The Penultimate Performance

By Iyan Sandahl

“It begins at Baker Street,” said Aydan Wong (playing Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle) for the last time. Though ending drama was an emotional experience, we were all proud to be there.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have an assortment of wildly different friends. But there is one thing that most of us have in common, and it is one of the main reasons why my weird and wonderful friend group exists: Dalat Drama. Although, it is hard to quantify whom I am referring to when I say “my friend group,” because to some extent, all of drama is my friend group. 

Most of us who have joined Dalat drama at some point in our high school careers have been instantly hooked. We’ve been through a lot together: auditions, hilarious first day script read-throughs, not-so-hilarious runs of scenes we’ve heard only a few hundred times, intense memorization, last-minute line check panic, celebratory drama dinners, relaxing afternoons of workday flat painting, ticket sales shifts, long-haul late night tech week rehearsals, exhilarating opening night performances, post-matinee crashes, closing night triumphs, final bows, and farewells, and all of the ridiculous backstage shenanigans in between. The amount of dedication drama people have towards the success of our productions is insane. After all, they sacrifice two hours of their lives after school most days of the week in harbor hall to do this crazy thing that we all love. Naomi O’ Quin described the experience as “impactful, fun, [and] bonding.”

This year’s performance, Sherlock, was bittersweet for me. It was my first show as a drama senior, but it was also my second-to-last show here at Dalat. What I liked most about it were the elaborate costumes and set. Tech week is always the most satisfying part of drama in my opinion, because you get to see all the separate pieces you have worked on come together to form a whole. Things that I could only imagine at the start began to materialize before my eyes. Walls and windows and doors and furniture began to appear, transforming the blank stage into a lively, Victorian atmosphere. The stage became its own little world and walking onto it felt like stepping into that world in another time and place. Once I had something I could visualize, the acting became more natural. We all became our characters, and the story began to unfold.

It always feels good to end the day with drama. Every year after our production wraps up, my day always feels like something is missing. Through the medium of drama, I have gotten to meet a lot of really cool and interesting people over the last four years, most of whom are now my good friends. I think I speak for all my fellow upperclassmen when I say that we will all miss this very much. It has been a privilege to know all of you in drama, and I am counting down the days until next semester’s rehearsals begin. Even after I graduate, I will still be rooting for you guys and cheering you on from afar. Go Dalat Drama!

Photo Credit Ms. Grace Ho

Places Everyone

By Sarah Loh

“Three pats,” said Nadia Book (11). She held a little crochet turtle in front of each cast member as they walked through the band room backstage. Patting the turtle before every drama production for good luck became a tradition.

Whispers quiet down as we hear someone say, “It’s 7 pm!” The first show was starting. Since there were three different plays, the cast of the third one, which began after intermission, waited anxiously in the band room while the others performed.

Three hours before opening night, the cast and crew ran around, either quickly eating their meals to change into their costumes or grabbing more paint to finish the set. Everything was quite chaotic, to say the least. “The most chaotic part was when we had to prepare things at the last minute and try to find something that was lost,” said Kirti Ramasamy (9), one of the crew members. 

Makeup Club contributed to the production, too. “Our makeup crew for the drama production was so big, which made it a lot easier and quicker for us to cover the entire cast. It was a lot of fun, being part of the behind the scenes, and we were able to work efficiently and productively, producing a beautiful quality of makeup for the production,” Faith Loh (10) said. 

As the curtains opened, the cast went out there and showcased the hours of hard work they had put into this production during the past months. “Opening night was the greatest mix of excitement and anxiety, but it seemed to all melt away as soon as I stepped out on stage. It was a great night of bonding for the cast and crew,” Gabriella Uzzle (12) said.

Once the first show jitters faded, everyone was excited to return on Saturday for the next two. But the second show did not go as planned. Eric Shyu (12), who had already been sick and coughing during production week, recalls, “Lindsay saying “Ang Bao” and my nose starting to bleed 3 seconds after,” an hour before having to go on stage.

Right before our third and final performance, Ms. Geiman told us some of the comments from the people in the crowd the night before. “‘This is the best play I’ve ever seen,’ ‘the accents were really good!’” and during the performance, when Morgana died, someone behind her said, “Are you sure we’re at Dalat?” 

Overall, the three different Sherlock plays stunned many people and exceeded the expectations of Dalat Drama. I personally think drama is an incredible experience that everyone should try at least once. I’m so grateful for everyone who was a part of it and made it special.

Green and Red - The Lucky Colors

By Eric Shyu

People were walking left and right, pacing back and forth, moving from the band room to the stage. It's definitely not the usual Saturday for most people, but this is how the drama team works. Props are in place, walls have been painted, costumes are on, and all actors have their makeup done, with one person remaining. 

As Lindsay Goh (10) was doing my makeup, she jokingly said the words, “Ang bao, very ong,” meaning “Red packet, very lucky” in Hokkien. I needed to blow my nose. I stood up laughing and reached for a napkin with the list of the actors' names crossed out because their makeup was done. I reached for the tissue, and then - drip. 

Lindsay froze, not knowing what to do. “Oh stars-” I said anxiously as I grabbed the nearest tissue as fast as I could to cover my nose and clean up as much as possible. The corner of the paper was stained red from blood. 

After a few seconds, I calmed down, and now I had a bloody tissue in my nose, waiting for the blood to clot. I heard “Are you okay?” a few too many times from the people in the room, but it was nice to know I wasn’t invisible to the people around me. Another few seconds later, Lindsay touched up my nose. She needed to remove the initial makeup because it was stained red, and there was still a bit of time before I needed to be on stage. I was done with my makeup, and everything was set.

A few minutes later, Ms. Mary Geiman walked in and reminded everyone to have their outfits fully done. She walked by me and mentioned that I needed to change my shoes before I went on. Then suddenly, I felt it again. My nose felt… off. I knew what was coming.

