Tango June 2017

EX
TANGO
Senri & Osaka International Schools of Kwansei Gakuin
Dancing with Words
June 2017 Volume 10 Number 3
TR
A
OIS Students: Caring For the Animals at ARK by Pansy
For our spring camp, five of us went up to the ARK facili- My partner and I started out walking members of the Old may not see the purpose in this as we were not aiding
ty in Nose-cho to help take care of the animals there. Dog Club. I immediately took a liking to the deaf dog, them in an largely influential way, but it is apathetic
The ARK facility in Osaka that is located in Toyono Dis- who was quite large, and had long, beige fur that cov- thoughts like those that prevents these dogs from receiv-
trict shelters and cares for many stray or unwanted ani- ered her eyes. I hadnt fully comprehended how much ing the love that all animals deserve.
mals until they find a permanent home. As it is a non- she was missing out on until she was startled when an-
profit, non-governmental private organization, their fund- other dog nudged her. Other than that, she seemed to I would really recommend going to help, especially if you
ing is made up of donations and membership fees, both be just fine ambling down the same rocky road twice a like animals, but if you can not, there are other ways to
of which come from the general public. Their staff con- day, and chasing after the occasional motorbikes. help, like adopting, spreading awareness, and donating
sists of volunteers from Japan, who cares deeply for things like money or supplies such as toys. There is
animals. This gives everyone the opportunity to assist We also got to walk the puppies, who, unlike the older more information that isnt covered here, so if you are
ARK, which is what a group of people in SOIS did for our dogs, were more energetic and bounced around like interested feel free to visit their website at:
spring camp. squeaky toys. The staff seemed to fill in as parent fig-
ures for the puppies, who became ecstatic when they http://www.arkbark.net/en/. (You can also join ACT)
As ARK has quite a large facility, we split up into pairs walked into the room. Not all dogs were that friendly to-
Although it is not guaranteed that you will be accompa-
and assisted the volunteer staff in charge of each area. wards humans though. Perhaps because they had been
Our aid mainly consisted of playing with cats, cleaning raised mistrusting humans. Some dogs would bite or bolt nied by a cranky, decaffeinated teacher complaining
about the harsh wind, it will definitely be lots of fun for
up the kennels, walking the dogs, and picking up and away from us when we reached out to touch them be-
recording their poop. cause of their abusive backgrounds. By the end of the animal lovers!
2nd day, they had warmed up to us and were less wary.
The kennels and rooms that the animals lived in are the
complete opposite of what would be seen in pet stores,
where things are immaculately displayed. Although the
kennels are in no way small, the dogs there do not have
the chance to experience the luxuries that other dogs
have, such as an abundance of attention. Most people
More on Camps Inside:

SIS Grade 10 Ice Break Camp-The Inside Story: Page 3
OIS Service Trip to Cambodia-In depth feature: Page 4 -5
Also
De-Extinction Mad Idea or Logical Choice? Page 12-13
The harsh realities we all need to face about Lizardmen, Zombies and the Illuminati: Page 16
Page 2 Senri & Osaka International Schools of KG June 2011 Volume 10 Number 3
Editorial by Sophia Grabowski
Saying Goodbye school experiences. Some have been in OIS for their entire lives, and some joined
just two years ago. Some have made the majority of their memories in sports
teams, some in band, and others in school events. No matter what has shaped us
Two weeks ago, I went back to Tokyo to go to the graduation of my old class-
most in our OIS life, this school is part of our history. We might be saying good-bye
mates. I took that opportunity to also revisit the area I used to live in. Going up the
to it in its physical state, but not to our experiences, from which we are simply
stairs from the Kotake-Mukaihara station, I turned left, just like I routinely did for
building on from now.
two years in the 6th and 7th grade. I passed by a small house, which I recognized
by a bird cage just by its door, which was filled with way too many budgies, just like
For me, I am saying good-bye to an OIS that has challenged me, given me
it was five years ago. Continuing my walk to my old apartment complex, I walked
room to grow, and presented me with opportunities to take. Whilst fostering my
past the small Japanese Church I used to attend, the 7/11 from which I used to
growth in academics, OIS was also a place in which I went through various jour-
buy my after-school snacks, and a Japanese high-school. Whether it was sitting in
neys, of which most were in my head trying figure out who I am. I made many mis-
Sunday morning services, not understanding a word of what they were talking
takes - but I learned valuable lessons from all of them. For example, I made the
about, discovering my love for conbini food, or receiving lots of stares from Japa-
surprising discovery that if I dont study for my Kanji tests, I will not pass them.
nese high-school students, the experiences that I associate with certain places in
There were times were I didnt treat people right, but it taught me how to be a bet-
my old hometown have a lot of meaning for me. My time in Tokyo was short, but
ter friend. Other times I was confronted with belief systems different from mine, but
very intense. I was confronted with a new culture, language, and school system. In
it taught me that it is good to be open-minded and still okay to be confident in my
the midst of adapting to all these changes, I also experienced Japan in a state of
faith.
shock as a result of 3/11. I was reminded of all these things as I was going back
through my old neighborhood.
I am so grateful for my history at OIS. Just like I visited my old hometown in Tokyo
a few weeks ago, I hope to come back to OIS in the future and revisit my memo-
Just like these random places bring back my certain memories to me, so will revis-
ries. Thank you to everyone in the OIS community that have made my five years
iting OIS in the future remind us of certain experiences we have had at this school.
here so special. Also, thank you to Mr. Algie, who has always encouraged and
We seniors are all leaving OIS, but we are saying good-bye to many different high-
supported me in my writing, for Tango and also in other classes.
Congratulations OIS Seniors 2017 and Good Luck!
On June 9th , we congratulated and farewell the OIS class of 2017 at their graduation. We know theyre going to have a great time, and contribute so much to the world.
Several members of the class have been valued members of the Tango Team. A special thank you to President Sophia Grabowski and Vice President Airi Wakasa for
all your hard work and for your leadership.
Thanks also to Taizo Heimer, Hannah Kanada, Yuroo Achit, Tuvshinjargal Battogoo, Chie Sakano, Felishia, Kay Igahara and Saria Howard for all your contributions.
We wish you, and all the OIS graduates all the very best in the future.
Senri & Osaka International Schools of KG June 2017 Volume 10 Number 3 Page 3
SIS Year 10 Students Break the Ice by Tasuku Azuma
On the last Friday of April, the entire year 10 of SIS had an icebreaking camp On the second day, after students had their breakfast, they listened to another
a camp not out in the wildness, but at Wakuwaku-no-sato, which is in Senri-Kita presentation by Ms. Saka, who is an expert at commercial science and ecology,
Park. A lot of students were quite disappointed to find out that they would be and is a professor at Kwansei Gakuin. Her presentation focused on designing
staying at a park which almost all of them go through on their way to school eve- ones own career. Her presentation, unlike the one they listened to the day be-
ry day. Having had a somewhat unsatisfactory grade trip last year, some of the fore, was told and explained at more a fundamental and theoretical level. This
students expressed greater disappointment, while some seemed willing to com- may have made some students feel unfamiliar with the presentation topic, there
promise and accept the smaller scale of the camp. were a few discussion sessions, which they took a careful look back at their life
so far, and analyzed its relation between the emotional condition of the same
The camp was originally designed to serve as an icebreaker activity for students, time. By sharing their past experience with others, students were able to gain
who have just started their school life at SIS high school. The purpose of this new perspectives and ideas about themselves. After the discussion activities,
camp was not limited to strengthening the bond between students of the same Ms. Saka resumed her presentation and in the end, left students with strong
year, but also was to serve as an incentive for students to start thinking about message of challenge as well as risks and responsibility which challenges in-
their future goals. For this reason, they invited two guests, from whom they volve. Soon after the presentation, there was a small closing ceremony, and stu-
gained some hints about planning their life, through their presentations. dents then headed to their home.
On the first day, students headed to Wakuwaku-no-sato, straight after seventh In my opinion, the camp successfully served its overall purposes which were to
period. Upon their arrival, there was a small welcoming ceremony by the staff strengthen the bond between students as well as teachers, and provide chances
working at the facility. for students to openly discuss about their future goals. Also, an intellectually
stimulating opportunity like this camp was a valuable chance and was quite help-
Students then listened to a presentation about planning ones whole life. Alt- ful in making big decisions about future, like choosing university and jobs.
hough the topic is at its best amorphous when it comes to imagining adulthood
that they are yet to experience, the speaker shared his personal anecdotes with
students, which made them feel they could relate to what could have been an
abstract talk. He explained to students the importance of planning ones life at an
early stage like during high school, to lead a meaningful life. He also mentioned
that having a gap year allows one to ponder and reflect upon oneself freely,
which would also encourage oneself to live a fuller life. After the presentation,
students had dinner together and took a shower group by group (students were
divided into random groups of six, beforehand). While waiting for other groups to
finish taking showers, students made a 100 years long Game-of-Life board game
on a big poster based on the presentation they heard before. They then played
each others games. At 10 o'clock p.m., students went to sleep.
OIS Photography Camp
Photo by Aimi Mizuno

Photo by Mark Elshout Photo by Lisa Yokoe
Photo by Keri Howard Photo by Leo Baxter Photo by Sanaya Habu

