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www.tiggertimes.org Seoul International School

Major changes planned for the SAT in 2016
By JAEHA KIM
On March 5, 2014, David
Coleman, president of College
Board, announced that the
SAT would undergo a change
of curriculum in the spring of
2016. Although the sections
are planned to primarily re-
main the same the reading,
writing and math sections
the content of the test is
planned to change radically.
According to Mr.
Coleman, the reason be-
hind the change was that the
standardized test had become
far too disconnected from
the work of high schools.
Standardized tests were
too stressful for students,
too flled with mystery and
tricks to raise scores and
werent necessarily creating
more college-ready students.
Terefore, Mr. Cole-
man said that the organiza-
tions goals for the 2016 re-
vision is not only to retool
each of the sections to ft the
school curriculum, but also
to focus on more college-es-
sential values. To reach these
goals, the Reading and Writ-
ing Sections will not include
obscure vocabulary words,
rather they will include ques-
tions that require reading
from a variety of disciplines,
such as, science, social stud-
ies, and literature. Te Math
sections will focus mainly on
real-life application, more
advanced mathematical con-
cepts, areas that most prepare
students for college and ca-
reer as stated by Mr. Coleman.
Other than the con-
tent of the test, the new re-
vision of the SAT will also
address the problem of cost-
ly test preparation that has
fostered inequality among
students over the past years.
College Board can-
not stand by while some test
preparation providers intimi-
date parents at all levels of in-
come, into the belief that the
only way, that they can secure
their childs success is to pay
for costly test preparation and
coaching. Mr. Coleman said
at an event in Austin, Texas.
If assessment will be a force
for equity and excellence, it
is time to shake things up
To achieve this, Col-
lege Board has formed a
partnership with the Khan
Academy, a free non proft ed-
ucational organization, to pro-
vide free SAT preparation for
all students. Although many
students and educators doubt
the quality of the free program,
Salman Khan,the founder of
Khan Academy, assures that
the preparation tools will be
of high quality and of easy
accessibility to all students.
Tis isnt just a Hey,
since its free, its better than
nothing, he said. Our inten-
tion in this partnership is this
will be the best thing out there,
and it happens to be free.
Despite the fact that
the initial news of the test
changed shocked many, stu-
dents and guidance coun-
selors have progressively
shown approval of the new
test change, according to Te
Day Times of Connecticut.
I think its impor-
tant that the SAT aligns to the
school curriculum and focus-
es more on solving the funda-
mental problem of inequality
Jaehoon Choi (9) said. How-
ever, what is more important is
that College Board is actively
responding to the problems of
its test, something that it hasnt
been doing a lot in the past.
WHAT TO EXPECT
(NEWS) Global Issues Network (GIN) Exclusive
on the 2014 Grassroot Soccer Touranment (GRS)
Photo courtesy of Jenny Lee (9)
A glance at the results of the third annual Nation-
al History Day (NHD) at Seoul International School
Photo courtesy of Kelly Kim (10)
A look into the SIS choirs partici-
pation at the KIMEA music festival
Photo courtesy of KIMEA
Volume 1 April 2014
Two high school students gather in the library during school break peri-
ods to practice solving mock questions in preparation for the upcoming SATs.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
NEWS
Facebook, the largest social media
around the world with a total number
of 1.23B users according to the
Facebook Newsroom, is continuing
to increase its massive empire with
the acquisition of Whatsapp, as well
as the development of the DeepFace
algorithm, a facial recognition
program which brings about 97.25%
accuracy regardless of the lighting
conditions or angles of the subject,
according to Huffngton Post.
Facebook recently bought
the messaging service Whatsapp
for a total worth of $19B, $4B
in cash and the remaining by
Facebook shares. This acquisition
is considered to be the second
largest deal in technology history,
after Hewlett-Packards acquisition
of Compaq for $25B dollars,
according to Business Insider.
Despite its costly acquisition,
Facebook reported that Whatsapp
would operate independently within
Facebook much like Instagram.
Zuckerberg is an
entrepreneur. Hes just trying
to make money, and edge out
the competition. Facebook is a
monopoly. I mean what other app is
out there? said Mrs. Shannon Hurt.
After Facebooks
acquisition of Instagram in 2012,
Instagram currently has more
than 200 million users, double of
number of two years ago, and also
has a larger amount of smartphone
compared to Twitter according to
Forbes. The acquisition of Instagram
has led to much success of the
corporation itself, and many expect
the same for Whatsapp as Facebook
has proven itself to be a huge empire
with a name that speaks for itself.
Whatsapp has
defnitely become more known
especially in the Asian region
after the Facebook purchase,
said Allison Kim (SFS, 10).
However, Facebooks
internal developments such as the
DeepFace algorithm are also paving
the way for total monopolization
By JASMINE OH
The Facebook expansion, Connecting the Unconnected
2
in the industry. Facebook owns
the worlds largest photo library,
and with its development to match
almost all the faces in the billion
pictures, people are afraid of what the
program is capable of in the future.
