Events and NEWS and Events and NEWS and Events…
VOICE The International School of Amsterdam’s Student Newspaper
NECIS Comes to Amsterdam
This year over 500 foreign athletes flocked to our school for the annual NECIS football and volleyball tournament. NECIS (the Northern European Council of International Schools) is the governing body of the competitive sports which ISA is involved in. For every sport that is supported by the organization, there is an end of season championship, which is hosted at one of the participating schools. For the 2016 -17 school year, ISA hosted the Varsity and Junior Varsity, Volleyball and Soccer tournaments. Students from Sweden, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway all reunited on our school’s grounds, in order to take part in high stake competitions.
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ALSO
INSIDE:
A Rant About Group Projects
A Trump Presidency
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
Letter to Poster Vandals
Movie Column
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Dear ISA, This is my last issue as editor-in-chief of the Voice, and I’m already starting to look back on all the great experiences I’ve had here. I’ll be handing off to the very capable, passionate and talented Evie Portier, who will be taking over from the next issue onwards. I’m sure she will make a lasting impact on this paper, and I’m already looking forward to reading future editions. Given that this is my last editor’s note, I wanted to look back at all the great things that we achieved since I came to the International School of Amsterdam three and a half years ago. We got a new building and welcomed over 400 new students. We won NECIS multiple times in many different sports. And we celebrated our school’s 50 year anniversary. Whichever way you cut it, it’s been an exciting time, and one I’m proud to have been a part of as editor-inchief, president, or simply member of the student body. These past few months have also been eventful ones at ISA, and we’ve been proud to document them as a Voice team. There were school trips, projects and even scandals. That’s why we have articles about the halloween festivities, the upper school trip to Beijing, the green team trash audit and even an open letter to poster vandalizers in this edition. Turning to sports, ISA recently hosted the NECIS JV and Varsity football and volleyball tournaments, and sent a team (including myself) to the cross country tourney in The Hague. We covered everything, from the general NECIS update on the front page, to the impressively detailed coverage of JV football’s exploits, to a look at the cross country runners’ performances and times. Finally, we’ve got opinion pieces. New and insightful views on everything from group projects to the US presidential election have been published in this issue, so enjoy! Read on and have a nice winter break, Ari Economon Editor-in-Chief
Who We Are...
VOICE is the International School of Amsterdam’s upper school student publication. We are grade 6-12 students who meet each week at lunch on Thursdays for publication planning and development – there is no journalism class that supports the project. We commit our time and energy to support our school, our community, and our own growth as thinkers and writers.
We welcome your letters. We welcome your article contributions. We welcome corrections that you wish to alert us to. Send all communications to Ms. Sabine Henrichsen-Schrembs (
[email protected]), the project faculty advisor, Editor-inChief Ari Economon (
[email protected]), or drop a note into the VOICE “suggestion/question” box outside room 189.
VOICE Team:
Ari Economon (editor-in-chief),Gabriele Cepparulo & Moses Ochs (layout design), Rania Khan, Trinabh Banerjeree, Evie M. Portier, PB Balakrishnan,, Robert Brighton, Roos Creyghton, Lisa Klaassen, Kelvin Choi, Sophia Lee, Tanner Mulay, Lindsay Budin, Kenneth MacRae, Aaron Lam, Lukas Joosten, Ana McCawley, Young Jae Kim, Anna Economon, Zosia Bulhak, Trinabh Banerjee, Miguel Pena, Andy Kim, Lehaan Dawood, Tom de Wolf, Filip Lindgren, Luc Huistra, Pranjal Ray.