OIS Class of 2018 Service Trip to Cambodia

by Kaya Frese
How to avoid tap water for a week Where did your cookie money go?
I must admit, I originally had slight reservations about our class trip to Cambodia. In Do you remember our everyday muffin and cookie sales at the cafeteria during Febru-
part because of my laziness, I didnt pack any extra food or water or medication. Yet, ary? Thanks to your purchases, we raised 12 from bake sales alone. An additional
the existence of these thoughts prove my own ignorance and lack of awareness. It is special thank you from the entire class to the PTA for their 25 contribution to the
impossible for me to convey how culturally overwhelmed I was during my week in School of Hope. The sum of money raised from 12 years worth of international fairs,
Cambodia. I found first hand, that learning about a country and its culture is unparal-
school festivals, and general fundraising accumulated to a grand total of 100;
leled to physically immersing yourself in it. The morning of March 12 th, our 28-student
more than any previous grade has made. This money has all been donated to the
class left for a six-day trip to Cambodia; this trip meant appreciation, adventure, ac-
School of Hope: to purchase new computers, pay teachers salaries, buy sports equip-
tion, and arguably most important, awareness.
ment, build more solar panels, etc. On arrival, we were greeted with heavy applause.
Only two dollars! Is it RIEL? Their learning environment is incomparable to any school in Japan. Dozens of win-
dowless classrooms surround a large plot of sandy land. In this area, you would see
Our trip took us from the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, through rural terrain to
middle schoolers on large motorbikes, students playing sports (not in a court, but with
Siem Reap. Before going into detail about the service completed at the School of
imaginary lines), and cows walking through soccer games. The classrooms have no
Hope, Id like to use this paragraph to describe the tourist activities we took part in.
flooring, windows, or any cooling system. Spending time at the School of Hope al-
Cambodia is recognized as the only country with architecture on her flag, giving indi-
lowed my class to recognize our privileges; particularly in being able to study at OIS.
cation of the structures importance as a symbol. Which brings me to the most
At the School of Hope, we divided into five groups: sports, culture, music, art, and
touristy location we visited, Angkor Wat. Along with this tour, we spent an hour each
English. Our primary objective was to interact with the Cambodian students and share
at Bayon and Preah Khan. On a separate day, before leaving Phnom Penh, we spent
our culture.
$3 to see Preah Barum Reachea Veang Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol, a.k.a. the Royal
Palace. These heritage sites exhibit preserved artifacts and architecture that com- Repeat after me, go on Facebook
municate traditional Cambodian culture. Not only are the locations rich in both history
The sports group ran for hours under the hot sun in the sand; soccer, volleyball,
and culture, they provide a great background for tourist photos; which explains why
boomerang, juggling, and breakdance were some sports that they came prepared to
over half my camera roll was occupied by photos of Angkor Wat. To experience the
share. In return, they learned how to play Cambodian sports.
other end of the spectrum, contemporary (urban) culture, we were taken to several
markets within Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Here, you would see dozens of look-a- This trip made me realize how universal sports are. Its a great way to make friends
like shops set up in a complex market: from $2 Cambodian pants to $9 fake Rolex and introduce yourself to someone. (Leo Sakamoto)
watches, you could find fake-everything. For those interested, the Rolex started at $45 Despite the fact that we could not communicate efficiently through language, moving
and was bargained down to $9. If you ever end up at a Cambodian market, I advise our body and playing sports allowed us to knock that barrier down and bond with each
returning half an hour early, it will take you that much time to navigate back to the bus. other. They all were very interested and enthusiastic about the new games and equip-
In addition to cultural experiences, we spent the greater part of one day at the Tuol ment we had brought, and they all were so pure and happy, it was peaceful to be with
Sleng Genocide Museum (Prison S21) and Choeung ek (the Killing Fields) to enrichen them. Overall, I think that playing with them was the highlight of my trip to Cambo-
our knowledge of Cambodian history. For context, in the 1970s, the Pol Pot regime dia. (Leola Hara)
attempted to create a form of agrarian socialism (essentially a classless peasant soci-
ety) by killing those associated with the previous government and the intellects; 25%
of the entire population were lost in a mass genocide. The Khmer Rouge Killing Fields The culture group taught the students traditional Japanese activities and games in-
are a number of sites in Cambodia where collectively more than a million people were cluding [arupusu-ichimanjyaku], [watermelon splitting],
brutally killed and buried during the Khmer Rouge regime. [darumasanga-koronda], and [origami]. Like the sports
group, they were taught traditional Cambodian activities.
Learning about Cambodian culture and sharing my own made me recognize how
important my culture is to me. It was inspiring to see everyones willingness to
learn. (Anna Kim)
The music group focused on interaction, singing and dancing to Japanese and Ameri-
can songs with the students. Whilst doing so, this group made the effort to teach pop-
ular culture through music. Their efforts were rewarded as the Cambodian students
taught them popular Cambodian music.
Although we went with the intention to have fun and sing with them, we ended up
Mass Grave of 450 learning a lot about their arts culture. It made me realize how uncultured I am and
Consider standing in front of a tree, where less than fifty years prior, children were made me want to embrace my culture more. (Yuki Sutton)
taken by their toes and beaten to death against the same bark. Imagine leaning over a
mass grave of 450 innocents. These sites were preserved as a remembrance of the
The art group, in addition to playing artsy games like picture telephone, organized
brutality that had occurred less than 50 years prior to our visit. This meant standing
students and took leadership to create their HOPE mural; which was hung at the
less than a meter away from a long history of pain and suffering; one that we are all
School of Hope.
privileged enough to not have to experience. Prison S21 has since become the Tuol
Sleng Genocide Museum. At this location we saw, 2x1m prison cells made solely of I learned that it is a very difficult job to teach children, especially when you cannot
bricks, metal beds with dents from electric torture, as well as photos of the 20000 pris- speak the language. But I feel like it was still a very rewarding experience and I en-
oners at S21 only 7 of which survived. The weight of the sights we saw and emo- joyed being able to contribute. (Nicole Yoo)
tions we felt at these historic sites cannot be accurately conveyed by words. I recom-
mend other students immerse themselves in another culture and learn about its histo-
ry; to be able to prevent the repetition of patterns in history.
The English group further divided into groups A and B to be able to teach two class-
rooms. The students used flash cards to teach simple vocabulary and reinforced this
vocabulary with games like karuta, Pictionary, charades, hangman, and story-telling
activities. Additionally, as requested by their teacher, both groups taught exercises
from their textbook and English songs. Songs, and their corresponding dances, that
were taught included Hello, Hello, How are you, Hokey Pokey, Heads Shoulders
Knees and Toes, and Macaroni.
I was most surprised by their [the students] incredibly good manners. They wont do
anything unless a teacher permits them or requests them to do so. (Ami Eldridge)
Some of the Cambodian kids would make their paper landscape and write English
letters vertically. They would turn their paper back to portrait at the end of writing and
it would look like regular English. (Hana Gostelow)
Architecture at Bayon
English Group
Do I want to go again?
From the mass grave at Choeung ek to the colony of ants waiting for us outside our
Angkor Wat
hotel door, our service trip to Cambodia gave me the opportunity to experience a dif-
ferent culture and lifestyle. I encourage all students, faculty, and parents to visit a
southeast Asian country and immerse yourself in their culture. I hope to grow up to be
an adult with awareness and appreciation; I believe this experience allowed me to
grow one step further in this direction. Thanks to all those involved in planning our
service trip, I hope to communicate to all of you just how eye-opening this experience
was.
Market
Sport
Music
SOIS Overflows with Creativity

This trimester has seen SOIS simply overflowing with talent and creativity from
SOIS students, empowered by their teachers and tutors, and supported through the
tireless efforts by parents and other members of the SOIS community.
Musically, we have seen a series of great concerts in the theater, culminating in

another acclaimed High School Spring Concert at Maple Hall. Full credit and heart-
felt thanks must go to Mr. Ligon, Mr. Villapando, Mr. Marica and all the tutors who
contributed in shaping these great performances. We must say a special thank you
and good luck to Mr. Elshout who will be leaving at the end of the trimester after
four years teaching music here at SOIS. Thank you to Mr. Mitsuhashi for helping to
arrange the Maple Hall concert, and to all other faculty and staff who supported
SOIS musicians this year.
Artistically, this trimester has culminated in the Art Exhibition, with all the great work
from SOIS students on proud display. An amazing array of art has been on show,
and all the art teachers are owed a debt of gratitude for fostering the artistic talents
of SOIS students. Thank you, Ms. Espie, Mr, Meyers, Mr. Dieterly, Ms. Dupont for
all the work you have done in empowering students as artists at our school. A spe-
cial thank you must go to Ms. Henbest for her vision and leadership in making the
exhibition a reality. Thanks also to the other faculty, staff and parent volunteers for
all their help and support.
Congratulations, SOIS musicians and artists, on such a creative and productive

trimester.
All music photos by Masafumi Toyoshima

Photography of Artworks by Steve Lewis
ASP 2017:Behind the Scenes and More on How Audrey 2

Really Works by Mia Lewis
when our amazing Audrey ,Yuki, was at home with influenza, we skype-ed her during
I would like to thank everyone who supported ASP once again. Although three months the performance and let her experience as much as possible as well.
have whizzed by after the show, there is no doubt that some ASP spirit is left. (The 8th
graders involved in ASP all wore the Little Shop Of Horrors T-Shirts for time-slip day) The final thing that I would like to share today is the mechanism behind the Audrey 2.
Additionally, I would like to thank Allen Morimoto (SIS Graduate) for giving us the You may remember seeing all the characters be eaten by the plant. Although it looks
chance to be on the TV Show , which lots of people tuned into. smooth from the audience, behind the plant was always utter chaos. The plant worked
by 4 people standing behind the plant with a ramp, pulling whoever was dying though
While Grease took my breath away with the friendship and joyous scenes, A Little
until they slid down the slope. The thing was, there was a person inside the plant and
Shop of Horrors almost literally took my breath away. (hahahah thats supposed to be
teeth to move past, making the process more rough than expected. Every show was
a joke) Every year is a challenge, but this year was something new, a Horror Comedy,
chaos, with people hoping that supper time would go well.
a new genre. With a new cast and crew, we powered our way through.
Last year I reflected on the ASP experience in my Tango piece, how I grew as a stage
manager and so on. However, this time I have decided to share some behind-the-
scenes secrets (secrets might be a bit of an overstatement, but I assure you that its
interesting).
To prepare for a musical, it goes without saying that the cast remembers their lines,
songs, choreography and acting. However, many people may not be aware of
blocking. Blocking is a theatre term meaning the placement of the characters. I
worked with Ms. Udy and the cast to create charts of where each character would en-
ter, stand, move to and exit from. Without this pre-planning, musicals would be close
ASP is always more than what meets the eye, but thats what makes it such an unfor-
to impossible. With the winter holidays in-between rehearsals, these blocking charts
gettable experience.
are essential. It can be said though, that initial blocking charts end up being worthless
as we change everything around all the time.
A big part of theatre is also staying healthy. Most of my memories from ASP involve
The Announcement for ASP 2017-2018 is
masks, throat candies and shouting at people to stay healthy. As on ,
coming soon, so stay tuned!
I pointed out that our big-
gest challenge was the
influenza season. This is
no laughing matter. (Ask
Yuki for details) Although
the theatre was always
full of laughter and bright
spirits, there were plenty
of days where the entire
cast and crew were wearing masks. I would regularly go to buy packets of throat can-
dies for the cast. My assistant stage manager, Ouka Maeda(OIS Grade 8), brought in
throat candies everyday which we were so thankful for. There were endless rehearsals
where we would have to sing instead of the cast, since their throats were in bad condi-
tion and so on. I am never as careful of my health as during ASP season. Every re-
hearsal is crucial and you do not want your sickness being passed to someone else.
However, having to warn each other of health, taking care of each other, is another
thing that makes ASP so unique and brings us all together. Even on the closing night,
Difficult in a way that you are consistently being drowned in work-

First Year of IB Almost Over! load. Taking some classes that you have never tried taking before.
Being new to the system and being new to the kinds of work you
by Masami Nagasaka
have to do.
Lonely in a way , knowing that everyone in your class will have dif-
Have you ever read The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner? Basically any dys- ferent schedules. Also, knowing that you might have to make some sacrifices that
topian set novel. Do you know what they all have in common? Its that there is this may affect your social life quite a lot. You will be seeing posts of people having fun
huge association type of thing that enjoys the sight of kids suffering or the sight of through social media while you are studying for your test the next day.
kids fighting for their lives. Another thing is that no one really knows who is a part of
that association. Everyone just refers to them as the capitol or the creators. Yes, yes. This is the reality of the IB. However, this is only half of what the IB ex-
perience really is. The IB is scary, difficult and will make you feel lonely at times.
Believe it or not, I am actually going to be a part of a dystopian story as well. However, the IB also gives you the opportunity to bond with your classmates in a
Along with other unfortunate kids, we will be given 2 years to fight for our lives and different kind of way. If I had to think about memories Ive had in 11th grade, 70%
only the hardworking make it out alive. So what is the name of this association that of them might actually be the whole class just sitting in the library together either
will boss us around and watch us suffer? Theyre calledThe IB. working, chilling or having mental break downs. During times we actually work, I
get really touched by the way people encourage each other, help each other and
Before I started the IB program, this was exactly the way I pictured how the IB support each other in general. Moments like this made a class that was already
life would be like. Scary, difficult and lonely. Now that I am close to completing the close, even closer and seeing that change is something that makes me really hap-
first year of the IBDP, I can say that it actually kind of is. Scary in a way that there py.
are certain qualifications you are expected to meet. There are grades you have to
reach in order to be eligible for your dream university or pass IB in the first place. Because of all the mountains IB forces you to climb, you eventually pick up tech-
The pressure and thought that IB will determine your future will not stop pestering niques along the way that would help make your journey easier. To be honest, I
your mind. dont think this journey will ever be easy, however, if you put in the effort, you can
definitely make it less stressful and very bearable. Im probably not at that point yet,
but I cant wait for that moment to come.
IB Cartoons!
by Kay Igahara
Monkeys, War, Home, and How it All Relates to My Family