Please tell me this isn’t another nosebleed. The makeup team is already gone and I am on in a couple of lines! This will be fine, just breathe, this is all going to be okay. 

Sure enough, it was actually okay. Somehow, there was no nosebleed. I then walked backstage and waited for my cue. Soon enough, the stage light hit me, and a marvelous scene was performed. The lines were good, the blocking from the actors was great, the scene went well, and the moment I stepped out of the light, I was greeted with “Eric, your shoes!” in a hushed tone. 

It immediately clicked in my mind that I was wearing the wrong shoes. “A nice scene, with nice backdrops, nice costumes, and then we see YOUR GREEN SHOES!”

Suffice it to say that Ms. Geiman was not happy with what had happened due to my panic. After all of that, the next scenes took place well, and things fell into place from there. Isn’t it strange how the two luckiest colors were the cause of all this commotion backstage.

Getting Ready for Gold

By Abraham Latham

Coming off a win against Teleperformance on Wednesday two weeks ago, the Varsity Boys' basketball team knew they had much to work on before the Panther Invitational the coming weekend. The team only had two practices together before their first game, and although they played well, there was still a lot of chemistry and plays to learn in preparation for the upcoming tournament.

The Friday following the game into the next week, the boys were hard at work almost every day practicing defensive drills, learning new inbounding plays and presses, and improving overall fitness. One drill they practiced was called “Forty Seconds of Chaos.” Two players stand under the rim and fight for the rebound against each other for forty seconds, and the player who wins the most rebounds escapes the punishment of burpees. This drill and many others helped the team get ready for their last game against Universiti Sains Malaysia before departing to ISKL.

You could see improvement in the team's work during the game against USM. Head Coach John Latham said that he thought the boys played much better defense, recording thirteen steals and ten blocks. They also snagged seven more rebounds from forty-three to fifty in the last game due to “Forty Seconds of Chaos.”

Sean Lee, serving as one of this year's Captains, said, “I saw the improvement on the teamwork. The first game against Teleperformance felt like we didn’t actually know what we were doing. But last Friday's game made me feel like the team was getting together and improving. We were able to communicate more and play in a more effective way.” Improved offense organization and unmatched defense energy are sure to go a long way in the coming tournament in ISKL, and our boys have a good chance to bring gold home. 

Senior Internships

By Gabriella Uzzle

Did you know that Dalat students have the option to take one less class their senior year in favor of an internship during school hours? 

“Hey what class do you have next?”

“Oh, my internship.”

“Your what?”

This was a conversation I had over and over again with multiple friends and classmates right before G block for the first few weeks of school. Not many people know about the Internship program for seniors where a student works one-on-one with a specific member of staff to work on a specified area that interests them. It just takes one block out of the student and staff member's day, but it is an amazing opportunity for students to have more hands-on experience with tasks more akin to a job better preparing them for the future. 

One Seniors with Internships this year include Michael Silverstein (12), the current Tech intern, who said, “I like my internship because it teaches me how to apply my computer knowledge in a professional work environment. I would highly recommend taking one because it can really prepare you for the future.” 

Personally, my internship is through the IMPACT program under Mrs. Chan. In my internship, I have done a wide variety of tasks from packing bags for the middle school IMPACT Day to organizing contact information to make it easier on student leaders all of which support Mrs. Chan and further the goals of the IMPACT program. It has been so invaluable to me, allowing me to see what it means to create opportunities to serve others. It has even taught me how important serving is to me as a Christian and a member of society. 

I have to say that any junior who is interested in a possible internship should speak to a staff member who works in a field you're passionate about and talk to Mr. Dobson about the possibility of an internship. 

How Did the Boys Basketball Game Against USM Go?

By Ian Dobson

It was 6:50 on Friday, November 15, 2024, and I was sitting in the bleachers watching the boys varsity basketball team warm up to play against USM (Universiti Sains Malaysia). The stands were full of students from all divisions cheering them on. Based on the warm-ups, both teams seemed like they would perform well. 

The game started, and Dalat started off strong with Abraham Latham (12) making the first shot of the game, a layup. Every time someone would score, all the people in the stands would shout and clap. Throughout the game, Dalat was always ahead, but a few times, it did get close. The main thing that USM was doing well was their passing. They seemed to have good game sense, and they knew when to make the right passes. Dalat didn’t let that stop them from winning, though. Dalat played really well and won the game with a score of 57:74. 

At the end of the game, they came over and bowed and said thank you to the people in the stands. They beat USM even though the students from there were all older than them and most likely had been playing longer, which is impressive. 

I asked Timothy Hollon (12) how he thought the game went overall, and this was his response: “The game went well. Coach Latham gave us three things to focus on: intensity from the start, lockdown defense, and to start putting some 3s in the net. And, we did that. We dominated the ball on both ends and put together a performance I was proud of.” Another thing he said was that they could have had less turnovers throughout the game. 

I think that overall, the Dalat varsity boys played really well. They were playing against a university, and they didn’t let the age difference affect the outcome of the game. They seemed to give it their all, and they gave us in the stands a good game to watch. 

PSAT

By Aiden Jeong

After the low of PSAT and the high of the long weekend, we will see how the students of Dalat are currently faring.

This past week, Dalat students hosted the annual PSAT, an event that marks both stress and excitement on campus. The challenging exam, known for its lengthy reading passages, tricky math questions, and tight time constraints, left many students feeling mentally drained. For some, the PSAT proved to be a significant mental hurdle. Many students felt the familiar stress of standardized testing—balancing the need to think critically with the pressure of limited time.

However, others found a silver lining amidst the test’s pressures. Sophomore Andrew Mattson, in particular, appreciated a unique perk of the PSAT day: “I enjoyed having the PSAT because I got to go to lunch early.” For students like Andrew, this simple, lighthearted outlook provided a reminder to find small positives, even on a challenging day.

