Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

By Ryan Choi  I say this almost every year, but this year went by so, so fast. It feels like yesterday when we seniors were still getting used to wearing the blue senior shirts and not seeing any pink ones around.   Christmas came early with less than a full week left in the semester, and students were blessed with a long, relaxing, five-day weekend, and they took full advantage of it. Some slept in and relaxed, some indulged in outdoor activities, and others traveled. The dorms also made full use of the long weekend and traveled to Ipoh. Dorm students had the opportunity to go white water rafting, swimming in a cold waterfall, and sing worship songs with marshmallows and chocolate. I fell off four times during rafting, and it was genuinely the most fun I had in months.   When students came back from their extended rest, a new month – the month of red, green, and white -- had settled in, and we saw decorations everywhere. Josh Morrison (12) says, “Christmas is t...

By Yun Kil The school year started with a bang--we’re finally seniors! With Sneak, hoodies, and privileges all on the way, the year seemed like something we could truly look forward to. However, as the novelty wore off during the first couple weeks of school, being a senior didn’t seem to be as glamorous as I had initially thought. From college applications to AP courses, school has been nothing short of stressful, and as we trudged onto the last week of semester one, the vast majority found ourselves scrambling to get all our work done.  “I haven’t slept in days and I have to do a TED talk, I have to do a whole bunch of other work, and I feel as if I’m a racoon stuck in a cage and its eyes are like glued open and I CAN'T SHUT THEM!”  Noella Seevaratnam (12) exclaims, exasperated. Other students, like Brendan Loke (12), realized early on how busy this year would be and with careful planning, avoided being bombarded with work during the final week, “You know you gotta plan out ...

By Marcus Ang In November, the Food Science Club embarked on a series of engaging activities and projects. The diverse range of initiatives included constructing gingerbread houses, crafting homemade mac and cheese, and planting lettuce in anticipation of an upcoming project. Most recently, the Food Science Club faced the creative challenge of constructing their own gingerbread houses. Divided into three groups, club members were tasked with unleashing their imaginations. Equipped with materials such as whipping cream, gummy bears, pocky sticks, chocolate, and square crackers provided by the club, members embarked on the construction process.  "It's unfortunate we couldn't use real gingerbread to make the houses, but the crackers were a lot of fun to use," stated Tia Moore (12). Overall, the experience was enjoyable, fostering creativity even in the absence of ideal materials. Earlier in the month, the club explored into the culinary realm by preparing homemade mac an...

By Pranjal Malik The court, once again, came alive with competitive spirit as Dalat International School hosted the annual Island Shootout basketball tournament. Teams from Kuala Lumpur descended upon Penang, setting the stage for thrilling matchups. Dalat faced challenges in the boys' division, showcasing resilience and learning valuable lessons. Island Shootout, a basketball tournament hosted by Dalat International School, took place from the 1st to the 2nd of December. Bringing together four boys' teams—Dalat International School, Oasis International School, Garden International School, and TLC—the event unfolded on campus. With the strong support of the home crowd, the Dalat boys’ team was ready to face the competition. The journey of the Dalat Varsity Boys kicked off with a closely contested match against TLC. Despite a valiant effort, Dalat found themselves on the losing end. The absence of some key players due to the SAT added an extra layer of challenge, setting the sta...

By Arielle McIver School ended, and it was time for the players to get their game on. It was the first tournament of the basketball season for both the girls' and guys' varsity teams- Island Shootout. Teams from around KL and Penang came to the school to compete in a two-day tournament full of games.  Having lost the first game Friday against ISKL by one point, the girls' team came back the next day, more determined to win. That determination and wit put them in the finals, where they fell short but still got 2nd place.  When asked what their favorite part about the tournament was, one of the varsity girls' team captains, Alexia Nyul (12), said, “What I really enjoyed about Island Shootout was not just the opportunity to get to play basketball, but to grow as a team and learn more about how we move as a team. I really enjoy playing with this group of girls. We lost, we grew, and we won!”  Besides practice, basketball games and tournaments give further opportunities to g...

