The Gecko Echo(selected pages)2015-16

T H E G E C K O E C H O
SAIPAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
The 2015-16 school year started out with Typhoon Soudelor hitting the island, but the SIS Geckos
didn’t let that hold them back. After pulling together to recover from the storm, we displayed our
perseverance by pushing forward with school for three weeks with limited power. Fans and Wifi were all we
had, but it was enough for us to continue the distinguished teaching and learning that goes on at SIS.
Despite the complications of Soudelor, we were able to establish a remarkable K4/K5 program
thanks to the talents of Mrs. Basa and our teacher aides. It really has been a team effort with Ms. Julie
doing Movement and Ms. Clarita helping with recess and lunch. The Little Geckos not only are learning the
sounds of the alphabet, how to read and write, count, and number sense, but also how to socialize with
others regardless of age. By the time the end of the year comes, the K5 students will be well beyond ready
for the challenges of 1st Grade.
In addition to the Little Geckos, our students are enjoying Art in various grade levels thanks to Ms.
Emily Morrell. Hallways are now radiant with stunning artwork of the #sisgeckos. Our Math program is
also moving forward thanks to the skills of Ms. Deatrich, who is our new certified math teacher. We are
already experiencing significant improvements in our math curriculum and instruction. Off of the
incredibly strong showing by SIS Mathletes last year, our program has exploded with more than 40
students competing at the local level.
Research suggests that student choice leads to improvements in student efficacy, stronger
engagement, and increased student ownership of learning. With that in mind, we renovated the schedule.
We inserted the last block club time where students had an opportunity to take control of part of their
schedule and engage in a positive social environment where they can explore academic and/or physical
interests. Although the clubs are an extra duty for the secondary teachers, they are excited to be able to
offer new and interesting opportunities to our students. The clubs have ranged from Chess, to Strength
Training. These new opportunities came by removing the AR course scheduled in the secondary, but rest
assured that AR lives on through the English curriculum. To date, our students have read 3,162 books
(over 15 million words) which is very close to where they were last year.
Another first was the inclusion of Yearbook as a class. The new course is going to lead to the first
student produced Yearbook under the guidance of Mrs. Bray. Last year with Mrs. Bray working mostly
alone, we were able to improve the Yearbook and sell 40 more copies than previous years. With the
students actively working to create the Yearbook we will pave a new road for future yearbooks at SIS.
Social media has been employed to continuously engage the SIS community through Facebook, LinkedIn,
Instagram, and Twitter. This necessary and noteworthy addition not only allows parents to get involved
with their child’s education, but also promotes all the great learning that happens on our campus and in the
community.
Some outstanding successes that we have seen this year include students participating in
international tournaments in soccer and tennis. Currently the tradition of dominance by SIS
Gecko volleyball is continuing in the CCOPS league, where more than half the teams are from
SIS. Our students are placing in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Forensics; plus, we were
honored when SIS students won first, second, and third places in the CNMI VFW Patriot’s
Pen competition.
Needless to say, I am very proud of our students, parents, teachers, and staff. As
the Headmaster, once again, I would like to thank the community for the continued
support and trust you show by allowing us the honor to educate your children. SIS
will continue its commitment to providing a quality education for all students.
NOTE FROM THE HEADMASTER
School Year 2015-16 MidYear Newsletter
Saipan International School - MP, 96950 #sisgeckos1 @SaipanGeckos
Tim Bray

