The Great Troop 222

By Tyler Ronning

This past weekend Boy Scout Troop 222 went on a camping trip up a local hill named Mt. Zizi. They left to hike up the hill on Frida and camped there for 2 nights before returning down the mountain on Sunday morning.

These Boy Scouts were required to hike up all the supplies that they may need for the weekend. Before they went on the campout though they were required to participate in a water hike in order to bring up water for drinking and cooking during the campout. On the day of the campout, they left at around 4:30 to hike up the mountain and arrived at their campsite a bit after an hour and a half later.

A current Boy Scout and the previous Senor Patrol Leader, Julien Goh said:

“Dom burning our hair

Our tents flooding at midnight

Agony; despair”

He has been on many campouts, and as some people know, where the scouts go, the rain follows. He took this form of writing a quote because one of the fun things that scouts did on their own on the campout was performing haikus. Scouts do lots of fun things on their campouts such as playing games, cooking their own food, completing service projects, playing in waterfalls, pranking other scouts, hanging out, and other exciting activities.

Unfortunately, due to Covid, Boy Scouts have no longer been able to hold their meetings at school, but they are still running! Every Tuesdays from 6-7 pm, unless it is the week after a campout. If you are interested and are in middle school, we would love to have you join. Contact Dominic Cheang at dcheang@studnet.dalat.org for more info about trying out scouts.

Leadership Class Bonds During Retreat

 By Andrew Kaney

This past Friday, students taking Leadership Development were excused from classes to have a “retreat” in Ziemer Dorm.

In recent years, the class had spent the night on Penang Hill for the retreat, but this year’s trip was cancelled due to the MOE. Despite the cancellation, Mr. Ronzheimer, the school’s Spiritual Life Director, took the opportunity to help the class bond and to teach them about companionship.

The retreat started with a morning devotional at the beach and a breakfast of waffles and bacon made by some of the students’ moms. After breakfast, Mr. Ronzheimer led the class through team building activities.

During one such activity, students got to know each other through “speed dating.” Members of the class were paired up and given time to get to know each other on a deeper level before rotating partners.

After “speed dating”, the class took part in a trust-fall. One-by-one, the students fell backwards off a high ledge as the other students caught them from below. The activity helped build trust within the class. The pinnacle of the activity was when Mr. Ronzheimer demonstrated his trust by doing the falling off the ledge without hesitation.

Along with team building activities, one of the most memorable parts of the day came when the students got the opportunity to from Daniel Choi. Daniel talked about how companionship had played a big role in his life. As Meredith Johnson said, “I loved when Daniel talked to us about companionship and about how we have the opportunity to help facilitate unity within our grade.”

The day in the dorm finished with free time for the students to talk and play games. After a few minutes, however, a “rap battle” broke out between Mycah Winsor and Zoe Seeveratnam. With John Kim and Yumin Kim providing the beat on the guitar and cajon, the class gathered around as Mycah and Zoe went back and forth rapping at each other. The “rap battle” provided a fun ending to a day of growth and bonding.

Riveting Midday Adventures

 

By Abigail Soo

 

After a supremely long wait leading up to Friday, 3rd of October, off-campus lunch for seniors was finally available.

During D block on Friday, October 3rd, the classes in the Harbor building were buzzing with excitement due to the ability to go off campus the next block for lunch. Between the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the SOPs that were put in place, going off campus for lunch, a senior privilege, seemed like an impossible feat. In World Literature class, there was a lot of leg tapping going on, nervous glances at the clock, and chatter in the room. All signs pointed to adrenaline coursing through the seniors’ veins as they waited for the glorious sound of the lunch bell.

Weeks ago, when the semester started, the SOP caused the launch of disappointing rules, especially for the students of Dalat, who enjoy a close-knit community that loves group activities. The students weren’t allowed to stay on campus after hours for any reason, even for sports and extracurriculars. The impact on the culture at Dalat caused by that was significant, enthusiasm and excitement ran low, and the students were not as motivated and energetic as before. Overall, it just didn’t feel like Dalat anymore.

Then, a miracle happened on the 2nd of October; an email was sent to the students titled, “Senior Off Campus Lunch.” That email caused an uproar and immediately restored the spirits of the students. Some had been waiting for this privilege since 1st grade, and the moment had arrived, after a decade-long wait.

“Finally!” exclaimed Saebom Won (12), a known foodie in the class of 2021.

Fast forward to Friday the 3rd of October, the long-awaited moment had finally made an arrival. The students, waiting for the bell, felt like they could taste freedom on the tips of their tongues. They were so close, yet so far. Only a few millimeters away on the clock, it seemed, but in seconds, the wait was oh-so-long.

Then, it happened, the sweet and haunting tune of the lunch bell rang throughout the school, louder that day, as if it also knew of the exciting news. The students, bags packed and ready, ran out of the classrooms, doors slamming shut behind them as they finally attained freedom to go on an adventure in the middle of the day. Some went to restaurants nearby, and some tested their luck and went farther. They might have been late, but they didn’t care. After all, they were having some riveting midday adventures.

