SIS Herald#10

Upcoming events…‣ 5/22

Commencement Ceremony"

‣ 6/5 8th Grade Promotion"

‣ 6/10 Typhoon Make up day (Half Day)"

‣ 6/11 Summer Holiday Begins

To Bring or Not to Bring to College

New SAT

That time of the year where running becomes competitive. Track and field is the season to run not only as a hobby but as a sport as well. This year the seniors Victoria Chentsova and Nicole Arenovski competed and both qualified for the finals. Congrats to both of you!

Not only seniors but everyone in the high school is invited to participate in the track and field competition. This year more students have participated than any other year. Final competition is this Friday, May 22.

Come and support Saipan International School Geckos!

BY: LYNETTE VASQUEZ

SAT is one of the most formidable obstacle in preparing for a college. Many high school students are probably familiar with this test already; however, for better or worse, some major changes in format are coming to SAT starting from 2016. Freshmen and sophomores and juniors who still need to take the exam should be concerned about this change. What is SAT? According to The College Board, an organization administering the SAT, “The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge… one of many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions.” Students may also take the ACT, another standardized test, instead of SAT. Should you take it? Majority of colleges require SAT or ACT score to judge your academic strength as to predict your success in the college.

…to be continued on page 2

“To pack or not to pack? That is the question” a play on the words of the infamous “To be or not to be” quote from William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, pretty much sums up the question that clouds every upcoming soon-to-be college students’ mind.

There are many things that a student needs to be aware of before they start packing, such as that they need to check what their school already provides for their dorm so they are aware of what’s given to them and then they could begin their planning on what other things they may need that the school doesn’t provide.

There are obvious things that students should bring to their dorms, such as: Bedding for the bed, blankets, pillows, febreeze spray, an ALARM CLOCK, a coffee mug (They’re gonna need it when finals being to roll around), laundry baskets, a printer, and a lamp (for those late night cram sessions). Then there are some smaller necessities that they need to bring such as: their cellphone, laptop, their chargers, a USB or hard drive, clothes (For EVERY SEASON, don’t wear shorts and flipflops during a blizzard because it was the only thing you packed. Dress accordingly to match the weather!), fancy formal clothes (Never know when it will come in handy), !


Track and Field 2015 Qualifiers

Friday, May 22, 2015

#sisgeckosSaipan @SaipanGeckos

The New SAT…continued from page 1 !Although some colleges does not require applicants to submit standardized test scores, I strongly recommend you to take it, then decide whether to submit the score. !SAT is not to be confused with SAT subject tests, which are less required by colleges and are specific to each subject of the tests such as Literature, U.S. History, World History, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. General format of SAT consists of questions on reading, math and writing, with an essay part to test students’ writing skills. Students read passages and answer multiple choice questions interpreting the passage, matching in appropriate vocabulary in a sentence, solving geometrical and algebraic problems, and revising grammar and writing issues. From 2016 March Test, however, many aspects of this test will drastically change. Changes in 2016 SAT

• Essay part is now optional. It also doubled its designated time from 25 minutes to 50 minutes. Students also have to read and analyze a provided text in their essay.

• From 3 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours + (50 min for Essay) • No ¼ point deduction for wrong answers • The test now focuses on real-life problem solving and skills

important to success in college. Vocabularies questions now places importance in recognizing context and nuance than just knowing the meaning of obscure words.

• Expect science and history related questions, passages and essay documents. (And having to analyze them )

• The Critical Reading and Writing sections are no more. Instead, the new Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section comprised of Reading test and Writing and Language test replaces the two.

• The test is now graded on a scale from 400 to 1600. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and Math section each 800.

• There are calculator-free math parts in math section • More time per questions.

Preparing for SAT To get their best possible result, students should take the exam more than once, with significant time to practice in between, and take a lot of practice tests. For those unnerved by the new and daunting SAT, Mr. Lee assures us that not much changed in the new SAT, that Calculator free sections have existed from before and we have to read a lot to succeed in SAT. If you want to familiarize yourselves with the new SAT, you can go to the websites below--read about the new exam and find sample questions to practice.