By Caleb Jun  The bumpy roads took me out of my sleep, and as my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I realized we had arrived at our Annual Dorm Retreat to Ipoh.  Everyone's stomachs growled as we smelled the delicious fried rice, spring rolls, and many more cuisines before us.  "This is bussin," said Mary Grace Guffy (11). "I wish I had a stomach big enough to eat all the food," said JD Guffy (10) as he gobbled down his food.  Strength renewed; some dorm kids were impatient to get on the white water raft, while others, feeling drowsy from so much food, proceeded to the housings for a relaxing long nap. Suffering from a back injury, I could not participate in the white water rafting, yet the housing area had a beautiful hill overlooking the mountains of Ipoh. As I looked over the mountains, it was a lovely time to slow down and reflect on the semester. As the truck returned from white water rafting, drenched in water, everybody waddled their way back to the hous...

By Anna Ruble Hiding behind a pole, your eyes darting around. You are trying to find the person who is supposed to be walking down the library stairs at this exact moment. “What if he left study hall early?” “What if he’s not at school today?” Finally, you see him walking down the stairs, and a rush of excitement washes over you. You watch as he walks through an organized line of 6 people, all throwing flower petals at him. His friend standing at the end of the line with a large and decorated poster clutched in her hands. Everyone stands around and watches with you. You can sense the smiles on every single person’s face as they wait to see if he says yes. A mix of fear, anxiety, excitement, and happiness all occurs just between your C and D block classes. A time when you would typically walk down the hall while thinking about what homework you have to finish before your F block.  I just walked you through a typical high schooler's experience during CB asking week. CB askings: this ...

By Danny Pham  November 20th, 2023, marked the day when the Dalat senior class began to host an elementary service week during high school A and B blocks in which seniors went to hang out with the elementary students through duck-duck-goose, freeze tag, talking with them while they ate freezies, and playing around with bubbles with the preschoolers. Anna Ruble (12), a senior who participated in the service week, described hanging out with the elementary students as “a great opportunity to bond with the little ones and to get to know them as well as it was a great way to give back to my community before the end of high school.” The children were absolutely ecstatic about being able to have extra time to stretch their legs with exciting games and time to hang out and talk with the big high school students in the morning. Noah Brooks (12), a senior who spent time with the fourth graders while they ate their freezies, said, “I loved being able to spend time with elementary kids, and it...

By Tia Moore As the semester draws to a close, the curtain falls on the various stages of college applications. Many have hit the submit button on their applications, while others are still in the process. The college application process, once a rite of passage, has transformed into a high-stakes journey filled with anxiety and sleepless nights. The countless requirements for transcripts, LORs, and other essential documents leave seniors running to the guidance office. You'll find a parade of seniors making a beeline for Mr. Looi's desk in the guidance office every day, all sporting that "I need help with my life" look. "These kids, man," sighed Mr. Looi, having to answer the same exact questions daily.  "Applying to college is like having a second job for real," Aurelia Bernier (12) remarks, capturing the essence of the seniors' collective experience. The process has transcended the status of a mere obligation, becoming an all-encompassing com...

By Limey Chhor At the beginning of the semester, pages were laid neatly into tiny piles on the wooden table near the Singapore Room. Dalat students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, auditioned for a play they would later come to know as Afraid of the Dark by James Reach.  Throughout the three performances, the audience witnessed the sweet love of the newly-wed Chauncey, played by Michael Silverstein (11) and Lilum, played by Olive Berends (9). The romantic and quiet honeymoon that Lilum expects comes crashing down with the thundering voice of General Lee, played by Gabriel Roylance (11) and his sidekick, Gridley, played by Jun Sheng Leow (12). Despite the craziness of the tenants, Lilum insisted on staying, only to regret her decision when the big reveal that they had been caught in the middle of an extensive espionage unfolded in the Third Act. Each performance keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and ends with roaring applause from the audience.  Dalat Drama Produc...

 By Aidan Leong “One hundred and fifty billion dollars!” exclaimed Mata Hari (Limey Chhor, 12).  Exactly how much I thought this production was worth. Dalat Drama production once again delivered with a great play called Afraid of the Dark .  The play boasted a diverse range of real-life characters, from Mata Hari to Queen Elizabeth the First to even General Robert E. Lee. Moreover, the actors brought these characters to life with phenomenal acting and voice projection.  Jun Sheng Leow (12), a vibrant and enthusiastic actor who played the role of Admiral Gridley, describes acting on stage as “a chance to make me feel… …alive in some odd ways I can’t describe. I just like to act different from my character contrary to what people would expect about me.” The show went on for two days, one show on Friday and two on Saturday. At first, Michael Silverstein (11), one of the main leads, said they were very nervous and tense before performing. But by the third showing, he tol...