Table of Contents
Teachers 3
Elementary Reflections 4
Secondary Reflections 6
Sports 17
Clubs 18
Academic Achievements 20
Events 21
Destino Perú 23
ETC 24
Credits 24
Saipan International School opened in 1994 with 45
elementary students after a group of parents identified a need for
a quality educational program that would foster academic,
emotional and social growth. A four-year high school was later
added. In 1998, a new four-classroom building was constructed as
a new science lab, media center and classroom building. Most
recently, a new building, housing grades nine through twelve and a
library, was completed in 2008. Presently, SIS enrollment is
approximately 200 students from K5-12th grade.
HISTORY
Saipan International School is a private, non-profit
organization that offers instruction in preschool through
twelfth grade. Instruction is theme oriented and based on
national standards and benchmarks from the United States.
SIS is fully accredited through the year 2017 by the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from K5 through
12th grade. The school is authorized under Federal law to
enroll nonimmigrant alien students.
MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY
The mission of SIS is to help each child reach his or her full potential by providing a
positive environment that fosters academic, emotional, and social growth. This environment is
created when trust, respect, and acceptance are values shared by students, parents, and school
staff.
Saipan International School is committed to creating an educational environment that
affirms a wide variety of learning styles, experiences, skill levels, and interests. SIS also
maintains the highest academic standards, and challenges students to perform at the peak of
their potential. Each child is encouraged to develop creativity, enhance problem solving and
critical thinking skills, and build a feeling of self-worth. Small class sizes, averaging 18 students,
give teachers an opportunity to meet the needs of a diverse student population in a secular,
nondiscriminatory environment.
Students explore multiculturalism both in theory and practice. Our students originate
from locations around the world, including the Pacific Islands, Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa,
North America, and South America. Daily interactions give knowledge that leads to a deeper
appreciation and respect for all people.
At SIS, I learned to be confident in my abilities. Through activities like L/D Debate, Destino Peru,
volleyball, and Student Council, I learned how to lead, how to write and speak well, and how I shouldn't
let any opportunity pass me by. Carpe diem, as a former teacher once told me. All of this created a solid
foundation from which I was able to successfully pursue my studies at New York University.
Henry Chan (2007), New York University
SIS as an institution supported me in everything that I did, from school to volleyball to Lincoln-Douglas
debate, and I found that support to be an incredibly profound part of my high school experience. SIS
teachers and faculty prepared me for life post-graduation and pushed me to strive for more, giving me
the extra push to apply to universities like USC, Middlebury, and Stanford. They wanted me to be the
best that I could be, which inspired me to be the best that I could be. I have nothing but love and respect
for SIS now, and hope it continues to inspire students as much as it inspired me!
Amber Roberts (2012), Stanford University
Saipan International School - MP, 96950 #sisgeckos@SaipanGeckos
WHAT DO GRADUATES SAY?
2

The Legend of Taga
A Marianas Legend
Retold by Christian Newman
The Legend of Taga is about a strong man,
named Taga, who was chased by his father to
the end of Guam. When his father caught up
with him, Taga jumped from Guam to Rota.
His footprints were found on both islands.
Years later, when Taga’s wife had babies, he
tried to kill the youngest one because he
thought that the child would be stronger than
him. When he did this, Taga's wife died of a
broken heart. Soon one of Taga's daughters
killed him, and then she too died of a broken
heart just like her mom.
The Legend of Sirena
Retold by Kyla Park
Long ago, there was a girl named
Sirena. She loved going swimming in the
river. She would spend all day in the water.
Then one day, her mom was really busy
because the girl's cousin was throwing a huge
feast. Sirena's mom told her to help and get
breadfruit from her auntie. But instead of
listening to her mom, she swam in the river.
When she went back home Sirena's mom was
so angry that she cursed her to become an
ugly fish if she swam in the river again.
Sirena, did not listen. She went in the water
and swam anyway. Her godmother prayed
and said ''Please, please, don't make Sirena
into a disgusting, slimy fish''. The spirits
heard her prayers. So instead of turning into
a fish, Sirena was turned into a mermaid.
The Legend of the Warrior Dance
A Marianas Legend
Retold by William Sosa
In the Legend of the Warrior Dance, a
Carolinian stick dance, the men dance, jump,
and pour coconut oil all over their bodies.
These men do traditional slap dances. One
dance is called Nemin. It is a dance that
chants about a man's love for a woman.
Saipan International School - MP, 96950 #sisgeckos
4
@SaipanGeckos
Legends are a major part of each culture. These are stories passed down through generations. Stories
that make us laugh because of the clever trickster, or even make us sad because of their tragedy.
The 3rd Grade students took some time, during the 1st Quarter, to read and learn about the Legends of
the Marianas compiled by Bo Flood. As a culminating activity, they created a replica of the illustrations
and summarized a well-known legend.
Kathy
Ruszala
G3
ELEMENTARY REFLECTIONS

