By Cynthia Wang

​Every Sunday, from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, the New Voice Children's Choir (NVCC) rehearses near Sanlin, Shanghai.
 
"It started with a woman named Carol who was involved in children's choirs in the US and, through her connections with Stepping Stones, an outreach program, created a music enrichment program for migrant children," said Alicia Knox, the current English choir instructor for the NVCC, having moved to Shanghai a year later.
 
Ms. Lisa, the choir's Chinese instructor, adds on, "Carol used to teach English in Stepping Stones and established this choir soon after for Shanghai's migrant children."
 
"The choir's migrant children are often not economically stable, so our tuition fee is typically quite low. We don't want to be an economic burden to them, but we also want to provide the kids with some sort of musical training. This was Carol's starting philosophy, to help out the less fortunate, no matter how good their intonation is," said Lisa.
 
Last year, the choir attended two concerts - one at a shopping mall's Christmas event and one at a Church's Christmas bazaar. Although opportunities are scarce, Alicia and Lisa are still intent on pulling on their own connections and their community to get performance opportunities for the children.
 
"As much as just coming together and singing is really important and valuable, we also want them to have an opportunity to perform to build their confidence," said Alicia.
 
"It's always a work in progress."
 
On May 26th of 2017, the SAS Pudong chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society donated its profits from Pudong Rocks sales to the New Voice Children's Choir. This money is set to go to getting uniforms for the children and to rent funds for future rehearsal or concert venues.
 
Recently, the choir has also switched venues from an elderly home to an extra room in the village's management building. This change has led to some old participants leaving the choir due to travel difficulties. But, there has also been an influx of new children in the area joining the choir.
 
"As of now, we just want to keep [this choir] going," said Alicia. "But ultimately, we want this to be more self-sustaining, both financially and staff-wise, with more teachers and volunteers to infuse life into the choir. The more connections we have, the more people we can get involved, the more s[the choir] will grow and blossom."
 
If you would like to volunteer at the New Voice Children’s Choir, please contact Tri-M Music Honor Society members for more information.

By Grace Deng

​President of Shanghai Scholars Katie Chen responded to the first issue of the day, her phone buzzing nonstop. It was the first day of SASDO (pronounced SAS-doh), or Shanghai American School Debate Open. This was the second annual debate Shanghai Scholars has ever organized.

“First time we did this it was two years ago, and it was just a Friday afternoon,” Chen said while texting Annie Qiu, the vice president of Shanghai Scholars. “This is the first time that we’ve hosted a competition of this magnitude.”

SASDO was a two-day event from September 22 to 23 held at Shanghai American School’s Pudong campus, attended by about 6 schools, 60 debaters, 15 judges and 25 volunteers. It was a joint venture between Shanghai Scholars and SAS Puxi’s debate club. It’s no wonder Chen’s day started before she even got to school. A volunteer shows up early, and some kids leave on the wrong bus. Rehearsals for the high school musical Elf, basketball and volleyball games, and a swim meet were all happening at the same time as SASDO, so mixups with other SAS busses happened.

“We don’t know where any of the kids are,” Chen said.

The debate began with the first topic of the day: affirmative action.

Students split up into their teams and spent 20 minutes preparing, with no research allowed.

“The fact that you can’t do any research is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time to watch,” said English teacher and SASDO judge Michael McAdam. “I can only imagine what it feels like to be on the other side of the desk.”

​
McAdam added that he thought public speaking was “one of the most important skills to leave high school with,” even if you end up a trash collector. (“For when you win your trash collector of the year award, of course.”)

For many students, this was their first debate ever.

“I joined the debate club two weeks ago,” said Akruthi Chanderekar, who moved to SAS Puxi last year.

Matt Song, Puxi’s debate club president, pushed her to participate. Chanderekar said she has “always been interested in public speaking,” but she never had a chance to do it at her old school.

“At first it seemed very intimidating, but now that I’m already here, I just want to do it,” she said.

While Chen said she wanted SASDO to be very “novice friendly,” SASDO also attracted many veteran debaters. Linden Li, who won the Worlds Schools Debating Championships with the National Team of China, attended to “support Katie Chen and have some fun.” Li, who has debated for two years, spent the preparation time doing physics homework, because him and his partner, Jason Kang, “have a physics test on Tuesday.”

