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.

Tuesday 8 October 2019

Mental Strength at Dalat


By Luke Lindsay
Students at Dalat are developing a strong mental toughness that will be a crucial factor in their future.
            Mental toughness is the ability to cope with or handle pressure or stress. It is the ability to persist when times are tough; a refusal to quit when all others give in. There's no better gift you can give yourself, than to develop a robust undefeatable mind. A strong mind leads to a strong life, a life that will throw you struggles and then are easily overcome. The everyday mental struggle students face at Dalat can be overwhelming. However, we don't only develop mental strength in the classroom but the gym as well. Every day there are students in the weight room training. People go to the gym for what? A better physique? To perform better in a sport? Or to simply get stronger? It doesn't matter why you go to the gym, but if you want results, hard work and dedication is required.
You cannot grow without struggle and challenging yourself. I see these qualities in students every day, in the gym, and in the classroom. Strength and courage are qualities made from our pain and struggles. Many people take many difficult classes at Dalat, but despite the immense challenges, they overcome those hurdles.
Jong Min Park (12) states, "I find that with the multitude of things going on in my life - such as taking rigorous AP classes, applying to college, and pursuing my own goals in the weight room - maintaining mental toughness is a key component of seeing success in these areas. It's one thing to be able to endure through the struggles of achieving these goals, but it's another thing to continue challenging yourself to achieve more".
Like Jong Min said, developing mental toughness is key to being able to excel in life. Those who lack mental toughness will have difficulty facing the struggles of the future and possibly fall victim to them. Therefore, push through your pain and fight now, for it will transform you into the person you need to be later.

We Know You Can Sing


By Duncan Magruder
October 4 - 6 was an eventful time for both the high school choir and the many 7/11s that had the joy of doing business with them.

Breaking News! The high school choir is back and we are all happy that they have arrived safely. They were all wearing the same type of socks with different foods on them just trying to show their Choir section pride, after making an expedition all the way to Thailand have come back with a whole new view on life and music itself, really being able to experience the Thai culture by harassing every 7/11 employee they came across.

Christina Beaman (12) had an amazing time on the choir trip for the second time. This is what she had to say about it. “Each trip had a uniqueness to it and I really enjoyed both of them a lot. One thing I loved about this year was that we had a small group so we really got to bond with one another during the trip. One of my favorite memories was going to seven eleven together. We probably went 7 times in the span of two days. Overall, it was a great trip and it was amazing to see how 500 people can sing together and sound so good. It was an exciting week full of singing, laughing, and seven eleven.” At the end of the day, we could see that many of the students on the trip focused more on the many activities that involved 7/11 than they did the singing itself.

The choir trips have always been a joy to the students and every year they come back with a new story to tell and an inside joke that they will laugh at for days to come. The school loves having the vibrant energy the choir students express in the open-air halls as we walk to our next class. Hopefully, next year's choir trip will have just as much excitement and 7/11 runs as this past year did. 

Monday 7 October 2019

BREAKING NEWS: HS CHOIR INVADES THAI 7/11


By Maddie Rude

This past week the high school choir took its annual trip to Bangkok, Thailand. Dalat and fifteen other schools came together to perform seven pieces. There were over 500 hundred students singing and having fun together.  They spent all of Friday and most of Saturday preparing for the concert on Saturday afternoon. When they weren’t singing, they were goofing off in 7/11.

We got to experience how amazing it is to be a part of a mass choir. It was incredible to see all of our hard work come together and to experience how beautiful it is when 500 hundred people come together and perform. Christina Beaman (12) notes, “I loved our first practice with the whole choir because we had just come from performing a concert in Penang and it was mesmerizing to hear the difference when you combine multiple choirs. One thing I loved was hearing the end result because we work hard the weeks leading up to the trip then we get to come together with a bunch of other choirs and sing together, it is amazing to hear it and be a part of the performance.”

However, we had the most fun when we were just hanging out or when we were goofing around, like taking funny videos in the 7/11. Jireh Ang noted that “[a]t night I would be bored and ask if people wanted to go to 7/11 and then somehow almost the whole choir would go and we would have a blast every single time we went.”

“Sometimes when we were in public we would start dancing, breaking out in song as we paraded through malls and streets,” Amber Ruble (11) recalls one of her favorite memories. “It was so fun to see the happiness on everyone’s faces and just singing for fun.”

Through talking, singing and embarrassing ourselves in public, we all grew closer to each other. Reflecting on the trip Daniel Lim (12) says, "I think the choir trip showed more sides of each other especially since we only knew each other through singing. I can now associate everyone as my friends instead of just people I sing together with. I'm lucky to have been in this class, and I wish we could karaoke in room 301.”

Tuesday 1 October 2019

Application Concentration


by Jerald Ooi
            In the aftermath of a fun, destructive Sneak, a new, threatening challenge emerges. Application season begins! Get ready to be judged based on your bland transcript and underwhelming SAT score!
The week after Senior Sneak marks the end of relaxation and the beginning of frustration. With the bleak deadlines of early decision and early admission on the horizon, many seniors are now frantically scrounging for anything that may make them seem more appealing to their dream universities.
            After a liberating week away from the stress and responsibilities of school, the thought of application season looms even greater. Application season is when Senior year goes from a stroll in the park scenario to a ‘sprint or you’ll do more burpees’ moment. The immense weight of performance in the next few weeks can make or break plans for the future.
“The idea of applying to college and all the responsibility it entails is scary to think about,” says Celestine Teoh (12). The reality of the application progress can seem intimidating for anyone, and rightly so.
University admission is a daunting, life-changing juncture and it’s essential that all steps in the process are completed with precision and rigor. The journey to forming an appealing character in the eyes of a college admission official begins the moment you enter high school. From then on, grades, behavior, and attitude must constantly stay at top priority. Any mishaps or shortcomings can seriously corrode your on-paper image.
If you manage to emerge unscathed from 3 years of good behavior and work ethic, the next step may be somewhat relieving. It is considerably helpful to have an outstanding track record when formulating the content of the ‘brag sheet.’ Brag sheets allow students to record achievements, activities, and their personal impression of how great and worthy they are. These listed qualities aid the ‘lucky’ teachers that get the privilege of recommending the student. As scary as it may seem to ask for a LOR, teachers at Dalat genuinely care about making a significant impact in the lives of students and most are more than willing to write.
Maintaining a clean track record and receiving good reviews from credible teachers are only two of the many stages of college application. The next few weeks are of paramount importance to the lives of 60-odd students living on Penang Island as they each individually begin the next phase of achieving their dreams.