Want to improve your writing? Report on ISA issues and events? Get your name in the paper? If, so join Voice! Meetings for 2015 are every Thursday at lunch, and we welcome any new applicants from grade 6-12. Remember, you can also send in specific articles to Ari Economon or Sabine Henrichsen-Schrembs. VOICE is published on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper, by MultiCopy of Amstelveen (www.multicopy.nl/Amstelveen). We ask our community to join us in a “read and share” approach. Once you have read an issue of VOICE, if you do not wish to keep the edition, return it to the Voice display rack outside room 189 so others may read it. This is environmentally and fiscally responsible. VOICE is available as a digital download (PDF) on upper school Final Site link. VOICE is available as a digital download (PDF) on upper school Final Site link. Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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As with every NECIS tournament there is pain, joy, agony and celebration. This year was no different, with all athletes coming to Amsterdam hoping to bring home their rightful trophy. Lasting from Thursday morning to Saturday afternoon, matches took between 1 and 3 hours, and exhibited fierce rivalries. School cheers reverberated throughout the gyms, and one could truly understand the passion that supporters had for their teams. Although all competitors played their hearts out, this year was ISA’s turn to dominate. The JV and Varsity volleyball teams both won their tournaments, ending a 4 year drought. Both teams played the relentless Düsseldorf “Lions”, but managed to overcome defeat, with 3-1 victories. The JV football team was able to hold on as reigning champions, in an epic “penalty kick” final, against the Luxembourg “Eagles”. Although the Varsity football team fought hard and showed great sportsmanship, a couple of tough losses to Luxembourg and Düsseldorf, resulted in a 4th place finish for these beloved Bears.
With hundreds of extra kids running around ISA’s campus, organization was not easy. The tournament had a very tight schedule, where every available time slot was filled with sporting action, and space was at a premium. Hungry athletes also meant a great need for food and refreshments, which was taken care of by tasty concessions and hearty lunches. With great volunteering from parents and students alike, the ISA booster club and Athletics department were able to successfully organize yet another unforgettable NECIS Tournament.
1st place
2nd place
3rd place
Junior Varsity Volleyball
Amsterdam
Düsseldorf
Antwerp
Varsity Volleyball
Amsterdam
Düsseldorf
Luxembourg
Junior Varsity Football
Amsterdam
Luxembourg
Bonn
Varsity Football
Luxembourg
Sigtuna
Düsseldorf
We hope that the turnout next year is even greater, and don’t forget: GO BEARS!!
By Anna Economon
Photo Coursey of Anna Economon
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Downgrading of IB The IB community we live in has hit the fellow countries in the world like a lightning strike from a clear blue sky. With the centralised examinations, implying no bias, local schooling systems are either seeking guidance from the IB or downgrading the system. Unfortunately, Sweden is considering the latter and proposing a drastic change in the grade tariffs. The council for higher education (UHR) has found a shallow solution to make the catastrophic black hole of the Swedish high school system seem brilliant. In early September, the UHR released a 97-page long document outlining the intended changes in the grading tariffs for all nonSwedish high school diplomas. The Diploma Programme was particularly struck by the proposed changes. Currently, a 40 in IB would convert into the highest possible grade in Sweden, 20.0. However, the proposed change intends to increase the boundary to a score of 45 being 20.0. Considering that only 24 out of over 11,000 IB graduates in Sweden have scored a 45 over the past 10 years, the proposed change seems uninformed and quite frankly completely irrational and nonsensical. Furthermore, the changes are intended to be implemented on the 1st of January 2017 and will not take into account all the IB students intending to study at Swedish universities with examinations in 2017 and 2018.