By Kenneth Shu
Summer’s over, school’s started, and you’re back on the usual routine of waking up really early to catch the bus, and sleeping really late to finish all your work. I know, it’s very hard.
Like most sane people of our generation, we love our times cozied up in bed with a fluffy pillow on the side and a gentle blanket covering us. It’s part of human nature to want to relax, to want to sleep, but sadly our daily lives may not always permit such luxuries. Unless you’re willing to arrive at school late or give in to the temptation of sleeping really early, your ideal 10 hours long sleep schedule is probably not going to come to fruition anytime soon. I know, this sucks, but instead of giving up entirely and submit to the misery, there are some ways we can make the best out of this unfortunate situation.
For a start, do actually go to sleep eventually. Staying up really late to cram or work is not a justifiable excuse to sacrifice your sanity. According to the National Institute of Health, not getting enough sleep, or not getting any sleep at all for the matter, can have detrimental effects on the human mind on the long-term (Alhola et al, 2007). When you’re asleep, your brain removes excess toxins that have been accumulating throughout the day, your muscles relax and recuperate, and your nervous system restarts to ensure that you get a full start the next morning. Pulling an all-nighter would not only make you feel like a groggy mess the next day but also severely impede your brain function in the long-term. So, whatever you do, do not avoid the call of slumber.
Second, avoid all sources of caffeine and all bright lights beforehand. This should be a no-brainer. Unless you wanna tumble around and count sheep the whole entire evening, this is not recommended.
Third of all, try not to drink too much coffee in general. I know what you’re thinking, and I understand your feeling, we all need our cup of coffee in the morning, but try as hard as you can to just limit your coffee intake to just one cup. According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, excess consumption of coffee increases melatonin receptors within the brain, which ends up making you drowsier unless an increased dose of caffeine is consumed (Ambrosino, 2014). In short, try limiting yourself to just one cup of coffee every morning, otherwise, you’ll feel even more miserable trying to get up early in the morning.
Lastly, try balancing your sleep schedule to your standard circadian rhythm and REM cycles. The human brain, when asleep, operates in consecutive REM cycles lasting 1.5 hours each. According to the National Sleep Foundation, achieving 4 or more consecutive REM cycles each night is an ideal situation for most individuals. This should theoretically allow your brain to get rested, while also preventing that awful morning laziness that haunts most night owls of our age. So, unless you want to feel miserable each morning, balance your sleep schedule in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Transitioning out of the “summertime slumber” mood is going to take a lot of time and effort. As senior Beverely Chung said, “I’m exhausted and overwhelmed by everything,” It’s gonna be painful, it’s gonna be tiring, and it’s certainly gonna feel like a headache for a long time. But trust me, you’ll eventually adapt to this schedule, and everything is going to be all right… for now."




Alhola, Paula, and Päivi Polo-Kantola. “Sleep Deprivation: Impact on Cognitive Performance.” Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/. 
Ambrosino, Brandon. “Caffeine Use Disorder: It's Real, and It Warrants More Attention.” The Hub, Johns Hopkins University, 7 Feb. 2014, hub.jhu.edu/2014/02/07/caffeine-really-is-a-drug/. 
“Sleep Drive and Your Body Clock.” National Sleep Foundation, National Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-drive-and-your-body-clock

By Colin Jun

All IB Diploma students must work on their CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) experience and CAS projects. For some of you, CAS will seem like a huge burden to carry on for eighteen months. It is not an easy task for IB students to achieve while completing all their homework, internal assessments and preparing for their tests. However, it is also not impossible to succeed in CAS.

1. Finding the CAS activity or CAS project.

When I first heard about CAS, I had no idea what I had to do for eighteen months. Some of the school club activities fit well with CAS, but they were not enough for me to continue for eighteen months. I also had to start thinking about my CAS project so that I can complete it in my first year. The problem was that I did not know where to find the activities. I was not very fluent in Chinese nor did I have prior connections with any outside organizations in Shanghai. Interestingly, the solution to this struggle was not far away from me.

The first solution was the school itself. For my CAS project, I was able to get a great opportunity from our middle school. Through the announcement, I heard middle school is looking for students to decorate the MS Band Wall. Fortunately, I could obtain that opportunity and finish my CAS project in my first year. Similar to my experience, there are many opportunities for CAS projects and CAS activities in our school. Not only in our high school, reaching out to the middle school and the elementary school is also an important strategy to get an opportunity.

The second solution was to use the Internet. I was able to get in contact with the local volunteer group Hands on Shanghai through the internet search, my activities with Korean organizations could also be achieved through the internet/email advertisements about them. I visited the websites of many volunteer groups and non-governmental organizations and sent emails to people to ask for opportunities. I also looked for possibilities from my home country, Korea.

Overcoming hesitation is also essential. When I first joined Hands on Shanghai and informed to participate in the first volunteer activity, my halting Chinese made me worry about communication with Chinese people at the hospital. However, on my first day, I learned that my fear was groundless. My limited Chinese skills still allowed me to communicate with people and other volunteers also helped me to interact with people. People outside of school are also interested in our CAS experience and are kind enough to provide the opportunity to the students, help us in our activities and offer CAS supervisor review. Only when you break your shell, can you gain a great experience.

