Achievements

AEF Achievements for 2014

2014-12-18

1.Life Education Programs

Gave life education speeches in schools

The Disabled Performing Arts Group (DPAG) is a performing arts group consisting of people with disabilities and is sponsored and supported by the ADLINK Education Foundation (AEF). For years DPAG has been promoting the importance of life education in prisons, schools, hospitals and various organizations. The members overcome obstacles and show their bravery through their life stories and performance. They aim to motivate and show their audiences, inmates, youths, students and patients alike, that there is no limit to life, with a demonstration of perseverance and value of life. Their performance is unprecedented and unique.

AEF’s long-term support has led to DPAG’s hundreds of performance as well as recognition and support from influential peopl, the press and audiences. It is a steadily growing and well-developed group of performing artists. In order to expand the group’s scale and to improve its performances, DPAG completed its registration with the Department of Cultural Affairs in Taipei in January. This is a milestone for DPAG’s independent operation. It is in AEF’s hope that DPAG will keep the same faith and perform where caring and love are needed, flourishing in the field of performance arts. AEF will work with DPAG in programs, offering ongoing support.

This year, a life education program was carried out by AEF and DPAG. The target audiences included new immigrants, elementary school students and high school students raised by grandparents in rural areas in northern Taiwan. A total of 10 life education concerts were held in the following 5 elementary schools and 5 high schools: March 24 in Sanzhi Elementary School in New Taipei, April 7 in Maling Elementary School in Keelung, April 14 in Lioho High School in Taoyuan, April 24 in Leli Elementary School in New Taipei, May 2 in Yingge Vocational High School in New Taipei, June 24 in Quingshan Elementary School in New Taipei, September 24 in Da Chen Senior High School in Miaoli, October 24 in Daguan Municipal Elementary School in Banqiao, November 19 in Stella Matutina Girls’ High School and November 26 in Tamsui Municipal Vocational High School.

2.Publications

Start Your Day with a Smile illustrated notebook

Illustrator: Crazy Elly (Elly Liao)

Introduction:

With a BA in Visual Communication Design at National Yulin University of Science and Technology and an MA majoring in Illustration and Picture Books for Children at Birmingham City University, UK, Crazy Elly enjoys depicting unnoticeably subtle emotions in our daily life in the lovely characters that are illustrated using soft lines and warm colors. Her fun, light-hearted illustrations are full of stories and comfort.

Exhibitions and events:

“The Work is Done Important” – Kassel, Germany, 2014

“Accompany” – solo exhibition at Mezamashikohi Café, Taichung, Taiwan, 2013

“Chameleon” –International Exhibition of Student Design: Age of New Generation at Park Lane by CMP, Taichung, Taiwan, 2011

“24/7 Forgotten Password” – Kassel, Germany, 2010

Elly’s illustrations in this notebook are inspired by ADLINK Cross-Straight Summer Camp for Kids. Her illustrations are full of warm colors and tones, cute characters and short inspirational sentences that are sure to bring smiles. It is an illustrated notebook set up with no dates. AEF promotes involvement and recognition of employees of ADLINK Technology Inc., youths and students in charitable activities and services to best fulfill our mission and vision. As well, AEF provides emerging illustrators an opportunity to create and cooperate, and encourages talented artists to develop their skills and achieve their potential.

3.Cultural Exchange Programs

ADLINK Beijing Opera Summer Camp

Dates: July 2-6, 2014

Location: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (NTCPA)

Introduction:

Beijing Opera presents unique performing elements and aesthetic features mainly by infusing the four artistic forms: singing, dialogue, dancing and martial arts. There are four main roles in Beijing Opera: male (Sheng), female (Dan), painted face male (Jing) and comedy roles (Chou). Not only does Beijing Opera amaze people of different ages and from various countries, but it is also how the beauty of Chinese culture becomes known to many. It is the quintessence of traditional Chinese performing arts.

The ADLINK Beijing Opera Summer Camp, sponsored by AEF, was organized by NTCPA for participants to experience the highest aim of Beijing Opera performers – “All sounds are music, all movements are dance.” The camp offered various curriculum materials aimed at preparing participants for a basic understanding of Beijing Opera by combining a theoretical background with a practical, fun approach to learning.

Objectives:

1. Guide campers to experience the essence of Beijing Opera with a lively and interesting approach.
2. Introduce campers to the profoundness of Chinese culture through traditional performing arts.
3. Use Beijing Opera as means of enhancing the understanding and connection among campers of different backgrounds

Eligibility:

In order to participate in the camp, applicants had to be:

1. Volunteers of AEF and employees and children of employees of ADLINK Technology Inc.
2. Ex-campers of ADLINK Beijing Opera Summer Camp
3. Prospective students of NTCPA (especially students from disadvantaged backgrounds)
4. People who take a great interest in traditional opera.

Fourth Annual ADLINK Cross-Straight Summer Camp for Kids and youth volunteer pre-camp training

ADLINK Cross-Straight Summer Camp for Kids has been AEF’s annual summer event in the ADLINK Technology Inc. branch office in China since 2011. Each year, 20 students with disadvantaged backgrounds from Shanghai and Taiwan are chosen respectively to take part in the summer camp. The plane tickets, accommodation, living expenses and course fees are fully sponsored by AEF.

Out of the 10 participants of 2014 from Taiwan; six were ed by NTCPA while four were recommended by Liandong Elementary School in Ruifang. Ten participants were chosen from Xumiao Private Elementary School and Hangtou Elementary School, making a total of 20 campers.

