Tuesday 10 December 2019

Which One Are You?


By Grace Moon

Your faith journey cannot and should not be compared with others’ journeys. We’re all at different walks in life, and God only works when you accept yourself in the identity which He has made specifically for you. 

If this pool that you see was your faith in Jesus--your complete trust and confidence in him--which character would you be in this image? 

It was a perfect and undisturbed Friday afternoon when I was imposed with this question. My mentor, Mrs. White, pulled out this picture for our weekly mentoring session, and ever since then, I couldn’t get this image out of my head. 

For me, it was easy to find. I was definitely the one on the typewriter on the far-right corner. 

Maybe I chose that guy because I felt that the people in the pool were having too much fun to be actually productive. Perhaps I deemed my work ethic and my focus on my near future more important than--I don’t know--just sitting in the pool and taking a break. But then, I looked at the illustration again, and I realized that, no, I chose this man because I recognized that we both deliberately decided to prioritize our success over our relationship with God. 

That hit me pretty hard. 

Why wasn’t I the swimmer in the middle of the pool, leisurely taking his lap? I mean, after all, I was given all the things I need to have an excellent foundational relationship with God: my parents are missionaries, Dalat gave me multiple opportunities to question and learn about my faith, and no one has ever questioned or scrutinized me for my family’s beliefs and my parent’s careers. To everyone around me, I might have even looked to live a pretty noble life myself. 

But I digress. All that I say is excuses for me pushing away my “faith journey.” Sure, the environment could be perfect, but if I do not act upon my inherent desire to fulfill myself with a permanent source of life, then, well, I won’t have complete fulfillment. That’s just how it is. 

Life is offered to us by God to find our place on Earth as an advocate for His love and his desire for peace. But most of the time, we don’t fulfill our roles. For me, I’m still trying to figure out what it means to live a life where work and relationships can go hand in hand. For others, like Jong Min Park (12), there’s a slightly different narrative going on: “I feel like I’m the dude with the gear on the right. I’m willing to trust Jesus, but I’m scared to give up everything for him. Something that keeps me from having complete faith in him is me trying to implement my own life and my own expectations of my life to my faith.” 

But wherever we are in our walk of faith, one thing stands clear: no matter what, we must not doubt the fact that the pool is always open for us to dip our toes into, put our legs into, and ultimately, leisurely and peacefully swim in. God is, from what it seems, always welcoming us with open arms. 

So, why not take a chance and see if the water is warm enough for your liking? 


Monday 9 December 2019

Swish, Swoosh, Clank!


By Jae Cho

As posters came upon every Dalat social media account, on December 6-7, Dalat hosted a basketball tournament called the Island Shootout. It included a total of four schools, including Dalat International School. The participating teams were Dalat International School, Uplands International School, Stamford American International School, and Youngsters. 

When I checked the schedule for Island Shootout on Friday, we were playing Stamford at 5:00 pm. From what we knew as a team, we knew that this match was not going to be easy for us. We had played a few games before this tournament, and we had dominated every game so far. We were undefeated as a team.

As school finished, I had to get changed, and I headed up to the weight room to stretch and prepare for the game mentally with my teammates. After stretching and talking for a while, it was finally time. We went down as a team and entered the gym as the crowds were roaring. We started warming up by getting into our layup lines. As one minute was left on the warmup clock, our coaches called our team into our bench. After exciting each other up, starting five went onto the court as the crowds were going crazy. 

The first three-quarters of the match was pretty close. We were down by two points by the end of the third quarter. As the fourth quarter started, we went head to head again, and we were going back and forth with each other still. The crowd was going mad. With 1 minute 30 seconds left on the clock, we were down by two points. We played good defense and managed to secure the difference by only two points. When it was our possession on offense, we swung the ball around the perimeter to find an open Aaron Worten (12) who was well known to be a good shooter. As Aaron Worten (12) caught the ball, he shot it from the three-point line with no regrets. The shot was good! The crowd went crazy as we were up by one point when there was only less than a minute left on the clock.

One of our team captains, Aaron Worten (12), said after the game, “In my head, I was going crazy. I thought I missed it, but once it fell through the net and the crowd went crazy, I was hyped. I love the atmosphere when the game is close, and there is a full crowd, it felt amazing being able to play in a great game.” 

With less than a minute to go, we had secured a good defense, and we were still up by one point. However, Stamford American International School seemed like they had a plan in their heads. As Stamford grabbed the rebound off of a missed free throw, they passed it forward to someone who was an outstanding shooter in their team. The player shot a quick three-pointer as our crowd and team prayed for it not to go in. Miraculously, the shot was good, and there was less than a second left for us to make an offensive play. I was in shock as the final buzzer rang, and the game was over. Although we had lost as a team, I felt like we improved a lot as a team going through difficult situations like this.

As Aaron Worten (12) said, “When they hit the shot with .4 seconds left to win the game, I was stunned. However, surprisingly, I wasn't mad or sad, I was pretty cheerful. Even though we lost, we put our hearts on the court, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.”