Its almost natural and
frightening to think that some
internet software has the power to
detect my face every where I am.
I dont particularly approve of this
software because it has the power
to do so much in a matter of only
few seconds, said Julie Hwang (9).
Facebook has also stated
their acquisition of Oculus Rift, a
virtual reality headset for 3Dgaming,
for $2 billion. Many people cant
fathom what Facebook will make
out of a video gaming program, and
what Facebooks future plans are.
Zuckerberg has stated that he will
expand this program into something
more than a virtual gaming center.
After games, were
going to make Oculus a platform
for many other experiences,
said Mark Zuckerberg. Imagine
enjoying a courtside seat at a
game... This is really a new
communication platform. Imagine
sharing not just moments with
your friends online, but entire
experiences and adventures.
Facebook has branched
out to various industries to become
the monopoly of all social media
and in the upcoming years, no one
will surprised if Facebook turns
out to be something more than a
powerful social media website,
and rather a technology empire.
of the divided families. The longtime
ideological differences between
the North and South hindered their
reunion from the beginning. Some
North Koreans lauded their leader,
Kim Jong Un, for providing this
special opportunity to them, while
the majority of South Koreans were
offended by this remark. However,
the fact that they share the same
Korean culture and serve the same
ancestors became a centripetal force
that helped uniting both Koreans.
I saw that the reunion
wasnt really hindered by the
ideological differences between both
Korean families when I watched it
on TV, said Matthew Kang (10).
South Korean
representatives who attended the frst
round of the reunion were selected
by a lottery process developed by
the South Korean government for
fair selection of representatives. On
the other hand, the selection process
of North Korea is not yet known.
Around 22,000 South Korean
participants have already been
reunited with their family in the past
several decades. However, there are
about 71,000 more South Korean
citizens still waiting for their turn
to meet their family in the North.
This number is decreasing every
year since about 3800 South Korean
candidates die out every year.
For the frst time in four years,
South Korea and North Korea held
a reunion at the Diamond Mountain
Resort in North Korea from
February 20 to 25. Starting from
Feb. 20 to 22, 96 selected South
Korean representatives departed
from South Korea to Diamond
Mountain in North Korea to attend
the frst round of reunion with their
matching North Korean family
members separated for nearly 60
years due to the outbreak of the
Korean War. From Feb. 23 to 25,
100 people from the North met their
matching family from the south
for the second round of reunion.
Due to the 60-year
separation between family members,
many had a hard time recognizing
their lost relatives and family
members. During the reunion,
families shed tears and touched the
faces of their relatives for a long time.
According to Korean
Joongang Daily, both Korean
representatives shared their old
photos of their childhood and their
deceased relatives. Although more
than half of these people were over
age 80, a large number of these
people were the second generation
By NATHAN CHOI
Koreans held a reunion for the frst time in four years
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gives a presentation explaining the changes made to the social
network.
North Korea and South Korea held a rare family reunion on Feb. 22
for the frst time in over four years.
Photo courtesy of BBC
Photo courtesy of Flickr
Many Korean people hope
that the reunions are held more often
in order to improve the relationship
between both Koreas and to take
a step forward toward the Korean
Reunifcation. Also, many people
claim that both Korean governments
should collaborate with each other
to create more opportunity for the
separated families to meet together.
However, these hopes are unlikely
to be fulflled in the near future
since there is a conficting nature
between both Korean governments.
There are so many
barriers exist between both
Koreas and it is quite unlikely
that all separated families will get
the opportunity, said Matthew.
NEWS BRIEFS
Photo courtesy of Flickr
Choir students attend
music festival
By JANE LEE
On Feb. 14, 39 SIS students trave-
led to Seoul Foreign School (SFS)
to attend the third annual National
Honor Festival hosted by the Ko-
rea International Music Educators
Association. Students from 11
international schools all over Ko-
rea submitted recordings for the
festival, and music associates met
at Gyeonggi-Suwon International
School on Nov. 13 to decide upon
the participating students. The se-
lected students were given time to
practice certain pieces so that they
would be ready to practice with
the three special guest conductors:
Dr. Tim Robblee from Northwest-
ern University, Dr. Tim Peter from
Stetson University and from Korea
National University of Arts, Maes-
tro Jon Jin Lee. All guest conduc-
tors joined to conduct the honor
ensembles band, choir and strings
respectively. After two eight-hour
rehearsals, the musicians performed
on the following day, Feb 15, in the
Lyso Center on the SFS campus.
I think the festival was a
great experience for me as a musi-
cian, said Jasmine Oh (9). The
professional conductor knew how to
talk about the minor details and lead
the ensemble towards the direction
necessary. I hope to attend the fes-
tival again in the following years
GIN plans for third Grass-
root Soccer tournament
By SUE LEE
Photo courtesy of Global Issues Network
The third annual Grassroot Soc-
cer Tournament (GRS), host-
ed by Global Issues Network
(GIN), will be held on June 11.