by Sophia Grabowski
To catch a monkey, all one has to do is cut a small hole into a coconut, insert rice, and more freedom. One of them moved to west Germany, the other immigrated to Canada
simply wait for the monkey to come and attempt to grab the treat. Whilst the hole in the with his family. They re-established their lives and worked many jobs, but proceeded to
coconut is big enough for the animal to insert its hand, the monkeys rice-filled fist is stuck leave everything behind to pursue studying Theology. Faith had become the central factor
inside the coconut. Unwilling to let go of the treat and thus unable to escape, it is now in their lives. In a book he wrote, my grandpa describes his journey of finding restoration
easily caught. This monkey trap can be seen as a metaphor for us people - we might be and healing from very personal war traumas. Despite going to the same college and ex-
holding on to certain things that might actually be holding us back from something much periencing similar journeys, my grandfathers were still unaware of each others existence.
better. However, this would soon change, since they were now both preparing to, once again, let
go of their posessioins, and move to Thailand.
My family is spread out all over the world. Both sets of my grandparents were missionar-
ies in Thailand, and my mom and dad were both born there. My grandparents on my Leaving home is hard. It would have certainly been easier for my grandparents to stay in
moms side eventually transferred to Japan. Now, my family has been living in Japan for one place and continue working normal jobs. However, they had felt called to go to Thai-
seven years, one of my aunts has returned to Thailand, and another aunt lives in Brazil. land, and decided to be obedient. They risked everything, and, looking back, both say that
Where does all this craziness come from? All of them/us have different, individual jour- it was worth it all.
neys, but I do think it is possible to identify the origins of my familys culture.
Returning to the metaphor of the monkey trap - in my grandparents lives, I can see how,
opposite to monkeys, them turning away from personal comfort/materialistic desires and
focusing on serving others has fulfilled them, and I think thats a lesson everyone can ap-
ply to their lives.
My grandpa in Thailand
After World War 2, both of my grandfathers fled east Germany. They left behind their
homes, taking not much more than what they were wearing on that day, in hopes to have
My mom and dad at 3 years old, at a wedding in Thailand
SOIS Students: Be More Active!

by Sho Sakura
While there are many things that students in our school wish to be changed, rarely do
students take action to initiate change. Several students have told me that they would
like to have vending machines on the second and third floors, however, none of them
have talked to a teacher about it or tried to find other students who felt the same way.
Why is this? I personally believe that students in our school are reluctant to be active
because they actually do not believe that their effort would turn out to be fruitful.
It is not easy for our Student Council to implement an idea without the help from
the students. Ideas such as installing vending machines on the second and third
floors, a water fountain in the weightlifting gym and more lunch ticket machines in the
cafeteria have always existed, but no one has ever attempted to make these happen.
Yet, students often complain, saying, I wish our school had this and that. This is
exactly why students in our school need to be more active to implement new ideas.
We need to bear in mind that as much as we have the right to complain about our
school, we have the responsibility to take the initiative to improve our school as a
whole. This can only lead to making our school a more student-friendly institution.
Photo by Lisa Yokoe

MIDDLE SCHOOL SAMBA

Bird Glass Collisions by Rena Kawasaki
Every year up to a billion birds die of glass collision. This is a major problem in not collisions. When I typed in the keyword: Japan bird glass collisions, everything that
just Japan but the entire world. However, there is a way to stop these deaths and use popped out was about Canada or the USA. Japan is widely known to have beautiful
glass at the same time. ABC, American Bird Conservatory made products can help nature, but some people dont know that there are a lot of cities as well. Almost every
with that. They made these products so that it is easy to put on windows and you can building has windows that are unmarked in them. In Japan, glass collisions are not a
still see from your window. What I was particularly interested in was the Window Alert. widely recognized topic so we should help birds by starting with a small thing like your
This is a product that you put a sticker on your window but you cannot see it. Only houses glass and then, this school.
birds can. That way you can still see out your window but the birds can look in. I
thought these products are very interesting and I hope one of these bird friendly prod-
ucts get installed in this school so that this school can be a bird friendly school. When
I was researching about this topic, I decided to collect data from Japan about glass
Grade 1 Cleans the Bottles!! by Rena Kawasaki

The grade one class, which is learning about recycling and the carbon footprint, start- Even though the recycle bins has the word recycle in them, no one in the school
ed an eco club which helps clean the school. knew where the pet bottles were really taken. The grade 1 class will keep working to
clean the school and if this goes well, the club will be officially be made in to an ele-
Their first day of the club was on May 24th on Wednesday and they started by clean-
mentary club.
ing the recycle bins put around the school. The class noticed that there was a lot of
junk in the recycling bins such as: gummy bears, dirty water and even a pet bottle
with juice in it, which was half full. Because the elementary students cant buy drinks
in the school day, middle school students and high school students should be respon-
sible for this more than the elementary students.
Photos courtesy of Dawn Inada
Aquaponics Garden the Best its Ever Been by Rena Kawasaki
We have a small world inside our school, the aquaponics garden. This year they
planted cucumbers and pumpkins and new good looking flowers! The goldfish have
grown and its just a wonderful view. Ms. Henbest, who is in charge of the plants
says, The garden is the best its ever been. She gave me a tour of the garden,
which was fabulous. The elementary students had a booth in the school festival that
sold cards, plants that grew in the garden and OIS T-shirts. The booth was a hit and
every time we looked, there was a huge crowd in front of the booth. I hope this is the
garden that will spread awareness about nature.
Photos by Dave Algie

