ConnectUs Korea 2025 Exchange Session (12/12)
- Woosung
- Dec 18, 2025
- 3 min read
We are happy to announce that our first formal exchange session for ConnectUs Korea was successfully held on 12/12/2025, connecting passionate and talented high school students from Bugil High School in Korea and St. Dominic Savio Catholic HS in America.
The two-hour session was divided into two segments: while the first half concentrated on Cultural Exchange, allowing students to introduce and share their hobbies, passions, and backgrounds to peers from the other school, the second half was dedicated to "Academic Exchange," where students discussed findings of their interest and explored how these could contribute to viable solutions to social problems and create positive impact.
(Some Faces are blurred due to Korea's privacy laws)
Pt.1: Cultural Exchange
Introduction & Getting to Know Each Other
About me slide by Cece(Left) and activities for passion(Woosung)
To start off the meeting, students began by introducing their names and interests, accompanied by a brief description of their backgrounds and circumstances.
As they shared their stories on this short ice-breaking activity, students from both high schools discovered common interests and unique perspectives as well as a deeper understanding of each other's cultures and experiences
Savio Presenter Allison Contreras on her interests of MUN and music
Bugil HS student Jun Jung presented how he developed his interest of criminal psychology
Savio student Jude Landen on how he developed his interest for global business
Introducing each other's School systems
Once they got to know one another, the students took the opportunity to discuss the main aspects and characteristics of their respective schools' curriculums. By introducing different styles of curriculum, such as freedom to choose classes, mandatory night study hours, morning Judo practices, and available extracurricular activities, students had the chance to learn about customs and life in other countries and how it is different from their environment.
To conclude the first segment, and throughout the session, students constantly asked questions to each other to broaden their understanding and knowledge about other cultures.
Pt.2: Academic Exchange
During the second part of our exchange session, students presented research on social issues and academic topics they were passionate about, highlighting how their ideas and findings could be applied to address real-world challenges.
"American Obesity Pandemic and its solutions"
presented by Kevin, a pre-med aspirant in Savio
Bugil HS presentation on the Neurodiversity Movement
and institutional policies to support them
Here are some other topics presented during this session:
-Savio student Claire Caldwell presented how not going out became the "New Normal" in the post-COVID landscape and why taking a hike and spending time is necessary, drawing from her own experience.
-A Group of four high schoolers from Bugil High School analyzed the negative effects of social media on self-perception, incorporating Leon Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory alongside personal experiences and practical strategies for minimizing harm.
...
Sample slides for each school's Academic Presentations
Through this activity, students moved beyond textbook learning by applying their knowledge to real-world social issues and directly linking their academic passions to practical solutions. As such opportunities are rare in many educational settings, including the memorization-based Korean education system, I hope this experience provided a chance for my Korean peers to explore their passions creatively and envision how their learning can create meaningful social impact.
After multiple failed attempts to get people together amid tight schedules, I am very grateful that we were finally able to carry out our first exchange session successfully with great participation among both schools.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to participate in this long session.
We hope we could see you again in our upcoming sessions!
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas,
Woosung
Notable slide samples presented in the session
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