2010EEC Interview
<#303 2010EEC_Interview>
2010 English Essay Contest
Grand Prize-winners’ Remarks
By Park Hyo-gyeong, Student Editor
On November 6th, the 2010 English Essay Contest (EEC) was successfully held over a period of four hours. The Chonnam Tribune had the chance to meet the students who received the Grand Prize in the university and high school divisions. They are Kim Ji-hong (Senior, Department of English Language Education, Chonnam National University) and Choi Hyed-gie (First Grade, Gwangju Jungang Girls’ High School), respectively.
*Kim Ji-hong
Q. When you first heard that you won the Grand Prize in the university division, how did you feel?
A. I heard the news by telephone. I had participated in this contest last year, and at that time I won the Gold Prize, so I actually thought I might get a prize again this time, but getting the Grand Prize was an exciting surprise for me.
Q. What did you think about the essay topic in the contest?
A. I was really interested in the topic because I have tried to get scholarships that were not based on grades. My academic grades are not high enough for me to get a full tuition scholarship, but I have received some scholarships such as Dojeon, Doyahk scholarship, and I was able to supplement my school tuition with these scholarships. In the essay I wrote, I argued that universities need to offer various scholarship programs which are not concerned only with academic records. I truly hope that there will be lots of extra scholarships such like the ones I advocated.
Q. In the contest, participants were only given four hours to complete the essay. Didn’t you find the time allowed to be short?
A. Yes, only four hours were given. As soon as I saw the essay topic, I tried to make an essay outline. Dividing it into the introduction, body and conclusion, I hashed out several subsections and the words which I would use, then I started writing. Actually, I have had many opportunities to write essays in English. I have written some reports in English for my major. I have also done a little bit of translation work. These might have helped to win the prize.
Q. Have you ever read the Chonnam Tribune?
A. Yes, of course. I was featured in a past edition of Campus News. Moreover, a friend of a friend worked as a guest reporter at the Chonnam Tribune. I heard lots of things about Chonnam Tribune from her.
*Choi Hed-gie
Q. When you first heard that you won the Grand Prize in the high school division, how did you feel?
A. When I came home from school, my mom was shouting my name into the telephone. I wondered who was on the phone. After she hung up, she told me the surprise news -- that I won the Grand Prize in the EEC. I could not believe the news. I was so surprised because I have participated in lots of essay contests but this was first time that I had ever won the first prize in an essay contest. I was extremely glad.
Q. Was the essay topic in this contest something that interests you?
A. Yes, I had much to say about the topic. I have always said that corporal punishment should not be acceptable in school. I lived in America for 9 years, and it has been about a year since I came back to Korea. I had not encountered corporal punishment in America so I could not understand the punishment in Korea. I think that hitting students is a not good solution.
Q. How do teachers punish students in America?
A. They cut students’ grades severely. If the student continues to misbehave, he or she would be sent to the principal. In more serious cases, the school calls the students’ parents. I prefer the American punishment method to the Korean one.
Q. What do you want to do in the future?
A. I like writing very much. In fact, I am more interested in writing novels than essays. In the future, I want to keep on writing.
When I interviewed the two students, Kim Ji-hong and Choi Hyed-gie, I felt they had something in common. They enjoy writing very much, and both of them were interested in participating in various writing contests. The 2010 EEC award ceremony was held on November 26th and they had the honor of being given the Grand Prizes from Kim Yun-soo, President of Chonnam National University. They said that they will take part in next EEC.
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