De-extinction: The Moonshot of this Century or

Another Disastrous Fantasy? by Noah Izumi
De-extinction has been a popular concept for various science fiction stories, a little By golly there surely is a long list of candidates for de-extinction, if you exclude the
fantasy that most people enjoy, however this product of our imagination may soon question of whether we should revive them or not. Not all creatures of the past should
become a reality as scientists have proposed to bring back lost species from the be dug out of their graves, and Douglas J. McCauley, an ecologist at UCSB, has pro-
dead. This radical proposal called de-extinction, or resurrection biology, will allow us posed three criteria to follow when selecting de-extinction candidates, in his article
to revive species that went extinct up to 200,000 years ago, given that there is Functional Ecology (volume 31, pg. 1003-1011):
enough recovered DNA. Extinct species, such as the woolly mammoth, can now be
reclassified as extinct in the bodily form, yet alive genetically. Yet, we will never There is great risk that de-extinction could limit itself to the fabrication of products
be able to see dinosaurs walking again, to recreate a Jurassic Park, as species that mimic the biology of extinct species, but fail to resurrect their ecology. We sug-
whose DNA is too old to be recovered are the ones to be considered wholly extinct, gest three ways that de-extinction may more meaningfully restore the functioning of
bodily and genetically. Scientists have now figured out several methods to achieve de once-extinct species: (i) select target species from guilds with low functional redun-
-extinction, and they had brought back a species successfully from the dead, if only dancy; (ii) concentrate on species that went extinct recently rather than older extinc-
for 7 minutes. Yet now that de-extinction isnt too far ahead of our reach, should we tions; and (iii) only work with species that can be restored to levels of abundance that
actually do it and what sort of risks would this moonshot have to break through to meaningfully restore ecological function.
succeed?
Candidates hogging the spotlight:
Before we get to the pro et contra of de-extinction, lets understand the basics of how
it works and what it hopes to dig out from the grave. To carry out the process of de- Woolly Mammoth - a species of mammoth that lived in parts of northern America,
extinction, there are three fundamental methods that can be followed: cloning, Europe, and northern Asia. It went extinct about 3,700 years ago, most likely from to
reverse engineering, and breeding back. (Switek, March 2013) hunting and habitat loss due to climate change. DNA samples have been found in
Siberia.
Cloning - this method uses a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT),
where a donor nucleus from a somatic (body) cell is implanted into an enucleated Passenger Pigeon - this was a pigeon that lived in North America, which flew in flocks
oocyte (egg cell). The resulting embryo is inserted into the uterus of a surrogate that would blanket the sky. As John James Audubon had noted, The air was literally
mother, which would develop into the species of the nucleus donor. The first de- filled with Pigeons, he later wrote that, The light of noon-day was obscured as by an
extinction was achieved from using this method, if only for 7 minutes until it went ex- eclipse, the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow; and the continued
tinct again, where the bucardo (pyrenean ibex) was cloned on July 30, 2003. buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose. Nobody had thought back
Reverse Engineering - when a close relative of the lost species is still alive, cloning in 1813 that these birds would go extinct, yet over-hunting had caused numbers to
may not be the easiest or nest route to de-extinction. This method proposes that se- drop dramatically, and the last recorded wild passenger pigeon was shot by a little
quencing the genomes of both the living and extinct species and studying the charac- boy with a BB-gun (gee, thats a jolly ol' way to die) in 1900. The last known bird,
teristics would allow researchers to tweak the genome of the living relative, in order to named Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.
create an organism that is both genetically and physically identical to the extinct spe-
cies. The biggest challenge in this may be combining all the desired traits, including Aurochs - a large wild cattle that inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa. The spe-
behavior, into one creature. Reviving any extinct specie with this method would re- cies survived in Europe until the last recorded aurochs died in the Jaktorw Forest,
quire a comprehensive knowledge of how an organism's genome is translated into Poland in 1627. The aurochs is a candidate for de-extinction through breeding back
anatomy and behavior. and its genome is currently being reconstructed.
Smilodon (Saber-toothed cat) - this iconic creature known for its saber-shaped teeth
Breeding Back - this process uses strategic mating to incrementally restore the was a species of predatory mammals that lived in the Americas during the Pleisto-
anatomy and the genome of an extinct animal. Specific animals with the characteris- cene epoch. It grew to around 900 pounds, and may have preyed on mastodons,
tics of the dead species would be chosen to mate, so that all of the traits of the extinct horses, and bison. The saber-toothed cat is the official state fossil of California
animal can be combined into one lineage. Some human assistance during the pro-
cess, such as artificial insemination and embryo transplantation, may become neces- Ecologically responsible candidates:
sary at some points. Rather than bringing back an animal from a different period in
history, this method would utilize animals adapted to the conditions of our current Thylacine (Tasmanian Wolf/Tiger) - it was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of
ecology. modern times, which lived in Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea, and its ecological
niche has not been filled to this day. This apex predator fed upon vertebrate prey
such as wallabies, potoroos, and rodents. The species was deliberately hunted to
extinction as settlers had feared these creatures would prey on their sheep, a truly favor de-extinction also argue of other tangible benefits. Siberia once had a land-
sad assumption. Introducing the thylacine back into Tasmania may increase competi- scape of grassy steppes, maintained by mammoths and numerous herbivores that
tion for food against the Tasmanian devils, and will thereby spread the population of broke up the soil and fertilized it with their manure. By reintroducing the mammoths
Tasmanian devils into smaller groups. This may reduce the prevalence of the dis- back into Siberia, some ecologists argue, may bring back the grasslands to what is
ease, devil face tumor disease, which transmits from Tasmanian devils biting each now the mossy tundras of Siberia.
other.
Reading all this, de-extinction seems like one heck of a deal, yet everything may
Japanese Sea Lion - an aquatic mammal that inhabited the Sea of Japan, especially seem like a dazzling idea full of promise when you take a superficial look at it, until
around the coastal areas of the Japanese archipelago and the Korean peninsula. you dig deeper. As such, a counterargument has been put forth in response to the
This was the only resident sea lion in coastal Asia, and it is thought that its functions notion that humanity has a responsibility to pay penance by reviving species that we
in the region have become extinct with the animal. It played a role of carrying nutri- have driven to extinction. Brian Switek, a blogger on National Geographic, has chal-
ents between marine and terrestrial systems, as well as stimulating marine produc- lenged the argument by claiming that, Wed only repeat our mistakes if we brought
tion through bacteria in their feces. back a species without consideration of the creatures future survival on a changing
planet. (Switek, Dec 2013). Similarly, for most species there may not be a safe habi-
Christmas Island Pipistrelle - it was the only insectivorous bat on the island and one tat to return to.
out of two bats total in the area. It is believed that these bats shaped the abundance
and diversity of insects on the island. Our technology may be advanced enough to restore species within the next few dec-
ades, but our world isnt ready to receive them. In 1982, a considerable amount of
Its true that the candidates receiving all the attention, which includes the dodo bird effort had been put into restoring the Arabian oryx, which had gone extinct in the wild.
and other exotic creatures, are receiving it for a reason: theyre one wicked group of Although the Arabian oryx has now reverted to a vulnerable status, poachers had
animals. Yet we mustnt let ourselves be taken over by the kid in us, despite how fas- nearly wiped out the animals that had returned to a refuge in central Oman. For an
cinating it may be to see these creatures walking again. Although the creatures fit to extinct species only capable of being resurrected in small numbers, they may not
be reintroduced into the ecosystem may not be as charismatic as the woolly mam- survive a war against poachers, nor will they be able to maintain genetic diversity in
moth, these creatures would still have habitats to return to and would restore their captivity. Furthermore, it would be nigh impossible to reintroduce carnivorous species
unique functions where it was once lost. For some animals like the golden toad and such as the Smilodon, when the public is already finding it hard to accept the reintro-
the Javan tiger, due to pollution, habitat destruction, and other reasons, they no long- duction of wolves at Yellowstone National Park. Things wont end on a good note
er have habitats that they can return to. This could very well lead to revived species when saber-toothed cats are returned to the grasslands of North and South America.
being locked up in zoos for passersby to gawk at, rendering the whole practice as
futile and immoral. Charles Darwin himself has said in The Origin of Species that Species and groups
of species gradually disappear, one after another, first from one spot, then from an-
Now this is where things get downright controversial when people start asking, other, and finally from the world. But our current situation differs in which the rate of
Should we do it? Each side of the argument has their points for supporting or op- extinction has increased by a factor 10~1000 partly due to human activities. Whether
posing the topic, yet its safe to say that there are undeniable risks that tag along to you may interpret this as a reason to push for de-extinction, in order to help create a
de-extinction efforts. McCauley puts to light the fact that once these revived species few more of the endangered species to breed; or a reason to step back from de-
are put back into the wild, we wont be able to put the genie back into the bottle even extinction and focus on caring for those on the brink of death, the fact that we need to
when things take a wrong turn, possibly leading to an uncontrollable surge of take measures to stave off a potential 6th mass extinction stays the same.
Franken-species among other things. But what McCauley really fears is the possibil-
Sources:
ity of a seed of misconception that extinction isnt a problem would be planted deep
Switek, Brian. "How to Resurrect Lost Species." National Geographic News and Latest Stories,
into the minds of the public. McCauley states, That the mindset becomes: Deforest, 11 Mar. 2013,news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130310-extinct-species-cloning-deextinction-genetics
-science/. Accessed 3 June 2017.
no biggie, we can reforest. If we drive something extinct, no biggie, we can de-extinct
McCauley, Douglas J. "A Mammoth Undertaking: Harnessing Insight from Functional Ecology to Shape De-
it. (McCauley, quoted in Shultz). extinction Priority Setting - McCauley - 2016 - Functional Ecology." Wiley Online Library,
12 Sept. 2016, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12728/abstract. Accessed 3 June 2017.
Shultz, David. "Should We Bring Extinct Species Back from the Dead?" Science | AAAS,
One of the central arguments put forth by de-extinction advocates is that we have a 26 Sept. 2016,www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/should-we-bring-extinct-species-back-dead. Accessed
3 June 2017.
moral imperative/responsibility to restore the species that humans drove into extinc-
Yong, Ed. "Resurrecting the Extinct Frog with a Stomach for a Womb Phenomena." Phenomena,
15 Mar. 2013,phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/15/resurrecting-the-extinct-frog-with-a-stomach-for-
tion. Mike Archer from the University of New South Wales shares this view of there a-womb/. Accessed 3 June 2017.
being a moral imperative, along with another strong belief of how We can ultimately
Switek, Brian. "The Promise and Pitfalls of Resurrection Ecology Phenomena." Phenomena,
3 Dec. 2013,phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/12/the-promise-and-pitfalls-of-resurrection-ecology/.
fix the wild, pointing out that If we accept that maintaining biodiversity is important, Accessed 3 June 2017.
we cant assume that if you whack a fence up, everythings going to be okay. You Darwin, Charles. "On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings. 2. On Extinction." The Origin of Species
by means of Natural Selection, 1859, p. 340, www.literaturepage.com/read.php?titleid=darwin-origin-of-
need to explore lots of parallel strategies. (Archer, quoted in Yong). Scientists who species&abspage=340&bookmark=1. Accessed 3 June 2017.
Unsolved Mysteries: The Death of Elisa Lam by Shoko Yamaji
In the world of strange disappearance and deaths, there are countless cases that are is possible that Elisa could have fallen off her medi-
surrounded by peculiar clues and unexplainable facts that seem to get stranger as we cations during her stay, which lead her to climb to
dig deeper and understand them. One such unsolved case is the death of Elisa Lam, the water tank and fall inside. As the water was be-
which occurred in the infamous Cecil Hotel, notable for its history of murders, suicide ing used from the tank at the time of the fall, she
and unexplained deaths. could have dropped to the point where she could no
longer reach a side ladder to escape.6
More than three years ago, Elisa, a 21 year old student from Vancouver left her home
to tour numerous cities on the west coast of the U.S. During her journey, Elisa kept in
Suicide
touch with her parents everyday. After visiting San Diego, she arrived in Los Angeles
on January 26th, where she checked in to the Cecil Hotel located in Downtown Los An- When she was found, her clothes were floating in
geles.1 Elisa was scheduled to check out (after spending five days) to continue her jour- the tank.6 The police searched for evidence of as-
ney to Santa Cruz, but never made it to her next destination.1 Her parents, who became sault robbery and murder, but they concluded
Fig 1: Elisa Lam was a Canadian student
it was impossible for anyone to put her in the at University of British Columbia in Van-
worried about her absence, contacted the L.A. police.1 The police proceeded to search couver
the hotel to every extent that they legally could, including Elisa room and the rooftop tank without leaving prints and DNA.6 Before
(LAPD, 2013)
but failed to find anything.1 On February 6th, a week after Lam had last been seen, her death, she posted suicidal thoughts on
LAPD released her photos online, bringing the publics attention to the case via the me- her blog. However if she did commit suicide, why did she go all the way to the water
dia. 1 tank especially when she couldve have easily jumped out of the window from her
room?
Elevator Video
Paranormal Activity
On February 16th, the LAPD released a video of Elisa taken by a video surveillance
camera on February 1st in one of the Cecils elevators.1 The seven minutes video clip This theory is closely tied with the dark history of the hotel; it suggests paranormal spir-
captured Elisas strange behavior from the corners of the ceiling, offering a view of the its, which forced her to commit suicide, possessed Elisa. Although this may sound bi-
interior and the hallway outside. The video soon drew the worlds attention and even zarre, some believe that the hotel contains dark energy and many have avoided the
became an inspiration for the fifth season of the TV show, American Horror Story. building since.8
In the beginning of the video, Elisa glides into the elevator wearing a red hooded
sweatshirt, black shorts and sandals. As soon as she enters, she goes to the control
The case about Elisa has become one of the
panel, and starts pressing random buttons. Nothing seems to be out of place until she
most haunting and debated mysterious
steps outside of the elevator and leans her head forward to take a glance in both direc-
deaths of recent memory and for a good
tions. She repeats these motions several times until she steps out of the elevator and
reason. As much as I want to believe she
gesticulates her hands as if shes trying to communicate with some invisible force. I
died due to her bipolar disorder, I cannot
have to admit the video gave me chills. Those who are interested can view the footage
ignore the fact that the evil spirits may have
on You Tube. Fig 2: Elisas body was found in a water tank at
the Cecil Hotel actually possessed her. You may think Im
3
There are some who suspect Elisa was playing the Elevator Game. The game, which insane but youll see why once you have
appears to originate in Korea, allows the player access to another world. If so, it ex- seen the elevator footage. So what do you think happened to Elisa? What caused a
plains Elisas strange behavior in the video footage. young woman with a promising future to end up in such a tragic death? It is most likely
that well never find the answer to this question and it will remain a mystery forever.
Discovery of the Body
Sources
While the police continued the search for Elisa, guests began complaining about the
1. Post, D. Elisa Lam and Her Bizarre Death Historic Mysteries, 2015, retrieved 26 May 2017,
low water pressure in their rooms. Some even claimed that the color of the water was
< https://www.historicmysteries.com/what-happened-to-elisa-lam/>.
black and had an unusual smell. On the morning of February 19th, an employee went to
the roof to check the 1000-gallon water tanks.4 To his shock, he found Elisas body .4 2.Swann, J, Elisa Lam Drowned in a Water Tank Three Years Ago, but the Obsession with Her Death
Lives On, Vice. 2015, retrieved 25 May 2017,
<https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/elisa-lam-drowned-in-a-water-tank-two-years-ago-but-the-
After her body was removed from the tank, she was taken to the Los Angeles County obsession-with-her-death-lives-on-511>.
Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner to be autopsied.4 On the 21st, the office re- 3Gupta A, 9 Creepy And Paranormal Games That Are No For The Faint Hearted, Story Pick, 2016,
ported that accidental drowning, with bipolar disorder as a significant factor that retrieved May 26th, 2017.
caused her death. 4 < http://www.storypick.com/horror-games/>.