What Students Do During Teacher Training Days

 

By Anya Kaloo

For weeks, students of Dalat International High school division have been working diligently to fulfill their aspirations. Sadly, however, this does not leave much time for their favorite pastimes such as sports, hanging out with friends, and exercise. On Monday, 26 October, Mr. Brewster had blessed the students with a Dalat holiday. But little did the students know that this was not a holiday for everyone.

Early Monday morning, teachers rolled into school thrilled to go through teacher training. During teacher training day, many students finally found the time to take a break from university searching and school work to have fun and bond with friends. Students enjoyed their time by doing anything that was not related to school. Examples of these games that are commonly played in Dalat is Minecraft, Among Us and sports games. Students that do not spend their time gaming usually find time to make plans to be with friends.

As Gabe Kontsas (11) said, “I enjoyed playing soccer on a muddy field although I struggled with the slippery ground. I also went to Let’s Meat with my friends, then invited my friends to my house to play video games.”

Dalat community is a community that actively practices giving back to others. From Kids For Kids is a club that raises money to aid other children around the world through school. The recent long weekend provides an opportunity for members to meet up and make plans on methods to raise money for the children they are sponsoring. A few ways how this club is raising money is through donations, no uniform days and bake sales. Sharisse Leong, who is a member of From Kids For Kids, shares what she did during teacher training day for the club.

Sharisse Leong (12) said, “I spent Monday baking treats to raise money for From Kids For Kids Club with my friends.”

Other activities that students indulged in was catching up on rest. Many children in the dorms enjoyed spending their Monday off by appreciating the possibility to sleep in and have their first meal of the day. How long could you sleep in for? 

Senior Class Lock In

 

By Kris Chong

 

The one-and-only senior class “lock-in” was held on the afternoon of Friday, October 23rd. All of us had the privilege to skip our afternoon classes, and we gathered in the vintage chapel for the lock-in.

With Covid cases on the rise in Malaysia, the Ministry of Education had decided to stop all extracurricular activities. Naturally, we have temporally lost the privilege to go off campus for lunch, and there will not be any intramurals for now.

We had a class meeting on Tuesday, October 6th. The class committee announced that for our class, there would be two significant activities coming up in the next two months (October and November), the former being the lock-in, and the latter being Senior Sneak. The lock-in was chosen to be held on the Friday after fall break.

During the class meeting, Jimin Park (12) told us further information about the lock-in We were all excited because our class is the first class to do this in years, since Dalat decided to ban lock-ins, but we were lucky enough to get to do it. We were all anticipating an all-night “class party” because the lock-in was supposed to go from Friday after school until Saturday morning.

I was asking Palmer Ford (12) during the class meeting what he would do during the lock-in, and he said to me, “I will play games on my PS4 and not go to sleep until 6 am.” Looks like people were bringing their game consoles for the lock-in!

Two weeks hal passed since the meeting and looking at the daily Covid statistics, our hope of having a full Lock-in was getting smaller. Once the Ministry of Education changed their minds, we were disappointed by the fact that the MOE cancelled all after-school activities.

No worries though! Mr. Brian Brewster came to the rescue and told our class we could still do a lock-in on Friday afternoon, though not all night, and we still had a blast. Team activities like murder in the dark, breakout boxes, and popping balloons with a plunger was the highlight. We went from doing indoor activities to having a water balloon fight outside the dorm building.

After all, even if this lock-in was not what we expected, we still had the chance to get together as a class and had lots of fun. All that I wish now is for Covid cases in Malaysia to gradually drop, because who knows what our senior sneak experience is going to be. We, as a class, have to cherish the time that we have together because in six months we will all part our ways. In light of Covid 19, we will have to try our best to be together as a class. Cheers!

Serving Local Furry Friends

 

By Sharisse Leong

Graduation service hours have always been in the minds of high school students. Getting the 10 hours of service by the end of the year is important to them. Though due to the recent outbreak of Covid, it has not been easy to find opportunities to serve. The high schoolers were ready to serve as an email was sent out concerning a service opportunity at the Cat Beach Sanctuary.

For the graduation hours to be approved, the project has to be something non-school sponsored. On Tuesday, October 6, Zoe Grous, a senior, sent out an email explaining that she had contacted the people working for the cat beach, stating that they needed volunteers to help out at the shelter. She sent out a signup form, and up to 32 kind-hearted high schoolers were willing to participate.

I asked Zoe Grous (12) the question of what inspired her to reach out to the Cat Beach Sanctuary: “Through the Student Impact Club I have been able to reach out to different organizations in Penang, which has been very inspiring. I felt inspired to reach out to Cat Beach Sanctuary because often people overlook animals and see them as less important. Providing the high schoolers with a service opportunity seemed like a great way to get students involved and give back to the community.”

On Saturday, October 17, a group of high schoolers ranging from freshmen to seniors made their way to the Cat Beach Sanctuary, located in Teluk Bahang. They were met with an unexpected obstacle, where there was heavy traffic. What was supposed to be a 25-minute ride became a 45-minute ride due to a fallen tree on the way.

Even though the students got to the cat beach later than expected, they still kept the smiles on their faces. Once they entered the gates, the local cats greeted them with excitement, rubbing against their legs, meowing, and purring. The students fell in love with the furry friends instantly.

