The backgrounds and past traumatic experiences of Drim and other alternative school students make it hard for them to assimilate into local culture and lead productive, enriching lives. In South Korea, English and technological skills are essential to an individual’s success and acceptance, and this Mercer On Mission program aims to help students gain those competencies as well as confidence.
Drim School, established in 2003 in Cheonan, is the first alternative school for North Korean refugees and their children. It has served more than 200 students since its opening, and as of 2023, has about 25 students and 15 teachers and staff. Mercer students and faculty will teach and get to know the Korean students while living on site with them for three weeks. They will lead English language lessons and expose students to technology during LEGO Robotics activities and 3D designing, scanning, modeling and printing work. Besides providing language and technology skills, the children’s interaction with the Mercerians will give them cultural experience that they need to prosper in a South Korean culture that has adopted many Western ways.
Program partners include the Center for Unified Korean Future and the Hana Foundation. These organizations provide not only settlement support for North Korean refugees but also programs for the community to learn about Korean history and issues surrounding human rights and unification.
Students will have several days of historic sightseeing for cultural excursion. This will include historic sites of the Silla Dynasty (100-900 AD), the Chosun Dynasty (1400-1900 AD), UNESCO World Heritage sites, Korean War memorials (1950 AD), the DMZ, and the present- and future-oriented city of Seoul Also, students will participate in the Korean War Remains program with the Korean Army.
It was my first time abroad and the first time I feel I’ve made a difference in a community in a really tangible way. I found my way of life changing in that small amount of time. I want to push myself further and travel to other countries and even do work there. It kind of certified that I want to work with minority populations and help people that are less fortunate than me.
Students are required to sign up for six hours of credit. Each student will choose one engineering course and one community service and leadership course.