The Bizarre Death of Elisa Lam, BuzzFeed Blue, 2016, retrieved May 26th, 2017.
Theories < https://youtu.be/48jBi86ih5Q
Radford, J, 12 Theories That Might Explain What Happened to Elisa Lam, Ranker, retrieved 26 May
Although the investigation has determined how Elisa died, it did not offer an explanation 2017,
< http://www.ranker.com/list/elisa-lam-theories/lyra-radford?var=2&utm_expid=16418821-
as to how she ended up in the tank. Of the thousands of theories circulating the death
300.nxxosUKPRc-jijaZcm5P8Q.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ranker.com%2Flist%2Felisa-
of Elisa, I have picked some of the most plausible theories that may explain the myste- lam-theories%2Flyra-radford>.
Swancer, B, The Truly Bizarre Unexplained death of Elisa Lam, Mysterious Universe, 2016, retrieved
rious death. 26 May 26, 2017,
< http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2016/08/the-truly-bizarre-unexplained-death-of-elisa-lam/>.
Images Reference:
Bipolar Disorder
Fig 1: LAPD (2013) Picture of Lam, from later in her life, distributed by Los Angeles police to help find
Elisa had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression and she had been pre- her Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam#/media/
File:Elisa_Lam_LAPD_flyer_photo.jpg>. (Accessed 26/05/2017)
scribed four types of drugs to deal with her condition. Medications have been found in
Fig 2: CBC (2015) Lams body was found in a water tank on the top of the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los
her belongings however tests were inconclusive as to the presence of the medication in Angeles Available at:
her bloodstream. According to the hotels general manager, before her death, Elisas
<http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/elisa-lam-canadian-tragedy-turned-american
roommates complained about her odd behavior and were moved to a private room.4 It
Science Career Challenge Machine by Manon Raby
Day 1:
Forensic Anthropology It was in the springtime of his life
by Sarah Kitamura that he first sat in front of the machine
His eyes shone brighter than its screen
for they said that hed be of service

Sarah plans to study sciences when she goes to university. At the moment, she hasnt
quite decided which science to specialize in. So we here at Tango challenged Sarah to and that was all he needed to hear
tell us her thoughts on different scientific disciplines and why they might interest her. Here They did not know his name
are her thoughts on Forensic Anthropology: he was merely number three hundred and twenty-five
At one point, I really wanted to study forensic anthropology. In fact, I still do. Working with but he did not mind
the FBI to solve crime using only bones? It's extremely interesting to me, especially be-
cause not only can we find out how the person died, we can also find out the individual's Five winters later
life history. There's still so many discoveries we can make from just a set of remains, and
his fingers slightly bent and his eyes turning red
it amazes me how that's even possible.
he was still number three hundred and twenty-five
For example, to determine the deceased individuals race, we must focus on their nose as
and he did not mind
it gives the most important information. From researching about how to become part of a
for the numbers that he typed
CSI, Ive learned that Caucasian nose holes are triangular, Negroids square, and Mon-
goloids diamond-shaped (1). There are other information we can find out from bones, paid for the bottles that he drank
but it has been said that the hardest information to find is the occupation of the person. and his mothers treasured Prozac
Doing so can assist us in what the persons career was can help narrow down who might
be the murderer (e.g. if someone had enemies at their workplace or held grudges
Mother and father entered eternal rest
against them).
and he still sat before the machine
He whispered more numbers than he did names
and nobody knew his birthday
Though he recited Shakespeare in his sleep
he did not know what it meant to be loved
and he did not mind
for the gentle, hypnotizing hum from the machine was just
enough
Whats also difficult is preventing yourself from missing very small details in the bone. It is Five thousand tubes and a cardiac monitor
going to take time and patience to get all the minorbut vitalinformation needed to rest He missed the machine
the case, and oftentimes, the same bone would need to be analyzed for hours, maybe
A woman in blue asked for his name
even days. Its very likely that you will find a knick in it that you missed the first, second, or
And he said:
third time.
Number three hundred and twenty-five
I didn't always like forensic anthropology. I found it gross when I first watched started
watching Bones, a TV show about a forensic team and the FBI working together to solve
crimes. Just by watching it, I was able to imagine that the body they bring in to the lab
smells nowhere near pleasant. But as I continued to watch the show, the more I became
interested in becoming one myself, a forensic anthropologist, that is. Which reminds me,
theres another field Ive wanted to work in besides forensic anthropologybut still in the
same departmentforensic entomology.
Citation:
"Human Differentiation." Human Differentiation: Evolution of Racial Characteristics. N.p., n.d.

Web. 01 June 2017.
"How forensic anthropologists find out information from bones." Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)
and forensics information. N.p., 18 May 2012. Web. 03 June 2017.
How to Survive these 4 Doomsday Scenarios by Tyus Sheriff
Its the end of the world as we know it, R.E.M sang in 1987. Many believe that this In the event of a Lizard revolu-
song has never been more relevant to todays world (excluding the I feel fine bit). The tion
song was played in 2012, when the Mayan calendar predicted a Doomsday scenario.
Conspiracy theorists were disappointed (while everybody else was happy) to see that If David Icke has it right then we may
this prediction wasnt accurate. Yet, just in case we ever face an apocalyptic scenario see our reptilian overlords reveal
(for whatever reason), here are some possible ways of lengthening your lifespan. (Keep their true identities and establish a
in mind, the following scenarios have an extremely high likelihood of occurring). New World Order. Under Ickes be-
liefs, some of the worlds most influ-
In the event of a zombie apocalypse ential leaders (for example, Donald
Trump, Barack Obama, or Shinzo
If, by any chance, zombies emerge from their Abe) are actually lizards in disguise.
graves and demand fresh brains, the first step They come to Earth from far away
should be to run. Run, fly, swim, or drive to the galaxies, winning political elections in
least populated place you can think of. For exam- order to wield their influence upon the world. But do not fear, for these reptilians are not
ple, if you live in the United States, consider the invincible! Some possible ways to combat this lizard infestation would be to manufac-
serene (but painfully empty) state of Montana. If ture large egg shells. They say that lizards are weak to the smell of eggs. Other possi-
you live in Japan, why not try out Tottori prefec- ble ways to fight these reptilians would be to kill them with Tabasco sauce. (Apparently
ture? This will definitely improve your chances of lizards dont like the thing) If we douse Washington DC in Tabasco sauce, the Ameri-
survival. Remember: if a zombie outbreak does can lizard people will be exterminated.
occur, human kind is destined to perish anyways.
Thus, laws will be obsolete. So, if the streets out of In the event of an extraterrestrial invasion
your cities are congested, drive a monster truck!
Steven Hawking said that we should stop searching for aliens, as there is a high proba-
Scientists from Leicester University have calculated that, should a zombie outbreak truly bility that they would be hostile towards the Earth. In other words, any intelligent life
occur, it would only take 100 days for zombies to outnumber humans a million-to-one. smart enough to find the earth would be smart enough to invade the earth. So, if SETI
By three months, there would only be 300 humans remaining. More optimistic calcula- contacts some aliens or if aliens just show up on our doorstep, what should we do? In
tions that take into account human survival skills (like hiding in Montanan mountains) this case, our planet is doomed. Scientists on this planet cannot definitively reach or
and reproduction state that humans could defeat zombies in 2.7 years. locate any other planets with intelligent life, so how could we possibly put up a fight
against technically-superior beings? We must submit to the desires of these aliens.
Realistically, your chances for survival in the event of a zombie apocalypse are low.
However, moving to places such as Siberia, Montana, or Greenland would boost your The Fermi Paradox asks Where is everyone? If intelligent beings do exist in our vast,
chance of survival. Dont worry, though. Human technology is not advanced enough to ever-expanding universe, why havent we found them by now? There are possible ex-
resurrect an army of zombies (for now that is). planations to this paradox: nobodys receiving SETI messages, nobodys sending
them out, aliens have already visited earth (shoutout to Erich Von Dniken), its the na-
In the event of an Illuminati uprising ture of intelligent life to destroy itself, or, simply, were the only planet in the universe
with intelligent life. If the last answer is true, theres nothing to fear. But if aliens do
Lets say the Bavarian Illuminati did in fact survive its dispersal by Charles Theodore in come, I bet theyd gloss over Montana.
1785 and have ensconced themselves as one of the worlds most influential secret soci-
eties. If all of the politicians we see on T.V. are, in fact, puppets of the illuminati, what As Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, Theres nothing to fear but fear itself. Alt-
should we do? I propose that we build a rocket ship and search for another hospitable hough it is completely rational to be afraid of the aforementioned highly-probable sce-
planet. There, we can build an intergalactic military to strike up a counterrevolution narios, do not let fear suppress your happiness in life. I hope that these survival tips will
against this illuminati! let insomniacs fretting about doomsdays sleep at night. Is this article still doesnt calm
your nerves, just remember this: theres a higher chance that humans will destroy the
As a personal anecdote, I find it strange that the illuminati are seen as a potential New earth before they do.
World Order. I mean, the Bavarian Illuminati was founded on the principles of promoting
free-speech and other revolutionary teachings. Doesnt sound so crazy in todays
world. Yet, if government officials are illuminati puppets, we must don our tinfoil hats
and travel space. (Or, we can just move to Montana).
All images courtesy of Microsoft Clipart
A Sinister Cult..
by Alex 4L13N Knox
WELCOME BACK TRUTH-SEEKERS!! Ive done some serious digging for several If you were to look at the Kidz Bop website,
months and I feel like I was able to find enough evidence for a revealing theory. So you will notice that there are profiles for
enough of the small talk, lets get to the bottom of this new theory: each current member of the Kidz Bop tour
group. And every single child is basically
KIDZ BOP IS A CULT
PERFECT. Not only are they amazing singers, they also do things like volleyball and
Now I know what youre thinking. But Alex, Kidz Bop is just harmless entertainment for martial arts and want to become mathematicians when they grow up. HOW CAN 10-13
kids! Theres no way that there would be anything dark or secretive about that! But YEAR OLDS LIKE THIS EXIST?!?!?! And the evidence doesnt stop there. Take a clos-
while that may be harmless for the kids listening to these terrible clean renditions of pop er look at the pictures of these children and see if you can notice anything weird. Sure,
music, the kids INSIDE Kidz Bop are the ones being harmed. My theory is that these they may seem happy to be a Kidz Bop kid, but can you see those vacant stares???
kids are actually clones that are made and programmed to sell their music to kids and This is a clear sign that these children were programmed to by some shady govern-
concerned parents. ment agency in order to promote the economy or whatever governments do. They
could also be undercover agents to expose us truth-seekers, so if you guys dont hear
For those of you who have no idea what Im talking about, heres a brief explanation.
from me soon youll know who got me.
Kidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring children singing pop songs that
was started in 2000. All of the songs are edited so they are clean and safe for chil- Stay safe out there.
dren but most of the inappropriate aspects of these songs are left in as they are mostly
Alex 4L13N Knox
implied. There are currently 35 main albums with numerous side albums including Kidz
Bop Sports Jamz (2007), Kidz Bop Hanukkah (2005), and The Coolest Kidz Bop Christ-
mas Ever (2007).
by Kay Igahara
The Woman in the Room
by Aimi Mizuno
Some of my friends already know this, but my father can see things. What I mean
by seeing things, is that he can see ghosts and those other creepy kinds of things.
You might think that me, or my parents, are just crazy people. But I believe that my
father can actually see this kind of phenomena. Here, I wrote one of the stories that
my father told me. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.
The woman in the room
This event happened when my father was traveling with his client, to a factory that
his client has. That night, he and his client were about to sleep in the hotel that they
reserved. Then my father sensed something coming. He didn't really know if it was a
thing or a person, but he said that he assumed it was a thing. But then, he realized
that he was wrong. He saw a woman standing in the middle of his room. Just staring
at him. It looked as if she was waiting for him to look at her. He became scared and
he turned on the light that he had turned off because he was about to sleep. When
he was scrambling to the switch, he said that he couldn't move his eyes from the
woman. As he was staring at the woman, he noticed that in a lot of places in her arm
and face, she had burn marks. When he turned the lights on, he realized that the
woman had disappeared. But when he switched the light back off, the woman was
standing at the same place as before. He said that after this, he got scared and
turned on all of the lights in the room and slept. The next day, when my father met
his client, he asked him if he saw the same ghost as him. The client was surprised to
hear that my father also saw this ghost. The client also said that he slept, after turn-
ing all the lights on. When my father and his client went out of the hotel, they saw
many fire trucks rushing somewhere, and from the sound of the sirens, it looked like
they were stopping very nearby. So they followed the fire trucks, and they saw a
building that was burning. When they asked the firefighter that was standing next to
them what happened, he said that there had been a fire last night and the workers,
who were woman, were trapped inside and killed. Then my father and his client real-
ized that they had seen the ghosts of the women, who lost their lives in that awful
tragedy.
and her son. Her voice reflects Kims sweet bravery throughout the
Yukis Musicals play, making the audience sob with love for her and her character at
the end of the show.
Best Leading Actor