photo courtesy of http://www.ibo.org/
There will be numerous consequences on the global market considering the Swedish presence being rather high for such a small country. It is highly unlikely that companies such as IKEA, Volvo, Sandvik, AstraZenaca, Electrolux, H&M and many more will be able to send Swedish workers abroad. The insecurity of their children being compared on an imaginary scale forcing them to score a 45 in order to gain top marks in Sweden will be an extreme deterrent in joining the expatriate community. Moreover, if this change is implemented, there will be a higher chance that a Swedish IB student will be accepted to Oxford’s school of medicine than dentistry at the Karolinska Institute of Medicine. Finally, the analytical techniques used to arrive at this new grading scale makes me question if these people have ever taken a class in statistics. It is explicitly stated in the report that IB students have a slightly higher average score on the Swedish university test than students who attend a Swedish regular high school. I strongly encourage the UHR team to attend DP science and mathematics courses, since they will learn the fundamental skills of statistical analysis, and thus realise how dull and catastrophic this proposal is. On the 28th of November, the UHR came to a decision. A 44 will now be needed to gain top marks in Sweden. By Philip Lingren
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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A Rant About Group Projects (PSA I’m Infuriated) Photo Courtesy of http://www.hey.fr/
Group projects. We've all done them, and at one point or another we've all encountered that one person who doesn't do any work. Don’t get me wrong:-I wholeheartedly agree with the concept of group projects, but not when they are redundant and frequent. Let me explain. Group projects allow people to learn how to work together and create an end product that would perhaps be too much for simply one person to do. That said, it seems as though a lot of the time when we create group projects there are eventually only one or two people doing all of the work, while the rest of the people do nothing. I've been fortunate enough to be in a lot of groups consisting of thoughtful and hard-working individuals, but I've also been unlucky enough to for a great part of my experience end up with people who choose not to work simply because they know someone will step up and do it for them. This makes me angry. Yes, once or twice this can be a teaching moment in which a student learns that the world is not always a comfortable place where we are handed the most excellent coworkers in the most brilliant of situations, but I am getting really tired of hearing people talk about all the hard work they put into their group projects alone, while other members do not. For a while, I believed it was just I who was saddened when teachers mentioned the dreaded group projects. But I have found that I am not alone in my frustration with group projects. Doing other people's work at the cost of my own time seems pointless, not just to me but to my peers. I cannot tell you the amount of times that one of my friends has stayed up ridiculously late the last night before something is due after having discovered that other group members decided simply not to do the work because they knew that eventually someone would do it anyways. That is when it becomes rude, and that is where I draw the line between group projects being educational and group projects being a depressing nuisance. This is exactly when it becomes a system that brings down the grades of people who work hard and brings up the grades of people who do nothing. Look, I can understand one bad day, everyone can. However I am growing tired and weary of forgiving people for burdening me with work while they watch the newest episode of How To Get Away With Murder and then taking half or more of the credit for work that I or my friends have done. To them I’d like to say, we too, like to watch television. But apparently some are granted those privileges, and others are not. Sounds a lot like Animal Farm, don’t you think? But this time around, I will not work harder. I have a couple suggestions for how to prevent and or tackle a situation like the ones I described above. Please make reference to the table below: Students: Unfriend them on facebook. That’ll teach ‘em Teachers: Please consider, at least sometimes dividing projects into parts and grading those parts individually. That way, everyone has to work, and it’ll be easy to see who did what.
To me, the most frustrating element of it all is not that one person ends up doing an unfair share of work but rather that people who do virtually no work receive a grade that only one person deserves. To all of the people who fall into the category of not completing work: Please, stop it. Please. Otherwise I’m going to have to write another article about in the next issue, and then, I promise you, it’ll be on the front page By Evie Portier
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Letter To Poster Vandals To those unaware, many posters put up by the ISA feminist community and Like A Girl service group led by the passionate Evie Portier have been defaced, in mockery of an issue half of the population of the world struggle with. These were mostly found in the bathroom.
I am sorry you are offended by feminism. I am sorry you are offended by the fight for equal rights, if not for the upper-class European young women we are limited to representing in our school, then for the others in the world. I am sorry that, to you, the strive for equality feels more like oppression. And of course that is not all your fault. You were raised in this privilege, in an environment that allowed you to develop traits that make me, personally, feel the need to fold inside of myself. Is this really a controversial issue? How do simple, supportive posters and the desire for a lack of misogyny elicit such a response? “They are just useless posters in a school, why does it matter so much”, one might ask, and to that my response is: microcosms and metaphors run our world, believe it or not. Small symbolic deeds or actions infer the socio-political and temporal context we reside in and have an effect on the people who vote in this (and every) democratic state. Is this the