By hosting the GRS,
GIN hopes to spread aware-
ness about global warmings
impact on the environment
and its endangered species.
The proceedings of the last two
tournaments have been donated
to nongovernmental organiza-
tions (NGOs) such as Kiva and
Not for Sale. However, this year,
the club is planning to raise mon-
ey for the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF). According to Brian Devine,
MS GIN advisor, GIN mem-
bers hope to teach students about
global warming and leadership
skills by means of this fundraiser.
The past two tour-
naments have already raised
more than one thousand dol-
lars for various NGOs already.
We hope to give peo-
ple awareness of what the tour-
nament is for, so that they have
a little bit more buy-in than just
I want to play soccer, but rath-
er I want to play soccer and help
save the world, said Mr. Devine.
SPORTS
Following tryouts for the
SIS Varsity Swim team on January
28th, 17 boys and 14 girls were
chosen as athletes for the 2014
swim season. As the season starts
off, students and coaches alike are
excited for the meets and determined
to do their very best.
Last year, the Tigers left
room for improvement. During
the KAIAC Championships, guys
placed third, girls placed fourth, and
SIS placed fourth overall. Returning
athletes and coaches now approach
the season with a new perspective
and tactic.
The team was very close
to winning third last year, said
Ms. Hubley, one of the coaches.
This year our goal is to be more
systematic in winning points and
ultimately placing higher.
SISs frst friendly meet,
with GSIS, Chadwick and TCIS
took place last Wednesday. SIS
dominated with an overwhelming
majority of points in all three
categories: boys
swimming with
458 points, girls
swimming with
456 points, and
relays with 914
points. In each
area SIS took frst
with more than
a hundred point
difference than
other participating
schools.
The frst
me- et for the
season occurs
this Saturday, at
SFS, where all
schools will swim
together at the same time. Athletes
show mixed reactions, ranging
from worry to dread to excitement,
regarding the approaching match.
I, for one, am really
excited for the meet, said Brian
Kim (9), a swimmer on the Boys
Varsity team. Although Im still
slightly anxious about doing well,
Im sure Ill enjoy this meet as much
as the last.
Students are all resolved
to do their very best and enjoy
this meet, as well as the rest of
the season, while promoting team
values and school spirit.
BYARIELLEE
Swim team looks forward for another great season
3
Brian M. Kim (9) prepared to dive in for his stroke, butterfy for the Mens
A Team Relay during AISA hosted by KIS(Korea International School).
I really hope that this
year our team spirit increases
and we actually cheer for our
fellow swimmers while they are
swimming, said Amy Lee (11),
captain of the Girls Varsity Swim
Team. I want to be there to cheer
my teammates on.
Attention shifts as olym-
pic fag is handed over
BYELI OH
After 17 days of grueling
competition, victories, and tears, the
Sochi Winter Olympics offcially
came to a close with a ceremony
that honored all participants
and showcased Russias culture
and heritage through music and
performances. While wrapping
up this years winter Olympics,
the celebration also involved the
symbolic passing of the baton to
the host city of the next winter
Olympics, Pyeongchang of South
Korea. The offcial hand-over of
the Olympic fag, an event that
has become a tradition in every
Olympics, took place toward the
end of the closing ceremony.
Following the transfer
of the Olympic fag there was a
video presentation of South Korea,
which highlighted parts of Korean
history. It also featured musical
performances, such as the playing
of the Gayageum, a traditional
Korean instrument, and the singing
of different versions of the folk tune
Arirang by famous singers such as
Lee Seung-chul and Jo Su-mi.
I was so proud to see
Koreas traditional performances
presented to a global audience,
said Eileen Cheong (9), The
performance of the Gayageum
and the singing of Arirang was
especially memorable as they were
staged by famous musicians.
Back at home, South
Korea is making good progress in
preparation for the 2018 Winter
Olympics so far, according to the
Pyeongchang Olympic Committee.
The cost of staging the games is
expected to be around $2 billion,
in addition to an estimate of $7
billion for infrastructure. Many of
its venues in the ski resort area are
already built. More than half of the
cost of infrastructure has been set
aside to pay for a high-speed rail
line that would cut the transportation
time to one hour when travelling
between Pyeongchang and Seoul.
Sochi has overspent its
budget, and wasnt fully prepared
for the Olympics even though it
had a lot of time to prepare, said
Courtney Caldwell, English teacher.
As opposed to [Sochi], the Korean
Olympic Committee has a lot of
preparation done already for the
2018 Olympics. Im positive that
Korea will have the infrastructure
and planned arrangements
successfully completed by 2018.
Sotnikovas behavior upsets Korean netizens
BYJENNIFER KIM
Olympic gold medalist
Adelina Sotnikovas recent behav-
ior has earned her much criticism
amongst some fans and netizens. On
Feb. 20th, to everyones surprise, the
tables were turned on Yuna Kim, the
most favorable skater for gold in the
Ladies fgure skating competition.
