Month: December 2014

Van Meter’s Unwanted Visitor

Published by

Many of us would like to welcome in guests to have memorable fun times with each other, but the terror brought upon by this strange monster was anything but fun. The beast is little known today, but research by Chad Lewis of almost never-before seen files from the historical records of Van Meter has made it known in his book as the ‘Van Meter Visitor’. Van Meter is a small prairie town in Iowa that has changed little since the 1900s. Everything was simple and quiet for the town, until the visitor showed up and brought up a frenzy of panic and fear.

‘Interstellar’ and ‘Nightcrawler’

Published by

One statement that I can make about Nightcrawler is this: I salute Jake Gyllenhaal. He stars in screenwriter Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut alongside Bill Paxton and Riz Ahmad. Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, an ambitious young man who begins shooting footage of crimes and accidents for a newspaper in the Los Angeles area. When I read what genre of film this was, the word thriller came up, but I can say that this is more than a thriller—it is a pulse-pounding masterwork.

Theatre Troupe Debuts Original Play

Published by

On the 10th and 11th of December, the auditorium opened its doors for the fall play, Have You Heard of King’s Academy?, written and performed by our very own King’s students, under the direction of Mr. Jimmy Morgan. The audience members must have left that night with sore abs and teary eyes, as it was a play that had you laughing at every other line. The play revolves around Maya, played by Maya Abdul-qader ’17, and her struggles in finding and achieving her dream: to study music and theatre. However, her father, played by Talib Kateeb ’15, expects to call her ‘Doctor Maya Abdul-qader’ one day, and thus demands that she keep strict attention to her studies, so that she may grow to be “just like her 18 brothers”—don’t worry, Maya, I know the feeling! As she settles into King’s, Maya begins to deviate from her father’s plans, primarily through her participation in open mic night. Despite her father’s displeasure, she gives an incredible performance, talented enough to bring him to his senses and allow …

Are Koreans Really That Smart?

Published by

I am working on my precalculus homework with my friends. They have questions about problems that they’re having trouble with, so I answer each one with clear explanations. We successfully finish our homework and one of my friends praises me for my math skills. To this, my other friend replies instead of me, as if he is stating an obvious fact, “Because he is Korean.” I hear a lot of “because you are Korean”, and “because you are Asian” from people around campus. It is like an absolute answer to anything I do. Likewise, many people seem to stereotypically consider the intelligence of Asians, especially Koreans, as something we obtain by nature genetically, or as characteristic of the ethnicity. However, these consideration are wrong. In fact, it is the stressful academic environment for schoolchildren in Korea that develops Koreans’ academic skills. Korea is a country where education is heavily emphasized and academic competition take place every single moment between students. Any person from any ethnicity would naturally become academically successful relative to others, if he …

On Affirmative Action and Opportunity

Published by

Odds are if you’re Jordanian or Arab, you’ve stared at the first page of your SAT wondering which little bubble to fill. White? Black? Asian? Other? Pacific Islander would be just as indicative as any of these. But the truth is that little bubble matters. Getting into college is easier for Hispanics and Blacks, even Whites, while it has gotten progressively harder for Asian applicants. But why? Racism? Pseudo-Segregation? Diversity? Forced Integration? Choice E: none of the above. The answer is opportunity. The real formula for getting into college is ability divided by opportunity. The most difficult thing a university can do is line up all of its applicants on a level field, and it does that by contextualizing each applicant, and looking at them with a common denominator. When applicants from the best schools in the world are competing with those who had to maintain a night-shift job as they worked on their physics homework, the field is leveled by considering opportunity. What colleges are actually looking for is how much you do with …

Advantage: Day Students

Published by

To board or not to board? It is a question that almost every day student has considered during their time at King’s. Day students are constantly surrounded by reasons to board, whether it be  increased free time, good preparation  for college, or the lack of a tiring bus drive to and from school. Despite this, 30% of King’s students choose to go home every day, some even after trying boarding life. So what is it that makes day student life a better option for some ? Family time: With many students going abroad to college, our high school years may be the last time we will live with our families. Family quality time is extremely valuable, and the ability to see your family every day often makes up for the drain of a long bus ride. Sometimes a hug from your mom or some fun with siblings is necessary after a stressful day at school. Comfort and food: Regardless of how much a student enjoys boarding life, a high school dorm room can never replace …

Who Are ISIL?

Published by

The rise of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has prompted worldwide outrage, specifically in relation to the use of the word ‘Islam’ in the terrorist organization’s name. “ISIL” is known around the world for its brutality-beheading westerners, killing religious minorities, and enslaving women. Their aim is to ultimately create an Islamic State throughout the region that would operate under strict Sharia law. The Islamist militant group now controls large amounts of land stretching from northern Syria to central Iraq.

Lions Help Fellow Felines on Campus

Published by

It is not a rare occasion to spot cats around campus at King’s Academy, as if to represent the King’s Lions’ spirit. In response, a new project has started on campus: the King’s Academy Fe-Lions. The Rexonian interviewed two of the founding members of the Fe-Lions, Ms. Meghan Metzger and Ms. Monica Matouk, to learn more about it.