Tuesday 22 May 2018

Final Lap of the Race

Louise Kim

Throughout the month of May, many students at Dalat were involved in big, end-of-the-year events, from AP exams to the Fine Arts Festival. Alongside the major events, students were faced with final tests and projects in classes. As an overwhelming time for both student and teachers, all stood at the decision to give up or persevere through their final lap of the race.

For the last two weeks, students taking AP courses went through dreaded days of studying and cramming. Resisting surrounding temptations, most students worked their hardest to pay for their yearlong hard work. When asked how she felt before taking her exam, Rosie Shin (12) said, “I feel ready for the exam.”

Some students like her, who worked hard and strongly persevered, reaped positive results, while some went half-prepared, worried but trusting their memory.

AP exams began on a Monday morning, the 7th of May, with AP Chemistry and AP Psychology. Although first to be tested, students taking an exam that day had the advantage of finishing first and tasting the freedom earned after hard work. After her AP psychology exam, Yi Lin (12) said in relief, “It was stressful, but once I was done, I was relieved and felt that all my hard work had paid off.”

Students who took AP courses put a lot of work and effort into their learning throughout the year and were tested with a comprehensive exam based on the subject from the start to the end of the year. AP exams are not only difficult but also require a great deal of work and motivation for students during the end of the year, which is always busy and exhausting.

Leaving a few days until graduation, seniors, too, ran hard, whether it was AP or Fine Arts, and relaxed, treasuring the few moments left at Dalat. Unlike the grades below them, seniors were not required to take final exams if they had a letter grade of an “A” in the class. Now that their race at Dalat has basically finished, they have a short amount of freedom and rest until a new race begins in a new environment.

I wish all the best for my classmates and pray that we will end strong and proud. Blessings.

Monday 21 May 2018

Leaving their Lasting Impact on DALAT

On May 21, 2018, from 7 o’clock to 8 o’clock, the Senior Class of 2018 played their prank on the school by spray-painting the old high school building. This building is going to be torn down this Sunday, so the students were allowed to spray-paint the windows, floors, ceilings, and doors.

“I spray-painted a panda unicorn on the outside of Mrs. Debbie Chinn’s classroom, and I also spray-painted chicken breast. I like chicken breast because makes it makes me strong and has emotional value,” said Aidan Frusher (12).

From inside jokes to elaborate symbols, there was not a single wall left untouched by spray-paint. Shannen Leong (12) spray-painted a beautiful rose, a cat, and a small stitch on the floor. Jesse Lohman (12) spent the majority of the night spray-painting the Spongebob Squarepants outside of the World History classroom.

While many of the students spray-painted their names on the walls, Mr. Larry Chinn spray-painted “Juniors rock” across from the Junior lockers. To advertise for the upcoming Senior Chapel event, Hyun Ji Kim (12) and Leong spray-painted “Come to Senior Chapel” on the floor outside of the Main Office.

Aaron Tan (12) and Richard Beak (12) spray-painted an outline of their bodies on the floor and left their initials within it. Asher Kim (12), Yigal Ang (12) and Beak watched as Simon Jeong (12) spray-painted a Korean flag on the floor outside of Miss Emily Grad’s classroom.

Sophia Ong (12) spray-painted an outline of the character Biggie Cheese from Barnyard. Jamie Ooi’s name and Instagram were spray-painted many times on the floor and walls of the old high school. “I found it funny that my sister became such a big meme amongst the seniors,” said Jerald Ooi (12).

At the end of their time, the seniors all gathered around a big “Class of 2018” design spray-painted by Kayla Ronning (12), Grace Chang (12), and Melynn Kendrick (12). The seniors then went home excited to see the reactions of the underclassmen the next day.

A Standing Ovation

Peter Kim

The Fine Arts Festival this year spanned a course of three days, starting with the elementary school on the first day, the middle school on the following day, and the high school on the last day. Every performance in the Fine Arts this year was exceptional, highlighting the abilities of the students in our school, culminating in this final event that tops the end of the year.

