Inside Jump, Jump’s heartfelt stories and meeting people.
The November Jump Letter will open with a multiple-choice quiz. What do the words below have in common?
“Crybaby and Potato, Joy and Happy Virus, Older Sister Who Buys Me Food and Sweet Rabbit, Toy Collector and Jump… ”1. Keyword 2 that speaks of ‘another me’. Names that contain ‘deep friendship’ and ‘memories’3. Promise to remain each other’s reliable friends 4. Nicknames for Jump community members and supporters>> The answer lies somewhere between the interviews.
There are many precious words about friendship in the world. Among them, I like the saying, ‘Friendship leaves many traces.’ Above all, I keep in mind the saying, ‘Having friends is having another life.’ While conducting this Jump Letter interview, I thought of the many friends from Jump with whom I would like to continue sharing another warm life. When we want to talk about ‘friendship’, we will remember you walking with us. He said he didn’t know that we would become good friends from the beginning or that our friendship would last. We first met through a coincidence, and I liked that coincidence, so we did the ‘Miracle Morning Challenge’ (creating good habits in life) in our group chat room. One friend said that in order for a friendship to last, each person needs to make an effort to consistently ask each other how they are doing. When someone is having a hard time right now, instead of saying in passing, ‘Are you having a hard time?’, say, ‘I’m hungry.’ He also said that he was able to laugh because of ordinary cheers such as ‘Let’s eat’ or ‘Let’s go to a cafe and chat’. Peers who came together with a love for children (mentees) suddenly became friends and talked about lifelong friendships. Perhaps not so special, there is a more precious story here.
H-Jump School’s 10th outstanding scholarship team that participated in the interview: Kim Eun-ji, Jeong Ki-jun, Kang Hyo-jin, Park So-jeong, Kim Cheol-hee, Jang Ji-in, Lee Jae-yong, Park Seong-hak, Cheon Seong-woo, Kwak Da-eun, Lee Chae-eun, and Kim Sang-heon alumni (clockwise from the back row)
When we talk about friendship
I was so surprised when I first heard about your support! I think I felt happy and grateful when I heard that the entire 10th Scholarship Foundation came together to support me. I was happy that Alumni sponsored me, but more than anything, I was impressed that the 10th class of excellent scholarship students are still maintaining a strong relationship even a year after completion. I am very grateful and glad that we are continuing to do something together, rather than a relationship that ended after the scholarship activities. And I think it was even more meaningful that the sponsorship came as a result. (Chaeun) At first, I started by posting in the group chat room. The reason I decided to sponsor was because I thought it was meaningful for us to do something together. I had a lot of concerns at first, but after talking with Ki-jun and Eun-ji-sam, I came to these thoughts. “If two people agree, I will post it in the group chat room and talk about it with other friends.” I think I started off that lightly. Although the 10th Scholarship Academy activities have ended, I think I am still actively participating in Jump’s various programs as an alumni. In particular, as I frequently communicated with the Daegu Secretariat, my interest in not only H-Jump School but also the entire Jump organization grew. As I watched the managers’ work closely, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be good to sponsor a good team that is doing good work?’ At first, I posted a vote for or against in the group chat room. I asked Seonghak Sam, who is currently working as an educational volunteer at the same center, for his opinion, and in the end, Seonghak Sam took charge of the sponsorship. (Voice actor) I jokingly said, ‘Since we’re all together, wouldn’t it be nice to make a donation?’ This is how it led to actual sponsorship. (Hyojin) I think I really need to talk about this. We also chose the sponsorship date (November 6th) in a meaningful way. Rather than just picking a random date, we remember the day we gathered together under the title of “Excellent Scholarship Foundation” and boarded a plane to go on an overseas trip, and sponsored based on that date!