7
G9: World Literature
Our overall class goals are to enhance our analytical and
critical thinking skills in addition to creatively expressing
ourselves through discussing, reading, and writing various forms
of literature. We have learned about annotations and started
delving deeper into figurative language. We will continue to engage
in discussions and activities to further explore themes and other
devices in literature. This will help us to gain a deeper
understanding of and learn to connect with literature in a new
way.
Ninth graders have learned about beauty ideals around the
world through reading a narrative by Fatema Mernissi, and
various articles related to the topic. They have written reflections
and essays making connections to the standards set around the
world. We have also covered various conflicts and crises around
the world. In literature circles, we read stories dealing with crises
such as Johnstown Flood by David McCullough, and The Race to
Save Apollo 13 by Michael Useem. We analyzed these stories by
identifying themes, author's purpose, and figurative language. We
then extended these lessons by not only writing our own fictional
stories dealing with crisis but also creating games based on these
stories. The students are now learning about conflict in
Afghanistan, researching famed Afghani author Khaled Hosseini,
and reading his novel, The Kite Runner.
Students have created literary blogs exhibiting opinions of,
and connections to literature they read both in and out of class.
G10: American Literature:
This course is broken into units based on time period. We
started with Native American myths and narratives and Explorer
narratives. After reading and research on what it was like to live
in the precolonial and early colonial periods, we wrote short
stories (historical fiction) from the perspective of someone alive in
that era. Students worked in literature circles as they analyzed
stories, worked on various activities and gave presentations. After
that, we moved on to Puritanism. We delved into studies on the
lifestyle and beliefs of Puritans and read poetry and biographical
articles on famous Puritan writers.
We used our annotations to help guide us through the
connotations and figurative language found in Puritan literature.
We created archaic language and inverted syntax charts to help
us understand the language used. We are currently reading The
Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which is part of American
Romanticism. We have divided our notebooks into vocabulary,
journal, and note taking sections in order to help stay organized.
All students are learning to not only analyze stories, but also to
make inferences, draw conclusions, identify purpose, use context
clues, and make predictions. We answer journal
prompts every day, which helps us gain further
insight and think critically as we read this classic
novel. We are currently holding two Scarlet Letter
related debates. One debate is focused on the
characters' actions and inferences we make based
on those actions. Students refute or support that
Chillingworth's sin is worse than Dimmesdale's
(two characters).The second debate topic is
based on the public humiliation the main
character, Hester, faces throughout the novel.
Students must debate whether public
humiliation is appropriate. Shirice Bevas
English

8
@SaipanGeckos
Advanced Placement(AP)Literature and Math:
I believe that good teachers are intentional teachers and good
students are intentional learners. Everything that we learn and do
has specific goals. For example, in my AP English Language and
Composition class, students will be given very specific composition
goals. In the first quarter students will be given handouts and
workshops to master "precis" writing, in the second quarter
"connecting rhetoric to meaning" writing, in the third quarter
"synthesis" essays, etc. All the writing assignments will b e
accompanied by model composition handouts and
classroom discussion. These pieces, when completed,
will help students to write meaningful and coherent
essays in May. Another thing that I try to do is to
prepare students for reality. Students are given
"real" AP questions every Thursday and Friday,
and we discuss the questions and answers right
after the test. The questions are extremely
difficult, but my students are not surprised by
the real AP test in May. Practice does not
make perfect, but practice does make students
ready.
Ingur Lee
Literature/
Math
The Lightning And The Lightning Bug
Article by Kye Tamm(G11)
People say you can tell a lot about a person from their favorite quote. Written on the board of Mr. Lee's
classroom is a quote from Mark Twain: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is
the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
From this quote, one can assert that Mr. Lee is, most definitely, the kind of man who'd take teaching –
and his students – very earnestly. But he is also a student of his own, at heart, stating, “I am a student
because I enjoy learning, and I am a teacher because I enjoy learning with others.”
Mr. Lee is what some students may call a rare gem, for it is his engaging attitude and charming aura
that transform the classes he teaches into something intriguing and challenging. He has been teaching for
25 years now, both in MBA and in SIS, and, according to him, “10 years at SIS says something about all my
students.” He thoroughly enjoys both the faculty and the students who fill his classroom with innovative
ideas and interesting views on distinct topics. The students have also been known to respond to his activities
with bright faces, for he teaches in a way that entices his students, submerging them in his activities and
stories. He often relates problems to real-life situations, which gives students, who are constantly
questioning the relevancy of school in general, a sense of accomplishment. Although his classes are indeed
challenging, Mr. Lee offers extra credit to improve a student's grade, given that they complete a particular
assignment. Most times the assignment relates to the course and helps the student improve the subject
matter, which, in turn, will help the student in future tests and quizzes.
For 10 years now, Mr. Lee has been teaching AP Statistics, AP Language and
Composition, and AP Literature to the juniors and seniors of SIS. He is believed to be one of
the first teachers on Saipan to adopt an AP curriculum. He stated, “Marianas Baptist
Academy was the first school to adopt AP into her college-prep curriculum, and I was a part
of that decision since I taught at MBA at the time.” To him, AP classes are “more than
honors classes in that in order to have AP, the school needs to have a vertical curriculum
that extends to middle school classrooms,” which SIS provides, and he states AP
classes are also “valuable because they not only prepare students for college, but also
give them an impression of what college classes are like.” To this he adds a cheeky,
“and can also give them easy credits.”
Recalling a memory of when I sat in his class, listening to one of his lectures, he
spoke to us of what being a good teacher meant to him. It is a common belief to think
students' test results are the key determinant to identifying a good teacher. But, to
Mr. Lee, it is how well his students do after they graduate from college, and step into
the terrible realities of the real world, that determines his ability. That, he states, is
when he rates his worth.