The volunteers were then split up evenly into three groups. One group got to clean the cats, another had to clean below the main cat house, and the last group got to play with the cats and clean around the area.

The volunteers continued their work for two hours, till four in the afternoon. It was an exceptionally hot day and there was no air conditioning, but nobody complained. Everyone worked hard and made sure that the cats were left clean and happy.

At four, the students were picked up by their parents, and some of them left with a grab, paying about 4 to 6 ringgit per person for the ride back. The sweat and hard work were worth it, knowing that they had done something good for the community and provided a better environment for the Cat Beach Sanctuary cats.

It was heartwarming that the group of high schoolers were willing to take time off their fall break to serve the local community. This shows what Dalat is all about: being selfless and serving the community.

Two Months of Cherished Memories With Angel

By Alice Yang

 

After two months of teaching human anatomy class, Mr. Guerrero Angel, the substitute for the incoming teacher, held a small farewell party with the seniors in B block, cherishing the two months of happy memories.

Due to the absence of the incoming teacher, Mr. Riffey, who was supposed to be teaching the class, Mr. Guerrero substituted to teach in these two blocks of Human Anatomy.

Ever since Mr. Guerrero became a substitute for this class, the students, composed of all seniors, had experienced attentive and enjoyable class learning environments through intriguing laboratories and activities.

A vibrant, relaxed class environment and atmosphere have been created through having class activities such as sunscreen lab comparing the level of skin protection of each different sunscreen brand, a "skincare" activity trying out a facial mask and blackhead packs and review games helping the students to learn and prepare for upcoming tests.

As Sean Park (12) says, “One of the activities I enjoyed the most in Human Anatomy so far was whenever we played Kahoot as a class. I liked how competitive everyone was to be in the first place. High intensity made the Kahoot more interesting. Also we not only reviewed through Kahoot, but we were able to learn new things because some of the questions were unexpected, such as questions on concepts we never learned. But those questions helped me to get a better understanding of Human Anatomy as a whole. In the end, it was worth it.”

Moreover, the seniors got to have exposure to intriguing facts and knowledge about the human body parts, bones, and skin. Most importantly, these labs and activities further brought greater joy and motivation for seniors to learn better.

An unforgettable moment of playing fun games in the last few minutes of each class, such as musical chairs, heads up, seven up, mafia, and Kahoot quizzes about Disney music, helped the B block seniors and señor, Mr. Guerrero,  to bond stronger. Through this, the seniors were able to spend a good first two months of the senior year learning the human body in various ways while also making good memories.

On the 9th of October, the last day before fall break, the B block class held a small farewell party for their "angelic" teacher, Mr. Guerrero, as means to show their gratitude and appreciation for the previous two months of teaching. With a board written 'goodbye Mr. Guerrero', two small firecrackers, Dorothy Koay’s (12) baked chocolate chip cookies, and a bag of pretzels, the seniors and Mr. Geurerro spent the last day of class playing games cherishing the memories.

When the last minute of class left, with a class group hug, the seniors ended the last class with their angelic teacher, Mr. Angel Guerrero. 

Photos from Sean Park

A Time for Relaxation and Fun

 By Jeremy Kim

The school was empty, with no students to be seen anywhere. What was going on? It was fall break! A week off from school that everyone, even the teachers, was excited about. It was a time to relax and hang out with friends and family. 

Fall break was a one-week break where students and teachers can finally let go of anything school-related and enjoy a short rest. Even though people missed school when it was closed due to the pandemic, they can still find school tiring, especially when it takes up a solid 8 hours of their day. Sometimes a good break from school can really help us mentally and physically.

Anisha Kaloo (11) said, “ I got to go back to KL over the break and got to spend time with my family and friends.” Students and teachers got to spend this time doing whatever they needed to do: visiting their family, going on a short trip with friends, etc. Students also enjoyed this time since they could do things they liked and get lots of rest at home without having to worry about their academics.

Enee Crosslin (12) said, “ I didn’t do too much over the break, but I really enjoyed staying home and getting a good rest.”

During fall break, high school students also participated in lots of different service opportunities. The high school Impact Club planned service opportunities for students since it was hard to find opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students could choose to go to either a dog or cat shelter to serve. The animal shelters had hundreds of stray cats that were being taken care of.

Students were able to play with and clean the animals. Ji Hwan Kim (11)  said, “it was fun playing with the cats there. We helped clean the shelter where the cats were to help the cats live in a cleaner and better environment. It was a good experience.” Fall break was a wonderful time for Dalat students to branch out and serve the community they live in. 

Everyone enjoyed their short yet restful break. It was a good time to take a step back and chill. Even though students were sad about returning to school on Monday, it was great to be back amongst friends again. 

A Day with Lovely Animals

 By Ally Kim

“When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I see a soul,” said Anthony Douglas Williams, an animal rights activist. Over the 17^th and 18^th of October, Dalat high schoolers had an opportunity to serve animals. Seventy students signed up for this animal service, which far exceeded the expected number.

There were two separate programs – one cat focused (at Cat Beach), and one dog focused (at 4PAWS Dog Shelter). Each student was given a chance to choose between the two based on their preference and experience. Despite its distant location and quite inconvenient transportation, many students were more than willing to spend their last two days of fall break on this animal service.

