Category: Features

APAC, News, OpinionLeave a comment

APAC Orchestra 2025: A Reflection on Music, Culture, and Community 

Mimi Yao

By Mimi Yao From November 12 to 16, Brent International School Manila hosted APAC Orchestra, where months of rehearsals and hours of individual practice culminated in a final showcase of versatility and collaboration. Led by conductor Lori Buonamici, the concert repertoire included a selection of baroque suites, cinematic scores by the acclaimed Sunhee Newbold, and a finale featuring lively dances and traditional Filipino ballads.   While all members contributed greatly to the ensemble’s success, standout performers include seniors Charlotte Lai (violinist), Allison Wang (violinist), and William Chen (double-bassist). Even in the midst of college applications, they made time to attend rehearsals and acted as role models for younger peers. Freshman Oliver Wang also demonstrated his virtuoso and dedication by securing first desk in the second violin section.  For returning APAC Orchestra … Continue reading APAC Orchestra 2025: A Reflection on Music, Culture, and Community 

News, Opinion, Teachers' PetsLeave a comment

The Real Teacher’s Pets: Cat Edition

Katelyn Lu

By Katelyn Lu Recent weeks have been PET-icularly rough for SAS students. Some are battling spring allergies while others are FELINE the stress of exam season setting in. PURR-haps, it’s time for a bit of de-stressing to untangle the chaos. PURR-haps, it’s time to meet some Teacher’s pets! The Teacher: Mr. HarrisThe Cat: Gatuno (cat in Spanish)/ catCat’s age: 8Cat’s birthday: “No idea”Cat-BTI Personality: INTJCat’s Hobbies: “Annoying my wife” Fun Facts: The Teacher: Ms. TrnkaThe Cat: Chairman Meow (we love a good pun)Cat’s age: 10Cat’s birthday: May 21st, 2016Cat-BTI Personality: INFJ (very organized—once opened up the KFC bag to get … Continue reading The Real Teacher’s Pets: Cat Edition

Features, Opinion

Student Collectives: An Exploration of Literature Through Film

Nicole Lu

By Nicole Lu The 2025 school year has been, to say the least, very eventful—but not quite in the way one might expect. There has been a multitude of interesting decisions and changes made to the schedule, club rotations, the length of review week, and, of course, the ever-rising cafeteria prices. Aside from these administrative “edits,” there have been changes introduced by teachers, most notably the very welcome and appreciated modifications allowing juniors to take AP Physics C, among other courses. However, not every course has been as popular—or at least as well known. Literature Through Film is a new … Continue reading Student Collectives: An Exploration of Literature Through Film

News, Opinion, Teachers' Pets

Who are the Real Teachers’ Pets?

Katelyn Lu

By Katelyn Lu After months of investigation, Pudong Press and the Cuddles Intelligence Agency (CIA) have made a breakthrough discovery. Teachers across SASPD share a common weakness: their attachment to their pets. The following are profiles of the 5 furry suspects, containing data from various observational studies, MBTI personality tests, and surveys. Caution ⚠️ The following photos may contain dangerous levels of adorableness. Suspect #1. Pancake Owner: Ms. Peggy Age: 6 years Birthday: August 6, 2020 MBTI Personality: Includes SF (Sensing and Feeling) Hobbies: Being around people Fun Facts: She likes only 1 type of toy—her fabric crocodile with a … Continue reading Who are the Real Teachers’ Pets?

Opinion, Teacher Profiles

Teacher Profiles: Michael Crachiolo

Mimi Yao

By Mimi Yao Since becoming an eagle in 2018, Mr. Crachiolo has worn many hats: English 9, AP Lang, and IB Global Politics teacher; Link Crew advisor this school year; and, affectionately, “Mr. C.” Less well known are his former role as the Grade 9 Head of Year and his previous teaching career at the international department of Huashi Fuzhong (华师附中) in Guangzhou. In this interview, Mr. C reflects on the decisions that have shaped his career in education, both at SAS and beyond.  For the previous three years, Mr. C has welcomed freshmen as Grade 9 Head of Year, … Continue reading Teacher Profiles: Michael Crachiolo

Spanish Corner

Luces, Cámara, y sin Acción—Lights, Camera, Without Action

pudongpress

By Ethan Yang Las estudiantes no apagan las luces, y la energía se desperdicia. The students and faculty forget to turn off the lights, and this energy is wasted. En nuestra escuela, “Shanghai American School” (SAS, por sus siglas en inglés), usamos demasiada electricidad cuando no es necesario. Por ejemplo, a veces encendemos las luces artificiales al mismo tiempo que la luz natural entra por las ventanas. Podríamos aprovechar más la luz natural durante el día para ahorrar energía. Tiene un gran impacto en el medioambiente, necesitamos cambiar nuestros hábitos. At Shanghai American School (SAS), we waste lot of electricity … Continue reading Luces, Cámara, y sin Acción—Lights, Camera, Without Action

Spanish Corner

De tu plato a la Basura—From your plate to the trash

pudongpress

By Arthur Heil de Mattos Según la Organización de las Naciones Unidas los hogares de todos los continentes desperdiciaron el equivalente a más de 1000 millones de platos de comida cada día en 2024, mientras 783 millones de personas padecen hambre. El desperdicio de alimentos sigue perjudicando la economía mundial y exacerbando el cambio climático, pero este problema también se presenta en la comunidad de Shanghai American School, (SAS) por sus siglas en inglés. Asimismo, de acuerdo con que lo que se ve todos los días, más de cuarenta platos de comida se desperdician en las cajas azules del primer … Continue reading De tu plato a la Basura—From your plate to the trash

Features

Earth Week Highlights

Stephanie Zhang

By Stephanie Zhang From April 21st to 25th, the service clubs Eco Eagles and Roots & Shoots joined forces to celebrate Earth Week with a weeklong series of engaging, eco-conscious activities. Through creativity, collaboration, and plenty of green spirit, students were inspired to make more sustainable choices in their daily lives. Here’s a look at the highlights: 🍽 Monday: “Meatless Monday” & Earth Day Kahoot -The cafeteria kicked off the week by offering entirely plant-based meals in place of meat. This year’s “Meatless Monday” was met with enthusiastic feedback—many students noted that the vegetarian alternatives were both flavorful and impressively … Continue reading Earth Week Highlights

Features, News

Chicago, Legally Blonde…Spongebob?

Kaylee Huang

By Kaylee Huang The annual school play is a cornerstone of our performing arts program. Instead of a musical similar to last year’s high school production, Legally Blonde, the Performing Arts department has decided to shift to a whole school musical. Under the direction of Ms. Borodenko, the head of the Performing Arts department, the selection of SpongeBob aims to achieve inclusivity, using a more contemporary show to incorporate a younger cast. In an interview, Ms. Borodenko explained the rationale behind choosing a whole school production instead of limiting it to just the high school. The motivation for attempting a … Continue reading Chicago, Legally Blonde…Spongebob?