2. Writing the reflections and keeping up with reflections

There are various ways to write CAS reflections. The first method is to write both descriptions of the day (activity) and commentary about goals for every reflection. In many cases, this is reflected as the extended reflection – and takes longer time than usual – but it lessens your burden as you get closer to the end of the CAS experience, since most of the content is already included in each reflection. The second method is to write a description of your day of CAS experience in your reflections and write a lengthy commentary about the goals at the end. This method is good for people who struggle with time management. However, in this case, it is crucial for one to take the notes about their feelings/goals during the CAS experience.

Some people have difficulty with content, and some others have trouble on the path of uploading their reflection. For the former problem, I recommended to bringing a small notebook to their activity. I usually carry the small notebook or a piece of paper to the activity so that I can write what I have done today and how I feel about the activity today. These notes also assist you in writing a lively reflection. For the latter kind of people, it is essential to find a time in a week that you will only work with CAS. For IB students, checking Managebac every day may seem like writing the reflection every day may not be the best use of their time. If this is the case, find a time of the week you can concentrate only on CAS reflections. Since you have made a note about activities and your feelings, writing the reflection will not take a long time.

I prefer to write my CAS reflections in a structure of an essay. As my introduction and hook, I write a short reflection about my goals, what I’ve prepared to participate in the activity so far. As soon as I join in the experience, I write my body paragraphs based on PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) structure. As my point, I describe the work I’ve done that day, and for the explanation, I analyze how the activity is related to achieving my CAS experience goals and how I felt about this experience. The evidence, in this case, will not be included in the form of photos, documents, and websites. At the end of my experience, I provide the overall conclusion. It often comprises whether I achieved the personal CAS goals and answered the guiding questions on the CAS reflection page. Following the essay structure, it was easy to meet all the requirements for CAS reflection, and the narrative/logic in the reflections was naturally developed.
​
CAS experience and CAS project is a unique and yet complicated task for IB students to achieve. It took time for me to get used to it. However, CAS is not impossible. Use CAS as an opportunity to have a meaningful experience at your high school!

By Colin Jun
​
As an international community, SASPD always had to face a farewell to beloved friends, teachers and staff. Last semester, eight teachers departed from our SASPD community.

Pudong Press conducted interviews with the departing teachers to listen to their stories and experiences at SASPD.​

Mr. Serbent has been with the SASPD community for six years as a math teacher. He is leaving the SASPD community as his family is moving to Singapore and his son is graduating from the school. 

How do you feel about leaving the school?
I will miss the students and activities in Shanghai American School Pudong. But I am also looking forward to the new challenge and new adventure I will have in the future.
 
Can you share one interesting memory that you had in SASPD? 
I remember some of the silly times that I had in my math classes. 
​
Which school are you going next year?
I will be in Singapore and travel around for a while. 

Do you have any message you would like to leave to the students?
Always seek to understand. Do not just memorize and react to people or mathematics. 

Mrs. Pettigrew has been with the SASPD community for four years as a math teacher and IB coordinator. She is leaving SASPD community due to labor age restrictions. 

How do you feel about leaving the school?
It is a difficult decision since I enjoyed working with the students in SASPD in this positive education environment of SAS. I believe Shanghai American School is the school where the school leadership always tries to provide the best quality education to the students. 

Can you share one interesting memory that you had in SASPD? 
As the coach of girl’s rugby, it was refreshing to see many different students in SASPD enjoy playing rugby. Unlike the common stereotype of rugby - being a man oriented sport - students in SASPD enjoyed playing rugby regardless of their gender or their nationality. 

Do you have any message you would like to leave to the students?
For IB students, I would like to say “be patiently committed to IB Diploma program. Take the richness that comes from IBD courses.” As well, I hope the IBD program remains in the SASPD community. ​

Ms. Phipps has been with the SASPD community for two years as the counselor. She is leaving SASPD community to go back home and watch how her son performs his job.

How do you feel about leaving the school?
On the one hand, it is exciting to meet the students in the other parts of the world. On the other hand, it is sad to leave the SASPD community this year. I love Shanghai, China, students and coworkers in SASPD.

Can you share one interesting memory that you had in SASPD? 
There are many exciting memories that I have in SASPD community. Especially the first time I participated in Friday Night Light on Spring. It was an enjoyable experience to see the strong community. Everyone was cheering and engaged. It was also interesting to take pictures during track and field.

Which school are you going next year?
Ashland High School. Very special place. Home of Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 

Do you have any message you would like to leave to the students?
It is a very opening and welcoming place. However, we also need to get outside the bubble. Our opportunity to connect [with many other people] is a gift and [we need to] take advantage of that gift. [We should not only stay in our] own personal bubble, SAS bubble. 
​
Concentration for education here is intense. [Education is essential, but] how well you are getting to know each other [is also the essential perspective of the school life].​

Ms. Lyons has been with the SASPD community for four years as the social studies teacher. She is moving to Panama to be closer to her family.

