opinions on the Capstone Project?

Do you think it should be required?

The capstone project -- mainly, it helps you get into college. I think it should be required because even

though it’s a lot of work, it helps you think outside the box and encourages you to think professionally. I would say it really helps prepare you for college!

What advice would you give to someone looking for capstone ideas or is starting to think about their project?

Do something that you’re passionate about! Yeah! Even if Mr. Mike says “no” at first, don’t give up on your idea – fight until you get his approval!

MARCH 2018

43

KNIFE Sharpening Project By well amatavisuit

44

What did you do for your capstone project?

How will this help the public?

I taught people how to sharpen knives, and the right technique to sharpen knives. Or, my own technique, you can say, because I compile my knowledge about knives for five years and put it in this capstone project. So, I teach people how to sharpen knives with a whetstone, a simple whetstone.

Because in Thailand, especially, whetstone is cheaper, and it is easier to find, and a lot of people inside and outside of Bangkok use whetstone.

So, sometimes, they won’t buy more expensive sharpeners out there that work, so they have these. And I want to be able to teach them how to sharpen knives correctly and easily.

This will help the public in the sense where I create a video, a short video, people can follow through, and so people who have a dull knife can have a sharp knife. The problem is that dull knives [are] dangerous. Because one thing is that if you cut slippery or curved objects, the knife can slip off, and so you’re not in full control of the knife. That’s dangerous. It can go to your and and will hurt you badly. By having a sharp knife, you can control where you cut, the pathway of the cut, and that’s a lot better for people.

THE QUILL

MARCH 2018

45

46

THE QUILL

What was your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from my inspiration on making what I said.

I’ve been making knives for five years, and by making knives, I feel like I have more expertise, more experience, and more knowledge that I can share with other people.

Especially, like, a church, where I used to go to do knife sharpening services. I can teach people how to sharpen knives. Those same people who I teach to sharpen can help benefit them better. In the long run.

What did you learn while you were doing this?

What I learned, especially, is that different people have different backgrounds, so when I did a seminar, I found that different people have different knowledge prior

to coming. Different seminars in different places are [also] different.

So, some places, people would come at the same time, so I would teach them at the same time, but some places, some people come late, or have different ways to communicate and learn. So it requires me to learn more about people and how to teach different people throughout the whole project.

What do you think your biggest obstacle was?

My biggest obstacle was knowing what to do. Especially by teaching people. Sometimes is hard because with knives, you have a specific term and terminology for people to understand. It’s hard to make everyone who aren’t that interested in knives be able to understand the process easily.

MARCH 2018

47

HOMEschooling for a refugee Child

By Khushi Kothari Give a brief description of your project (who you worked with, what you did, how it impacted them)

met Pari and her parents, I felt even more inspired to help out as much as I could.

For my project, I worked with Pari, who is a five-year-old girl. Her parents are from Pakistan and they are an asylum-seeking family living here in Thailand. Because of that, Pari is not able to go to school here.

So, I created learning materials like learning guides, worksheets, and PowerPoints so her parents could start homeschooling her. We also worked on art projects and I helped her get started with reading.

The capstone process is long and arduous. How did you get yourself through the stressful and difficult times?

What inspired you to choose this specific project?

I think education has always been an important topic for me. I definitely believe that education is a right and not a privilege. Asylum seekers are not treated properly here in Thailand and have to endure hardships and struggles because of it, so it is our duty to help them. After I actually

48

THE QUILL

I mean, to be honest, I didn’t really.

The stress is always present through the entire process. The only way to really stay sane is knowing the fact that you’re not alone in this, and ranting about struggles with your friends definitely helps.

How did the end result/ final outcome of your project make you feel?

Were you satisfied, disappointed, were their places for improvement?

I’m pretty happy with the way everything turned out. At the end, you feel like you’ve accomplished something you’ve worked so hard for and it all seems worth it.

What were some obstacles that you faced in your project?

I really wanted to visit Pari and her family a lot more than I could, but because their apartment was far away, that wasn’t always possible. Other obstacles mostly included slacking off a little around the deadlines and, thus, spending late nights working on the papers.

