SEOUL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Vermilion times
vermiliontimes.online.org

April 15, 2016

Special Issue

Photo by: Bonny Minn

Page 2--

Habitat for Humanity hosted a

black and white themed fashion show in collaboration with National Art Honor Society
and Backstage Club in order to collect funds
to support an NGO called The Water Project
which donates wells to destitute communities.

Photo by: Jeremiah Nam

Tyla Green (3), dances to an upbeat song for the UNICEF talent show, showing her unique moves.

Fighting through difficulties: UNICEF

By Bonny Minn

PHOTO BY: JEREMY NAM

Page 2--

The administrative staff has

continuously been discussing new methods
of enforcing the dress code amongst students.
Although staff and teachers try their best to
have students follow the dress code, some students do not even know the existence of one.

On Mar. 24, UNICEF arranged a talent show, offering raffle prizes as well as performances. The talent show provided various
performances, from reciting poems to singing
and dancing. After selling more than 200
raffle/entrance tickets to students, UNICEF
collected a total of more than 1,000,000
KRW. The money will be used to fund next
years dream house, a shelter-building project
that UNICEF has been working on for years
in Cambodia.

The event first began with 3 MCs,
Andrew Ahn (11), Josh Kim (11) and Sabin
Macklin (11) joking around, engaging the

audience by reenacting scenes from popular

Korean TV show, Descendants of the Sun.
Many students gave various, unique performances, however there were several flaws to
the show.

During the duet performance of
Sarah Cho (9) and Jocelyn Lee (9), there was
a technical difficulty with the audio, which
led to the audiences inability to hear the performers voice. UNICEF quickly solved the
problem by having a staff member hold onto
the microphone for the performers while they
played the guitar.

I do think that this showed that
UNICEF was unprepared since the problem
could have been resolved during the rehearsal
when we were trying things out. said Sarah

Cho (9), However, UNICEF did try to solve

this problem quickly which shows their effort
in trying to give the audience a good show.

The technical issue not only happened during the duets performance, but
also occurred during the performance of the
dance club. While the dance club expected
and requested a certain lighting and sound
effect for their performance, UNICEF did
not achieve their requests and failed to give
perfect lighting and sound for the dance club.

Although there were some problems during the show, I could see that
UNICEF tried their best to fix them as soon
as possible said Sunhee Bae (9). Even if
the show wasnt perfect, it doesnt mean the
show wasnt good!

APPLE MAKES GRAND COMEBACK WITH iPHONE 6S

On Oct. 23, Apples new iPhone 6S
and 6S Plus were released in South Korea.
With multiple new features, this new version
of Apples iPhone is again making Apple maniacs go haywire. Just like previous releases
of similar products, Apple stores nationwide
were crowded with customers waiting in line
for days before the release date.

The new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
come with many new features. The 3D
touch provides more options depending
on how hard users press the screen. The
eight-megapixel back camera has been re-

placed with 12-megapixel. Furthermore, 4K

video recording and Live Photos are supported by the software. The new phones come in
multiple styles as well, with a new rose gold
color.

I really like the new rose gold color, Eugene Song (9) said. Pink is usually
classified as a color for girls, so I think more
female customers will be attracted to the new
addition.

Nevertheless, Apple frequently
receives criticism for malfunctions or lack of
updates to new models. The new iPhones are
not exceptions. Users who transitioned to the
new series have expressed dissatisfaction due
to many reasons, including the WiFi Assist

option that automatically changes from WiFi

to LTE if the WiFi is slow.

I really like the new and faster
iPhone 6S, Youngwoo Kim (9) said. But
apparently there was a WiFi Assist option
that was automatically enabled, and I used all
my data in two days which was disappointing.

Apple rarely listens to user feedback
compared to other companies. According to
former Apple user Se-hee Choi, the lack of
improvement to Apple Pay, Apples mobile
payment service, is a big issue users are
complaining about, and is also the reason she
changed to the Samsung Galaxy S6. Apples
bill pay service is not supported by many

companies, making it inefficient.

The reason I changed to the Galaxy
S6 from my iPhone 5 was because Samsung
was making big revisions according to user
feedback, Mrs. Choi said. Even though
Samsung Pay came later than the Apple Pay
[system], it supports more companies. Hopefully, Apples future plans include consideration of user feedback.

