The 2nd Character Education for Youths

After lunch, Professor Gwon Hyeok-jin at Sejong University, who is also a member of the Korean Institute for Defense Analysis [KIDA] gave an etiquette lesson. Students learned etiquettes for greetings, handshake and conversation in our family and society through the presentation material and practiced them with their friends sitting next to them. By doing this, they felt the true meaning of the words, “Etiquette is to put ourselves in others’ position. Being considerate of others and a smiling face are essential for etiquette.” Professor Lee Hye-gyeong at the Sogang University talked about the stories of Galileo Galilei and Steve Jobs who affected history, and asked the students to be leaders who make history with their courage, generosity, firm will and challenging spirit.

Other than this, various programs such as video presenting and discussion drew students’ attention. The video about student’s hope and dream, and the independence activists who devoted themselves to the country in their youth reminded the students of the value of life being committed to our society and nation. Questionnaires and discussion about the personality type received an enthusiastic response from the students. They analyzed the types of their character and made groups of the same type. After discussing responses to four different situations, they announced the result by group. While laughing aloud and clapping their hands when seeing entirely different response at the same situation by personality, the students had time to think of the importance of mutual respect, as well as the fact that their friends who have different character with them is not “wrong,” but just “different.”

Ahn Hyo-jeong who is a high school senior said, “One of my close friends, whom I got along with well when I was in the first grade, had a hard time when we became the second grade because she was alienated from her classmates. So I often comforted her. I had a profitable time because I can think of my mindset and duty as a student.” Im Jin-whan, who said that he was especially inspired by the etiquette lesson, expressed his feelings, saying, “I was surprised to know that handshake and greeting open the minds of others even though I’ve just done it without much thought until now. If I am considerate of others when I talk and do something, following today’s instruction, I think it will be more helpful to me in my school life.”

The students, who seriously attended the lecture from start to finish, wore a big smile, saying, “I want to approach my friends first and be their best friend in their memory.” The students who greeted with one another with a bright smile seemed to practice the lessons of lecture already.

Youths are the future of our society and nation. Character Education for Youths is part of Intl. WeLoveU Foundation’s Clean Descendants Movement of the Clean WORLD Movement that the foundation puts great emphasis on, and it was designed to help the youth have a pure mind and proper view of values. The 1st Character Education for Youths was held at Bundang-gu office last January, and around 120 middle and high school students in Seongnam-si participated.