 The relief from the PSAT ending no doubt helps make the students even happier about the extra-long break. Some will reflect on the test and what they have learned; most will not, and they will simply just enjoy the long weekend. However, maybe we have something to learn from those who chose not to look too deeply into this. A lesson about enjoying life—to feel happy and appreciate the little things.

It should be noted that a week before, there was fall break. So that means that we are getting time to slowly readjust to school. It is also good for the people who made the most of fall break by traveling around and needed a break when they came back home. When the students return to classes, they will be better rested and prepared to tackle the rest of the semester.

The Passion of How to Life

By Stephen Branum

On November 1 and 2, something amazing happened. With prayer for months beforehand and many hands at hard work, the event was finally starting to take shape. The details were flowing in, people were volunteering, and God was at work. I was personally getting myself ready to worship for God’s glory and really focusing on thanking God for the opportunity He had given me to lead worship. 

How to Life (HTL) was an event put on by Gen Z, for Gen Z to hear about the Gospel and experience Christ. It was from 7-9 in the evening at PIC or Penang International Church. There was a time of worship, testimonies, a question panel, a gospel presentation, and a reflection time. One of the main prayer points we repeated was the ability to plant seeds and to be servants for God’s will in this event. This led us to really try to emphasize a reflection time as we set up a prayer corner and a question corner and just made ourselves available however that looked. 

With many leaders, such as Ian Dobson (12), Nathan Johnson (12), and Aiden Boyd (11), a lot of preparation was able to take place. We had all split into several groups to tackle different parts of the event, such as worship, hospitality, prayer, speaking, and testimonies. I was on the worship team, and Sabrina Boyd (12) and I prepared to lead the worship on the first night. We had a couple of practices leading up to the event, and on the day of, we arrived at PIC at 2. If we weren’t doing anything, we were praying. We put so much time, energy, effort, prayer, and trust in God into this event, and it paid off. 

A good number of Dalat students showed up, and I met some people I had never met before. I had one particular great experience and time with a guy and was able to pray over him and give him encouragement. 

Dobson said, “My favorite part was the panel because people were able to get genuine answers to questions lots of Christians and non-Christians have.” 

Many people resonated with the panel as some of the questions were genuinely hard and made the speakers think deeply and apply their knowledge to answer. Some of the questions included, do people who never hear about Jesus go to hell, thoughts on LGBTQ, and if the Bible was reliable and trustworthy, provoking profound explanations and answers especially from Sam, who works for HTL. 

Overall, the event was a great success and it resonated really well with the students in attendance through worship, a panel, testimonies, gospel presentations, and a well-structured reflection time. God moved that weekend! 

Plan B

By Anna-Lynn Tamminga

‘’EVERYONE QUIET’,’ Anya Shanmugabalan (12) was screaming at the top of her lungs while it started to rain harder and harder. About 20 middle schoolers finally quieted down and Anya was able to explain what the plan was. At that moment, I realized that Freaky Friday, especially for the leaders, was not for the weak. 

24 September 2024: “Hey class of 2025, I have come to announce a class meeting this Thursday during X-block. We will be talking about “Freaky Friday” where, as a grade, we unify ourselves and interact with the middle school. We will give them a chance to get to know more about us via games and more!” stated Sidharta Selvaraja (12) in a Teams message. I signed up thinking that it was going to be a chill and easy afternoon. During the next few weeks, we had a couple of meetings about what the groups were going to look like, and I found myself in the group of activities.

On the day of Freaky Friday, we had already spent more than 30 minutes setting up our game. Our plan was to play ‘capture the flag’. Everything was set and ready, and the middle schoolers were getting more excited by the minute at the idea of all the fun stuff they were going to participate in this afternoon. 

Unfortunately, right when we were about to start the fun afternoon, it started pouring. The field was soaked in less than 5 minutes, and our plan to capture the flag was impossible. At the same time, there were about 20 middle schoolers getting more and more impatient, they even started interrogating us about what we were going to do. Plan B was needed and no one knew what it was. The middle schoolers seemed to get more restless by the minute. I had thought of Freaky Friday as a relaxing activity where I wouldn't have to do much, but I hugely underestimated how hard leadership can be when circumstances suddenly change.  

Luckily our group leader stepped up and told us to lead the kids to the canteen. It turns out that charades make an excellent plan B and middle schoolers are very competitive. “It was fun to connect with the middle schools and although the rain was unexpected, Freaky Friday was still really fun and memorable,” said Shanmugabalan.

Freaky Friday ended up being a huge success, and that is thanks to the whole team who adjusted super quickly when things didn't turn out how they were supposed to. Being a leader and organizing an afternoon is not always as easy as it seems. In the future, whenever there is a sign up for an event where they need leaders, I will sign up feeling more prepared because I had the privilege of working with an excellent team who taught me you always have to be flexible and have a plan B prepared, just in case.

Special Guests

By Sophia Tan

It’s a bright, sunny morning at Dalat International School, just like any other. Except something is different. A group of new faces stand in anticipation near the brown tables at the front office, faces that belong to none other than Dalat’s special guests from Indonesia: the Rumah Boas Team and youth. From first meeting and interacting during English outreach programs initiated by the Student IMPACT Club to meeting them in person earlier this year in March to now coming to Dalat, Rumah Boas’ and Dalat’s relationship has significantly developed, and exciting events were in store. 

As soon as school started, the youth followed a group of students to begin shadowing to see what student life at Dalat is like. From Choir class to an array of English classes, Boas got a sneak peek at what Dalat students lived out every day.

After a long day of shadowing classes, the students and Boas needed a brain break. What better way to do so than a classic game of Captain Chicken? The Dalat students and Boas kids split into two groups, and the games began. Competitive spirit and exclamations of frustrated laughter filled the outdoor basketball gym, concluding the first day of Rumah Boas’s Dalat visit. 