BY: JINY YANG

To Bring or Not to Bring to College… continued from page 1 !

plates and utensils, and maybe even a small refrigerator, a microwave and an electric kettle (These are some things that can be bought together wi th the roommate). Some useless things but still slightly important items include: tape (To stick all of your pretty pictures of friends and family on the wall to remind you of home), pens and pencils, and probably a piggy bank (Desperate times may call for desperate measures. And remember for a broke college student, every penny counts). Also, an interesting piece of advice coming from a fellow graduate of SIS and current college student, Joon Lee, “Make sure you have quarters, you’re gonna need it for laundry”

Lastly there are the completely unnecessary things that are NOT needed such as: extra chairs, sofas, and couches (One chair is all a student really needs and those other things just take extra space, settle for something like a bean bag chair), hot plates, toasters or toaster ovens, a skillet, blender, pancake/waffle maker, PETS (With the exception of fish depending on the school’s dorm policies).

With school coming to a close and summer quickly approaching, it is only a matter of time before the senior student graduates and finally transforms into a college freshman. Hopefully these tips can give students some ideas on how to pack for college.

BY: SOPHIA TENORIO

The graduation date of this year’s seniors is rapidly approaching. While the lives of our 12th graders may be juristically changing, the lives of the teachers will be changing too. Our high school faculty have spent the last four years getting to know the wonderful graduating class. From mid-term exams to pizza parties, the teachers have spent many of their brightest moments with the seniors. As a sort of tribute to the graduating class, the Gecko Times has decided to

approach each of the teachers and ask them what last bit of advice or good words they have for the students. So without further adieu here are the words of some of the high school faculty.

Mr.Tessen: “When these guys were adorable little freshmen I remember thinking, "I'm gonna love spending four years with these people." And was I ever right. Thank you for four goofy, funny, touching, wonderful years, my lovely seniors!”

Ms.Andrews “The purpose of life is to make connections: with others and with the Earth. Be mindful always of your intentions and your actions, and be the best YOU you can be!. It's been a pleasure watching you all grow and change over the last two years. As you disperse into the world, please keep in touch with your Saipan family!”

Mrs. Bray: “Carpe Diem” (“Seize the day”)

Ms.Peterson: “Be YOU, Be REAL, Be LOVE! Don’t let others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Ms. Jang: “I hope you cherish the following four years at college. That’s the best time of your life, not only inside class but with new friends and experiences. Enjoy the school life and the school activities. Inside and outside the classroom there is so much to do, try it all! Have great fun!”

Mr.Lee: “Per angusta ad augusta” (“Through difficulties to honors”)

This year’s seniors will be dearly missed by faculty and students alike! But don’t fret too much. They’ll be back to tell you all about what their college experience is like! Good Luck Seniors!

BY: VICTORIA CHENTSOVA

Teachers Last Words to Graduating Class of 2015

Life as A Senior: May Edition

Decide on a college? Check. Make the housing deposit? Check. Pass the final semester? Uhhh… It’s finally May, the month that all Seniors are waiting for – and dreading over. May is when our glorious

graduation countdown begins, as well as the month that AP exams, major papers, and final assessments decide to show up all together. In short, May is our juxtaposition of euphoria and chaos. From the moment I wake up in the morning, I freak out about the amount of homework I’ve received from teachers, whether or not I should study more for AP exams, and when my Housing Application will be available. However, I also get ecstatic over the fact that I’m a day closer to graduating from high school and the fact that I’m going to be on my own in a very different area! May, for Seniors, is full of stress and excitement – but it also reveals the heartbreaking concept that we are finally grown-ups pursuing our own individual paths once high school is over. And that day of bittersweet freedom, in the words of Headmaster Mr. Bray, “is not very far”.

