Junior represents Korea at debate tournament
As a member of Korea’s national debate team, Lauren Ahn (11) participated in the USA World Schools Debate Invitational (USAWSI), which took place in Overland Park, Kansas, from June 17-19. Team Korea placed first and Lauren was named the sixth best speaker.
“As a person who learned English as a foreign language, it was gratifying to beat teams with primary English speakers,” Lauren said.
Team Korea placed fifth in the Asia World Schools Debating Championships (AWSDC), which took place from July 31-Aug. 4, and thirty-first in the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC), which took place from Aug. 5-15. Both competitions were held in Thailand.
Pope Francis visits South Korea
Making the first papal visit to Asia since St. John Paul II visited India in 1999, Pope Francis visited South Korea from Aug. 14-18. The Pope beatified 124 Korean martyrs who were killed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for refusing to renounce the Catholic faith, and led a mass on Aug. 18 emphasizing peace in Korea. He also met and baptized several relatives of the Sewol disaster victims.
“I got to see him a couple blocks away from the mass that was held at Gyeongbokgung Palace,” said Courtney Caldwell, English and history teacher. “There was a group of protesters seeking justice for the Sewol ferry victims. He got down and prayed with them, and everyone was very moved. It was a very emotional scene.”
Administration focuses on implementation of dress code
The dress code, which regulates articles of clothing such as flip-flops, will be more strictly enforced this year. Administrators hope that turning attention toward the dress code will maintain a safer learning environment.
According to Jarret Lambie, high school principal, the administration is confident that students will adhere to the dress code.
“Enforcing the dress code is not going to be a big issue,” Mr. Lambie said. “We’re very confident that this is a student population of young adults. There are about five students everyday that I catch wearing flip-flops, and it’s usually a different student every day. The dress code hasn’t changed.”