The competition between different
mobile companies is rising with the launching of several different new phones such as
the Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy and the
LG G-Five. Hopefully, Apple will come up to
speed in its improvements by the time of the
next release.

Photo by: Junie Kah

Photo courtesy of: Youngseo Jhe

Photo courtesy of: Brian Lee

Photo courtesy of: Sunhee Bae

Page 7-- Few privileged varsity

Page 7-- The high school junior varsity

By Amy (Jungmin) Kim

Page 6-- Dr. James Gerhard became the Page 6-- Hyejung Jung, a renowned
high school principal of SIS in the beginning
of the 2015~2016 year. He has taught in numerous different places such as Sierra Leone.

journalist in South Korea, went through

diverse situations during her career as one of
the few female journalist in her generation.

cross-country members and their advisors

traveled to Guam for a cross-country tournament and came back with excellent results.

volleyball team, both girls and guys, showed

great teamwork and coordination throughout
the entire fall volleyball season.

HARD NEWS

IMPOSE THE DRESS CODE: How the Administrative

Staff is Working to Protect the School Policy
By Junie (Ye Joon) Kah

Beginning with the current school
year, there was a renewed interest in enforcing the dress code. Dr. Gerhard, high school
principal, reminded faculty members to warn
students if they are seen violating the dress
code. Although there has always been a dress
code at SIS, a new emphasis on following
the dress code was implemented with the
creation of a progressive warning system.
Nonetheless, according to the high school
vice principal, Dr. Valerio, many students
still violate the school dress code; therefore,
teachers are trying their best to actively warn
the students.

The dress code forbids students
from wearing footwear that do not cover
heels, shirts that are too tight, revealing or
oversized. The warning system gives a total
of three warnings to the students to change
what they are wearing. If they are given the
three warnings, their parents are told to bring
an alternative change of clothes for them.

Recently, I was given a warning
for wearing flip-flops to school, Amy Kim

Photo by: Jeremiah NAM

Shoes that do not have straps at the back, like flip-flop as shown above, are against the schools dress code.
(9) said. It was a sudden change compared
to middle school where no teacher warned us
for wearing these kinds of shoes.

According to Sunhee Bae (9), some
students are neither aware of the existence of
the dress code nor the guidelines of it. Other
students believe that there is no need to follow the dress code. However, more students

The Success Behind the

2016 HFH Fashion Show
Infographic by: Junie Kah

are feeling the pressure to consider what they

are wearing due to possible repercussions
that can follow.

I think that because of the warnings
you receive if you do not follow the dress
code, I feel much more pressure to follow the
dress code than the previous years. Sunhee
said.

By Junie (Ye Joon) Kah

The weather is getting warmer as
winter is coming to an end. More students
tend to violate the dress code during warmer
seasons. Therefore, the administrative staff
hopes to come up with a solution that will
ensure the dress code to be followed at all
times, whether it be during the summer, or
winter.

On Feb. 26, Habitat for Humanity
(HFH) organized a black and white themed
fashion show. The event included a brief
catwalk for the 11 fashion models and an
auction for the accessories made by the
designers. This years event required a lot
of participation from different clubs ranging
from the high school dance club, D$Q, National Art Honor Society (NAHS) as well as
the Backstage Club. With the cooperation between the various clubs, HFH raised around
1,000,000 won. The funds collected from
the fashion show will be donated to building
wells for the impoverished in Africa.

According to Sunhee Bae (9), a
designer and model for the event, HFH collaborated with NAHS and both clubs worked
rigorously for weeks in preparation for the
fundraiser. However, HFH and NAHS were
not the only clubs involved in the fashion
show.

This year, unlike the previous years,
students from the Backstage Club helped
with the lighting, music and dealt with other
technical issues. Amy Kim (9), a member of
the Backstage Club described how being in
charge of the music was.

The crew members may not [have
been] recognized as much as the designers
and models, but I still felt great pride in what
I was doing. In general, the show went well
with no major technical difficulties. Amy
said.

Although the outfits created will be
of one-time use, the accessories that were
designed by NAHS members were sold in an
auction where the viewers of the show were
able to actively participate in. The starting
price of the accessories were 25,000 won
and the bid went as high as 85,000 won. The
auction was deemed a major success by many
of the viewers.

It may seem that the fashion show
was loosely organized, but it required a lot of
effort. I personally believe that it was a huge
hit. Also, the most important fact is that we
raised a lot of money for those in need. said
Jihan Yoon (9), current HFH member.

