Thursday 8 December 2022

We're Halfway There

By Chris Bell

From the beginning of time, within our academic careers, we have all sought the highly acclaimed "best year of our life." That year is Senior year, and for the class of 2023, the end of that year is halfway there. Throughout this first semester, we have had many adventures and experiences chiseled in stone and placed into our memory banks. From the retreat at Telunas with the grainy white sands of the Indonesian Isles, including the stupendously long journey it took to get there, as well as the late nights spent at senior parties playing glow-in-the-dark tag and board games. These experiences will impact not only our perspective during university but our perspective for the rest of our lives. With seniors leaving in less than half a year, making sure we develop meaningful memories is more important than ever. 

To start off by understanding the perspective of the students, here is a quote from Bennet McIver: "The year seems to have flown by fast; it's been exciting to resume extracurriculars and sports." For most senior students, the year feels like a catch-up for all the sports, activities and memories they missed out on. Despite this, the students used their missed time to work harder than ever, with the varsity soccer boys coming home with the first-place trophy from ACSC.

However, senior year isn't all butterflies and rainbows; senior year carries a heavy toll. Seniors must find a way to balance their lives between the treacherous exams and their ever-changing social life without feeling overwhelmed. 

To better explain what these students are feeling, here's a quote by Trevor Nichols: "Hectically work hard to balance college apps, school, and extracurriculars, but I still take the time to enjoy and savour the last few months I have with my classmates."

With the realisation of these "last few months" and ever-growing pressure, students have sought ways to savour these last moments with their friends, whether continuing their Friday night tradition or hanging out together more frequently. 

Some have even sought to bring along new traditions such as BBA (Bozo Ball Association). BBA is a 1v1 between non-Varsity basketballers during lunchtime. Spectators gather around in the dozens and overlook a game where competition is overruled by the mood for just having a fun time. 

Half of the year to experience that fun has finished, and the realization has sunk into the senior's mind. Still, the abundance of great experiences and lifelong memories leaves students hoping for an even better second semester. We halfway there, and we're livin' on a prayer.

Wednesday 7 December 2022

Island Shootout: 1 Point

By Bennett McIver

Dalat hosts a basketball tournament every year called Island Shootout where teams from Penang and the capital KL come up to play a small two day tournament. Our biggest rival, ISKL also attended the tournament and played us in the opening game of the tournament. The result of that game would be a Dalat defeat by two points; however this was not the last time we would face this team in the tournament. We then went on to beat Gardens International School by a decent margin before having the rest of the night to rest. 

The next morning, with five of our players taking the SAT, we were scheduled to play two games in their absence. The first game was against POWIIS, another school located in Penang, which we handled, only conceding six points. Unfortunately, a recurring injury of mine flared up after this game and sidelined me for the rest of the tournament. That victory put us in the semi-finals against Garden International. We came into that game with high expectations, having already beat that team the previous day. However, in light of this confidence, we struggled throughout the first half of the game; we had only managed to get an eight point lead going into the second half. It was then that the SAT finished and our players, who had taken the SAT in their jerseys, joined the team and provided some fresh legs. We still struggled until the 4th quarter where we pulled away and secured the win. 

This semi-final victory put us in the finals against ISKL. After an inspirational speech by Mr. Tom Penland, we were ready. The stands were packed out and hype, having just witnessed the Dalat Varsity girls win their tournament. There were high expectations for our game; everyone was hoping Dalat could emerge champions of both the girls tournament and the guys tournament. However, this hope did not come to fruition, as we lost the final game…by one point. 

The last 2 minutes of the game were intense, with scoring going back and forth. In the final possession, SooWei Goh (12) took the ball down the court where he sized up his defender and called for a screen by Luke Ng (12). He drove right and put up a shot, which was rebounded by Noah Kaney (12) who put the ball right back up and got blocked by an ISKL defender. SooWei (12) got possession off this shot and went to drive around a defender but got kneed in the quad and went down. The ball rolled out of his hand and an ISKL defender burned the remaining two seconds by holding the ball. Whether or not SooWei getting kneed should have been called a foul, we will never know, but the final score was 40-41 with Dalat losing in the finals by one point. 

Our team was devastated, and the crowd was quiet. After the defeat, our coach commented, “Good work guys, I think we played hard, sometimes things just don't work out in your favor. We definitely had our chances so keep your heads up because that game could have gone either way. We will see these guys in January, so let's get them then.”

Losing by one point is hard because you were so close. I looked at my teammates who were silently reflecting on the game. I bet there were a lot of “if only I had made that shot” ideas popping into my teammates heads. Regardless of the outcome, it was a great tournament, and I think our team played very well although it shed some light on areas we need to improve in. 

Dalat Island Shootout Championship Game

By Luke Ng 

Throughout the two days at the Island Shootout Championship, both Dalat teams fought hard, with the girl's team having a perfect record and sitting at the first seed and the boys having lost only one game to be the 2nd seed.

Both Dalat teams were able to win the semis and advance to the finals. Once again, the varsity teams from ISKL and Dalat would face each other to determine who the Island Shootout champion would be. The girls played first and began the game on fire, hitting shot after shot. Midway through the game, Lauren Worten (12) got injured, and a sudden panic fell upon the fans and team: who would be without their primary scorer? However, the girls continued to persevere and showed grit, enabling them to finish the game strong and become the champions of the 2022 Island Shootout.

The final game of the entire tournament was the Dalat boy's chance at redemption after a first-game loss to ISKL. Dalat's starting five of Soo Wei Goh (12), Darryl Dwumfour (12), Noah Kaney (12), Sean Lee (10), and Luke Ng (12) stepped onto the court to battle ISKL for first place. 

Team captain Soo Wei (12) led the Eagles chant, which brought the crowd to its feet and got the energy going for the rest of the team. Dalat started the game playing hard and gained a 7-5 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. Somehow, ISKL still found a way to gain the lead on the Eagles, but the boys never gave up, and in the 4th quarter, Noah’s (12) defense caused ISKL to fumble the ball, which led to a big and-one put back by Luke (12) followed by a clutch three from Soo Wei (12), which gave Dalat a one-point lead. 

With only a few seconds left, the star of the ISKL team drove in, and a controversial foul was called that sent him to the line to win the game. With 13 seconds left, Dalat still had a chance to win the game but was unfortunately unable to due to a clutch block by ISKL and a possible missed foul call by the refs. Dalat fell short 40-41 and came in at second place.

Team captain Soo Wei (12) said in a post-game interview, "Although we fell short by 1 point, I'm proud of my boys. It's an experience that we can build on and learn from." 

Both teams will have a chance to face ISKL again next January, with the guys hopefully being stronger and better than their opponents. 

Co-Captain Noah (12) said, "There's still a lot of room for us to grow, but I'm especially looking forward to playing ISKL again in January.”

Sing-le All The Way

By Larissa Lee

It’s Christmas season, and with the choir concert over, the students of Concert Choir have been busy with a new, exciting project. For the past week, students in Ms. Joyce Goh’s choir class have been recording music videos for any Christmas song of their choosing. Split into groups, each group has until Friday to record vocals, film footage, and edit together a music video filled with Christmas spirit. 

Among the groups, the song choices vary. From Sia’s “Snowman” to Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” each group is bringing something different to the table. My group, consisting of Hazel Chan (12), Adelina Chee (12), Alyssa Kwok (11), Arielle McIver (11), Sarah Loh (10), and myself, chose to cover a song from the movie Pitch Perfect 2 - “Winter Wonderland/Here Comes Santa Claus.” We quickly learned that recording a video isn’t as easy as it sounds, and that there are many different factors that go into it. Vocals need to be recorded, the video needs to be planned, footage needs to be filmed, and it all needs to be edited together cohesively at the end. This required teamwork, and for this festive time of year, it certainly felt fitting for us to all have the chance to bond. Turns out, that’s what Ms. Goh wanted. 