Our other team captain, Wansuk Kunawaradisai (12), also said after the game, “The teams we played against during the Island Shootout Tournament had a higher standard than most of the local teams we've played earlier in the season. We had some tough losses, but it motivated us to work towards a better version of ourselves. We're excited to correct our mistakes and improve by putting in more hours of practice.”

Tuesday 3 December 2019

A Thanksgiving Appetizer


By Tien Min Tan

The three-day-week slowly inches towards the end as the Tuesday comes to a close. Though the gates have shut and most have scurried home, the campus still teemed with students who refused to go home. What could have been keeping these students here past 5:30 PM on a Tuesday evening?

Well, these were the students that had wanted to come together to celebrate and worship God after school! After school on Tuesdays usually serve as the students’ time to worship God as the students of the Leadership Development class lead their own worship for fellow students with the supervision of Spiritual Life Director Kirk Ronzheimer—they call it Student-Led Worship.

This time, however, the students had planned a special thanksgiving worship gathering set to begin at 6:00 PM and last an hour in the Student Center. One by one, whiffs of Mr. Ronzheimer’s hot apple cider and Madaline Rude’s (12) plate of cookies blew across the faces of every student as they walked into the Student Center only to be greeted with a breeze that sadly only hinted at a white Christmas.

The room quickly filled with students as Dael Kim (12) and Uncle Keith Henderson began to serenade the singing students from the front of the room. As the worship came to an end, the students turned to their friends to chatter on to create the soft white noise that permeated the room. Some students then began indulging themselves in the sweet treats that lined the back of the room while some took pleasure in cutting out colorful maple leaves to write gratitude notes to either themselves or friends.

Riley Phillips (12), a regular attendee of Student-Led Worship, expresses that the thanksgiving worship gathering “…was a super great opportunity to relax and reflect on this past semester and all the ways God has blessed me. I was feeling extra thankful for my awesome friends, my sister, and the apple cider, so that’s what I wrote about on the thankfulness leaf that we did.”

As the hour came to an end, Dael Kim (12) closed the evening with a prayer of gratitude and peace for the attendees. Though the hour had felt short, the gathering had been a peaceful time of reflection and appreciation before the restful long thanksgiving holiday ahead of all who participated.

Unforgettable Memories of Laughter: PTO Family Fun Day


By Yerin Park

Filled with delighted giggles and excited screams, another PTO event for the Dalat community came to great success. On November 22, many Dalat families, who accepted the exciting invitation to the PTO Family Fun Day, gathered in the grassy area next to the outdoor basketball court.

After purchasing an entrance bracelet for only RM5, children raced to try the unlimited carnival game stations of their choice. From a soccer ball to rubber duckies, all the game stations involved a variety of fun and unique equipment that drew the attention of the crowd. The guarantee of receiving tokens—which were later exchanged with some quirky prizes—from winning a game sparked their motivation and enthusiasm.

When feeling too tired and sweaty from the active games, some kids crowded around the table on the side to get a charming face painting, sticker tattoo, or nail art. The eyes of the children twinkled as they waited patiently in a line to put some vibrant colors on their faces and nails; the colorful decorations certainly brightened up their mood as well as their looks.

As the event approached the end, people with hungry stomachs sat around and enjoyed slices of pizza with family and friends. With their loudest slurps, children cooled off and treated themselves with the all-time-favorite dessert—ice cream.

Though the event was planned primarily for the younger elementary students, what made the Family Fun Day successful was the contributions of various groups of people in the Dalat community.
As well as the Dalat Parent-Teacher Organization, a group of students in the From Kids For Kids Club gladly volunteered to dedicate their Friday afternoon and help out in the special event. Jireh Ang (12), a humble member of the From Kids For Kids Club, looked back at the event and stated that “the Family Fun Day was tiring, but it was so worthwhile to see the kids having fun.”

Another helper, Jordan Chang (12), remarked on the event with a content smile on his face, “Serving the younger community was so fulfilling, as we were able to see the positive impact that we had on them.”

The memories made in the Family Fun Day positively impacted everyone who participated. The extraordinary day with much love and laughter will be remembered with a big, bright smile on the faces of the Dalat family.


Monday 25 November 2019

Pipes and Arrows


By Hannah Peek
As they drew the curtain on the opening night of first semesters two drama performances, The Pied Piper and Robin Hood, an excited cast was revealed. Many spectators never know how much effort is put in behind the scenes of each drama performance. Here is a deep dive into the mounds of practice and energy that is behind every word, prop, and movement.

Six months ago, preliminary auditions took place, requiring each person to perform an excerpt from either Robin Hood or The Pied Piper. Nervous contestants had to wait over the summer until after the fall auditions to learn whether they had received a role from the directors Mrs. Horton and Ms. Geiman. The cast list was doubly anticipated because up until that point, the play was a mystery. Then the email was sent out, and Robin Hood was set into motion. Rehearsals began right away, including three two hour practices a week and the occasional Saturday rehearsal. Each line of dialogue was carefully thought over and tested with different emotions.