AP History:
One of the important skills that SIS students learn in Advanced Placement
(AP) history courses is how to analyze and synthesize historical documents in order
to create an effective essay for a document-based question (DBQ). DBQ essays
require the sort of higher-level thinking skills that SIS students will need in college.
Each one of the AP courses I teach (AP United States History, AP European History,
and AP World History) requires students to write a DBQ essay on the national exam,
which is administered each May. In each of those courses, therefore, we spend a
great deal of time discussing and writing DBQ essays, along with traditional essays,
which also appear on the May exams.
A document-based question is what it sounds like: it is an essay item that is
partly based on a set of historical documents that are provided to the students along
with an essay prompt. The documents may include photographs, diagrams, maps,
charts, tables, editorial cartoons, personal letters, or excerpts from historical
documents such as treaties or Supreme Court rulings. The number of documents
can range from half a dozen to a dozen, depending upon the AP course. Some of the
documents may be rather simple and straightforward, while others may be more
complex or require high-level historical interpretation skills. In all cases the
student is asked to correctly interpret, analyze, and synthesize the documents,
along with other relevant historical information not provided to them in the essay
but learned in the course. If done well, the result is a comprehensive
analytical essay that incorporates the documents and other
information to address the essay topic.
Historical analysis and synthesis require higher-level reasoning
skills, and high school students who are adept at those skills are
usually well prepared for the rigorous coursework offered at
American colleges and universities. Although many SIS students
find DBQ essays stressful, after writing a few of them they
typically feel much more comfortable, and they begin to view
them not as forms of intellectual torture, but as intellectually
challenging tasks that allow students considerable latitude to
create an essay that reflects not only their knowledge of the
topic, but also their own interpretations and opinions.
Keith
Tessen
History
Putting the “T” in History, By Natalie Hardt(G11)
A good teacher is one who instills a desire to succeed and learn; they care about their students and
make each person feel unique. They don’t need to resort to theatrics in order to get the students interested in
the subject matter; yet they motivate them to want to learn more and flourish. Mr. Tessen fits all these
criteria and much more.
Mr. Tessen has been teaching AP History courses at SIS for 11 years and has become an integral part
of our school. These courses include American History, European History, and World History being taught to
sophomores, juniors, and seniors, respectively. The classes are, obviously, very difficult, but Mr. Tessen
manages to make even the most boring sections somewhat interesting. In discussing how he tries to achieve
this, Mr. Tessen said, “I look for seemingly insignificant facts or events concerning the topic at hand and try
to show how what might seem insignificant can teach us a whole lot about an event or a person or a place.”
He has expressed clearly how positively he feels about his students, calling them the “kindest, most
thoughtful group of teenagers in the history of the universe.”
These AP courses, along with those taught by Mr. Lee, are also relevant to the students’ futures. Those
who put in the effort and succeed in these advanced courses have a greater chance of getting accepted into
top colleges and receiving better financial aid offers. Receiving qualifying scores on the cumulative May
exams can allow students to test out of the equivalent classes in college, saving them and their families tens
of thousands of dollars. Mr. Tessen also pointed out that “these courses can also instill a love of history,
politics, and comparative societies.”
When people reflect on their high school days, the memories that are often mentioned are the school
dances and the ball games that were won. It is a true accomplishment on the part of a teacher if twenty years
down the line, their history class is remembered fondly for the good memories it elicits. Mr. Tessen is one
such amazing teacher who will join those ranks.
9

Art + Math = Fun
The 8th grade class mixed art with
math this quarter, and the results were
fantastic! In order to help us more deeply
and fully understand the concept of
symmetry, Ms. Deatrich assigned a fun
and creative project. Every student was
required to make a symmetrical drawing,
meaning that if you drew a line through
the center of the design, both sides would
be identical. To prepare, each of us had to
take 5 pictures of things that have
symmetry, and sketch 5 symmetrical
objects. We then brainstormed, and
looked to both each other, and the
internet for inspiration. The project took
almost two weeks and we all wanted to
incorporate our artistic skills and
mathematical abilities to create a piece
that we would be proud of.
"I thought that the project was fun,
and we learned a lot”, said Hannah Chan,
an 8th grade student, and I deﬁnitely
agree with her. The assignment was the
most fun that I have ever had in a math
class and deﬁnitely helped me to
understand the precision
and accuracy that
symmetry requires. I
enjoyed this
assignment very
much, and look
forward to doing
more of these
creative
projects in the
near future!
By: Shea
Hartig(G8)
10
@SaipanGeckos
Kacey
Deatrich
Math/Physics

