PAST EVENTS
2023 Sejong Korea Trip
July 3 - 15, 2023
The 2023 Trip to Korea was a success!
Total of 25 participants traveled to Korea and it was a great experience for ALL.
We started from Imjingak - DMZ, Seoul including 2 nights of homestay with families in Buchon, tea farm in Bosung, museums and BTS street in Gwangju, temple life experience and beach in Busan then back to Seoul via KTX bullet train!
2022 Sejong Camp
August 7 - 13, 2022
We had an astounding 71 campers this year, the largest group of kids in the past eight years. As always the full diaspora of the Korean American community represented at camp, this year with a whole new group of first timers. We had campers from the Tri-State area but also Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan and Colorado. There is always something magical that happens at camp, but the most visible is when a camper comes in hesitant and feeling out of sorts and blooms right before our eyes in knowing that camp is a place where they can be fully expressed as a Korean and American person. All of our instructors this year are veterans of Sejong Camp. It is a strong testament to what we created that we had an entire team of instructors who also must be getting something from camp themselves that makes them want to return again. That continuity in Drumming, Cooking, Language Arts, Dance, Esteem and Arts and Crafts really solidified a strong foundation for the camper experience too. We had the chance to have cooking every day this year and it was so fun!
"Let's Cook!"
2021 Chuseok Virtual Cooking Class
September 18, 2021
A zoom cooking class was held for 10 families to learn how to cook japchae. Just in time for Chuseok! Adoptees, their families, and all generations of Korean Americans were instructed by Amy Lim (aka KimchiMOM) as they learned from their homes in Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington DC, New Jersey, New York, and even Shanghai, China. Everyone had a great time learning how to make one of Korea's most popular dishes. This program was funded by the Overseas Koreans Foundation.
2021 Sejong Camp
August 8 - 14, 2021
We did it! Another successful week of 2021 Sejong Camp and all the campers left happy! We had the most number of new campers come to camp this year, some who were adoptees in Korean American families and quite a few children of adoptees. The idea that we are becoming a multi-generational camp for adoptees is quite unique.
We had a very generous special guest, Melanie Brisbane from Washington zoom in and teach the kids to sew scrunchies and bowties made from Korean fabrics. Melanie is a Korean-African American entrepreneur and shared her experience of living in Korea and spoke on her personal reconciling of her identity both as a Korean and Black woman. You can find her on Instagram @sewfineprints. Our cooking instructor, Amy Lim came in on her days off for a 2 day Kimjang making kimchi. She is a blogger too and you can find her @kimchimom and her blog by the same name. Amy taught us during virtual camp in 2020 Sejong Camp so it was so great to have her return in person! We've already decided on the menu for next summer and it's going to be amazing! Lastly, we hosted Korean American Story for 2 days and they interviewed 10 staff of Sejong Camp.
The week of camp seems to have been THE heat wave of the summer. With days in the mid 90s and rain just about every night, nothing stopped any of us from having fun.
Thank you all for your support and love for Sejong.
August 10 - 13, 2020
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been impacting the entire nation, we as an organization still felt strongly about providing an intentional learning and socializing opportunity for our community.
We had 28 campers and five volunteer staff members who participated in the Sejong Virtual experience, which included teachers of multiple generations and backgrounds sharing their expertise and experience. Our academic curriculum included Korean Language Arts, Culinary Arts, Taekwondo, Arts & Crafts, and Movement and K-pop dance instruction.
Sejong Virtual has allowed for a wider range of participation with campers zooming in from New Mexico, Montana, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Our campers also represented the full diaspora of the Korean American community.
We were extremely pleased with the success of our virtual camp this year. It felt wonderful to be able to deliver a Sejong Camp experience to our campers (and even staff) who come year after year seeking a safe and fun community just for them.
August 11 - 17, 2019
Sejong Camp 2019 came and went in the blink of an eye. With over 50 campers running around, we kept them busy with a number of great experiences this past summer including: zip lining, giant swings, lake adventures, and cabin conversations. When they were tuckered out and needed some down time, our schedule was packed with authentic cultural classes where campers had a chance to make Korean lanterns (Julia Park), break boards (Julia Cho), make some great desserts (Matt Delatour and Hannah Bae), have meaningful conversations about identity (Katie Naftzger), and had the chance to learn distinct drumming styles (Hannah, Daniel, and Sally). The week wasn;t complete without some fun evening activities that allowed the campers to come together. We had a fun color war theme this year and campers had the chance to participate in field day activities, like tug-of-war and relays, in addition they participated in skit night, carnival, and an awesome Friday evening pool party. As soon as we all were able to get comfortable it was already Saturday morning and we were preparing to see our families again.
