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ISHCMC American Academy Participates in Terry Fox Run 2013

Sports News Luu Nguyen Phuc & Nguyen Tuan An ISHCMC American Academy students and faculty have the opportunity to sup-port cancer research by taking part in the annual Terry Fox Run on November 24th. The run will start near Crescent Mall in District 7. Registration is at 7am and the event starts at 8am. The total distance is 5km.

Who was Terry Fox? Terry Fox was born on July 28, 1958 and he died on June 28, 1981, just one month before his 23rd birthday. He was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. He lost his right leg in 1977 after he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). In 1980, with one artificial leg, Terry Fox embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Terry Fox died on day 143, after 5,730 kilometers. However, his efforts re-sulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy.

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Middle School Basketball The boys' middle school basketball team is hav-ing a strong season. On Oct 23rd, they won a match against ISHCMC with a final score of 37 to 10. On Oct 24th, they obliterated the American International School team with a final score of 47 to 26. Bui Thinh Khang (Kenny) has the record of scoring the most points in a single game. Congrats boys!

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Student spotlightMiddle School

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High School

He has been a classroom leader and a motivated

student.

Kenny was also last year’s winner of the Principal’s Sun Bear Award, and he is an ac-tive member of the middle school basketball team.

Le Hong An (Amanda 7A)

Mr. Russell is a great teacher, who engages and holds the attention of stu-dents in all discussions. He establishes clear objectives for each lesson and

works those specific objectives during each class. He has thorough knowledge of the school’s curriculum and other standards to uphold in the classroom.

Students of the Month Students of the Month

Teacher of the Month

What Teavhers are Saying

Bui Thinh Khang (Kenny 8B)

Student Talk

Mr. Matthew Russell teaches English Language Arts for grades 10 and 11. Here’s why he was award-ed October’s Teacher of the Month title: Mr Russell has a deep passion and commitment for English Language Arts education. He under-stands that what happens in the classroom comes first, and he is able to meet his students wherev-er they are at intellectually and academically. He challenges them not only to understand the many nuances of literature, but also to reflect deeply on themselves and the world. I’ve been impressed by his ability to simultaneously challenge his students and build genuine rapport and trust with them.

Le Hoang Phuong Linh(11A)

Nguyen Khuong Duy (10A)

This is Amanda’s first year here at AA and she smiles everyday, tries to speak in English and volunteers to answer many times during homeroom and Life Sci-

ence. She is a great model for all those shy students

that struggle with speaking English everyday.

What Teavhers are Saying What Teavhers are Saying

What Teavhers are Saying

Linh is very focused in class. She is always willing to help

out her classmates to un-derstand some pretty chal-lenging Computer Science

topics, even the boys!

Linh is also a member of Reverberations staff.

Duy has taken a new stu-dent under his wing and is leading her through some pretty challenging Graphic Design processes. He has

shown patience and under-standing. Shame he never

speaks English in class unless it is singing to an

Eminem song!

For this month’s Meet the Teacher in-terview, Reverberations staff members Chu Thi Tra My and Nguyen Ngoc Hoang An had a chat with Mrs. Kealy McCleery, the new Biology teacher at ISHCMC American Academy.

First of all, welcome to Vietnam! We know you just arrived in Au-gust, but can you tell us about one memorable moment that you have experienced here? I have only been here for three weeks, but the most memorable experience was a couple of Saturdays ago. We went venturing and got caught in the big rainstorm. We were outside, I think we were in the District 2, but I’m not sure. We just kind of waited it out. We saw the whole street flood; a whole bunch of little bicyclers then their pushed bikes. People kept on biking, and they got splashed by passing buses. The waves got up so high that some people were playing in the water.

Meet the Teacher:Do you have a favorite dish or food you’ve eat-en during your travels? I think my most favorite dish is Pad Thai in Thai-land. I love the one with chicken in it.