It was even more fun awaiting the group on the second day, a day at the Escape water park! Students and Boas filled vans and cars and started their trip to escape. There were seemingly endless things to do, such as a zipline, swing, and water slides! 

“My favorite part was the flying lemur [a zipline reaching up to 30 meters]! It was scary but fun.” according to Elis, one of the Boas youth. 

The day wasn’t over yet, though. Rumah Boas and Dalat students were gearing up for a particular task: leading Worship in Dalat’s chapel. Everyone gathered to rehearse, the excitement palpable as the two groups prepared to lead the school in a time of praise. The energy was contagious, with students from both schools coming together to practice and bond over their shared Christian faith.

On Friday morning, the chapel came alive as the worship team led the entire school in song. The atmosphere was uplifting, with students passionately singing along to familiar songs of Worship and even a song in Bahasa Indonesia, bringing a unique cultural touch to the service. 

The enthusiasm of everyone involved was evident, as seen in freshman Benjamin Lim’s statement after chapel service, “Worship today was so awesome! I loved it so much; the main singer was so hyped.” Overall, it was an incredibly memorable and unifying experience.

To close the day, the group headed to a local Korean restaurant, Cottiny, for a delicious dinner. With various mouth-watering dishes, the meal was the perfect way to unwind and reflect on the day’s events. As they shared pictures and jokes, both groups couldn’t have been happier. 

However, before they knew it, it was time to part ways. Each person shared their goodbyes, and their period of fun and fellowship with each other came to an end. Even though the bittersweet pain of goodbye lingered after the Boas team drove off, the students knew it wouldn’t be the last time Dalat saw the people of Rumah Boas. 

A Memorable Weekend

By Jason Choi

The past week at Dalat has felt like a mini fall break, packed with days off and a mix of festivities that have kept students on their toes. From the excitement of Diwali celebrations and Halloween costumes to the annual PTO Family Fun Day and the looming November 1st college application deadline, it’s been a week to remember.

The long weekend started with the family fun day event held by the PTO on Wednesday. It took place on the outdoor basketball court from 4 to 6 p.m., with carnival games catered to students from P3-6 to grade 12. Students could win prizes in exchange for the points collected by winning the carnival games.

When asked about Family Fun Day, Jin Sarang (11) said, “Through Family Fun Day, I felt that many children got closer as they were playing games and earning tokens together. Also, the Dalat parents got closer as they were preparing the fun day.”

The long weekend, with Thursday and Friday off, was a chance for students to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, and Halloween, which were coincidentally on the same day this year- October 31st. Some were busy celebrating Diwali with their family and friends, while others dressed up for Halloween, as the sound of fireworks dominated our evenings and brightened up the sky. 

When asked about Halloween, Sophia Tan (12) shared, “We dressed up and went to Hin Bus in Georgetown for the event. At Hin Bus, there was loud music, food, and lots of people who decided to dress up as well. It was so cool to see others in their costumes. There were also five Kanye Wests!”

However, for seniors applying for early action to colleges,  November 1st loomed as an important deadline. The stressful process including writing essays, and getting transcripts and letters of recommendation from teachers, brought a lot of pressure. 

“I dont feel great. I had to do lot of research on the colleges and write a lot of essays. It was very stressful, would not recommend. However the days off and fun events helped made me less stressful and take my mind off things. ” said Kiera Nichols (12), a senior who applied early to several colleges.

As the weekend ends and a new week begins, students and staff are refreshed and ready for school. These occasional extra-long weekends brought by significant events from different cultures are what make Dalat unique. They provide a welcome break from school, an opportunity to bond, and a celebration of life.

Break Time

By JaeYoun Kim

“Time, because it is so fleeting, time, because it is beyond recall, is the most precious of human goods and to squander it is is the most delicate form of dissipation in which man can indulge,” said W. Somerset Maugham, contrasting the long weekend which gave us time to catch up and reflect.

October 28th marked the first tryouts for our school’s varsity basketball team. Many were worried they would not make the team. Everyone’s effort was evident, and guessing who would return the next day was a daunting task. On October 29th, the final tryouts arrived, and some fates seemed set in stone. The end came, and 12 were chosen, even those who felt secure found themselves unsure.

The long break offered time to recover from setbacks, whether being cut from varsity or facing unfinished work. The break felt like a pause in time, yet it was also more time to catch up on work. November 1st was the second practice for the team, pushing players to exhaustion. November 2nd was a friend’s birthday, a fun moment during the break, but one that now feels like a distant memory.

“I did college apps all day and night during the long weekend,” said Josiah Blacklock. 

The break that was supposed to give us time back ended up filled with work. “I was so busy during the weekend,” said Yong Xi Tan (12).

How was your long weekend? For most people, even big events pass and are soon forgotten. On November 2nd, before the weekend ended, Jason’s friends gave him a birthday he might remember. 

A basketball game approaches on November 6th, and the team can’t wait to play their long-awaited game. When the season ends, will they remember the time spent there?

The Future of Dalat's Varsity Boys Basketball

By Ting Yi Huang

“What do you think of the future of Dalat’s 2024 varsity basketball team, and how do you think this team will perform in ACSC?” Sean Lee (12) is asked as the first few weeks of basketball season have just started. Coming off of an amazing season of volleyball with Dalat’s first-ever gold in ACSC, Sean Lee played in 30 games of volleyball, 23 won and 7 lost. 

“I think it’s pretty decent. Even though there were some unexpected players, I think we have a pretty good team this year. And looking based off the teams last year, I think we are one of the top contenders for 1st place in ACSC.” 

Is this an accurate assumption, or is Sean in over his head due to the great win of Dalat’s varsity volleyball?