When I asked her why she assigned this project, Ms. Goh said, “I assigned this project because I wanted you guys to work on something on your own and just wanted to see your creativity … it’s nice to have you work together to showcase your talents, and everybody has something to offer.” It gave everyone a chance to shine, both individually and as part of a team.

Another group consisting of Ellie Guffy (12), Jasmine Hassan (12), Nicole Khor (12), Saidah Ly (12), and Anna Phuah (12) chose to do the song “White Winter Hymnal” by Pentatonix. 

When interviewed, Anna said, “I really do like the project. It’s different from most finals, but honestly, I'm pretty stressed because I want to impress Ms. Goh and I don't want to let her down." 

Ms. Goh is a teacher many don’t want to let down, not just Anna. Many feel like it’s the least we could do after she did everything in her power to make sure our choir trip to Bangkok and our choir concert both went smoothly. People want to make the videos the best they can possibly be, not just for the sake of their grades, but to thank Ms. Goh for the amount of work she’s done this past semester. 

Christmas is a time of year known for bringing about joy and togetherness, and that’s exactly what this final project did for Dalat’s Concert Choir students of 2023. These music videos weren’t just a project, but an opportunity to produce a work of art with peers and spread some Christmas joy. 

Tuesday 29 November 2022

The Dorm’s Annual Adventure at Adeline’s

By KyuHwi Han

On November 25th, the school campus echoed with the sound of suitcases rattling across the concrete road as the dorm students shuffled themselves toward the bus that would drive them off to their two-day retreat at Ipoh.

“The food. I can’t wait to have those buns again,” sighed Joycelyn Fung (12).

“With the condensed milk,” chimed in Micah Pickett (10). 

After the four-hour bus ride, we clambered into the back of a truck, clutching onto the rusty metal rails, preparing for another bumpy journey ahead.

The mountains resounded with whoops and shouts of giddy students standing at the back of the truck. There were a few shrieks and “ow’s” here and there due to some of the leaves having the audacity to smack our faces. By the end of the trip, our hairs were in disarray, but our hearts thumped in excitement: we’d arrived. 

But when we got off the truck, our hearts dropped with disappointment. It wasn’t the same Adeline’s we were used to. A simple house had replaced the beloved resort. 

“Well, at least the food will be the same,” I said. However, none of us could spot the long table hosting the long-awaited buffet of our dreams. We trudged our way into the dining hall, hoping against hope that the food would taste just as well as we remembered. Luckily, lunch satisfied our ravished stomachs. Most of us lamented the loss of our buns with condensed milk, though.

After our meal, the girls prepared to head into the residence, readying ourselves for more disappointment. But when we walked in, the room filled with delighted gasps. It was a beautiful house with a tall ceiling, filled with cozy bunkbeds, each by a lamplight. The metal stairs spiraled up onto a wooden platform where there were more snug mattresses to sleep on. 

“It’s like the hills are alive with the sound of music,” said Keilah Pickett (12). It really did feel like we had just stepped into a movie. 

Some of us sprawled across the beds, tired from the journey, while the rest gathered to play some card games. The relaxing mood lulled us to sleep. 

When we woke up, it was time for some white-water rafting. 

We exhausted ourselves for the next two hours: paddling across the river, jumping off boulders, laughing at Uncle Keith’s spluttering face as he resurfaced from getting dunked in the water. The dorm retreat still retained the charm most of us held dear to our hearts. For the seniors, it was a moment of closure and appreciation: 

Ellie Guffy (12): “It was fun. It also gave me a chance to connect with my younger dorm siblings.”

Sharon Kang (12): “I liked it. I’m glad I could bond one more time with my dorm.” 

Joycelyn Fung (12): “Once again, the food was bussing.” 

I’m thankful to have had this retreat, making lasting memories to take with me for when I leave this place that I called my home for the last four years. 

The Greatest Show

By Joshua Emmanuel

On November 23, 2022, Dalat had its first concert of the year, where all the parents, elementary choir, Concert Choir, and Show Choir gathered in Harbor Hall.

To start the night, the elementary choir sang "Silent Night," "Go Tell It On The Mountain," and "Feliz Navidad." All three of these songs and the concert choir were all conducted by the choir teacher Ms. Joyce Goh. 

The concert choir sang "Rev 19," which is a song based on Revelations chapter 19, the next song was "Sing Your Song," followed by "HUXI," which had a solo by Christal Teoh, and finally, they sang "All I Want For Christmas." 

The Greatest Showman was the last piece performed by the show choir. Adam Lim, who portrayed the greatest showman, did an amazing hat flip at the beginning of the performance, followed by a solo. Mr. Hans Kanagaraj (teacher and creator of the magic that was witnessed during the greatest show performance), who helped with the lights, said, "The show overall was a great show, true to its name." The greatest show had a few solos sung by Lauren Worten (12) and Adam Lim (12). There was also a duet sung by DJ Yost (11) and Kyuhwi Han (12). 

Some of the people who attended the concert said that is was, "extravagant and an eye-opening experience and changed my whole world view" (Aaron Andrews, 9). 

Natalie Khor (12) said, "It was really cool when the whole stage turned red, and the spotlight showed on Adam. It was really dramatic and helped add to the song they were singing."

The choir performance was the highlight of the week. They were also the perfect way to end the short week of school. Thursday and Friday were holidays for the Dalat community as they celebrated Thanksgiving. 

Over the weekend, news came that Monday would be a public holiday as the governing party won the elections. To the joy of some and the dismay of others, the whole community enjoyed a very long weekend. After what seemed like a short weekend, everyone returned to school on Tuesday, slowly wrapping things up as the semester comes close to an end.

Run it Back

 By Jordan Suen

With a roaring crowd and people on their backs the Dalat Varsity Basketball team commenced the first official basketball game in two years— a game against the local club team PBA. A highly anticipated event that everyone from around the school came to watch whether you were in 5th grade or 12th grade. 

The five players for Dalat stepped onto the court with fire in their eyes and a hunger for a victory. Luke Ng (12) was jumping for the favorites of the game. As the ball was tossed, all spectators had expectancy in their eyes.

The game had commenced; however, it did not go as everyone hoped for. Dalat had started the game taking bad shots and all around looking fairly lost. This led to the boys being at a deficit for a greater portion of the first quarter.  However, by the 6th minute of the first quarter, the Dalat Eagles hit their stride and made a two pointer, pulling them in front of PBA.

The second quarter was a complete wash. The quarter opened up with familiar faces such as Noah Kaney (12) and Soo Wei Goh (12) followed by the other starters: Darryl (12), Luke (12), and Shaun (10). This resulted in an extremely large lead half way through the second quarter. With Dalat pulling ahead, PBA coach John opted to take a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Dalat picked up right where they left off, firing off basket after basket with no sign of relenting. This surge of energy and success went all the way through to the fourth quarter. With the lead growing every minute, the Dalat community considered this game a done deal, and a done deal it was. With a final score of 53-24, the game had ended in a dominant fashion.

With the Varsity Boys collecting their first win of the season, and first win in two years everyone who had watched was hopeful for what was to come. 

“For their first varsity game in two years, I think that the boys played very well, scoring a great win against the PBA. Hopefully, this win will allow our varsity boys to have a good season and bounce back into it after COVID,” said Julien Goh (12).



Season Opener After 2 Years!

By Dominic Cheang 

February 6th and 13th, 2020 - The former was the last time the Dalat Varsity Basketball Team had a home game against an outside opponent and the latter was the last time the Dalat varsity basketball team had a game against another team. As we all know, the weeks following came with daily headlines of the then-unfamiliar COVID-19. Eventually culminating in the full lockdown of Malaysia, along with the rest of the world.

Basketball has always been a core part of the identity of Dalat, often being the sport that has the largest audience and largest group of players trying out.

