A newspaper totally done by the Senior Class of #sisgeckos - Saipan International School

1. Upcoming events…
‣ 03/19 Last day of 3rd
Quarter"
‣ 04/07 Beginning of 4th
Quarter"
‣ 04/11 Prance"
‣ 04/17 Musical"
It’s that time of the year when roses
are given to significant others, cute poems
about love are written to one another, and
chocolate is eaten guiltlessly. That’s right
Geckos, Valentine’s Day, otherwise known
as Single Awareness Day or National No-
Diet Day, has arrived! Guys are searching
for a valentine or for flowers or chocolate,
and, girls are searching for a valentine
proposal or for
c h o c o l a t e .
Likewise, I am
searching for a
movie to watch
on Netflix…and
c h o c o l a t e .
However, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about
chocolate; it’s about spending time with
your significant other, whether that person
is your boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend,
mom, grandpa, or your dog! After all, what
better way to enjoy chocolate than to share
it with someone you care about?
SIS’ Valentine weekend was quite
eventful with the Varsity Girl’s MISO
Volleyball Championships, Parent’s Night
Out, and Destino Peru Candy Grams (Yay!
More Chocolate!) Aside from school, some
of the students and faculty of SIS spent their
Valentine’s Day going out on romantic
dinners, jogging early in the morning,
watching movies, commiserating with
friends, etc. Others, such as Mr. and Mrs.
Bray, remained within the comfort of their
home and enjoyed the holiday simply by
being together. How sweet! But you know
what is just as sweet? CHOCOLATE!
BY: MINORI YOSHIDA
National No-Diet Day
Friday, January 23, 2015Once a Gecko, Always a Gecko!
Lunar New Years for Geckos
W h a t M a k e s S a i p a n
International School so special?
Diversity. Our community consists of
students and faculty from all around
the world, and today, we celebrated
the Lunar New Year. This occasion
might also be known as Chinese New
Year, or Korean New Year. The
Geckos celebrated this occasion by learning about Chinese
traditions for the New Year, eating “nian gao” ( A traditional
Chinese treat), wrapping and cooking dumplings, and gathering to
watch a lion dance.
The Chinese Association performed a lion dance in the
driveway this morning, kicking off the day. The entire campus
gathered around the driveway as the loud drums and clang of the
instruments began. The lions danced around and performed their
routine and jumped to grab a hanging cabbage, walked over the
high school building and turned around back to the driveway. A
chain of firecrackers were lit and the loud explosions started. Mrs.
Jang, our Mandarin teacher, explained to us that the firecrackers
were meant to “scare away bad luck” with all the noise. The
purpose of lion dances is to scare away bad luck as well.
After watching the performance, “nian gao” and radish
cake were provided for everyone. For many people, it was the first
time they tried the traditional “nian gao”. Most people enjoyed the
sweet treat. Elementary and middle school classes learned to wrap
and cook dumplings with Ms. Marshall. They got first-hand
experience in learning and made their own delicious creations. The
aroma filled the high school building as students from all classes
clustered around trying to fill their stomachs with a few of those
dumplings.
BY: WILLIAM FONG