One monstrous foe faced by the cast was projection (def: the strength of speaking whereby the voice is used loudly and clearly). While this may sound simple, the directors decided not to use microphones, and therefore each actor would have to double or triple the volume they used onstage.

Corrine Fraley was a senior cast member who aided many of the fresher actors; she said,  “We did a lot of exercises about breathing with the diaphragm and not using our throat, so we did not damage our vocal cords. We spent a lot of our time yelling at each other to work on projection.” Along with these voice exercises, the cast had to figure out the blocking (def: careful choreography of actions on the stage) to make their scenes and movements appear natural. As Robin Hood took shape, the directors made the executive call to include The Pied Piper into the final performance. This change included a whole new script to memorize and more roles to assign. Rehearsals were now packed with both plays.

As the performance approached, the list of things to get accomplished spiked with the nerves of the cast. Costumes, run by Ms. Geiman, needed to be assigned, altered, and made. As each piece of clothing was placed, characters began to take a physical form. Mr. Franceschi started crafting the set pieces with the help of parents. Sherwood Forest and the town of Hamlin were built from the ground up, including many unique pieces such as a running fountain, a laughing statue, and a significant tree stump.

The week of the performances was a hectic blur. With rehearsals four hours every day of the week, all the anticipation was pointed at Friday's first performance. Props were set, costumes were on, and the crowd was waiting. As the curtain opened at each performance, a cast was waiting, prepared by hours of rehearsal and ready to give it their all.

Monday 18 November 2019

The First Game of the Varsity Boys Basketball Season


By Emily Chew
In the locker alley, I heard the murmuring of the varsity basketball guys talking, and the rustling of them getting their jerseys and shoes on. It was the first game for the varsity-boys against Youngsters, a team based in Chung Ling High School. Every player was recognized with compression garments that fitted tightly around their limbs– these compression gears are very important for the basketball players. Some of the guys seemed excited, longing for this day to come, and some seemed nervous before they were called by Coaches Loustale and Lee to huddle around in a circle. The returning basketball players were filled with confidence, and positive vibes as they walked into the gym. This year’s starters were J Cho (12), Eddy Seong (12), Wansuk Kunawaradisai (12), Aaron Worten (12), Kaden Keefer (10).

The referee began the play with a jump ball, and the crowd went wild as Youngsters managed to get a head start. After several missed shots, Wansuk Kunawaradisai (12) led the team for offense. The game started off steadily, with the opponent team created many chances for the Dalat varsity starters to squeeze through the gaps in the opponent's defense.

Throughout the first and second quarter, both Eddy Seong (12) and Kaden Keefer (10) managed to receive most of the offensive and defensive rebounds, as the opponents raised their arms up in the hope of avoiding foul calls made by the referees. Eddy Seong (12) stated, “Kaden has such great wingspan, he could reach the rebound moving in any direction.”

Anxiously, the crowd stood up as every shot was made by the players. As Jae Cho (12) made his third three-point shot in the third quarter, the gym shook with excitement while the crowd cheered as hard as they could. The bench players were seen to be clapping and cheering for their teammates, and one of the audience sitting next to me, Daniel Choi (11), repeatedly shouted “Jae is on fire!”

The Dalat varsity boys basketball’s first game ended with a score of 67, leaving Youngster with a score of 47. The first game of the season allowed the boys to exploit their opponent’s weaknesses and find their own strengths. All of boys represented the school well– let’s earn more medals!

The Start of A Winning Journey


By Edward Seong
“Get yourselves together!” shouted Jae Cho (12), as the varsity boys’ basketball team warmed up for the upcoming game. Finally! It was the time that all the players and crowd had longed for. Varsity boys’ first game against Chung Ling Private!

“We are the king of the island so far, so we should continue this legacy,” Aaron Worten (12) told the boys with pride. The boys stretched themselves in the workout room. As coach Lee walked into the weight-room, he said, “Alright boys, we will do some stretching and core workout before the game.”

All of the boys were shocked and looked as if they were questioning his authority. But later on, the boys realized that he was joking. The boys, Coach Loustale, and Coach Lee gathered up for a short meeting before the warm-up. The meeting consisted mostly of how the play would work.

“Just have fun and play basketball,” said Coach Loustale.

They started warming up with lay-up lines, shooting lines, and working on their individual moves. One by one, group by group, the bleachers began to fill up with people. When the warm-up time finished, it was impossible to see the bleachers as it was filled with the home crowd. With the intensity and excitement spreading through the gym, the referee blew his whistle and marked the start of the game.