According to Leo Lee (12), president of HFH, the funds from the fashion

Photo by: BONNY MINN

Ellis Ahn (12), displays the bracelet

made by NAHS members for the auction.
show will be used to work side-by-side
with an NGO called the Water Project. The
projects main goal is to provide clean water
for those in need by building wells in various
locations around sub-Saharan Africa. HFH
is still in the process of deciding whether to
co-fund a village with other corporations or
to collect more money through additional
fundraisers and support a village on their
own.

On average, we collect somewhere
between 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 won. Lack
of money is not a problem because we have
other events planned throughout the course
of the year. said Leo. However, we are
still discussing how much money the club is
going to donate to the Water Project.

Although the fashion show hosted
by HFH will not be happening again until
next year, the viewers were left with an
unforgettable memory, which will most likely
stick with them until the next fashion show.

VIEWPOINT

The Consequences of Profanity at SIS

By Jeremiah Nam

Gloria Naylor, an African American novelist, put it best: Words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power. This is why offensive terms are not just nonsensical sounds; they actually have connotations attached to them that signify hurtful things. Im not talking about words that simply refer to fecesalthough
those words can be offensiveIm specifically talking about derogatory terms that could be considered homophobic,
racist, or discriminatory in any way. These words have extremely negative historical implications attached to them
and are unacceptable in any circumstance. Despite this, derogatory words being commonly used here at SIS, words
that need to be cut out of our vocabulary entirely.

Its true that whenever offensive obscenities are used at SIS, they are usually used in the context of friendly
banter, and arent used to imply discrimination. However, despite the intention such terms can still be considered
extremely offensive. There will undoubtedly be situations in our lives where we encounter people with orientations
directly pertaining to discriminatory words. Such words may not have the same implication to us as they do to them.
Therefore, it is crucial that we minimize the usage of such words in respect to different orientations.

Using offensive terms has a negative impact on students as well, as such provocation could evoke backlash
towards the student. This is especially true as people can get assaulted for saying derogatory words in the US. As
international students, we are headed for education in the western world, and just because we can say things in our
little bubble of a Korean-American culture without much consequence, it doesnt mean that it holds true in the United
States as well.

A primary cause that can be attributed to this nonchalant cursing at our school is that our administration
is not doing enough to prevent it. SIS has an extremely loose regulation with regards to offensive use of language,
seeing as the only restriction concerning such words written in the student handbook is a mere intolerance of verbal
bullying. Regulations are basically non-existent in the campus life of SIS, seeing as students very rarely get caught
or punished for using offensive language. The lack of regulation and enforcement leads to students believing that the
usage of derogatory terms has very little real consequence, and are thereby more open to incorporating them into their
vocabulary.

SIS therefore needs rules that are both concrete and are legitimately enforced concerning these profanities.
If a student is caught using offensive words, even in a joking manner, an established punishment such as a strike
system leading to suspension needs to be in place, being at an enforcement level much stricter than the status quo.
Usage of offensive language will decrease once students start to see tangible consequences for their actions, which
in turn would help ensure a safer and more respectful community for different orientations as well as the wellbeing
of the students themselves.

The implication that lies behind these offensive words holds much influence. Especially today in the 21st
century, it is important that we at SIS be more mindful of different orientations and the power that words hold.

Photo by: Junie Kah

Words that have derogatory connotations are often

used in everyday conversations amongst students.

The Inconvenience of the New Unsuccessful Plan

By Bonny Minn

Photo by: Junie Kah

Large supermarket chains like E-Mart also have online ordering websites, which make such
supermarkets even more convenient compared to traditional markets.

Whenever my mother goes grocery shopping on Sunday afternoons, she always comes back carrying nothing but her purse in her
hands. Frequently, she complains about the closing of supermarkets on
Sundays in Korea. This reality isnt just for my mother, but for other
ordinary housewives who frequently use supermarkets. Since January
2013, the Korean government has forced all large stores that sell products around Korea to close their doors every other Sunday. The government started this practice because of the low income and customer rates
of traditional markets. It sounds like a good idea for traditional markets,
however, this has absolutely no effect at all.

