Yeosu Hwayang Elementary School Operates Unique Activity 'Student Writer School'

Direct Participation in Writing and Design... Publication Celebration on the 3rd of Next Month

A lively imagination of students at a small school in Jeonnam has attracted attention by being published as a book.

On the 20th, the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education announced that it is operating the ‘Yeosu Student Writers School’ at Yeosu Hwayang Elementary School, where one book is written and published every year.

Yeosu Hwayang Elementary School operates the "Yeosu Student Writers' School," where all students participate in writing and publishing one book each year. Provided by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education

The ‘Yeosu Student Writers School’ is a program of Yeosu Hwayang Elementary School’s ‘2024 Jeonnam-type Small School Specialization Model School.’ It is a distinctive educational activity that communicates with the world through stories containing each student’s own voice, rather than simply learning how to write.

This year’s project involved all 27 students in the school, publishing various works ranging from stories depicting a special friendship with a cat to heartwarming picture books conveying messages of family love. Students gained creative material through out-of-school experiential activities and completed their own stories as picture books by linking Korean language and art classes. In particular, they directly experienced all stages of publishing, including sketching, coloring, and storyboard composition.

Student Kim Da-eun conveyed a message of family love through the book Magic Potion, which tells the story of ‘Ppoppi’ embarking on an adventure to cure her mother’s sick eyes. This book features mysterious characters such as the Sun King and the Lightning Queen, stimulating readers’ imagination.

Student Park Si-eun’s Tangtang Golden Curry Soup depicts a fantastic story where vegetables are the main characters and golden rain falls. Student Jung Ara’s Is It a Tiger? vividly portrays the friendship between ‘Hoya,’ a cat resembling a tiger, and the protagonist ‘Ara.’

The completed books received International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) and were officially published. They are placed not only in the school library but also in libraries throughout the Jeonnam region, meeting many readers. They will also be produced as e-books.

Superintendent Kim Dae-jung stated, “Yeosu Hwayang Elementary’s Student Writers School is a valuable activity that conveys children’s voices to the world,” and added, “I hope this educational activity will serve as a good example presenting new growth possibilities for small rural schools.”