STUDENT ACTIVITIES MR. GILMAN HELPS ALONG

AT KOREA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (2002-2005)

GOOD-BYE MY FRIENDS!!!  It is not an exaggeration to state that I will forever remember my students and experiences at Korea International School.  It was a sweet, but sorrowful day in June of 2005 when I said good-bye for the last time.  Sweet, due to all that we had accomplished together in three short years, despite the obstacles; sorrowful due to the fact that I truly loved, admired, and respected so many of the students and people that I had the pleasure of working with.  I hope that we can somehow, over the miles and years, keep in touch.  Until then, I wish you all nothing but good fortune and success.  Follow your dreams!  Keep up the fight!!  Good luck!!!

FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T THERE  As the first social studies teacher at a new and growing international high school, I was welcomed by a number of challenges to overcome.  The unplanned-for insertion of the first high school class a year ahead of schedule meant that the first year was particularly difficult.  I, actually we including the first few high school students and their parents, had very little resources to work with.  Other than a textbook and a classroom, there was not much else to offer the new high school students.  From the ashes... However, the advantage of this is that I had the opportunity to make a significant impact on the development of the environment and programs that would serve the students and community of Korea International School well into the future.  ... arise the Phoenix!  With the full support of the administration and help from a number of parents and support staff I began a number of new programs including: the first student-elected student council, the first model United Nations organization (KISMUN), the original KIS "Volunteer Corps," the original Habitat for Humanity - Global Village program, a guest speaker program and much more, not to mention the development of a number of high school social studies courses from scratch.    I also worked with the high school parents to provide the high school overnight trips each of the past two springs.  My final impact was assisting in the establishment of a secondary school PTO, which had selected officers and began organizing for the following year during my last week at KIS. 

KIS VOLUNTEER CORPS

Habitat for Humanity 2005

February 2005 was the first year KIS built homes for the needy through the Habitat for Humanity - Global Village program.  A total of 59 KIS volunteers, 50 of them students, traveled to Manila over the Lunar New Year in February to build homes there.  Four days of hard labor in the hot sun built the equivalent of four new homes.  This was followed by a day and a half on a beautiful, tropical, Philippine beach for a little rest and relaxation.  Lessons learned, mission complete!  Go Phoenix!

Terry Fox Run, Fall 2003 & 2004

In order to provide the high school students with the opportunity to volunteer in the community, I organized a group of students and staff who participated in the Terry Fox Run, a Canadian-based, annual charity event designed to raise money for local cancer research institutes in approximately 55 countries around the world.  It was such a good experience in 2003 (picture on left) that we decided to participate again in 2004(picture on right). 

Save the Children, Korea KIS Donation 2003 and 2005

On Wednesday, November 12th, 2003 members of the KISMUN presented 1,000,000 Won (approximately US$820) to Save the Children, Korea during the student council meeting after school.  This money was collected at all grade-levels on United Nations Day and was donated in the name of KIS and Dr. Lee, a Korean university professor and human rights advocate serving on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, as a thank you for her agreeing to speak to the middle and high school students at KIS on United Nations Day.  In January 2005, in reaction to the Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004, the high school student council raised 500,000KRW and donated to Save the Children's emergency fund dedicated to helping the children of this tragedy. 

Make-A-Wish 2003-2004

April 18th, 2004 was a sunny spring Sunday in Seoul.  It was also the first time that KIS high school students participated in a Make-A-Wish event in which more than 20 students dedicated their time and love to two lovely girls who had a wish.  Thanks to Ms. Kang, our PTO President, for organizing the event and inviting the students to participate.  Thanks to those students who made this day special for two special, new friends. 

MODEL UNITED NATIONS (KISMUN)

As academic-oriented, extracurricular activities go there can be no better nor more comprehensive activity than that of a model United Nations or "MUN" simulation.  Students must first learn about the United Nation by studying its history, principles and aims, organizational structure, rules of procedure, current operations, successes and failures, and the contemporary international issues and problems it deals with.  Before students participate in MUN simulations, students must then research the country that they will "represent," study the issues that the simulation will address, then understand the diplomatic, public speaking, and parliamentary procedures and strategies that will best serve them during the conference.  Finally, after all this preparation, students participate in simulations or MUN conferences, practicing the art of diplomacy with other like-minded students from other schools from around the world. 

I started Korea International School's first MUN organization, KISMUN, during the 2003-2004 academic year.  In 2004-2005 there were more students wanting to join the organization than there were seats in the classroom. 

