Winners of 12th Multicultural Youth Awards

Outstanding elementary school students

Rising sports prodigy with exceptional adaptability and warm heart

Mariko Ryo Elmir

• Published Dec 14, 2023 8:38 AM KST
• Updated Dec 14, 2023 8:38 AM KST

Born to a Russian father and a Japanese mother, Mariko Ryo Elmir is a fifth grader at Daegu Sindang Elementary School in Daegu. Demonstrating remarkable talent in sports, Ryo Elmir diligently practices soccer daily with aspirations of becoming a professional player in the future.

Beyond soccer, Mariko excels in various sports, having five taekwondo certificates. He is noted for his considerate approach, sportsmanship and thoughtfulness towards his peers during competition. Within the school setting, Mariko assumes a leadership role, actively participating as a leader in various activities during physical education classes.

His leadership skills extend beyond the sports field. In the third grade, he served as the student vice president of his class during the first semester. Known for his supportive nature, Mariko helped classmates and offered assistance to those facing academic challenges.

Despite the potential challenges associated with his dual Russian and Japanese background, Mariko has exhibited exceptional adaptability, earning outstanding academic scores. Proficient in Korean, Japanese, Russian and English, his linguistic versatility reflects a commitment to excellence in education.

Outstanding elementary school students

Passionate student with self-directed learning

Born to Chinese parents, Huang Zhien is a second grader at Wonmi Elementary School in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. She stands out as an accomplished and responsible student.

Demonstrating exceptional self-directed learning capabilities, she utilizes break times and lunch hours for reading activities and preparation for upcoming courses. Her presentation skills are also impressive, allowing her to create engaging presentations using diverse visual materials. Zhien excels at delivering content with a deep understanding of the topic, captivating her audiences effectively.

Leveraging her proficiency in Korean, Chinese and English, Zhien possesses a heightened appreciation for various cultures. She extends support to fellow students, particularly those who have recently transferred from abroad, especially from China, helping them in overcoming language barriers and adapting to school life.

Beyond her linguistic talent, Zhien exhibits strong leadership qualities. In school group activities, she showcases exemplary cooperation, yielding outstanding results. Her leadership extends beyond mere outcomes. She stands out for actively listening to her team members' opinions, fostering harmony and coordination within the group. Zhien harbors the dream of becoming a teacher, a testament to her passion for education and leadership.

Outstanding middle school students

Park demonstrates leadership, promotes unity in classroom

Born to Chinese parents, Park Ji-yeong, a second grader at Jongchon Middle School located in Sejong City, has demonstrated remarkable leadership, promoting unity and harmony between peers.

She helps her classmates meet halfway when they have conflicting opinions and takes the lead in drawing a conclusion after discussions.

Park, who served as president of the student council while in elementary school, is now planning to run for student president next year in her current school.

Park has also demonstrated outstanding language skills as she speaks fluent Chinese, English and Korean. She helps a lot when her classmates experience difficulties in studying Chinese.

She dreams of becoming a diplomat in the future, seeking to act as a bridge between Korea and China.

She always pays attention in class and actively answers questions from teachers, contributing to creating an atmosphere conducive to academic pursuit and becoming a role model for others.

Outstanding middle school students

Warm-hearted Park dreams of becoming doctor to help others

Park Soo-bin, a senior at Wonil Middle School located in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, was born to a Korean father and Vietnamese mother who was later naturalized as a Korean citizen.

Park has excelled in self-directed learning, and demonstrates exceptional skills especially in science, illustrating curiosity and creativity in dealing with scientific problems. Many teachers have praised her for her eagerness and tenacity.

She also demonstrates outstanding ability in expressing her ideas logically and participates in every class with a diligent attitude.

Always carrying a big smile, she is considerate toward her classmates when they ask for help in the learning process. By being helpful and sympathetic, she tries to understand others, which has led her to build up friendships with a large circle of friends.

She dreams of becoming a doctor to help others.

Outstanding high school students

Park enjoys new experiences despite low vision

Born to a Korean father and Mongolian mother, Park Su-min, a second grader at Gangwon Myeongjin School for the Blind located in Chuncheon, is a brave student enjoying new experiences despite her low vision.

In particular, she enjoys discovering new music, which gives her huge comfort and confidence. When learning how to play piano, it took longer than others, but she still enjoyed it as she could be more creative than others.

She dreams of becoming an artist who can contribute to society through music.

She said she wants to move people and make the world more beautiful.

She also dreams of becoming a music director and organizing a special event filled with her songs and paintings that will deliver her own stories and positive messages to people.

Outstanding high school students

Youk at gifted school wants to become researcher

Born to a Korean father and a Chinese mother, Youk Min-soo, a senior at Sejong Academy of Science and Arts, dreams of becoming a researcher and a founder of a company in the information science sector.

Having studied at one of the schools for the gifted in Korea, he has shown an impressive attitude by establishing plans for his own for self-directed learning, rather than relying on private education institutes.

As a broad-minded student, he is also popular among his peers.

He has paid keen attention to social issues and ruminated on how the sector he is interested in will affect society.

His teacher said he is expected to become an ethical and competent researcher in the future.

Outstanding volunteer

Teacher to become tower of strength for students from multicultural backgrounds

Lim Mi-eun, an experienced teacher who has taught Russian language for 26 years, began working for Sunil Middle School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, six years ago.