Held at PenangPAC, the Fine Arts Festival provided a time for artists, performers, singers, and musicians to exhibit a true display of skills. The art exhibition, in particular, most definitely emphasized the quirks, the uniqueness of every student’s artistic style. Tian Ooi (12) thoughtfully says, “I really enjoyed seeing everyone’s exhibits; it was really great to see every single piece being recognized for what they are.”

From middle school art pieces to Foundation, Advanced, Master Studio, and AP Art pieces, the variety of masterpieces that decorated the walls of the exhibition was a true feast for the eyes.

And, of course, for some students—especially seniors—this festival was their final performance. Richard Baek (12) wistfully reflects on his experience performing after giving a fantastic solo, saying, “I had a mixture of feelings—both happy and sad. I was happy that we finished our last Fine Arts Festival well; and I heard a lot of great comments on my solo and my other performances, but I felt really sad because this was my last Fine Arts in Dalat: I won’t be able to sing or perform with my friends anymore.”

Both the Men’s and Women’s Ensembles had gone far beyond their capabilities to grace the audience with their marvelous singing, finishing off their performances with a mischievous arrangement of the leitmotif of “Mission Impossible.”

The Concert Choir this year delivered a dulcet array of songs that once again amazed the crowd that evening. Shion Fraser (12) states, “I didn’t enjoy taking part in it—not in a bad way—mostly because of how nerve-wracking it was to perform. But honestly, everyone was really good.”

And indeed their singing never seems to falter in quality, seeing how each song could truly move the hearts of the audience with the intermingling of a beautiful menagerie of voices.

Jazz Ensemble had provided a lovely introduction to the later concert, setting the mood with its playfully catchy yet soulful tunes such as “Chameleon,” which certainly did capture the audience’s hearts. Concert Band certainly did stir the hearts of many this year, starting off with “The Legend of the Ida Glenn,” a nostalgic overture that certainly appealed to the seniors, who distinctly remember playing the exact piece during their middle school years.

Perhaps the greatest highlight of the Fine Arts was not only the display of the works of students, but also the teachers who have done much to prepare for this festival. And as the night drew to a close, the Dalat community lauded the efforts of everyone, the students who took part, as well as the honorable teachers and staff who made this festival possible with a standing ovation.

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Arrival of the APs

Shion Fraser

The end of the year approached. AP classes had finished all their material and gone through the review. The week started. Tension spread across campus. Students went missing from classes and came back hours later with death in their eyes. Almost nobody was safe.

 Every day, more students were taken. All students prepared weeks prior for this horrible event. AP testing took up the entire week and would keep going through the week to come. Stress built up since the beginning of the year peaked at this critical moment. This was the moment of truth for the majority of those attending Dalat.

“Confirm five,” said one student who had slept through his final. “...minus five,” he added after a bit of consideration. Another student, Kimberly Hills (11), said that the exams were “cruel and unusual punishment accepted by society.”

Some students made life harder for themselves by having unattainable goals. Ke-Erh Huang (12) said, “I aim for a six.”

As bad as it may all seem, some students didn't think the tests were that bad. Some students, who will remain unnamed, admitted that they were not even planning on passing. So close to the end of their high school career, APs didn't seem so important.

 On the other end of the spectrum, Natalie Ryan (12) casually commented that “the exams weren't that bad. They were a lot easier than I expected them to be.”

It seems that perhaps the difficulty of tests may just be a matter of perspective. But despite how they may feel (overly stressed, completely given up, or exceptionally calm), the exams will end soon and all will be well. The hardest classes will be complete and the end of the year will be just around the corner.


I only feel sorry for those who will be slapped quite violently in the face with the beginning of normal finals.

Monday 14 May 2018

Advanced Placements or Academic Probation?

Jerald Ooi

The clock indicated 1 pm. His calendar displayed May 7. The questions on his paper numbered forty-five. The student was lost. Months of preparation had led him to this moment as he anxiously tapped his pencil against the desk. Countless explanations and possible answers danced in his head as he began a process of elimination to determine the best possible answer.

“It has to be this answer,” he thought, as his brain finally narrowed down answers to a selected few. 

The clock now indicated 1:40 pm. The question on his paper numbered one. However, something was different. Not multiple choice, but free response. Stumped, our student took some time to stare at the ceiling as he beckoned the dusty corners of his mind to come alive and grant him the answers of his desires.