The closest thing from a traditional market that I ever saw was
Dongdaemun market. I have never even seen a traditional market before
in my life. If I want to go to one, I would have to go across the river.
Do I really have to go across the bridge just to buy some groceries for
dinner? Would anyone want to drive an hour to buy food when you have
a local supermarket right outside your house? It makes no sense to go all
the way to the traditional markets to buy something you can find right
near your home.

When I want imported goods than domestic products, I can
always go to the supermarket. They always seem to have imported goods
in stock. However, it is rare to find imported food in the traditional markets. I would rather go to an organized, clean, modern market than use
old, dirty, unorganized, confusing markets. Traditional markets are so
large that it takes 30 minutes to find just one product like fish or squid.
Would you really want to spend half an hour trying to find fish? I really
wouldnt. Supermarkets are so organized, you can find your items in less
than three minutes.

Not only with organization, but the supermarkets sanitation is
comparatively much better, which makes people choose supermarkets
over traditional markets. Seafood and fish would always be in clean
tanks so it can be fresh and vegetables are placed in cold refrigerated
corners. In markets, I see dead fish plopped on a pile of ice and vegetables left out in the sun. The sanitation of the food materials in the markets arent in good shape. If they continue storing food in this condition,
its just a matter of time that people are going to get sick. If traditional
markets arent organized and have low sanitation, who would want to go
to traditional markets instead of supermarkets?

I know that there is nothing we, civilians, can do because we
cant change the law. However, if we constantly use supermarkets, and
just wait for another day to pass to use the local supermarkets, the traditional markets income wont rise. Maybe the government will understand that the law they made isnt working and make another solution.
If the government wanted the incomes to rise, they should find another
way, do they really need to ruin our convenience?

THE POWER OF
Nuclear Proliferation: The Ominous
Cloud Above Our Heads
By Jeremiah Nam

When the Doomsday Clock was implemented as an international symbol by the Bulletin
of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 amidst the second World War, it served as a manifestation of
the threat of global cataclysm looming above the world. While the factors of this clock were
somewhat arbitrary, this clock was able to denote a sense of urgency in inevitable catastrophe,
represented by the clock striking midnight. The year was 1947, and the clock was set at seven
minutes before midnight.

Even following the war, the clock was kept as a cautionary symbol for humanity; sine
its inception the clock has been adjusted 22 times. Today, that clock stands at three minutes
before midnight. Not only is man still on the brink of disaster, he is closer to it than he has ever
been before. As the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists states, the potential for an accidental,
unauthorized, or inadvertent nuclear exchange between [superpowers] remains, with countries
anachronistically maintaining more than 800 warheads on high alert, ready to launch within tens
of minutes. Nuclear devastation is a real possibility that threatens the livelihood of all humans.

There are a couple reasons why this is the case. For one, the distribution and quantity
of nuclear weapons are extremely pervasive and foreboding. A total of nine known countries
currently possess nuclear weapons, combined of which total to more than 15,000 individual
warheads, according to a study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

There is also a palpable tension between countries due to international conflict. Some of
these include the unceasingly sour relationship between Russia and the US since the Cold War
(the biggest holders of nuclear weapons by far), the presence of oppressive dictatorships such
as North Korea and their unwillingness to cooperate, and even the situation in the Middle East
is far from resolved and represents a tension between alliances that pose a nuclear threat to
the world.

Finally, to consider the potential destruction of these bombs, the Tsar Bomba of Russias
arsenal is 1,400 times more powerful than the combined destruction of Little Boy and Fat Man,
the two bombs dropped on Japan in World War II.

The amalgamation of these issues pose a significant threat to the security of humanity. If
these weapons fall into the wrong hands, or if war breaks out between these countries, it could
lead to the annihilation of entire civilizations and possibly, the end of humanity. But what are
world leaders doing to prevent this?

This year, the fourth perennial Nuclear Security Summit was hosted in Washington D.C. to
discuss these very issues and to come up with a solution. Leaders from China, the United states,
India, and other holders of nuclear weapons attended to discuss agreements and alliances that
strived for not only the loosening of tense relationships in relation to nuclear weapons, but the
disposing and cessation of any nuclear research and resources.

However, there are some very important key aspects still not addressed by this summit,
or any meeting, for that matter. Russia did not attend the summit, neither did Pakistan. This is
problematic, not only because Russia holds the most amount of nuclear weapons out of all nine
countries, but because their actions alienates them from the alliance of other countries.