I’m really grateful that you know and sympathize with the mindset of Jump managers as they work, and it’s a great support! Well then, shall we go back to an old story? You must have met each other for the first time while preparing for an overseas trip. Was your chemistry this good from the beginning? (Cheolhee) Actually, I already knew Jaeyongsam. When I was serving in the military, we were in the same unit and we talked often. After being discharged from the military and working as a scholarship student for the 10th class of H-Jump School, I went to a mid-term workshop, and Jaeyong-sam greeted me first. I didn’t recognize it at first. Jae Yong-sam’s name is the same as the chairman of a large domestic company, right? Even in the military, I remembered the name of the chairman. I think the fact that we said we’d meet again next time led to this connection. (Da-eun) When we were all gathered together to prepare for an overseas trip, I said to my friend, ‘I got an excellent scholarship,’ and she said, ‘My friend also got an excellent scholarship.’ He answered. It turned out that I knew Sangheonsam, who was sitting across from me. I remember saying hello to Sangheonsam like that. We had a chance to meet each other! What were other people like? (Standard) I didn’t know everyone, but I don’t think there was any difficulty in getting to know them. I ended up in the same group as friends I wanted to become closer with at Disneyland, which was one of my overseas trips. From then on, I set a rule that “the person who doesn’t say anything pays for me” and rode the rides diligently. I think we became closer as we mixed together like this. (Voice actor) I also want to tell you a funny story. Hyojin Sam’s birthday was held while I was visiting overseas. I was busy playing, but Chae Eun-sam wanted to buy a cake. It warmed my heart to see people wandering around, looking for cakes, and preparing for a surprise party. I think we became closer as we celebrated together. (Hyojin) It’s not easy for people you meet for the first time to celebrate your birthday. So at first I had no idea. I was going to say thank you for just congratulating him lightly, but he prepared it as a surprise. It’s a really happy memory. (Voice actor) I was holding a birthday cake and Jae Yong-sam hit it and almost ruined it, and I also remember putting a Pepero on it because there were no candles.
USC University visited during H-Jump School’s 10th Scholarship Study Abroad
Interest in this group may have waned after the overseas trip or graduation, so how were all 15 people able to continue this group until now? (Da-eun) After the overseas trip, we started the Miracle Morning Challenge in a group chat room. He suddenly told me to wake up early in the morning. At first, I had no intention of participating. But that gradually changed, and they asked me to keep Zoom on all day during the exam period. Some people said that it was disappointing to see them only through Zoom, but as we started meeting occasionally and holding small group meetings, we started seeing each other more and more. Last time we met in Seoul and went on a trip to Daegu. I think the gatherings were able to continue naturally because we had accumulated such good habits, good people, and good memories. (Acquaintance) My trip abroad to the United States was my first overseas trip. I thought the scenery would be memorable when I came back, but the stories we shared were more memorable. I slept a lot every time I took the bus, but the other friends talked too much. At first, I thought, ‘Why do they talk so much?’ I thought about it, but at some point, I found myself talking too. I think it continues like this because I met like-minded people. (Jijun) While traveling abroad, I felt that I had met friends that I will see for the rest of my life. In particular, I still keep in touch with Sangheon Sam, who was in the same group. When other people ask, ‘What does Gijun do?’, he says, ‘You can ask Sangheon.’ So, around the time of the 10th H-Jump School graduation ceremony, we rented accommodations and hung out with the best scholarship students. When my friends ask me to do something together, there are many of them who don’t refuse and try to make time for each other, so I think our unity is still going well. (Chae-eun) After returning from an overseas trip to the U.S., an acquaintance of mine sent me a KakaoTalk message every morning. I remember this. Cheolhee Sam also continued to send me selfies, and Kijun Sam and Sangheon Sam told me to meet them first. I think we’re able to meet like this thanks to the people who made an effort to keep in touch. I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am truly grateful. What kind of feelings did you have with Jiin Sam and Cheolhee Sam when they contacted you every day? Did you ever wish for this team to continue meeting? (Acquaintance) At that time, I just wanted to do that. (Cheolhee) I think I contacted you with a sincere heart to relieve the stiff atmosphere. (Voice actor) In fact, as soon as I returned from my overseas trip. It’s back to school and everyday life. I thought, ‘I was in the U.S. until yesterday, what am I doing here?’ and I also suffered from burnout because I couldn’t keep up with the progress of the class. But every time I did that, I remembered the face of Cheolhee Sam, the happy virus I saw in the United States. Cheolhee Sam’s face in the group chat room gave me great support. I think each person has a role to play in the group. It’s been about a year since the 10th class graduation ceremony ended. How many times have we gathered so far? (Voice actor) All 15 people have never gathered together. There have been 2-3 occasions where more than 10 people have gathered, and usually we naturally have small gatherings with people who have the right time. We usually meet like lightning, like ‘Do you want to see me tomorrow?’ or ‘I’m going to Daegu next month. Do you want to see me then?’ (standard) Friends who live in the area sometimes come to Seoul, and friends from Seoul sometimes go to Daegu. I think my friends from Seoul were able to go to Daegu because my friends from Daegu came to Seoul first. It must have been burdensome because it took a lot of time and transportation costs, but we were able to get together because everyone participated without anyone expressing dislike. (Da-eun) Usually, I find people who are likely to be at that time and place and ask them. I thought, ‘Someone will show up,’ so we started talking about meeting each other, and naturally, we ended up seeing each other often. But for this kind of meeting to continue, someone must always ask first. It is never easy to make such efforts consistently. (Voice actor) And there are many people who engage in overlapping extracurricular activities. Hyojin Sam and I did the same external activities, and we also have friends who volunteer at Daecheong Bridge. As these activities continue, we naturally see each other often and it seems to be like a small group. The November Jump Letter Quiz answers 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all correct!
Alumni Jeon Seo-hyung, Kim Yuna, and Song Min-seok expressed regret over not being able to participate in the interview due to schedule.
It may become more difficult to keep time together as you begin your social life in the future, but is there a plan to keep this precious friendship going? Have you ever thought about doing a special activity to meet regularly or making a promise to get together once a year? (Hyojin) Since there are 15 of us, we are a group where one person per month shares their own hobbies or interests. I thought it would be a good idea to create content that leads the group. (Voice actor) I think this donation will help the sustainability of the group. We meet often now, but I know it will become more difficult to meet as time goes by. If you make a promise to donate, you can remember this team unconditionally once a year. Because saying ‘It’s time to donate’ can lead to ‘Shall we meet?’ (Sangheon) I think we can definitely get together once a year. Since we haven’t been able to get together like this since the overseas trip, everyone made time to come during the interview even though they had schedules. I think that through donations, we can create a day where we can all get together once a year. I feel like I want to continue this friendship in the future. Then, I wonder why this gathering is special for each person. (Eunji) Actually, I don’t often get to know people in groups like this. I have an introverted personality, so I don’t contact him often. The reason this team continues to exist is because of our friends. I keep getting calls asking to meet up. I think I was able to meet regularly because I had friends who asked me to meet them first. In fact, for me, it is a departure from my previous experiences. I am grateful that I have friends who help me experience things I have never done before. (Gijun) I am an intern and there were many difficult moments while preparing for employment. I usually like meeting people, but sometimes meeting people feels burdensome because of job preparation. Still, I kept in touch with excellent scholarship companies. My friends ask me, ‘Are you having a hard time?’ Instead of saying the same thing, I said, ‘Let’s eat, let’s go to a cafe,’ so I think we met without any pressure. I write a blog whenever I’m having a hard time, and it’s not that I like people because I entertain them and make them laugh, but the comments from my friends who say, ‘They just like Jeong Gi-jun as a person,’ gave me great strength. (Hyojin) What’s special about them are people I can meet at any time. do. After becoming an adult, I found it difficult to become friends with new people. Unlike in high school, it is really difficult to meet close friends in society. But the 15 of us are like high school friends, and it doesn’t feel awkward at all when we ask, ‘How are you?’ (Sojeong) I feel like we’re comfortable people together. If your daily life is busy and tiring, you will naturally avoid groups that make you tired when you meet them. But this team is always fun to meet. Not long ago, we had a random figure competition in Yongsan, and I had a good time with that alone. (Cheolhee) To me, this team is ‘support’ and ‘growth’. Actually, I think of myself as a strong person, but no matter how strong a person is, if you push them off a cliff, they will fall. If you have someone who holds your hand and supports you at such times, you can overcome difficult situations. I think the fact that we came together with a love for children gave me support. And it feels even more special because it was a team that made me feel like I had grown a lot. (Jaeyong) There were many twists and turns, so the 10 months of educational volunteer work was not all that fun. But at the same time, it was a really meaningful time for me. It felt special to think that the 15 people selected as excellent scholarship recipients must have had the same experience as me over the 10 months. During the mid-term workshop, I shared a room with Seonghak and Ki Gi-sam, and I remember not being able to sleep much at night because we were discussing youth education. Although the 10th class activities have ended, the people I worked with are still here, so when I meet my friends, I think of my time volunteering as an educational volunteer. (Seonghak) The essence of H-Jump School’s activities is mentoring local children. I have been volunteering since 2018. As I met many adults and college teachers over a long period of time, I often felt skeptical. However, I felt that all 15 people here had the same heart and were with the children. No matter what I say, everyone sympathizes with me, and I also understand what my friends are saying. This team is special because it brings together people who know very well the reason for teaching children. (Voice actor) I would like to express it as ‘my support and my smile.’ I wanted to become a teacher, but I wasn’t sure about that dream. There were many friends around me who did not want to become teachers. However, after participating in H-Jump School and working with excellent scholarship students, I felt confident in my dream that I had felt uncertain about. Naturally, this team felt like an absolute support to me. And I think the power of laughter is amazing. They say you are happy when you smile. It’s not easy to smile all the time, but when I’m with this team, I smile naturally. (Da-eun) I think it’s like ‘a toy that can be taken out at any time.’ I am an engineering student, so I actually felt that I was far from education before participating in H-Jump School. I thought that educational volunteer work was just something I had to do, so I didn’t even know that if I was selected for an excellent scholarship, I would go abroad. However, when I spoke with excellent scholarship recipients, the stories were very diverse and deep. Cheolhee-sam going to the academy while working, serving in student council, and working a part-time job, Seonghak-sam treating children with sincerity, Hyojin-sam’s birthday party, Gi-jun-sam drawing Happy Meals, etc. These memories are toys that can be taken out at any time. I feel the same. This kind of experience with good people is not something everyone can do in their 20s. So, I think being part of this team will be an experience I will never forget. (Chaeun) I think there can be envy and jealousy in any group. But I think our team only has support for each other. Of course, humans have angular parts, right? Our team has a very special atmosphere of acknowledging and helping each other rather than pointing out shortcomings. (Sangheon) Because we are good friends, I felt very valued. I have to say that when I think of this team, I feel like home. I am lucky because I received a lot of help and support.
There must still be lonely and alone children somewhere. Jump is always waiting for a scholarship company to protect the children. As a senior, is there any advice you would like to give to your junior scholarship recipients? (Seonghak) I think my attitude toward children changes every year. From my current mindset, I would like to tell them to treat their children with a lighter heart rather than a burden. If the responsibility is too heavy, it will be difficult for you and it can be toxic. I hope that I can let go of the responsibility of teaching something well and approach children with a light heart like a friend. (Sojeong) My dream has been to be a teacher since elementary school. I am still enrolled in the Department of Social Education. However, at the age of 22, while participating in H-Jump School, for the first time, I began to picture myself as a person other than a teacher. As I met mentors from various fields, I realized that I wanted to experience a variety of fields other than being a teacher. I was a bit surprised myself. If you become a scholarship student, actively participate in mentoring members of society! (Acquaintance) I played with the children with the mindset of being an older sister who is slightly bigger than the children. When I did that, the children started to follow along better, and people at the center also asked if they could come to the center more, so I continued to volunteer in education. I think it would be good to participate with the mindset of playing with the children without feeling pressured. (Standard) I think the duration of the activity may feel long or short depending on the person. The important thing is not to give up. I also had a hard time in the middle. Around June and July, there were students who crossed the line and did not take what I said as what the teacher said. But during the last class, all the children cried. Even though it seems like the children don’t understand the teacher’s feelings, it’s really disappointing that the scholarship volunteers only provide educational services for a certain period of time and then leave. I hope you don’t give up even if it seems like things aren’t going your way. (Da-eun) In your application for the 10th class, you wrote, ‘I will walk side by side with the children, neither pulling from the front nor pushing from behind.’ But when I actually started working, I was really busy pulling from the front and pushing from behind. Still, I think I persevered with the thought of not giving up. Because if I give up, the moments I had with my children and the path forward will stop. Even after the activity is over, there are children who send us dance practice videos. They ask me to ‘look at it’, but in reality, they just send it to me to show off. In terms of children, I am still walking as a teacher at H-Jump School. I would like you to think of the activity period as a time to walk through a part of life with your children. Holding someone’s hand and walking together is a powerful thing. (Voice actor) While working, I sometimes wonder, ‘Am I really helping the children?’ However, I think that eating together or even playing around is a big plus for children. And when things are difficult, I hope that I will work while thinking about the earnestness I had when I applied.