The clock indicated 9 pm. His calendar displayed May 6. The tablet that lay before him had a Google search bar with the words “how to pass an AP without passing the test” typed out. APs, or Advanced Placement, the bane of many that induce far more sorrow than joy. A course dictated by a single standardized test at the end of it, that, despite an academic score of one-hundred in the class, can end up meaning failure without a score of three or higher on the test. At this point, one might ask, “Why do people even take this course then?”

Well, the answer is simple. Despite the seemingly depressing predicament, it puts students in, AP’s can be defined as a high risk - high reward situation that puts one at a much higher caliber than the average student, considering that a favorable result is attained.

“Take AP’s if you need it for something in the future. Don’t be like me and take courses you don’t need,” said Elynn Tan (12) when asked about choosing an AP course. One has to be careful when picking an AP course. If a person strives to be a chef in the future, AP Calculus isn’t the best choice for that person to take. Still, there will always be that one exemplary student who decides to take on almost every AP a school has to offer. It is quite interesting, to say the least.

We now go back to our student as he sits in his room, pondering on what he should in preparation for his exams tomorrow. It is then that Mr. Yost’s voice from earlier in the day rings out in his head. “Don’t study tonight and overwork yourself. Getting a good night’s sleep is the best preparation you can make for tomorrow.”

And with that, our student puts down his tablet and jumps to bed, pushing aside all his worries, because he knows that he has had sufficient preparation throughout the school year for the AP test tomorrow. 

Tuesday 8 May 2018

For and by Students

Rahul Gill

The StuCo store is a center for student activities on the Dalat campus. Many students come here during lunch to snack and hang out together. I believe that students enjoy the space and service, but I went to the student center to ask students themselves.

I asked Aaron Worten (10) about what he thinks concerning the store. “I think it’s good,” he tells me. “I like the variety of food.” Whilst he enjoys the atmosphere and food options, he says that other people may feel differently. “Yeah, some people think that they could add more stuff, but I like the variety.”

Another person, Jian Yi Lai (10), gave me a slightly different opinion. “No,” he tells me first off when I ask him if he likes the store. I ask him if he’s serious and he replies, “No, it’s good,” he says more decidedly this time. I ask him about his favorite foods and he tells me that he particularly likes the Shin cup noodles. However, he thinks that StuCo could up their game a little, saying, “They should have more foods. And they run out of food all the time. Like cup noodles. Like Shin cup.” Jian Yi is particularly let down because the Shin cups are his main buy, and he feels that they should generally have more kinds of food to choose from.

Inkyul Kim (10) walks by and sees Jian Yi playing Tetris. I ask him about his opinion, and he says,“It’s alright. Some things are overpriced, but hey, you gotta make a profit.” When I asked if he thinks StuCo has enough kinds of food, he said that he wanted “a little more variety and actual lunch.”

After these interviews, the general sentiment is that people do like the store and are content with the role it provides. However, we all came to an agreement that there is a lack of variety that could be addressed. With StuCo just recently coming out of a long-standing debt, it may be wise for them to consider investing in finding new foods and options to better cater to the student body. 

Away from Work

Jung En Seo

Tuesday, 1st of May, the school gate was firmly closed, and there were no students to be spotted. On this particular day, the school was closed to celebrate Labor Day, a public holiday. Labor Day in Malaysia started in the 1970s and was established to recognize the contribution of workers and celebrate the coming spring. Labor Day is a day for leisure and rest for people who have worked hard for the past few months.

Not many people were able to leave the country because the holiday was too short. However, fortunately, on May 1st, the sun was bright, and the weather was perfect for outside activities. So, people were able to enjoy their leisure and hobbies outdoors. Ji Woo (5), who spent her day under the sun, said, "I rode a bicycle with my sister because we did not have to go to the school that day. I had fun.”

For some people, this day meant more than a public holiday. Vivien, a senior, quoted, “It is a great time to spend with your family. Especially in Korea, people rush to work and come back home late at night. Labor Day provides a time to be spent without the stress of going to work”.

Although for some people it was a rather relaxing public holiday, for the AP Calculus students it wasn’t. They took their mock exam during this holiday.