Fast forward to November 17, 2022, and Dalat is finally hosting a home basketball game for its boys varsity team against the local PBA (Penang Ballers Association) team. The excitement and enthusiasm for the Basketball season was unparalleled throughout the campus. 

For a sense of scale of how important of a game this was, the class of 2023, the current seniors, were freshmen the last time there was a varsity basketball game. Not only that, this was the season opener, so it had to be good.

By the time the teams were warming up, the bleachers in Steinkamp Court were already packed with spectators anxiously waiting for the action to begin. The new speakers recently installed onto the walls of the court only amplified the excitement for the highly anticipated game. 

As the whistle blew and the players gathered with their respective teams to have a final briefing before starting the game, the audience quieted down a bit to allow the players to listen to their coaches. This was shortly followed by the classic “1! 2! 3! Eagles!” by the team captain Soo Wei Goh (12) and thunderous applause and cheers from the bleachers. 

The game itself was intense, with both teams giving their all on defense and offense. Team Captain Soo Wei Goh had several injury scares with his constant cramping. Post Player Luke Ng (12) racked up his stats with getting over 5 offensive rebounds in 3 seconds to finally score the basket. And Co-captain Noah Kaney (12) helped lighten the mood with his barking on offense.

The game ended with an euphoric 53-26 win for Dalat.

When asked about his opinions of the game, Mr. Issac Lee, assistant coach had some criticism but was happy with the overall results. “Since the last game played at Faith Academy back in February 2020, Dalat basketball is finally back. Stat wise, it wasn’t the best performance, but our season is very young. At least we got our first game out of the way, and we look to improve going forward."

Team Captain Soo Wei Goh and Co-captain Noah Kaney also have some words to share respectively. The team “demonstrated [their] effort and hustle as a team, and we’re looking forward to working hard and getting better before island shootout in December” (Noah Kaney, Co-Captain, ‘23). And “Last Thursday was a night to remember. It was the first basketball game in almost 3 years and we started off the season with a huge win. Proud of my boys, I’m looking forward to a great season ahead” (Soo Wei Goh, Team Captain, ‘23).

The season is still young and there is much more to look forward to for the rest of the season. This is only the beginning.

Basketball Season and Thanksgiving Weekend in the Dorm

By Keilah Pickett 

We are three weeks into the basketball season so far, and it’s somehow felt a lot longer. During tryouts, there were a lot of nerves going around, surrounded by the question of who will be on what teams. Chika Tsumagari (12) said she was “a bit anxious because I haven’t been in an official team in so long and none of us really have.” 

Now that it has started up a bit more, it has given players a chance to grow personally, despite having played for such a short time so far. Arielle McIver (11) said, “It has helped me to keep persevering and to not give up.” This basketball season continues to grow girls from different grades closer and bond over the common interest in the sport. 

Tsumagari (12) also said, “There’s so much chemistry, and I already see progress and our teamwork improving!” 

Although tiresome, I think the season has been fun, or as Haylee Douglas said, “It’s been slayful,” and something to look forward to playing in and watching.

Along with basketball season, it is also Thanksgiving soon. During this time, the dorm puts on a big Thanksgiving dinner. In preparation for this, all the dorm kids sign up to make one dish, appetizer, or dessert that is on the menu. 

Amy Park (11) said, “My favorite part is cooking in the dorms with my dorm mates because it is a good bonding experience.” 

In some cases, like preparing the roast turkey, we have to start cooking a week in advance. Kyuhwi Han (12) is making our roast turkey this year and defrosts it a week and a half in advance so she can start preparing it on the day everyone else will be in the kitchen preparing their own meals or desserts. It is a day full of a lot of bonding and chaos.

Tuesday 15 November 2022

David K vs. Chris B

By Yoseph Yang

On November 10, 2022, a large crowd, mainly Dalat seniors, gathered at the backboard by the playground area for the most anticipated BBA game of all time; David Kilgo (12) vs. Chris Bell (12).

BBA, established by Kai Ru Bok (12) and Mark Ho (12), initially began as a minor event during lunchtime. 

“To be honest, I did not expect BBA to grow this big because it was meant to be ‘casually competitive,’” explained Ryan Chew (12), another founding member of BBA. 

However, it quickly gained popularity throughout high school, and more people began to join the roster. Two new players were added to the lineup: David Kilgo (12) and Chris Bell (12).

BBA arranged the game for the new players on the roster, and soon enough, the schedule was released on the official Instagram page. There, they announced the debut match of the new players, and the crowd was surprised when they first saw it. The upcoming game on Thursday, November 10, was between David Kilgo (12) and Chris Bell (12); the debut game of new players was against each other. The news quickly spread around seniors, and soon enough, the two players were under the spotlight. 

On the day of the match, there were more spectators than ever. Some teachers and students from different grades and even the seniors who always go out for lunch stayed on campus to watch the game. When everything was ready, with the crowd cheering, the two players stepped into the court, and the fun began. It was an intense game between the rookies. They traded points back and forth, and each time the ball made it into the basket, the cheers from the people echoed throughout the school. However, the game ended as 3-3, a tie, so a rematch game was scheduled the next day.

The next day, people gathered around the backboard to spectate the game, perhaps even more than the day before. The match started again, but Chris Bell (12) was indeed taking the lead this time. Starting with the 3-point shot at the beginning, he had complete control over the game. The game ended 5-0 as Chris’s victory.

“I always had a passion for playing ball. It was about hard work, effort, enthusiasm, and work ethic. He [David] was a great opponent, and I saw room for improvement from him,” said Chris Bell (12).

High Schoolers go to War

By Owen Lai

On November 10, all of Dalat’s high school gathered on the outdoor basketball court during AHOD for a tug-of-war match between the four houses. 

For the first time, competition between the four houses or teams: Bolt, Wave, Quake, and Blaze, was extended beyond the traditionally held Eagle Games. This year’s Eagle Games was a tight competitive event in which Quake took the victory. However, PAL proposed that the houses continue to compete with each other throughout the year during AHOD, where they could compete in a myriad of events. This would allow the three other teams that fell short to get revenge and potentially claim victory. 

Each house competed twice in tug-of-war, and two students, one boy and one girl, from each grade level, volunteered or were peer pressured into participating. The crowd fell silent, anticipating Mr. Penland’s call for the match to begin. 

As the match began, cheers from all teams echoed around the basketball court as each team tried their hardest to pull most of the rope to their side of the court. Some competitors who were wearing slides for slippers found it difficult to find footing. This created a comical scene where they either lost their shoes in the midst of battle or were at the mercy of the rope. Each match was close and fierce, but a clear winner was determined for all of them.

The matches were Bolt vs. Blaze, with Blaze winning. Bolt vs. Wave, with Bolt taking the win. Blaze vs. Quake, with Blaze going two for zero. Finally, Wave vs. Quake, with Wave taking the win. 

This would make Blaze the overall winners as they won both of their matches, making up for their defeat and 4th place finish in Eagle Games. Bolt and Wave tied for second, with Quake coming in last, a far cry from their first-place finish in the Eagle Games. 

The most important thing about the tug-of-war event and the continuation of the competition between the houses was not who won and who lost, but the experience of competing or cheering on your team. Noah Lee, a senior, and member of Blaze, summed up the experience, “It was fun. I was really glad I could gain some points for my team by winning.”

Impact Trips

By William Johnston

Over this first semester, a group of Dalat students went on an Impact Trips to both Perak and Johor. Last week during chapel, Mrs. Ailee Chan decided to bring two groups of students from both trips up on stage to interview them about their experience during the trip. 

Each team took their turns to speak and spoke about their experiences. The students had come from many different backgrounds their intentions and opinions on the trip varied greatly. While some had felt that they were prepared and others said they weren’t, but a common theme emerged of them finding that their decisions were the right ones.

One student, Lei Tee (12), had a positive attitude towards the trip during a later interview about his trip over fall break.

WJ: “What did you do during the trip?”