gender propaganda you want eight year old girls to see? We reside at least a quarter of our day in this school, a place for learning. I was not aware that Institutionalized Sexism 101 and Blatant Misogyny were new courses. And to those who are telling girls, and all people frustrated with vandalism and sexism, to be less angry – we reserved the right to be angry, and after years of silencing, you should expect us to explode. No, the sexist individuals do not win this ‘game’ you speak of by provoking us. They win by silencing us further. And that is why we have to speak, scream if necessary. That is why we have lungs. That is why we have VOICE. And to those who pride themselves for adopting the commercial image so you may receive some appreciation, some applause, so you can pat yourself on the back – we have carried this name, this label, this burden of internally needing to reach equality, our stomachs stirring when injustice is met, for centuries. We have been ridiculed and mocked, and now suddenly because it is popular and Beyonce speaks publicly about this socio-political theory you will claim yourself to the fight for equality? One may not label themselves the term ‘feminist’ and expect their sexist behaviour to be excused. An article of this shortage of length does not hold the authority to convey all the anger this defacement provoked. I wish a hopeful conclusion was in order, but the world seems to be coming to an end. Continue fighting, educate yourself, realize every-day misogyny and bigotry and do not be afraid to speak. By Roos Creyghton
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Mandarin Trip to 北北京 As I walk out of the massive airport, where I was recently labeled an alien, the thick smog hits me immediately. After a few failed attempts at breathing and light panic, I recuperate and admire the country I just flew 9 hours to get to, enduring terrible movies and the screech of a baby sitting two rows down. I look around at the havoc of the Chinese capital, the immense buses driving around, the scooters whizzing about, and the SUV’s being controlled by men waiting for their rich bosses to return. The trip to China was an all round fun and enjoyable experience for all of us who went. From the impressive culture and antiquity of tourist attractions such as the Great Wall or Forbidden city, to the futuristic buildings with no limit to their size found at one of the millions of malls, or at the Olympic Stadium. Each day we would wake up at a too-early time and crowd together for the walk to one of the malls close by our hotel, the International Beijing Hotel, where we ate food which was inexcusably western. After being filled for the day, we would somehow manage to navigate ourselves through the complicated network of subways to a sightseeing point. After taking more photos than we could ever look back at, we would move on to the best part of the day, the Chinese food. Our Mandarin teacher had a range of restaurants lined up for everyday. Each offered different great parts of the local cuisine. We would order more food than we could ever eat, and dined like kings. Every day a continuous experience of surprise and wonder ended with an unmatched meal, while we obviously visited the major attractions of Beijing, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden city. Overall, the trip to Beijing was an amazing experience with offered insight into Chinese culture and great food. As the week progressed we all became friends and it got greater by the day. I will never forget being called 外国⼈人 (alien) all day and being the
centrepiece for thousands of photos Chinese people took of us.
Photo Courtesy of Lukas Joosten
By Lukas Joosten Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Trump Presidency 5 Talking Points Donald Trump is the next president of the United States of America. What does that mean? What are the things you should be on guard for, and what does his victory mean for the USA? Here are five important talking points about the president-elect and the election itself. #1: Establishment Politics Are Dead, and Hillary Clinton Killed Them Donald Trump marks the ultimate rejection of the corrupt political establishment. The American people voting for a billionaire with no political experience and a highly divisive worldview over a career politician marks a historical landmark in how money and the media influence politics the world over. Hillary Clinton played a dangerous game; rigging the Democratic Party Primary against her opponent Bernie Sanders was a ploy to make her way to the White House on the coattails of politically active Millenials and Bernie’s popular support. That plan, which included replacing the leader of the DNC with her former campaign manager from 2008, and saying Sanders supporters “live in their parents’ basement” meant her campaign rested on motivating the very people she had slandered to go and vote for her. Instead, the American people lashed out at the Establishment, voting for the only candidate that had, ironically, democratically won their primary - a controversial man at best, Donald Trump himself. If the DNC want to see a Democrat President in the White House in 2020, they need to kick the corruption.
#2: The Split Between Democrats and Republicans Is Becoming Ever More Pronounced It’s clear in every part of US politics and even in the public sphere being a Democrat, or a Republican, is no longer a political affiliation. It’s a fundamental statement, almost a religion. The way these two groups have divided in society becomes more evident every day, as “whiny, commie, handout-begging liberals” and “racist, sexist, misogynist republicans” went from being petty insults to being genuinely how people think about the opposite side. This division needs to heal and fast. Pushing people away for their political views only makes them more determined. Brexit voters were told by the media they were racists, and turned out in numbers. Trump voters were told they were sexists, hate minorities, and are bad people, and turned out in numbers. Pushing people away, shaming them, and demeaning them is not a political argument, and it won’t end how you want it to. Hopefully we’ll learn a lesson when France goes to the polls next year, to stop slinging mud and start coming together to discuss what’s best for our nations and the world.