The main tasks for both projects were washing, walking, and playing with the animals. There were over one hundred cats and about six hundred dogs in the centers. Many of them had uncomfortable legs and poor visions. Some cats only had half of their tails, and some dogs had their ears half cut. All animals there were wounded deeply both inside and out.

To cure and show love to the animals, Dalat students devoted all their heart and energy to them. Students gave the animals warm hugs and sweet smiles. Although washing many dogs and cats at once and cleaning their shelter were laborious, they never lost their happy smiles and caring hearts for the animals.

Ji  Choi (12), who served in the cat program, said, “I never knew there was such shelter for cats in Penang. Although washing the cats was not an easy experience, they were all so cute that I could not feel tired. I was a little scared at first, but they were so adorable. I feel like they healed my soul and definitely made my day.”

Erica Jang (12), who worked with the dogs, said, “The dogs were so active and loving. Their positive energy lightened up my mood!”

This Animal Service had become a memorable experience for the students who participated, and they are excited for the next opportunity to see the animals again. Animal Service is a student-led service run by the student impact club that provides students with opportunities to serve animals. This week was a successful start on the program that will continue throughout the year.

The Little Things Matter

Dorothy Koay

What does a small group of fifteen Dalat high schoolers do every Monday to directly impact individuals who are as far as 4,500 miles away? They walk into the Penang classroom during X-Block, with a heart to serve those who are less privileged than them, as members of the From Kids 4 Kids Club.

As a devoted and supportive supervisor of the club, Ms. Shawna Wood recounted that the club was first formed seven years ago. It was started by a group of eighth graders who were inspired to serve after a Social Studies lesson that talked about an individual’s rights and responsibilities in their community. As the young servant leaders recognized their potential to bring about positive influence on their community, they reached out to Ms. Wood and decided to form a club where they can carry out realistic plans in hopes of bringing even the smallest change to the world.  

From Kids For Kids Club stands with the notion: “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.” For the members of the club, it is not so much about changing the world, than it is about changing someone’s world. This firm and intentional mindset guided the club in making major decisions such as becoming the financial supporters of three kids: Mostafa Ibrahim, Sasidu Deadiyale Gedara, and Thi Loan Bui, for as long as three years, six years, and seven years, respectively. 

Not only does the club puts its focus on funding children to ensure they get their needed education, members of the club also connect with the children on a personal level by sending each child at least one letter every month. 

Some ways that the club have raised money in the past was by doing baking sales or by collecting donations through chapel services. One chapel service on February 2019, for instance, have collected as much as RM1735 from both the High School and Middle School department. 

As Dalat students go on from middle school to high school, from high school to college, and college to the outside world, Ms. Wood encourages students to be intentional in making positive influences on the people around them as she enthusiastically declares, “Everybody can make a difference! You just have to get involved.”

The Joy of Intramural Sports by Ethan Chan

 By Ethan Chan

With the ongoing chaos from Covid, many seniors have had their senior sports seasons stolen from them in a bad stroke of luck. On the bright side, this led to the creation of an intramural co-ed sports league that recorded participation from 279 students across both middle and high school. While it may not be the competitive interscholastic environment many varsity players might have been hoping for, the league presents its own relative benefits.

Currently supporting two sports, soccer and volleyball, the league shows great representation of a wide variety of skill levels. We have players taken straight from the varsity teams, but the majority of players in the league have little to no experience with their respective sport. To some, this intramural experience is serving as an introduction to a sport they might have wanted to play, but never had the chance to. In addition, the league also has the added virtue of being inconsequential, which makes for intense gameplay but without the pressure to perform well that is often seen at the interscholastic level. This makes the games far more enjoyable.

So far, my experience playing intramural soccer has been filled with pure, uninhibited, lighthearted enjoyment. If it weren’t for the horde of mosquitoes prowling around upper field, I might even call it perfect.

Bennett McIver (10) said, “it’s great to have something fun to do after school.” 

Zoe Seeveratnam (12) commented, “I look forward to intramurals because it gives me a great opportunity to get to know others outside my grade.”

The league isn’t even halfway to completion, yet it goes without saying that we are excited to see how the remainder of the season plays out. Looking towards the future, I personally wish to see the continuation of intramural sports at Dalat. While this may prove difficult after restrictions are removed on interscholastic sports, due to more regular usage of Dalat’s sports facilities, I think it’s been immensely valuable to many of our students and would continue to be in years to come.

The End of the Endless Wait

 

By Jimin Park

 

Six months have gone by since the school filled up the liveliness of sports. There were no sounds of bouncing basketballs, hitting volleyballs, kicking soccer balls, and last but not least, the sound of people. Yet, this was all changed by an email sent by Mr. Davis on September 9^th: “HS Intramural Sign-Ups (Due Thursday @7: 00 pm).” That was enough to bring life back to Dalat. Everyone was talking about the Intramurals – deciding whether they would join either soccer or volleyball, persuading their friends to play the same sports, and expressing how they were so ready for this change.