LT: “We planned and organized activities for the children in Perak and spent time with the community. The primary goal was to have fun with the children and expose them to English.”

LT: “In addition to service, the impact team also dedicated a lot of time for reflection, went tubing, and ate a lot of good food.”

WJ: “Did you know who you were going on the trip with? How many people were there?”

LT: “The team was composed of 17 people, led by Mr. Yoo, Ms. Keister, and Mr. Chin.  We did not know whom we would be going with when we signed up, but I was glad to learn that there was another senior guy coming along the trip with me: Trevor Nichols (12). All members played a valuable role in the trip, and there are several memories that stand out to me when I think about the trip. Nicole Khor (12) was our photographer, Judson Nosker (9) fostered good music, and Abraham Latham (10) drank a lot of juice.”

WJ: “What made you decide to go on an Impact Trip?”

LT: “I signed up for impact because I wanted senior year to be memorable, and I hadn't done service in a while and thought it would be a good opportunity.”

WJ: “Would you recommend for anyone to go on an Impact Trip?”

LT: “Impact really connects you with other people and cultures in a way other service methods don't. For those who are considering going on an Impact Trip, I definitely recommend it. I went on 4 multi-day school trips this semester, and Impact was the most fulfilling.”

Now that Impact Trips are back after a long period of the virus preventing travel, many students can impact those outside of their community in a positive and meaningful way. The next set of Impact Trips will be in semester 2!

 

Wednesday 9 November 2022

The BBA Season Continues

By Michael Hsu

As the lunch bell rings, seniors flock off to eat off-campus. But a small group of flamingos foregoes these lunch privileges, for they have a purpose. These are the student-athletes of Bozo Ball Association, the Class of 2023’s very own semi-amateur basketball league.

BBA started on October 17th, following an inspirational best-of-3 showdown between Yoseph Yang (‘23) and Owen Lai (‘23). Managers Mark Ho (‘23) and Kai Ru (‘23) expanded the roster to include seven players. Week 3 will see the addition of two new players to the lineup: Chris Bell (‘23) and David Kilgo (‘23).

The BBA season started with round robins to eventually seed the league’s player in the playoffs. Games are 1v1 and consist of two five-minute halves at the end of lunch. The jerseys are sweaty pink polo shirts, and each game is presided over by two match officials: Mark Ho (‘23) and Luke Ng (‘23). Statistics are recorded by the official statistician, Ryan Chew (‘23), and posted every week. Photographers Julien Goh (‘23) and Adam Lim (‘23) alternatively snap photos of the intense, comedic matches.

The season started rockily. Two players forfeited the match within the first two weeks: one forgot; the other simply could not finish lunch in time. But game attendance flourished in the backdrop of the ACSC volleyball tournament. Pink shirts could be found on the tarmac practicing their shots during lunch and after school.

The first week ended with the much-anticipated showdown between Taewoo Song (‘23) and Owen Lai (‘23). Almost a dozen seniors gathered around the two players, leading to the impression of bullying. But it was all good nature fun, as explained to Mr. Penland. “Oh!” exclaimed Julien (‘23) as the HS principal approached him about unauthorized phone use during school hours.

The BBA official Instagram page lists official stats, game schedules, and player highlights. Watch as nine basketball superstars duke it out on the court in displays of luck, athletic ‘prowess’, and physical deficiencies. Come support our boys during lunch!

Tuesday 1 November 2022

It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey

By Mark Ho

 

During the week of Oct 16-18, Dalat hosted the boys volleyball ACSC, the biggest event of the season. This year, the varsity volleyball boys had it on our home court. There were six schools, including Dalat, that participated in the tournament. Schools like Grace International School, Faith Academy, ICS Bangkok, Yongsan International School, and SPH. All of them came from different parts of Asia.

Throughout the tournament, Dalat fought hard but came short of their own expectations. “Our team’s goal before ACSC was to try to come in either 2nd or 3rd place. We fought as hard as we could and tried our very best in every game we played,” explained Luke Ng (12). 

After playing through the round-robin and the playoff bracket, the boys came 5th. Despite this, they could have easily been higher as most of the games were close, only losing by 3 or 4 points. One of these games was against Faith, where the Dalat boys lost a set 27-29. 

Outside hitter Benjamin Yeoh (12) said, “Of course I felt disappointed that we weren’t able to close the game but it was still a great experience playing such a close game with the home crowd supporting us.” 

After going through the round-robin, Dalat was against Faith again in the double-elimination bracket. Unfortunately, they lost both sets 21-25 and 22-25. Now, the Dalat boys were in the loser’s bracket; one more loss and they wouldn’t be able to advance any further.

This time, Dalat would play ICS BKK. After losing the first set 21-25, the boys were determined to tie it up. In the second set, Dalat was down by 5 points, and the score was 14-19. After a timeout called by Coach Roylance, the boys quickly bounced back and tied the score 19-19. However, ICS continued to fight back and the game ended in their favor 25-23. This meant that Dalat’s run was basically over, and they would be playing for 5th place the next day. 

Benjamin Yeoh (12) said, “I’m not sad about the loss, I’m sad that my first season in volleyball is my last.” Many of the seniors on the team agreed with this. Covid prevented the seniors from participating in team sports for two years.

Apart from the volleyball games, ACSC week included other activities for the players. They got to tour Georgetown with the Dalat students as tour guides. ACSC was not just about playing the sport but also about getting to know other teams and hanging out with them. Many participants said they enjoyed spending time with the other teams and making new friends. 

Luke Ng (12) said, “Even though we failed to reach our goal, there were many other benefits that came out of the ACSC competition. We were able to connect with the players from the other teams during the night that we went to Georgetown, and from this, we were able to form new friendships that would hopefully carry on into our future.”

Although the Dalat boys got 5th, the team still viewed it as a great experience and really enjoyed it. 

Adam Lim (12) said, “We were also able to bond with each other as a team through the games that we played and continue to strengthen our friendship.” 

Aaron Andrews (9), the only freshman on the team, added, “Even if the skill of the team next year gets better, it won’t feel the same with the seniors gone.” Overall, it was an excellent end to the season, with players putting in the time and effort to improve their volleyball together.

THE RESCUE MISSION: SEW RECAP

By Ryan Chew

October 26, 2022 began the anticipated Spiritual Emphasis Week, also known as SEW. Hannah Williamson and Hannah Smith, two tireless and wonderful speakers, worked diligently to spread the word of God throughout nine different sessions from day to night. 

On day one, the high school was introduced to the SEW theme, “Rescue Mission,” by our speakers and learned the barriers that prevented us from reaching God. The speakers discussed three main points during this session which were expectations, religion, and lifestyle. It was a chilling and hooked-worthy experience that the Dalat high school experience that morning.

KyuHwi Han (12) described the first session as, “Exciting and a good start for the rest of the week.” 

During the evening, Hannah Williamson began sharing her first experiences with God. Her experience with God started with being in the crowd, Jesus entering her space, Jesus talking to her, and following Jesus. It was a heartfelt and warming experience that the Dalat community treasured and was exciting for the upcoming days of the magnificent week.

Julien Goh (12) said of the first evening, “I felt very touched in today’s evening session. I felt like God talked to me during SEW.” 

On the third day of SEW, the evening session was the last but a great ending to finish off such an enlightening and amazing week. It began with speakers from Dalat that spoke of testimonies where connections were made between them and God. Dominic Cheang, a senior, was up on stage first and talked about his struggle to find God in his life. He said he was lost and stuck but wanted to stay strong in his faith while ignoring the circumstances. The next speaker, Alyssa Kwok, a junior, talked about the importance of healing and how it impacted her life. It started with losing her sister when she went away to college, more memories, and her home. However, Alyssa got help from God and was healed by Him. The last speaker, Haylee Douglas, a senior, expressed her reflection on God. She said that God’s presence with her was fading away due to ignoring God’s signs to her. She realized taking a leap of faith in God was needed, and she couldn’t stay passive anymore. 

