Youth Perspectives

Reflection on the VEX Robotics Competition Fundraiser

• Soorin Lee: The robotics competition fundraiser was a meaningful and fulfilling experience. Our main purpose was to support the victims of the Turkey/Syria earthquake, and we had this in mind throughout the planning, organizing, and execution of the fundraiser. Although we faced several challenges and made some mistakes, such as underestimating the amount of products we would need, the fundraiser provided valuable lessons and opportunities for learning. It was incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts would make a difference in helping those in need. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience.

• Jennifer Choi: Prior to the fundraiser, we had weekly meetings to discuss issues such as what items should be sold for how much. There were doubts about whether our donation activity would genuinely help Syrian refugees; however, as the fundraiser went unexpectedly well, I felt rewarded. Moreover, we should recognize that Turkiye supported South Korea during the Korean War, being one of the largest military contributors, so donations to Turkiye and Syria through various organizations(such as GoodNeighbors) are crucial in maintaining strong bonds between Korea and both countries. Even though it wasn’t a big amount, it was even more meaningful for us to participate in it, and I hope our warm hearts will be delivered to the residents in the affected areas. Lastly, I would like to thank Alyssa, Soorin, and Anna for working hard together!

• Anna An: As for the VEX fundraiser itself, I enjoyed working with other fundraising groups and problem-solving when needed, and I simply had fun the whole time. My sister (who went to the fundraiser with me) also told me that the fundraiser was entertaining and meaningful. The trip to Good Neighbors also helped me understand the importance of giving a helping hand to others. In all, this was definitely an experience that I would like to try again.

Reflection on the Visit to the National Assembly

• Eunice Cho: The visit to the National Assembly was one of the most memorable moments of this meaningful experience. I was particularly grateful to meet Mr. Jeong Ho Kim, one of the governmental committee members of the environmental ministry, and share our questions along with thoughts on significant environmental issues/problems. Although I was quite nervous at first, I believe the interaction with him was rewarding and made me disciplined more as a learner by learning new things I did not know before, and ultimately how to approach the climate change crisis. Moreover, it was interesting to tour the actual National Assembly area in person; I felt how crucial the role of government impacts Korea, and made me appreciate numerous political leaders contributing to our society.

Reflections about the Global Youth Network Program As a Whole

• Eunice Cho: Overall, every meeting of the Global Youth Network Program was engaging with fun icebreaker activities and individual speaker presentations, in order to enhance teamwork and member recognition. Especially, I especially truly appreciated how the instructors from our program thrived to give everybody a chance to speak and share their ideas with others, creating an inclusive community. Though the meetings seemed somehow difficult to communicate with each other as they were mostly done via Zoom and virtually, I learned that many experiences with fellow students from other Korean schools strengthened the connection between our members and the group mindset.

• Soorin Lee: The Global Youth Network program was a unique experience for me because it allowed us to collaborate with students from different schools. Unlike most school clubs or projects that tend to involve our own school or international schools in Korea, this program reached out to diverse groups, including students from Korean public schools and students from different countries. I particularly enjoyed the quests and missions we had, especially when our team was divided into groups to work on different tasks, such as creating newsletters or designing campaign signs. It truly felt like we were working as a cohesive team. Meeting in person at the headquarters was also fascinating. The interview was particularly interesting, as it highlighted that he started out as a passionate teenager just like us.