 

58 people signed up for soccer, and 77 people signed up for volleyball, which exhibited the excitement of students playing sports with friends after school. The teams were mixed throughout the grade and gender, having everyone from freshman to seniors, girls and boys, and a few varsity players on each team. Some seniors were denoted as team captains to lead so that everyone can have fun and hopefully win. Teams were made, captains were decided, the schedule was out, everything was ready.

 

There was an unusual enthusiasm among students on Monday; everyone was ready to go and start out the 6-week season with a WIN. Starting from 3:15, teams started to warm up on the lower field and the gym – making sure there will be no cramps or injury from a sudden burst of movement that hasn’t happened in 6 months.

 

For soccer, the mustangs, the bobcats, and the storm took a win while the storm, who played two games, tied against the zips. For volleyball, the bruins, the titans, the cougars, and the waves won.

 

Yumin Kim (12), one of the team captains of the Mustangs, said, “It felt great to be back playing sports with friends. Although it’s not like an actual season, I’m thankful to still have the opportunity to play.”

 

Everyone was excited about the start of intramurals. It will be fun to watch how the next few weeks will play out.

The Happiness of Giving

 

By Yebeen Kil

The hallways of the Dalat high school buildings lit up colorfully as the students moved from one room to the next, trying to get to their next classes. On the 23rd of September, students donated RM 10 each to the Student Impact Club’s charity fundraiser in order to participate in No Uniform Day. The students received a ribbon—that they could pin to their clothes—after they made their donation, showing that they had paid to wear their own clothes. Students of all grades took this opportunity to express themselves and to have fun. The middle school students dressed up in animal costumes such as lions and unicorns, while some of the high schoolers wore matching outfits.

 

Students were to wear one of the corresponding colors, orange, green, white, blue, or pink. These colors all symbolized things that the students could support. If students supported the homeless, they could wear the color white. The color orange meant that the students supported orphans, green meant supporting animals, blue meant supporting the refugees, and pink meant supporting breast cancer victims.

 

Teachers enjoyed watching their students come to class in clothes other than their uniforms. “My highlight was seeing how much fun everyone had expressing themselves.  Everyone let out their inner fashion beast… This year’s senior guys reminded me of elementary kids. They had zero self-control in class and couldn’t focus at all,” said Mr. Kirk Ronzheimer. The senior boys decided to come in matching outfits—a pink shirt, blazer, swim shorts, ties, and clashing hats along with accessories. Wherever they went, they were the center of attention.

 

“Mycah Winsor (12) and I started it, and while we were talking about it during lunch, the other boys jumped in,” said Jeremy Kim (12). “So we made a group chat with all the guys, and everyone started throwing in ideas,” he added.

 

The charity fundraiser run by the Student Impact Club ended successfully, earning more than RM 10,400. Although simple, this event gave an opportunity for the students to give to the needy while being able to have fun at the same time.

Sports Are Back!

 By Kalia Brewster

Before lockdown happened, sports were one of the most time-consuming, important, and enjoyable parts of my day. After school, I could hardly wait to leave the classroom and get out on the field or court — to play a game that I loved with people that I loved and coaches who invested deeply in me. Nothing has quite impacted my life in the way sports has. It is hard for me to describe how something that has been part of my life since I can remember has been so formative.  I know that many others feel the same way about sports and how it has shaped them.

Esther Tse (12) said about sports and how it impacted her life, “Sports has helped me not only work on my personal skills but also work on communication skills and the ability to understand each other’s strengths.” Sports has a profound and sometimes unseen effect on athletes. Not only the physical aspect of sports, but the emotional, mental, and relational challenges that it presents helps athletes become more well rounded people. 

Recently, however, I have had many conversations about how the lockdown took away sports opportunities and how this has shaped lives in a significant way. Having down time after school is unheard of by Dalat’s athletes. Even the absence of the little aspects of sports is felt. My personal favorite little sports experience was the cheer at the end of practice that the basketball and soccer teams would do. It helped unify the team even in the smallest gesture. Other Dalat students have told me of their own personal losses as well.

 Lydia Geiman (12) said, “I miss the family-like bond that sports teams created throughout the season.” She then quickly added, “I also miss getting my booty whooped during scrimmages.” For athletes, it isn’t about the wins or losses, but about the team building experience. 

To make adaptations to the new standard operating procedures for lockdown, sports was at first not allowed. In recent weeks, however, they have allowed for intramurals, which have been an amazing breath of fresh air for students longing for some fun, physical activity. It allows people from all experience levels to join a team to play scrimmages once or twice a week.

Because of COVID-19, being intentional about building community has become increasingly important. Dalat’s intramurals season is one step towards the light at the end of the tunnel of COVID-19, and I hope to see people intentionally participating in community sports and activities to help us break through the loss and realize what we have to be grateful for. A reset is just what we needed to refocus our minds and hearts on all of the blessings we enjoy.

Music Gives Color to the Air of the Moment

By Esther Yang

Due to the pandemic, the Music Department announced recently that there would not be any live concert performances this semester. But students still get to perform what they have learned in class differently, by recording videos.

The current situation changed many aspects of our society, especially in the Music Department. Band trips and choir trips are canceled, and there is no showchoir or men’s and women’s ensemble rolling in this period.