BY: MINORI YOSHIDA

As the graduation date closes, some of the seniors become quite excited about it and distracted from the courses they are currently learning in the last two weeks. Most of the AP exams have already finished and people are no longer stressed out after those perplexing exams. However, the seniors are not supposed to immediately stop focusing on some of them like physics sine it’s not finished yet. Here, for people who intend to take the major of science and engineering in college, I would like to point out how greatly the physics will influence your college learning. Craig Ferguson once said, “Other than the law of physics, rules have never really worked out for me” As a matter of fact, the physics studying is essentially important among the college courses if some of the students have already decided to get into the field of science and engineering. As one of the fundamental courses, the sophisticated knowledge of physics is required to fully master in order to explore the higher level of professional part of your field.

Some topics like electricity, force and magnetism are continuously being talked about in college. Therefore, we cannot do well in the majors of science and engineering unless we consciously grasp the concepts well in high school. Ultimately, despite the graduation and the end of high school, people have an unfinished path on physics if they make their minds becoming a successful engineer and scientist. Do not give up on this interesting and practical subject too early and try to finish that with satisfying grade, seniors! !

Why Do We Keep Studying Physics

Favorite Things Seniors are Going to Miss

The seniors are leaving! And it’s definitely a very bittersweet time in all our lives right now. We’re at that last stretch of our high school life where we just want to graduate so bad, but at the same time we still cannot believe that we’ve made it this far in our lives. It’s incredible to think that in just a few short months most of us will be uprooted from our tiny island and be living somewhere far away. Many of us are going to the states, but some students are going to exotic places such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. BUT ENOUGH OF THE SAD STUFF FOR NOW, for the time being, we are just cherishing the precious time we have left here. I went around the classroom and asked my fellow classmates the question, “Besides friends and family, what will you miss most about the island?”

FOOD: of course is one of the things that will be missed. Local food is essentially a very important part of all of us because we grew up eating local food. Sophia Tenorio quotes “I’m going to miss red rice and spam because red rice is a part of my Chamorro identity and I eat it almost every day.” Another senior named Hatsuko says “I’m really going to miss coco and apigigi.” Coco is pickled mango or papaya that has been marinated in vinegar sauce. It’s

super crunchy and sour when it’s eaten and it should be eaten with white rice. Apigigi is a mixture of coconut and rice that has been molded into a paste, which is then wrapped into a circular shape with banana leaves. Coco and apigigi are a few of the local dishes of Saipan and both are so very good to eat. Even restaurants are going to be missed because most of the restaurants on Saipan are not chain restaurants, so people in the class will have to come back to Saipan just to be able to eat the food there. “I’m deeply grieved that I’m not going to be able to eat at Shirly’s and have their famous fried rice or at the restaurant called Jehms. It serves great Sinigang soup. In the states there won’t be any local restaurants like that, so I’m sad,” Chris Park quotes.


Favorite Things Seniors are Going to Miss… continued from page 4 !Beaches, Hiking, and Weather: Saipan is famous for its beautiful white beaches and all the wonderful hikes people can go on. There is absolutely nothing better than living the island life. I live where people want to vacation. Jehn Joyner quotes “I go hiking almost every weekend. My favorite spots are Forbidden Island or Managaha. Every weekend there’s something new to explore or a different site to see. I just don’t know how I am going to be able to have this kind of life in the States.” We are so used to having the warm sun shining on our faces and the constant lovely weather.

“Just sitting on the beach all day is one of the best things I love to do. Families come out with their children and people are able to play volleyball and soccer. It’s just a great life,” Nicole Arenovski, “I’m going to be heartbroken for a while when I leave.”