After the speakers were done, it was a time that everyone could settle and reflect with God. There were tables for confession to God, reflection papers, prayer requests, live prayer areas, and live worship music led by the Dalat worship team. The atmosphere was filled with healing and joy. A worthy ending needing a rescue mission.

“For me, Penang is amazing because of the culture, the food, and the people. The community of Dalat is incredible, and the young speakers that spoke were outstanding. The connections that everyone has made during this week were beautiful and spectacular. It was a blessing by God," said Hannah Williamson, the SEW speaker.


Thick. British. Accents.

By Sahana Selvaraja

Don’t get me wrong– the two Hannahs that spoke for us at MEW were absolutely enlightening, but their accents were the main thing that most of us could focus on. I lost count of how many times I was so immersed in their thick British accents that I would forget to actually focus on what they were preaching. 

I did listen! But their accents were my favorite part.  

“My mind is blown! I never really thought that I had barriers in my relationships until this,” said Yuna Lee (11) after the first MEW day where the Hannahs talked about how people put barriers in their relationships. 

They used an analogy where you take a friend out to eat but you keep putting your baggage on the center of the table. The first bag Hannah (with the glasses) put on the table was labeled “EXPECTATIONS” in bright red, and the second bag she put on the table was labeled “RELIGION.”

They weren’t wrong. Sometimes our expectations of people make us overestimate or expect them to be a certain way, but that really brings tension. Expectations cause us to mistrust people or not be patient with them. They cause us not to accept people. And this is really common in our world today, especially with how social media portrays certain people groups. TV shows love to exaggerate stereotypes of certain races, and some people actually take them seriously. As an Indian, I would like to clarify, I do not talk like Apu from the Simpsons. 

We also use religion as a way to distance ourselves from people because we think they are wrong. Muslims have a complicated relationship with Hindus, and even within a certain faith, like Christianity, certain denominations are hostile towards each other because of their differences (Catholics vs Orthodox Christians). 

“But we shouldn’t be doing that! They only make people uncomfortable with our differences, and we begin to assume things about each other,” said Annabelle Low (12). 

And I completely agree. I am so happy that the Hannahs decided to address this topic at an international school like Dalat, where we have a diverse community. Sometimes we might make generalizations about each other because of our different backgrounds (and not always intentionally!), but this MEW encouraged us to let go of those expectations and get to know each other more kindly. Thank you, Hannahs!


ACSC Tournament

By Enson Tang

In the 2022-2023 ACSC, Dalat's Men's soccer team successfully established themselves in Dalat's record books. Not only did they come 1st in the tournament, but they did it without losing a game, which has never done before in the history of Dalat. The weeks leading up to ACSC were very intense; Coach van and Coach Ben pushed the boys at every practice to give it our all with ACSC in mind.

ACSC (Asia Christian Schools Conference), which happens every year for Soccer, Volleyball, and Basketball, consists of schools from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea. For the past two years, Covid took away that opportunity, but this year, with restrictions loosened, sports could happen again. Unfortunately for Hong Kong, their government restrictions still prevented them from competing. Soccer and volleyball ACSC happened from October 18-22; Men's varsity soccer in Bangkok, Thailand; men's varsity volleyball in Penang, Malaysia; and women's varsity volleyball in Manila, Philippines.

Men's varsity soccer was very successful in their expedition in Thailand, where they came 1st out of 6 teams. At the end of the tournament, Darryl Dwumfour (12), our star and only goalkeeper said, "First of all, this was many of our seniors' first ACSC tournament and first time being on a varsity team, and it was a great and incredible feeling to get 1st place. Our hard work and chemistry paid off as we played our best games of the season on that pitch, and I just want to relive the moment when the referee blew the final whistle and called it a game." 

For many of us, this was our first ACSC, and for us seniors, it is also our last, so to be able to play one last time for Dalat before graduating was an honor.

Tuesday 25 October 2022

Champions of ACSC Boys Soccer 2022

By Daewon No

The Dalat boys varsity soccer team became the champions and succeeded in bringing the trophy back home from the ACSC Boys Soccer Tournament that was held in ICS Bangkok from October 19th to the 22nd. Led by Mr. van, the main coach, and Coach Ben, the boy's soccer team triumphed and claimed the title of being undefeated the whole tournament.

The boys played 6 games in total, including the championship match. They played Faith and ICS-BKK on the first day and achieved big wins with a score of 4-1 against Faith and 5-0 against ICS-BKK. 

The game against Grace on the second day was a very tough and close game for the boys, but they managed to win by a last-minute goal. 

The boys continued to win both games on the third day and kept their winning streak. They won 2-0 against YISS and 3-1 against Morrison. 

They ended up in 1st place for Round Robin Play with 15 points. ICS-BKK placed 2nd place, so they were scheduled to play in the championship match the next day. 

The championship game was very intense, and it could’ve gone either way. Both teams played exceptionally well and were evenly matched. ICS-BKK had come prepared and were very different from their game against Dalat in the Round Robin play. 

The first half passed by with no goals, and both teams were getting into the game and careful not to be the first to concede. Then came the second half, which was even more intense and close. Josiah Andrews (11) scored the first goal of the game just a few minutes after the start of the second half, and Dalat was in the lead. Not long after, Dalat gave away a penalty. The opponent didn’t miss their chance and scored the penalty along with another open play goal throughout the game. Now the score was 2-1 to ICS, and people started to think it was over. However, with only around 4 minutes left on the clock, Soo Wei Goh (12) came to the rescue and scored an equalizing goal that saved Dalat from losing the game. The game carried on to extra time. Dalat pressed hard from the start of the game, which led to a poor pass by the opponent’s defense. Then Daewon No (12) intercepted the ball, went through multiple defenders while almost crawling on the ground, and scored a potential winning goal only a minute into the half. Dalat immediately changed to a defensive formation and fought hard until the end of the game to defend their goal. The final whistle blew, indicating the end of the game, and Dalat had won 3-2. They had now become ACSC Champions. 

Noah Kaney (12), one of the two captains of the Dalat soccer team, when asked about the team’s performance in the tournament, remarked, “I think we played well as a team; we fought hard the whole tournament and stayed focused. We never gave up and gave it our all to the end, and it paid off.” 

Apart from the team award, Jay Lohman (12), Romeo Kontsas (10), Noah Kaney (12), and Daewon No (12) received the All tournament award; Noah Kaney (12) also received the MVP, and Daewon No (12), the golden boot. 




Left Behind

By Haylee Douglas

As the ACSC teams head off to their countries to play in the prestigious tournament, the girl's soccer team is left behind to watch them compete from a distance and support them through live streams and cheers.

Being on the girl's soccer team is possibly one of the best things about being involved in Dalat athletics. We get to form bonds with different grades, we get to run and cry together, and we get to have ice cream after training together. But the saddest part of girl's soccer is we have to wait through a whole other sports season until we get to go to ACSC. While watching the other teams go on ACSC through Instagram, we have to attend classes. While the different Season 1 sports are eating out, we eat the same Dalat cafeteria food. 

The only upside of being left behind in season 1 is that we get to watch whatever ACSC is going on at Dalat. So like the good team we are, we went to cheer on our volleyball boys. We made posters and screamed as loud as we could. But sitting in the bleachers made us long to go on our wonderful ACSC trip to Korea. With the ACSC fever going on around Dalat, my dreams became consumed with the thoughts of the girl's soccer team winning our ACSC.

When we saw that the boy's varsity soccer team had won, we were so happy and proud of them. But that only made us want to play soccer even more, hoping we could win too. Senior and captain of the girl's soccer team, Lauren Worten, said, "Sometimes I wish I were a boy, so I could go on ACSC first season." While senior and midfielder of the girl's soccer team, Joycelyn Fung, said, "I felt unwanted and belittled, #girlsplaysoccerfirstseasontoo." 