With other players in the basketball team coming hot from the volleyball and their championship, such as Jaeyoun Kim (12), this team is pumped to win yet another gold for Dalat, in basketball. As the basketball team secured 3rd place last season, there are promising results for ACSC, as there have been people on the team last year practicing from then till now. 

However, previous seniors who were very important to the team have graduated, leaving this year's players to take up more responsibilities. Even so, Sean believes that even with newly added players onto the team, they will surprise everyone with their talents, as well as add more chemistry to the team.

The team already has had 2 weeks of practice, and they are already expecting an upcoming game this week. With much anticipation to how this newly formed team will perform, we as Dalat can only hope that this season will start off strong, with as minimal injuries as possible to insure good training sessions and even better games.

Birthday Excitement

By Darnell Dwumfour

November 2nd is a special day for some people and a regular day for most. It was a rather eventful, tragic day that resulted in confusion, excitement, and memories. For me, It was an extraordinary day. It was Jason Choi's (12) birthday! 

Romeo Kontsas (12) and I sped off to the mall at approximately 5 pm. We urgently searched for a birthday present for Choi. Choi informed us that he wanted a cologne worth 1000 rm. I obviously told him that he was crazy and there was no way we would buy that for him. He then went on to tell us that he wanted Crocs. And he strictly said he wanted either the ugliest Crocs we could find or the prettiest Crocs we could find. So obviously, we went with the Ugliest Crocs we could find. 

Kontsas and I then sped off to Choi's (12) birthday dinner as we were late buying Jason a gift. We arrived at Sae ma eul (a Korean BBQ restaurant). Of course, Choi was full of excitement to see what we got for him. He then opened the gift bag to see that he got Hufflepuff Crocs. At first, there was laughter as he really couldn't get mad at the gift since he was the one who gave us two choices. And of course, Choi, being himself, the first thing that he told me after he received the gift was, "So Darnell, what's the return policy?" No thank you or anything; he asked me what the return policy was. There was laughter and disappointment as I expected him to say "thank you" or something like that. Afterward, he told me it was a joke and greatly appreciated the gift. 

Then, we all sat down and enjoyed our delicious BBQ while talking about our memories. 

And that's a wrap of how Jason Choi's (12) birthday went. Full of excitement and laughter. 

A Puppet to Lift Spirits and Giggles

By Anna Kilgo

During this past week's SEW, elementary students got a chance to dive into a few of God’s numerous names while enjoying the presence of some unfamiliar faces- including puppets with big personalities. 

From October 23rd to the 25th, students from Preschool through high school participated in SEW, or Spiritual Emphasis Week. During this Wednesday-to-Friday occasion, a group of speakers was invited to travel from Texas, USA, to our school here in Penang, Malaysia, to speak to each school division. With this SEW’s theme being “God Is,” each guest spokesperson shared a variety of stories—some from the Bible and others from their personal lives and families back home. Each gave messages aligning with the attributes of God and guiding students through what the Bible says, providing passages from scripture. 

Between the worship, activities, and messages all the students would participate in during the day and the optional night services, many enjoyed the fun and intentional atmosphere the speakers brought and Dalat’s hard work and preparation. Mrs. Sierra Veerasingam also invited elementary students to attend the night sessions and encouraged them to bring their parents and grandparents.

At the start of each day, beginning on Wednesday, children ages preschool to grade 4 gathered in Harbor Hall. They sang worship songs such as “Yahweh (No One)” and played games to get in the spirit. Then, they explored different themes of who God is, such as Yahweh, Immanuel, Jehova Rapha, King Of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 

When asked what she learned during the week, Mei Chen Fan (3) replied, “That nothing is impossible for God!” 

A fan favorite amongst the elementary students was a skit led by two of the speakers and performed by a puppet named Joe, who did not like his fur being touched and loved singing a song about the Bible.

 “My favorite part about SEW is that before lunch, we learned about a funny puppet named Joe, and it was very funny because if you said the word ‘Bible,’ he would sing a song!” Dora Wang (3) exclaims.

Overall, elementary school children of all ages enjoyed the various videos, activities, and entertainment that each day brought. They excitedly shared all the joy and laughter that came with learning more about the Lord and all He is capable of.

Yahweh, Emmanuel, Rapha

 By Onyou Kim

The week began with the hustle and bustle of students tittering and chattering about the upcoming Spiritual Emphasis Week. They had just finished fall break with an extra Monday off, and many were excited about the ‘work-free’ days ahead of them.

The first day of SEW for high school began with the worship team leading the audience to a series of worship songs. With shiny eyes expecting eagerly, the students were introduced to the theme, ‘God Is,’ and their speaker, Tysha Solomon, who explained one of the many names of God: Yahweh. She preached through the story of Moses, who encountered God through a burning bush, and evoked intense emotions among the students with her statement, “Every name has a meaning.” With her enthusiastic and powerful words, students started SEW off strong with joy and excitement.  

Seojeong Park (11) conveys, “I felt really connected to God during SEW, and I believe that these sessions are a good way to experience the presence of God since the amazing speakers and my peers glorify God so passionately.”

On the second day, high school was presented with another speaker, Will Perry, who grasped everyone’s attention with the colorful magic eye puzzles on the screen. All the high schoolers were engaged as they tried out different methods to see beyond the picture, struggling to figure it out. By defining another name of God, ‘Emmanuel,’ the deeper meaning behind the puzzle was revealed to show that “God is always with us” even when we aren’t aware of it.

The last day of SEW started with Pastor Bob bringing all the speakers onto the stage for the students to thank and appreciate their willingness to spread the word of God. The high school students were finally introduced to the two speakers, Dammon Passons and Kristi Passons, who unfortunately didn’t get to speak to the high school students throughout the days, and the crowd applauded and cheered for the four speakers who had journeyed all the way to Dalat from Texas. The session ended with a sermon from Tysha once again, who elaborated on the name ‘Rapha,’ the God who heals. 