So right now, there is only one choir happening: the concert choir. This year’s choir is filled with talented people from different grades. However, since the students didn’t get a chance to bond by going on the trip, the class’s vibe is different compared to the previous years.

Moreover, when school had just started, many students seemed like they gave up on having a concert. Students learned various songs without the certainty of having a performance. However, one day, Ms. Goh surprised the students by announcing that there would be a concert happening by filming videos.

With the news, she also introduced two new songs to the students: “Truly Brave” and “Music Changes the World.” Then Ms. Goh added, “In times like this, we should sing from our heart and give hope to the people. In our lives’ darkest times, music consoles us, gives us joy, and brings us back together. Music lives, no matter what.”

Although it did not go as planned, the concert is still happening. Students in choir got an opportunity to make a music video of  “Truly Brave” to make the music more exciting and directly deliver messages to the audiences. Some of the seniors are also sharing their experiences in the choir through a short interview.

It is hard to look on the bright side, but there is always a good part of the story when one looks closely with patience. As Amy Park (9) expressed, "I really like the fact that we still get to perform during this pandemic. However, it’s kind of disappointing that we don’t get to perform in front of many people. Still, on the other hand, if we make a music video, more people will get to see our performances (such as my parents, who are not living in Malaysia) with better quality and elegant performances."        

Music speaks what cannot be expressed with words, soothes the mind, and gives it rest. It also heals the heart, and connects our souls. It touches our emotions and comforts us. In the song “Truly Brave” it says,

I see your true colors shining through.

I see your true colors and that’s why I love you.

So don’t be afraid to let them show.

Your true colors, your true colors… are beautiful like a rainbow.

The choir hopes the concert this time will make you appreciate your moments, bring back your memories, heal your pain, and share happiness. Please join this journey with us and stay tuned for the concert!

 

8 Hours of Freedom

 By Joel Kelley

The never-ending question among students of whether or not uniforms should exist at Dalat will finally be answered this Wednesday on September 23rd -- but only for 8 hours.

For as long as anyone can remember, Dalat International School has had required uniforms that all students must wear throughout the school day. While they have changed over the years, two things have stayed the same: the Dalat logo on the right side of the chest and the portion of the student body who wishes they could wear t-shirts to school. However, the uniform policy does not exist to torment these wishful students. Rather, the policy exists to encourage unity within our school and maintain modesty and image on a large scale.

While a sense of unity on the school campus is a goal for the staff, yet another holds high value in their eyes: community service. Every year, students are encouraged to engage in service opportunities regularly, not just within the Dalat community but in the larger, Penang community. Students have served in churches, retirement homes, and local schools throughout the years and have learned the importance of looking outward, beyond their own needs and desires, to help those in more need than themselves.

With a required uniform policy and a heart for community service, Dalat is taking advantage of its unique opportunity to serve the community and provide the student body with a break in the monotony by offering No Uniform Day. No Uniform Day is a charity fundraiser run by the Student Impact Club that offers students the opportunity to wear their own, non-uniform, clothes to school for one day. Any students that are interested can make a donation of at least 10RM and receive a ribbon, color-coded for the charity they donated to, in order to participate.

Sumin Lim, a Dalat senior, said, “No uniform day is one of my favorite events in school. Especially because of the limitations due to the coronavirus, I think that the no uniform day is a good way for us to have a school event and raise money for charity. It is also fun and comfortable wearing whatever we want to school.”

While not eradicating the uniform policy, No Uniform Day offers students a chance to express themselves through clothing as they all get to see their friends in ways they may not have before. And let us not forget, each 10RM donation is put towards helping refugees, orphans, Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, and more.

Coronavirus is on the loose and opportunities are being taken from us each and every day; but Dalat’s heart for the community cannot be quelled by a global pandemic. For 8 hours, Dalat students will get to experience an unusual type of freedom as hope is given to the elderly, orphaned, and sick in the community around us.

Return of STEP Students

 By OnYou Kim

Seven STEP students, who stayed an additional month in Korea due to the MCO extension, returned to school on September 14th.

The journey of the students began on the evening of August 29th at the Incheon Airport; the group involved OnYou Kim (12), Sieon Park (12), Grace Bae (11), Haeon Park (11), Sharon Kang (10), Hajin Kim (7), and Joseph Lim (7). The plane ride took approximately six hours, and their arrival at the KL Airport signaled their five hours of immigration. Downloading and signing into an app was the first step. The second step involved getting numerous documents verified and the COVID test done in the nose and mouth. The final step was the passport check, which took the longest with nearly four hours of waiting.

After claiming their luggage, the students were led outside where Uncle Brian Weidemann, one of the dorm representatives, was waiting to drive them to Penang. While wearing enormous protective suits, the students were taken to Penang in a van, arriving at the Paradise Hotel at five in the morning.

The arrival at the hotel prompted the students’ quarantine that lasted for two weeks. The inconsistent internet connection was one of their major problems faced in the hotel; however, the dorm parents bought them hotspots, which assisted them in completing homework. Also, many people supported them by supplying them with snacks.

Before the last day of the quarantine, the students had their last COVID test at the hotel, which involved extracting a small amount of blood from their fingers. Thankfully, everyone tested negative, which allowed them to return to the dorms on September 13th.