With all this said, hopefully, ACSC will one day consider moving girls' soccer ACSC to the first season so that we aren't left behind while all the other first-season sports teams go on to achieve great things at ACSC.

 

Vocal Voyages

By Hazel Chan

On September 29th, some choir kids got to skip most of the school day to catch a plane. The BICF (Bangkok International Choral Festival) was an annual event, but it hadn’t happened for a few years, so it was nice to get to sing with other people again. Most of the students that went on the trip had never been before, so they didn’t really know what to expect. Adelina Chee (12) was one of those and when asked about how she felt, replied, “I feel like this trip will be a good opportunity to learn from a different perspective and I’m really excited to meet new people.” 

We ended up having to fly to KL first because our direct flight to Thailand got cancelled about a week prior to our trip. Most of us were quite hungry by the time we reached the KL airport, but there were no restaurants and almost everything was closed besides this one noodle shop. I went to the noodle shop with two other friends, and we all ordered the same thing. The noodles were edible, but very salty and incredibly overpriced. Everything in the shop was overpriced, even the bottled water. 

After the noodles, we all needed water to balance our sodium intake. Larissa Lee (12) ran out of water, so I decided to accompany her to look for a refill station because all the shops were either closed or didn’t sell bottled water. The closest working refill station ended up being at the hall that our boarding gate was in. As soon as we got water, the last call for our flight was announced so we had to rush back. “That was so stressful, but at least I got some water,” she said when I asked her if it was worth almost missing our flight. 

Our two days of rehearsals at ISB (International School Bangkok) mostly consisted of us slowly perfecting the pieces we’d been practicing for the last two months. The five pieces we had to perform were quite challenging because three of them were in different languages and there was one piece that included an intimidating amount of body percussion that we had to memorize. 

Overall, the trip was a good experience. Singing in a new environment with a different conductor, surrounded by different people was a nice change. 


Wednesday 5 October 2022

Eagles Soar Over the Panthers in KL

By Kai Ru Bok

During a quiet Friday morning, nearly half of the high school disappeared from school. Last Friday, September 30th, the varsity boys and girls volleyball teams, varsity boys and girls soccer teams, and junior varsity boys and girls volleyball teams set off to Kuala Lumpur to write the sequel to their battle with ISKL (International School Kuala Lumpur) after the Spike and Strike Tournament.

The boys varsity volleyball team proved better after beating the ISKL boys on home ground, but tensions were high during the days leading up to the Twin Towers Tourney as people wondered how the team would fare playing in the home of the panthers. After a shaky first game against Blockbusters, the boys set their sights on showing their local rivals once again who was the superior team. 

The varsity boys’ team captain, Isaac Lee (11), recalled not being “intimidated by them at all, unlike [the] first game [in Penang].” He continued, “Sure, they were all half a foot taller, but I knew we had better teamwork. Knowing what our team and I can do, I knew we could beat them.” 

Starting the set, the boys fought the early-game butterflies but soon found their rhythm, creating a massive difference in points. ISKL struggled with miscommunication and simple mistakes, costing them the first set. 

Middle blocker, Aaron Andrews (9), huddled the team together before the start of the second set, reminding the team to “keep pushing and not be complacent.” Unfortunately, the Eagles fell short in the second set when ISKL quickly overcame their shortcomings in the first set. 

As the whistle sounded, signaling the start of the third and final set, the eagles huddled together one last time before stepping onto the court. The chant of the twelve boys echoed throughout the gym, followed by the cheers and screams of the varsity boys and girls soccer teams. 

After a hard-fought battle to fifteen points, outside hitter, Benjamin Yeoh (12), said, “Winning a close match against ISKL was the highlight of the trip. It felt great to beat our rivals at home and then a week later in KL. I am also really grateful for the soccer teams who came out to support us. It made us feel like we were playing back in Sandycroft.” 

In the short time the boys have been back in Penang, they have been working to patch up the holes in individual and team play in preparation for ACSC on October 18-22. Each of the team members feels confident for ACSC and hopes to bring home a trophy for Dalat. 

We Sing as One

By Adelina Chee

As the cabin lights dimmed, the pilot's voice crackled through the speaker: “The time is 8:45 pm, temperature is 28 Celsius. We will be landing soon and would like to give a special welcome to Dalat International School’s choir.”

Three hours earlier, our choir class boarded a plane to Thailand to attend the Bangkok International Choir Festival (BICF). Choirs from different schools gathered to perform with a guest conductor. 

On the plane ride, the group had another chance to bond. A lack of Wi-fi caused boredom for some of them. Others observed the surroundings while waiting in the flight. A seemingly attractive guy showed everyone demonstrations for emergencies on the plane. Some anonymous individuals discreetly expressed, “That guy is cute!!!” It clearly motivated some of us to listen during in-flight safety. Meanwhile, a stoic man in front of us gripped his device up to watch downloaded YouTube videos. As Hazel Chan described it, “He watched weird cartoons first, then car cleaning asmr videos, before turning to drum tutorials on his phone.” And of course, we watched along with him. Others took a good nap to refresh themselves. There were many ways to spend time on the short flight.

Quite a few of us went on school trips this week—for choir and for sports. Realizing that he would attend normal classes while many others traveled, David Kim expressed, “I feel that happiness and meaning can be found in the simple trivialities of life, and it does not require any special events… also, normal class is just normal class.” Indeed. The appreciation for simple things really enriches life. However, the ones who went on trips this week had many great things to say. 

Regarding our choir trip, Braden Abdulla said it was fun and that he especially enjoyed the “experience of performing in front of a large audience.”

“The best memory was that night at the hotel lobby when we were talking and having fun,” Abdulla added. After rehearsals, our group had free time to relax at the hotel before the next day.

When asked about his favorite song, Abdulla said, “I liked singing Huxi the most because of the melodic structure and how it incorporates two cultures.” Our choir sang with lyrics in different languages: Arabic, Mandarin, Bahasa, and English. The song Huxi by Ng Cheuk Yin featured lyrics in Mandarin and English sections that unified the whole piece. Its lyrics, including ‘breathe as one’ and ‘we sing as one’ inspired the choir and audience to express themselves in one voice. 

In the end, the choir class had a memorable experience attending the festival; almost all of us would do it again given the chance.

Concert at Chevron Theatre,  Photo Credit: ISB


An Expedition into the Heart of Art

By Trevor Nichols

On September 8, the world changed forever. For the first time in Dalat history, some art students finally got to go on an interstate trip - an event marking the beginning of a rise to compete with the all-revered Bangkok trip of the Music department. 

As the long awaited school bell rang at 3:10, the art students scattered across the school - seemingly controlled by a hive mind - began to assemble. As the students gathered at the upper field gate, the fizz of excitement in the air could easily compete with the hot Malaysian sun. As we piled into the bus, Julien Goh (12), an honorary art student, holds up a trash bag to me. 

Goh stated, “I believe that Mrs. Nichols did me a disservice by not letting me go on the art trip. Even so, I feel as if I was an integral part of the art trip as I contributed profusely by giving Trevor Nichols (12) a trash bag before he left. By bringing the trash bag, the otherwise boring art trip turned out a success. You are welcome, Mrs. Nichols.”

The seemingly unstoppable force of excitement of the students has apparently met an immovable object: the seniors’ singing chanting of Christmas music. It was, however, replenished the morning after as we went on our first expedition.

Memebank, the name of the first place we visited, was inspired by the unfairness of government regulated money, criticizing the oddly convenient printing of money by comparing it with the “printing” of meme currencies. Red Hong Yi, a famous Malaysian artist and founder of the Memebank, led our very first workshop, talking of her methods, art pieces, and life story, as well as about the importance of meaning, teamwork, and technique in art. After the talk, she led a quick group project on expressing emotions and feelings through art.

