Benefits of Community Service | Montawan (Nae Nae) Chairatchaneeboon | TEDxYouth@ISBangkok

Summary

In this speech, a 16-year-old student from the International School Bangkok shares her transformative experience with community service. Through her involvement with Habitat for Humanity and other projects, she helped renovate a house for a local woman, Miss Porn Pen, and realized the profound impact youth can have on their communities. The speaker reflects on how service, once a school requirement, enriched her life and helped her discover hidden potential. She encourages others to embrace service, not as an obligation, but as a way to improve the world and themselves.

Takeaways

• 😊 Miss Porn Pen is a hardworking single mother who supports her son, parents, and brother, living in difficult conditions.
• 🏡 Her old house was made of zinc sheets with an outdoor bathroom and was in poor condition near a guava grove.
• 💡 Before moving to International School Bangkok (ISB), Nene Mundo thought government help was necessary, but her perspective shifted after getting involved in community service.
• 💪 Nene, along with the Habitat for Humanity club at ISB, helped raise 110,000 baht to renovate Miss Porn Pen's home, providing her with a safer and happier living environment.
• 🌱 Community service at ISB showed Nene and other students that they could make a real impact on local Thai families and communities.
• 🎓 Nene previously attended a school focused heavily on academics, but ISB opened her eyes to the value of service and personal growth beyond grades.
• 🌍 ISB's mission encourages intellectual, humanitarian, and creative actions, similar to educational movements like United World Colleges.
• ❤️ Research shows that community service not only helps others but also improves volunteers' physical and emotional well-being.
• 🎯 Volunteering helps people discover hidden passions, as seen with Nene and another student, Jennifer, who found her calling working with children.
• 🚀 Nene encourages embracing service beyond school requirements, as it offers opportunities to discover personal strengths and contribute meaningfully to society.

Q & A

Who is Miss Porn Pen, and what was her living situation like before the renovation?

Miss Porn Pen is a single mother who takes care of her young son, parents, and brother. Before the renovation, her house was made of zinc sheets with a separate bathroom outside, located near a guava grove, and in a state of disrepair.

What organization was responsible for renovating Miss Porn Pen's house, and how much money was raised for the project?

The Habitat for Humanity club at the International School Bangkok (ISB) was responsible for the renovation, and they raised 110,000 baht to fund the project.

How did the speaker's perspective on community service change after moving to the International School Bangkok (ISB)?

Before moving to ISB, the speaker believed that getting good grades was the key to a successful life and that the government should take care of issues like Miss Porn Pen's. However, after joining ISB and engaging in community service, they realized that even young people can make a significant impact on their communities.

What is the vision and mission of ISB, according to the speaker?

The vision and mission of ISB inspire students to enrich communities through intellectual, humanitarian, and creative thoughts and actions, emphasizing that there is more to education than just academics.

What does Kurt Hahn, the founder of United World Colleges, believe about the emphasis on academics in education?

Kurt Hahn believes that as society has become rich in information, it has become poor in action. He emphasized the importance of seeing the potential in individuals and making community service a part of the school curriculum.

How does community service benefit students beyond academics, according to the speaker?

Community service allows students to develop skills that cannot be learned from textbooks alone. It helps them discover their hidden potential, enrich their communities, and improve their personal well-being and happiness.

What were the findings of the American Journal Association study mentioned in the speech?

The study found that 10th-grade students who volunteered for an after-school program showed a significant drop in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including cholesterol levels and body mass index, compared to non-volunteers.

What emotional benefits of community service were reported by the United Health Group?

According to the United Health Group, 76% of people who volunteered in the past 12 months reported feeling happier, 78% said it helped reduce their stress, and over 94% said it improved their mood.

What example did the speaker provide about how community service can lead to discovering one's career interests?

The speaker mentioned Jennifer, a junior from Roslyn High School, New York, who discovered her passion for working with children through her community service at the Jacobson Jewish Community Center, something she hadn’t considered before volunteering.

What message does the speaker want to convey about community service to the audience?

The speaker encourages the audience to embrace community service as more than just a school requirement. They believe it should be integrated into everyday life to help individuals discover their potential and positively impact the world around them.