At Sunil, 70.2 percent of the students come from multicultural backgrounds. And students from Russian-speaking countries account for 74.3 percent of them.

Lim majored in Russian language for an undergraduate degree and Korean language education for a Master’s degree. She then obtained her doctorate in multicultural education.

At the school, Lim has been in charge of more than 10 projects aimed at supporting students from multicultural households. This gives her an intense workload, but she enjoys her work and seeks to act as a bridge between cultures and people.

She wants to become someone who her students can rely on and provide them with clear guidance whenever they are caught in a difficult situation.

Outstanding volunteer

You & Me Happiness Center offers education, support for multicultural families

Located in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, You & Me Happiness Center, launched on May 29, 2021, focuses on contributing to enhancing welfare for immigrants and offering counseling for children from multicultural households.

The organization with 190 members also offers career counseling programs for immigrant women as the number of foreign women married to Koreans has been increasing consistently.

Lee Gyeong-sook, who heads the organization, came from China and married a Korean man in 2003. She said she had a number of difficulties due to social prejudices and cultural differences when she tried to adapt to life in Korea 20 years ago.

Based on her experiences, Lee seeks to help nearly 2,000 immigrant women living in Gimpo who face similar situations.

Special jury award winner

Park’s service-oriented mind comforts elderly living alone

Born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, Park Hye-mi, a senior at Gwangju Dongshin Girls’ Middle School, grew up a bright person despite her difficult surroundings. Her parents got divorced when she was 3 years old, and her father, who she has lived with since, is an alcoholic.

Yet, she has jumped into school life with sincerity, becoming an exemplary student praised by teachers and loved by friends.

Park joined a volunteer service club when she entered the school, doing volunteer work for senior citizens who live alone.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she delivered food for them with her handwritten letters to provide comfort in their loneliness. After the pandemic situation got better, she has kept them company and learned massage and nail art in a bid to add zest to their life.

Always being polite, she respects teachers and is a good listener for classmates.

Semoon Chang Award winner

Vanessa’s spirit of service, leadership and linguistic skill impresses peers

Born to a Mexican mother and Korean father, Vanessa Lee is a fifth-grade student at Sangtap Elementary School in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Having resided in Mexico for seven years before relocating to Korea in 2019, Vanessa harbors aspirations of becoming a teacher and translator.

Displaying a remarkable aptitude for languages, Vanessa is fluent in four — Korean, Spanish, German and English — showcasing dedication to her academic pursuits. Her linguistic proficiency is complemented by exceptional adaptability and consistently high academic performance.

She actively engaged in the entire 2022 Children's Leadership Program conducted at the Multicultural Family Support Center in Seongnam, demonstrating her commitment to personal and academic growth.

Not only a leader, Vanessa is characterized by a strong spirit of service, exemplified by her biennial hair donations to support young children in hospital beds battling childhood cancer.

Beyond her philanthropic efforts, Vanessa also has a strong volunteer spirit. Notably, she extends a helping hand to her mother, aiding in situations where language barriers pose difficulties, showcasing her dedication to supporting her family.

She emerges as a well-rounded student among her friends, showcasing leadership, service and linguistic prowess.

Korean Association for Multicultural Education Award winner

Yuri’s responsibility and leadership highlighted in school activities

Born to a Kenyan father and a Korean mother, Yang Yuri is a fifth grader at Sin-yong Elementary School in Gwangju. She stands out for her exceptional sense of responsibility and activism.

In her role as a class executive this year, Yuri actively engaged in all class events, showcasing dedication and initiative. She demonstrates a proactive approach by consistently reaching out to classmates facing difficulties in class activities, exemplifying her commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment. Notably, she served as a class representative at the school's first-semester science festival, guiding her peers through various activities.

Yuri's commitment to environmental causes is evident through her participation in "climate club" activities. There, she delved into understanding practical climate-friendly behaviors and conducted in-depth studies on the preservation of local flora and fauna. Taking her knowledge further, she directly informed fourth-graders in class, sharing insight and promoting awareness.

Her sense of responsibility extends beyond academia. When entrusted with roles demanding hard work, such as preparing and organizing booths during school festivals, Yang Yuri remains focused and dedicated until the completion of a task. Her exemplary commitment has earned her recognition from group members, highlighting her as a responsible and reliable team player.

Sharp Aviation K Award winner

Sociable teen dreams of becoming pro football player

Born to Vietnamese parents, Nguyen Duc Toan, a second grader at Youngseok High School located in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, has outstanding language skills, speaking fluent Vietnamese, Korean and English.

He has consistently shown interest in football, playing with the Seoul Spartans U18 as the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper. He enrolled in the Korea Football Association this year.

He is always bright and sociable, becoming close with a variety of friends and helping them whenever problems occur in the classroom.

He does his best at everything and demonstrates responsibility both in the classroom and on the field.

The Trinity Award winner

Being considerate, Choe takes lead in helping classmates

Born to a Korean father and a Cambodian mother, Choe Dae-gwon, a senior at Geumho Middle School located in Sejong City, has been very good at interpersonal relations.

Being considerate of his classmates, he takes the lead in helping others when they experience difficulties.

When conflicts occur between peers, Choe tries to combine their opinions and settle the conflicts, demonstrating charisma and leadership. This has led his teachers and classmates to give an important role whenever the need arises.

He is currently working to find his future career path by utilizing the school’s career counseling program. His teacher said he is expected to exert a positive influence on society once he finds the right career.