At first, it started as a close game with only a three-point gap. Nevertheless, the Dalat boys got more focused on the game, and they began to dominate. The boys gave everything they had, even leading up a twenty-point lead. The crowd went insane with every shot that was made, and the boys felt spirited and uplifted instantly. If it weren’t for the supportive home crowd, the boys would not have pulled this game off. The game ended with a 20 point lead for Dalat. There were still so many things that need to be fixed, but the boys knew that this was just the start of their journey, and it would be a thrilling one.


Monday 11 November 2019

Beginning to End: A Weekend in the Highland


By Wesley DeLaughter

After ten hours of winding roads, exhausting travel, and buses breaking down on the side of mountains, the dorm students finally arrived in the Cameron Highlands on 12 November, Saturday, for their dorm retreat.

That morning, all three dorms had boarded the bus with high spirits, excited for a weekend that promised to be fun, bonding, and educational for them. Aside from the slightly bumpy start, it was just as promised. Together the dorm students played games, laughed, and enjoyed life as a dorm family away from the stress of school.

Away from Dalat, up in the mountains, stress was not the only thing that dropped. At 62 degrees, the cooler temperature proved to be a shock to those who had adjusted to the tropical island of Penang. It was a blessing to some and a burden to others. The words “I’m freezing” were forced out by Madaline Rude (12) through chattering teeth as Jack Cura (9) ran past her to receive a football thrown by his father, Jackson dorm dad Tom Cura. Sweaters and hot cocoa were as common a sight as shorts and strawberry milkshakes.

Up in the Highlands, the food and drinks were very different from Penang. Strawberries, a product Cameron Highlands is known for, were the clear favorites of the dorm students, with many of them buying boxes fresh off the farm. The strawberry shortcake prepared by the dorm parents worked like a charm to calm the grumpy mass of students. Right after this was the first session with Mr. Beau Abdulla, who had come along to present a difficult topic to the students.

Mr. Abdulla spoke on Sex, Relationships, and Intimacy, topics that are not very well addressed today in our community. One of the points of his talk was that our sexuality is not something to be ashamed of but is something that we are to be careful of. The difference between God’s view of sex and Culture’s view of sex was another significant point that was touched on.

On the last night, the students came together one last time in the Highlands to show their talents in the annual dorm Talent Show. Singing, dancing, jokes, and laughter rang throughout the chapel that served as our conference room. Caleb Jun’s (8) performance received an explosion of applause. The other students reacted with surprise to his angelic singing voice accompanied by his sister, Julia Jun (12), and her guitar skills. The reactions varied from clapping to joking outbursts such as “MARRY ME!” from students, including Daniel Choi (11) and Isaiah DeLaughter (10).

The next morning the dorm students boarded the bus, packed their bags, and took with them the last of the strawberries they had been devouring throughout the weekend. With a bittersweet goodbye, the bus took off down the mountain road to leave behind the Cameron Highlands. Returning to Penang, the students were tired and relaxed after a much needed weekend break. Getting off the bus at Dalat, the students returned to the dorm, reminiscing about their weekend adventure in the Highlands.

Dorm Retreat 2k19


By Onyu Kwak

Finally! It was the time that many dorm students had waited for-- the dorm retreat to Cameron Highlands! Everyone was excited about this annual trip and people would mark their calendars to count down the dates.

“Dorm retreat helps us to bond as a whole dorm, as it helps us to get to know new people better. Cameron Highlands is one of my favorite dorm retreat sites that we visit, as well. The strawberry farm that we visit every dorm retreat is fantastic,” Megan Septon (11) mentioned as she was thrilled for the retreat. 

One of the most unexpected events that happened during the trip was the bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere. It was already a long bus ride. People were tired and some were even sick to begin with, so the malfunction of the bus did not bring out positive reactions from people. Everyone had to either wait in the bus or stand by the roadside for approximately 4 hours until it was functioning again and ready to go.

However, like a rain soothing the ground after a drought, when the bus was fixed and started to move, everyone was impressed by the sunset that appeared around the corner.

Riley Philips (12) shared her thoughts regarding the bus ride event, “Having the bus breakdown extended our journey by 4 hours, making our retreat feel very rushed. Everyone was tired and in desperate need of a bathroom. Standing on the side of the road in the Highlands for a long time has taught us many things like how to decorate people’s hair with leaves, how to remain patient, and for many, how to use the bathroom in deep shrubs. While it was not the most enjoyable experience, we were all rewarded for our time when the bus finally made it around the corner of the mountain and the sky was glowing through the clouds as it was setting over the other mountains.”

When we reached Cameron Highlands, we were welcomed with the cooling weather and delicious food. After we finished our dinner, we encountered the main theme of our dorm retreat-- sexuality and sex. Everyone had differing opinions on this subject: some saw no point in this topic because they thought they already knew everything, some thought that it would be awkward, and some thought that this was actually helpful. Unexpectedly, many people found the sessions insightful and took away helpful advice from it.