What advice do you have for the lower classmen?

Literally every senior will tell you this. Do. Not. Procrastinate. It isn’t going to work out, and you will end up accumulating a lot of sleep debt, so just don’t do it. And I know in the moment it seems like the worst possible thing, but, in the end, your hard work pays off.

MARCH 2018

49

Changing thai christians’ perspective on adoption By joy nicholson TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT!

My goal in the beginning was to get one family to adopt, but as I looked more into adoption in Thailand, I found that it’s pretty difficult for a Thai to consider adoption because it’s viewed as a burden to adopt and people fear that it might bring bad karma into their family. So when I surveyed people, I found that 66% percent of the people who surveyed said that they never considered adoption, and so that made me kind of go into something where I found different examples of Thai Christians who had already adopted to inspire and encourage others to adopt. So I made a brochure in Thai and a website and showed a video about the video of the people who had

50

THE QUILL

adopted to five different churches just to encourage them to think about adoption. I wanted to show people that the way that God has adopted us, they can adopt others.

What was a big obstacle you had?

I think it was realizing that most of the children in orphanages are actually not orphans. The social worker at the adoption center told me that most of them are actually children who are put there by their parents, and so their parents have guardianship. Over the children that are in the orphanages, so it makes for a hard situation to say that someone should adopt, when most of the kids need a blood relative to adopt.

MARCH 2018

51

A Word on Capstone

I didn’t think I would be doing this anytime soon nor did I want to for that matter. While I believe words similar to trauma or PTSD would be the most accurate reflection of my feelings about the topic and that project right now, I don’t actually think I am allowed to be too critical. And let’s be honest, what exactly did you expect me to write about? More importantly, why are you reading this? We all know how horrible capstone is. We all know exactly how much we don’t want to do it. We all know that no matter where we start, we are going to end up a horrible mess by the time we finish the project. We all know that if there is one thing we all dread in common throughout our traumatic or rose-coloured high school life (to each their own), it’s capstone. Are you really here to know more about the process? Or do you really need me to restate all that you already know by now?

Now with all that said, I do have a certain word count I have to reach and despite my genuine apathy at this point afflicted by a certain curse referred to as the ‘senioritis,’ I guess I will dispense with a few pieces of advice regardless.

There’s actually only one piece of advice you truly need, not one you may necessarily want though, or even listen to for that matter. Start early, don’t procrastinate, get started as soon as possible, don’t be late– you can come up with other synonymous phrases, but I am sure you get the point. In all honesty, starting and finishing early is probably the biggest advantage and the biggest help you can give yourself in the long run of the project. But who am I kidding? The chances that this advice will actually be followed is less than that of your proposal being fully approved in one go, otherwise, you wouldn’t have needed me to tell you this at all.

But for the sake of trying to be remotely helpful I will say another thing- don’t freak out about the presentations at the end of the project. One thing that I learned during my presentation is that it is not about appearance, in fact that plays a very minimal role in the grading process. What matters is the actual project. The assessors are intimidating, yes, but as long as you can present and actually know what you

52

THE QUILL

are talking about and know what you did and can explain why you did it, you will be more than fine. I would say that the assessors themselves are genuinely considerate, compassionate and kind people. It’s just that they are quite passionate about what they do, and given that some are from renowned NGOs and the UN, make sure you actually know what you are talking about. For all it’s worth, although redundant, don’t contradict the three papers that you have slaved over for hours and hours.

Speaking of which, the papers are actually quite simple. The first one is rather a pain, but the ones after that are much more of a storytelling experience than an academic paper. But that is, again, if you can get past the first one. As for the average amount of hours we spent on the first paper and the many frustrations we experienced along the way because of it, I will leave a mystery. For after all, you may be the kind who enjoys these things, and I don’t want to imprint any presuppositions into your thought process, although, I believe for all intents and purposes, I already have.

But to be fair, if you choose a topic you know you will enjoy working on, this project won’t be as hard as everyone makes it out to be. Opinions are often exaggerated, and mine’s no exception. It doesn’t matter if I say that capstone is horrible, or that capstone is great, I am certain you will find the actual experience to be a lot milder than those expectations. In essence it’s just a glorified project you may do in any class. If you go into it thinking it’s achievable, the path you will walk on will be that much straighter than going into it thinking that it is bound to be the most horrible experience in your high school life. The validity to that statement, you can assess for yourself later on.