Next was UrMu, a five-story more modern art private gallery. In the words of Lei Tee (12) “URMU offered a lot of food for thought, and I was a hungry mind. I consumed a lot, and my mind became... satiated.” UrMu offered a wide variety of art, ranging from political satire, influential people, to places. As Tee carefully stated, it offered much food for thought, which the crowd of students much appreciated.

The last modern gallery we visited was the Ilham Tower. It contained some of the most modern art we viewed as a group on this trip. In my personal opinion, it sheds the most light on what art means in an age where technical skill can easily be mimicked by digital devices. We dove into the deeper meaning behind these art pieces, not only in technique, but motives as well. Steven Shen (12) said, “I think it’s intriguing to see art presented in a non-traditional manner, it really opened my eyes to what art is and the importance of presentation.”

The very last gallery we visited was the National Art Gallery. This gallery displays a variety of pieces, sorted into categories, each serving a purpose in describing Malaysian Culture or History. Shen (12) claimed, “I think most of the exhibits are created by Malaysian artists and it provided me with a better insight into how people from different cultural backgrounds view subjects differently.”

Overall, each gallery offered a vastly different experience for the art students, forever changing their lives and their view on art. In the words of Tee (12), “Each gallery had its own style and emphasis, but I enjoyed visiting all of them."

Tuesday 27 September 2022

Spike and Strike… Without the Strike

By Noah Kaney

Over the weekend of September 24th, the annual Spike and Strike tournament took place… or at least part of it. Spike and Strike is a tournament that consists of both varsity volleyball and soccer teams participating. Typically, fellow international school ISKL (International School of Kuala Lumpur) makes the journey up to Penang to participate. 

However, the soccer tournament never took place. Due to the unavailability of a suitable pitch to play on, the ‘Strike’ part of Spike and Strike never happened. 

Upon hearing the sad news that the soccer tournament was cancelled, senior captain Benjamin Wong responded: “The team was disappointed to hear the news. We were looking forward to playing soccer at a high level in front of our fans, [and] showing the results of the hard work and effort we had been putting in during practices.” 

Although the Dalat varsity team was unable to face rival school ISKL during the Spike and Strike tournament, they hope to achieve victory when they travel down to Kuala Lumpur to take on the ISKL team on their own home field on September 30th. 

Despite the soccer tournament being cancelled, the volleyball tournament carried on nevertheless. With no where else to go, the soccer fans filled up the main gym and Sandycroft, excited to watch the weekends’ volleyball action. 

The tournament consisted of varsity boys teams, varsity girls teams, and junior varsity girls teams. Similarly to soccer, ISKL travelled up to Penang to participate in the tournament. The Dalat varsity girls were able to claim second place, while the varsity boys team was able to claim 3rd place in a riveting game against the ISKL varsity team. After scoring the winning point, the varsity boys team broke into cheers, and the crowd rushed onto the court to celebrate the exhilarating victory. 

Drew Worten, a junior who helped win the final point, had this to say after the victory: “It was a great win for the team, beating such a huge school like ISKL is so fun. The environment was lit and the crowd was really getting into the game and it was just a great atmosphere, and were ready to do the same thing again next year.” 

Despite the cancelation of the soccer tournament, the Spike and Strike tournament still provided a very good opportunity for long-awaited competition to return back to Dalat’s campus. It was an exciting and memorable weekend for the community of Dalat International School. 

Spike and Strike, the Eagles Strikes!

By Taewoo Song

On September 23, on Friday after school at the gym and the newly built Sandycroft, there was a Spike and Strike volleyball tournament where fifteen teams participated in this annual event. There were a total of eight boy teams and seven girl teams. 

Every game that happened during this tournament was intense as the teams that participated in this event showed their capabilities under pressure. Senior Bennett Mclver described his experience in the crowd as “electric” with the sparks of both home and away crowds cheered on relentlessly shaking the stadium with thunderous chants, hoping that their team would take home the glory. With every scored point, the crowd roared as the stadium shook, surprising the parents who came to spectate the game. 

The tournament ended on Saturday; ultimately Dalat Varsity Boys team got third, winning three out of five games. The Dalat Varsity Girls team got second place, also winning three out of five games. Now this will be a short interview with Isaac Lee, an aspiring ace spiker and the captain of the Dalat Varsity boys’ team.

TS: How did you feel now that the tournament ended? Is there anything you can improve on or learn from the event?

IL: "I felt like, compared to our performance before, I can say with confidence that we have improved. I feel our communication can be better and more consistent at receiving, serving, and positioning.” 

TS: What was the funniest moment during the tournament?

IL: “Basically, I was watching the game where it was the JF team vs ISKL. JF team served the ISKL team, and the ISKL team received the ball, but the receive was way off, and it went in the basketball hoop. A swish clean 3-pointer.”

TS: What did you think of the event overall?

IL: “The overall event was stressful but also an enjoyable experience. We will work harder to take the W (win) at the next tournament.”

The Eagles did not take home the first place, but the loss has ignited the Dalat varsity teams to go beyond their limits, as they hope to win the Twin Towers Tournament at ISKL this upcoming Friday September 30th. Let’s go Eagles!

Reflecting on the First Quarter of Our Final Year in High School

By David Kim

A Dalat school year typically consists of a little less than180 school days. By the time this article gets published, close to a quarter of these days will have passed. As the end of September draws near and with only a week left in quarter one, it is about time that we as seniors recap on what has taken place over the past two months and plan on how to finish the remainder of our first quarter in our final year in high school well.

There were many events that took place in the senior class over the span of just the past two months, from the start of the school year: return of sports, Senior Sneak, After-Sneak Dinner, and Eagle Games. When asked what their favorite memory from quarter one was, an overwhelming majority of seniors replied: “Sneak”. 

I think Joshua Emmanuel put it perfectly when he said, “It was a break from the busyness of school and a time to bond with classmates.” Indeed, Sneak was an incredibly memorable experience and will likely be one of the biggest highlights for many of us, not just in quarter one, but in the entirety of senior year. 

For some, however, their highlight of the quarter has yet to come. When asked to reflect on quarter one, Adelina Chee replied, “I am looking forward to the choir trip to Bangkok this Friday [as of the time of this writing]. It will be a chance to get to know my classmates better and perform alongside other schools in front of a large audience. It will be a great way to finish this quarter.” 

For others, finishing the quarter well carries a more practical meaning. Many students said that one thing they would like to get done before the start of fall break is their college applications so that they will be able to relax and not feel so pressured during quarter two. 

Overall, quarter one has been a great experience for us, and we are looking forward to how the next quarter will unfold.

Tuesday 20 September 2022

The Leader that Failed to Prepare

By Chika Tsumagari 

Eagle Games is Dalat’s “sports day” that happens every year in the first quarter. There are four houses: Wave, Quake, Bolt, and Blaze. Each house is divided into smaller teams of about 12 people, two of which are senior leaders. As an underclassman, I remember looking up to them, thinking that it must have taken a lot of time and effort for them to be able to lead a group. I had just assumed that based on their confident attitude to be leaders. However, I found out as a senior that really the leaders are just as clueless as their underclassmen teammates. 

I was given the role of being the leader of my Eagle Games group alongside with Soo Wei Goh for a Quake team. I admit I was excited and feeling confident about being given a responsible leading position. Mentally, I was prepared to go to our first x-block meeting and meet my group for the first time. I had already taken the blank quake flag and markers as leaders were instructed to, ready to make a good impression to my teammates. Until Soo Wei came up to me and insincerely apologized, saying that he couldn’t make it because he has a physio appointment. Suddenly, a rush of panic attacked me when I realized that I had to lead a group by myself. To make matters worse, I was unable to attend the leaders’ meeting the week before, which puts me in the same position as my teammates. 