Beijing MUN, Spring 2005, Beijing, PRC  13 KISMUN students traveled to Beijing, Republic of China to participate in "BEIMUN" in March 2005.  Prior to the conference, we visited the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square.  Shopping at both the Pearl Market and Silk Market and a Peking duck dinner was enjoyed by all.  This was followed by three days of MUN conference in which there were over 760 students from 44 schools from all over the world. 

2004 SEOMUN VII  KISMUN, now a "veteran" of two previous MUN conferences, returned to the COEX convention center in Seoul at the end of October to participate in its third simulation.  This year KIS had its first student selected as an officer with Annette Lee serving as a chair in the Political Committee.  KIS also had students selected to participate in the Security Council and Korean Reunification Summit, a forum unique to the SEOMUN conference.  The other KIS students represented their countries in other committees, such as ECOSOC, Human Rights, and the General Assembly.  In addition to having students participate as officers and delegates a number of students either sponsored or cosponsored resolutions that survived the vetting process and were chosen by the committee chairs for debate, some passing, others stimulating lively debate.  For an organization only in its second year and still, due to the high school's current point in its expansion, devoid of seniors, the KISMUN students performed exceedingly well and represented KIS with pride. 

 Far East MUN, Spring 2004, Tokyo, Japan  Arriving in Tokyo on January 24th, KISMUN students first spent a day and a half sight-seeing, visiting "cultural sights," shopping, eating, playing, and staying out of trouble... lest they have to spend a day at Mr. Gilman's side:-).  Monday evening, students participated in the FEMUN 2004 reception where they got to meet dignitaries from some of the embassies in Tokyo and size up their competition from the other schools attending the conference.  This was followed by three days of intense participation involving resolution proposal, negotiation, debate, and voting on a variety of international issues.  The venue for FEMUN 2004 was, appropriately enough, the United Nations University (pictured at left).  KISMUN students either sponsored or cosponsored a number of bills that were successfully passed in committee.

2003 SEOMUN  From Thursday, October 30th through Saturday, November 1st, 2003, KIS's first MUN organization went to its first ever MUN conference in Seoul, Korea, known as SEOMUN.  Despite being comprised only of ninth and tenth graders, this being their first ever conference, this being the school's first MUN organization, and this being their teacher's (that's me) first experience running a high school MUN organization, the students of KISMUN represented themselves and their school both well and proudly.  The students role-played as student ambassadors in a United Nations simulation in which they had to discuss current international issues and concerns through the perspective of the country that they were representing.  A truly great educational activity. 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL

The 2002-03 school year at KIS began with a new high school, but no organized student government.  As the secondary social studies teacher wishing to fill this void I created KIS's first student-elected student government.  Grades 6-9 participated.  During the year the student council helped create and ratified a by-laws, learned about Robert's Rules, raised funds, helped facilitate the development of school spirit by voting on a school mascot (Phoenix) and colors (dark blue, light blue, and white), and organized student "socials" - evening events during which students socialized.  They included games, food, music, and even an occasional dance.  In the following year, the high school and middle school split into their own respective student councils each year accomplishing a little more than the last as their experience and pride grew.  I remained sponsor of the high school student council. 

During the next two years, the student council raised thousands of dollars with which they purchased equipment for the school's drama and PE departments, a sound system and lights for their socials, or made donations to groups such as Save-the-Children's tsunami relief fund after the December 2004 tragedy in south Asia.   The officers and members of the council served as role models by participating and encouraging others to participate in volunteer activities such as the Terry Fox Run and Make-A-Wish events.  Many of the members also participated in school sports, drama, yearbook, and other extracurricular activities. 

What the members of the council enjoyed and took pride in doing was providing opportunities for the students of the new high school to socialize and "have fun at school."   Some examples of the creativity and tireless effort provided by the council are described below.  Due to their efforts most, if not all, KIS students viewed their school as a place where they not only belonged, but where they could form the bonds and create the memories that they intuitively knew would make their high school experience memorable. 

 Spring 2005 "Semi-formal" Social  Yearning for a high school prom, or prom-like social activity, the student council decided to take on the added challenge of conducting a social at a nice hotel out on the town.  They chose as their venue the Intercontinental.  They choose a buffet and drink plan and hired a professional DJ.  Using some of the funds they raised during the year they purchased an I-pod Mini as a door prize.  They not only make 100% of these arrangements on their own, they also required semi-formal dress for all students wishing to attend.  Despite some trepidation from some students and adults alike, they bravely made the commitment risking their entire general fund account, should this idea not be as popular as they had hoped.  Nay-sayers and worryworts aside, the event was a huge success and everyone who attended had a good time.  There are not too many things more satisfying to a teacher then to have students come up to him in the hall the following week and thank him for sponsoring an event that made them feel "special" and happy to be a student at their school.  It was made clear that the entire effort was the result of the work of the student council, who in the end, put on an event that many adults would have been challenged by and proud of. 