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#3: Donald Trump’s Victory is a Victory For Trade and Industry, Not White Supremacy, Homophobia, and Sexism Donald Trump is the first ever Republican Presidential Nominee to mention the importance of LGBT Americans in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, and he has also stated he has no interest in rolling back marriage equality. So while a Republican government this time round could be a step back from the progressive values of Obama’s administration, it could also be a step forward for one of the two major parties in US politics. Trump vowed to rip up the Trans-Pacific-Partnership, a trade deal lowering tariffs on Asian products entering the US, a trade deal likely to draw even more low-skilled jobs away from a stagnating US economy. His goals are to return manufacturing to the US and reduce the red tape, and only time will tell if he’s capable of such a feat.
#4: Mike Pence is a Threat to LGBT Americans Mike Pence rejects the concept of evolution. While Trump doesn’t seem to understand the allure of religion, Pence is a Christian with radical views which potentially threaten the rights of LGBT Americans. He has stated belief that federal funds should be used for people “seeking to change their sexual behaviour” and holds a personal aversion to gay rights. Whether he will let that influence his policy remains to be seen. Some consider him Trump’s life-insurance policy - if Donald Trump were to become incapable of governing, Mike Pence would take the helm.
#5: Have Your Voice Heard by the Trump Administration Regardless of your political affiliation, especially if you are a US citizen, visit https://apply.ptt.gov/yourstory/ and submit your ideas and concerns for the next 4 years. It’s another chance for your voice to be heard.
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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What ISA Upper School Students Had To Say - Before the Election
Of the respondents, 33% were US citizens. Out of the US citizens, just 12.5% preferred Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, even lower than the ISA Upper School average of 22.9%. What ISA Upper School Students Had To Say - After the Election “Donald Trump, according to his campaign ideology, should not have been elected - however, if he can become a successful president, I see no issue with the election and his appointment.” “We are all going to die.” “Donald Trump is one of the best things to happen to the world.” “I guess it’s time Barney Simpson moves to Canada.” “I don’t think he wanted to be elected.” US President-Elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20th. He will be the first President that has never held elected office before.
By Robert Brighton
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Green Team Trash Audit Every winter, ISA Green Team hosts an annual Trash Audit, and this year was no exception. On 31st day of October, over 50 volunteers gathered up at the ISA side yard to exchange their precious Sunday mornings with Trash Auditing. Armed with pairs of rubber glove and plastic aprons, Green Team and its volunteers started to carefully sort out the non-recycled trash gathered around the ISA, checking if it was properly disposed.
Photo Courtesy of Julius Kleipool The results showed both positive and negative aspects. The positive news is that the overall amount of non-recycled garbage have decreased compared to the year before, despite the number of students having increased during the past year. The total amount of garbage that was sorted out this year was 191.2 kgs, compared to the over 200 kg gathered last year. However, the statistics also showed that the amount of food and plastic waste continued to increase rather than decrease. Among 191.2 kgs of garbage, 84.9 kgs were leftover foods, 33.8 kgs were plastic pieces, and 5.8 kgs were plastic bottles, which takes a huge percentage of the entire rubbish. Considering the existence of numerous food bins and plastic recycling bins around the ISA, this amount of food waste and plastic waste found in a general garbage is quite a lot. Green Team’s goal for the next year’s Trash Audit is to reduce the amount of food and plastic getting thrown in the bin, and to ensure that the trash are disposed correctly. To achieve these goals, Green Team would like to suggest the ISA students to bring reusable plastic water bottles to school, and to build up their recycling habits. Last but not least, Green Team also recommends that ISA students think twice before throwing anything into the bin, and to be aware of what they are throwing away. ISA Green Team believes that such small movements could transform the world into a better place. By Jaehyun (Andy) Kim
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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“Trunk Or Treat”
Halloween Celebration A much loved celebration within our ISA community is our annual Halloween trick or treat event. This is an American festivity where children (and adults) parade through their local neighborhoods dressed in their favorite costumes, chanting the famous phrase “trick or treat” and hoping for a yummy piece of candy from the homeowner - this is a joyous occasion that many are inclined to participate in. Traditionally, ISA’s halloween event, run by the American Community, took place within a small neighborhood of Amstelveen. Although this setup was loved by many, this year the organizers decided to change this the location to the school parking lot in order to offer a safer event for students. Thus, the organisers converted the party into a “trunk or treat” celebration. Instead of collecting candy at houses, kids would collect it through the trunks of 20+ cars, located in the school’s parking lot. Even though this idea was new to many parents, they managed to create stunning displays. Some trunks were decorated with eerie cobwebs,