At this point maybe you have noticed how I haven’t talked about my own Capstone, even though I believe that was the main reason for writing this article.

The reason is simple. Over the course of six hours I have had to explain my project countless times to numerous individuals and as I am right now, I have neither the energy, the inclination, nor the mental aptitude to do so again.

I wish you all luck. You will certainly need it!

-Ferdinand Edward.

MARCH 2018

53

VARSITY GIRLS

54

THE QUILL

S BASKETBALL Words by Vichida Phisitkul

MARCH 2018

55

With over 25 games won and merely 6 games lost, the Varsity Girls Basketball team has paved a way for success through unity as well as distinct abilities. As many may know, earlier this year, the team placed first in the Chiang Mai tournament. According to Billy, a tenth grader currently playing on the Varsity Girls Basketball team, even though wins in the past may have fueled the other teams to come back stronger with a thirst to beat them, the Varsity Girls Basketball team still managed to keep their cup, earning them the title of “defending champions�.

56

THE QUILL

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE COURT?

D: WHICH TOURNAMENT DO YOU THINK WAS YOUR BEST?

BILLY: I’m the shooting guard (SG).

B: Well, it was probably the tourney

This means that my main objective is to score baskets for my team.

against Shrewsbury. I felt that it was a great one because we beat a rival whom I’ve known for years, yet, could never win against. The sad news, however, is that she’s graduating and moving away soon. To me, it’s great to have a rival on court whom I look up to and is fun to be around. This motivates me to become a better player, to work harder, and to set higher goals for myself.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE ON THE TEAM?

The Varsity Girls Basketball team is like my second family. Some words used to describe it may be: close-knit, unified, and passionate. We do a lot of team bonding, for example, when we went to Chiang Mai for a tournament, we had plenty of time to get to know each other better. I feel grateful to be on this team because I’m surrounded by great people, ranging from coaches to managers to players.

B:

MARCH 2018

57

TEAM KOREA Words by Pond Posaphiwat Photos by Happy Nishioka

58

THE QUILL

MARCH 2018

59

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FINAL SECONDS OF LAST YEAR’S FINALS? CAN YOU RELIVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO MISSED IT?

I believe we were simply killing time in the dying moments of the game because we were only leading by a goal.

Junior year is probably the busiest year for high school students in general. How prepared are you to face off against this year’s teams?

I feel that the experience in our squad would be the key to our preparedness, and we clearly have a lot of that. In general, I am really looking forward to playing in the intramurals this year.

HOW SERIOUSLY ARE YOU TAKING THIS YEAR’S INTRAMURALS?

When I step on the pitch, my goal is to always win, thus I take every game seriously.

INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM THIS YEAR. WHO ARE YOUR KEY PLAYERS?

I feel that we would rely a lot on Shawn and Jingjo. We have lost a lot of players this year, thus our attacking prowess stems primarily from these two players.

60

THE QUILL

WHICH TEAM ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAY AGAINST? WHY?

I have to admit that I look forward to playing Happy’s team the most. We met numerous times during the past few years, thus I am very excited to continue this rivalry with this year’s seniors.

WHICH TEAM DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO YOUR THRONE?

From my point of view, I see the teachers as the biggest threat to our title defense. The teachers have great team chemistry, and they have very fast agile like Mr. Pete and Mr. Stephen.

ANY FINAL WORDS FOR YOUR OPPONENTS?

Please do not call the referee bad names.

MARCH 2018

61

D THAI

Word Photos by Pawat

62

THE QUILL

Day

ds by Gene Boonpienpol Wirawarn

MARCH 2018

63

On Friday, 9th of March, the environment of ICS brimmed with wondrous colors as students, teachers, and parents dressed up in plethoric styles of glamorous, traditional clothing to embrace and appreciate the richness of Thai culture, customs, and traditions on Thai Day. During lunch, where somtum and grilled chicken were served as a little

64

THE QUILL

hint of excitement, as if signaling that Thai Day was about to begin in no time. Not long after, an influx of people, old and young, from various nationalities flowed in and filled the PAC with ease, beginning the Thai Day celebration, overflowing with deep passion and anticipation.