When the world is coming so close to certain nuclear annihilation, it is important that
superpowers such as Russia and the United States do not impede the progress of the world in
striving for peace, and instead provide example in the procedures countries should take for a
more secure global community.

THE NUCLEUS

Layout and Graphic by Jeremiah Nam, Junie Kah and Bonny Minn

Nuclear Energy: An Alternative

Disaster or a Step Towards it?
By Junie (Ye Joon) Kah

When the Fukushima disaster struck Japan in 2011, many facets of the event were reminiscent of the Chernobyl accident 25 years earlier. Both nuclear catastrophes sent shockwaves
throughout the world, literally and metaphorically. The immediate devastation was momentous;
the radiation not only caused the pain and suffering of tens of thousands, but the fallout left the
cities inhospitable of life. The rest of the world grinded to a halt in both cases as well, shocked
at the travesty that ensued due to a mismanagement of nuclear power plants.

With the event of Fukushima, another thing reminiscent of the Chernobyl accident were
the measures taken following the event as well. The potential devastation of nuclear energy
manifested in the debates and discussions in organizations like the UN and the G20. Many
leaders and citizens around the world started to question the safety of nuclear energy as an
alternative source of energy.

Many people are unsure whether nuclear energy is stable enough to rival fossil fuels, the
main source of electricity worldwide. Considering that it has only been 60 years since the first
nuclear power plant to generate electricity was developed, there are still many aspects that do
not cover all the risks of nuclear power.

It is true the disposing of nuclear waste is a big burden on many power plants as well as
the possibility of the internal system malfunctioning leading to problems. A big concern among
citizens is that there is potential for people to be exposed to harmful amounts of radiation. However, it is important to consider that this is completely hypothetical, and that risk doesnt mean
that something will happen for sure.

In any case of nuclear disaster, and in any case of small scale radiation, these conflicts
happened because there was a mismanagement and carelessness in the placement of nuclear
power plants. This is a problem that can absolutely be diverted if the location of power plants
is managed correctly.

Benefits of nuclear energy include the fact that nuclear energy has an extremely low
carbon emission rate in comparison to the burning of traditional fossil fuels. This, albeit not a
solution to the issue of climate change, means that the carbon footprint of energy use wont be
as significant. Furthermore, nuclear energy is a lot more sustainable than fossil fuels. The world
is running out of fossil fuels extremely quickly, but in contrast nuclear energy is very efficient in
converting uranium to electricity. Along with being efficient, nuclear energy is reliable and cheap
to run. This is a stark contrast with natural energy resources like solar or eolic energy, both of
which are very expensive to run, and depend on natural elements which fluctuate very often.

However, this does not mean that the entire world should rely completely on nuclear energy as of yet. The world right now can neither sustain nor support the use of absolutely no fossil
fuels. In the long term perspective, the gradual transition from natural gas to nuclear energy will
be far more efficient for the world and the people.

The fear of the people is understandable, but if people let loose of their worries a bit,
society will be able to progress further and find even better solutions later on. Nonetheless,
harnessing nuclear energy to the fullest extent should be a goal that people should strive for in
the future. Citizens should take small steps towards giving support to nuclear power plants and
companies that deal with nuclear energy in order to do so.

FEATURE

Becoming a Strong Woman in Ones Career Field

By Junie (Ye Joon) Kah and Bonny Minn


As she walks into the studio, everyone bows. The camera is ready to film, and
the red light turns on as the clock points at
exactly 7 p.m. The background news music
plays as the anchors prepare to speak. This
was just another day for Hyejung Jung, who
had been one of the most highly regarded
anchors of the Korean media industry just 10
years ago.

However, this position hadnt been
achieved easily. Many anchors have difficulties finding their own voice. They need
to be a unique figure that stands out from
the others to become successful. Back when
Jung was an anchor, anchorwomen were uncommon. As a rare female news anchor, Jung
especially stood out due to her confidence
and passion towards work. Also, anchors
have trouble overcoming their fear of the
camera. However, Jung was confident and
strong in front of the crowd because of her
extensive experience with performing.

During my middle school and
high school years, I performed in musicals
in front of audiences in my church, Jung
said, I think that this really played a big part
in helping me stand in front of the camera
without being nervous. While watching
broadcasts on TV, I tried to picture myself as
the person speaking and thought about how
I would convey the messages to the viewers
and listeners.