What places have you lived besides Vietnam? And can you speak any other languages? I’ve lived in Washington State, but I can speak Spanish and I studied Russian for one year in college.

If you could own a summerhouse anywhere in the world, where would it be? Describe the place. It would have to be on an island. There wouldn’t be too many people. I would have a little bungalow next to the water so I can hear the waves in the morning and the night. It would also be in a place where I can just go out and go SCU-BA-diving anytime I want to.

So you SCUBA dive? Cool! What is the riskiest or most dangerous thing you have ever done? Jump out from the plane. I’ve gone skydiving six times.

Watch out for next month’s interview with drama teacher Ms. Ingrid Berry. 4

Mrs. McCleery in the Biology lab at ISHCMC American Academy.

What did you want to do for a career when you were a child? Did you have any other jobs before becoming a teach-er? My first dream was to be an actress, then I wanted to be a veterinarian. I didn’t originally want to be a teacher, but for me I don’t think there will be anything besides teaching. I’ve been teaching for ten years now and I’ve started to love it. If I could change careers, I’d probably want to do something around pharmaceuticals to make more money!

Describe yourself as a teenager. What did you wear? Who did you hang out with? What kind of music did you listen to and why? I was a little gothic (at least that is what they call it now). I had at least eight braids in my face. I wore a lot of black

and t-shirts; I rarely wore dresses or skirts. I hung out with the nerdy crowd of peo-ple, the band geeks, most of the time. We watched movies, worked at McDonalds, talked on CB radios, hung out at Shari’s restaurant, and went to football games. The music I liked was alternative: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Violent Femmes, Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction because I liked the variety of grunge music and words of the music -- the beat was fun.

If you had to describe yourself with only three adjectives, what would they be? Enthusiasm, creativity, and spunkiness

Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us!

Kealy McCleery

Photos by Nguyen Ngoc Hoang An (Annie)

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At our Parent Seminar on October 10th, many parents had questions about language proficiency testing and requirements for col-lege applications. Here is an overview of lan-guage proficiency as it relates to international student admission to universities and colleges abroad.

What is language proficiency and Require-ments for College Admission?

Higher-education institutions want to know that your student can use the English language well enough to undertake academic studies in English. Different schools have different re-quirements, so the plan that your child follows to show language proficiency will be different based on where he or she plans to apply.

TOEFL and IELTS both test English language proficiency. The areas tested are speaking, reading, writing and listening. Unlike the SAT, these tests do not measure academic ability. They only test English language skills. This is why these tests are considered English lan-guage proficiency tests.

Scenario #1: Language proficiency tests not required

Many schools will waive the requirement for TOEFL or IELTS if the student has demonstrat-ed English language proficiency in another way. Some examples:

• The student has completed at least two successful years of study at an accredited international school where the language of instruction is English. Because ISHCMC Ameri-can Academy is accredited by CIS and NEASC, some colleges and university automatically will waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement. A smaller number of schools will waive the test-ing requirement with an individual note from the School Counselor that verifies the student’s

ability to study in English.

• The student has scored well on the Critical Reading portion of the SAT. Specific scores vary by school. For example, the University of Washington will waive language proficiency test requirements if the applicant has “achieved academic success in high school level English writing or literature courses and has attained a minimum SAT Critical Reading score of 550.” This means that ISHCMC American Academy students who study English Language Arts and achieve a 550 on their SAT Critical Reading DO NOT need to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score with their application.

• The student has scored a 3 or higher on AP English Language & Composition OR AP English Literature and Composition. ISHCMC American Academy offers the AP Literature course for ac-ademically qualified grade 11 students, and the AP Language course for academically qualified grade 12 students.

• The student has demonstrated success with a C grade or better in our Syracuse University college writing course, Writing 105: Principles of Academic Writing. Several college admissions representatives that I have met with have agreed to waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement when a student submits his Syracuse University tran-script that includes a grade of C or better in Writing 105.