Hopes were high for Kim, the for-
mer Olympic champion in from the
2010 Vancouver Olympics, but she
came in second to 17-year-old Rus-
sian Adelina Sotnikova.
After the competition, the
three medalists held an interview,
but much of the attention was di-
rected towards Kim, who announced
her retirement following the So-
chi Olympics. Netizens uploaded a
video clip of Sotnikova leaving the
interview set whilst Kim was speak-
ing. This behavior was criticized by
Kims fans to be rude and disrespect-
ful, and many pointed out Sotniko-
vas attitude to be unworthy of the
gold.
I was really angry about
Sotnikovas actions because it felt
like she was insulting Yuna, and I
felt that her behavior was not one of
a champions, said Sue Lee (9)
On the other hand, there
were also individuals who took a
less critical take on the matter.
I think I understand how
[Sotnikova] feels, said Yoona Sung
(9). She probably worked extreme-
ly hard to earn the medal
, but even though she
won gold, Yuna Kim
got more attention and
publicity. I would feel
depressed if I accom-
plished something that
great but did not get
much recognition for
it.
Other students
also showed sympathy
for Sotnikova, because
although she became
the gold medalist,
she was swept up in a
whirlwind of contro-
versies following her
performance, ruining
what was supposed
to be her dream come
true.
On the oth-
er hand, in the midst
of raging fan wars
and open criticism, Yuna Kim re-
mained composed and dignifed,
earning the respect of sports fans
around the world. In addition, the
announcement of Kims retirement
also attracted much attention, com-
pletely pushing Sotnikova out of
the spotlight. Still, many Korean
fans were unhappy with the results,
and vented their anger by going so
far as to terrorize Sotnikovas insta-
gram with mean, snarky comments.
Similarly, enraged fans have up-
loaded many video compilations in
the days following the event, which
compared the performances of Kim
and Sotnikova. Netizens also crit-
icized Sotnikovas performance in
the Olympic gala show, pointing out
her two-footed landing on one of the
jumps. Stumbling and getting tan-
gled in the neon fags she prepared,
Sotnikova showed a performance
that was judged as quite visibly in-
ferior to that of Kims.
Te Tigger Times is an amateur publication and exercises the
right to report on and editorialize all topics, evenists or is-
sues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as
they afect 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 sub-
stantial physical disruption of the school.
seoul international school
Intro to Publicaitons
A3
Tigger Times
Editor-in-Chief
Mr. David Coleman
Copy Editors
JaeHa Kim
Ariel Lee
JiWhan Moon
Layout Editor
Jennifer Kim
Adelina Sotnikova waving her fags, while executing her last per-
formance at the Ice Skating Gala in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Reporters
Nathan Choi
Katherine Lim
Eli Oh
Eric Song
Jake Park
Layout Aritists
Claire Kim
Jane Lee
Alex Cho
Photo
Milie Kim
Cheryn Shin
Graphics
Jake Park
Cheryn SHin
Photographers
Sue Lee
Grace Lee
Jasmine Oh
PRINCESSES OVER THE YEARS
From Cinderella to Tiana,
Walt Disneys princesses have shown
a gradual development over the
years. Disneys latest fantasy-come-
dy flm, Frozen, swept the minds of
children and adults worldwide with
its release on Nov. 27th, 2013. Not
only did the family themed plot of
the movie attract a wide audience
to the theaters, but also introduced
Elsa, a princess unique to Disney.
Successfully marking Dis-
neys last princess movie, the release
started a Frozen Frenzy, attract-
ing the attention of movie critics.
On March 2nd, 2014, Frozen hit $1
billion at the worldwide box offce
with a domestic total of $388.7 mil-
lion and an international heave of
$611.5 million. In the spotlight of all
this frenzy, there was Elsa, with the
title of Snow Queen as she ft per-
fectly into societys ideal princess.
With focused attention on Walt
Disneys Animation Studios newest
and last princess, fans, in retrospect,
looked back to the older generation
of princesses. Snow White, dating
back to 1937, seems to have less re-
alistic features in comparison to Elsa,
who has a more mature physique, as
suggested by the public. During the
span of 77 years, Disney changed
its characters by making drastic
changes in appearance and style.
I feel as if characters are
changing to ft the traits of women
in todays society, said Alix Kim
(9), Disney fan. From the make up
to the dress, Elsa refects the sophis-
ticated styles and current trends.
According to Disney Wikia,
characters and their clothes have be-
come more sexually appealing to the
audience. In Frozen, Elsa has a slit
down her leg exposing her curves and
her matured bodily features. The ma-
turing of their physique over time re-
fects the change in our societys idea
regarding bodily exposure. Accord-
BY MILLIE KIM
Frozen reflects modern ideas
ing to Sarah Kim (11), it is evident
that Elsa and the traditional princess,
Snow White, have little in common.
