The UNICEF Project, now officially known as
the Service-learning Project, evolved into a new project this
year which included a more firm administrative basis, a
four-school partnership, and a local focus. An annual project at
the school, the Service-learning Project is a month-long project
on poverty which gives students, teachers, and parents the
opportunity to be of service to humanity through learning and
fundraising. The primary goal of the school project is the
intellectual and moral training of individuals who acquire, to
some degree, an appreciation for the concept of 𢘛orld
citizenship? a greater sense of responsibility for the planet
and all its inhabitants, and a leadership capability that
assists individuals further in developing a life of service to
humanity. For the first time in the five years of the project at
NEHS-IBSH, this year𠏋 project aimed at providing material
resources to people in need at two levels: one at the
international through UNICEF, and the other at a local level,
for children in need in the south of Taiwan.
With a team of about 30 parents who helped to
organize the inter-school-wide event, the participation included
teachers and students from four schools in Hsinchu: the National
Experimental High School𠏋 Elementary Department, International
Bilingual School at Hsinchu-Science Park, Hsinchu International
School, and Pacific American School. Six school and
inter-school-wide, meaningful activities were planned for the
month of October, all of which served to galvanize students,
parents, and teachers in their work to raise funds and collect
materials for the noble cause. A grand collection of school
supplies and material resources hosted by Ms. Chu, Yi Chi and
her 11th grade students; a walkathon fundraising activity hosted
by Interact club; a Friday night music concert fundraising
activity hosted by Humane and UNICEF clubs; a week-long coin
collection hosted by teachers; a Wednesday food sale hosted by
the IBSH 5th graders, and the annual Halloween Carnival, which
this year brought together over 1000 people for the cause,
organized by students, parents, teachers, and administrators all
brought joy and purpose to the hearts of the individuals who
participated in the social action.
Additionally, this year, reminiscent of the
2006 project, several teachers across all subject areas and
grade levels volunteered to bring learning and projects to their
students. For example, one Chinese language teacher engaged her
students in a study of UNICEF and poverty and invited them to
teach others about what they had learned. A Humanities teacher
guided her students in researching different countries in the
world, seeking to understand both the culture of the people as
well as the social issues that affect the children there.
Another Chinese Social Studies teacher gave her students an
assignment to research the effects of Typhoon Morokot. Several
other teachers brought lessons to their students on concepts
related to social responsibility, world citizenship, and
poverty. There were other significant advances in this year𠏋
project as well, such as the partnership of teachers from the
Elementary Department and the introduction of UNICEF and the
entire project to several classes in that department.
Together, the collective efforts to raise
funds for children and youth in need internationally and locally
in the month of October reached an amazing 268,734NT. Half of
the funds went to the UNICEF office in Hong Kong; the other
half, over 10,000 NT, was donated to the Pingtung Branch Office
of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families. It is definite
that our hard work will have a practical effect in the lives of
hundreds if not thousands of children and youth.
The Service-learning Project will continue
every year under the guidance of the principal, deans, teachers,
parents, and students who participate. As year passes and more
experience accumulated, it is sure that participating students,
teachers, parents, and administrators will contribute their
share to the knowledge being generated worldwide in the field of
service-learning.