by Yuki Sutton
Andy Karl (Groundhog Day The Musical) 20%
Welcome to easily the most biased Tony Award prediction piece you will ever come
across. I am Yuki Sutton and way too emotionally invested in Broadway shows despite Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) 30%
the fact that I have never seen one. I am only predicting winners for the musical cate-
Josh Groban (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) 50%
gories because I couldn't care less about plays.
I am only putting Andy Karl down because I don't want to be wrong and because he
Best Musical
won an Olivier Award (London) for the same role. Ben Platt has been extremely popu-
lar with the younger audience for being adorable. He allows himself to be vulnerable
Dear Evan Hansen 50%
in the role of a naive and socially awkward teenager and has a charming voice. Older
Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 50% critics probably wont be as merciful as younger critics would be which is why I am
only giving him a 30%. Josh Groban on the other hand, has impressed a wide range of
Both shows have been extremely successful so it has been difficult for me to come to audiences. I think he is perfect in the role of a miserable and wealthy middle aged
a conclusion. Dear Evan Hansen tells a brilliant story of a high schooler who struggles man. His world renowned voice is perfect for his Broadway debut in this role and I
to fit in. The music is amazing and so is the cast. The love that is poured onto Evan is think that he is deserving of the Tony.
so beautiful to watch. It is heartwarming and a hit on Broadway, notably with the
younger audience. Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 is a pop-opera
based on Tolstoys War and Peace. The choreography, the upbeat music, its chaotic Best Featured Actress
theatre layout and the atmosphere allows a fun and almost interactive experience
Stephanie J. Block (Falsettos)
which many have been impressed by.
Stephanie J. Block did an amazing rendition of Im Breaking Down. She is truly an

amazing actor who nailed her hilarious portrayal of a single mother to Jason and ex-
Best Revival
wife of Marvin who is in love with another man called Whizzer but all of them live to-
Falsettos 60% gether.
Miss Saigon 40% Best Featured Actor
The revival of William Finns Falsettos was legendary with an overwhelmingly talented Andrew Rannells (Falsettos)
cast: Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block, all three of whom are
nominated in the performing categories. The raving reviews and the attention of the I am madly in love with Gavin Creel so Im not mad at him for being in Hello, Dolly!.
younger audience must mean that there is a great chance of this winning Best Revival. His voice is like angel vomit, so holy and so pure because his pipes are made of the
I am however, counting on my personal favourite Miss Saigon, almost a completely purest kind of gold. Unfortunately, his performance doesn't surpass Andrew Rannells
new production with new songs and orchestration and lyrics refined, has been a incredible portrayal of Whizzer in Falsettos. Andrew Rannells heartbreaking perfor-
Broadway favourite. All of its components including set design, costumes and a brand mance as Marvins sassy gay lover is unforgettable, it grabs onto you. Although he is
new cast create a fresh story that can be told to this generation. I agree. Leading ac- known for taking comedic roles, not to say that this isnt, he really nails the emotion
tors Jon Jon Briones and Tony nominee, Eva Noblezada recreated their roles from and conveys his pain perfectly.
scratch despite them being originated by theatre legends, Jonathan Pryce and Lea Original Score
Salonga. Their interpretations of the role bring a grittier and more powerful effect on
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen) 40%
the audience, retelling the story of a war that ruined thousands of loves and lives. This
revival is a major contender for the award and could be legendary in itself. Hello, Dol-
Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) 60%
ly! is only up there because it stars Bette Midler, a first time Tony nominee who
doesnt appreciate theatre. The New York Times loves Hello, Dolly! but I don't be-
Best Book
cause it is fake and I am not here for it. If they win I will lose all artistic hope in the
Broadway community. Irene Sankoff and David Hein (Come From Away) 60%
Best Leading Actress
Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen) 40%
Patti LuPone (War Paint) 20%
Scenic Design
Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon) 40%
Mimi Lien (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812)
Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!) 40%
Costume Design
There are critics out there who are desperate for Bette to win and so I don't want to be
wrong. To be honest, shes a celebrity and shes only here to take her award and Catherine Zuber (War Paint)
leave because shes won every award except for the Tony. She has hardly embraced
the theatre community and didnt show up to any of the Tony nominee events, an utter Lighting Design
disgrace. Patti could win it since War Paint is her final Broadway engagement and
because Patti LuPone is Patti LuPone and nobody else but Patti LuPone, why should I Japhy Weideman (Dear Evan Hansen)
have to elaborate? Eva Noblezadas interpretation of Kim in Miss Saigon is mesmeris-
ing. She displays the purity of a young mother while screlting for the lives of herself
Best Direction 3."Disappear" from 'Dear Evan Hansen' Original Broadway Cast Recording
4."You Will Not Touch Him" from 'Miss Saigon' 2014 London Cast Recording
Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day The Musical)
5."It Only Takes a Moment" from 'Hello, Dolly!' 2017 Broadway Cast Recording
Choreography 6."Nobody" from 'Bandstand' Original Broadway Cast Recording
7."If I Had My Time Again" from 'Groundhog Day The Musical' Original Broadway Cast
Andy Blankenbuehler (Bandstand)
Recording
8."Where Do We Go From Here" from 'Amelie' Original Broadway Cast Recording
Orchestrations
9."Color and Light" from 'Sunday In The Park With George' Original Broadway Cast
Alex Lacamoire (Dear Evan Hansen) Recording
10."Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" from 'Cats' Original Cast Recording
Show-Tens
1."The Baseball Game" from 'Falsettos' 2016 Broadway Cast Recording

2."Welcome to the Rock" from 'Come From Away' Original Broadway Cast Recording
Eye on Pop Culture

Orphan Black (TV-MA) June 10
Orphan Black follows the protagonist Sarah Manning, a loving mother who has
recently escaped the drug business and is hoping to reunite with her daughter.
On the way home, Sarah witnesses a woman suicide at the train station. Just
moments before the woman jumps off the platform, she looks towards Sarah
with Misaki Inakuchi
revealing that her face closely resembles that of Sarahs. Sarah soon finds out
she is a product of an illegal cloning project. Some may look at the shows prem-
ise and dismiss it simply as a genre show. Admittedly, many roll their eyes at the word
clones when I recommend this show to them. However, the genius of Orphan Black
Late spring is a busy time for IB and non-IB students alike. Fortunately (or unfortunate-
lies within its storytelling. This show is a gripping mystery thriller with interwoven char-
ly), this season is also time for studios to begin releasing new seasons of TV shows.
acter arcs to question the morality of cloning and the difference between friendship and
This also being finals and mock exams season, its time to get your priorities straight.
family. This upcoming season has been announced to be the final installment in a five
However, whether that means procrastinating watching new episodes of your favorite
season show, so catch up before June 10th or beware of spoilers!
shows or procrastinating your revision is your business. In any case, here are some
shows coming up in the next few weeks.
House of Cards (TV-MA) May 30

