2023, 23rd Korean Speech and Writing Competition
Organized by the Korean Studies Center at the University of Hawaii,
Supported by Korean Times in Hawaii.
Aiden Joo achieved the honor of winning 1st place
in the entire middle and high school division for the writing competition
Overview
The 23rd Hangeul Festival, jointly organized by the Korea Times and Radio Seoul Hawaii in collaboration with the University of Hawaii (UH) Korean Flagship Center and the Korean American Foundation Hawaii, took place on October 7th (Saturday) at the Korea Studies Institute on the Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii.
Korean Times – Aug, 29 (Click) Guideline Competition
Celebrating Hangeul Day annually on October 9th, the “Hangeul Festival” consists of speech and writing competitions, bringing together students learning Korean from middle and high school to college levels. Participants showcase their Korean language skills, competing to demonstrate the beauty and excellence of Hangeul and the Korean language, as well as promoting Korean culture.
Korean Times – Oct, 9 (Click) Participants and Heated Competition
Winners in each category of the speech and writing competitions, including outstanding and grand prize recipients, were awarded generous prizes, including round-trip airfare to Korea provided by Korean Air. Despite the Autumn break starting, our APIS students participated less this time. However, our 10th-grade student Aiden Joo achieved the honor of winning 1st place in the entire middle and high school division for the writing competition.
Aiden shared a compelling and mature reflection on his experience and realization of fostering pride as a Korean, overcoming many challenges while settling in Hawaii without the help of his parents. Judges acknowledged the maturity of his attitude, far beyond what is expected for his age. Comments from the judges were featured in an article by the Hawaii Korea Daily.
Notably, Aiden pledged to donate the entire prize money to help Hawaii neighbors suffering from the Maui wildfire during the summer. He expressed the honor of making the donation with his own money, not his parents’, embodying a desire to be of help since childhood. Ms. Emily Kim, the Korean teacher, expressed anticipation that in the next year, all students in the APIS Korean class will actively participate in this competition, spreading the excellence of Hangeul and the beauty of the Korean language, and fostering a shared understanding and learning.
Korean Times – Oct, 24(Click) Lists of Winners and Review → Please click! Korean Times – Nov, 6 Awards Ceremony
제목: 내가 사는 하와이와 한국, My Life in Hawaii and Korea
APIS Aiden Joo
저는 하와이 APIS 10학년에 재학 중인 주상윤이라고 합니다. 제가 하와이에 온 지 거의 2년 가까이 되네요. 제가 하와이에 처음 온 날이 아직도 생생합니다. 낯선 이국땅에 낯선 언어와 색다른 문화를 처음 겪었던 날이지요. 하와이 이야기를 시작하기 전에 우선 제 배경을 설명하자면 저는 한국에서 화교학교를 다녔습니다. 물론 한국이라는 고국에서 쉽게 한국어를 배울 수도 있었겠지만 저는 집에서만 한국어를 썼습니다. 초등학교를 갓 졸업하자마자 그 시기에 코로나가 터졌고, 저는 더욱 더 많은 견문과 경험을 쌓기 위해 아름다운 이국 땅 하와이에 왔습니다.
하지만 하와이에 오자마자 느낀 감정은 고독과 외로움이었습니다. 부모님 없이 낯선 이국 땅에 혼자 온 꼬마아이를 그 당시 누가 잘 돌봐주었겠습니까. 하지만 슬픔을 잠시 뒤로 미룬 채 저는 씩씩하게 제가 가야 할 길을 갔습니다. 이국 문화를 배우고 독립심을 키워나갔습니다. 물론 부모님이 몹시 그리울 때도 있었습니다. 예를 들어 몸이 아플 때 부모님의 따뜻한 손길이나 부모님의 정성스럽게 차려주신 밥상이 그리웠습니다. 그래서 남몰래 눈물을 훔쳐야 할 때도 있었지만 그럴 때마다 저는 고개를 위로 꼿꼿이 올리고 다녔습니다. 하와이에 와서 기른 저의 독립심과 다양한 문화에 대한 이해는 저에게 소중한 인생의 거름들이 되었고, 수많은 실패와 시련들은 저를 더욱 단단하게 지탱해 주는 나무의 나이테와 같은 의미가 되었습니다. 저는 한국과 하와이가 서로에 대한 문화를 수용하고 발전해서 빼곡하게 많은 나무들로 둘러쌓인 울창한 숲을 이루었으면 합니다.
Hello, my name is Sangyun Joo, and I am currently a 10th-grade student at APIS in Hawaii. It’s been almost two years since I first came to Hawaii. The day I arrived in Hawaii is still vivid in my memory. It was a day when I encountered a foreign land with a different language and a unique culture. Before delving into my Hawaii story, let me provide some background. I attended an Overseas Chinese school in Korea. Although it would have been easier to learn Korean in my homeland, I only used Korean at home. Just after graduating from elementary school, during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, I came to the beautiful land of Hawaii to gain more perspectives and experiences.
However, the initial emotion I felt upon arriving in Hawaii was loneliness and isolation. A little kid, alone in a foreign land without parents, who took good care of me at that time as parents. Yet, setting aside sadness for a moment, I bravely walked the path I needed to take. I learned about a different culture and nurtured my independence. Of course, there were times when I missed my parents terribly. For instance, when I was sick, I longed for the warm touch of my parents’ hands and the lovingly prepared meals on the dining table. So, there were times when I had to secretly wipe away tears. But every time, I would lift my head high and continue my journey. My cultivated independence and understanding of diverse cultures in Hawaii have become precious milestones in my life. The numerous failures and hardships have served as the sturdy tree growing rings, supporting me resiliently. I hope that Korea and Hawaii can embrace each other’s cultures, evolving into a dense forest surrounded by abundant trees.
