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.