SangHee Lee

Within our school, students are continuously given opportunities to lead. Our alumnus, SangHee Lee, Class of 2024, shares that during his time at our school, he seized many leadership roles. He served as the High School Soccer team’s Captain; he was the lead for our Jazz Band Club; and during Model United Nations (MUN), he acted as Deputy Secretary General. “I think being a leader was what helped me grow as a person, as a human being, because I get to see different types of people. I get to understand those different types of people, and I have to adjust [to] them,” he says.

Incorporating leadership into his service project with our Band Teacher, Mrs. Chen, SangHee taught upper Elementary students how to play instruments, “and that experience really gave me a first sight, like a first step almost of that teaching the education part of my life, so I think that helped me a lot in actually knowing what it will look like in the future.”

SangHee’s love for English education has driven him into his current pursuit. At Yonsei University, he is majoring in English Language and Literature, but hopes to eventually shift his focus to law, so he can advocate for and drive improvement of the English education curriculum. “I’m trying to change things from its foundation, and my final goal is to make my own organization that specifically deals with English education, anywhere, not just in South Korea, but all around the world.” He hopes that, in doing so, education will be more accessible and of even greater quality. “Eventually, my plan is to lead a group of people that have the same ideals and same thoughts as I do. So, having these leadership roles at High School would definitely help me.”

While in his leadership positions, SangHee has found that of the LifePlus 9 Qualities for Life, courage and connection have played significant roles. “Courage, for me, is very important and was very important, and it is still very important because without courage, you can’t really start anything.” This will, naturally, be key as he seeks to improve the laws of English education, but it was also important while he led at our school, while he took AP courses, and as he is currently at Yonsei, serving as the President of the Freshman students in his major.

Connection, also, has been important in his role as President, as he meets new people and understands their views. “By being able to see different types of people, I get to understand their thoughts, and as a leader, as a future leader, and as a current leader, it is definitely important to understand those people, understand the people that I lead, and I thought that’s one of the most basics that a leader should do and should be able to do.”

Well done, SangHee! It’s wonderful to see you, as a leader, strive to understand, empower, and improve the lives of those you lead.