Photo Courtesy of Anna Economon
candles and skeletons, while others were much more joyous, dawning colorful balloons and Hello Kitty inflatables. Organizers also decided to create an even more wholesome environment for kids by adding Halloween games: these included, face painting and spooky storytelling. The games included a ring toss with the aim of winning extra candy, and a dizzy pumpkin challenge - definitely worth the wait. Storytelling include horror stories which were narrated by gory characters, and left most kids with a good scare. While the face painting booth was loved by those looking to add something to their already crazy costumes. Perhaps the most appreciated addition this year, was not to do with exerting oneself in the various festivities available, but by taking a break and drinking a warm Chocomel. A hot chocolate stand was set up outside the foyer, where families could grab a beverage and take a break from the hustle and bustle outside. What added even more meaning to each of these new festivities, was that they were run by ISA high school students, who could bond with children and create memorable experiences. The event turned out great as whole, with the exception of the insufficient amount of candy. As ISA now has over 1200 students, it is vital to collect enough candy to supply the many trick or treaters making their yearly round. Unfortunately, not all families contributed their rightful share, meaning the event quickly came to halt. With no more candy, trunk owners could no longer operate their stations, and the festivities in turn, lost their momentum. All in all, this year’s Halloween celebration was a night to remember, and if you did not attend this time, save the date for October 3st 2017! By Anna Economon Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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How Debate and MUN are changing for the greater Debate and MUN are two of the more popular clubs to join at school, both are also very well known for having a range of competitions that the clubs go to throughout the year. With a large number of people in each club and many people wanting to go the tournaments that are available through the clubs, there has been very interesting change in the way in which the clubs sign people up. The new Module system, which was implemented at the start of this year, is designed to help people commit to the club and provides with a very simple way of recording how long you were part of one of the two clubs. The modules last roughly one month for debate, and each module has 4 sessions and a debate at the end which uses the format and skills that have been taught during the 4 sessions. At the start of the year, before the sign ups for the clubs were opened, a session was held by Mr Kilbride and Mr Nguyen who both announced that the system would be used for both of the clubs. The reason why, was explained by Mr Nguyen, who talked about how in previous years for both clubs people had been pulling out of the clubs for weeks at a time, making it hard for both of the clubs to progress in teaching anything. The Module system allows everyone to learn at their own pace and provide a genuine way of learning at the end of each module through a large debate. Many believe that the system has worked, since now the same group of people is turning up to each debate session, eager to learn and of course debate.
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Voice Tech Column Welcome to the VOICE Tech Column. This time, I’ll be looking at Apple news, specifically the MacBook Pro launch, along with a continued story of Samsung’s Mobile Department's woes, and finally, the recent DDoS Attack. But first, on the list, let’s look at Apple’s new MacBook Pro’s! Apple Launches New MacBook Pro’s After 3 years, Apple finally launched a new generation of MacBook Pros. Their “claim to fame” this time is their OLED “Touch Bar”, which is a multi-touch rectangular screen located at the top of the keyboard, where the regular function keys would be. The Touch Bar also has Touch ID settings, to allow you to sign into your MacBook Pro with your finger instead. Most of the Apple presentation about the MacBook Pro was based on the touch bar. Along with this, the trackpad was made “Force Touch”, and the space where you rest your wrists on both sides of the trackpad was made a lot bigger. The keyboard had its keys reduced to millimeter thin slabs. The body was also redesigned, to make it more uniform in its enclosure. Internal specs were also upgraded with new chips and better processors. Apple removed the Mag-Safe charger ports, instead of replacing the laptop with 4 Thunderbolt ports, allowing you to have your laptop connected to four different things at once. Charging is also done through this method. The new MacBook has had varied reviews, with some saying Apple failed, while others praised the laptops design and functionality. If we can’t all agree on whether this laptop is good or not, there is one thing we can agree on. Thank goodness Apple didn’t remove the headphone jack!