Well, Mark, and Abigail, came up on the stage as hosts for Thai Day, starting off by giving a warm welcome to the audience in attendance

and started to go right into the performances. To commence the show, the 8th Graders kicked off in amusement by performing a traditional Thai dance from the Esan Region called Phi Tha Khon.

Afterward, the beautiful 10th Grade girls took on the stage with another Esan dance, The Kratib Dance, where they used the Kratib, a utensil used to put in sticky rice as a prop for their dance.

MARCH 2018

65

To conclude the show, the seniors gave all they had for their last Thai Day performance and ended the ceremony on a good note with the Serng Kala Dance, where they used coconut shells as a part of the finale and concluded Thai Day with a memorable performance.

In the midst of the ceremony process, there were also awards given out to the best dressers of each grade. The winners who received the awards were: Time and Pim U (9th grade), Matt Phanachet and Isabelle (10th grade), Kevin Anshus and Mimie (11th grade), AJ Busabok and Millie Phanachet (12th grade).

66

THE QUILL

Needless to say, the essence and spirit of Thai culture through the ceremony and series of glamorous performances left a huge impression on the audiences and the ICS community as a whole.

MARCH 2018

67

LORD OF THE FLIES Preview Interview Words by David Bang Photos by Pawan Wirawan & Saran Karunan

68

THE QUILL

MARCH 2018

69

70

THE QUILL

TELL US ABOUT THIS SEMESTER’S PLAY.

SARAN KARUNAN: Lord of the Flies

is a novel by William Golding, adapted for stage by Nigel Williams. A young group of kids crash land on an island and are left stranded with no adults, having to survive on their own. It’s a very different play compared to all the other plays at ICS before. It’s much more savage and much more intense than oher plays we’ve done before.”

WHAT DO YOU DO IN HELP WITH THE PERFORMANCE LORD OF THE FLIES?

S: I’m shadowing Mr. G, so I’m basically

getting mentorship under him to become a better director,sort of following in his footsteps and helping him whenever he needs. I’m also getting to work with the amazing actors!

WHAT SETS THIS PLAY APART FROM THE OTHERS ONES BEFORE?

S: The tone and the mood of the play is

much more mature compared to past shows. It’s much more challenging to direct and be in due to the physical nature and maturity needed. The tone sets this play apart entirely from past ICS shows.

EVEN IF THIS PLAY IS FOR THE “OLDER AUDIENCE,” IS IT STILL OKAY FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE TO COME AND WATCH?

S: I think it’s entirely great that younger

audiences can come us see this. They’re required to come with their parents under a certain age, but I think that it’s good that they’re exposed to this kind of story at this age.

DO YOU RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO COME WATCH?

S: Of course!

MARCH 2018

71

Do you recommend people to come watch?

Of course.

72

THE QUILL

HOW ARE YOU INVOLVED IN LORD OF THE FLIES?

Stephen cho: I am one of the main

characters, [Jack Merridew,] the main bad guy, and I guess I’m just a jerk.

DO YOU ENJOY PUTTING EFFORT INTO THIS PLAY?

S: Yes. It is worthwhile cause I signed

up. Please explain. I signed up for it.

DO YOU THINK THIS PLAY HAS GOOD MORALS THAT YOUNGER AUDIENCES SHOULD LEARN ABOUT?

S: No, not really. The point of this is that

HOW MUCH WORK DO YOU AND THE OTHER ACTORS PUT IN THIS PLAY?

S: A lot of work. We did it Wednesday

and Friday for every week, but we’re starting to get more practices. Like almost everyday, so it's trying to get pretty though. Especially memorizing lines.

DO YOU RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO COME WATCH?

S: Yeah, definitely. I think it will be

interesting to watch because it’s not a musical.

humanity is evil as the beast, but that’s not the case for life, cause basically they’re saying that everyone is evil, but that’s not the case.