With SEW wrapped up, students expressed feelings of both jubilation and sorrow for their wonderful week. Lindsay Goh (10) marveled, “SEW was cool, and I love Jesus. Jesus is cool.” 

It was indeed a cool week filled with memories that the whole Dalat community could cherish and continue their relationship with God.

God Is.

By Kyra Brewster

SEW, or Spiritual Emphasis Week comes once a year and is a time of worship, messages, and prayer. The theme for this year’s services was “God is,” which refers to the many names of God, and the idea that God was before anything. The first two days included a service for ES, MS, and HS in the morning as well as a combined service at night. The last day also had a morning service, but the night service was student-led, and many seniors shared their testimonies. Almost 300 people attended every night service ranging from Elementary to parents. 

With so many people crowded in the Harbor Hall on the last night, many nerves ran through the seniors who were prepared to share. They had all put tons of thought and time into their stories to make them meaningful, impactful, and relatable while highlighting how God has moved through their life. Andy Tan was the first to go and as he started talking, immediately captured the crowd’s attention with his serious and, in some places, heartbreaking story. After sharing the major struggles he experienced as a young teen and the darkness he thought he could never crawl out of, he praised God for the salvation he received and the new man he has become. Andy went on to explain how God saved him and how he used other people to speak truth into his life. 

As Andy said his closing words, the crowd erupted in applause for him as many were deeply impacted by his words. Following him were impressive and meaningful testimonies from Nate Johnson about knowing God, Michael Silverstein about finding identity in God, Sean Lee about relying on God in hard situations, and Josh Conklin about remembering who God says we are. 

When asked how he felt about the testimonies given and which one was his favorite, Stephen Branum said: “I think that the seniors all had good testimonies of all the ways God has worked in their lives, and I would say Andy’s testimony was my favorite because it just showed how much God loves us and is with us through hard times. It really resonated with me because I have been in a similar situation, and it reminded me of the lengths God goes to, to reach us and us just to run to Him in those dark places and times.”

Sowing Seeds

By Esther Jung

Lead: The burning question of who God truly is was this year's theme of Spiritual Emphasis Week, where speakers from Texas came to teach the word of God, impacting student’s lives.

As I opened my eyes, I saw the beautiful image of the Harbor Hall room filled with people ranging from 3-year-old kids to grandparents, praising the Lord with all their hearts.    

This is what Spiritual Emphasis Week, or SEW, strives to achieve each year. Dalat sets aside three days dedicated to encouraging students and adults to grow spiritually and learn about the word of God. Each year, Pastor Bob and the Leadership Development team work hard to make SEW a memorable event by picking a theme and inviting speakers from different parts of the world to share during Chapel and evening services.  

This year, from October 23rd to 25th, a team from Frisco, Texas, came all the way down to Penang, Malaysia, to talk about this year’s theme, “God is.” We learned about the different names of God, what they meant, and how we can apply these teachings in our lives.  

“I really enjoyed looking around and seeing so many people of all ages praying together and worshiping the Lord,” said Sophia Coker (12). 

During the evening services from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, a designated person from the Frisco Team would come up and speak. After the speaker finished the message, the rest of the time would be filled with worship and prayer. The LD team would come up to the front to have the opportunity to pray for the students and teachers who needed prayer.  

On the very last day of SEW, instead of the team from Frisco, Texas, coming up to speak, we had the opportunity to hear some of the Leadership Development team’s testimonies.  

When asking Stephen Branum (12) what he thought about the testimonies, he commented, “I think that the seniors all have really good testimonies of all the ways God has worked in their lives and how He has shown himself to them. I would say Andy’s testimony was my favorite because it just showed how much God loves us, how He gets us through hard times, and how He is always there for us. It really resonated with me because I was in a similar situation in my 8th and 9th grade years, and it reminds me of the lengths God goes to reach us and for us just to run to Him and not be confined and trapped in those dark places and times.” 

All in all, Spiritual Emphasis Week is a yearly tradition that the Leadership Development Team and Pastor Bob organize. It has significantly impacted many students and adults, bringing spiritual growth and a love for God. It truly sows and plants seeds in people’s hearts.  

Sewing My Heart

By Hyorim Ahn

On the first day of the Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW), the worship team made a mistake on starting on the song “Another in the Fire,” where everyone stumbled and stared at each other for a moment. I was stressed out, feeling trapped and squished inside a box, but bless the Lord! He gently guided me and the worship team to get backtrack to the original tempo to the song. 

For me, one of the greatest fears for leading worship was myself messing up and leading people off-track from glorifying God. However, I often struggled with staying focused and solely singing for God, which made me panic and make mistakes frequently. 

Thankfully, the mistakes I made so far had not been very obvious, until the second day for SEW came. In the morning for MS Chapel, God helped me to hold on to Him and praise Him with joy. Nevertheless, during the HS chapel, without the time to rehearsal, my anxiety made me forget to pray to God and to make my heart fully dwelling on Him, and it happened. My voice cracked. 

“I believe in YoOuUu~” As soon as I felt my voice lose its melody, I could not help it but just laugh at myself while singing. It was the worst mistake I ever made during worship, and I had to force myself to ignore everyone laughing at it. 

After the service that day, people who passed by me always mentioned it, either trying to make me feel better or teasing me. I told myself that I should have prepared myself and more with prayer. 

To be honest, the embarrassment I felt made me in part mad at myself and a little bit at God. Furthermore, my falling behind on art, struggling with college application, preparing for worship, added with my earlier mistake of a voice crack just ripped off the bag I tried to carry on and just tripped me to fall.

Despite my frustration, I knew that I could not blame God for anything, for I knew His plan was and is always great. I decided to trust and feel excited to see how He would  through my mistake grow closer to Him. 