The reason why Im in love
with Frozen is because Elsa has
a unique character that cannot be
gleaned from any other Disney mov-
ie, and plus, shes sexy, Sarah said.
As a character, Elsa displays
a distinctive personality as well as
a physical change. In the 2010 Dis-
ney flm Tangled, Rapunzel relies on
Flynn, a male counterpart, while Elsa
is more self-reliant in Frozen. Addi-
tionally, while other Disney heroines
such as Aurora and Snow White de-
pend on characters such as the fairies
and dwarfs, Elsa has to rely on her
own powers to protect herself. By
portraying princesses as independ-
ent characters who seek their own
goals, Frozen also seem to refect
the changing views of woman as
independent individuals in society.
Frozen marks a new start for
Disney and so far, the audi-
ence has been embrac-
ing this change. As
far as animated
movies go,
it doesnt get
that much bet-
ter than Frozen.
Its a start of a new
generation, said
Lauryn Kim (9).

Damsels in distress
Brave and adventurous yet
dependent on male characters.
Heroes of their own stories
Cultures modified and disneyfied
The knights in shining armors,
cutesy songs, and fowing dresses
-- Disney plot lines generally seem
to follow a typical plotline of one
stereotype after another, especially
in their animated movies. Howev-
er, hidden behind the common tales
of the princess being saved by the
prince, Disney has a knack for mod-
ifying the portrayal of different cul-
tures to match the American mindset.
Take a look at Mulan, from
Mulan, and Merida, from Brave. De-
fying the expectations of both the so-
ciety and their parents, these two her-
oines show great courage in pursuing
their adventures and becoming the
person they each want to be. Original-
ly, both the Chinese and Viking soci-
eties portrayed by Mulan and Brave
respectively do not advocate individ-
ualism or valor from women. How-
ever, in these worlds created by Dis-
ney, such ideas are readily accepted.
In the various animations, we
see American cultures, values, and
ideals promoted through the actions
of many characters created by Disney.
These characters, though originally
discouraged from their actions, are
celebrated upon their success in var-
ious felds, whether it is from fnd-
ing true love or escaping a dreaded
fate. Through their exploits, these
characters change the way that the
world views these different cultures.
How different cultures deal
with the portrayal of women is a
common topic that is often subtly
altered in Disney. In Beauty and the
Beast, Belle reads profusely and pas-
sionately seeks knowledge. At every
chance provided, she curtly rejects
Gatson, a bulky, egotistical male. In
the medieval French society taken up
in this movie, women are expected
to be submissive and stupid. Beau-
ty and the Beast, on the other hand,
illustrates the image of a relatively
strong, if not independent, woman.
The same alterations also fol-
low the portrayal of entire cultures and
their ideals. In Pocahontas, the Na-
tive American culture is glorifed, as
it is portrayed as respectful of nature.
Deviating from the traditional image
of the savage, Disney puts Native
Americans in a more positive light.
Frozen, the most recent ani-
mated Disney flm, best portrays the
adjustments Disney makes. Not only
does Frozen show the love of two
sisters instead of that of the tradi-
tional prince, it also centers on let-
ting it all go and not concerning one-
self with others opinions too much.
Like such, Disney continues to
strive to include novel ideas while in-
corporating traditional plot through
the procession of time. Inevitably,
the encouragement of such ideals
among younger (and older) audiences
Americanizes the ideas of countries
around the world and reinforces the
cultural identity of the United States.
BYARIELLEE
VIEWPOINT
Based on an anonymous
survey conducted at SIS, only
16% of students surveyed know
the name of the frst president of
Korea. Moreover, only 22% know
the year in which Korea achieved its
independence. As shocking as these
statistics may be, this is the reality
at SIS. Unfortunately, the school has
not proposed any solutions to this
issue yet. While the administration
remains neutral, students clash on
the issue of whether introducing a
course on Korean culture would be
an appropriate and effective solution.
Students who advocate
the introduction of Korean
studies argue that studying ones
culture often leads to increased
patriotism and a clearer cultural
identity. By understanding
Korean culture better, students
who do not feel a strong
connection or attachment to
Korea can learn to identify
themselves with Korean society.
Another beneft of
introducing Korean studies is that
it prepares students for their future.
Most students in SIS stated that
they were planning to return to
Korea after graduating from foreign
universities in the foreseeable future.
However, if students do not possess
a clear cultural identity, it would
be extremely diffcult for them to
be able to integrate themselves
into society upon their return.
Furthermore, the students are
representatives of Korea in foreign
nations and should be educated
about their own culture. Although
many like to consider themselves
to be American, almost all SIS
students are ethically Korean, and
will be expected to knowand spread
Korean culture overseas. However,
if students dont know anything
about their own country,
they could be looked upon as
culturally ignorant individuals.