“I did not expect a lot from it because I thought I knew what I had to know, but I did not have a strong foundation on this topic. In contrast to my expectations, the dorm retreat established a firm foundation in me as a strong Christian man,” said Daniel Choi (11).

Through the many ups and downs, everyone bonded together as one big dorm family. The unplanned turn of events showed us that there are always two sides (positive and negative) to an event, and the seminar taught us to be more confident in ourselves.

That Simple, Challenging Task to a Better Lifestyle


By Niki Tsumagari

In Dalat, a student’s life revolves around his/her school. This is a reasonable statement to make. Elaboration: sometimes, a student’s life can be very well-organized, making everything that’s happening in it seem like they’re placed correctly in the right spot. Other times, however, things don’t look like they are. In addition to this, problems sometimes seem to fancy piling up on one another…

The life of a high school student (in Dalat) involves both mountains and valleys all the time. As much as there are ups and downs that make one’s life so complicated as it is, there is always room for improvement; a little extra thinking and effort put in will never fail to increase the number ups while reducing the amount of downs. Solutions to a slightly/much better quality of life can require you to perform the simplest of tasks.

One of the best examples for this that a good number of Dalat students currently aren’t accomplishing is getting enough sleep. Not a lot of people should be surprised by this fact. One of the biggest enemies of growing, daily challenges-facing teenagers is sleep deprivation. A well-established pattern of nights of getting enough good sleep can easily be pushed off track by a single, unlucky night consisting of a slumber short by a few hours.

“When I only get like 6 or 7 hours of sleep, I don’t participate in class discussions. Even just talking takes effort. When I get home, I can’t focus on getting work done for the next day,” says Elise Johnson (12).

One night of inefficient sleep can affect a student’s performance at school the next day and how he/she will be able to get their work done once they’re back home. Depending on how well the student adjusts his/her situation, there is a potential of additional days of similar disorientation, which is why the simple task of getting enough sleep is challenging.

Another quote that contributes to the importance of sleep was stated by Laviynia Jaya (12): “On nights that I get enough sleep, I actually feel a drastic difference in my productivity and energy going through my daily activities. I find myself walking a little bit faster, getting a little more work done, and smiling a whole lot more.”

Watching an extra episode of that amazing TV series, going to Gurney Plaza to get bubble tea on Monday, opening YouTube to watch a clip of your favorite movie; these are all necessary spices that give your life some extra fun. Getting enough sleep is necessary and fun too, just, unlike these activities, you won’t know that it is until after you experience it, and you won’t be able to do it at ease until after you’re done with all your work. So give “sleeping” a chance; work a little harder to get your daily tasks done on time just to experience that delightfulness in the morning.    


Monday 4 November 2019

(Dis) Connection




By Livinia Menon


It’s easy to get lost in the work we have, it’s easy to forget why we’re doing what we’re doing. It’s easy to only focus on what seems important now. But what is hard, is laying in your bed at night and realising that you don’t know why you’re doing what you are. College applications, SAT exams, AP exams, tests, quizzes, the homework that’s due first block tomorrow, they all just seem like pieces of the cognitive overload accumulating at the back of your brain. You don’t go out anymore, you decline invitations to hang out, and it isn’t until you’re standing on stage receiving your high school diploma that you realise you never really did experience high school at all.

That’s the nightmare that haunts every high school student, the urge to do our best in academics overriding the high school experience itself. It’s the sugar crash after Halloween, the sick feeling after eating all your candy. We are all bound to burn up if we get lost in the storm of work. We don’t all realise this, as Anya Kaloo (11) said, “ It wasn’t until I stopped competitive training for martial arts and being unable to make time for friends in and out of school that I realised it was because I was dedicating myself to the high demands of keeping up my grades at the level I desired.”

As November flies past us, there is no doubt that deadlines will start catching up, making us all busier and increasingly tired. What we have to remember in times like this is that we aren’t going through all this alone. Our friends and classmates are all going through the same thing, and even if you do have that AP Statistics test on Wednesday, you aren’t going to fail if you take time to relax with your friends for a few hours that weekend. Because at the end of it, you only go through high school once. The people surrounding you now aren’t going to be with you forever, so it’s just as important to make those memories as it is to earn that grade you want.

Sleep that extra hour, say yes to that invitation, and maybe even write that essay the day it’s assigned. If we start managing our time right, we might find that we have a lot more opportunities to do the things we love with the people we love.

Hey, Who’s the Homeschooler?


By Corinne Fraley

Some might say Dalat has invaders in its midst…. Others would just call them home schoolers. It may be hard to believe, but Dalat actually hosts a community of homeschoolers right on its own campus as part of DLRC (Dalat’s Learning Resource Center). They are the unique “inbetweeners” that both are a part of Dalat’s vast community yet not quite fully immersed. That does not stop them from joining and planting themselves as part of the community.