2. The MISO High School Girls’ Volleyball had
championships on
February 13. The team
ended up getting 2nd
place and lots of
people were surprised
about the result. One
member of the team
said, “The results were
so unexpected! So
many people, including
members of the team
didn’t have enough
faith that we would
make it to the finals but
we did! And we played
r e a l l y w e l l . ”
F u r t h e r m o r e , o n e
senior member of
Varsity team expressed
her feeling about her last volleyball game at SIS, “It was a
nice way to end my final season.” However, several were sad
about the end of the season. SIS is famous for having a great
volleyball team with great results from their games, and the
team was well prepared for the championships. I myself have
several friends who joined MISO Volleyball and the team
always works hard for the school. The volleyball practice
seems hard for me but the team was showing great effort on it.
Despite their schoolwork, the team spent lots of times
practicing for the school. Their efforts were made clear in the
championships with an unanticipated result. Even though I
can’t see next year’s Volleyball Championships here at Saipan,
I’m looking forward next year’s results!
BY: ESTHER JIN JOO
Final Results of MISO Girls
Volleyball Championship
!
The SIS Boys Varsity basketball team started
off the season great, with a win over MBA about a
month ago. The team consists of six freshmen: Isaac,
Timothy, Sophomores: Vince, Daniel, and Carter; two
Juniors: Allen and Quintin; and six Seniors: Chris,
Jehn, Andrew, Bob, Yong Kwang, and Jiabao. The
team practices regularly at the NMC gym from about
3:30 to 5:00. The varsity team is coached by the MAN,
Mr. Steven Beyer, and the wrestler, Mr. Adam Harris.
According to junior player Quintin Ramsey: “We have
a lot of inexperienced players, but we also have a few
experienced players on the team. With hard work and
practice, I believe the team can make it far and give
every other teams a hard time.” The varsity basketball
team is going into the tournament this Friday with only
two wins, but we are confident because we only lost by
5 points to the second place team, Mount Caramel, and
were competitive with the first place team, Marianas
High School. The SIS Boys Varsity Basketball team
would highly appreciate as much support as they can
get as they start their tournament next Thursday,
February 26.
MISO Boys Basketball
MISO Tennis Tournament
Our school has competed in most of the
Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization’s (MISO)
tournaments for volleyball, basketball, soccer, and golf,
however the new year of 2015 brings attention to
Saipan International School’s participation in the
upcoming MISO tennis tournament.
The tournament will take place on March 21st at
the American Memorial Park tennis courts (shown in the
image below) from 8am to 5pm. Team manager Lydia
Tan explains that “there will be a High School team and
a Middle School team. Each team will consists of 3 boys
and 3 girls. Boys and girls will play one singles match
each, one doubles match and one mixed doubles match.
There will be 9 points for each team to compete. If you
win a match, 1 point goes to the winners however if you
lose a match, no points will be awarded.” Alex Park,
Clayton Izuka, and AJ Hudkins will represent the middle
school boys’ team while Tania Tan, Ami Tsukagoshi, and
Malika Miyawaki represent the middle school girls’
team…
…to be continued on page 3

3. #sisgeckosSaipan International School- MP, 96950
Miso Tennis Tournament…continued from page 2
The high school players include Colin Ramsey,
Micheal Ren, and Luther Lizama to represent the men’s
t e a m , a n d
Isabel Heras,
J u l i a
Ishikawa, and
A d e l e
Hudkins to
represent the
w o m e n ’ s
team. Each student mentioned is an avid tennis player
and has played, or are still playing tennis outside of
school. Not only is our participation in the 2015 MISO
tennis tournament going to be a first, but it will
definitely be exiting.
BY: ANDREW JOHNSON
On February 13, 2015, SIS held its annual
Healthy Heart Walk. Starting at the Kilili Pavilion,
students walked along Beach Road until the turning
point near the tank and walked back to the pavilion.
The perfect sunny weather or just the opportunity
given to spend time with their friends might have
invigorated the students, but they all had happy smiles
on their faces. Miyawaki, a fifth grader, came in first,
and Mr. Beyer came in second. Also, various prizes
were given to the winners of the raffle.
Mr. Bray, the headmaster of SIS, commented,
“The Healthy Heart Walk is a good idea, because it
not only promotes healthy lifestyle but it is also a
good way to fundraise for our school. I am very happy
that we are participating in this kind of event.”
Having a healthy heart can mean having good
health, but it can also mean having a magnanimous
heart and possessing virtues. Although the whole walk
was only about one and a half hours, it helped students
get fit not only physically but also socially by
allowing them to interact with one another in a whole-
school activity. Healthy Heart Walk surely promoted a
“healthy heart” to all SIS students. We look forward to
the next Healthy Heart Walk and many more to come.
BY: JEE HYUN LEE
Geckos on a Walk
I love to read.. In the senior class, I am the one
who usually has my nose in a book. To me, reading is
the best way to escape reality and enter into different
worlds of imagination and fun. It is also a great way to
learn new information or a way to self-educate oneself.
Reading is so important and people need to do it more
often. I know it is difficult to figure out which books
are the best to read, so I am here to suggest three
fantastic books that people should read.
All the books I suggest in this paper are not
only a different variety of books, but they are all books
that are extremely popular and very highly acclaimed.
These books are the books teenagers at SIS have to
read in Mr. Lee’s class and also books that teenagers
should already have read by college.
The first book I am going to
suggest is my favorite is called “The
Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. I
absolutely love “The Kite Runner” and
almost everyone in my class has read
the story. The story is set in chaotic
Afghanistan where the Taliban is in
control of the country. Amir is the protagonist of the
story and he tells a lie that sets the destiny of every
person in the story. The reason why the book is so
popular not only to my class but to the general public is
because it deals with real life events. The book talks
about the problems with the Taliban -- violence, rape,
and racism -- and underneath it all, there is a story
about a boy who is just trying to be a kid and survive. I
asked other people why they liked the story and Sophia
Tenorio said, “I like the story so much because the
situation in the books happens in real life, and the story
is great in educating people on how violent and harsh
the Taliban is in Afghanistan.”
… to be continued on page 4
Best Books to Read in High School
(Take it from an Expert)