By Dora Liu It’s time to take a peek behind the curtains.  Last Friday, November 17th, Dalat Drama Production returned with another showpiece, Afraid of the Dark . The premiere night was an immediate success, packed with an excited audience. Tech Week, usually the most busy time of year for cast members, was especially significant to the show's success.  What is Tech Week? Tech Week is the first time most of the “tech”—lighting, sound, etc, become part of the rehearsal, which usually takes place in the week leading up to the actual show.  Due to the tight schedule, all actors and backstage crew must stay in Harbor Hall and rehearse every night of Tech Week until the premiere night. Nightly rehearsals can run from 4 until 8 or 9 pm, with at least one full-dress rehearsal that simulates an actual performance to ensure everything goes smoothly.  Wonhoo Shin (9), one of the backstage crew, discloses his schedule for Tech Week. “I would have to do everything from 3...

By Packia Alagu Nagarajan The Senior class of 2024 invites all elementary school students to bond over freezies and a fun game of duck-duck-goose. As a senior, I remember in my elementary days, I used to be intimidated by the seniors. I would genuinely think they were going to bully me and be mean to me on purpose, so, as the five-year-old that I was, I used to avoid them at all costs. However, as a senior, I realize what the elementary students think when we walk past them. Most of them look up to us, wonder what it’s like to be the oldest in the school, and wish to grow up just like us.   The senior class planned this event as an opportunity to let the elementary students know that we’re really not that scary. In fact, this is the first step taken to bond with them over a freezie and some games they enjoy playing. We decided it would work best to split the elementary school grade-wise to be more organized. During their morning recess, a group of seniors volunteered to cut up...

By Sam Owen It’s time to face our fears.  At least for those of us Afraid of the Dark. Opening night is finally upon us. After months of preparation, our drama department is ready to present its production. Crowds will make their way to Harbor Hall to be seated tonight at seven p.m. as the pride and joys of our upcoming play realize the fruit of their efforts. Elizabeth Silverstein (12), one of the tech students responsible for the sound effects that hold the power to make or break a performance, embodied the emotions of many of her crewmates, expressing, “I feel like we are almost there and, although it is stressful, everyone is filled with anticipation and excitement to share what we have worked so hard on.” Returning veteran Emma Yeap (12) is also a devoted crew member. She opened up about tonight’s performance, explaining, “I am feeling excited and nervous for the play. I am glad that it is coming up and really proud of the cast, the props, and the programming that everyone wor...

By Drew Worten On November 10th, 2023, there was an event called Freaky Friday hosted by the Dalat senior class for grades 5th through 8th. They did many events that day, including Capture the Flag, Knockout, Cat & Mouse, Just Dance, Min to Win It, Tic Tac Toe, Trivia, and water balloon fights.  This event is a time where seniors can be role models and leave lasting memories on the Dalat community. Cullno Mah (12) was a leader for one of the middle school grades; he said, “For some reason, I really bonded with the sixth-grade middle schoolers on Friday till they even said hi when I’m around. I had a deep talk with one of them about growing up and maturing, and he said he was too mature and apologized for his grade when they kept shouting at me. They also decided to throw their one water balloon at me, and I even banter with three sixth-grade girls who were shouting and complaining about Freaky Friday and we laughed about it. Their core memory was probably me, not gonna lie, and...

By Douglas Koay Freaky Friday is a long-standing tradition in Dalat, where seniors run games, provide food, and have fun with the middle schoolers. This year, it allowed seniors to give back to the Dalat community by providing a night filled with various activities, including Capture the Flag, Cup Pong, Just Dance, Knockout, and many others for the kids in school.  With so many activities needing to be set up, the senior class had to prepare the stations before the wave of kids flooded in. Stations of games were set up in Harbor Hall, Just Dance was projected onto the screen behind the stage, and 600 water balloons being filled in anticipation of the kids led to more water on the seniors than in the balloons.  Senior ExCom Service Coordinator Aidan Leong (12) said, “Many seniors came together to help out in Freaky Friday to bond with the middle schoolers, which made the process smooth and enjoyable.” The middle schoolers were bursting with excitement and glee, participating in...