Precious memories from the 10th H-Jump School shared by alumni Seongwoo Cheon
Keywords that introduce ‘me’
The 10th H-Jump School scholarship students who worked in different regions and centers maintain a special relationship. To better reveal the colors and personalities of the alumni, I asked one question. How would you describe me in this group in one word? Sangheon Kim: I’m so embarrassed. My name is Sangheon Kim, and I worked at Ulsan Gilji Children’s Center, and am currently in charge of ‘Jump’ on the team. I am working as an intern at Jump, and I met good friends through Jump, so I will call it ‘Jump’. Chae-eun Lee: I participated in H-Jump School at Daegu Happy Up Community Children’s Center for two years, and am currently a college student at the same center. My name is Chae-eun Lee, and I am working as a youth education support project (Daecheong Bridge). I don’t think I have a particular nickname. Kwak Da-eun: My name is Kwak Da-eun, and I worked at the Sangju Dasarang Community Children’s Center. While visiting overseas, I thought, ‘I have to buy this toy! I remember having a great time with my friends thinking, ‘I have to buy that toy too!’ So, I would like to introduce myself as a ‘collector.’ Seong-Woo Cheon: This is Seong-Woo Cheon, who worked at the Jeil Gang-dong Regional Children’s Center. He is the youngest member of the team and is like the ‘face’ of the team. Actually, there really is a separate youngest member… Since I was a promotional model for the 10th group, I would like to introduce myself as the ‘face’ of the team. (H-Jump School Manager: No, the voice actor is ‘retriever’.) Then I will correct it to ‘retriever’ Park Seong-hak: This is Park Seong-hak, who worked as a scholarship teacher at the Sunshine Area Children’s Center. My nickname is… (H-Jump School Manager: Crybaby.) I will introduce you as ‘Crybaby’, which was recommended by my manager. I ended up writing a story every time I attended a graduation ceremony or important event. I remember being moved and crying alone every time that happened. Jaeyong Lee: This is Jaeyong Lee, an alumni who worked at the Galilee Regional Children’s Center in the Gangwon region. The place where I worked was a mountain village in Gangwon-do. So, I decided to be the ‘potato’ of the 10th class. Jang Ji-in: This is Jang Ji-in, an alumni who worked at the Gaon Area Children’s Center in Incheon. I would like to introduce myself as I am also the face of the 10th group. (H-Jump School Manager: Acquaintance Sam suits ‘fresh rabbit’ better.) Kim Cheol-hee: This is Kim Cheol-hee, who worked at Ulsan Woori Community Children’s Center. Because I like to laugh, I will introduce myself as ‘Happy Virus’. Park So-jeong: I am Park So-jeong, who worked at the Vision Tree Regional Children’s Center in Seoul. I am the ‘real youngest’ of the 10th class. Kang Hyo-jin: I am Kang Hyo-jin, an alumni who worked at the Good People Community Children’s Center. When we first met, I worked hard to lighten the mood because I was the team leader. My goal is to give good energy to people, so my keyword is ‘joy.’ Jeong Gi-jun: This is Jeong Ki-jun, who worked at the Boramae Community Children’s Center in Seoul. There’s probably no one here who didn’t take a photo of me. So, my nickname is ‘King of Yeopsa’. Eunji Kim: I am Eunji Kim, who worked as a scholarship student at the Gyeonggi Global Center in the Seoul/Gyeonggi region. I am in charge of the ‘older sister who buys us food well’ in our group.