11
SCIENCES
By: Stephanie Lee(G11)
Mrs. Ayeras teaches Physical Science to
the 8th graders, Biology to the freshmen, Marine
Biology to the sophomores, and Chemistry to the
juniors. She is also the homeroom teacher for the
sophomores.
When asked why she teaches science-
related subjects and what she likes about
teaching those subjects, Mrs. A. answered,
“Science interestingly allows me to create art
while doing something with my hands. Also, it’s a
class that can wake up kids from boring lectures
by performing different types of lab experiments
related to science. The sparks of curiosity and
interest return to the kids.”
I asked Mrs. A about the benefits of her
teaching. “I myself learn more about the subjects
I teach at the same time. In my time, we didn’t
have technology the students nowadays enjoy.
So as I teach them the traditional way, I myself
learn new approaches. I love it when the
students go home to their parents and give
either positive or negative feedback to their
parents.”
Mrs. A writes all the assignments the
students are required to do in a very orderly and
neat fashion, so her students won’t get confused
when the assignment is due, and what the
homework even is.
Skimming her whiteboard, I asked about
the “Rocket Project”. The 8th graders were
assigned to design 3 different types of rockets
with ordinary materials and were required to test
them and record the outcomes.
Ms. A further explained the 8th grade
rocket-blast project, “Everyone has the general
idea of how rockets work, but don’t dare to
experiment by using other easily-accessible
materials. This makes the concept a little closer
to our world by using daily objects; it’s not
actually inventing, but it’s an innovation. We
designed the rocket’s propulsion by using a film
canister, balloon, and straw. I like to teach with
experiments instead of restricting only to the
textbooks and connection in real life,
like food, like we did in the
sophomore class.”
Isaac Jang, a sophomore,
said of the use of food for education,
“Mrs. A has the ability to make
people laugh and cry. She is a
wonderful teacher that I love
spending time with. She’s so
funny. We (our class) just had a
Seaweed Festival. Learning is
much more exciting when
there’s food, like sushi.”
Marifi Ayeras
Science/
Chemistry

Saipan International School - MP, 96950 #sisgeckos@SaipanGeckos
Instead of just sitting and listening to the
teacher’s lecture, the students in Chinese class have a
much more interesting and active class. The Chinese
course includes two parts: the Rosetta Stone program,
which is great for immersion into a foreign language
and culture; and Mrs. Jang’s lectures, exams, and
other communication activities which teach the class
enough Chinese to raise our Mandarin level. In
addition, Mrs. Jang is a very understanding and
considerate teacher who strives to fit our senior year
schedule.
Rosetta Stone not only teaches us new
vocabulary words and basic grammatical rules related
to daily life, it also lets students practice the
pronunciations of various words. After finishing the
Rosetta Stone lessons, Mrs. Jang regularly makes the
class talk in Chinese using terms learned through the
Rosetta Stone program, and she kindly helps everyone
with their grammar and pronunciation. The
combination of the Rosetta Stone program and Mrs.
Jang’s assistance and teaching skills present a unique
chance to develop Chinese speaking skills. She also
administers practice for each lesson, which helps us
check what we know. All of the material is pulled
directly from the program, so we can go back to
practice what was missed.
Chinese class is also unique and enjoyable
because we are able to experience Chinese culture as
well. Last semester, students went to Four Seasons, a
Chinese restaurant. It was the first time many of us
had northern Chinese cuisine, and at the restaurant
we learned how to make dumplings. It was such a
great experience! This trip allowed us to gain an
understanding between the northern and southern
style cuisines. Mrs. Jang also taught us about the
similarities and differences between China and Korea
in class, especially with regard to language. For
example, there is a word in Chinese, “ (nin),” that
has a Korean counterpart which refers to elders. The
ability to learn about China through these teaching
methods, coupled with the fact that the seniors in the
Chinese class are all friendly and respectful, goes to
show how important and entertaining Chinese class is
within our curriculum.
Chinese class at Saipan International
School not only teaches students how to
learn both independently and dependently,
it also touches on some aspects of Chinese
culture and language. Mrs. Jang is such a
wonderful teacher who always answers
our questions with detailed
explanations and helps us work on our
developing pronunciation of various
Chinese words. , !
(Thank you, teacher Jang) By:
Minjin Jang & Quintin
Ramsey(G12)
Chinese
13
Celia Jang
Mandarin /
Music