How do you feel about leaving the school?
I am excited about the warmer weather in Panama. I am excited to be in Central America and go on a trip.

Can I ask what you will miss most from Shanghai?
Eastern Philosophy of medicine. Especially the acupuncture. I even found a place in Panama where I can get acupuncture. 

Mr. Ogle has been with the SASPD community for three years as a science teacher. He is moving to Malaysia to go home. 

How do you feel about leaving the school?
It is a great school. Students and school are fantastic. I wish I don’t have to go back. 

Can you share one interesting memory that you had in SASPD? 
Taking students to Borneo [as part of Habitat for Community] and showing students coral reef. It was also interesting to teach them how to dive. 

Which school are you going next year?
I will retire. I am planning to go back to Malaysia and write a book. 

Do you have any message you would like to leave to the students?      
Relax, you are doing fine. Stop worrying about the grades. ​

Mr. McCracking has been with the SASPD community for two years as the college counselor. He is moving to Madrid, Spain due to labor age restrictions. 

How do you feel about leaving the school?
I am sad since I enjoyed working in the SAS community and the students. I enjoyed working with the families here. It has been a great experience for me to work here. On the other hand, I am also excited to visit a new place and meet a new culture. 

Can you share one interesting memory that you had in SASPD? 
Learning about and being familiar with the people and the culture in China that is totally different from western society. It was remarkable to travel around in China and Asia - greater Shanghai area, bamboo forest, Vietnam and Cambodia - all of them are memorable experiences. It is interesting how the time went so fast and many things happened during that period of time. Students, parents and people I met here were also wonderful. 

Which school are you going next year?
American School of Madrid 

Do you have any message you would like to leave to the students?      
The students here should appreciate the opportunity that they are able to study in this school. They should be mindful of giving back to their community in a truly meaningful way. Seeking for the balance in our lives between the education and the personal health (such as sleeping well) is also important as a human being. Find your balance and try to attain it! 

What do you think you will miss most from Shanghai? 
My Ayi, who helped me throughout my experience in Shanghai. Great Chinese food such as Yang’s Dumpling and the massage places in Shanghai were also great. Of course, I will miss the interactions that I had with all different kinds of people in Shanghai and China.

By Kenneth Shu
​​
​March 14th, 2018, was a dark day for the scientific world. On Pi day, the world witnessed the tragic passing of one of its most brilliant of minds: Stephen Hawking.
 
The British physicist, Stephen Hawking, was born through the chaos of WWII on January 8th 1942 in Oxford, UK. Through his early years, Hawking would develop study and achieve mastery in the fields of theoretical physics and cosmology at Oxford and Cambridge, marry his college sweet heart, and begin his graduate work at Trinity Hall. Yet it was also at this time that Hawking would be diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease that would gradually sever its victim’s neurological connections and render them into a painful state of paralysis. Having gone through multiple medical procedures and check ups, doctors were all convinced that he would pass away in the next two years, but they were wrong.
 
Armed with the desire to live the fullest of his life, Hawking would continue his academic pursuits in theoretical physics. He would go on to discover Hawking Radiation, formulate the Gibbson-Hawking effect, and many other groundbreaking theorems that defined modern day physics. He would also write his renowned book A Brief History of Time, give innumerable counts of academic lectures, and raise three children whilst under the painful state of paralysis. He would redefine our understandings of physics and perseverance, whilst his mind roamed the vastness of the universe itself.
 
For a paralyzed man whom outlived his diagnosis by 53 years, Stephen Hawking was a truly brilliant genius that shattered our expectations of perseverance, and expanded the boundaries of human limitation. He was truly a once in a millennium genius, and a role model for the many aspiring generations to come.
 
He will be missed.

By Grace Deng
​
The premium chocolate muffin is the very definition of heaven in your mouth. The moniker is well deserved: the premium chocolate muffin is perhaps the only premium quality food Chartwells has ever offered. The first bite of the muffin tastes like fluffy chocolate clouds, but it is forgotten as soon as you reach your second bite: the gooey chocolate center.

Those who do not understand why I’m waxing lyrical about a chocolate muffin have never tried it before, and now they apparently never will. Recently, the premium chocolate muffin has disappeared from all three Chartwells installations at Shanghai American School Pudong’s high school: the kiosk by the gym, the Juno Cafe, and the high school cafeteria.

Students are rightly upset by the changes. “I miss all that chocolate,” says Kristen Fu, a junior. “I’m extremely sad.”