Community: For me, this is what I am going to miss most: the sense of community. Saipan is so small, so almost everyone knows everyone. I feel so comfortable to go out into the town because I usually run into people I know and even if I don’t know them, I have probably seen the person before. I always feel safe on Saipan, and when I leave, I’m going to lose that security because it won’t be there where I am going. Community is something ALL my classmates are going to miss. We all have grown up together and we’ve grown up with other teenagers on the island and when we leave we are going to have to start all over and make new friends, and I bet to some of the seniors that’s just a scary idea. Island life is just easy living. We always have friends around, we always have the sun shining, and we are always safe here. We eat great food and we have beautiful scenery that surrounds us and all these things are going to be truly missed when we leave. But Saipan is home and one way or another everybody makes it back home because home is where the heart is.

BY: PHALAI FRINK

Our Plans for the Future

The school year has come to an end and the senior class of Saipan International School are up and ready to continue their journey to a new life. The dreams to become civil servants, business men, engineers, teachers, architects, etc. are slowly becoming a reality for many of the students. College is a big step to achieving these dreams and the majority, if not all, of the senior students have decided on what college/university they will attend. Please Congratulate the students who have been admitted to their colleges.

Colleges come in many shapes and sizes, populated with multiple different ethnic groups. As the senior class enters a new world and new environment, they will learn a whole new different aspect in life. Already having plans for the future and already decided on a college, the seniors are up and ready to become adults.

Congratulations Seniors! BY: HATSUKO BEARDEN

May Birthday Shout outs: Early Summer Celebrations!

As we near the end of the school year, there are two things running through every student’s mind: summer and

final exams. For some students, the countdown for summer began in May- or for the seniors, since the first day of

school. As we go about studying for the dreaded AP and cumulative final exams, we let stress overtake our minds and

actions. We begin to forget deadlines and upcoming events, such as birthdays, which many people tend to easily

overlook. With either our eyes glued to textbooks or our minds dreaming of summer vacations, we easily disregard the

calendar to see whose birthday is just around the corner. For this month, it is best we do not aim for summer just yet,

and we also should not let our studies cloud our minds in forgetting the importance of special days that are designated

for our classmates. We students may

want to rush the next couple of

weeks in order to reach the last

day of school, but we need to

consider the present and show our

appreciation to our friends, for it

i s the i r day to fee l fu l ly

appreciated! May is a time of

anticipation and stress; let us also

include moments of happiness

and kindness to our fellow

classmates that have birthdays

leading to the summer!

This month we have a total

of twelve birthday celebrants: 6

from elementary, 2 from middle

school, and 4 from high school. Let us not misplace their birthday dates in the midst of our mind as the events of May

busy ourselves with procrastinated presentations or exams that count for 50% of our grade. If all we can think about

these last few days is the excitement of the end of school, take a moment to realize the beauty of a beginning in

someone’s life. Writer Jonathan Lockwood Huie wrote, “Celebrate endings – for they precede new beginnings.” As we

face the end of the 2014-2015 school year, we must also celebrate new beginnings of life – or more accurately an

addition to the years – of our celebrants’ lives. Happy Birthday, May celebrants! And have an exciting, fun-filled

summer, SIS!

BY: TIANA RANJO

Nicole Arenovski

University of Nevada, Reno

Hatsuko Bearden

Norwich University

Chris Cepeda

Northern Marianas College

Victoria Chentsova

Williams College

William Fong

Santa Clara University

Phalai Frink

University of Portland

Da Hae Han


Andrew Johnson

California Polytechnic State University

Jehn Joyner

University of San Francisco

Hwan Ho Kim

Suny: Stony Brook University

Nam Ki Kim


Yong Kwang Kim

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Yuta Kitami

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Byung Chan Lee

A Korean University

Seoung Hyun Lee


Chris Park


Tiana Ranjo

Temple University in Tokyo, Japan

Sophia Tenorio

University of Washington

Lynette Vasquez

Lynn University

Yuqing Xing

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Jiabao Xu


Li Zhou Xu


Fusheng Yang

University of Massachusetts

Jiny Yang

Union College

Minori Yoshida

Barnard College

Joey Nigh

Providence University, Taichung

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CLASS !

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2K15

Education

SIS Herald#10