Saipan International School 1 recovered from a
slow start to beat Mt. Carmel School, 25-22, 25-13, in
their title match in the boys high school division of the
2015-2016 Coalition of Private Schools Sports
Association Volleyball League yesterday at the Geckos’
court in As Lito.
The Geckos fell behind early, 3-11,
before rallying back in the first set. Then in
the second set it pulled away after MCS
knotted the count at 5-all to clinch the
division championship.
The Knights enjoyed the 8-point
advantage in the opening set behind the booming
spikes of Seok Jun Yun, who also drew some help from
Quinn Amog, while SIS 1 could not get their offense
going, starting out flat in its home turf.
Sensing trouble, SIS 1 coach Mychal Omar sued for
time and told his boys to hit down the line, just like
that they did against GCA in the semifinals, going for
the spikes outside the Knights’ blockers and looking for
open space at the back line.
When the game resumed, SIS outscored MCS,
13-4, to force a deadlock, 15-all. Luther Lizama had
several points in the rally off his spikes and on a few
occasions also tricked the Knights blockers with his
dinks. Credit also went to Allen Cepeda and Colin
Ramsey, who set up Lizama for those spikes.
After the first standoff, the opposing teams went
back and forth in the ensuing plays with the set tied for the last time at 19-all after SIS blockers foiled a
spike from Amog.
Another SIS block—against the lanky Yun—gave the Geckos the lead and they moved within two points
from wrapping up the set after a dink from Colin Ramsey, 23-20. However, two errors from SIS—Allen’s
short service and Lizama’s wide spike—kept the Knights’ hopes alive, 22-23.
Amog then tried to knot the count with a spike, but was blocked by Daniel Lim. Lim served for the
game point with the ball dropping to the right back corner of MCS’ court and two Knights players
struggling for the dig. The Knight failed to return the ball after three touches with the third shot hitting
the net. Article from Saipan Tribune, Dec. 4, 2015.(To read more, scan the QR code above)
HS BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Saipan International School
avoided another bridesmaid finish after
outlasting Grace Christian Academy in a
three-set finale, 25-18, 13-25, 15-6, in the
middle school division of the 2015-2016
Coalition of Private Schools Sports
Association Volleyball League last Friday
at the Whispering Palms court.
The Geckos, who lost to Mt. Carmel
School last season, gained enough
cushion against an erratic Eagles team in
the early part of the deciding third set
and kept their momentum, despite a
nearly 20-minute lull in the finals due to
rain, to bag this year’s middle school
championship. Article from Saipan
Tribune, Dec. 7, 2015.(To read more,
scan the QR code on the left)
17
MS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS

Saipan International School - MP, 96950 @SaipanGeckos #sisgeckos
Clubs: A Great Choice or A Blunder
By: Stephanie Lee(G11)
Clubs were added this year for the students of SIS
to enjoy, for the first time, “elective” classes. The different
classes are similar to extra-curricular activities – they
enable students to learn in depth what students enjoy and
love.
This is a list of current clubs at SIS and several
quotes from the club members describing the clubs:
American Math Challenge:“We sit down and solve math
problems,” Minha (G11) answered when asked about the
club. Michael (G9) explained, “We solve 15 to 30
extremely difficult questions every day, then our coach
comes and asks us how many questions we were able to
solve, and gives step-by-step solutions.”
Art: “Having to release our creativity in school time is a
great idea. We learn new artistic skills every time we go.
The club is very cool and peaceful for one to concentrate
and depict what is in one’s mind,” Kye (G11) described
the perks of being a member of art club.
Basketball: “We play basketball and do drills,” Seung
Mock (G8) answered, “School stress disappears after the
club,” Jieer (G11) added, “We get to know other graders,
and we basically have fun with one another.”
Calligraphy: Matthew (G6) explained, “Calligraphy is a
very relaxed club, and is also very fun and benefits you in
an educational way by writing in Chinese characters.”
Cardstock Architecture & Engineering: “Without this
club, I would have never known I could make so many
things out of cardstock,” Michael(G10) answered.
College Essay: Mr. Bray, the advisor, described the
advantages of the college essay club: “The purpose of the
club is to help the seniors to write better, edited college
essays. Because the college essay became a club from
what it was a class before, it lessens the pressure from the
seniors, because it is not graded. Also, preparing for
college in school time is an advantage for the SIS seniors.”
Allen (G12) explained, “We write essays not for fun, but
we write essays a ton.” Lu (G12) said, “All the seniors
write our college essays, give them to Mr. Bray for him to
edit, and then we send it to Mr. Tessen, then he will at
least read it twice, and then we send it to the colleges.”
Chess: “The chess club atmosphere is not like any other
clubs. All the members are serious to play, and hopefully
win. But the seriousness is not at all choking, still some
jokes go around,” Daniel (G11) noted. Jason (G11) added,
“Board games are actually fun, it’s no less than some of
the video games. I’m getting addicted to chess.” The 2015
champion of this club, Myung Jae (G11) said, “It’s the
most fun club. Allows us to see a step forward of our
opponents’ moves.”
Film: “We are assigned projects and formulate our own
ideas within certain boundaries. It is fun to do and gives
us a challenge to create new films. Our last project was a
silent movie. It was really fun,” Colin (G11) said. Juliana
(G11) added to the praise, “I love film club. It’s interesting
to make our own movies and direct.” Kery (G11) said, “I
enjoy making our own movies, and getting a chance to
show our creativity in a film.”
18
CLUBS