None of the above options are official “lan-guage proficiency tests,” however if a student is able to succeed in these areas (college-level composition through Syracuse University, AP English, SAT scores, rigorous study at an accred-ited international school), then the student has already proven his ability to study in English.

Scenario #2: Language proficiency tests re-quired

In other cases, a TOEFL or IELTS score will still be required. Which test should your child take?

Mrs. Heather Carreiro

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All About TOEFL, IELTS and Language Proficiency

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All About TOEFL, IELTS and Language Proficiency

The TOEFL is used primarily in the United States. If your child’s GPA is below a 2.5 and he wants to study in the US, I recommend he take the TOEFL because this will most likely be required by community colleges and less se-lective four-year schools in the US. If a student cannot prove English proficiency using the methods outlined above, it is best for him to sign up for the TOEFL in the spring or summer of his Grade 11 year.

Things to know about TOEFL:

• The test scores are valid for two years. • Over 9,000 institutions in 130 countries ac-cept TOEFL scores. • Registration cost in Vietnam is $160.• The test takes 4 hours.• Upcoming tests dates are Nov 9th, Nov 17th and Nov 24th• In December, TOEFL test dates are Dec 7th, Dec 15th and Dec 21st • Scores are given out of 120. • Scores are available 10 days after the test date.

You can take the TOEFL through IIG Vietnam in District 10.

IIG VIETNAM JSCNo. 3, 3 Thang 2 Road

Ward 11 District, 10 – HCM CityVietnam

Email: saigon@iigvietnam.comPhone: (84 8) 3929 2633/34

Website: www.toefl.com.vnWebsite: www.iigvietnam.com

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IELTS is a UK-based language proficiency exam. If you plan to apply to a larger public university or a competitive private school with a significant international student population, chances are that they will accept IELTS.

Things to know about IELTS:

• The test scores are valid for two years. • Over 8,000 organizations in 135 countries accept IELTS scores. • Registration cost is 3.2 million VND. • The test takes 2 hours and 45 minutes. • There are two versions: Academic and Gen-eral. Students need to take the Academic version. • Upcoming test dates are Nov 9th, Nov 16th, Nov 24th and Nov 30th. • In December, IELTS testing is offered Dec 7th, Dec 12th, Dec 14th and Dec 21st. • Test reports come 13 days after you sit the exam. • Results are given out of a 9-band scoring system.

There are two IELTS testing locations in HCMC:

British Council Ho Chi Minh City25 Le Duan, District 1Tel: 84-8-38232862

Email: ielts.hcmc@britishcouncil.org.vn

IDP Education - Test Centre 33 Mac Dinh Chi Street. District 1

Tel: 84 8 39104 205Email: info.hcmc@idp.com

Web: vietnam.idp.com

Food Feature: Bun Cha Ca Da NangChu Thi Tra My

For over 40 years, one restaurant in cen-tral Da Nang has been making traditional fish cake noodle soup that still retains the sweet flavor of the broth and a strong appealing flavor of fish cakes. To get its signature taste and quality in this fish cake noodle bowl, the manager pays great attention to the choosing raw materials and processing. Fish are pur-chased from selected stations in the morning, the bones are filtered out to cook the broth. Making the soup stock takes a few hours, until the fish bones have given flavor to the broth. Then, the cook takes the fish bones out and adds pineapples, tomatoes, bamboo shoots, and pickles to create a natural sweetness. The minced meat is for making the cha, fresh fish cakes. The special thing here is that the cha is made from fresh raw fish without adding any additional powers or flavors. When the soup is served, you just add a little bit of lemon, pepper, seasoned shrimp sauce, and chilies you like it hot. Then you can enjoy a bowl of delicious noodles and fried fish cakes. Once you have eaten this dish, you’ll have no chance to forget the taste.

Where to eat it in DaNang:

109 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Quận Hải ChâuTp. Đà Nẵng

Make it Yourself!