Fall 2004 Halloween Social  It was a little late, November 12th, but none-the-less both fun and frightening.  The students of the council planned a haunted house which, after some persuasive planning and negotiation with the school administration, was allowed to be held in the dank and dark school basement.  Council members planned a number of scary events, raised money through snack sales to purchase costumes and snacks, sold tickets, and led the fun.  After the haunted house there was a camp fire with pizza and soft drinks followed by roasted marshmallows and scary stories. 

Winter "Lock-in" 2004  It was a cold night in February, but things got hot during the KIS "Lock-in!"  Thanks to the high school student council, who did all the planning and work.  Thanks to the PTO for providing pizza and kimbop!  Finally, thanks to the students who managed to enjoy themselves AND remain on good behavior!  Remember, boys to the left and girls to the right!  No, Mr. Gilman did not sleep much that night!  And no... there are beginning to be too many maturing romantic couples for this to be expected next year, but it sure was fun with the freshmen and sophmores. 

 Spring "End-of-the-year" Social 2004  The final social of the year was planned by the high school student council and enjoyed by all who attended.  The high school invited the eighth graders since it won't be long until they are high school students, too.  The theme was "costumes" and many of the students did wear something... strange or interesting.  As has been the case throughout the year, but especially for this particular social, the students ran the show completely on their own.  My only involvement was to arrange for the facilities and act as chaperone.  All the planning, shopping, decorating, music recording and playing, talent show organization, setting up, inviting the PTO to provide snacks, cleaning, and supervising was done by the students.  Not bad for a bunch of freshmen and sophomores.  I cannot wait to see what they become able of accomplishing next year, now that some of them have acquired this experience.  This will become important as my teaching responsibilities will be far greater next year with three grades to teach, but still only one high school core team...  I do have faith that these students will be able to pick up and carry the burden with minimal required of me.  Because of them, I am looking forward to 2004/2005. 

Fall 2003  Social KIS's student council is in its second year and I have not been fired, yet.  Making my job easier is the fact that I actually convinced our computer teacher to take the 6-8th graders to break off from the original council to form a "middle school" student council, leaving me with the smaller of the two groups, the "high school" student council (2003, only grades 9 and 10).  It is my philosophy to allow the students of this student council the leeway to make as many of their own decisions as possible.  This resulted in a student "social" during the evening of October 24th.  The students did 100% of the planning and execution of this event which included an ice-breaker (game along the lines of Truth or Dare), talent show, and finished with music to dance to.  The PTO sold snacks.  I and a few staff volunteers provided "adult" supervision.

HIGH SCHOOL OVERNIGHT TRIP(S)

BEACH 2005  Well, the name of the beach on the west coast of Korea will come to me...  but let it suffice to say that and afternoon of fun in the surf and sand, which followed a visit to the Korean Maritime Museum, was enjoyed by all.  Later that evening, after a cold boat ride back to the mainland, there was a clambake, courtesy of our reliable high school moms - Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Jung, and bonfire with music strummed on an old guitar by our English teacher, Mr. Webster. 

Mt. Surak 2004  With the blessing of the high school principal, and lots of help from two of the high school moms, I planned the first high school over-night trip.  At 08:00 AM one spring morning, the bus pulled out of the KIS parking lot on its way to Sarak-san, a national park with beautiful scenery and a couple of trails running up two peaks, Sarak-san (mountain) and Ulsan-bawi (rock).  The high school students, along with Dr. D., Dr. K, myself and "Mrs. Dallen's Mom," otherwise known as Mrs. Kang, spent the afternoon hiking two hours to the top of Ulsan-bawi.  Most of us made it:-)  Afterwards we headed to some cabins near the eastern shore for a BBQ - thanks also to "Mrs. Hee Joon's Mom" - and campfire, complete with Daniel's jokes and others' scary stories.  The following morning a visit to the beach in the warm sun of May and the cold waters of the East Sea... Those who did not find the courage to run into the waves eventually got wet, one way or the other!!!

Who says teaching doesn't pay?...  Go Phoenix!!! 

Use the back button to return to the main page!