MARCH 2018

73

ADVICE COLUMN

74

THE QUILL

On the fourth edition of Tea Time Discussions, we will tackle the issue of loneliness within your own friend group.

Q: Now this may seem strange to some that one could be lonely within one’s own group of friends. I mean, is that not the definition of friends, to keep one from being lonely? However, this is surprisingly a very real problem.

A: How often do you see a group of friends talking together, but then you observe that there are one or two people sitting on the outskirts of the conversation not talking at all?

This may be because they are simply more interested in their phone than actual human conversation. While this is the stereotype for many millennials, I still choose to believe that the vast majority of adolescents treasure human interaction over their phones. I don’t believe that the reason for this exclusion is because the the other group of friends is excluding this one person. Instead, I believe it is because this one person is actually scared of entering the conversation. You should not be scared. These people are your friends after all, so just insert yourself into the conversation. Say something witty or funny that will make everybody laugh.

After seeing a group of your friends on social media either at the cinema or at a restaurant, you might begin to ponder the reason as to why they did not invite you. Perhaps they just forgot about you, or they don’t know what your current plans are. You have got to become the instigator if you want to go out with your friends. Message them yourself and ask them if they want to go out. If they say no, and you see them out on social media with other people you should seriously question your friendship or perhaps even consider getting a new set of friends.

If you have any problems or queries, please feel free to email problemsics@gmail.com for counseling. Thank you!

MARCH 2018

75

HOW TO STUDY FOR AP EXAMS

Written by Allan Rubio

AP’s are undoubtedly a huge part of our lives as ICS students.

On top of slugging through the inordinate amount of work and countless quizzes and tests, we’d have to endure a multi-part, 3-hour test that determines whether or not all that effort was worth it. The AP exams are definitely tests that you don’t want to mess up on. And with the tests approaching faster than Mr. Todd can say “ Correlation does not mean causation!”, you should be sure to spend the remaining 2 months studying well. Here are a few tips to follow as you study for these momentous tests:

76

THE QUILL

1. Start Early Cramming is something (unfortunately) most of us can relate to. It might be alright to cram for a quiz or for a petty test, but cramming for the AP exams spells almost guaranteed disaster. The tests demandingly assess the knowledge from a year’s worth of content — and unless you’re Einstein, that’s impossible. Luckily though, most our teachers prepare us well enough to lighten our study load for the last few months. But it is still important to start well ahead of time so that there is a lot of room for adjustment.

2. Space out your studying with a goal in mind As said earlier, AP’s present us with a mountain of content to master. Thus, it is important that you spread out your time well enough so that you manage to traverse that mountain called exam time. Spacing out your studying will not only alleviate the stress that comes with every studying session, but it will also allow you to be more organized with your other obligations. To do this, set a goal for a minimum amount of hours you want to study per day or per week. You’ll guarantee that you don’t procrastinate, and that you stay organized during this hectic period.

MARCH 2018

77

3. Don’t forget the old content Most of the information we study earlier in the year fade away as we’re faced with more and sometimes harder material. Start with the old content first and move forward.

Then, spend around 15 minutes every time you study to return to the covered material to continually refresh the information in your head. This way, you’ll be able to review all the content required consistently while studying.

4. Take care of your health Sometimes, tests like these can really push your mental and physical tenacity to its limits.

Be sure not to overburden yourself with work or the stress that comes with it, or you’ll surely fall apart like a jenga tower. If you have to, don’t be afraid to take breaks to destress and clear your mind. Most importantly, don’t forget to eat healthy and drink lots of water as well. Your brain can only go as far as your body takes it.

5. Use internet resources As commonly said, the internet is a wealth of resources and information. Fortunately, this applies to AP material as well. Take advantage of the Collegeboard posts as well as anything you can find googling “ AP … practice MCQ’s”. I mean, what better practice is it than to take the actual test itself? There are countless posts answering questions from all subjects and numerous discussion boards with even more tips and tricks for studying.

I hope these tips help you with your preparations in the next two months. May the collegeboard be ever in your favor.

78

THE QUILL

MARCH 2018

79

80

THE QUILL