Though Jung had a quite satisfactory career, she still had major problems
and difficulties. When she first started her
career, there were many obstacles she had to
overcome. One obstacle was prejudice and
judgment against women. At that time, men
were more powerful and experienced than
were women in the media industry. Many
women had to face sexism geared from the
patriarchal industry.

The editorial staff at the broadcasting station considered news about political
figures to be important, and thought that it
should be delivered by anchormen, not by
anchorwomen, Jung said, Anchorwomen
were younger and less experienced than men,
so they thought that women were unfit for the

the Seongsu Bridge destruction, she delivered

information about the mishaps with a broken
heart, informing others about what was going
on around the world.

I talked about catastrophes such as
the Sampoong Department Store collapse, the
Seongsu Bridge destruction and the Persian

Photo COURTESY OF: Hyejung Jung

Hyejung Jung as an anchor for the MBC broadcasting stations news channel.
job of delivering political news. I felt depressed when I didnt get a chance to speak
about political matters.

Another difficulty she faced was
delivering distressing news. Talking about
tragedies and catastrophes made her feel
powerless because the only thing she could
do was just watch and inform other people
about it. Yet, those acts were actually very
important and courageous. During events like
the Sampoong department store collapse and

Gulf War, Jung said, I felt bad that the only

thing I could do was inform the citizens.

More problems came along as Jung
went through her career. The job of being a
Korean anchor is a multi-functional personality job. Announcers simultaneously work
as a news anchor as well as a masters of
ceremonies and a radio DJ. Jung also was one
of the announcers who had to work in several different programs other than the news
broadcasting she was doing. This caused her

to have less free time to rest. Although she

wanted to spend time with her family, she
always had to stay at the station, finding news
articles, or waiting standby just in case she
was needed.

Since broadcasting was a 24-hour
job and things were busier around the holidays and weekends, it was hard balancing the
time I spent on my career and my family,
Jung said, As an anchorwoman, I always
had to be in front of the camera. I was never
home in the evening.

Although Jung may look confident
when broadcasting from behind the news
desk, she tended to have huge amounts
of pressure during her career. Jungs job
required accuracy and honesty. One simple
mistake could ruin her career or even spread
false information to the audience. Also,
since news broadcasting was live, no one
could predict what could happen. In case of
unexpected situations, she needed to have
the ability to adapt to sudden, unpredicted
circumstances and stay calm. She had to be
precise about how she acted in front of the
camera.

While I was working as a news
anchor, I felt nervous about delivering
news to the audience, despite the amount of
experience I had, Jung said, I had to think
carefully about every action I made and every
word I spoke.

Through all the difficulties and
obstacles, Jung carried on her career for 17
years. These problems helped her to become
the independent and strong woman she is
now. While many amateur female anchors
fail to have a successful career or tend to give
up during their slumps, Jung overcame her
obstacles, outshining many people like her
biggest rival, the male anchors. Many female
news anchors in addition to male workers
should learn from the barriers she had to
overcome in order to become a stronger
woman.

Tying the School Community: Dr. Gerhards Journey

By Junie (Ye Joon) Kah

Photo COURTESY OF: Dr. Gerhard

Locals in Yangon, Myanmar smile as Dr.

Gerhard poses for a photo with them.

Having held the position of the principal ]in numerous schools including places
like Sierra Leone, Myanmar, and Thailand,
Dr. James Gerhard has experienced many
distinct cultures. As a result of his travels, he
has come to realize that there is one thing that
is common among all schools: great infrastructure is not as essential as a strong sense
of community to provide a quality education.
All a great school needs is support for faculty
members and students who are striving to
create a strong-knit community.

Raised in North Port, New York, a
harbor town, Dr. Gerhard developed a love
for sailing and the outdoors. Even to this
day, Dr. Gerhards hobbies are involved with
the ocean and outdoors, in which he loves
to mountain-bike and jet-ski. His outgoing
personality helps him interact with others.

Although he did not originally want

to become a school principal until later on in

his life, he realized his love for children and
bonding with others at a young age. Nonetheless, he was an economics and government
teacher before, and was tied close to schools.
However, what helped him the most to become more closely affiliated with the school
was when he started coaching the sports
teams in the schools he was at.

Coaching made me realize how
much I love being around children, said Dr.
Gerhard. Sports really made me involved in
school as it made me a member of the school
community.