Photo Courtesy of 9to5mac.com
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Samsung’s Mobile Department Woes The previous issue left you with the somewhat positive story of Samsung beginning to re-sell their Note 7’s. Almost immediately after that announcement, Samsung announced it was ending production of Galaxy Note 7 phones. Permanently. Immediately, 8% of its stock plummeted in Seoul, Korea, wiping $17bn off Samsung’s market value. Analysts predict that the entire recall will do further damage to the Samsung brand. Over $9.5 billion is expected to be lost in sales, and a further $5 billion will be lost profit. Samsung announced recently that $2 billion was lost profit from the Note 7. It now also is facing accusations from environmental organization Greenpeace regarding its plans to dispose of the phones. Greenpeace accused Samsung of not clearly stating what it planned to do with the phones. The organization said that Note 7 phones had easily recoverable and recyclable resources such as gold, and tungsten. Not reusing these materials, Greenpeace said, would be an environmental disaster. It also said that it hoped Samsung would be transparent and open with its plans on what it planned to do with the 4.3 million Note 7 phones. Samsung has yet to comment on the matter. However, despite all the bad news, there is some hope. Firstly, Samsung is a big company. It makes annual sales of $179 billion and has a market value of $194 billion. Most of the company’s revenue comes from outside the mobile department, from places such as components. While the damage to Samsung’s mobile reputation may be long-lived, the company should be able to ride out the losses, and hopefully, announce a Note 8 and flagship Galaxy S8 next February.
Photo Courtesy of technobuffalo.com By Trinabh Banerjee
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Voice Movie Column In this issue of the Voice, we will be looking at three of the best movies of 2016 (from when this article was written). We will also look at some recent movie news. Best Movies of 2016: Swiss Army Man: Swiss Army Man is an independent, R-rated film directed by The Daniels who have never directed a film before and are mostly known for directing music videos like Turn Down For What. The film is a about a hopeless man who is stranded on a deserted island and befriends a dead body and together they go on a journey to get home. It stars Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano. This movie is probably the weirdest but best movie you are ever going to see. WARNING: DO NOT WATCH WITH PARENTS
Photo Courtesy of vimeocdn.com The BFG: BFG is a kids film directed by Steven Spielberg. It stars Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill. It is an adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl novel. It is a heartwarming film that is perfect for the entire family. The film is about a girl named Sophie who encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kind-hearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children.
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Sing Street Sing Street is an Irish Independent film directed by John Carney. The film has been critically acclaimed and and features fantastic original songs. The film is about a boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s who escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes.