Despite the benefts of intro-
ducing Korean culture into the
curriculum, there are also several
downsides. The main concern of the
student body is that Korean studies
would be a burden to their already
loaded schedule. It is true that most,
if not all, of the students at SIS
have the intention of applying to
an American university. Therefore,
although students understand the
importance of learning Korean
culture, many of them would
rather take an extra AP course to
step closer to their dream colleges.
Some also say that
introducing a course on Korean
culture defeats the point of an
international school. As parents
enroll their children to international
schools, they understand that
they are sacrifcing the childrens
depth of perception in Korean
culture, as to allow them to
experience Western culture more
fully. However, by introducing
Korean studies, students could
be distracted from focusing on
Western culture, which could
lessen their possibility of
ftting into foreign countries.
In a situation in which both
sides are very well corroborated,
the best solution would be to
make Korean studies optional. Not
only would it be an effective way
to determine the popularity of the
course, but it would also provide
an opportunity to learn about
Korean culture for those who are
interested. In addition, this would
solve the various problems posed
against the introduction of Korean
studies. Those who want to take
an extra AP course would be able
to, but we shouldnt take away the
option of taking a Korean culture
course from those who want to.
BYERIC SONG AND JAKE PARK
Students voice different opinions on introducing Korean studies
to SIS
A plan to change the high
school science curriculum attracted
great interest from high school
students. The administration
decided to replace Conceptual
Integrated Science (CIS), a course
every freshman had been required
to take, with a course called Biology
and Ecology. Despite a certain
level of uncertainty regarding
the effciency of this system, the
new program provides multiple
benefts that cannot be overlooked.
This change was proposed
in reaction to the new educational
standards of College Board.
According to College Board, the
general focus of its exams has
shifted from simple memorization
and drills to real-life application
and critical thinking. Students
have already been introduced to
this shifted focus through various
exams, including the SAT I, AP
US History, and AP Physics.
We are not interested in
students just picking an answer,
said David Coleman, CEO of
College Board. Its the justifcation
of answers that matters.
The new science curricul-
um has clearly taken this change
into consideration, as it is geared
towards critical thinking and real-
life application. In Biology and
Ecology, students will be designing
labs of their own, instead of
recreating experiments that have
already been proven countless times
before. In addition, teachers will ask
more thought-provoking questions
in the classroom to challenge the
students ability to think critically.
The new curriculum for next year
pushes students to think outside
the box, said Erik Anderson, high
school science teacher. This is
something Ive been trying to do for
my class for the past couple of years.
Im glad the system is changing
to help me fulfll my vision.
Not only does the new scie-
nce curriculum promote creativity
and independence, but it also covers
the four major felds of science
more extensively. After taking the
Biology and Ecology course in
ninth grade, students will be required
to take a course called Chemistry
and Physics in tenth grade. The
implementation of these new
courses will allow a more thorough
understanding of the four felds,
compared to a one-course overview
of the different sciences in CIS.
In the long term, we hope to
see students applying the knowledge
gained from school to real life, said
Jarrett Lambie, high school principal.
The new science curriculum will
be a big step towards this goal.
6
BYERIC SONG AND MILLIE KIM
New science curriculum shifts focus to
critical thinking
The SIS Korean Flag
Western media condemns Korean reaction to Queen Yunas silver
medal
BYCLAIRE KIM
Changes in the science curriculum will lead to each class having
more labs in order for students to deepen their critical thinking.
According to change.org,
over two million fans across the
world signed a petition for open
investigation into judging decisions
of womens fgure skating at the
Sochi Olympics, which resulted
in the crashing of the website.
What triggered this controversy
was the supposedly unfair criteria
on which the decisions awarding
the Olympic medals were made.
Although many have appraised
Korean citizens and other Yuna
fans for their passion, more Western
news sources have condemned
their actions as inappropriate
and as against sportsmanship.
Justin McCurry from The
Guardian condemned Koreans
reactions saying that South
Korean journalists dispensed
with any pretense of objectivity.
Although the fury over Kim Yuna
being robbed of the gold medal
is understandable, it is simply
adulterating Koreas international
reputation. This condemnation
by international media is not
a result of a one-time petition
against sports organizations and
unions. It is the cumulative result
of Koreans opposing to sports
decisions over the past few years.
In addition to Koreas inab-
ility to accept various sporting
results, Korea was involved in
many judging controversies during
the 1988 summer Olympics in
Seoul. During the Seoul Olympics,
American boxer Roy Jones, Jr.
beat Korean boxer Park Si-Hun
86 to 32. However, the judging
committee made a 3 to 2 decision
in favor of local boxer Park. Later,
one of the judges admitted that
it was a mistake to vote against
the American boxer. Ultimately,
three out of the fve judges were
suspended from the International
Boxing Association (AIBA).
VIEWPOINT
T
he Korean War, which
came to a halt on 27th
of July 1953, separat-
ed families between the
North and South Korean border
for more than 60 years. During
the War, many who lived in the
North moved to the South to fnd
shelter and support, forcing them
to leave family members behind.