4. Best Books to Read …continued from page 3
!
The next book I am suggesting is Shakespeare’s most
famous play, “Hamlet.” This book is a play that everyone
will have to read in their lifetime and if they don’t in high
school, they will have to in college. Hamlet is so famous and
so universal because it’s Shakespeare’s most dramatic play.
Everyone can quote at least six words from the play. The line
“To be or not to be…” is probably the most famous line in
the play and possibly in all literature. It is a literary creation
that focuses on the struggles and personal problems an
individual faces, which is why people can relate to the story.
The play is about a man named Hamlet who has just lost his father, the king
of Denmark, and Hamlet is mad because his mother has just married his uncle
who Hamlet believes killed his father. The audience gets to watch Hamlet
struggle with the question on whether he wants to avenge his father’s
murderer or not. Readers will certainly ask what they would do in this
situation.
The last book I would suggest is a book called “All
the Pretty Horses” by Cormac McCarthy. The book centers
on a boy named John Cole who leaves Texas and ventures
into the harsh environments of Mexico. In Mexico, John
experiences love with a girl, a death of a friend, and violence
towards himself, but when he returns to Texas he is no longer
a boy, but a man. Hatsuko Bearden says, “At first I didn’t
like the story because it was so descriptive and boring, but it
turned out I really liked the story because it is a coming of
age story about a boy who leaves his home, but he returns as a man. I can
especially relate to John Cole because I am in a time of my life where I will
have to leave home soon and go out into the world. Teenagers can definitely
relate to this story.” The story really is a coming of age story and that is why
so many teenagers can relate to it and why I really like the story.
All three of these stories are great books to read. “The Kite Runner,”
“Hamlet,” and “All the Pretty Horses” are books that are always on the list
for best books. All three books are filled with suspense, violence, love, and
happiness so there is never a dull moment in the text. I suggested these books
because all three books are some of my favorite books to read and I could
read them again and again. I would love to hear feedback on the books if
anyone has read them and if people like my suggestions, I can always suggest
more.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE BOOK REPORTS!!
BY: PHALAI FRINK
The pressure is on, an adrenaline
rush occurs and excitement is in the
air; the first step into adulthood
begins for the senior class of SIS,
because COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE
TIME BEGINS. Stress builds up --
more than half the class is nervous
about the process because our grades
and our background ultimately
decides which colleges will accept
or reject us. There is also the sheer
excitement we feel as we hope that
we may get the opportunity to be
accepted into the college of our
dreams. Having already submitted
our applications, the senior class
nervously waits for the college’s
responses. For some seniors, they
have already received some
feedback, good and bad.
College applications are not
difficult to do. They can be time-
consuming and may require you to
do a lot of writing, but overall it is
not an impossible task. Sophia
Tenorio, a senior in SIS, states that
“I didn’t have a hard time applying
to most of my colleges since I
applied through the Common
Application. I had a hard time
writing my essays, and trying to
keep up with the deadlines was
stressful.” The Common Application
is an electronically-based application
that makes life for students much
easier -- instead of filling out
multiple applications, all a student
would need is to fill out the
application once and send it to any
Common App Colleges. For more
information about the Common
Application, please ask Mr.
Tessen…
… to be continued on page 5
College Acceptances