So that night, I wrote a prayer, surrendering myself to God, asking the Holy Spirit to fill me with His power and enable me to glorify Him through the talents that He’s given me. I asked Him to heal me from my wounds of lostness and take me out from the sins of pridefulness. I asked for Him to give me a hand to stand up again so I could march on again. 

And strangely, a surge of confidence came up to my heart, and somehow I knew that God would help me through the last day of worship services and allow me to recover from the trauma of the voice crack. 

The last day’s worship service, I really experienced God working through me and the worship team, allowing us to bring a heart-filling worship. Now I even felt glad that I made a voice crack because I knew that this let me recognize again that God is the one who enables me to sing, and that He is the one who also makes me recover from my mistakes. I cannot even explain the joy that splashed on me when I truly Serving God through this SEW for me was an experience of immeasurable value. 

SEW: Behind the Scenes

By Emma Emis

Big, bold letters sprawled out on the backdrop of the of the stage, surrounded by bright lights in every corner: “YHWH.” 

Spiritual Emphasis Week is a week that Dalat encourages students, parents, friends, and faculty to dive deeper into their relationship with God. This week is beloved by all who attend, as it is a fun way to worship and get to know God more. The Leadership Development class worked enthusiastically to plan, organize, and pray for SEW months in advance. We worked diligently to synthesize all of our ideas into one single theme to encapsulate who God is. Then we found it.  

This profound statement “ God Is.” was unanimously voted upon in our class after being suggested. We all came to the realization that God didn’t need to be defined by simply anything. He just is. And if he is, then nothing else matters. We hatched a plan- purposefully defining a few specific names of God for each chapel, in order to understand his character. We would put the name of God for that chapel in the background, to help the audience visualize His mighty power. Our class worked along side guest speakers from Texas to execute these Elementary, Middle, and High School Chapels and night sessions. In the process, we gained knowledge, wisdom and overall experience on what it means to be a student leader. 

However, there were stressful moments at times, like designing the shirts or choosing the banner colors. The moments of designated time the past few months for quiet Bible reading and group prayers in class provided peace and comfort that hovered over us leaders for the weeks to come. Pastor Bob wanted us to realize this time we took to plan truly wasn’t about us, but about God and glorifying Him. I would say it was one of the most essential parts that went into organizing this event. Our individual hearts growing for God helped equip all of us.

A fellow member of the LD class, Joshua Conklin (12), said it perfectly: “Having been a part of SEW worship teams for a few years now, I knew that it would take work. This SEW, I finally saw the administrative side of that work in a new, very real light and realized it’s importance. Between voting and praying on the theme itself, to our LD class taking time to spiritually intercede for the school, to running the student led prayer time, I got to see a different and just as meaningful and impactful side of SEW that I hadn’t experienced before, and I loved it in all of its tiringness.”

The Golden Eagles

By Gerald Yang

Varsity Boys Volleyball have secured gold. On the evening of October 19th, the volleyball boys made history winning gold in ACSC Volleyball. 

“Shave that beard! Shave that beard! Shave that beard!” the voices echoed around the gym as Coach Riffey was picked up by the volleyball team. The boys’ hard work, dedication, and effort all lead to this moment in ACSC. Some might’ve thought getting gold would be an out of reach dream and others would not settle for anything less than a gold.

It was the last game of the day. The championship game. Dalat faced the ACSC defending champions, Faith Academy, who had knocked the Dalat Eagles out of the ACSC championship game last year. Many of the members were afraid of history repeating itself, but this year was different. The Dalat Eagles had cruised through the elimination round undefeated, placing them into the finals against a vengeful Faith team. 

Tensions were high as the Faith Vanguards started strong and questionable call by the referees only made it harder for the Eagles to build their momentum. As Dalat lost the first set, Coach Riffey led the team to come back answering with two sets for Dalat. The Vanguards, however, were not keen on losing so easily, climbing back to earn the fourth set. The momentum had shifted. 

In typical Dalat fashion, the boys had to make this game close, as doubts arose as to whether history would be repeated. The Eagles weren’t satisfied with coming second. In a tough nail-biting set against the Vanguards, the final point was awarded to Dalat after a net touch. The score was 15-13.

The match was as close as ever, momentum shifted as each team left everything they had on the court. However, Dalat pulled through. For the first time in ACSC Volleyball history, Dalat had won gold. “That game was as close as it gets, a match worthy of a final,” Mr. Owen Mcintyre, the Athletic Director at SPH Lippo Village, stated in the closing ceremony.

Photo Credit: SPH Media Team 

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

By Andy Tan

The week of the Varsity Volleyball ACSC for both the boys and girls was a riveting and thrilling experience for those involved, and even for those supporting from afar. Six days of fun, fight, and forging of new memories for many of our beloved DALAT community.

The Girls Volleyball team went off to represent us in Korea, at Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS), where they faced a steep and tough competition against the other schools there. The teams they faced were Faith Academy, Grace International School, ICS Bangkok, ICS Hong Kong, Morrison Academy, SPH, and the host school YISS. As all ACSC tournaments are, it was a tough battle against strong teams that challenged each other and pushed everyone to try their hardest and play their best.

In the end, our Girls Varsity Volleyball team managed to place fifth, through adversity and struggle they stayed in the fight and finished their week making sure they left it all on the court. 

Throughout these tough games, they also were able to bond and experience Korea with each other. Roaming the streets of Korea and having fun with each other on their off time, they grew closer as a team, and ensured they made the most of their trip. 

One of the players, Vennie Wong (12), said this regarding her experience of the trip: “ACSC was really fun because the girls team got to go to Korea and when we were there we could explore around, it was a new experience overall.”

Alongside this, the Boys Volleyball team were also facing challenges in Indonesia at the SPH school in Jakarta. I remember feeling the intensity, the emotion and pure desire on the court every time the varsity boys stepped on to play. Through many exciting and hard fought games, our Dalat Eagles secured their place in the championship, where they faced off against Faith Academy. 

