Hello. I am Mr. Ko Yeoung-Deug, a principle of Daesung Girls' Middle School in Daejeon.
I am interested in DR Congo and the Philippines as a former geography teacher
I would like to introduce my schooI, which aims to be “A loving school where character grows through warm and caring relationships.”
A Green and Caring School in Daejeon 🌿
Visiting Daejeon Daeseong Girls’ Middle School
Connecting with the Local Community 💛
Daejeon Daeseong Girls’ Middle School actively works with the local community to create a warmer and more welcoming environment.
As part of a community mural project supported by Dong-gu District Office, the school worked together with Daejeon Banseok Church, local artists, university volunteers, and students to transform an old school wall into a colorful and beautiful space.
Students participated in the entire process, from cleaning and preparing the wall to choosing designs, sketching, and painting. Through working together, they developed a stronger sense of belonging and affection for their school. The new mural has also made the area more attractive and welcoming for local residents, creating a place where the school and community can connect.
The school also reaches out to nearby elementary schools through school transition and career experience programs. Sixth-grade students are invited to visit the school and experience middle school life through creative activities such as napkin art, animated drawing, making digital emoticons, and creating Sepak Takraw balls using mathematical principles.
These experiences help younger students feel more comfortable and excited about entering middle school while strengthening connections between schools and the local community.
Founded in 1963, Daeseong is a private Christian school with a long history. What makes the school special, however, is not simply its history. It is a school that values people, nature, creativity, and community.
One of the first things you notice is the school environment itself. Green spaces and beautiful learning areas create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Here, education is not only about studying textbooks and preparing for exams. Students are encouraged to think about how we can live together — with other people and with nature.
🌱 Learning to Live with Nature
In the age of climate change, one important question for educators is:
What should we teach the next generation?
Daeseong Girls’ Middle School is trying to answer this question through ecological education.
The school participates in Daejeon’s Green Dream Yard (Chorok Kkum Madang) initiative, which promotes ecological transition education. Students have opportunities to experience nature, think about sustainability, and connect what they learn at school with their families and local community.
The goal is not simply to teach students about environmental problems. It is to help them become ecological citizens — people who understand that humans and nature are connected and who are willing to take small but meaningful actions in everyday life.
💡 Learning by Making and Doing
Daeseong is also known as an innovative school.
From 2022 to 2026, it has been designated as a Creative Talent Seed School. It has also developed programs in STEAM, maker education, digital learning, arts, and AI education.
What I find especially interesting is that students are encouraged not only to learn something, but also to make something from what they have learned.
They ask questions, experiment, create, and solve problems.
In other words, learning becomes something they actually do.
💚 Sharing Is Also Part of Education
Another lovely tradition is the school's annual Love-Sharing Bazaar.
Students learn the happiness of giving and sharing, while parents also join the school community. The parents’ association prepares food that students enjoy, and the proceeds are donated to help neighbors in need.
The spirit of the bazaar continues in everyday school life through simple practices: use less, share more, exchange, reuse, and recycle.
These may seem like small actions, but perhaps this is exactly where education for a sustainable future begins.
🌍 Growing Together
Daeseong Girls’ Middle School describes its vision as:
“A loving school where character grows through warm and caring relationships.”
I think this sentence captures the spirit of the school beautifully.
Christian values, ecological education, creativity, technology, sharing, and community may sound like very different things. At Daeseong, however, they come together around one simple idea:
Learning how to care — for ourselves, for one another, and for our planet.
Perhaps schools like Daeseong can show us another way of thinking about education in the climate crisis.
Education is not only about preparing young people for the future.
It is also about helping them create a better future together. 🌱
(Source: http://www.ccnnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=308302 )