I walked into the meeting unprepared, unsettled, and uncool. I had even forgotten the card that had the list of my teammates. Fortunately, I had a reliable teammate in sophomore year who had the list of members on her phone. Because of her, I was able to gather my teammates and had them sit down in a circle. However, that’s when I realized, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. The meeting had barely begun, and I had already failed to be a responsible leader. I felt sorry for my teammates and ashamed of myself. That was when I remembered Mr. Kilgo’s pep talk on being a senior. He said, “These people (underclassmen), especially freshman, look up to you. Know that and be nice to them.” Although I was no leader, my teammates do not have any other choices and I had to make sure we were going to have a productive meeting. So I started off by having my teammates introduce themselves.

 It’s interesting how all these years of looking up to seniors, I had unconsciously studied how to approach underclassmen and think of efficient ways to behave under pressuring moments. Although my leadership experience did not start off well, I was able to pick myself up and eventually finish eagle games with a big win! For that, I thank all the leaders I’ve had before and my patient teammates. 

Rain Can’t Wash Away Our Spirits

By Noah Lee

On Saturday, the 15th of September, the Dalat Eagle Games took place. Everyone was excited the week before, preparing for the upcoming games. The classes bustled with talk about Eagle Games. There were four teams: Blaze, Bolt, Wave, and Quake. Everyone was raising team spirit before the day even came.

Usually, Bolt came in last place, and Blaze came in first. At this point, this was the trend of winning and losing teams, and everyone expected Blaze to win again. Darryl Dwumfour, a senior from team Bolt, said, “This is our year; this year, we win.” The different teams were competing with each other in spirit, saying that they would be the ones to claim the trophy.

During the preparation week, the different teams gathered in their own rooms to design their own flags and come up with their own unique cheers for their teams during x-blocks. Loud clapping, cheering, and stomping echoed around the campus that week.

Finally, the day was here. All four teams gathered together at the basketball court. Each team came up from the crowd to perform their cheers full of spirit. No team backed down. Every single team gave a bold performance in their own way, some more silly than others, and some louder and rougher. After the entertaining cheer performances were all over, the teams were briefed on the games and they were off.

However, sometime after the first game event, it started raining. Unfortunately, some outdoor games had to be skipped. Some groups never got to attend some of the games that were prepared. It was a disappointing moment for some of the teams that had outdoor games during the rain. Still, everyone enjoyed the games overall in the end and had a great time.

The games were all done, and everyone gathered at the basketball court again for a final cheer and for the score results. With drumrolls on the ground, Mr. Van announced the 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place one by one. Making the trend seem invalid, Bolt came second, and Blaze came last. Quake was first, and Wave was third. Team Blaze wasn’t the happiest about their result, but they still maintained their team spirit and cheered their throats out. The teams did their final cheers after the results were announced. Although Team Blaze came last, they gave it their last unifying strength to run around the entire court giving their best cheer: “Oh Blaze, oh Blaze oh Blaze oh Blaze.” Team Quake took their trophy for being the final victor of the day and took a picture together holding up their trophy with proud faces. 

The rain did make some unexpected changes to Eagle games, but overall, it was truly a great time for everyone, a team bonding experience between different grade levels, and for seniors, another precious memory to take along with them before their graduation.

Owen Lai, a senior from team Bolt, said, “Despite all the rain and canceling of a few events, Eagle Games was a blast.”

Eagle Games: Rain Or Shine

By Benjamin Yeoh

Last Thursday, 15 September, was the highly anticipated Eagle Games. Everyone excitedly showed up to school in their house-colored clothing, face paint, bandanas, and other accessories. The energy and enthusiasm throughout was palpable, not only because we got to skip classes but because we embraced the team spirit and did our best for our team.

It is fair to say that most people had high expectations for Eagle Games, as it is the annual event where the entire high school got together to have fun and let loose. 

The first half of the day went smoothly. Each group gathered on the basketball court in their respective groups and showed their unique team cheers. They made sure other groups could hear their loud, booming cheers before heading off to their respective stations for the games. 

But not long after, it started raining. Many people enjoyed running around in the rain, especially running around and sliding on the slippery upper-field grass. As Isaac Lee (11) said, “A highlight, despite being injured, was Captain Chicken. Although our team was battered up and we lost a few members, we still won. Despite being short and injured, I was able to help my team in other ways like catching the chicken.”

However, the light drizzles soon turned into pouring rain. All the outdoor activities had to be canceled or moved indoors. Our group was one of the lucky few to participate in all ten games. 

Our team, Banana Bolt, was able to win in a wide variety of games with the help of team leader Darryl Dwumfour (12) despite losing four other team members from injury.

Having to miss the most exciting outdoor games was disappointing for many. The groups that missed the outdoor games watched and cheered their team on in dodgeball, headbands, and other games. 

Even though there were unforeseen circumstances, this year’s Eagle Games still turned out to be a huge success. It was especially memorable for the seniors as it was the last Eagle Games for them. 

Nicole Khor (12) summed up the event by saying, “The last normal eagle games we had was back in 9th grade, so being able to end my high school career with a normal one was something super exciting to me. I’m glad I was able to get to know the underclassmen better and glad I could make cherishable memories together with my fellow seniors at our last Eagle Games.”

The Pranjal Corner

By Jasmine Hassan

Four hours ago, war had commenced. A war between the newly entrenched, four elements of life: Quake, Wave, Bolt, and Blaze. As mealtime had begun to end, Jordan Suen (12), one of Ricequake’s trusty team captains, asked his equally courageous counterpart Saidah Ly (12), “What is our next game?” 

To this, she responded eagerly, “Something called Hole Trap!” 

As the soldiers of Ricequake and Kraken Wave marched onto their awaiting battlefield, also known as the outdoor basketball court, they were met with two identical blue tarps dotted with five symmetrical holes. There, Ms. Weidemann, known to the soldiers as peaceful Switzerland, gave both teams instructions on what was to come– an assigned ball would have to be balanced on both team’s tarps without falling through the holes– a difficult challenge to pull off, but certainly no match against mighty Ricequake.  

Immediately after Ms. Weidemann’s battle countdown, both teams charged at their tarps, strategizing each soldier’s position in the hopes of success. Now, it was a game of meticulous focus and precision. Lifting the tarp too quickly or too slowly could cause your entire team to restart. It was now a race to the top. A race to get the most loops around each hole. A race between water and land. 

Ricequake was off to a worrisome start; each soldier had their own tactics to beat team Kraken Wave. The lack of communication did not promise an advantageous, foreseeable future.  

The soldiers assigned to the four vital corners, Michaela Parsley (10), Pranjal Malik (11), Abbi Rinkenberger (11), and Saidah Ly (12), were assigned the most strenuous task– controlling the ball’s movement. Each time the team reached a promising number of loops, the ball would submit to gravity and fall through. A new strategy was needed. 

Just before Ricequake hopelessly waved the white flag, the soldiers had made a fortuitous comeback. Miraculously, the ball began to obey, and the soldiers reunited. One, two, three, four, five of the foundational loops were made. Now the team needed to designate together which hole would launch them to triumph. It was unanimous– they would rely on Pranjal Malik (11) to guide them to victory. 

"The tarp game truly revealed who I really was, in the moment I could feel the coordination between me and my team. It really made me feel like a corner: The Pranjal Corner" - Pranjal Malik (11). 

The Pranjal Corner, it was. As time began to cease, Ricequake had achieved a whopping 14 loops around Pranjal’s corner, beating the previously established high score of 11. Was this luck? No. This was not luck, but an example of cohesive teamwork and communication.  

“The winner is,” Ms. Weidemann paused in the attempt to create suspense, “Ricequake!” 

Patriotic cheers ignited amongst the soldiers. Another battle vanquished by the fearsome Quakes. Kraken Wave scorned as Ricequake paraded their dango-inspired flag in the air. Who knew that four hours later, Quake would be honorably announced as the final victor of Eagle Games 2022. 

Team Ricequake, 2022. 

Featuring Michaela P., Abbi R., Jasmine H., Saidah L., Pranjal M., Ryan K., Joshua M., Jordan S., Jane L., Ha Jin K.