Even students who didn’t eat it regularly are sad about the missing muffin. Jasmine Liu, a sophomore, gave me a pouty face and told me she was sad because she just liked having it as an option. “What if I want to indulge?” Jasmine complained, noting the main attraction of the muffin: indulging in chocolatey goodness.

However, some students are finding small silver linings in the loss of the premium chocolate muffin. “It enables me to have better food habits,” says Brent Cheung of junior year, a student who bought the muffin regularly as a snack. “I’m still sad, but it does help me improve my health and economic standings.”

Jacob, our cafeteria manager, assured Pudong Press that the premium chocolate muffin would be coming back. Apparently, the premium chocolate muffin is produced by a Chinese factory that is on break for Chinese New Year.

Jacob encouraged us to tell students to email him at [email protected] because student support will help bring the premium chocolate muffin back even faster.

With the mystery solved, students will surely appreciate its return. 

By the Pudong Press Team

The winners of the first annual non-fiction writing competition are:

3rd place: Donna Tsai
2nd place: Sally Jin
1st place: Rebekah Christensen

Below are the pieces that won in order of 3rd, 2nd, and 1st. Congrats to Rebekah, Sally, and Donna!

An Out of the World Experience
By Donna Tsai

    “Through these doors enter the world’s future astronauts, scientists, and engineers.” 
Those were the words we were greeted with on the first day of our arrival. We were a little intimidated and felt a bit of pressure. However, we soon began to notice that there was nothing to be worried about because Space Camp provided us with the full space experience. We drank water out of the H2O Rehydration Units, visited the Sick Bay when we weren't feeling well, and going to the bathroom meant a visit to the Waste Management Station. 
    Every day was carefully planned with a completely packed schedule. It consisted of simulations, lessons, presentations, and lots of team building exercises. Some of the simulators include the 1/6 gravity chair, where we could actually “moon-walk” and experience the moon’s gravity, and the multi-axis trainer, which is basically a simulator that spins and throws you in every possible direction. The presentations and lessons taught us everything we could ever know about space history. This ranges from the science behind rockets to how astronauts live in the International Space Station. And finally, the team building exercises that involved a large amount of communication ultimately led us to our first simulated shuttle mission. 
    After learning the acronym-laden lingo, we were assigned a position based on our preferences and skills. In Mission Control, positions such as the Flight Director, FDO, CAPCOM involved launching and monitoring the space shuttle while wearing headsets and pushing important-looking buttons. Inside the shuttle cockpit simulator, the Commander and Pilot were in charge of bringing the shuttle safely back to Earth. The entire mission was three hours long and required a great deal of communication the entire time, especially when malfunctions or “anomalies” tested our crisis-management skills to the limit. In the end, we succeeded in landing our shuttle safely, even though we forgot to deploy the parachutes. Aside from all those activities, we were able to go rock-climbing, watch movie in the IMAX Spacedome, and listen to a presentation by an astronaut who actually graduated from Space Camp (and went to space three times)! 
    Space Camp was a blast (literally). Contrary to popular beliefs, Space Camp was not just learning about shuttles, astronaut training, and the vast universe. As graduates and cadets of Space Academy, we came back home with an increased passion for space and science. We all  left with a tremendous respect for the camp experience, and we would not hesitate to go back again. 



Alton Sterling and Philando Castile: Police brutality and racism
By Sally Jin

​Recently it has come to light that two more innocent black men have been added to the extensive and expanding list of black victims who were unjustly killed by white police: Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, whose back-to-back deaths have shocked and outraged their loved ones and people worldwide.
 
Alton Sterling
Alton Sterling was a 37-year-old black man whom was ruthlessly shot multiple times by white Baton Rouge police officers in Louisiana, on July 5th. At the time he had been selling CD’s in front of a friend’s shop when cops arrived and pinned him to the ground, upon receiving anonymous claims that a man in a red shirt was armed and a danger. Despite his helpless position, the police officers still felt threatened and opened fire, ultimately causing Sterling’s death.
 
Witness shop owner Abdullah Muflahi reported that while Sterling was indeed armed, he had made no move to use his gun on the policemen. Muflahi had filmed the scene, up until he heard the gunshots. He says he didn’t want to show the police the footage in fear they would confiscate and tamper with the evidence. Now, his attorney is filing for the evidence returned, as without a police warrant the tape was taken off the record and therefore was obtained illegally.
 
The two police officers themselves had body cameras but were (conveniently?) dislodged or had fallen during the scene. They are now on paid leave as the investigation continues.
 
Philando Castile 
Within merely 48 hours of the shooting of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile was shot four times in his car by a police officer while his fiancé and her four year old child were with him, in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Immediately his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds began to livestream the scene onto Facebook, and in the video she explains what has happened as the paralysed officer continues to point his gun towards Castile.
 