 “I hated it. I almost was tempted not to go, but Mrs. Kearney’s voice kept ringing in my ear. I had to go. The saddest thing about this was not getting to sleep in,” Harin Park (12) expressed about taking a mock exam on Labor Day.

Though people spent time doing different things on this wonderful day, every one of the Dalat school students made use of this day—and most seemed to be satisfied with it. 

New School Building Is On Its Way

Asher Kim 

The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and there are quite a few changes coming along. One of them, as many of you will have noticed, is the new school building.

The gigantic building is on its way to finally reveal itself. The building consists of several spacious classrooms that come together as one to form a big ship. The new building does not only consist of classrooms but also a majestic auditorium. This new huge auditorium is a clear indication of how far Dalat has come. Some senior students were able to experience some parts of the building as they helped move the brand new lockers with Mr. Kilgo on Tuesday. I could tell from their faces that they were somewhat envious because they would not be here anymore to enjoy the new facility. I asked Daniel Go (12) about the new building, and he told me, “I wish I was a junior now, so that I could study in a better environment.”

The new building faces the crystal blue ocean and the clear sky, and it made me feel as if I were the captain of the “Dalat Ship.” From the Castle building to our new high school campus, I realized how important it is to come together as one community to achieve our goals. Dalat has never failed to do so for the past decades. Dalat has not only successfully created a bigger space for bigger achievements, but it has also created an open environment that allows students to excel in their academics.

I believe that this new building will provide a room for even more creativity, passion, and hard work, for both current and future students. Despite being a student of Dalat for only a few years, I have fully and truly experienced what true education means. A true school is not merely about top-notched buildings—but more about the people that are involved in fostering this communal experience.

Tuesday 1 May 2018

Sweet Spring Candy: Short & Sweet – Dalat Style

Aurelie D’Couto

Has anyone seen anything humorous or had “coffee with God?” From April 27 to April 28, the drama department brought the chapel to life with their Short and Sweet sketches!

Even though the spring semester was packed with events, the busy schedules didn’t prevent the drama department from setting up a delightful spring performance that involved ten sketches and fifteen high school students.

The spring performance took a lot of attentiveness and dedication, and five of the sketches were written by some of the students during winter break. Students had the opportunity to put their “hidden” imagination and inventiveness to work by making their written works come alive while dreaming with their eyes wide open; anybody can see the magic in themselves. The students were given a chance to break free.

As a result, the scripts were witty, funny, and hilarious with poignant moments and intelligent writing; the students smartly utilized their creative writing and acting abilities to brilliantly allow their stories to rise and shine in the spotlight. The students could inspire other people to write and perform their acts bravely; furthermore, a script can showcase the artistic person inside of anybody, thanks to the visionary director, Mr. Doug Yost. With his direction, he supported the students to realize their dreams and improve upon their talents by showing the audience how scriptwriting can be worthwhile and satisfying.

However, Mr. Yost couldn’t have directed the performers and scriptwriters without the help of Mrs. Lori Horton and Miss Mary Geiman, who willingly helped with the production design and costumes. Everybody made the season of spring much sweeter!

One of the actors and scriptwriters, Seth Kelley (11), said, “We pull through for each other and grow closer with every practice, and I know I'm not the only one who's experienced this. My RLT experiences the past three years have taught me that it's not merely a collection of short sketches or a way of putting on a show; it's a family that sticks up for each other through thick and thin, no matter how long one person has known another."

One of the actresses, Crystal Pholia (11), said, “Drama is an excellent break from your academics, like when you’re stressed about your homework, tests, and other studies, you can focus on Drama and clear your mind. It’s cool and entertaining.”

Another actress, Corinne Fraley (10), said, “I love acting, stories, and musicals! That’s what I want to invest in because I love the Theatre and watching plays!”

In the spring production, the students found contentment where they could be in other worlds and escape from the stresses of reality. Drama is also a way to be with people from different backgrounds and patiently understand them. After the final presentation, the students gave thanks to the directors. Jireh Ang (10) wrote a powerful speech dedicated to Mrs. Yost. We pray that Mrs. Yost will heal very soon, and we can’t wait to have her back at school.