Their return to school on September 14th marked their transition from online schooling to face to face schooling. Fortunately, everyone adjusted well into school.

Grace Bae (11) commented, “Coming back to school made me realize the importance of the time together with friends and the community.”

The return of the seven STEP students was an arduous journey that required patience and endurance. However, with many others’ considerate help, they could return safely and adjust well back into school.

Junior Class Store Sales Challenges

 

By Jia Yi Sim

Restrictions from the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) that began in the June of 2020 have caused a slowdown in numerous businesses, one of them being Dalat’s Junior Class Store.

The MCO prevented the store from operating after school, which has generated the most income for the juniors in the past. Right now, juniors are stuck selling snacks in between classes, and the store only actively operates for about 15 minutes a day. Such a narrow window of time makes it difficult for the store to collect large amounts of income each day. 

Helen Jang, a member of the junior class office, voices her concerns about their sales: “We had a head start because last year’s juniors donated many goods to us, but with the restrictions of MCO, I am worried that we will not earn as much money as we hope to.”

For many years, working in the Junior Class Store has served as the long-awaited experience for juniors. Spending long days after school in the store can be tiring, but jamming to music with friends, scooping ice cream for enthusiastic elementary schoolers, and counting the money after work provide immense amounts of satisfaction. Restrictions on the store have currently removed such opportunities for the juniors, but these students are looking for other ways to boost their income and enjoy the full experience of working in the store. They are currently exploring some different options such as selling drinks and freezies during snack time, which has not been done before. The juniors are also looking to lengthen the store’s operating hours.   

Regarding the shortened operating hours of the store, student Cecelia Sheng offers a solution: “I hope we can sell snacks in the store during lunch so that we can sell for a longer amount of time and earn more money while satisfying the sugar cravings of hangry students.”

Granted, the COVID-19 crisis and Movement Control Order have lowered the sales of the Junior Class Store, but they certainly have not lowered the juniors’ enthusiasm and hope for their store. Challenges will arise, and juniors must learn to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. However, if they persevere and maintain a diligent attitude, only success will await them. 

Quality Bonding Time with the Freshies!

 By Min-Song Ko

The seniors were given the opportunity to share, listen, and serve the freshmen on Wednesday, the 9th of September. The lunch line was crowded with an unusual mix of students, hungry for food. The seniors walked into the overcrowded gym with an excited heart to meet their arranged freshman partners, sitting patiently at their table. With their innocent eyes, the freshmen seemed nervous to listen to what story awaited them. 

At first, it took a lot of courage to bring up a conversation, striving to cut the awkward silence filling the area. Students showed their habits of grinding their teeth, biting off their nails, or scratching their scalp repeatedly every time the conversation went silent. While the seniors were hesitant, looking down at their lunch and showed signs of helplessness. The thought of an idea popped up. Grasping the white activity paper in between their lunch trays, the seniors thought of playing several games with their partners.

A few minutes in, slowly but surely, the mood lightened without even noticing as the seniors became comfortable with the freshmen. Slamming his deck of cards on the table, Seung Hwan Kim (12) asked, “Do you guys want to play a round of poker?” He then began to shuffle the cards with his tedious hands. 

While some of the tables considered playing games to lighten the mood, the others mostly gave back and forth advice to each other, building up their relationship as the conversation progressed to another. As the freshmen were asked about their dreams, Rhys Hofer (9) said with a face of uncertainty, “I want to major in music.” 

Sitting next to Rhys, Noah Brooks (9) smiled in response to the complicated question and said, “I still have no clue!”

Encouraging the young teens who are clueless about their current interests, the seniors nodded to their noticeable reactions, telling them not to worry. After all the serious talk was over, the focus shifted back to playing hangman and tic-tac-toe, where laughter filled the table again. 

This senior and freshman bonding wasn’t merely there to learn and teach, but it provided the time to be comfortable and stress-free while creating new friendships. Overall, it was a unique environment for us, seniors, to demonstrate the willingness to show leadership and bravery to the freshmen. Once again, we must be thankful for the ability to communicate and build relationships as it helped us improve not only as a teacher but also as a friend. 

Unexpected Chapel

 

By Zoe Seevaratnam 

Leadership Development is an optional class where students grow in spiritual truths while leading others to do the same. This year, however, has posed some challenges in ways the class can exhibit leadership practically. However, this past week has provided the course with a unique and creative outlet to demonstrate spiritual leadership--leading chapel. The process of planning to lead the chapel made students aware of the need for God's presence and the importance of gratitude.

A theme needed to be established, yet a whimsical idea cannot be enough when it comes to a chapel topic. Mr. Ronzhiemer told the class to pray before discussing ideas within groups. “Pray first” has become the unofficial class motto, as they have learned that they need to acknowledge God before planning anything. This motto proved evident during the class planning session as a common theme occurred during small group discussions--gratitude. Gratitude repeatedly appeared on the board as classmates wrote their ideas. Classmates blamed each other for the act of copying but soon realized that the coincidence was a God incident. Gratitude was decided on. The class saw the importance of prayer being demonstrated in such a transparent manner. God’s presence allowed for unity in thought and an understanding of what God was encouraging them to grow in.

