Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

Dalat senior students learned on Tuesday, January 21st, that Sikhism's most profound lesson came not from formal presentations about karma and divine union, but from a temple president's spontaneous decision to serve French fries to hungry teenagers. The moment transformed everything students thought they knew about religious education. Here was a temple president who could have simply redirected hungry students to a nearby restaurant. Instead, he served hot fries to ten surprised teenagers—demonstrating seva (selfless service) more powerfully than any lecture ever could. This was authentic faith in action, revealing how genuine religious understanding often emerges from the most unexpected encounters. In Pastor Bob's World Religion class, ten students went on a comparative religion tour through Georgetown's three major worship sites. The tour began at 9:20 a.m., when students first visited the Khoo Clan Temple, where Mr. Khoo, a former member of the Khoo Clan, explaine...

Dalat International School launched its first ever "Celebrating Differences, Embracing Uniqueness Week" last week, a schoolwide initiative designed to highlight diversity and encourage students to embrace the qualities that make each other unique. Celebrating Differences means to honor and appreciate what makes each person special, whether it is where they are from or how they see the world. Embracing Uniqueness means accepting one another unconditionally, recognizing that God created each of us uniquely and with equal value.  The week centered around the verse Psalms 139:13-14, which says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” The verse was chosen to remind the community that God created each person with care and a plan, making everyone unique and worth celebrating.  Ms. Muvumba, the director of student services, said in the Dalat ...

After Clark Zhang's singing performance at the After Sneak Dinner, which was equivalent to the Super Bowl halftime show, he was the talk of the town, especially in Dalat. Now, here's the thing: this career is just the start. Rumors have been about his growth as a singer and where this will lead. Many people have been asking how he is progressing in his career and how he is doing, as he was a very popular man then. Nathan Thompson, from the junior class said, "He's been working on his high notes, which has progressed his singing, and with his good looks, we are looking at real potential here." Now, this is some good news for Clark's fans and friends, as if he's progressing, so is his confidence in performing. Fellow senior classmate Soniya Peters says, "During the After Sneak Dinner, Clark sang twice, showing extreme confidence, as in 9th grade he would never have done that, and I would love to see him sing at chapel."  He's gone from a shy fr...

What began as a normal band class turned into an unforgettable moment, when freshman Ting Feng Cheung climbed onto his chair and played his trumpet with no fear and full of passion, turning an ordinary group part into his own bold performance. As the notes rang out, classmates turned their heads, some in laughter, some in awe, and others in shock. Even band director Mr. Andrew Kearney couldn’t help but laugh. Ting Feng’s face flushed red as he stood tall on the chair, but he refused to hold back.  “The sheet music required you to cheer and no one was doing it, so I told myself why not create a spark, and now the whole trombone section is doing it too,” Ting Feng explained. The unexpected moment spread quickly among the band. Some students were embarrassed but quickly found it funny.  “I felt immense secondhand embarrassment, but it did make me laugh,” said Christina Lee (9). What made this performance stand out was that it was entirely Ting Feng’s choice. No one asked him to s...

In celebration of Malaysia Day, Dalat had a long 4-day weekend.  Friday the 12th of September was an enthusiastic day filled with spirits long awaiting their good rest after a tedious week. Collapsed with multiple APs and other college preparations, it was something that I really looked forward to. Planning my weekend by occupying myself with things I hadn’t been able to do for the past few months, my friends and I decided to visit the karaoke.  Recently, the only karaoke at Gurney Plaza was closed, and no other affordable karaoke was available, which came along with three microphones. In search of a karaoke place that met all our expectations, we came across one on 1st Avenue. Assuming the price range according to the price chart, we went to the place. Traffic, people, and rain. Everything was perfect for a terrible day. As the mall was located at a distant place compared to Gurney, following up with traffic, the Grab fee was much higher than usual. Moreover, the time it took...