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Ingredients To make the rolls (cha)300g fish fillet 200g Basa fish fillet 100 g lard1 chicken egg. 1 TB flour1 TB oil ½ TB salt½ TB pepper½ TB sugar 1 minced purple onion

To make the brothPig’s tibia100 g pumpkin cut to about 4x5cm 10 cabbage leaves, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped1/4 ripe pineapple, thinly choppedRaw shrimp2 TB fish sauce½ TB salt1TB all-purpose seasoning 2 TB sugarLettuce, basilOther green herbs as desiredVietnamese spice blend

Photos by Nguyen Ngoc Hoang An

Recipe Making the fish cakes (cha) 1. Chop fillet of basa fish, then grind it. Chop lard into small pomegran-ate seed-sized bits and mix egg together with flour.2. Mix together the basa fish, lard, eggs and flour with oil, salt, pepper, sugar, and minced purple onion. Mix thoroughly. 3. Apply cooking oil to hands, divide and knead the dough into small balls with diameter of 5 cm and 1 cm thick. Deep-fry the fish balls in boiling oil over a large flame until the pieces turn red-yellow. You can also steam the fish balls if you want to eat less fat.

Making the broth1. Boil the pork bone in water 2. Peel and wash the pumpkins, slice it about 4x5cm. Add pumpkin to broth.3. Slice cabbage into size of ½ of human hand. Then add cut toma-toes, thinly sliced pineapple and put it all into the pot

4. Rinse shrimp in cold water to de-posit the sediment and get the water out. Then add this water into the pot of broth. Add 2 TB of shrimp sauce, ½ tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of seasoning (what kind of seasoning?), 2 tablespoons of sugar, and add all the vegetables. Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes. 5. Add the fried cha in and cook addi-tional 20 to 30 minutes,

Note: You can use mackerel or tuna to replace the cha. Marinate it with sauce, salt, pepper, and minced onions. Cook fully before adding to soup stock. Then simmer for a few minutes to integrate the flavor of the broth with the fish.

Serving Place some rice vermicelli in the bowl. Pour over broth with cha or fish slices into the soup. Remember to have a delicious dish, you have to keep the soup hot!

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Students’ Favorite Activities in Phan Thiet 1. Orienteering race (hiking) 2. Mui Ne orienteering sand dunes 3. BBQ and campfire at the beach 4. Collective sports on the beach 5. Ke Ga Lighthouse visit10

Ke Ga lighthouse, built in 1899 is the oldest lighthouse in Southeast Asia. It is also the high-est such structure at nearly 65 meters tall. All materials to build the lighthouse were shipped from France as it was built during colonial times. Ke Ga Cape was considered an import-ant location in the coastal region from Phan Rang to Vung Tau.

The focal point of the mountain is the spec-tacular statue of Buddha entering a state of rest, the final nirvana of enlightened beings. Built in 1963, the statue is 11 meters high and extends for 49 meters. The statue is located in the Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda.

11 Photos by Jake VuText by Pham Thi Thai An & Bui Khanh Linh

Nha Trang : Grades 8 & 9

One teacher noted that the pagoda and cathedral vis-it “really got the kids talking and sharing ideas. It was good to see the open dialogue. Many students had been to either a pagoda OR a church, but not both. The experience raised questions and got students thinking.”

According to another trip chaperone, one of the best outcomes of the trip was the student bond-ing: “I saw a lot of changes from Day 1 to Day 4 in regard to how the students related to each other, and I saw some solid connections being made with some of the quieter students. After returning to school, I can already see how the classroom dy-namics have changed in a positive way because the students have new connections. Eating meals with the students was another memorable activity. It was great getting to know them on a different level.”

Nha Trang is a popular tourist destination in Vietnam. The gorgeous sea dominates the view, and the natural hot springs and mud baths nearby offer the opportuni-ty for some amazing memories. Last but not least, from Nha Trang you can visit Vinpearland amusement park, an example of Vietnam’s modernization.