On Feb. 20, 2014, separated families
fnally got together in 60 years at a
mountain resort in North Korea, and
they were fnally able to spend some
time together. Bearing in min fami-
ly long time ago. Just by looking at
the fact that most of the separated
families of North and South are now
80 to 90 years old, Park Geun Hae,
the South Korean president, want-
ed to make the reunion a bit more
frequent. However, deteriorating
relationship between the North and
South are making reunions hard-
er every time South tries to set one
up. Not only was this reunion done
with going through many risks with
North Korea, with recent military
practices and missiles d that this oc-
casion will most likely be their last,
relatives shed tears and shared frm
hugs with their long separated fami-
Most Recent Korean Reunion in North Korean Resort
By ALEX CHO
Fifteen years ago, Korea
embarked on a long, yet diligent
journey, by deciding to enter the
nomination for hosting the 2010
Winter Olympics. However, it
failed to win the nomination. The
subsequent effort to be chosen as
the 2014 Winter Olympics site did
not succeed either. After two failed
attempts, Pyeongchang was fnal-
ly voted as the venue for the 2018
Winter Olympics on July 7, 2011.
The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
has recently come to an end and the
countdown toward Pyeongchang
2018 has offcially started. As the
hosting nation, Korea is expected by
the International Olympic Commit-
tee (IOC) to enhance its athletic pro-
grams and governmental support for
winter sports. However, Korean cit-
izens themselves face winter sports
with apathy and hold their own feet
in meeting such expectations. Kore-
ans general apathy toward winter
sports originates from Korean ath-
letes unremarkable performance,
which is derived from the lack of
governmental support and the lack
of coverage of winter sports athletes.
Lack of governmental funds, insig-
nifcant records and citizens apathy
are bound together in a never-ending
vicious cycle and before Pyeongc-
hang, a resolution must be reached.
Every year, the Korean government
provides approximately 17 million
dollars to support Korea Football
Association. On the contrary, due
to the lack of governmental sup-
port, Olympic champion Yuna Kim
had to pay for all expensive training
fees by herself. Shortages in win-
Apathy must be eradicated for the success of 2018 Olympics
By GRACE LEE
7
ter sports funds lead to diffculties
in fostering young athletes as the
insuffciency leads to underde-
velopment of training system and
insuffcient facilities. The uneven
distribution of governmental fund-
ing must be resolved for more ef-
fciency in the future Olympics.
Even [when] I complete a jump,
there is no one to clap for me, said
Da-bin Park, a junior-division fg-
ure skater who competed in 2014
Korean National Winter Sports Fes-
tival. For a young aspiring athlete,
to put in hard effort just to be greet-
ed with silence is a huge burden to
carry throughout his athletic career.
Korea is an ethnic group built
upon the frm foundation of uni-
ty and solidarity. From the World
Baseball Classic or the World Cup,
Koreans have always experienced
the tenacious bond of reliance and
support. In the 2002 World Cup,
millions came out on the streets to
cheer on the Korean national soc-
cer team. The Korean government
built new and improved stadiums
and facilities for the players. How-
ever, despite the vast interest toward
popular sports, such as soccer and
baseball, winter sports are deviat-
ed from citizens attention. During
the Olympics, national attention
is towards the showcased sports
through various media coverage.
However, the second the torch is lit
off, athletes are put under the shad-
ows of unpopularity once again.
Three days after Sochis closing
ceremony, the 2014 Korean Na-
tional Winter Sports Festival was
held. No spectators were to be
found. Not a single civilian out
of millions, who cheered for the
athletes just few days ago, was to
be found. Anxious athletes, quiv-
ering parents, and stern-looking
coaches were the only ones on the
empty skating rink and ski slopes.
It is like this every year, Tae-dong
Kim, a cross-country skier, said to
KBS News. If there are more spec-
tators, I would feel more encouraged
and get better records. I hope [Kore-
an] citizens devote more attention
and support toward winter sports.
An empty national winter sports
wcompetition seems rather incon-
sistent to Koreas frm promise to
develop and support its athletes to a
satisfactory level to be a proud 2018
Olympics venue. No hiker can climb
the mountain without the proper f-
nancial support and a warm word of
encouragement. Once Korea shows
enthusiasm toward its athletes, the
athletes themselves will be more
motivated to perform better. Once
Koreans show acts of support, ath-
letes like Park and Kim will no lon-
ger have to be alone on their journey
towards the gold medal. With more
support and care, Korean athletes
have greater chances at achieving
greater records in the Olympics.
With frm belief in the power of
unity and solidarity, Korean cit-
izens should support its athletes
and the Korean Olympic Planning
Committee on the journey towards
the Olympics. On Feb 2018, the
day of the Pyeongchang Olym-
pic opening ceremony, there will
hopefully be a stadium full of Ko-
rean and international spectators.