Where is a great dinner place with a fun atmosphere and good food to enjoy with friends? Many Dalat students would answer the night market as a top choice for a fun dinner with friends. After returning from a week of fun during the Senior Sneak in Gopeng, the senior class went to the night market to grab dinner and enjoy their last day off before returning to school. Except it wasn’t the usual Tuesday Tanjung Bungah night market they attended. Instead, they headed into Dalat to enter “the Senior Night Market,” hosted by the juniors, who captured the essence of the night market that is loved by many Dalat students. Each year, after the seniors return from their Senior Sneak, the juniors host an “After Sneak Dinner” to welcome them back and host a night for more bonding with friends. As the seniors headed towards the Heritage Chapel, the junior class’s laughter and cheering welcomed them. Crowded into the chapel, the food stalls made by the juniors lined the edges of the wall, and the wh...

Still recovering from the Sneak trip exhaustion and illness, the Class of 2026 was reenergized by the juniors After Sneak Dinner, an eventful night filled with food stalls, dancing, games, and karaoke. The evening after returning from Sneak, the seniors were greeted with invitations from the Class of 2027, who had spent hours preparing a dinner celebration to welcome them back. Despite the spread of the so-called “Sneak virus.” the energy quickly shifted as excitement grew for the surprise themed event. The next afternoon, peaks of juniors lined up among the entrance to Heritage Hall, cheering as the seniors walked in and made their way toward the decorated venue.  Esther Lim (12) expressed, “When we had entered school, the juniors were lined up in a line and cheered for us when we entered the room. We also got photographed and it felt like I was at a Met Gala and was being treated like a celebrity. The decorations and dinner were a creative acknowledgment to the seniors former Jun...

When the juniors added “karaoke” to After-Sneak Dinner, they had no idea it would result in the musical debut of one of the seniors’ most talented: Clark Zhang. Clark was sitting at table 4, enjoying time with his friends after Senior Sneak, when the juniors announced karaoke. His table did not hesitate to sign up. Afterward, Clark reflected on his decision to sing, saying that even though he was a little nervous, “I liked singing and I was proud of my voice.” Clark was a part of two songs that Monday night: “Hoist the Colors” and “Eenie Meenie” by Justin Bieber. As he got onto the stage with his friends for the first song, he was handed one of two mics. When the song began, Clark's mic amplified his voice loud over the rest. Was the other mic turned down? Was it off? Attendants of the night will never know. What they do know is that there was a 50/50 chance for Clark to get the working microphone; that night luck was on Clark’s side. After a shaky start and some laughter, Clark’s ...

With leis around their necks and smiles on their faces, the juniors welcomed the seniors into the Heritage Chapel for an unforgettable event: After Sneak Dinner. I walked in with my friends, giggling from the juniors cheering at the seniors as they walked down the road leading to the event area. As I was in awe observing the decorations in the room, I realized that the Heritage Chapel was transformed into a vibrant festivity with cut-outs of food trucks for stalls, matching the theme of the dinner: a night market! “Oh, the ambience is so nice!” Catherine Komensen (12) exclaimed as she analyzed the room with adoration. I agreed, enjoying the bright fairy lights strung around the room and the lanterns that warmly lit the dinner tables. The juniors planned a variety of activities for us seniors such as a partner activity where friends were brought onto stage. One of them would wear a blindfold and the other would navigate the other verbally through an obstacle course, and the goal was to ...

 After Sneak Dinner: Tuesday Nightmarket’s Free 2010s Karaoke Session For this year’s After-Sneak Dinner, the juniors transformed the school’s Heritage Chapel into a bustling night market, creating a festive atmosphere with a welcome display for the seniors. Inside, the venue was transformed into a culinary hub, and food trucks awaited us, offering a selection of Korean, Mexican, and Malaysian cuisines. The space was illuminated with colorful lights, fostering a lively ambience that hummed with music. Memories from Sneak were preserved in laminated photographs, adding a personal touch for the seniors. A dedicated dessert truck provided a variety of desserts like lemonade, milk tea, and shaved ice. Notably, I must mention the comically shaped cotton candy that was served. After dinner, the Juniors hosted their own fun twist of “House of Games,” as they selected a few names to rhyme or combine: Lee Yan Tan-Superman, Jane Lee-Mediterranean Sea. Of all the phonetic variations I’ve enco...