For Dr. Gerhard, although many
of the institutions he taught in were highly
prestigious and in economically developed
countries, he also taught in many without the
proper facilities. What triggered him to go to
such a diverse range of countries from Dominican Republic to India was his passion for
traveling. To date, Dr. Gerhard has traveled to
over 60 countries worldwide.

Every school Dr. Gerhard went to
had a very special and unique culture, but the
one thing that tied the schools and students
together was a close school community.
Although educational facilities in places like
Sierra Leone were not the greatest in terms of
infrastructure but because the students tried
their best to learn and the teachers tried their
best to teach, it gave a great education to the
students.

During his stay at different schools,
Dr. Gerhard was not only tied to the school
community but also the local community
where he frequently went out and helped the
locals. Dr. Gerhard strongly believes that
being an active member of any community

is important, whether that be in school or

outside where he was given the chance to
bond with the locals.

I always tried to create opportunities, not just for the children at the school
I was at but also the people in local areas.
In every country I was at, I would try to
have helped the local school, knowing how
privileged we are compared to them, said
Dr. Gerhard. I realized that even without
phones and computers, kids are still very
happy,

When Dr. Gerhard was in the
Dominican Republic, there were people in
the local community who could not sustain themselves economically. He and an
acquaintance worked together to help the
children in the local community who all enjoyed playing baseball. However, for them,
playing baseball meant using a stick as a bat
and a rock as a ball. Therefore, with new
baseball equipment he received from the
United States, Dr. Gerhard traveled to the
poorer communities and donated the valuable equipment to the children so that they
had real baseball bats, gloves, and balls.

Helping children and people in
general makes me really happy. Things like
community service make us better people,
Dr. Gerhard said.

Interacting with the locals gave
Dr. Gerhard a chance to think about the fact
that even for the locals, what bounds them
together are communities. Learning from his
experience with the local community, in any
school he is at, Dr. Gerhard strives to reflect
the aspects of a strong-knit community in
order to have students who are caring and
respectful to their peers.

High technology and good infrastructure is definitely a helpful aspect in educating students but helping them to acquire
the passion of learning and creating a good
school community is more important. His
goal in SIS specifically is to make a real community where people care about each other
and also make a place where students can enjoy good education through the collaboration
of the teachers and other faculty members.

He is grateful to be given the chance
to administrate at different institutions for
over 10 years. Although administrating at institutions that are in a less developed country
is a challenge for most teachers and administrators, Dr. Gerhard feels that the strong sense
of community and the care he received from
everyone he met made his experience very
valuable.

I always feel sentimental about
leaving any school. I will never forget the experiences I had at each school because all of
the schools I was at, everyone was kind and
caring. It is hard to forget such nice experience and nice people, Dr. Gerhard said.

Photo COURTESY OF: Dr. Gerhard

SPORTS

Comparing JV Girls and Boys Volleyball Team

By Bonny Minn


Fall season is coming to an end, and
the sports teams have been practicing 5 days
a week. According to game records, JV girls
won 5 out of 8 games while JV boys won 2
out of 8 games. There was a big gap between
the number of wins the JV girls and the boys
teams had. They both have the same number
of practices and the same practice routine,
however, their scores are different.

Everyday we try to do a bit of
conditioning, said Mindi Harman, JV girls
volleyball coach. I want them to have good
shape so they can play the game the best they
can possible. We work on things that can help
their side to side movements and making sure
their general fitness is up. Then we would
have a small scrimmage.

There may be several reasons why
the girls team have more wins, however,
there are some eye catching differences the
two teams have. Different from the girls team

that have a balanced number of players in

different grade levels, the boys team does
not have an equal age distribution. The team
consists mostly of freshman players and a
few juniors. Because the freshman has less
experience in game than juniors, they were
definitely lacking game techniques.

I definitely dont think its the lack
of strategy, said Terence Tong, JV boys volleyball coach, They are a young team and I
think its the lack of experience, and certainly
nothing can replace that other than actually
playing games. Its certainly not a lack of
effort nor a lack of strategies.

Another reason the girls team is
doing well is teamwork. The team, despite
the fact they have an even number of sophomores and freshmen, has great teamwork.
During the game, the girls team encourage
each other even though they miss the ball as
well as cheer for them outside of the court.
However, the boys team was rather more

quiet. They would be silent until the game

ends and the game results are out. Yet, the
girls team get along in practices and even
out of school. They have an intimate relationship, making great synergy. Without the
coaches help to get them closer, they instantly made strong relationships with each other.

