Late teacher’s legacy lives on through scholarships

The parents of a native English teacher who died in a traffic accident in South Korea have been quietly honoring her memory for years by funding scholarships for students in Ulsan.

According to the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education, seven students at Yeompo Elementary School in Buk-gu received the “Sarah Dinell Scholarship” on May 24. Sarah Dinell, an American teacher, began working at the school in August 2015. She was just 24 when she died in a traffic accident in Ulsan in November 2016.

Since her passing, Dinell’s parents have pledged to donate $1,000 (about 1.4 million won) annually to the school’s development fund for 10 years. This year marked the eighth consecutive donation. The school awards the money as scholarships to give the contribution a deeper meaning.

In addition to the financial support, the Dinell family donated 295 English-language books to support the school’s English education program. Yeompo Elementary has since created a special section in the school library named the “Sarah Dinell Collection” in her honor.

Students who received the scholarship wrote thank-you letters to her parents. “I am grateful to Sarah Dinell and her parents,” one student wrote. “I will remember their kindness and share it with others.”

A school official said, “Every April, Mr. Dinell sends the donation. Sarah’s love and dedication continue to teach our students important lessons each year.”


울산=최창환 기자 oldbay77@donga.com