[Reflection] Eun-Seo Emily Song: My Journey in Serving and Learning with the Children at the Life Giving Tree Organization

When I first joined the Green Tree Club as a member, I was drawn to the idea of helping underprivileged children - it seemed like a meaningful way to enrich both their lives and my own. Being the youngest in my family, I didn’t get many chances to interact with younger kids, so I also hoped to experience what it was like to play with and care for them. However, my time in the club has turned out to be much more impactful than I expected. 

One of my earliest experiences was a trip to Seoul Zoo with children aged 5 to 7. It was tough to keep up with them as they darted around, full of energy. I quickly learned that taking care of little kids is no easy task; for me, it was harder than any sport. Yet, by the end of each volunteering session, I felt a strong urge to keep going. It was more rewarding than any other volunteering activity I had undertaken. It was surprisingly fun, and I wanted to experience that joy again, even if it was challenging. 

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Now, as the club president, I wanted to expand our activities to give these kids more diverse learning experiences. That led me to embark on new initiatives such as the Robotics and Coding Camp, Music Camp, and Dance Camp. I felt it was important to introduce them to the new fields, especially as many of the kids did not attend formal school. These activities allowed me to deepen connections with the children at the Life-Giving Tree Organization. 

For the Robotics and Coding Camp, the other members and I spent hours planning and organized a school fundraiser to afford teaching materials. Teaching concepts of AI autonomous robots to children wasn’t easy - I had to find ways to simplify complex ideas to help them understand, which required thinking from their perspective. During sessions, technical issues often arose, like robot parts not working, which required quick problem-solving and patience.

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In the Music Camp, each member taught singing or an instrument - I taught the kids electric guitar. Simplifying the chords to make it easier for the children was a rewarding challenge. These experiences have taught me to see things from the children’s perspective, which has encouraged my personal growth. 

I’d love to introduce the children to chemistry, a subject that amazed me in middle school. We are planning a volcanic eruption experiment using the chemicals from the elephant’s toothpaste experiment, hoping it sparks the same thrill for them that I felt. 

Beyond just teaching, I’ve learned a lot about the challenges these children face. When they “age out” of the foster system, they may receive only limited financial support to live independently. I firmly believe that these underprivileged children deserve additional support, whether from the government or other sources, as they transition into adulthood, because their childhoods often lack the stability and resources many of us take for granted. It’s hard to imagine having to make it on their own with minimal guidance and limited resources. This thought has made me realize that there’s a lot more work to be done to ensure these kids have a safe and supported future, and I hope to keep making a difference in any way I can, both now and in the years ahead.