The three were pulled over initially for an alleged broken taillight, and then upon the officers’ request for ID, Castile reached for his pocket and the policeman shot him. Four. Times. Later Reynolds was taken in custody and separated by her daughter, all whilst crying out for Castile and asking if he was going to die. She states she was not given water or food for that time, even though the video evidently showed her politeness and cooperation towards the police officer that had shot her lover.
 
“[The] law cannot make a man love me, but it can restrain him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important also.” Martin Luther King, in 1966
 
Public Response
Once again protests have risen as crowds gather in the streets to peacefully call for an end to police violence. Public figures have also become outspoken on the issue, including the US president Barack Obama, singer Beyonce, Jay Z, Chris Brown, and other celebrities.

Photo of various celebrities protesting through their art and other means.
  
 
However, the Dallas police shooting evidently showed that for some, peace would not make the strongest point. On July 7th, 14 people were shot during a peaceful protest and ultimately 5 police officers died. Others who were wounded included two civilians and seven policemen. The suspect of the shooting was killed finally after a several hour standoff with the police when they sent in a robot bomb that detonated in front of him. During attempts of negotiation, the suspect voiced his upset with the recent police brutality and black deaths, saying he wanted to “kill white people, especially white police officers.” 
Both President Obama and Hillary Clinton have commented on the shooting.

Photo of Hillary Clinton's tweet: "I mourn for the officers shot while doing their sacred duty to protect peaceful protestors, for their families and all who serve with them. -H" 

New information and details are being worked out as the investigation continues this week.
 
How to Help

• Become Educated: 

• Watch: “A Conversation With My Black Son” 
• For White Americans to learn about race and racism

 

• Donate 

• To the Alton Sterling Family Scholarship page on GoFundMe
• To the Black Lives Matter page

• Get Involved: find/host an event,
• Spread the word. Use your social platform, in conversations, make the issue known.

 
The patience of Americans is diminishing towards the continuing racial prejudice and in the face of such discrimination, their anger does not waiver. The Black Lives Matter movement is gaining momentum with the voice of celebrities, political figures, and everyday citizens becoming louder and clearer. From these efforts we greatly hope and demand to see results that police brutality and racism end now. It needs to stop. Until justice and equality has been truly achieved, America will and should not rest.
This article is dedicated to raising awareness to the serious issue of racism in America, in hopes of achieving justice for all those whom have been victims of police racism and violence. The list of these innocent people goes on and on, but they will not be forgotten. 
 
“If an American, because his skin is dark, cannot eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his children to the best public school available, if he cannot vote for the public officials who will represent him, if, in short, he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place? Who among us would then be content with the counsels of patience and delay?
And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts …will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.”
                        -- John F. Kennedy’s Civil Rights Speech, June 11th 1963
 
Always remember. Never forget.
#BlackLivesMatter
 
Many thanks to these sources for providing accurate information that improve this article. I apologise for any incorrect citations.
 
Photos: Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Beyonce list
(Photos will be uploaded soon)



​Five Things You Need To Know
By Rebekah Christensen
 
Hey, you.  Have you ever stepped on a snail?  The answer is probably yes.  If you happen to have really big feet or are in a particularly bad mood and the snail is lucky, it will die right away.  However, if it doesn’t die right away you have just condemned it to a slow, painful death, and now there are five things you need to know.

1. Snails need certain moisture levels to survive.

When drip drops of water start to splatter onto the cement, we move faster, dashing for cover, umbrellas blooming over our heads.  We hate to get wet, but snails love it.  When the storm ends and puddles litter the street, snails come out of their hiding places to play in the water (if you call moving extremely slowly along the wet ground playing).  If you step on a snail their shell cracks open and they dry out until they’re dead, which is not a fun way to die.  And while we’re on the topic of not-fun-ways-to-die: seeing a snail fizzle up when you put salt on it might seem cool to you, but it’s not cool to the snail when all of the moisture in its body gets sucked out.  This is why snails like to hang out at night and in the early hours of the morning among the dewdrops of dawn, and why they quit being social recluses on cloudy days.  At least they have a good excuse for having no social life.

1. We drink milk to get calcium.  Snails eat corpses*.

*Not actual corpses, but it’s still creepy.
We need calcium to make our bones strong enough to keep us from collapsing, and our teeth strong enough to eat things other than applesauce.  Snails also need calcium.  They don’t have bones, but they need to keep their shells strong, which are made up mostly of calcium carbonate.  When baby snails first hatch, they eat the egg they just came from to get a boost of calcium.  And if that isn’t creepy enough, they also eat the shells of dead snails.  At least they don’t have to hire a catering service for funerals.  Snails need their shells to be strong because all of their major organs, such as their heart and lungs, are inside of and protected by their shell.  When you step on a snail and break its shell, all of its organs become exposed.  With its heart unprotected, it now has a much higher chance of falling in love with a snail that’s only going to break its heart.