Nguyen Tich Thien & Nguyen Le Bao Ngoc

Vinpearland is a major project of JSC Vinpearl Tourism and Trader. The amusement park was established in 2001. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting Vinpearland’s Under-water World, an aquarium with over 300 different aquatic species. 12

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Nguyen Thanh An & Nguyen Hai Nguyen

Escaping the hectic lifestyle of Saigon, the 10th graders of ISHCMC American Academy trav-eled to the Mekong Delta area and experienced the serene environment of the warm-hearted local people.

For the first time in their lives, the students got to experience the real taste of the harsh and tiring works that are part of the locals’ daily lives. This included rowing boats, catching mud fishes with bare hands, cooking various local dishes like Banh Khot, and planting around 40-50 tropical fruit trees for a local farm in just only 5 hours!

One would imagine those works to be dreadful and gruesome, but laughter were always in the air because as reported, everyone had a great time together, and the students even held small activities like mini games after a hard day of work. Not only that, they also got to visit the fac-tory where coconut toffees and puffed rice were made, AND got the chance to hold a gigantic python. Don’t worry; the snake was domesticated and nobody got strangled! Coming back after four days of pure hardship but fun, the bonds between the students were strengthened, making them each other’s second family now.

Memorable Moments: 1. Catching fish the traditional way 2. Rowing a boat for the first time 3. Having free time at the home stay 4. The whole trip!

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Trốn thoát khỏi cuộc sống sôi động ở Sài Gòn, các học sinh Khối 10 của ISHCMC American Academy đã đi về Vĩnh Long , thuộc khu vực sông nước ở Vĩnh Long, và đã có nhiều trải nghiệm đáng nhơ với những người dân thân thiện.

Lần đầu tiên trong đời, họ đã được nếm mùi khó khăn và mệt nhọc của cuộc sống đời thường nơi đây, như chèo thuyền, bắt cá bằng tay dưới bùn và nấu những món ăn địa phương như Banh Khot, và quan trọng nhất là, trồng khoảng 40-50 cây chôm chôm cho một trang trại địa phương chỉ trong 5 giờ đồng hồ! Đối với mọi người, đây có vẻ là một công việc khó khăn và đầy cực nhọc, nhưng tiếng cười luôn vang vọng trong bầu không khí vì mọi người đã có một khoảng thời gian vui vẻ, và học sinh luôn tổ chức những trò chơi nhỏ sau một ngày làm việc vất vả.

Không chỉ thế, họ còn được tham quan nhà máy nơi sản xuất kẹo dừa và cơm cháy, và, có cơ hội đến gần một con trăn khổng lồ nhưng hoàn toàn vô hại. Sau chuyến đi 4 ngày tuy đầy khó khăn nhưng vui nhộn, các học sinh đã trở nên gắn bó và đoàn kết hơn, giúp cho mọi người trở thành những thành viên trong gia đình nhỏ ở ISHCMC American Academy.

Nguyen Thanh An & Nguyen Hai Nguyen

Memorable Moments: 1. Catching fish the traditional way 2. Rowing a boat for the first time 3. Having free time at the home stay 4. The whole trip!

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Photos : Hai Van Pass, hiking at Marble Mountain, Duy & Ha planting vegetables, Trang waters the garden, looking good in our farmer outfitsHình ảnh: Qua đèo Hải Vân; Leo núi Ngũ Hành Sơn; Duy & Hà trồng cây; Trang tưới cây;Mọi người nhìn rất đẹp mắt trong bộ đồ nông dân

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Grade 12 Field Trip: Food, Culture & History

Photos: Beach games, Ha’s success with vegetable carving, our new plants, Tien & Ngan look over the Hai Van Pass, tug of war, eating at Red Bridge Cooking School, biking in the rain, Mr. Swanson & Calvin make banh xeoTrò chơi trên biển; Hà tỉa rau củ thành công; Cây mới trồng của chúng tôi; Tiên & Ngân nhìn qua đèo Hải Vân; Kéo co; Ăn tối ở lớp học nấu ăn; Cầu Đỏ, Đạp xe đạp trong mưa; Thầy Swanson & Calvin làm bánh xèo.