Homeschool kids seems to have a whole world of their own when it comes to schooling. While some of these homeschoolers have siblings at Dalat or some are waiting to return to Dalat the next semester, others are purely rogue, only showing up for social interaction. For some, homeschooling works as a better suited alternative to brick-and-mortar schools. While most Dalat students experience the normal 7 hour grind, homeschoolers participate in a very different routine involving co-horts (meetings with other homeschool students), work and special outings all over Penang as their schedules are particularly flexible when working at home.

When asked about her favorite part of homeschooling Addie (Grade 5 Homeschooler) responded, “It’s really fun because we get to do stuff with groups and get to go places and get to sleep in and finish school early. And my mom and me, we go to coffee shops sometimes and get coffee and sometimes do school.”

Coffee shops are not the only special places some homeschoolers get to go to. For a small fee, Dalat allows homeschoolers to participate in school life including auditing classes and engaging in school extracurricular activities. Students, like Caleb Fraley (Grade 9 Homeschooler), get to be involved in the drama program and act in productions like the school’s upcoming “Robin Hood” while others can participate in sports or afterschool x-blocks.

Unfortunately, since they are not fully students at Dalat, they cannot go to school sponsored events like JSB or CB and are the first to be cut from sports rosters no matter their skill level. Though they don’t get to attend some of these events, they create their own, like the recent Luther movie night celebration. Dalat’s teachers and parents have stepped up in many big and small ways to involve these students to the best of their abilities. Many of Dalat’s teachers have even offered and expressed interest in helping invest in these homeschoolers to encouraging them to grow and learn in new ways.

So, perhaps instead of being “invaders,” these students are just another incredible part of Dalat’s diverse community, adding to the rich culture and bringing a different perspective to everyday life.

Tuesday 29 October 2019

A Dark Issue Beneath the Freedom of Selecting One’s Lunch


An unexpected growth in number of “N”s was found in seniors recently, as they failed to reach class before the second bell after lunch.

This year the class of 2020 finally obtained the freedom of choosing their own lunch outside of school control. Many seniors rush outside the school gate every lunch time and purchase the food of their preferences. Some travel short distances to places like Chicken Rice, while some might undergo a long-distance drive to somewhere farther, such as Tesco.

Unfortunately, student drivers who seek lunch too far away from school will sometimes not make it to class on time, receiving a penalty from the school.

According to the school handbook, students who fail to arrive to class on time will receive an “N”. 10 of these “N”s results in a detention, and more could even lead to an in-school suspension.

Recently many of the teachers who teach F Block right after lunch were very frustrated by this recent problem as valuable learning time of the students was lost. Moreover, students who arrive late and rush into the classroom bother and interrupt the flow of the lesson. The frustration and the anxiety of the teachers are increasing by the recurring problem.

However, these problems could be prevented through various ways. A simple method would be eating from the school canteen, or going out to places not so far away from campus. However, the method most students and teachers recommend is to order food from outside through Eagle Express.

Eagle Express is a young business run by fellow seniors, Jong Min Park, Jordan Chang, Gloria Kim, Jerald Ooi, and Philip Yeoh, that delivers outside food like chicken rice, fried rice, and Char Koay Teow to students during lunch time.

“Knowing this pressing issue, the Eagle Express team delivers food to students by 12:15 pm, leaving up to 25 minutes of free time to enjoy the lunch period. Through Eagle Express, seniors afraid of arriving to class late can enjoy the same delicious food with just an extra Ringgit, and they get 20 minutes of free lunch time in return!” says Jong Min Park (12), the co-founder of Eagle Express.

Many young junior gourmets are very excited to obtain the privilege of choosing their own lunch next year. But they better not waste too much time enjoying their food - as they will certainly not feel good after sprinting back to campus.


Blood, Sweat, and Shuttle Runs


By Aaron Worten
As I was coming back from ACSC volleyball, sad from a heartbreaking 15-13 loss to Faith in the third set, my mind suddenly switched gears, and I realized that basketball season was here.

With season 1 sports coming to an end, new faces and new talent started flooding in for the start of the basketball season. There were 23 people on the list before I even signed up. Students that ranged from freshmen to seniors were all eagerly waiting for the chance to prove what they could do on the court.

The day of tryouts finally came; many students were nervously waiting outside the gym. Then we were all called into the gym and started warming up. Kaden Keefer said, “I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect, but as we started getting into the flow of things, my mind cleared, and I just played ball.”

Many students, young and old, were all fighting for 12 open roster spots. We were then separated into 4 groups, and the first day of tryouts finally began. The first day we did basic dribbling, footwork, rebounding, shooting, and passing drills. Then to end it off with a cherry on top, Coach Loustale shouted the dreaded word “Baseline!” We then ended with a down and back and some suicides. We all went home, and that night the first cuts were made.

