第4回 全国高校生SRサミット「FOCUS」(4/4)

今回は第4回全国高校生SR（Social Responsibility）サミット
「FOCUS（Forum On Creating Unified Societies）
〜本気で取り組む3週間〜」で今回2回目の参加となる
ヨハネ生の振り返りの文章をご紹介します。

This summer, it was my second time participating in the event
FOCUS. I took part in FOCUS2020 as a leader of our school’s
project “Humans and Heavens”. Last year, a lot of things still
remained unclear at the point our project team decided to
join the event. The reason was because it was our first time
participating in the event as a school, and it was the first time
for the event to be run under the outbreak of COVID-19.
However, I felt the learning from FOCUS2020 was invaluable
after finishing the program. Nevertheless, the program was run
online, I felt that I could create a special presentation with my
teammates. Furthermore, I could interact with people from
overseas as the Philippines because the event was held
online. I experienced my view expanding widely through
creating the project with them and decided to join this event
again. This time, as a participant and not as a leader.

My FOCUS2021 started from choosing the project I would
join in. This was a big change for me from last year. Last
year, I did not choose a project to take part of because I
remained and brushed up on the project of myself as a leader.
I looked for a project that I can enrich and would enrich our
school’s one too. I was excited to widen my point of view
through thinking about the depth of the project created by
others, this time. I finally chose some projects associated
with education and was assigned to the project “Providing
quality education to everyone”. It was aiming to deliver
education to children in developing countries. Because
FOCUS2021 was held with several applications to run the
online event smoothly, our team had a few online
meetings and some discussions on chat before the
FOCUS itself. I started from trying to understand the
concept of the project by asking questions to the leader
of my team. “What are you aiming for in this project?
Who is the persona?” “How come you came up with this
project?” “When do you want this project to be
accomplished?”. Through the discussion we had before
FOCUS, I came to understand and sympathize with the
passion the leader had for the project, and I tried my best
to feed back my idea to her. Also, we could build
relationships between the members because of the
advance meetings. Therefore, we could make good use of
our time on FOCUS itself. I realized the importance of
sharing time and sharing the point of view of each other,
not just splitting the work when you run a project. By
having the process of sharing the point of view, our team
became able to split the task and be considerate to each
other at the same time. The understanding of each other’s
opinion created a vigorous discussion and comfortable
atmosphere to work together. I think this holds the same
as anything else when you cooperate with other people. It
is important to try to share your point of view with others
no matter whether you discuss it online or in person.

FOCUS2021 became an opportunity to go over my
weaknesses. For example, I usually try to avoid any
digital tasks. However, our team needed to make a
digital questionnaire and share it to all participants
of FOCUS2021 so that we can use the data. Other
members had to make the manuscript and the slides for
the presentation, so I decided to make the form by
myself. Thanks to the experience of seeing other people
doing it through the group research in St. Johns, I
managed to make a questionnaire form in an hour
although it was my first time tackling it, and pulled
off to share it on the whole chat. I had some sense of
gratification that I could grow into myself more than
before participating in this event, when I clicked the
transmitting button. I also took part in making the
slides to show in the presentation. I think that I would
not try to make slides if it was not in such a particular
situation. FOCUS became a precious opportunity
breaking through my ceiling in a special situation.

Also, because we had a member from overseas in our
team, we could interview about the education of other
countries. When we started the discussion on “the
recognition of education in developing countries among
developed countries”, the Cambodian member started
to talk about what he had experienced through receiving
education in his country. This discussion was made possible
because FOCUS2021 was held online and people could
participate from overseas. Also, this was an unexpectable
discussion if we had a different team member. I couldn’t
experience it if I didn’t participate in FOCUS2021. In the
same manner of the unanticipated form making, it was
an experience I gained because I participated in this
particular event, particular project. I would have probably
never made a questionnaire form or heard the real voice
of education in Cambodia if I did not join the project
“Providing quality education to everyone”. I could not
experience whether I chose to enter FOCUS as a leader
as I did last year. The things I experienced and learned in
FOCUS2021 could be born only with those members, that
day, that project. I strongly convinced myself of the
specialness of “projects” and realized the difference
between “lessons” and “projects”. In a project, you do not
just show what you know, but try to create something
slightly new.

FOCUS2021 became a brilliant opportunity to experience
unexpecting events and break my weakness through it.
Through this chance, I could realize the importance of
the process of discussing with people when you work
together as well. I strongly believe that the learnings I
found on this opportunity would go through any
occasions in my life, because people are always living with
each other. Lastly, I would like to thank all of the people
who supported our participation in FOCUS2021 even in
the situation of a disease outbreak. I appreciate it from the
bottom of my heart, thank you.