In a grueling battle of five sets, the varsity boys fought tooth and nail to push back their opponents, notorious and strong in their own right. In a nail-biting finale, our boys managed to seal the deal with a score of 14-13 in the final set, earning the gold and 1st place spot for DALAT, with tears shed and sweat dripping down from all the team’s faces.

Overall, our Dalat athletes put in amazing effort on their ACSC trips. With strong hearts and supporting crowds from overseas and in the gym, they represented our school with their play, and made all of us proud to have them as our Dalat volleyball athletes this year. Let’s Go Eagles!

Girls' Varsity Team Falls to ICS Hong Kong at ACSC Tournament

By Shasha Menon

The Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team fought determinedly in their recent match against ICS Hong Kong during the ACSC Volleyball Tournament, the biggest tournament of the season. Despite their best efforts, they fell short in a 2-0 loss.

The Asia Christian Schools Conference (ACSC) Volleyball Tournament, held from October 16–19 in Seoul, Korea, brought together 8 teams from 8 different international Christian schools across Asia, all fighting for first place.

On the fourth day of the tournament, the Dalat girls’ varsity team faced off against ICS Hong Kong in a crucial match that would determine the fourth and fifth places. The game started off with both teams fighting eagerly, both trying to take the first win. Though our team lost the first set 25-22, giving them hope that the next game could be theirs. Despite the close scores, our players struggled to maintain the same momentum as the thought of losing weighed on their minds. ICS Hong Kong had adjusted their strategy, and took the second set by 25-23, earning them fourth place in the tournament.

Christal Teoh (11), the team's manager, reflected on the game, recognizing the lost potential and praising the girls’ efforts, saying, "After the last game, it was a very emotional moment. Everyone was in disbelief and disappointed with the tournament's outcome, and tears were shed amongst the team. We had a group hug where we prayed together, and you could feel the bond the team built together so strong. This was probably one of the most memorable moments of the whole trip for me.” 

One of the team members, Anna-Lynn Tamminga (12), shared, “I feel like we should’ve done better, but on the other hand, we had a really great team bonding afterward because we lost, and everyone was comforting each other, and that was really special."

Despite the loss, the varsity girls left the court, knowing they had given their best effort. Their determination will undoubtedly carry them far in their future endeavors.

Carrying on the Legacy

By Romeo Kontsas

Darnell Dwumfour (12) and I were the last ones left from the team that won ACSC in 2022, so we felt immense pressure to bring home a third successive medal.

This year, we had a young team, so as captains, Darnell and I had to prepare them for the immense competition that was upcoming. ACSC soccer was hosted by Morrison Academy, which meant that we got to travel to Taichung, Taiwan. As we started our travel, the team was full of excitement and nervousness. 

Our first game was against Grace, and the team's nervousness showed. We came out with no intensity, and Grace capitalized on that. We lost the game 4-1, and we knew that something needed to change. Thankfully, our opportunity for improvement was later that same day. We were playing the hosts, Morrison. We knew that if we wanted to place first or second in our group, the next two games were a must-win, so the pressure was on. In our pre-game huddle, I motivated the team and demanded that we come out with intensity, and that is exactly what we did. We scored 3 quick goals, and Morrison did not know what hit them. The game ended 7-0, and morale was high again as a result of our dominant win. 

On the second day, we only had one game, and it was against SPH. We knew we had to carry on the intensity into this game because they were a tougher opponent than Morrison. This time, we did not need to motivate the boys because we could see the determination in their eyes. They knew it was game time. We followed in the footsteps of our game against Morrison and controlled the game, eventually beating them 4-2. This victory meant that we faced Faith in the quarterfinals the next day, so with morale at an all-time high, we headed back to the hotel and rested for the big game the next day. 

We breezed past Faith 5-0, and now we were in the top four for which the game would be played that afternoon. However, our opponent for the semi-final was ICS-Bangkok. They did not concede a single goal in the last ACSC, and they were motivated to beat us because we beat them in 2022 to win the championship. We went into the game with a compact defensive strategy, and it worked astonishingly well. We were defending beautifully, but they got lucky and scored two undeserving goals, and we were not able to come back. This meant that we faced YISS in the bronze medal match the next day.  

YISS was a fast and physical opponent, so we knew we had to be at our very best if we wanted to bring home silverware. At the start of the game, we lacked intensity and went down 1-0 within the first 10 minutes. The game was scrappy, but we started noticing that the YISS players were running on fumes. They seemed to be struggling to keep up with us, and as we headed into halftime, this gave us a boost. 

Mr. Van, our head coach, asked us, “How much do you want it? Boys, they are tired. You have to outwork them.” With this in mind, we ran onto the field full of determination. When we came out with intensity in the second half, it was obvious that they were struggling. Seeing their weakness gave us an even bigger motivation boost, and we managed to tie the game 1-1. Soon after, we scored a second one, which gave us the lead and made our dedicated parents who were present scream at the top of their lungs; it even made Mr. Van feel the urge to chest bump our entire bench. During the final minutes of the game, we scored a third, which put the nail in the coffin, and when the referee blew the whistle, our team started jumping for joy. We had done it. We fought hard and proved that we wanted it more and, more importantly, that we deserved it. Later that evening, we got to feast on some tortillas and then we headed for the award ceremony. 

As Morrison’s athletic director announced that we got third place, we went up and received our medals and trophy. We took our pictures and smiled happily, knowing that we left it all on the pitch and that we got to take something home. 

After that, it was time for the athletic director to announce the All-Team Tournament players from each team. The best player(s) from each team are decided by the coach. First, he called my name, and I was happy to receive the award, but then it got even better when he said, “Darnell Dwumfour.” I was ecstatic that Darnell and I had done it. We had got silverware three years in a row, and now, in our senior year, we got this award together, it was something truly special, and I think it was safe to say that we had successfully carried on the legacy.