The next day as we headed back, the number of people had dwindled to 20. After warming up, we started the practice with a passing drill. The coaches wanted to see what we could do in a game situation, so we were separated into 4 teams of 5 and started scrimmaging. Watching them play, I saw all those guys working their butts off to make the team. They were hustling for every loose ball and fighting for every rebound. To end it off, the Coach once again shouted, “Baseline!” and many people were mentally preparing for sprints, but we just did a full-court passing drill. Afterward, we all headed home excited and nervous for that dreaded email that would come that night.

At home, my phone notifications were going off with my friends who were anxious about whether they had made the team or not. Many people refreshed their email page over and over again. The emails started to come out one by one, which created even more suspense, especially for the seniors who wouldn’t know till the next morning. After all the emails were sent out on who made it or not, a sense of relief and excitement came for some people.

Onyu Kwak (12) stated, “I was almost certain I didn’t make the team. Waiting for the results to come out, I was really nervous, but when I saw my name on the roster, I was flabbergasted, and I couldn’t believe that I made it.”

Jong-Min Park (12) also described tryouts through some wise words, “I couldn’t feel my legs.”
Through this I learned an important lesson. Whether you are going to make it or not, give it your all. That is what I saw on the court, and it made me really proud to see everyone compete.

Monday 28 October 2019

Goodbye, Makers Club



By Mary Lee

As October slowly came to an end, the first quarter also came to an end. And sadly, the Dalat Makers Club also has had to stop for a long break.

The Dalat Makers Club, started by Alex Shing, an alumnus, had been able to carry on this year, thanks to Trevor Nichols from the freshman class, Cecelia Sheng from the sophomore class, and Mrs. Jessica Morken, a physics teacher. Mostly student-lead, this club was for anyone who likes to deal with coding, devices, and also enjoys designing and problem-solving. It was also open for students with no prior experiences with such things. The Makers Club always started by learning to use programs/devices before getting into creative projects.  

Last year, the club members got to learn how to use "Arduino" and a little bit of "Scratch," an online platform that allows us to make small games. This year, Trevor started teaching the members how to use "Processing," and got as far as creating circles - of varying colors and sizes - on a blank page, and moving them around in different ways.

Unfortunately, getting into the second quarter, the Dalat students got busier with seniors on their applications, juniors working in the Galley, sophomores in their Sophostore, and the freshmen class getting the hang of their restless high school schedule. As the quarter changed, new season sports came up, adding to the already overwhelming time tables of our Dalat students. Due to this, the Makers Club could not gather enough members with more regular attendance. Also, the members were getting extremely busy themselves, as after the club got canceled, Trevor said, "I feel that it really freed up my time and made me relax more."

As unfortunate as this situation is, the Makers Club members are happy to say that they have a bit more space in their schedule now. And hopefully, next semester, they can have a better start with more members and free time in their calendar, and Dalat students also don't forget to continue doing what interests them. 


Goodbye Quarter 1, Hello Quarter 2!


By Ji Soo Kang
The first week of the second quarter has passed. Although the first quarter of the 2019-2020 school year was just two months, the Dalat community enjoyed many memorable events.

One of the events was Senior Sneak, a week for seniors to have some time away from their worries at school and relax. In Phi Phi Island, Thailand, seniors enjoyed a variety of activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, and swimming. Seniors also had a chance to spend time with students from a local school near the resort and helped with painting the wall and the ceiling. Although the class of 2020 broke a floor and a fence, it was an unforgettable trip to rediscover ourselves both individually and as a class.

Shortly after, Dalat hosted the Spike & Strike tournaments over two weekends. The volleyball tournaments were during September 27 and 28, in which players from 7 different clubs, local schools, and colleges came and played. Dalat girls volleyball came in 3rd. The next weekend over October 4 and 5 was the soccer tournament, which only had boys teams this year. The Dalat community came together to cheer on as the players tried their best in their games.

Lastly, there was the annual fund concert. Who doesn’t like food and some music? For the annual fund concert this year, the Dalat community enjoyed food trucks and treats from the PTO and helped Dalat get closer to the goal of raising RM 230,000. Musicians of middle and high school band as well as choir performed in the concert held in Harbor Hall.

Esther Tse (11), a trumpet player of the high school band, revealed that she was a bit “nervous coming into this year’s band” even though she was part of the band last year. She explained, “I had doubtful thoughts in the beginning, like being the only junior in my section, stepping up as a leader, and practicing more. As weeks passed by, it slowly got better: Getting to know new people and laughing together at Mr. Kearney’s morning roasts. Now, I love my trumpet section!” Not only was this concert an excellent opening for the annual fund, but it was also a perfect way for students to meet new people and make lasting relationships.

Although this article covered some of the events that made this first quarter enjoyable, it could not fully express the excitement and the amount of effort needed to make these occasions possible. With this successful quarter one as a beginning, now the Dalat community has entered quarter two and is looking forward to more exciting events, including High School Drama, Island Shootout, and the High School Christmas Banquet. With fall break as an opportunity to recharge, we should go through the second quarter with as much energy and enthusiasm as we had for the first quarter.