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
0
45
90
135
180
K5 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11
National Average Score SIS Score
This fall the SAT 10
Reading test results
came and we are proud
o f # s i s g e c k o s
a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s .
These scores once
a g a i n s h o w t h e
outstanding academic
abilities of our Geckos.
SAT 10 Reading Results
Where are #sisgeckos of Class of 2014-15?
20
0
25
50
75
100
K5 G2 G4 G6 G8 G10
Percentage above 50th percentile SIS
Math results
s h o w t h e
percent of the
SIS students
who are above
t h e 5 0 t h
percentile, that
is the average.
SAT 10 Math Results
US
Korea
China
Japan
Philippines
Others
Demographics
of SIS for SY
2015-16
Nicole Arenovski, University of Nevada, Reno
Hatsuko Bearden, Norwich University
Chris Cepeda, University of Hawaii
Victoria Chentsova, Williams College
William Fong, Santa Clara University
Phalai Frink, University of Portland
Da Hae Han. University of Portland
Andrew Johnson, California Polytechnic State
University
Jehn Joyner, University of San Francisco
Hwan Ho Kim, Suny: Stony Brook University
Nam Ki Kim, University of Portland
Yong Kwang Kim, Hong Kong Polytechnic
University
Yuta Kitami, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Byung Chan Lee, Korean University
Seoung Hyun Lee, Northern Marianas College
Chris Park, University of Portland
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, Northern Marianas College
Li Zhou Xu, Northern Marianas College
Fusheng Yang, University of Massachusetts
Jiny Yang, Union College
Minori Yoshida, Barnard College
Joey Nigh, Providence University, Taichung
Life as A Senior
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. 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, Class of 2015

International Feast
The SIS Thanksgiving Feast was on the 25th of
November and many people of the SIS community
worked hard to make the feast a memorable one. SIS
had many kiosks set up separately by nationality,
and had most of the food representing Asian
cultures. This Thanksgiving, just like any
Thanksgiving, reminded us that it's important to
know what you're thankful for. This is exactly what I
asked our headmaster Mr. Bray. He responded as
fast as I ﬁnished the question answering, “I'm
thankful for the support of all the families we have
here at SIS because without them, we’d have a very
hard time getting by.” When questioned about the
reasoning behind having this SIS feast, Mr. Bray
responded, “Everyone will celebrate their different
ethnicities that make up SIS. We plan to have many
ethnic groups present from different nationalities,
and maybe some costumes.” The purpose of the SIS
Thanksgiving festival is to celebrate the different
ethnicities that make up the SIS community and to
give thanks to anything you have in life, such as
family and friends. Although Thanksgiving may not
be a holiday in most countries outside the US, SIS
connects its students to this important holiday. No
matter what country you're from, you should
always be thankful for what you have in your life.
-By John Stewart(G12)
22
@SaipanGeckos
CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