The theme of gratitude presented itself to be the right antidote for the trials of the year. This year has affected everyone differently, but a sense of disappointment has come over each student. However, many great things have come out of these trying times; it has been a time for self-reflection and building relationships. Gratitude presented itself as the best way to find positivity despite the hardships; it offers the right motivation to take advantage of the year to come. A week of gratitude challenges were created by the class to encourage students to demonstrate their gratitude towards others in a practical way.

As Joel Kelley, a student in the class, says, “Gratitude is not a passive result but an active decision renewed day by day.” The goal of the challenge was to get the focus off of oneself while simultaneously encouraging others on a daily basis. A perspective game was also planned for the chapel. Several pictures were zoomed upon, and students were to guess what the picture was of. It was much harder guessing what the picture was when the entirety of it could not be seen. The purpose of the game demonstrates that getting bogged down by the disappointments of this season prevents oneself from seeing the year as a whole. Gratitude provides a perspective in which setbacks can be turn into comebacks

This unexpected chapel taught many lessons to a variety of people. The students in class learned the importance of acknowledging God and asking for His help. The high school learned that gratitude is the right tool in combating letdowns and provides the right outlook on life. Gratitude changes the trajectory of a year and finds the light amidst the darkness.

The Keyboard of Life

 By Alix Stuart            

Try this, hit the computer space bar, then scroll back up. Just try it. S P A C E. Hit it a few times. What if instead of putting a space into a document, it deleted a character. Now after years of using the keyboard one way, getting used to typing differently will take time. 

With space between normality and reality rapidly increasing amongst the new regulations with coronavirus, God is in control and always has His hands on the keyboard.

Mr. Brewster, Dalat’s high school principal, perfectly explains the struggles of social distancing, a new reality on Dalat campus: “Afterschool social-distancing has not gone well. It’s not surprising. It is unnatural to stand far apart; it is hard to hear each other through a mask; the rule does not always make sense, and sometimes you just forget.”

Change is hard. Changing habits is even harder. Not giving high fives and “hugging” from a distance is weird. Not being able to sit next to someone at a desk is not normal. On top of that, masks are required when talking to someone? Frustrating!

A space on the computer is just a few pixels. Social distancing requires more than just a few pixels of space but a recommended six feet between everyone! Now imagine being a STEP student, doing online school across the world from their friends, over ten thousand miles away. Space is relative. That six feet away from each other may feel like a mile, but it is keeping Dalat from closing again.

It may feel like God is miles away, living somewhere in the abyss above us, above space, far away. He has access to the “keyboard of life” to change events, but He doesn’t? He has His reasons, and He calls His people to follow Him anyway. 

Mr. Brewster further explains the situation with social distancing at Dalat, and the observation is discouraging: “A result that I dislike is that there has been a lot of frustration between students just hanging around and teachers who seek compliance [with the new social distancing rules].”

This whole situation is aggravating. School, something that isn’t always looked forward to, but was always there, bustling with students, is being threatened and changed. Change is difficult. All the activities students look forward to are being taken away: sports, lunch all together, SEW, normal chapel, and just hanging out with each other after school. These experiences were taken for granted. Not having them now, while frustration is a reasonable reaction to the situation, directing that frustration at each other does nothing. It is important to value being together. 

Remember, being a few feet apart is better than attending class through a screen all day. Enjoy being back. Enjoy being together.

A Day in the Life of a STEP Student

 

By Jared Douglas

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be in the STEP program?

Keilah Pickett, a Dalat 10th grader, is sadly stuck in her home country of Brunei. She has given us some insight into what her day as a STEP student is like.

We all remember the time when we had to do online school during lockdown. Those were the days of waking up late, procrastinating, struggling to understand some of the lessons, and wishing to be with our classmates. What is it like knowing everyone else is at school, and you are stuck in the STEP program ,1000 miles away, having left your previous school, and not knowing when you will be at school face to face? During these times, a STEP student must dig deep to persevere, stay focused, and remain positive during this lonely and uncertain time.

Keilah starts her day at 7:30 am with a walk around her community to get the blood pumping to the brain. Her first Zoom call is at 8.25 AM, and she does not leave her desk much until lunchtime. Unlike the students at school, she misses out on that reprieve that we all get when moving from one class to another while getting a change in scenery.

I asked Keilah what some of the challenging parts are about being a STEP student.

“There is an overwhelming workload,” she replied. She does not have much free time as schoolwork consumes her whole day. She also said that it is difficult not having friends to ask for help with assignments and homework, “It’s hard as I am new and do not have any peers to ask questions about the work.”

Keilah’s highlight is the Zoom calls. “I really enjoy the zoom calls,” says Keilah, as it “provides extra motivation.” These calls help get her through the day.

One cool thing Keilah has over the students at school is she gets to do school with her cat, Tez, which brings a bit of joy into her long and tedious days. 

Lockdown was a sad time for us as students, and we would hate to have to go online again. As Dalat students, we need to keep remembering that the STEP students are in the same boat that we were once in. We need to encourage and keep praying for our STEP students, that they may have the motivation and perseverance to keep working through the uncertainty that lies ahead.