In Korat, Thailand, an Adventist international school is known for teaching students good values. But why are some parents hesitant to send their kids there?
The School I’d Never Leave
Siya
“Me first.”
Labelle
“Ok you first.”
Varothai
“Right now, I’m in grade 8.”
Tonhom
“I’m in grade 2.”
Lambeth
“I’m in grade 5.”
Vongsapat
“I’m in grade 9 right now, and I’ve been here since grade 1.”
Varothai
“My favorite subject would be science.”
Tonhom
“My favorite subject is art.”
Lambeth
“We learn coding and typing. It helps us to type faster.”
Ms. Foster
The school began because parents in Korat were looking for an international school that could help their children with English primarily. They knew about the Seventh-day Adventist system, so they came and asked us to start a school here in Korat.
Marilyn, teacher
We started with 16 children. We only had these two classrooms here.
Ms. Foster
This school is here to let them know about Jesus Christ.
Marilyn, teacher
One thing that really impressed me about the students is that they were so eager to learn. Not only English but they were so eager to learn many things, especially about the Bible. Every day, they demand me to tell them stories about the Bible.
Tonhom
“This school teaches the Bible, and I like the Bible.”
Varothai
“I came to know more about Jesus, and I started to believe in Jesus.
Vongsapat
I have learned many things. We always read the Bible in the morning and pray to Him.
Eric, teacher
As a teacher, I’m trying my best to be a good example. So my contribution to that is introducing God to this young generation, young leaders of Thailand.
Marilyn
My hope and prayer is that they will not forget what they learned, and wherever they will go, they always remember Jesus and accept Jesus in their hearts.
Siya
I like the whole school, everything, everything we do here.
Vongsapat
This school might be small, but everyone here is friends, and we are all friends with each other. So it's like a nice small community.
Siya
We play together; we help each other.
Labelle
And be kind and share.
Ms. Foster
Because the parents feel we are giving their children values, working hard to build good character in them, I would ask for the world community or the church community to pray that those values will be very effective and that they will be a tremendous benefit to the Thai community.
Nichchabunnag
My daughter is more of a leader than before. Now she can explain herself. She can do more than before.
Vongsapat
I feel like I’ve become more responsible.
Lambeth
This school is pretty small, so I want a bigger school so we can have places to play and study.
Vongsapat
We are growing, and it’s really not enough now. We are struggling. Right now, we’re sharing a classroom with the teachers.
Ms Foster
The idea of an international school in Thailand is that it is a very nice place for students to go. The facilities are nice. Our parents understand that we teach good values, but when their friends look at our school, they see something that is not representative of an international school. Some of them don’t want to send their children to our school because of the facilities not being representative.
Vongsapat
We would like a new facility because we are getting bigger, and we need some place to hold ourselves.
Nichchabunnag
I feel very happy that we will get a new building. We will have more for supporting our school. Not only to support the school. If we support the school, it means we are supporting the children.
Marilyn, teacher
Siya
I like this school; I will never move away. I will never go to another school.