This political drama set in Washington
DC in 2010, follows Frank Underwoods
desperate and ruthless grasp for the
presidency. The character was originally
inspired by Richard III of the Shake-
spearean play and elements of this can
be seen throughout the show from
Franks manipulative and scheming na-
ture to the occasional soliloquy. With Game of Thrones (TV-MA) - July 16
Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright as the leading roles of Frank and Claire Underwood, Perhaps the most popular show on this list, Game of Thrones will be releasing its sev-
respectively, its hard to deny the talent which occupies both the cast and the creative enth season on July 16th. It came as a shock to many fans of the show that this upcom-
team of House of Cards. All episodes have been added to Netflix as of May 30. ing season will only contain seven episodes unlike previous seasons which have all
consisted of 10. An official trailer has been posted on YouTube showing *SPOILER
Orange is the New Black (TV-MA) June 9 ALERT* Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and Cersei Lannister all sitting on their indi-
In this critically acclaimed vidual thrones hinting at a possible battle amongst these three houses. Photos from
dramedy, Piper Chapman, a the set have also been released, the most intriguing of which has been Arya Stark
white, upper middle class wearing clothes of the North. Could it be a certain family of an ill-fated house is reunit-
yuppie from New York City, ing this season? *END SPOILER ALERT*
is convicted of drug smug-
gling and is sent off to Litch- Tune in next time for more seasons coming out this fall! Happy binge watching!
field Penitentiary, a wom-
ens federal prison. There
she finds herself out of
place amongst a group of
women diverse in culture, race, class, and sexuality. With its brand of dark comedy,
this show explores racial prejudice and LGBT+ discrimination within the American pris-
on system. Fans were left with a cliff hanger last season as a beloved character was
killed inciting a riot within the prison. Previously, this show focused on the divisive unity
amongst the various ethnic groups, but the official trailer for this upcoming fifth season
is heavy with a message of coming together as an entire prison to fight the injustice
within it.
Recipe by Mia Lewis
Theres a magic trick to baking perfect cookies every time. Using 1 part sugar : 2 parts
oil/fat : 3 parts flour will always give you perfect cookies. Endless cookie customizations
are now yours! This is a recipe for chocolate peanut cookies.
Mix:
100g Brown Sugar
50g Olive Oil
150g Vegan Butter (margarine)
20g Cocoa Powder
280g Flour
A handful of peanuts.
Then, shape the dough into cookie shapes and bake for 10-12 minutes at 180 degrees.
Who knew baking could be so easy?
YouTube Review
A quick taster for what you would get:
an introduction to the infamous Carrot theme park
Korean lessons with Ollie (who will get it wrong with you)
an insight into traditional British cuisine
by Mia Lewis and much more!
Were Josh and Ollie. And were very Jolly I assure you that Jolly will give you a jolly good time!
Combining their names to create a play on words for their channel name, Jolly is
the next YouTube channel you should subscribe to. Both from the original channel
Korean Englishman, here the two share their life in England and adventures around
the world three times a week. This channel is what made me look forward to Mon-
days for once!
handful of champions to choose from. Each champion has 3 skills and one ultimate
Video Game Review skill. On top of these skills there are, Summoner spells. There are 10 summoner
spells but you're only allowed to use two per game. On top of that there are runes and
masteries. Runes and Masteries only increase your stats slightly, but depending on
what your champion masteries and runes could be key in whether you win or lose a
by Leo Baxter game. Masteries are very similar to the skill tree in World of Warcraft for a comparison
in how it functions. However, there is only one sheet of skills that all champions use,
Have you ever heard of the game, League of Legends? No? Well, League of Leg- and will rarely specify a specific skill. Every 4 points you invest into one specific
ends is one of the biggest free to play computer games in the world. League of Leg- "branch" of the skill tree, you unlock the next tier for that branch. There are 3 branch-
ends is an action packed game that puts you in a different situation every game, es, offensive, defensive, and utility. Simply hover the mouse over the icons to get a
prompting you to adapt to each game. There are servers open all over the world and description of what each one does. Unlike Masteries, runes are more customisable
anyone and everyone can play. in October 2013, League of Legends had 12 million and arent limited to specific branches of the skill tree. Runes are more broad and give
active daily players and 32 million active monthly players. by January 2014, League of base stats rather than effects. Runes come in 4 categories: Marks, Seals, Glyphs, and
Legends had 27 million active daily players and 7.5 million concurrent players at peak Quintessence. Marks are mostly about damage, Seals are more of regen and defense,
times. League of Legends was released October 27 2009 and was the first big multi- where as glyphs are more about ability things such as magic resist and cooldown.
player online battle arenas, or MOBAS for short. Quintessence covers any category, but there are less quintessence slots. They are
also the only ones to be able to use runes labeled as "utility" runes, which include
League of Legends is a simple game. The basic aim of the game is to destroy towers things such as increasing your automatic gold rate, movespeed, ectc
to reach the enemy base and destroy that too. League of Legends is played on 5 ver-
sus 5 map split into three lanes that cross the map in the top, middle, and bottom Although League of Legends seems complicated, when played it is an easy game. As
parts. Each lane has four turrets, two for your side and two for your opponents side. you get better at the game team strategies and team compositions become really im-
Every 30 seconds, minions spawn for both sides and walk across each lane. In the portant. When I first started playing the game I wasn't too into it. As I played more I
bases there are five turrets. The first 3 turrets guard each lane's inhibitor, which when became more competitive and Addicted to League of Legends. The better I got at the
destroyed spawns a stronger minion in that lane every 30 seconds. The nexus, or the game the more I wanted to win and prove my skill. Although I have quit the game, I still
thing you have to protect, itself is guarded by two turrets. The nexus cannot be at- play the occasional game. Because League of Legends was a family activity that I
tacked until the two turrets there are destroyed, both of which can't be attacked until an played between my two other brothers, we sometimes all go to an internet cafe and
inhibitor is destroyed. On the map there are two mini bosses. On the left side of the play for hours. We challenge each other to one versus one duels or think of new strat-
map there is the Elemental Dragon. By killing the dragon, depending on element, you egies and team compositions and just crack up. League of Legends is best played with
get a buff on a specific stat. On the right side of the map there is a huge monster friends because it's a team game and requires communication. Also, by playing with
called Baron Nashor. By killing the Baron Nashor your minions receive a buff and all of friends you can think of new ways to play the game and adapt to new situations. If you
their stats are increased. Each player plays a Champion. As of April the 21st 2017 plan to play games socially with your friends I recommend League of Legends.
there are 136 champions to choose from however to unlock these champions you
need points, which are earned by playing games. Each week there is a rotation of a
wrap. The noun origin for this word is also very similar, as it comes from the word,
Word Origins swaum.
Finally, is the expression, "pleased as Punch." Hon-
with Keri Howard estly, this origin is quite creepy. The meaning of this
phrase is that you are very happy and joyful. This say-
First, I would like to say that this is probably the last word origins article. So let's enjoy ing came from a children puppet show featuring two
it with the last three words and a saying that I prepared for you! characters, Punch and his wife, Judy. Punch was a
peculiar character, and feels joy when he kills people.
We will begin with the word robot. Maybe, I shouldn't start with this because it is sort He would always smile when killing people and the saying, "pleased as Punch," came
of deep. The origin came from Old Czech, robotnik, and also other forms, such as, to existence.
robota, robotiti, and also Old Slavic, rabu and rabota. The forms are all different, but
the meanings are all similar. They all mean forced labor. Some of the forms mean, So, how was the final etymology selection? Hopefully, it has met your standards and
slaves or servitude, which is basically the same thing. If you think what robots do, the you were able to enjoy it. This will be the last article I will be making about word ori-
origin makes perfect sense. However, it is sort of sad because of how true it is. gins, but if has caught your interest I absolutely recommend looking further into ety-
mology. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this small and short series of word origins.
Next, is the word elope. This word means to leave without permission, escape. There Thank you.
is another meaning, which means to run away with a lover and get married. The origin
Works Cited
came from the Anglo-French word, aloper and the English word leap. Leap's origin is
"14 of the Most Fascinating Word Origins in the English Language." Oxford Summer School from Ox-
from Old Dutch, lopen, which also means to run. From these three words, the word ford Royale Academy. 22 Mar. 2017. Web. 06 June 2017.
elope, came to existence. Online Etymology Dictionary. Web. 06 June 2017.
"Punch and Judy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 June 2017. Web. 06 June 2017.
Sterbenz, Christina. "9 Words With Totally Unexpected Origins." Business Insider. Business Insider,
17 Oct. 2013. Web. 06 June 2017.
The final word is swathe. It means to wrap, and bind. The etymology of this word is
"25 Common Sayings And Where They Came From." List25. 05 May 2017. Web. 06 June 2017.
from Old English. It has taken its form from the word swaian, which also means to
free will, consciousness, fear, human relationships and
Book Reviews their values as well as the state and limitations to being
lonely. Im Thinking of Ending Things is very atmospheric
and haunting with many intense scenes. From the first
page you will be sucked into the book and you will be
by Mina Allen scared, but you wont know why. I personally imagined a
storyline that focused on the paranormal, guessing by the
cover and the title, which proved to be completely differ-
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett ent. In Im Thinking of Ending Things we are shown the
When I first read Commonwealth, I was really confused terror of the human psyche which, in this book, proves to
with the who, what, when, where, why and how of the be much more haunting than any Nosferatu will ever be.
plot. Patchett takes us on a journey throughout the book
where we are required to listen and grasp at bits and
pieces of information and dialogue to actually understand We Are the Ants by Shaun David
the story. Throughout the book, you experience a series Hutchinson
of private family events that last for three generations,
Spending the years being periodically abducted by
while witnessing them vicariously through a transparent
extraterrestrial beings, Henry Denton is given a huge
narrator whom is written in a third person omniscient
ultimatum. He will either save the world or cause its
perspective. We follow the lives of six children from two
destruction when the Earth has been planned for de-
different families, the Keatings and the Cousins, who all
struction in 144 days. All he has to do is press the red
live their childhood as well as adulthood amidst the wreckage and destruction caused by
button and everyone will be saved. It seems like the
their parents, as well as by each other. Just as our own family history gradually becomes
obvious choice to press the button and save every-
coherent through stories and old pictures, we start to learn more about the now-adult-
one, but Henry isnt sure if he wants to. As we read
childrens stories after pages and pages of dialogue and fractured memories. Patchett suc-
along the storylines that Hutchinson has created, it is
ceeds in bringing charm and a disarming sense of attachment to her struggling characters
revealed that our protagonists daily life on Earth does
which leads us to see a dysfunctional, heart-wrenching family portrait which is surprisingly
not seem to be going well. This is a chance for him to
realistic.
wipe the slate clean, and let him forget. Henry is given a big choice; whether to save
the world and everyone on it, or destroy it along with his pain. This story deals with
Im Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid very complex subjects such as mental illnesses, sexuality, and abuse. Hutchinson re-
alistically depicts the hardships of growing up, and finding our true identity of who we
In this debut novel by Ian Reid, you will find yourself caught up in a thrilling suspense
are and what we want to become.
story where Reid explores nature of human thought. Reid questions the concept of
Talking TOK Tango Team

with Dave Algie
President: Sophia Grabowski

TOK has an image problem. Vice Presidents: Mio Okuda
Airi Wakasa
Mitsuhashi sensei told me of a friend of his who went to an IB conference to learn about Editor: Dave Algie
Layout Advisor: Paul Sommer
TOK and was shown a TOK textbook. On the first page of the textbook was a discussion
activity: In what sense do unicorns exist or not exist? Not surprisingly, Mitushashi senseis The Tango team:
friend immediately decided that TOK was confusing nonsense. And fair enough. Mia Lewis Masami Nagasaka
Manon Raby Tyus Sheriff
Anna Kim Chie Sakano
No doubt there are TOK teachers and textbooks who approach the subject in really ab- Shoko Yamaji Aimi Mizuno
stract, quirky and different ways. In my view, this is an unhelpful approach because it Noah Izumi Kaya Frese
Keri Howard Yuroo Achit
makes TOK confusing and irritating for most students, parents and other teachers. Yuki Sutton Pansy
Taizo Heimer Skye Inada
Meg Hoffman Sarah Kitamura
A lot of students and teachers think the purpose of TOK is to show that you cannot be cer-
Tasuku Azuma Ami Eldridge
tain about anything. Unfortunately, some teachers and textbooks seem to begin from this Nicole Yoo Tuvshinjargal Battogoo
Felishia Hannah Kanada
starting point, maybe to try to make the subject seem mind-blowing. Nanami Hasegawa Leo Baxter
Kevin Xu Kako Shintani
I think the best place to start in approaching TOK is admitting that we are certain of many Lilian Tsubaki Freya Kirwan
things. We are less certain of others. Why are we certain about some things and not oth-
ers? This is where TOK should start. I am certain 2+2=4. I am less certain that prime num- Middle School Samba Lead Journalist: Rena Kawasaki
bers go on to infinity (although I am still pretty certain of this, because Mr. Bertman told me
Special contributions were made to this edition by:
it was true). We might be certain Japan had an economic boom in the 1980s. We might
be slightly less sure of all the factors that caused it or ended it. Scientists are certain an Steve Lewis Masafumi Toyoshima Lisa Yokoe
Kay Igahara Kevin Bertman Sanaya Habu
event called the Paleo-Eocene Thermal Maximum occurred about fifty million years ago. Mark Elshout Airu Mukaiyama Leanne Entwistle
There is some debate about what caused this event. What TOK does, or should do, is ex- Dawn Inada Keanna Ikeda
plore and discuss the kinds of evidence, kinds of reasoning and kinds of methodology that
Special thanks to:
lead us to be more confident of some beliefs than others.
Melissa Lamug Peter Heimer Derek Entwistle
Discussions in TOK should start with reality, what is concrete and what we are sure of, not Steve Lewis Jennifer Henbest Dawn Inada
Kurt Mecklem Kaori Algie
silly hypothetical ideas. This is the best approach. I am certain of it.
Dear Abby
I am a Grade 9 student. I feel like maybe I should start thinking about what to do in regard to my college and career choices. My mom and dad are really relaxed about the situ-
ation. They say its up to me to decide my future. My first question for you is: Is it too early for me to be thinking about my life after school? And my second question is: If I do
start considering my college and career choices, what are two or three things I should keep in mind?
Yours sincerely,
Thoughtful n Hattori
Dear Thoughtful
I think it is a sign of maturity that you are already raising the question of what you would like to do in the future. It is never too early, and for some, it can be very clear to
them, whereas for others, there are some options, sometimes opposing ones, based on varied interests and skills, and for quite a big percentage, it is still the great un-
known. You are fortunate to have parents who are supportive and would like you to make your own choice, though sometimes it feels like it is easier if they just tell you what
to do.
So, to answer your question: I do not think it is too early, I think high school is really the time to start thinking. In fact, when you apply to colleges, they will be looking at your
academic performance from 9th grade, so it is the perfect time to plan ahead. The ideal would be to start reflecting on your interests, abilities, skills, and values. These are
the things that will shed light on what career you could be good at, and what major you could take to prepare for it. If you enjoy tinkering with gadgets and experimenting, then
maybe you can look into science or engineering, if you love cooking, baking, and love having family and friends try your creations, then maybe a career in hotel and restaurant
will allow you to continue this skill and interest. If on the other hand you like dealing with people, then a service industry may be the thing for you teaching, working in a hos-
pital or a bank, managing are some careers that you might want to consider.
Dont feel like you have to have a permanent path already set by 9th grade, or even by 12th grade. Explore ideas, and options, talk to people about what they do and how they
like it, develop your skills and interests, experience different extra curricular activities, so that more and more you learn about yourself again: your interests, skills, abilities,
values.
I wish you well,
Abby
SOIS School Festival 2017
By Kota Kawasaki OIS KB
Photos by Dave Algie Photos by Dave Algie