The empty stadiums are almost silent as the few people who the 2014 Korean National Winter Sports Festival watch the games.
lies. Another recent union was back
in November 2010, where these
families had about 12 hours to spend
time with their family. There were
strong emotional affairs between
these families, and was easy to see
one another clinging on to each oth-
er, crying, just like the meeting held
on Feb. 20. In those 60 years, there
were no communications between
the separated families, and there was
no way of fguring out if ones fami-
ly member was even alive. Jang, one
of those lucky few who met with his
family yesterday said that when he
missed his family, he would look at
the letters from his being tested, it
was held less free than it normally
was. Te North Korean staf mem-
bers present at the reunion lurked
over each family, listening to their
conversations. Even though this was
supposed to be a sensible meeting, it
ended up as a rather scary meeting.
At around 5 p.m., the reunion came
to an end. Right before the end of the
meeting, many members at the re-
union were bowing to one another,
especially younger siblings to their
older brothers and sisters, preparing
for their fnal goodbyes. Even though
this reunion was successful, there
are still hundreds of family members
who have never met their families,
and no one knows if they will ever
meet their relatives before passing
away. However, if President Park
and the North Korean government
come to an agreement, frequent re-
unions could be the case between
these two nations in the near future.
Families hold hand for the last time before seperating again.
M
A
R
T
P
H
O
N
E
S
SPRING BREAK FUN
a large touchscreen for direct fnger
input as its main means of interaction.
This year, smartphones have
started to expand even further: they
now express yet one more of the hu-
man senses besides touch and sight --
smell. These devices, when plugged
into a smartphone, sends smells just
like text messages. Dr. David Edwards,
biomedical engineer at Harvard and
founder of Le Laboratoire, invent-
ed the device called the oPhone.
The oPhone user can mix
and match aromas and then send their
composition as a message, which will
be recreated on a fellow users device.
This is something that is very unusu-
al and interesting to the public. Up to
356 combinations will be possible in
the frst wave, rising to several thou-
sand in the next year, and the dream
is to have unlimited combinations.
Biologically we respond
powerfully to aroma, so if we become
familiar with the design of aromatic
communication we might be able to
say things we couldnt before, says
Edwards. He sees the limited aromas
of the oPhone as the frst letters of a
rich new language. A similar technique
has already bore fruit with a similar
New steps to development of
smartphones
EDITORIAL 8
By CHERYN SHIN and JAKE PARK
We are living in the elec-
tronic age. In each and every min-
ute that passes, the whole world is
taking another step into the realm of
technology. As this age of technolo-
gy has progressed, communication
via smartphones has proven an im-
mense convenience in our lives. In
fact, smartphones are the sensation
of both younger and older mem-
bers of todays fast-paced society.
In the past, land lines were
the only type of phones that exist-
ed. These land lines were restricted
in movement and lacking in audio
qualit. In 1978 Nokia took a revolu-
tionary step towards the feld of tele-
phone-communication with their in-
troduction of the frst mobile phone.
This mobile phone worked on a
unique network that required no wires
or fxations. After 23 years, the third
generation (3G) cellular network sys-
tem was launched in Japan by NTT
DoCoMo. This enhanced network
allowed smart phones to have faster
data transfer speeds and higher output.
In 2007, Apple Inc. introduced
the iPhone, one of the frst Smart-
phones to use a multi-touch interface.
The iPhone was notable for its use of
Studying, relaxing, and travelling
Spring break was one of those
unusual times when not all students
were engaged in roughly the same
activity. Or was it? While some stu-
dents used this precious week to solve
word searches or cram-study for the
upcoming SATs, others decided to
go on a refreshing trip abroad. Of the
27 ninth grade students interviewed,
11 of them went on a trip while 16
stayed home and went to hagwons.
I stayed in Korea and of
course, I went to hagwons, Sue
Lee (9) said. However, hanging
out with my friends and watching
movies [during the break] helped
me relieve the stress from school.
Whether one stayed in Seoul
or traveled abroad, many students
agreed that spring break was a nice
rest from waking up at 6 AM everyday.
So what is the ex-
act purpose of spring break?
The purpose of spring
break is for students to relax a lit-
tle bit and to decompress the com-
pounded stress, said Mr. Syverson.
Mr. Syverson, too, went
on a short trip around Korea to en-
joy the sceneries and fresh air.
Spring break is there for
both teachers and students to ven-
ture out on relaxing experiences.
[Students] are at a breaking point,
Ms. Caldwell said. Also, [spring
break exists] so that teachers dont
throw students out of the window.
Ms. Caldwell went to
Myanmar to relieve herself of
all stressful subjects under the
cool shades of the palm trees.
What did you do during
spring break? Whether you were
locked away in hagwons or went
to exotic places, take a minute to
step back from the burden and com-
pounding stress of student life and
enjoy the Spring Breakord search.
By GRACE LEE
design simulating the effects of taste.
But taste has just four primary forms
-- bitter, sweet, salty, sour-- whereas
smell involves identifying individu-
al molecules with no primary form.
Although currently very
rudimentary, the oPhone is some-
thing the world should look out for.
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