At first, our Senior Sneak was filled with complaints, and it didn’t seem like much to look forward to. The first day felt ordinary, with everyone tired from traveling and unsure of what was ahead. The moment we arrived, the sponsors shouted from outside our dorms, saying we only had five more minutes before the first activity started. The first few activities were simple, but the air was heavy and sticky. Everyone was dragging their feet, tired from the bus ride and worn out by the heat. Sweat clung to our shirts, and the energy around us was low and filled with complaints.  By the third day, the mood was completely different. Everyone had been waiting for the whitewater rafting activity, and the excitement was obvious from the moment we woke up, except for Zoe Wong (12), who said, “Before the trip, I was excited to go whitewater rafting, but on the day, I was dreading it because I thought I was going to tan. But then it rained that day, so there was no sun. So I was very happy!”...

“Guys, I think we’re here,” said Jonathan Ooi (12) as he peeked out of the lorry to catch the first glimpse of our Senior Sneak location. This year’s Senior Sneak was held in Nomad Adventure, Gopeng, and the organizers planned many activities for the Class of 2026, ranging from traditional games like congkak and batu seremban to adrenaline-pumping ropes courses and whitewater rafting. These scheduled activities proved to be some of the best highlights of the trip, but top of that, the seniors were also given some daily free time to chat, explore, and relax. Josh Stevens (12) had come prepared for this with two spikeball nets, which immediately attracted attention from people eager to spend time in the outdoor sun. The next five days saw spikeball veterans and newcomers alike, spending their precious one and a half hours daily around the unassuming circular net, smashing the yellow ball in hopes of a victory.  Caleb Evans (12) was one of the newbies to spikeball, learning how the g...

 The True Nature Experience: It all began with suspense. Going to a hot, humid place with no phones? Everyone's expectations were low, not expecting anything much. First, the majority of the class of 2026 arrived in Gopeng around 10 a.m. All of us were tired from having to meet up at 6:45 that Wednesday morning on the 27th of August. We then loaded all of our luggage into some trucks, and we all crowded the backs of them like prisoners of war.  The journey to the camping site was fun, an off-road, loud, and hot adventure. Seeing very little civilization felt relieving to enjoy nature again. We all got off the trucks and arrived at our dorms, two dorms for guys and two dorms for girls. There were two groups for the guys' dorm: the loud guys and the quiet ones. After we got settled, we divided into six different groups, all randomized to try to create new friendships and bonds with each other. Each day we had different team building activities and decent food, but the last few d...

The Sneak started with high expectations, with the seniors wanting the best Senior Sneak after their hard work during their junior year. So, these are some highlights of the Sneak:  On the first day, we were stripped of our phones. I expected a terrible week without my phone, but instead, it gave me wonderful memories with my classmates and the Nomad staff. We started the first day in Nomad with Earth camp trailing. It was a fun activity to learn about Nomad camp and the beauty of nature there.  The second day, we did our service project. Everyone did different projects to help the Ipoh community. Some cleaned trash, others taught kids, and some took a journey to place flags around the Orang Asli community. It gave us time to serve others and bond with the community there. We also went on white water rafting and rope courses, where everyone enjoyed doing those activities. The bonfire was another event that everyone enjoyed. We all gathered in a circle, and the instructor asked...

During our Senior Sneak to Nomad Adventure, I realized that the most important part of the trip wasn’t the activities--it was the way we truly connected with each other. This past week, the Class of 2026 left Dalat for our long-awaited Senior Sneak. Instead of the beach or pretty hotel we had hoped for, we went to Nomad Adventure Camp, surrounded by mountains, rivers, and extreme outdoor activities. Honestly, when I first arrived, I was a little disappointed. None of us seemed very excited to jump into the activities that looked challenging and uncomfortable. But everything changed once we actually started. We weren’t allowed to have phones or devices during the Sneak, and with each of us placed in groups where we had to work with people we didn’t usually talk to, I saw my classmates in a whole new way. The activities pushed us out of our comfort zones, but they also brought us together. As Packia Dharrshini M Yuva Raja (12) put it, “The Sneak was a pretty good trip because it allowed ...