Photo Courtesy of i.ytimg.com
Movie News: The Flash Movie Loses Director (Again) Warner Brothers are making a Flash movie set to come out in 2018 and once again it has lost its director. The film is starring Ezra Miller and not much else is known. Rick Famuyiwa who directed Dope was meant to direct this film but dropped out. The reasons are yet unclear but according to insiders, it was about the story. Seth Grahame-Smith was meant to direct the film months ago and it was also over story issues. It is not the biggest deal when a film loses it’s director but twice in a row over story issues is quite odd. Deadpool 2 Loses Director Not only did The Flash lose its director but also Deadpool 2. Tim Miller who directed the first Deadpool was set to direct the sequel but also dropped out. He has not said much yet. Apparently, it was due to an argument about the direction of the film with the movie’s star Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool was Tim Miller’s first film since he had only worked in the Special FX department of film making and maybe the producers did not believe he could not handle a sequel. It’s not a big deal but it’s still worth noting that Deadpool 2 currently doesn’t have a director. Johnny Depp casts in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them sequel. Oscar-nominated Johnny Depp has been cast in the sequel to this year’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them which is set in the same world as that of Harry Potter and the screenplay is written by JK Rowling who was the author of the Harry Potter books. Johnny Depp has been confirmed to be playing Grindelwald who is a bit of a Wizard Hitler. Grindelwald was also Dumbledore’s secret boyfriend back in the day. The casting of Johnny Depp in his role is very controversial because Johnny Depp has not been taken seriously in Hollywood for the past 10 years(since Pirates of the Caribbean). This film series is also not prone to casting eccentric people like Johnny Depp. Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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JV Football Boys
10 - 0 Issac 4’, 6’, 36’ Kyle 43’ Dane 52’, 55’ Diago 63’ Callum 85’ Gib 90+1’
ISA’s Sheer Masterclass Demolishes Hamburg By JoungJae Kim
The impressive JV Boys kickstarts the season by a resounding victory over ISH; a memorable goal fest for the boys to experience. The opening goal didn’t take that long, with a great corner from Dane meeting the head of Issac (4). Soon after, thanks to a beautiful through ball Issac was on the scoresheet again, with a beautiful chip (6). On the 36th minute, after the ball was cleared off the line by the max, Isaac got his hat trick by finishing a brilliant counter attacking move (36). Some tantalizing intricate football and a perfect back-post cross by Luuk gave Kyle a goal shortly before half time (43), and that was the best goal of the game. The second half was an absolute rout. Dane smashed one in the near post (52) and just after curled a beautiful shot into the top corner (55). Daigo had his double, as he eased passed the goalkeeper twice in a row (63) (67). It was like shooting exercise, as Callum (85) and Gib (90+1) finished of a memorable afternoon. With this ISA will be feeling confident towards the next game against ASH, and the tournament itself.
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Starting XL
Formation: 4-1-2-1-2 Diamond
Post-match Interview with captain Dane Gaugler (10th Grade) Reporter: Dane how was that match, isn’t it a great start to the season? Dane: Yes, surely the players are now feeling confident and we hope to build on this win. Reporter: Who do you think was the man of the match? Dane: Can’t really specify, no one changed the game, everyone played well in their part. The whole team was brilliant this afternoon. Reporter: What was the reason for this big scoreline? Was it because of your brilliance or was it because of their inadequacy? Dane: It was both combined, but I think the early goal took a crucial part in it. Reporter: Are you already looking forward to the next match against ASH? Dane: Yes they are a stronger opposition, so we will prepare for them.
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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Events and NEWS and Events and NEWS and Events…
The Running Bears ISA Cross Country Team
Photo Courtesy of Zosia Bulhak
ISA is a very athletic school with various competitive sports teams, such as volleyball, football, basketball and track and field. However not many people know about the cross country team, which visited Paris along with the volleyball and football teams. The meet was extremely successful and many of our athletes went up on the podium. To the right are images from Paris, taken by one of the coaches: Sheryl Lucas. As can be seen, ISA is big on team spirit and we have many flags as well as banners! The second image illustrates the U12 and U14 boy runners and was also taken during the meet in France. The cross country (XC) runners are split into the same age groups as all the other ISA sports (U12, U14, U16 and +16). The U12s run a 3km race, whereas all other athletes run 5km. Over the years the team has been getting bigger and bigger, and this year we are proud to be taking almost 40 athletes to NECIS. The tournament will be held at The American School of The Hague, on a stunning course by a lake. We hope to see a lot of bears on the podium, and come back home with our necks bend due to medals! Our team has also recently held a home meet in the Amsterdamse Bos. One can fairly say that with our fabulous music blasted from the speakers and hot chocolate given to each runner after their race, it was the best one meet so far (no other school gives out hot chocolate). As the weather was spectacular (it was very sunny and warm), the course was astonishing with its orange and red trees. Luckily the cold the previous night helped freeze the horse paths, which are a big part of the course. For those of you who have never ran on sand, it is extremely tiring and kills your legs bit by bit. But according to the XC athlete Anna Economon “the pain and suffering is worth my eternal glory”. After all, eternal glory is what everyone is looking for, in pain and suffering! By Zosia Bulhak
Voice Vol. 8, Issue 2, Dec. 2016
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