My SOIS Basketball Experience that its not only about a players self-ability, but also a sport of cooper-
ation. I began to communicate more with coaches and teammates both
in practices and games. At that moment, I realized I had became a part
by Kevin Xu
of the team.
The JV basketball tournament in Yokohama was the biggest challenge

Ever since I started playing basketball in 5th grade, it has became an integral part of
for us to reflect on the efforts we had made in past months. On the first game day, we
my life. When I first came to Osaka International School, I continued my hobby by
easily won against Hokkaido and St. Maur. The starters blew away the opposition at
joining in the school basketball team.
the start of both games and the bench members, including me, continued the lead
At the beginning, I didnt feel quite like I fit into the school team. I had three team through hard work. The harder game came on the second day, which was the final
practices each week, but I got exhausted easily and wasn't motivated to continue. game against Canadian Academy. Every teammate battled hard for every minute of
Perhaps it was because of the new training system and I wasnt familiar with the peo- the game, though we had to accept the result of second place.
ple surrounding me. However, as time went on, my skillset developed and I gained
Being a member of SOIS basketball team was one of my most valuable experiences
self-confidence through every practice. I had a deeper understanding of basketball,
in 9th grade.
Rattling Sabers Commentary 12 students give up sports to focus in their IBDP studies.
It is important to think carefully about the commitment required for

by Coach Peter Heimer, SIS English Teacher, Sabers AD. participating on a sports team. As teachers and students ponder
whether to play sports or to not play sports, they should consider
the athletic and academic and social success of the four 2017 Sa-
To play sports or to not play sports? Should that be a question? Well, it is a ques-
bers athletic awards winners: Haruna Tomiguchi, Leo Roberts, Leona Benfield, and
tion frequently asked here at SOIS by different people for different reasons.
Aki Shigeyama. All four devoted much time and energy to their Sabers sports teams
Teachers ask this question in regards to students who are having academic difficul- and all four were successful academically and well-adjusted socially.
ties. On occasion, students are disallowed from playing in a tournament based on
I am aware that some in our school building feel that there is too much focus on
poor academic performance.
sports here. I understand this feeling, but I think we have an excellent balance of aca-
Students (and their parents) ask this question when considering whether or not they demics and athletics and music and drama and service and fun at SOIS, and Haruna,
have time for both sports and studies. Some SIS grade 12 students give up sports to Leo, Leona, and Aki are representative of this. I encourage all SOIS students to be-
focus on juken university entrance exam preparation. Some OIS grade 11 and come Sabers student athletes, no question.
Sabers athletic awards 2016-17

Sabers
Sports Congratulations to the following deserving Sabers student athletes:
Shorts Haruna Tomiguchi: Dr. Fukuda Scholar Athlete of the Year (female)
Leo Roberts: Dr. Fukuda Scholar Athlete of the Year (male)

Coach Heimer, AD Leona Benfield: Sabers Outstanding Athlete of the Year (female)
Aki Shigeyama: Sabers Outstanding Athlete of the Year (male)
SHOUT OUTS
To Coach Baba, Coach Stone, Coach Haske, Coach Cooper, Coach Van Plantinga,
Coach Fukushima: Once a Saber, always a Saber. Best wishes.
To new SSCers Maki, Fuka, Karin, Azu: welcome aboard.
To Sabers MCs (Suono, Keanna) and to the SSC on your Sabers awards celebration
work: thank you, thank you, thank you prepared, poised, professional, perfect.
To future members of the soon-to-be-created saberStrong strength training club: Get

ready. Whats wrong with being strong?
http://sabers.senri.ed.jp/awards.html
Sabers
Sports
High School Baseball: SOIS hosts AISA Swimming
Sabers Stay Sharp by Dave Algie
by Mia Lewis
In spite of having lost some of their most experienced players from last year, the Sa- Although considered one of the minor sports, its great to see new members join and
bers High School Baseball season had an unbeaten season. Led by new captain Tye regular members come back to the Sabers swim team each year. Last year we trav-
Gazzard, the boys had early season wins against Marist, Canadian Academy and eled to Seoul International School (SIS). This year we were able to host the event.
KIUA.
In the WJAA tournament in Nagoya,

the boys really combined well. There
were quite a few occasions when the
team were under pressure. At mo-
ments like that, there was always a
Sabers player ready to step up and
get the team out of a jam.
On one occasion, Kristof jacked a

homerun into the far fence. Another
time, Hironao plucked a miracle
catch out of the air and fired it in to Seeing the SIS and KIS (Korea International School) students swim was like being at
home base to effect a crucial runout. the Olympics, and to be completely honest, we were nowhere near their level. Yet,
In one match Mark made several that what makes each win so special, even just improving a personal best, its excit-
crucial plays from 3rd base to get the ing what we can achieve within such a short season.
team out of jail.
Keita did a great job as a pitcher in

the final, maintaining his cool, calm
composure to keep the NIS batters
quiet.
But overall it was a team effort. All

the training and the astute coaching
from Sagara sensei paid off in the
way each team member maintained
the focus and concentration to see us
through to an unbeaten season and a
fourth consecutive WJAA winners
trophy.
Well done to the team, and goodbye and good luck to the team members who have Swimming was a big part of AISA, it goes without saying. But being the host school,
completed their final season of Sabers baseball. we were also able to become host families. I had the pressure of hosting the two cap-
tains from the KIS team, but we ended up becoming great friends by the end of the
three days.
Our middle school team has more potential than the High school team (sadly), so I
encourage more people to join swimming next year. The team is warm and friendly,
Swimming photos by Mr. Bertman
Baseball photos by Mr. Algie
Sabers
Sports
2017 High School Girls Soccer: Rewards On and Off
the Turf by Nanami Hasegawa and Lilian Tsubaki
On the Turf by Lilian Tsubaki
One of the highlights of the evenings was definitely the Korean food. Even though
This years high school girls soccer team was very strong and energetic, and was very some of the players did not enjoy the spicy foods as others, we were all able to enjoy
memorable for all of the players. This years tournament took place in Seoul, Korea, the Korean barbecue and the creamy shaved ice. Through our meals, we were able to
over a span of about four days. Personally, I think that this tournament was such an develop a stronger bond with
amazing experience, and a great confidence-builder. Although we didnt come in first both our teammates and the
place, there were so many girls our age who surrounded us with joy and comfort. After other schools. Since we all
tying in the championship game, we went to penalty shots. Unfortunately, we lost, and shared the common ground of
afterwards, some of us were feeling down from the loss. Then, a whole crowd of girls attending an international
from the other teams ran up to us, and engulfed us with love and encouragement. It is school, we had commonalities
a memory that I will never forget. and found no difficulty when
we bantered with one another.
The bubble tea we had on the
last night ended the food por-
Photo by Airu Mukaiyama
tion of the trip on a high note.
Amidst all of the positivity, the thoughts of North Koreas military were constantly
haunting us. With tensions between North Korea and the rest of the world, most of us
feared that North Korea would take drastic actions in the attempt to show their power.
Fortunately, the missile they attempted to shot failed on the morning we left South Ko-
rea so we were able to travel safely home. We were surprised that the citizens of
South Korea were not as concerned over the rising tensions with their neighboring
Photo by Airu Mukaiyama
country. Our host mother explained that it is because if they live in the center of the
problem, they will become immune to it and not fret over it. This shows the signifi-
cance of the problem and the spirits of South Koreans that led to the development of
The tournament itself was also amazing; it was so fun to play with teams that we had-
the modern day Seoul.
nt had the chance to play against in our previous (and more local) tournament. We
even won the sportsmanship award, which our team accepted with pride. The school
All in all, this trip allowed each
which we played at, Seoul International School, was very beautiful and provided com-
of us to grow as an athlete and
fortable places for us to rest and hang out while we waited for our next game(s).
as an individual. Every player
was able to improve their plays
throughout the tournament and
learn about different cultures.
We were able to cross multiple
boundaries: country, school,
and age. This experience was
rewarding as a whole and we
are looking forward to many
Photo by Keanna Ikeda
more tournaments in the future.
Photo by one of our friends from YIS
Outside the Beautiful Game by Nanami Hasegawa
The footsteps of the players sprinting across the field, the ball swishing into the
goal net. Not only was this seasons high school girls soccer AISA tournament an
opportunity that enriched players with their skills on the field, it also provided an
experience that would have a special place in all of the participants hearts.
This years tournament was held at Seoul International School and this was the first
time in South Korea for some of us. Although the primary purpose of this trip was to
play the game of soccer, we did have the time in the evenings to soak up the Kore-
an culture and establish relationships with other students who were also participat-
ing in the tournament. We were fortunate to have affable hosts who kind-heartedly
Photo by Ms. Entwistle
showed us around Seoul and gave us insights into their daily lives.

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2nd day, they had warmed up to us and were less wary.

More on Camps Inside:

Editorial by Sophia Grabowski

Congratulations OIS Seniors 2017 and Good Luck!

SIS Year 10 Students Break the Ice by Tasuku Azuma

OIS Photography Camp

Photo by Aimi Mizuno

Photo by Keri Howard Photo by Leo Baxter Photo by Sanaya Habu

OIS Class of 2018 Service Trip to Cambodia

SOIS Overflows with Creativity

Musically, we have seen a series of great concerts in the theater, culminating in

Congratulations, SOIS musicians and artists, on such a creative and productive

All music photos by Masafumi Toyoshima

ASP 2017:Behind the Scenes and More on How Audrey 2

blocking. Blocking is a theatre term meaning the placement of the characters. I

as we change everything around all the time.

gest challenge was the

influenza season. This is

no laughing matter. (Ask

Yuki for details) Although

the theatre was always

full of laughter and bright

spirits, there were plenty

of days where the entire

Difficult in a way that you are consistently being drowned in work-

Monkeys, War, Home, and How it All Relates to My Family

My mom and dad at 3 years old, at a wedding in Thailand

SOIS Students: Be More Active!

Photo by Lisa Yokoe

MIDDLE SCHOOL SAMBA

Grade 1 Cleans the Bottles!! by Rena Kawasaki

Photos courtesy of Dawn Inada

Aquaponics Garden the Best its Ever Been by Rena Kawasaki

Photos by Dave Algie

De-extinction: The Moonshot of this Century or

Candidates hogging the spotlight:

anatomy and behavior. and its genome is currently being reconstructed.

Unsolved Mysteries: The Death of Elisa Lam by Shoko Yamaji

caused her death. 4 < http://www.storypick.com/horror-games/>.

Theories < https://youtu.be/48jBi86ih5Q

Science Career Challenge Machine by Manon Raby

by Sarah Kitamura that he first sat in front of the machine

His eyes shone brighter than its screen

for they said that hed be of service

He whispered more numbers than he did names

and nobody knew his birthday

Though he recited Shakespeare in his sleep

he did not know what it meant to be loved

and he did not mind

"Human Differentiation." Human Differentiation: Evolution of Racial Characteristics. N.p., n.d.

How to Survive these 4 Doomsday Scenarios by Tyus Sheriff

The woman in the room

Best Leading Actor

Stephanie J. Block did an amazing rendition of Im Breaking Down. She is truly an

Miss Saigon 40% Best Featured Actor

1."The Baseball Game" from 'Falsettos' 2016 Broadway Cast Recording

Eye on Pop Culture

House of Cards (TV-MA) May 30

Recipe by Mia Lewis

Word Origins swaum.

Finally, is the expression, "pleased as Punch." Hon-

peculiar character, and feels joy when he kills people.

elope, came to existence. Online Etymology Dictionary. Web. 06 June 2017.