Student Life

Vishaan asks a lot of questions, some out loud. If you know an elementary student you know the gift of curiosity. Vishaan is a fourth grader who is as interested in solving a challenging math problem as finding the perfect word or phrase to express himself in writing. He describes learning at KIS as using your brain every day. “You have to think deeply,” he says. He believes deep thinking requires precision and patience.

This is Vishaan’s third year at KIS. He was born in the US, moved to Korea from New Jersey, and has visited his family in India and Malaysia more now that he lives in East Asia. Every new student has a strategy for making friends. Vishaan decided persistence was essential. At recess, you introduce yourself and play together and the next day you do the same, play and talk, argue and compromise, practice kindness – and then one day, you have friends. Now Vishaan is the kid ready to welcome someone new.

Joining afterschool activities is a good way to make discoveries too. You’ll meet friends who are also into Rube Goldberg machines and physics. Vishaan just goes for it, tries something new each season. He’s played basketball and soccer, learned origami and taekwondo, and given ice skating a chance.

Vishaan’s mind makes connections all day. He thinks about all the hows and whys of things that happen in the world and he understands some questions cannot be answered – yet. But he keeps asking and thinking deeply. And that is a gift.

A positive new experience creates great energy! JV cheer coach Annie Sandoval establishes an inclusive space for her athletes to explore and improve their cheerleading skills. “That is the junior varsity concept,” Annie says. “We want students to try a new activity and we support students at their skill level.” The goal is to finish the season with a stronger skill set – and to foster community. 

Those two goals are connected. Annie is proud of the enthusiasm the cheerleaders bring to practice and competition. They encourage each other, recognizing the interdependence of the sport and knowing that their relationships and communication strengthens their individual and team performance. 

For Annie, coaching is a new experience but also a natural next step. Her dance background informs how she coaches cheer. “I wasn’t a traditional athlete,” Annie says. “I danced because I appreciate the art.” The athleticism of dance echoes in the strength, rhythm, and timing required by cheer and Annie emphasizes the body-mind connection in movements, coaching cheer athletes to develop spatial awareness and coordination. Muscle memory is amazing which is why revising movement is a challenge. 

But we appreciate challenges too! Annie invites athletes to expect improvement, empowering their sense of possibility. And the confidence of an athlete who recognizes their own growth is absolutely worth cheering.

As a child, Lucas Vu was afraid of the water but his parents viewed swimming as a survival skill and enrolled him in lessons. By middle school, Lucas trained in the pool daily, perfecting his strokes. Lucas competed as a swimmer and water polo player for the national team during university where he studied environmental engineering and management. 

"Sometimes you may not know you like something until you try it,” Lucas says. For him, the first something was swimming. And then, coaching. When his water polo coach tapped him to be assistant coach, Lucas decided to give it a shot. Soon he began teaching swimming and water safety. As the KIS aquatic coordinator, Lucas believes that water safety is an essential skill and that even timid swimmers can learn to be safe around and in water without support. More than a decade later, he continues to appreciate the fun and challenge of teaching and coaching swimmers. 

Lucas coaches with empathy for his athletes. He remembers the struggle of his own early competition days that helped him understand the crucial balance of physical, mental, and social-emotional wellness. Now Lucas coaches KIS swimmers to prioritize their individual well-being and develop healthy team relationships. Camaraderie is essential. As he says, “We are about the whole team.”