1. Not all snails are small garden pests, and none are insects.

Snails are gastropods.  Gastropods also include slugs (aka naked snails–and no, slugs are not worms).  Gastropods are remarkably diverse, with the second largest number of species after insects.  There are an estimated 80,000 different species of gastropods.  There are three main types of snails: land snails, freshwater snails, and sea snails, and of just land snails over 35,000 species exist.  One of the most common lands snails is the garden snail (cornu aspersum), and the largest land snail is the giant African snail (achatina fulica), which grows to around 20 cm.  If you think that’s big for a snail, there actually exists an even bigger sea snail.  The Australian trumpet snail (syrinx aruanus) grows to around 90 cm and can weigh up to 18 kilos!  Stepping on any of these thousands of species will condemn that snail to slow and painful death (except you’d have to have pretty large feet to step on the Australian trumpet snail).  And we can’t forget about slugs; obviously stepping on a slug will also result in its death.  Why does everyone forget about slugs?  What has the world come to, discrimination based on possession of a hard, brown, twisty spiral?

1. Snails are not hermits (although they arguably are antisocial).

Many crabs are hermits.  They shuffle across the sand in search of something to protect them, a temporary home.  When they find they can no longer hide from their troubles in the cool crevices of their shell, they must say goodbye, click clacking across the ocean floor, forever scavenging for the comfort of a smooth sanctuary.  Snails, however, are born with their shell.  A snail’s shell is its home, its armor, its protection from danger, and its individuality all in one.  It’s a shelter, a safety that they never outgrow.  It also has the nice feature of allowing the snail to hide when it doesn’t feel like carrying on an awkward conversation, and it makes the silent treatment considerably more effective.  Snails can mend small cracks or holes in their shell, but if you step on a snail and break its shell it can’t ever be fixed and the snail can never get a new one.

1. Snails don’t have restrictive gender norms.

Yes, snails are significantly more tolerant than humans (except for the shell-ist ones that hate on slugs), as they embrace diversity and don’t have any gender roles.  This is partly because they can’t eat bread, and partly because they don’t actually have genders.  Snails are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive organs, and can all get pregnant and lay eggs.  Of course there are some exceptions, as one would expect with such an immense number of species, for example, freshwater apple snails (pomacea bridgesii) are not hermaphrodites.  Still, it doesn’t matter whether a snail’s favorite color is the pink of an apple blossom or the blue of a forget-me-not.  We shouldn’t look down on snails so often, because they are actually a great deal more inclusive than humans (and they also reproduce in a much more interesting way–but you can go look that up if you really want to know the details).
 
Stop stepping on snails and start following their example.
            Drink enough water, get a daily dose of calcium (from normal sources; don’t start trying to eat human teeth or snail shells), embrace your differences, take care of your body because it’s the only one you’ll ever get, and accept others for who they are.  Also, don’t forget about slugs.  Shell discrimination is ridiculous.
            And next time you’re about to step on a snail, remember these five things and then imagine how you would feel if a giant snail stepped on you.

The start of the 2015-2016 school year marks the addition of not only new students to our community, but new staff members as well. A total of 13 teachers are new to our SAS Pudong staff this year. They come from locations ranging from North Carolina in the States to Bamako, Mali. They had a little bit they wanted to share about themselves:
Mr. James Young: Grade 9 Chemistry/Physics, AP Chemistry. Hailing originally from Florida, Mr. Young was at the very small American International School of Bamako in Mali, West Africa, before coming to Shanghai. “Back in Bamako, I was the entire science department,” Mr. Young says. “I’m still adjusting to the bigger classes and more laid-back atmosphere, but I’m excited to teach such driven students this year.”
Dr. Celeste MacMillan: General Chemistry, IB Chemistry Y1/Y2. Coincidentally from the same county as Mr. Young back in the Sunshine State, Dr. MacMillan taught in South Carolina for 5 years before coming to Shanghai. Although she is still adjusting to life where driving is not the main mode of transportation, she is enjoying her first international experience so far. “We’re really happy to be here and excited to know everyone and see what China has to offer,” she says. “I have no regrets, and SAS has made it such an easy transition.”
Mr. Scott Lassey: Grade 9 Counselor. A brand new position in the counseling department calls for a brand new counselor. Friendly Mr. Lassey joins the SAS staff as the counselor for all Freshmen students. Originally from California, he spent the last 6 years in Dubai, and is approaching Shanghai and SAS with an enthusiastic attitude. He is looking forward to coaching JV Girls Softball, touch rugby, and Ultimate this year, as well as establishing a peer counseling program.
Ms. Debra Krzesowaik: Asian History, World History, AP Comparative Government. Originally from Arizona, Ms. Krzesowaik starts her first international school experience this year at Shanghai American School Pudong. Although she got a bit of a late start, she is working to settle into the community and excited about what the year has to offer.
Mrs. Darlene Roy: Grade 10 Biology, General Environmental Sciences, AP Environmental Sciences. Mrs. Roy isn’t new to China like most of the other new teachers. Although she is originally from the green state of New Hampshire, she was in Guangzhou before coming to Shanghai. Excited to experience Shanghainese culture she says “I have no Chinese language abilities, so instead I’m going to learn how to cook Chinese food! I already know how to cook really nice wanton.” A positive person, she also added that “I believe what goes around comes around. Just be the good that gets passed on, and it will come back to you in a million ways.”