5. The Year of the Sheep, Usher a New
Start
College Acceptances… continued from page 4
The most important advice that could be given to an
upcoming senior would be that procrastinating will get
you nowhere; your workload increases and stress
builds up. FINISH YOUR APPLICATIONS ON
TIME!!!
After all the applications are completed, most
seniors have to wait until March to receive any
feedback. However,
f o r t h o s e w h o
applied early, the
feedback comes
sooner than most. I
have interviewed
two seniors at SIS
and received some feedback from them from schools
they got accepted to. Tiana Ranjo was accepted to
Hawaii Pacific University, University of Redland,
California Lutheran University, Portland University,
and University of the Pacific. Sophia Tenorio was
accepted by Colorado State University in Fort Collins
and University of the Pacific. CONGRATULATIONS
GIRLS! When asked about
their feeling after they were
accepted, both had stated
t h a t t h e y h a d b e e n
“relieved” and “proud” that
all their hard work has paid
off. When asked about being prepared for college,
both students stated that they weren’t really ready to
leave just yet, but they are thrilled at the idea of
becoming something more that they are today.
College may seem intimidating, it may be too
big for some students, too small for the other
populations, and may just seem downright difficult but
that won’t stop anyone. Attending college will benefit
in the future, it’s a stepping stone that is needed to
become someone in society. The rush you get when
you apply to colleges and the extreme excitement you
receive when you get accepted into your first college
will be worth your while. You may experience some
ups and downs, but in the future nothing will be as
praiseworthy as going to college and becoming
someone you have always dreamed of becoming.
BY: HATSUKO BEARDEN
Happy Chinese New
Year, and welcome to the
year of the sheep! In SIS,
the Chinese Association
performed the gorgeous
Lion Dance on Thursday
in celebration of the
Chinese New Year. As a Chinese student, I am very happy to
articulate more knowledge about the Chinese New Year to
others and give them a better understanding to the culturally
profound and influential Chinese culture.
The Chinese New Year is unquestionably the most
important of holidays for all the Chinese people. It is
generally defined as the first day of the first month in the
traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese have a tradition of
using animals to symbolize each New Year and predict a
person’s fortunes. According to the Chinese zodiac, the sheep
becomes the animal of the year of 2015, and so we can also
call this year the year of the sheep. Chinese New Year has a
history of thousands of years and it has an enormous cultural
impact on the people all over the whole Asia, including
Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore,
Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, and Vietnam. With
many myths and traditions, this great cultural event is
continuously inherited by every generation and it
significantly gains its cultural value in China.
Traditionally, the celebrations start from the New
Year’s Eve. Before the celebration, people will usually clean
their houses and decorate them with many traditional Chinese
ornaments like a new year picture, Chinese knots, paper-
cuttings and couplets. By doing these, people believed that
they have completely discarded the bad things of the old days
and start a new year with good luck. The most important part
of the whole celebration is the reunion dinner, which is called
“Nián yè fàn” in Chinese. The people will go back to their
hometowns and celebrate the New Year together with their
beloved families.
The days after the Eve, people will normally visit
relatives and friends, do some shopping, launch fireworks…
!
…to be continued on page 6

6. The Year of the Sheep… continued from page 5
…and watch traditional Chinese shows like the elaborate dragon dances and
fire-eating stunts. There is no doubt that the Chinese New Year is also the happiest
time for the Chinese kids. The elders will give them lots of red envelopes, also
known as “hóng bāo,” which usually contains money, varying from a couple of
dollars to several hundred. They wish the kids would not suffer from any disease
and grow up happily by giving the money (originated from “yā suì qián”, the
money used to suppress the evil spirit).
Getting rid of the unhappy memories you used to have before and planning New Year’s life, we will be able to let
your dreams come true and reach a new climax in your life in this New Year. Hopefully, the coming of the Chinese New
Year will expand the students’ cultural cognition and re-energize the students who are pressured by their workloads.
BY: JIABOAO XU
Are you ready for spring break? Are your plans for
spring break all set or are you still deciding? Mark your
calendars everybody because this year, SIS will have its spring
break from March 19 to April 6. That’s 19 days off from
school! Have you planned anything special? An off-island
vacation? A part-time job? Or… studying for the upcoming AP
exams? Some things a few of our students have planned are
listed to the right:
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However you spend your Spring Break, always keep in
mind to be safe. Yes, have the time of your life, but behave!
This goes out to you teachers too… All your friends and family
at SIS will be waiting to hear your Spring Break stories!
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BY: JEHN JOYNER
SPRING BREAK IS COMING!!
Gio Hur (9th grade):
I’m going to go to Korea to change my visa.
!
Takumi Sugie (11th grade):
I might stay here on Saipan or go to Japan to see my
family.
!
Jabez Sebastian (5th grade):
I’m going to play games everyday.
!
Chris Cepeda (12th grade):
Chew pugua and chill
!
Jiny Yang (12th grade):
What plans? When is Spring Break anyways? Am I
supposed to do anything?
!
Mr. Bray (Headmaster of SIS):
I am going to go visit my family in Montana.
!
Jehn Joyner (12th grade):
I am going to stay on island and spend fun times with
my friends and family because I will be leaving to
college soon.
!
Andrew Johnson (12th grade):
I’m thinking about going to Palau but I’m not sure yet.
!
Hatsuko Bearden (12th grade):
I am going to spend time with my family and volunteer
on island.