Tuesday 22 October 2019

No Pain, No Gain: ACSC Games


By Elise Johnson

Excitement filled the air as the first quarter came to a close and the long-anticipated sports trips were finally here. The Varsity boys soccer and volleyball, and girls volleyball teams left school on Friday to go home and make final preparations for their departure on Tuesday, the 15th of October. The volleyball girls went to Taiwan, the soccer guys went to Chiang Mai, and the volleyball boys went to Bangkok. Each of these teams experienced opposition as they faced some really tough teams but they finished strong, losing with dignity and winning with humility.

Jireh Ang (12), a senior on the boys Varsity volleyball team said, “The games we played had many ups and downs, but the only way to win was to work as a team and push through. In our games the hardest part was losing when we were so close, but we all played our best, so I am proud of my team.”

Teamwork was a huge factor when playing against other teams with possibly more subs, more practice time, or better facilities. The boys volleyball players pushed through, showing their Dalat pride and proving to themselves and to the other teams that sportsmanship and prioritizing teammates is just as important as the final score or whether you win or lose.

This years’ ACSC trips taught our athletes to be confident in the abilities God has given them and not to take coaches and hard work for granted. They were stretched by their coaches and teammates to keep going until the end as they strove to leave everything on the field or court. As one of the boys volleyball team members said, “no pain, no gain”. We, as the student body of Dalat, must be able to recognize that certain amounts of pain and pressure are good for us and push us to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Monday 21 October 2019

Impacted in One Way: Jesus


By Grace Wan

Bandung, Indonesia: the week-long home for fourteen students gifted with the ability to weave the upbeat chorus of ‘One Way, Jesus’ into any song on earth.

As these students spent their fall break on the service learning trip known as Impact, spontaneous karaoke sessions were not the only thing they enjoyed. Through activities such as hiking with the local youth, playing soccer with kids, visiting women and juvenile boys’ prisons, farming, and visiting Rumah Ruth (a shelter with babies up for adoption), the Impact team wove their anthem ‘One Way’ into all they did, loving and living for Jesus.

Jesus’ transformational power was evident in the small yet significant acts of service the team carried out - one of which was holding babies who often didn’t receive as much love and attention as they needed. Although these acts were small, they were still important pieces that fit a larger puzzle that the team grew to understand more and more, as time went by.

As Joseph Chandra (12) said, ‘Prior to going to Rumah Ruth, I didn’t really understand what the big deal was about small people (babies), but when I held one of the two-month-old babies, it was like that scene in The Grinch where my heart grew like 3 sizes bigger. I mean it was crazy; I was actually considering becoming a father then and there, but then I was like wait no, that’s not biblical. Babies make you do strange things, man.’

It’s true that those babies, as well as many other people, impacted each member of the Impact team, allowing the team to understand what it means to love others as God loves us. Whether goofing off with kids or listening to the stories of people from various backgrounds, these many relational acts of service connected the Impact team with everyone they came across; connecting them in ways so powerful that they could have only been the result of Jesus’ hand at work. Hearts definitely expanded through those quality moments, and those same hearts burst when the time came to say goodbye to the many babies, children, youth, and adults who had impacted the Impact team.

Over 3000 photos documenting this trip cannot come close to capturing what it was like to physically be there, living and loving among the people of Bandung. Saying ‘I love you 3000’ wouldn’t even come close to the love that overflowed in the time spent there either. There only seems to be one fitting way to describe the infinite, sacrificial love the Impact team experienced and carried out onto the people they served around them, and that One Way is the result of a simple yet powerful name: Jesus.

Shooting for a Spot


By Philip Yeoh

I was on the verge of breaking down. My brain was on a one percent battery. School had just ended, and I was more than ready to jump right into fall break. “DING! DING!” My phone vibrated. “Bois it’s time for basketball season!”

The end of football and volleyball season marks the beginning of the basketball season. With a new basketball coach in Dalat, students are unaware of the selection process. Questions began flooding through all students’ minds. “Will the new coach give us senior privilege?” asked Tien Min Tan (12).

All students trying out are compelled to show their very best effort. Each student, whether good nor bad, has an equal chance of making the team. There are no presumptions on who’s the better player.

In the coming Wednesday and Thursday, all students are given an opportunity to show their capabilities needed to make the varsity boys basketball team. With only twelve open spots in the team, and more than ten senior guys signed up for the varsity boys basketball tryout, the seniors start getting skeptical of who will or will not make the team.

The seniors constantly go back and forth discussing who works the hardest, who hustles the most, who plays the best defense, and who’s the best playmaker.

“Imagine if they were deciding on the last player of the team and it was between you and me? What if they made it where the other eleven players had to decide who should be the last player?” questioned Onyu Kwak (12). The immense tension between each other is indefinite and students are beginning to create absurd yet hilarious possible scenarios.

Even though the senior boys may seem like rivals fighting for the twelve seats in the team, nothing will break the long-lasting friendship built throughout this school year.