By Josiah Andrews One month. One month away until the final bell of the semester. A day that is hard to imagine that will come on the first day of school. Having said that, that specific bell is starting to loom over the heads at Dalat. That bell will be a relief for some freshman who survived the first of eight semesters in their high school years. That bell also will mean that there is only one last semester for the Class of 2024 until their high school journey ends. Many seniors have started to feel some signs and symptoms of Senioritis. Even so, the excitement to graduate and be done grows. In contrast, the motivation and want to attend school dissipates quickly amongst the Co24.  Holding us students back from that freedom is the dreaded final exams. Preparation for exams is about to get underway if it hasn’t already. This period of time before the exams and after the mid-semester break is what I like to call “the quiet before the storm.” The phrase often describes a peaceful p...

By Savanna Choi The last volleyball net descended, cleats gave way to high-top sneakers, and the balls were finally allowed to touch the ground again. The echoes of cheers and claps that filled the gym just a few weeks ago faded away with the sounds of dribbling on the hardwood floor and concentrated breaths. The new season surfaced among high school students in the form of basketball players.  You heard it right: it's basketball season.  Players who eagerly counted the days to this moment gathered in the gym last Thursday and Friday to kick off the season. Dozens of students, freshmen and seniors alike, exchanged glances filled with purpose and anticipation. As the whistle blew and tryouts began, the once-nervous expressions on their teenage faces transformed into the determined looks of professional athletes.  Caitlyn Chan (11), a returning Varsity Girls Basketball player, shared her experience, saying, "I was so nervous before tryouts, but being back on the court with ...

By Abbi Rinkenberger Darkness cloaked the room. I stood with my eyes fixed on the lyrics on the screen. My hands were lifted, open. The soft strum of the guitar and the quivering of the piano and violin died out, but the voices of the students continued. In unison, we filled the air with worship, whispering words from Brandon Lake’s song Gratitude: “I've nothing else fit for a King / Except for a heart singing hallelujah.” I experienced a sense of unity and faith in that moment. While this experience occurred during the last night of SEW, the humility palpable in Brandon Lake’s lyrics mirrored the atmosphere of Spiritual Emphasis Week as students and speakers offered their voices, talents, and hearts to Christ.  During chapels and night sessions, we had the honor of listening to speakers from Avant Life Church in Canada. In alignment with the theme of Pursuit, Ps. Sarah Graston guided us through the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son. She touched the audience w...

By Kathryn Boyd Pursued was the phrase that came into the minds of the Leadership Development Class of Dalat International School when deciding the theme for the Spiritual Emphasis Week this year.  Anna Ruble (12) explained her thoughts behind the theme this year, “I think that the theme ‘Pursued’ accurately depicts God's love and desire for a relationship with us. We are His creation, and He desires so strongly for us to accept what He did for us on the cross. I really enjoyed the theme this year and the sermons that came with it.” Three days, three nights. The sound of praises unto the King of Kings echoes from the Harbor Hall. A team from Avant Church in Vancouver, Canada, joined the students and parents for an amazing three days of grasping the truth of the Gospel and God’s love for us. The Avant Church team spoke to the Elementary, Middle, and High schools. They shared stories from Luke 15 about the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. Through these ...

By Noella Seevaratnam The heart of mankind indulges in two distinctive desires. To pursue and to be pursued. Often, the word “pursued” demonstrates a state of wantedness and being sought after. It’s what translates a soul from a place of individualism and singleness to a partnership of sorts, being “taken.” Unsurprisingly, that desire stems from a deeper longing of the heart to be pursued and to pursue God. During our annual Spiritual Emphasis Week, our speakers from Avant Life Church in Canada spoke about how God pursues mankind.  Upon the arrival of the speakers, the Leadership Development Class was given the opportunity to choose the theme for S.E.W., and the choice was formulated based on what the Leadership Development (L.D.) class thought the school needed the most: to know the pursuit of God. Being a part of the L.D. class myself, the motive behind choosing the theme was to see our campus aware of the radical love of God, a move from mere legalism and religion into a genuine...

By Ha-Eun Jeon Tuesday, October 24, 2023. While the rest of the highschoolers get a day off, the sophomores and juniors faced another day in school. The reason? The PSAT.  The PSAT is an exam the sophomores and juniors take every year. This year, the exam was taken digitally. This exam helps students prepare for the upcoming SATs, letting them experience how the exam works. The PSAT is also known as the NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), if a high score is achieved in one’s junior year, a merit scholarship is rewarded to the individual. However, this scholarship only applies to United States citizens. Unlike the SAT, which is out of 1600, the PSAT is out of 1520.  This year, most of the students found the math module more challenging (36.2%), than the reading and writing module (30.4%). 14.5% of the students found it both equally challenging and 18.8% of them did not find the modules challenging at all.  With data collected form 34 juniors and 35 sophomor...