This year, the senior class went to Da Nang, Hoi An and Lang Co Beach to create memorable moments togeth-er. This trip was successfully organized and everyone was satisfied in spite of the rain. We even had to wear raincoats while biking around Hoi An, but most of us still loved it!

We tried different local foods such as Bun Cha and Cao Lau. We climbed Marble mountain, learned about the temples at My Son Sanctuary, practiced making some traditional foods like Banh Xeo, and studied the process of planting organic vegetables. According to our trip survey, the senior class most enjoyed biking around Hoi An team-building activities at Lang Co Beach.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoang An

Grade 12 Field Trip: Food, Culture & History Năm nay, Lớp 12 đã có dịp đi Đà Nẵng Hội An để cùng nhau trải qua những kỉ niệm đáng nhớ. Chuyến đi này đã được tổ chức thành công, tất cả mọi người đều rất hài lòng dù nhiều lúc trời đổ mưa. Mọi người đều được thử nhiều món ăn địa phương như Bún Cá, Cao Lầu, và còn nhiều nữa. Ngoài ra, cả nhóm phải mặc áo mưa trong lúc đạp xe vòng quanh Hội An, và mọi người đều yêu thích trải nghệm này.

Chúng tôi đã leo núi Ngũ Hành Sơn, đi học về thánh địa Mỹ Sơn, học cách làm Bánh xèo Hội An, học cách làm sau sạch, và chơi các hoạt động khác nhau trên biển. Một số hoạt động được Lớp 12 quan tâm thích thú nhất là “Đạp xe vòng quanh Hội An” và “Hoạt Động trên Biển”.

Nguyen Ngoc Hoang An

Photos: Beach games, Ha’s success with vegetable carving, our new plants, Tien & Ngan look over the Hai Van Pass, tug of war, eating at Red Bridge Cooking School, biking in the rain, Mr. Swanson & Calvin make banh xeoTrò chơi trên biển; Hà tỉa rau củ thành công; Cây mới trồng của chúng tôi; Tiên & Ngân nhìn qua đèo Hải Vân; Kéo co; Ăn tối ở lớp học nấu ăn; Cầu Đỏ, Đạp xe đạp trong mưa; Thầy Swanson & Calvin làm bánh xèo.

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SAT Vocab Master

Who’s that Baby?

Crossword Trivia

Here is our SAT vocabulary word of the month.

exacerbate (verb) to make a situation worse

Ex: Lying to your teacher after you plagia-rize will only exacerbate the situation.

YOU TRY IT! Email a sentence with the word to news@aavn.edu.vn. First 3 correct uses will earn house points.

Email your guess to news@aavn.edu.vn. The first 3 students to submit the correct answer will get house points.

Across1. In what city is Mr. Russell in the photo on page 3?4. The University of _____ visited from Aus-tralia.6. Which female faculty member has twins? Write her last name here.7. In what month are AP exams?8. What state is Mrs. McCleery from?9. The University of _____ visited from Scot-land.11. On what street can you find the British Council in Ho Chi Minh City?13. What teacher was the winner of the Rock Star Day contest?

Down2. X-Factor-style singing contest to take place Dec 13th.3. Middle school elective taught by Mr. Rogal.4. Which male faculty member has twins? Write his last name here.5. In 1980, Terry Fox was running across what country?10. What did Nguyen Tich Thien dress up like for the Halloween dance?11. What beach did Grade 12 visit during the field trip?12. What lighthouse did Grades 6 & 7 go to during the field trip?20

Hello students and welcome to Letter-Box!

Ask us about study tips, dating, cooking, any-thing! Then, we will post your questions and our

answers in the school monthly newsletter.

Email your questions: news@aavn.edu.vn

Letter Box

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