Last November, SSI hosted a meaningful Senior Extracurricular Experience Sharing Seminar where our 12th-grade students shared the extracurricular activities they pursued throughout their college application journey. It was an inspiring time as they offered practical advice, insights, and encouragement to younger students.

Before the presentations, College Counselor Ms. Linda spoke about the importance and various types of Extracurricular Activities. She explained how students can strategically utilize them in university applications and introduced real case studies of successful applicants to top-tier institutions.

Following this session, four students—Claire Choi, Lindsay Kim, Nicole Chung, and James Lee—presented their experiences, sharing the preparation process, challenges, and lessons they learned along the way.

Claire Choi reflected on her experience with The Pioneer Research Institute, a program she joined after discovering her passion for research through AP Research. Wanting to explore whether this was a field she wished to pursue further, Claire completed a full research paper, deepened her academic interests, strengthened her independence, and built meaningful connections with mentors and peers.

Lindsay Kim shared her journey with RUN4KOREA. She wanting to address the lack of physical activity in students, she launched RUN4KOREA and discovered new academic opportunities, including writing a research paper with a KAIST professor. 

Nicole Chung presented her experience participating in the SAGE World Cup, where her team tackled real social issues through entrepreneurship. Their project introduced a reuse and donation system to reduce waste and benefit local communities. Through this initiative, Nicole ultimately earning a Silver Medal at the 2025 SAGE Korea Cup.

James Lee shared his extensive volunteer work. He produced 101 audiobooks as a narrator and project manager for visually impaired readers. Also he taught English at public libraries, creating interactive reading programs for young children.

This seminar served as a meaningful opportunity for our senior students to share their extracurricular experiences and offer practical guidance and encouragement to their younger peers as they prepare for their future studies and college applications. Through the seniors’ real and inspiring stories, younger students were able to learn the value of challenge and the importance of consistent effort. We believe that this culture of sharing is one of SSI’s greatest strengths, and we hope that the experiences from this seminar will inspire even more students to grow and take confident steps toward their future.