July 9 - 21, 2019
Total of 28 participants traveled to Korea this year. We had a 2-night home-stay with families from Dowon Elementary school in Sejong City then went on to Gwangju, Gyeonju, Ulsan, DMZ, and back to Seoul. The itinerary included many historical sites, school and agency visits, Taekwondo lesson with Yongin College students, and Temple stay at Dongdosa Temple.
The Sejong Camp Winter Meet Up 2018 at the Ice House in Hackensack was a great success! We met on Saturday, January 13th for skating, pizza, cake, and community. Thanks to all who came out!
Sejong's Third Annual Winter Gathering was another grand success. The surprise snowstorm failed to slow us down and we are so grateful for the almost 40 participants who came out to bowl and eat with us! ...
June 28th - July 10th 2016
This year, we had 23 trip participants. It was a small group, but because of the group size, we quickly established a fine group dynamic and had a wonderful time together...
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Members of our Sejong Camp community all got together for our winter gathering at the Ice House, in Hackensack, and went ice skating.
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June 27 - 28, 2015
Chris Meier, Julia Park and Suzie Park attend the 2015 Korea Studies Workshop in MA to support their mission to educating educators on History and culture of Korea. We met and exchanged ideas and possible partnership with Korea Studies Workshop staff and their guest instructors in near future projects.
June 24~ 26, 2015
Sejong Cultural Education was well represented at this year's annual KAAN conference in St Louis!
Ellen Heitzig (née Picklesimer) who is the social worker on our annual Homeland Tour as well as a former Sejong camper and counselor is...
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JANUARY. 17, 2015
We know that the relationships that our campers and counselors form over the summer are important and enduring. To recognize those connections we decided to start a new tradition...
July 20 – 25, 2014
KAFE (The Korea Academy for Educators) Workshop at USC, California. Dr. Sherronda L. Brown, Director of DELTA(Dwight-Englewood Learning & Teaching Annex), and Mrs. Hyaekyung Jo, Executive Board of Sejong, have attended
June 23 – 27, 2014
NKSS(National Korean Studies Seminar) Workshop in Gardena, California. Mr. Clinton Carbon, Director of Diversity Department of Dwight Englewood Schools, and Mrs. Hyaekyung Jo, Executive Board of Sejong Cultural Education, have attended
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October 5, 2013
Sejong Cultural Education, Inc. sponsored BCKAPA (Bergen County Korean-American Parents Association)’s Education
Seminar and...
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October 4, 2013
Sejong Cultural Education, Inc. sponsored and coordinated “What Will You Be, Sara Mee?” workshop at School Number 2 in Fort Lee, New Jersey for all the first...
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August 11 - 17, 2013
This year's theme was Life Cycle. Twelve college students from Ehwa University assisted teachers and taught musical lessons. Other activities such as cooking, dance, Shijo Writing, Drumming, Korean Art, and adventure classes continued as in other years.
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August 2 - 4, 2013
Ellen Picklesimer, Betty Todd and Linda Priore attended the 2013 KAAN conference.
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July 28 - August 3, 2013
HyaeKyung Jo and Julia Park attended this intensive one-week experimental seminar on Korean culture for American educators to further develop Sejong's program for educators.
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July 5 - 17, 2013
31 participants learned about one another and themselves while visiting various parts of Korea.
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May 18, 2013
Children between the ages 6 to 9 performed this comical version of a famous Korean folk tale in English. There was also an assembly hosted by the Parents Teachers Association of Norwood Public School in the gym for the Kindergarten to 2nd grade students on May 20th, 2013.
November 28, 2012
Korean parents of elementary, middle and high schools in Ramsey, New Jersey learned about what they need to focus in raising children in America.
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KAFE(Korean Academy for Educators) Workshop
October 12 - 14, 2012
HyaeKyung Jo and Julia Park attended the KAFE workshop in Wheeling, Illinois in preparation for future workshops for educators, Sejong staff attended and met with teachers of various states.
"Introduction to Korean History and Culture" Workshop for Educators"
October 11, 2012
More than 45 Bergen County Kindergarten through high school teachers attended Sejong's one days workshop on Korea in Dwight Englewood School, New Jersey and got a taste of Korea.