By Wei Ee Goh Through ankle sprains, bruises, blood, sweat, and pain, the Varsity Soccer Boys team gave ACSC everything they had. On Tuesday, October 17th, at 5 AM, the Varsity Boys Soccer team arrived at Dalat to leave for Chiang Mai. The first flight was to KL, then a 4-hour layover before taking another flight to Chiang Mai. After reaching Chiang Mai, the boys had an hour ride in a red truck, which is a leading form of transportation of the people in Chiang Mai. The day of travel ended by reaching the Alpine Golf Resort and with a team meeting to get everyone in the right mindset for the many gruelling games ahead. The first game started with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Morrison. Although the team got the win, the team felt that it shouldn’t have been that close as they were better technically than the other team but struggled to score easy goals. In the second game against ICS Hong Kong felt more or less the same. The Dalat players were much better technically but could not gain a m...

By Joseph Lee Ten weeks of hard and gritty work of practices and games all amount to a week of soccer. A week at a Golf Resort in Chiang Mai where eight teams compete against each other for the ACSC Soccer champion crown. Last year, Dalat saw a lot of success by easing through the tournament with a comfortable 6-0 record, making ACSC history by not losing a single game. But this year, we knew the stakes were different since we were the team to beat.  We started our first game off against Morrison, where we would see victory with a 2-1 win. Our second game was against ICS-HK, which we won 3-1. Our last group game against YISS was a hard-fought and intense match where we saw victory by scoring in the last five minutes, winning 1-0. These three group games placed us as the first seed, facing the other group’s last seed for the first bracket game. We started our bracket journey against SPH, a tough and physical game that we won 3-0, which set us against Grace, the host team, in the sem...

 By Isaac Lee Tuesday, 7 a.m., October 17, the Varsity boys volleyball arrived in Korea. After a defeated 5th place finish out of 6 teams last year, few had hope for the volleyball team. Some even mocked them for spending so much money to go to Korea to lose. They didn't know that the volleyball team was in business this year. Volleyball ACSC started with a round-robin where all teams can play each other once. The number of wins and losses determines the seed for the official double elimination, which determines the placement for ACSC. The first three days were round-robin games where the guys won against Morrison, Faith, ICS-Bangkok, and ICS-Hong Kong.  With a 4:3 record, the guys were placed on the fourth seed. In the first double-elimination game, the guys went up against SPH, a team they had lost to previously. They played and won against them. The guys were feeling good and went straight to the next game against Faith, where they faced their first official defeat. The guy...

By Alexia Nyul Last week, our school hosted the girl’s volleyball ACSC and had eight teams compete for first place.  After a long week of games and competing against other schools, our girls unfortunately came in fifth place. Anna Ruble (12), a senior on the varsity volleyball team, said, “Although we lost two players and ended in 5th place, this has been my favourite team to play with. This ACSC was an amazing way to end the season. I’m so proud of my team and how we didn’t give up. We cried together, encouraged each other, and won so many games together. I will forever remember this team.”  Although our girls placed lower than they wanted to, they did play very well and had the full support of the crowd that watched them play. Some of these watchers even skipped class to support them during their games. The gym was always full of posters, cheers, and both positive and nervous energy that had us on the edge of our seats.  ACSC was not just an excuse to skip class but als...

By Yuna Lee It is with immense pleasure and excitement that we bring you the latest updates from the highly anticipated ACSC (Asian Christian Schools Conference) sports tournaments, where Dalat International School (DIS) proudly participated, displaying immense talent, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Our Varsity Boys Volleyball team set the stage at Yongsan International School of Seoul (YISS) in South Korea, while the Varsity Boys Soccer squad demonstrated their skill and passion at Grace International School (GIS) in the picturesque city of Chiang Mai. In the meantime, our Varsity Girls Volleyball team captivated and thrilled the crowd on our home campus with their spectacular performance throughout the tournament.    Incredible was the palpable excitement that swept through our campus last week as students eagerly anticipated the opportunity to witness an ACSC (Asian Christian Schools Conference) event live and cheer passionately for our beloved Varsity Girls' Volleyball team....