When I first joined the team, like
all others, I was quite afraid of many things
including the upperclassmen-lowerclassmen awkwardness ingrained in our SIS
society, said Yoon Lim (9), And as
I thought, the first few practices were
full of sensitivity we were not able to
approach each other. The freshmen
hung out, and the sophomores hung
out as if there was an brick wall of
uneasiness. But after our first game and
onwards, everything changed drastically
and magically. We were cheering for each
other, for points, for the hard work, and for
effort. I look forward to feeling the love and
being part of the chemistry equation.

Cross Country Attends Asia Pacific tournament

By Junie (Yejoon) Kah and Jeremiah Nam

On October 14, varsity cross country athletes attended the Asia Pacific Invitational meet in Guam. The top seven runners
from SIS competed against over one hundred
students from other schools. The boys placed
15th overall, while the girls placed 12th.

According to Joe Kim (9), a varsity
cross country athlete, The SIS varsity cross
country team practiced almost everyday after
school in preparation, with a workout that
consisted of, on average: a five-kilometer

run, training circuits, and dynamic stretching.

During the race, the runners were
caught in a rainstorm so they had to compete
while experiencing lightning and thunder.
Michelle Lee (9), a varsity cross country
athlete, compared the running environment
between Korea and Guam.

The tracks got muddy and slippery
and the rain made it hard to see so most of
the runners got slower than their usual time.
The terrain was very difficult; it was not
something I was used to. Michelle said.

The impacts of this competition

were not only observable in the achievements

of the varsity team, but also in their spirit and
unity. Brian Lee (9), another varsity member, noted how this event brought them even
closer as a team.

People think that cross country is
an individual sport, Brian said. However,
when we spent time together in and out of
practice and went to Guam, it helped us get
a lot closer. It also helped me realize that we
are all in this sport together, as SIS runners.

As the month of October comes to
a close, so does the fall sports season. Weeks

of coalition have eventually brought the cross

country team to this point, where they must
part ways. But an end to a season brings hope
to the future, as their next season is only a
year away.

The end of each season is always
bittersweet. I will miss all the kids, said
Caitlin Lopez, cross country coach.

Until then, they will train in preparation through all environments as this trip has
taught them. They will maintain spirit with
the motto embroidered on their team tracksuit
in tiger orange: No Excuses.

Photo COURTESY OF: Brian lee

(From left) Joe Kim (9), Jangho Yun (9), Michelle Lee (9), and Brian Lee (9) practice running in the streets of Garosu in preparation for the cross country pre-season meet.

SEOUL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

PHOTO COURTESY OF: AMY KIM

Nick Yeo (11) presents his opening speech during the Quill and Scroll
executive council election candidate debate.

THE ADVENTURES OF JUNIE AND BONNY: BINGSOO

Its getting warmer day by day, and people are
starting to crave for colder desserts. After walking
through the streets of Garosu, we found cafes with
the best bingsoos that we would highly recommend. The first cafe is Sulbing, a cafe that sell
many different unique bingsoos. Their signature
dessert is the Injulmi Bingsoo, a bowl full of iceflakes with savory bean powder, topped with a few
almonds. Another menu that is famous in Sulbing
is the Mango Cheese Bingsoo, a bowl that has
ice-flakes, a side full of mangoes and another with
cheesecake.
Although Sulbing is the most widely known cafe
for bingsoo, another famous cafe is Wicked Snow.
Wicked Snow sells various typical bingsoos such
as chocolate or green tea. Their bingsoo is famous
for the snowflakes. The snowflakes are so soft and
milky that many believe that Wicked Snow has the
best ice. Despite the fact that Wicked Snow has
a much more simple menu than other cafes, they
attract their customers by giving great amounts of
bingsoo for a good price.
The last cafe we want to recommend is OSulloc.
OSulloc isnt a cafe that is famous for bingsoos,
but is famous for making desserts made of green
tea. Not only is their bingsoos famous, but their
drinks made of green tea ice-cream is very famous. Their signature green tea bingsoo is topped
with their famous green tea ice cream with a
deep matcha flavor that attracts many customers.
OSullocs green tea bingsoo is often recognized as
one of the best green tea bingsoo in Korea.