Mr. Brady Riddle: English 9, AP Literature. From Texas to Oman to Chapel Hill, Mr. Riddle and his family have lived in places far and wide. “I think I was TCK before TCK was cool,” he muses, “Life as an international school teacher is like a childhood dream come true for me.” Loving life in the mega-city of Shanghai, he is excited about what the school year at SAS and Shanghai in general has to offer.
Mrs. Shawna Hampton-Riddle: Grade 10 Biology, General Biology, AP Biology. The other half of the Riddle team, Mrs. Hampton-Riddle enjoys photography and biology. “I try to keep an open mind about what experiences I might have here,” she says. “There’s a language challenge here, because there were more English speakers in Oman. I’m having a more difficult time getting around with the language, but I’m excited for the great new adventure of Shanghai.” She will be coaching JV girls soccer this year.
Mrs. Katherine Spry: Introduction to Drama, Introduction to Theatre, Stagecraft, IB Theatre. Mrs. Spry has lived many places, starting in Kansas, and going to Turkey, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and Dubai, and finally ending here in Shanghai. Although she is still adjusting to the air quality problem Shanghai has, she is excited to be here. She is sponsoring the high school play, the musical, organizing APAC theatre, and hopes to work with the Shanghai Student Film Festival come March. “Come watch the Night of the Living Dead,” she says. “It’s gonna be great.”
Mrs. Carol Pollock: Grades 10-12 Counselor. Managing Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, Mrs. Pollock is one of the new additions to the counseling team this year. She is originally from Vancouver, Canada, and coming to SAS is her first time in Asia. “I’m enjoying it here,” she says. “I’m excited to photograph and take bike rides through the city.” She is coaching JV Volleyball, sponsoring the Fashion Club and the University Ambassadors Club, and handling making costumes for the high school play. “It’s been great so far. Everyone is welcoming and embracing.”
Mr. Christian Ogle: Grade 9 Chemistry/Physics Lab, IB Biology (Year 1). Mr. Ogle is originally from North Dakota, but came to Shanghai from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His transition to SASPD marks the start of his second international experience. “I like it here,” he says, “but I haven’t had a chance to see the city much yet. I want to explore more in the future.” Mr. Ogle isn’t sponsoring any clubs yet, but is hoping to bring an activity from his old school to SAS. Combining art and science, this trip lets students draw while diving underwater.
Mr. Andrew Melton: Band, Choir, IB Music and Composition. From Arkansas to Boston to Japan to Los Angeles to Morocco to Peru, Mr. Melton has definitely seen a lot of different places. Excited to be in what is the “New York City of Asia,” Mr. Melton says that he is getting settled in nicely, but was surprised at the expat bubbles present in Shanghai. “I’m in charge of a lot this year, including Tri-M and Jazz Band,” he says. “I’m busy, but happy.”
Miss. Sarah Boss: French. Originally from Philly, Miss. Boss has lived in Paris and Argentina, and has studied in Mexico, Spain, Israel, and Columbia. “I’m only teaching French at SAS, but before I’ve always taught both French and Spanish,” she says. Miss. Boss says that she loves the variety of food in Shanghai, and the copious amounts of rice and noodles. Outside of class, she plays violin, and loves salsa dancing, baking chocolate chip banana bred, and traveling the world. “I’ve lived in many places, but this is the first time I’ve been in Asia,” she says. “I’m excited to be here, exploring Asia and meeting everyone at Shanghai American School.”
Miss. Mary Ewald: EAL, Grade 9/10 Academic Literacy, EAL Flex. With 27 years of EAL experience, Miss. Ewald is a great addition to the SASPD staff this year. Bouncing between California and Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Korea) for years before, Miss. Ewald’s new adventure is in Shanghai. She has helped uprooted children adjust language-wise everywhere she’s been, with migrant worker’s children in California, and the international community in Asia. This year, she’s a co- advisor of the Prom Committee and of GIFTS, and is organizing a pen-pal exchange between GIFTS local students here and Californian students back home.

by Katherine Ni ’16. Images by Christabella Tan ’19.