In this blog post, I’ll summarize what I learned and how I grew through my academic efforts, school activities, volunteer work, and collaborative experiences during high school.
Improving Concentration Through Art Activities
When I was in high school, I tended to have trouble concentrating during class. While sitting in one place for about an hour, I would only stay focused for the first 20 minutes or so, and after that, my attention would gradually wander. I would pay attention if the subject interested me or the class was engaging, but if not, I tended to tune out completely. However, since I needed to study all subjects equally to earn good grades in high school, I had to correct my selective study habits. I made a conscious effort to improve my concentration. First, I worked on becoming someone who could sit in one place for over an hour, working hard on something without feeling bored. To develop this habit, I tried incorporating arts and physical education classes into my routine. In particular, during art class, I tended to get so absorbed in my work that I lost track of time. Whether I was crafting, drawing, sketching, or coloring, I found myself exerting a high level of concentration to complete my piece. So, when doing sculpture projects with materials like plaster or clay, I practiced not cutting corners and staying focused on the task for over an hour. Art class usually lasted two hours, and sometimes even three, and there were times when I worked continuously throughout the entire session. Even though I sometimes wanted to take a break, go to the bathroom, or chat with friends, I resisted those urges and focused solely on completing my piece. In fact, by maintaining such intense focus, I was able to finish my pieces faster than others, and the quality of my work was much higher than when I would get distracted. As I noticed that my sculptural details became more refined and the results improved, I realized the importance of concentration. Consequently, as I engaged in art activities repeatedly, my concentration gradually improved, and I became less easily distracted even in classes other than art.
A Year at a School for Students with Disabilities
During my sophomore year of high school, I happened to form a bond with students from a school for students with disabilities. At the time, our school was hosting an event for Children’s Day, where volunteers from each class ran booths for the children, offering activities like face painting and balloon art. I also took on a volunteer role, handing out balloon creations. Among the children participating in the event were students from the special education school, and it was heartwarming to see them wandering around the venue with such curiosity. So, the volunteers discussed going to that special education school separately to volunteer, and after consulting with our homeroom teacher, we set up a regular volunteer program. Every Saturday, the five of us would visit the special education school to spend time with the preschoolers. Since parents who work on weekends leave their children at the school, the preschool class was always open and full of children. We started by showing the children fun TV shows and playing with them by singing along to the songs and doing the dance moves from the programs. When it was mealtime, we let them eat the packed lunches their parents had sent at their own pace, and if needed, we helped them wash their hands or clean the classroom together. Although it was awkward at first, the preschoolers—despite their physical challenges—had pure hearts and were very approachable; they actively expressed themselves by frequently asking for hugs or requesting that we read them books. As we met often and became familiar with each other’s faces, they eventually recognized us, greeted us warmly with hugs, and said hello. Through this volunteer work, I also grew more mature as a person. On one occasion, the parents came to visit us personally to express their gratitude for our efforts and threw a party for us. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced by families of children with disabilities, which helped me develop a more mature perspective on society.
Festival promotional materials made from recycled materials
During my sophomore year of high school, our school held a large festival. Since we collaborated with other nearby high schools to organize it, the event was on a grand scale. To spread the word and increase participation, I joined the promotional team and was tasked with creating the festival’s promotional materials myself. The promotional team was divided into a team for creating online posters, a team for operating promotional booths, a team for decorating the playground and school facilities, and a team for creating decorations for the main gate—and I was in charge of the main gate decorations. During a meeting, we agreed that rather than using overly flashy or expensive materials, we should create pieces that showcased the students’ ideas. So, I proposed using recycled materials such as tin cans, milk cartons, scrap paper, snack bags, and fabric scraps. The idea was positively received at the meeting, and we ended up creating large decorations using these materials. Since the main gate was wide on both sides and had no roof, we decided to build a large arched gate. We stacked sturdy tin cans to form the pillars and used milk cartons to create the roof. We wrapped blue tape around the washed tin cans, stacked them like bricks, and covered them with snack bags in various colors, creating a large, vibrant display that was perfect for catching people’s attention. The finished decoration stood out due to its size and color scheme, and because it was made from unconventional materials, it proved highly effective in promoting the festival. It was a rewarding experience to feel the sense of cooperation that came from gathering with others to brainstorm ideas and create the piece together.
