The PyeongChang Organising Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) is going to every length to ensure that the Republic of Korea’s young people do not miss out on the opportunities provided by the Games.
With that goal in mind, POCOG has spent the last two years attending key education festivals and visiting schools across the country in order to develop the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 Curriculum, an interactive educational resource that includes lesson plans, multimedia classroom materials and a range of videos. By the time the Olympic flame arrives in PyeongChang on 8 February 2018, it is hoped that the programme will have directly engaged one million students nationwide.
Adopting “Watch, Teach, Learn and Download” as its watchwords, a bilingual website has been developed with local sponsors EF Education First, while POCOG has also been holding focus groups with elementary and high school teachers to gauge their thoughts and ensure that the programme meets the needs of educators and students alike. Meanwhile, all PE teachers at schools in Gangwon province have taken part in workshops to help them deliver the curriculum.
"We want as many young people to be part of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as we can."
Lee Hee-beom
PyeongChang 2018 President
As for the students themselves, the programme allows them to explore the Olympic movement, with senior pupils getting the chance to develop their presentation and research skills in an exciting competition that invites them to submit a five-minute video on an Olympic topic of their choice.
Launched on 12 April, the competition will see the best 20 videos presented to a special selection panel at Kookmin University in Seoul, with the winner earning a trip to New York to attend both a language course and POCOG’s presentation of the Olympic Truce Resolution to the United Nations General Assembly later this year. Students and teachers assisting with the winning entry will also be recognised for their efforts, and the top three entrants will also receive a scholarship to further their studies.
Discussing the many opportunities that PyeongChang 2018 presents for youngsters across the Republic of Korea, POCOG President Lee Hee-beom said: “We want as many young people to be part of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as we can. Through our range of programmes and activities we believe we can reach millions of students and give them a special PyeongChang 2018 experience of their own. Our aim is to excite and engage them so that they develop a passion for winter sports and feel connected to this wonderful opportunity of hosting the Games in their home nation.”