By Ezra Latham  After a week of Fall Break, Dalat students are jumping back into action, not only with academics but also with the yearly ACSC (Asian Christian Schools Conference) sports tournaments. Even on break, players and teams were still dedicated to their sport and were focused on final preparations and getting locked in for the week of games that were coming.   In this first season of sports, Dalat has three teams competing: the Varsity Boys Volleyball at the Korean school YISS, the Varsity Boys Soccer team at GIS in Chiang Mai, and the Varsity Girls Volleyball here on our campus.   In the midst of an intense week of competition, all the teams will come together for a day of service towards a local community in their city. It’s a great chance for athletes not only to serve but also to get to know students from other schools through working together.  “ACSC is a great opportunity for student-athletes to connect with people from other schools around Asia,” says...

By Amy Park Waking up early in the morning and meeting with a group of people you don’t usually hang out with at 7:30 a.m. is quite unusual. But there I was, doing the “unusual” every Tuesday and Friday to prepare for the Impact trip, a service/mission trip outside Penang.  This year, there were three options for the trip: Bandung, Johor Bahru, and Perak. I chose Bandung because flying overseas appealed to me. After weeks of preparation, my team could finally head out to Bandung, Indonesia, on Friday, the 6th of October, for the Impact trip. Despite waking up at 4 a.m. because of the early flight, everyone seemed excited about the upcoming service projects and activities we had planned for weeks. However, two hours of flying and four hours of bus ride with cockroaches everywhere were enough to exhaust our tensions.  Thankfully, though, we only had one activity on the first day, the prayer walk. During this time, we had the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and litera...

By Julia Jang October 6th, 2023. It was a tranquil night, and our Bandung Impact team gathered at Dalat Upper Field while carrying suitcases so we could head to the airport together.  Impact trips are back! This year, they offered several service trip locations: Indonesia (West Java), Johor Bahru, and Perak. I once participated in a Johor Bahru Impact trip during my junior year and enjoyed each moment to the full degree. Therefore, I challenged myself to explore the different cultures and dig deeper into the dynamics of the people around the world. What I like most about the Impact trip is that you’ll learn much about humanity and how it varies worldwide by placing my perspective into others’. One of the main reasons I decided to go to Bandung is because of my sister, a Dalat alumni. She also went on a Bandung Impact trip constantly told me how much the trip was worth. She mentioned the friendliness and peacefulness of Bandung and how she was able to respect people regarding their ...

By Himani Alagan Since the beginning of Grade 12, it was the senior sunrise that kept the seniors on their toes with excitement. All were asked to gather at the Galley at 7:00 a.m. sharp to watch the sunrise and eat breakfast together. We had a delicious spread of rotis, curry puffs, Krispy Kream doughnuts, spring rolls, and cinnamon cake, with hot chocolate, milo, coffee, and chai to supplement.  Our class food coordinator, Packia Alagu Nagarajan (12), said, “It was really hard to find shops that sell roti at that time, but I managed to talk to SAB, and they came through.”  Overall, the feedback regarding the breakfast was positive; Leyla Lee (12) said, “The roti and doughnuts were so good.” Alexia Nyul (12), our activity coordinator, stated, “I’m so glad I was able to pull off planning the senior sunrise, as getting to spend time with my classmates is always fun, and I’m so glad I was able to enjoy it.” Excitement stirred even more when a dead rat was spotted on the ground i...

By Amos Koay Two weeks ago, from September 28 through October 1, a group of high schoolers in choir were invited to the Bangkok International Choir Festival.  There were many schools from all around Asia that were invited to this festival. Among many other schools, Dalat had a fantastic opportunity to be conducted by Carrie Tennant. Carrie Tennant, Vancouver Youth Choir's founder and artistic director, helped everyone prepare for the concert in just one and a half days.  Sammy Jung (12) said, "Her style of conducting was none like anyone has ever seen. She used very useful hand motions to help us get better in tune. As a result, we sang better as a whole choir."  Carrie Tennant used many different hand motions and tools, like a ball, to help the choir understand more about how singing works. Not only did it help them improve significantly, but it also resulted in a more fun practice. Her unmatched passion and skills inspired every student to get better.   Not on...

By Samuel Jung A couple of weeks ago, members of the Dalat Choir went to the International School Bangkok to have an annual Choir festival. The Choir festival was called the Bangkok International Choir Festival hosted by the International School Bangkok, and before this huge meeting the students in Dalat worked every morning during A-block to prepare for this event. Ms. Vossler led the choir every morning and her hard work truly helped the students not only sing better individually, but as a whole group as well. As for the event, it was led by Carrie Tenant, who is the choir director and founder of the Vancouver Youth Choir.  Many schools from all over Southeast Asia came together to create a big choir and perform in front of parents and on a livestream. In just 1 and a half days she was able to lead the choir to perform in front of countless people.  According to Drew Worten (12), “It was very interesting getting to learn from a professional choir director. She made practices...

