GSIS 10 Year Anniversary Yearbook: Memories | Page 4

t
t
d
n
s
r
s
r
r
y
a
w
u
u
o
a
e
o
r
o
T the L ur h our ur w ke y
o
a
y
yo on y of
m
ni all istory
l ill
l
a
t
n
i
h
w
o
t
;
6
i
n
g
e
w an
5
:
in h 3

H

GSIS

“Upon arriving at GSIS, I remember seeing a dirt driveway, a building still under major
construction and a playground area that was still untouched,” said first principal Mr. Wallace
in the 2006 yearbook, Voices. He was speaking of his first impression of Gyeonggi Suwon
International School.

As Mr. Wallace’s words imply, GSIS started off as a small seed planted firmly into the
earth of Korea, supplemented by Christ’s teachings and warmed by a tight community.

Among a multitude of aspects, the infrastructure of the school has transformed. Mr.
Wallace continued, “I remember looking out the back of the school and seeing only temporary buildings for the construction crews.” Now, this temporary framework and pieces of
infrastructure have been replaced with one strong, brightly-colored building full of hallways,
staircases, and classrooms. Around this edifice, the playground was constructed, the soccer
field built into the soil, and the gym building raised from the ground.

And as the school facilities expanded, so too did the population of the institution.
Classrooms filled with students, and lockers were loaded with backpacks and materials. “We
became a complete school,” concluded Mr. Wallace.

After this successful foundation, the school experienced a momentous ten years of
firsts. In the 2007 to 2008 school year, it welcomed the first ninth graders into the Upper
Secondary, constituting the Class of 2011. In 2009, the Knights got its first taste of victory in
the KAIAC Girls Soccer Division II Conference Championship. In 2011, the school had its first
Ivy League acceptance. The seed had blossomed and bloomed, reaching new heights and
venturing through the exciting and uncharted territory of victories and firsts.

Meanwhile, the community developed its own personality. Each individual Knight grew
with a sense of pride and bold aspiration, making a name for the institution in the motley
crowd of other international schools in Korea. “Throughout my time [here], I have always
seen a community that is constantly achieving,” commented current Principal Ms. Brown.

But no story, especially one of ten long and accomplished years, would be complete
without its fair share of difficulties. The school took on a new headmaster and set the
International Baccalaureate program in place, consequently altering its configuration. This
new configuration created confusion and uncertainty for the future. “We were really ready
to take the next step,” said Mrs. Lozano, who arrived at the school in its second year. “But
sometimes, you have to take a step back to take a stride forward.”

And so our community took a hit. The community grew smaller, the halls a little quieter and the classrooms slightly emptier. But despite the difficulties and uncertainty, the
confusion and the tenseness, the community retained its original spirit, remaining unafraid
despite obstacles. And consequently, the school rediscovered what it stood for: unity.

Heading into the second decade, GSIS has a lot of work to do and goals to reach. However, recovering from momentary difficulties is not one of them. Instead, we seek to exceed
what has already been achieved. “I hope that we will continue to grow, keeping the same
spirit that got us here,” said Ms. Brown.

With each year another opportunity to step forward emerges and the
still-growing international school turns another corner. After this small seed
broke through the soil a