7. Happy Birthday, February! A Step Closer to your Purpose
When it is your birthday, you know it is your day. Your head is held a bit higher.
Your smile is much brighter. Your step is a little lighter. Your ambience emits a cheerful
and optimistic light on everyone you encounter. You ultimately feel like the most
special person in the world. And in all honesty, you are. What makes you feel so special
is a faint inkling to the ultimate purpose of your existence. And what is that exactly?
Church of Scotland minister William Barclay said, “There are two great days in a
person’s life - the day we are born and the day we discover why.” We are born on this
earth with a sole purpose that we are unfortunately unaware of until it is either too late
or eventually realized. Although it is unclear for each and every one of us, the
remembrance of the date we are born brightens up our day because we are reminded of
our eventful beginning, the reason why we are put on this earth. The day your mom
struggled is the day that was meant for you to be in this world. Just imagine how much
joy you will feel when you do realize your purpose! So widen that smile and take a bigger bite of that cake because
today is yours!
In February we had a total of ten birthdays in the high school, one in the middle school, and six in the
elementary school. Let us celebrate with our friends and classmates the days that were meant for them and the gradual
approach of the realization of their purposes in life. Congratulations to the birthday celebrants of February, and Happy
Birthday in advance to the ones in March!
BY: TIANA RANJO
Victoria Chentsova – Feb. 3rd
Sean Gille – Feb. 5th
Stephanie Kim – Feb. 6th
Andrea Jean Ranjo – Feb. 7th
Claire Park – Feb. 7th
Aca Xie - Feb. 9th
!
!
!
!
Phalai Frink – Feb. 14th
Shirley Qian – Feb.17th
Sophia Tenorio – Feb. 24th
Thomas Lim – Feb. 25th
En Pa Wang – Feb. 27th
Kana Suzuki – Feb. 10th
Daniel Lim – Feb. 10th
Alex Joo – Feb.10th
P. “Arm” Benchakarn – Feb.11th
Jaden Castro - Feb. 12th
Carter Smith – Feb. 14th

8. The Gecko Times was brought to you by
the students in the Digital Journalism
class taught by Mr. and Mrs. Bray.
!
Supervisors: Mr. and Mrs. Bray
!
News Paper Editor: Joey Nigh
!
News Paper Layout Design:
Nicole Arenovski
!
Writers:
Jia Bao Xu
Hatsuko Bearden
Tiana Ranjo
Minori Yoshida
Jee Hyun Lee
Esther Jin Joo
Chris Cepeda
Jehn Joyner
Phalai Frink
William Fong
Andrew Johnson
Saipan
International
School
!
PO Box. 503121,
Saipan, MP, 96950
Tel: 670 2889660
Headmaster:
tim.s.bray@
gmail.com

9. The Gecko Times was brought to you by
the students in the Digital Journalism
class taught by Mr. and Mrs. Bray.
!
Supervisors: Mr and Mrs. Bray
!
News Paper Editor: Joey Nigh
!
News Paper Layout Design: Nicole
Arenovski
!
Writers:
Jia Bao Xu
Jiny Yang
Victoria Chentsova
Phalai Frink
Hatsuko Bearden
Sophia Tenorio
Lynette Vasquez
Tiana Ranjo
Ivy Yang
Minori Yoshida
Saipan
International
School
!
PO Box. 503121, Saipan,
MP, 96950
Tel: 670 2889660
Headmaster:
tim.s.bray@gmail.com