April is coming to an end; May will be VERY busy!

This last full week of April has been a busy one, and it does not appear that things will be calming down any until June! :-)  April 30 is the last day that teachers can take their personal days so every day in April someone has been out.  Our elementary permanent substitute, Lori Palmer, has been very busy!  Friday we had three people out; one for her personal day and two for sickness.  Such fun!  I think we were on Plan D! :-)  I was supposed to be involved in OASIS assembly in the afternoon, but that was changed as I needed to help out in the three Chapels and then sub in Dr. Harding's 5th grade music classes all afternoon.  I always enjoy going into the classroom to teach but it was a very busy day.  I usually do not sit down when I teach in Chapel or teach in the classroom so my knees were very tired Friday evening! :-)  Thank you for praying for our staff as we finish this school year!  May is going to be very busy!  We will have our first music concerts in our newly remodeled auditorium!!  I can't wait!  The Cafeteria and Library expansions are nearly complete!  The additional classroom wing is on target for completion sometime this summer.  Then the real fun begins - moving in furniture and getting everything set up for August and the beginning of a new school year!

I am going to highlight a few events that were happening this past week at YISS.

First, on Wednesday we had our monthly Fun Day for Elementary.  It was Class Spirit Day.  Each class was to choose a theme and then dress to represent that theme.  The kids did a great job!  There were detectives, Safari hunters and animals, favorite book characters, royalty characters, teachers, etc.  My favorite was Grade 2A who chose to come as a teacher.  They dressed as a teacher and wore name tags with "Mr. Garrop", "Ms. Simmons", etc.  The class drew names of three people to come as Mr. Lazor (Principal), Mrs. Birmingham (Assistant Principal), and Mr. Garman (Assistant Principal).  They were so cute!  I think you will enjoy their pictures.  Everyone loved them.

Here I am with the three who were the hit of the day!  From left to right three students from 2A who portrayed the Elementary Principals: "Mr. Lazor", "Mrs. Birmingham", and "Mr. Garman".  They are so cute!

Above to the left is Ms. Simmons in Grade 2A.  Can you guess what era she would like to have taught in?  To the right are two of my buddies from Grade 5B dressed as Albert Einstein!

Above are some of the cherubs from 1A who were going on a Safari!  Some were animals and some were the Safari travelers!

Above to the right is a group from 1B who were representing royalty!  To the right is my friend, Ben, with his face painted.  An amazing paint job of his face!

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Second, our very active PTO began its Community Art Project!  This is a major undertaking and so exciting! It involves all of the students in the entire school!  The following is a statement from the PTO concerning this project:

"The PTO Music and Art Committee (MAC) is pleased to unveil the winning composition for YISS PTO community art project, "Home Away from Home." Middle and high school students were invited to submit a composition of Seoul landmarks for the project.  Last week, 75 teachers, staff and PTO members voted to select the winning composition drawn by Susanna Yun (Grade 12).  

The MAC team has redrawn the composition on 40 square sheets measuring a total of 3.75 meters tall and 6 meters wide.  From April 22-26, K-12 students, parents, teachers and staff will work together to color the colossal piece using oil pastels.  The finished artwork will then be scanned, printed on 1,000 ceramic tiles and then installed as a permanent display in the main lobby!"

I wish I could show you all of the 10 selections chosen as finalists.  The students did an amazing job!  I am going to show the winning selection and some of the elementary students working on their section of the massive project.  You will see some of the PTO volunteers who have been working MANY hours to work with teachers and classrooms to get times for students from each grade to paint their portion of this amazing work!  I am so excited about it and cannot wait to see the final ceramic tile portrait in our main lobby!

Above is the drawing of Susanna Yun.  Her art work was selected as the winner for this project.  Susanna along with PTO volunteers then added color to her drawing and divided as described in the paragraphs preceding this picture!

Some fifth grade students working on their section of the painting!

Some more fifth graders working on the project!

Here is the overall drawing in sections on the floor of Room 404.  PTO volunteers are adding completed sections from various grades and getting the total project together.

Another view of the work in progress in Room 404!

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I also want to share a few of the creations that our Elementary Art classes have recently finished.  Mrs. DeHart, our Elementary Art teacher does a fabulous job with them!

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One of our very popular After School Activities in Quarter Four is Hip Hop Dance.  One of our fourth grade teachers, Ms. Greaves from Philadelphia, is the instructor.  Ms. Greaves works with the students to prepare a worship Hip Hop dance for our end of year VBS Days.  I stopped by this past week to observe.  The kids are doing an amazing job!  I am especially thrilled that there are a number of boys who love being in this group.  One in particular that excites me is Ben from Grade 5.  Ben has Asperger's Syndrome and I continue to be thrilled with the progress this young man has made since coming to YISS in Grade 3.  When he came, he could not tolerate music, especially loud music.  He told his Mom that he wanted to be in Hip Hop Dance!  As I took a little video and some pictures, I was crying as I watched this young man enjoy himself as he learned the various dance moves!

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May brings many music concerts, MAP Testing in Grades 2-5, completion of After School Activities, many field trips, graduations, the 5th grade musical (Annie, Jr.), final report cards, transitions to our new classrooms, and the list goes on.  It is also the time when we have our annual International Bazaar!  This will be on May 11 from 11 AM - 4:00 PM.  It is a wonderful event showcasing the many cultures that are involved with YISS.  Some yummy food, great games, excellent fellowship, and just some plain old fun!  I wish you could join us on that day!  Thanks for your prayers for this busy month!

You continue to be very special to me!  Thank you so much for your many emails, notes, prayers, encouragement, love, and support!  I trust that you will enjoy a wonderful month of May!

Love, Gregg

PS:  On Saturday night at my church, New Harvest Ministry in Gangnam, I was able to view a screening of the gripping documentary, The Pink Room.

“Nearly 2 million children are exploited in the global sex trade every year.

Few atrocities are as unthinkable as child sex trafficking.  For the nation of Cambodia, the buying and selling of children’s innocence is far too common.  What started as a project uncovering the injustice and oppression took a sharp turn when the concept of sex trafficking became personalized in one girl: Mien.

The Pink Room follows the reality of child sex trafficking in Cambodia through the life of a survivor.  While the world is awakening to this painful reality and plumbing the depth of the problem, The Pink Room tells the true story of hope, following the lives of people who are making a difference and victims who are overcoming.”

You can check out more about the movie at thepinkroommovie.com .  One of the members of our New Harvest Ministry will be going to serve among these children and young teens in Cambodia through Rahab’s House!