By Jason Cho  From super early Monday seven a.m. sessions to hungry Thursday lunch meetings, our Impact team is finally ready to create a joyful experience for the kids in Johor Bahru! Impact trips have only one purpose… To make an impact, of course! This year, students were given the opportunity to sign up for multiple service trips: Johor Bahru, Perak, Indonesia, and North Borneo. I decided to list Johor Bahru as our first choice; soon, I was able to redeem my choice and begin my journey to prepare for the upcoming service trip. Each impact trip was designated to a specific place; in our case of Johor Bahru, we would be traveling to the Rohingya Refugee School & Center to offer education and service through English learning activities.  Preparing for the Impact trip was not a hard process but more of an exciting experience. Although the early morning pre-trip training sessions were truly excruciating for me as a senior with senioritis, they were still memorable experienc...

By Cullno Mah In a heartbreaking turn of events, a devastating virus swept through Dalat International School during the week of September 25-29, 2023, tragically claiming Aidan and Himani as its first victims among the seniors. Monday came by like any other Monday, but something felt amiss; there were a couple of missing faces among the seniors that continued to pile up over the next few days at Dalat International School. Classrooms felt emptier, and the absence of fellow seniors left an undoubtedly sad presence among the senior community. Devastating news dropped in the parent’s WhatsApp group chat on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Himani’s lovely mother, Auntie Daveena, texted, “Himani got into the car today saying she’s feeling unwell. And also that some friends are feeling unwell. I took her to the clinic and was told lots of international school kids are down with Influenza. I got Himani tested and she’s positive for Influenza A and she’s already started on her antiviral meds.”...

By Naomi Weidemann This past weekend on September 22nd and 23rd, the boys' and girls' volleyball teams headed down to KL to compete in the Twin Towers tournament.  The teams Dalat faced are a part of the IASIS conference, and they played teams from all over such as ISB, YIS, JIS, SAS, TAS, and ISKL. The girls performed very well and placed 2nd overall. The boys competed hard but fell short and placed 6th overall. Both the girls’ and boys' teams had a fantastic time cheering each other on when they were not playing in their own game.  Michelle Morrow (12), a captain on the varsity girls' volleyball team said, “I loved the tournament’s atmosphere, and I think the energy it brought reflected in our play as we found our rhythm and worked together. Our hard work paid off too, with our team placing 2nd out of seven teams in the IASIS tournament. I’m really proud of how we performed overall.” Michelle lived up to her role of being selected captain for her senior year by encour...

By Daniel Lim In a thrilling display of sportsmanship and camaraderie, the annual Eagle Games at Dalat International School brought together high schoolers from 9th to 12th grade to compete fiercely in a day of exciting challenges. Team Wave emerged victorious, claiming the coveted title, while Blaze, Bolt, and Quake gave their all in a day filled with spirited competition.  Dalat International School, located in the picturesque setting of Penang, Malaysia, has a long-standing tradition of hosting the Eagle Games, an event that unites students from diverse backgrounds in the spirit of healthy competition. The event took place on Thursday, September 14, 2023, and it was nothing short of spectacular.  The teams, each representing a distinct color, added a vibrant splash to the campus. Blaze donned red, Wave wore blue, Bolt sported yellow, and Quake was a sea of green, with participants clad in their respective team colors.  The day kicked off with an array of exciting games...

 By Kate Lee September 14th, 2023. It was the day of the Eagle Games, hosted by Dalat on campus for all high school students, to take a short break from school and have some fun.  What is Eagle Games? It is a day where the entire high school comes together, separated into teams and houses of Wave, Quake, Bolt and Blaze. Each and everyone of us, dressed according to our house; loyal and patriotic and bringing the spirit of competitiveness and just simply having fun.  Eagle Games gives the opportunity to connect with peers from different grades and also gives the seniors the chance to lead a group with different types of people. The games were designed in different ways to participate intellectually, artistically, athletically, and many more. It teaches us the importance of working together as a team with many sets of skills. It also comes with the perks of getting to know our peers more, thus, creating a bond that will set us closer to each other for the year.  “It wa...