DESTINO PERU
23
Destino Peru was founded
in 2005 as a language immersion
opportunity for high school
students taking Spanish. Since
then, the trip has evolved,
shifting its focus from language-
learning to the exploration of the
cultural, historical, natural, and
economic reality of Peru. The
result is a learning adventure
that would simply be impossible
to replicate in a classroom with
even the most cutting-edge
educational media.  
In conjunction with this
exploration, we strive to
inculcate in our young visitors
t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t
responsible traveling means
giving as much as one takes.
Over the years, visiting students
have given their time and energy
to a number of community
programs and service providers,
including children’s hospitals,
orphanages, and nursing homes.
The work we do in Peru is
valuable, impacting and life-
c h a n g i n g fo r o u r y o u n g
travelers.
Peru is a beautiful country,
one that holds one of the eight
man-made wonders of the world
—Machu Picchu. Its life is rich,
varied, and cosmopolitan.
During this trip the students
visit Lima (the capital), Cusco
(the Inca City), Nasca (the
mysterious lines), Colca (one of
the deepest canyons in the
world), and Lake Titicaca (the
highest navigable lake in the
world).
Although Destino Peru
takes a full year of preparation,
when t h e s t u d e n t s
return and they
s h a r e t h e i r
“most amazing
t r i p a n d
experience”, it
gives me the
m o s t
v a l u a b l e
incentive to
prepare the
next one.
Mili Saiki
What do #sisgeckos
think?
"Destino Peru was one of
the formative
experiences of my
teenage years. I still use
the Spanish that I
learned there in my work
as an immigration
attorney, and can't wait
to return to Arequipa
someday!"
Carolina Lochabay, DP,
2005 and DP, 2007
---
"Destino Peru is a very
good experience. I
encourage everyone else
to take a part in. Go
there, you will see why."
Daniel Lim, DP, 2013
---
"Destino Peru was the
most unique and amazing
trip I have been on so far.
It is deﬁnitely one that I
will never forget and one
that I encourage
everyone to take a part
in."
Quintin Ramsey, DP,
2013

EDUCATIONAL TAX CREDIT(ETC)
ETC’s are very important to us.
If you own a business on Saipan, you
have an opportunity to directly help
any school on the island through
Public Law 10-73. Please consider
giving your ETC to SIS to help
purchase new books, materials and
technology for our students.
1. Write a check to SIS for between
$10 and $5,000.
2. SIS will give you a receipt.
3. Attach the receipt to your
monthly or yearly tax return.
SIS is one of only a few schools
on Saipan that operate without
regular funding from a religious or
corporate organization. Please help
continue the SIS tradition of
excellence in education. Donate if you
can or kindly help spread the word
about ETC donations to friends with
businesses. Please contact Mr. Bray
or the office should you
need more information.
We have ETC information
p a c k e t s i n E n g l i s h ,
K o r e a n , J a p a n e s e ,
Chinese and Russian.
ACA Corporation
AIC Marianas, Inc.
Bank Pacific
Ben’s International
Corporation
Berline and Associates
LLC
BFJ Corporation
City Trust Bank
Commonwealth
Industrial Supply Co.,
Inc.
Danbi Choi LLC
Ginen Saipan
J & H Co.Ltd.
Joong Ang, Co. Ltd.-
Judy’s
JP World Corporation
Jung Ja Kim
L & F Incorporated
Law Office of Bruce
Berline
Law Office of Sean Frink
To watch SIS Video, you may
scan the QR Code on the right.
To visit SIS homepage and get
an application form you may
scan the QR Code on the right.
To visit our Facebook page you
may scan the QR Code on the
right.
This newsletter was brought to you by the efforts of the students and teachers of SIS. Special
thanks go to Mrs. Aysem Bray, who dedicated her time to create our first and second The
Gecko Echo Newsletter and Mr. Tessen who edited this edition.
CREDITS
1. Get your smart phone out.
2. Find an application called QR Code
Reader and download the app for free to
your smart phone.
3. Once the download is finished, open the app and scan
the QR Code you see in this newsletter. You will be
directed to the webpages, youtube videos, and many
more items of interest.
No more typing long web addresses into your computer
and finding out that you made a tiny mistake and you need
to retype the whole address. You now have QR
Codes all over. Simple, fast, and secure!
S a i p a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l
A s L i t o R o a d , P O B o x . 5 0 3 1 2 1 T e l : 6 7 0 - 2 8 8 9 6 6 0
LeeAhn Investments
Minori Saipan Corp.
Modern Stationary &
Trading Co., Inc.
Pacific Fertility
Institute, Inc.
Quincy Corp.
Salty Saipan Corp.
San Vicente Estates, Inc.
Seashore, Inc.
So-in Corporation
The Insurance Service
Group
Tripple J Saipan, Inc.
UMDA Wholesale/Retail,
Inc.
Smile Marianas
Victoria Vaughan
Wing Corporation
Winners Life, Inc.
and
ZhongWang
International Trading
And a big thank you goes to:
You are on our Honor Roll!
How do these funny shapes work?

The Gecko Echo(selected pages)2015-16

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