Freshmen and sophomores in Taiwan had been recruited as camp counselors since last year. A three-day youth volunteer pre-camp training program was held to prepare them for their duties. Wei-Chian Ma and Pei-Yu Hong, lecturers from NTCPA, Jing-Fang Hong and Guo-Xiang Huang, HR Manager and HR Section Manager of ADLINK Technology Inc. respectively, and Zheng-Xu Huang, an exchange professor from Tsing Hua University served as program counselors for the youth volunteer pre-camp training as well as the ADLINK Cross-Straight Summer Camp for Kids from July 25 to August 1.

Jun Liu, Chairman of ADLINK Technology Inc., wishes to bring cross-strait students from disadvantaged backgrounds a unique experience every summer. For the participants, the summer camp not only develops team spirits and positive attitudes, but also offers access to technology education through arranged company tours. The camp counselors are energetic and heart-warming. They can work as a positive influence, a guide and a role model for the campers. In addition to that, the summer camp provides an opportunity to increase the branch employees’ involvement in charity work. AEF wishes that, with persistence and commitment, obstacles can be overcome and achievements can be made by disadvantaged students, who then can share their joy and experience with more people, and encourage those with similar backgrounds.

4.Scholarships

Seventh Annual Zhong-Xian Ni Scholarship Award

Application period: September 1-30, 2014

Award date: October 30, 2014

Introduction:

Zhong-Xian Ni stipulated in his will that this scholarship be awarded to employees and children of employees of ADLINK Technology Inc. and AEF with outstanding academic performance.

Recipients and grants received:

Two senior high school students, with NT$10,000 each; nine university students, with NT$20,000 each. A total scholarship grant of NT$20,000 was rewarded.

First Annual Huang Yueh-O Art Scholarship Award

Application period: September 1 – October 30, 2014

Co-organizer: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (NTCPA)

Award date: December 25, 2014

Introduction:

To commemorate the public spiritedness of AEF’s former consultant Huang Yueh-O, AEF earmarked a portion of our budget for this scholarship, which is targeted toward elite students with artistic talent who have outstanding academic achievement and commitment in NTCPA.

Current NTCPA students from the junior high school division, the senior high school division as well as the Department of Jing Ju, the Department of Acrobatics, the Department of Xi Qu Music and the Department of Taiwanese Folk Opera in the university division can qualify for this scholarship. Recipients can include two students from each department in the university division, with NT$20,000 each; two senior high school students from each department, with NT$10,000 each; 3 junior high school students from each department, with NT$5,000 each. A total budget of NT$300,000 is earmarked.

The 22 qualified applicants are listed as follows: Junior High School Division (1 recipient) – 1 student from the Department of Xi Qu Music; Senior High School Division (6 recipients) – 5 students from the Department of Jing Ju and 1 student from the Department of Taiwanese Folk Opera; University Division (15 recipients) – 5 students from the Department of Jing Ju, 2 students from the the Department of Acrobatics, 5 students from the Department of Xi Qu Music and 3 students from the Department of Taiwanese Folk Opera.

Scholarship recipients and amount received:

One in junior high school, with NT$5,000; six in vocational high school, with NT$10,000 each; eight in university, with NT$20,000 each. A total scholarship grants of NT$225,000 were rewarded to 15 recipients.

5.Social Welfare Sponsorship

Sponsored Boyo Social Welfare Foundation

AEF Sponsorship was provided to the Boyo Social Welfare Foundation (BSWF) in support of the “Inclusive Education” program, to reinforce academic skills in English, mathematics and reading for disadvantaged students from remote areas, and to narrow the learning resource gap between urban and rural schools. With the participation of 365 local teachers and the 11 education centers in Taiwan, BSWF assisted 142 elementary schools and junior high schools in 18 remote towns and counties. After-school tutoring was scheduled 5 days a week, with 2 to 3 hours each day. A total number of 1,961 students benefited from it. Tutoring and textbook materials for the program are free of charge. Students who have received tutoring will be kept in touch with to observe their future academic achievements. 

BSWF’s philosophy of after-school tutoring – Inclusive Education: All children should have the most basic knowledge

Rural-urban differences in education tend to reflect the gap between the poor and the rich in a country. Many low-income parents have low academic attainment. What makes these trends all the more concerning is that their children also exhibit a tendency for low academic achievement. Education is regarded as a route to economic and social mobility for disadvantaged families. It is very likely that when these children reach adulthood they may remain financially disadvantaged.

Having the basic ability to acquire more in-depth professional knowledge is essential in this era of knowledge competition. Regarding the education reform in Taiwan, instead of focusing on changing the ways students can apply for schools, BSWF urges the government to value children’s basic requirements for learning.

Two main points are emphasized in BSWF’s concept of Inclusive Education: (1) Intelligent children should be taught well; disadvantaged children should be taught well, too. (2) Being “well-taught” does not mean that a child receives an offer from a renowned school, but refers to having demonstrated basic proficiency in every subject of study. Some students struggle in school and have difficulty succeeding in the education system. However, if the child obtains basic knowledge and receives rewards and encouragement, his or her interest in learning may be boosted.

Teachers in Taiwan do not seem to give prominence to whether or not their students obtain basic abilities in the subjects they learn. Students who often receive very low marks consider themselves the least likely to reach high academic achievement, and simply give up learning. BSWF’s Inclusive Education program is trying to fill in the gaps in the education system that these students are falling through.

Sponsored “Little Star Big Universe” painting exhibition by children with autism

Co-organizers: Jinhong Foundation and Pinmo Pure Store

Dates: May 18 – June 21, 2014

Location: Dongmen Branch of Bank SinoPac (4F., No.156, Section 2, Xinyi Road, Da’an District, Taipei City)

Children with autism communicate with the world in various ways: Words, drawings, paintings, photography, voices, body languages, 3D creation and any other creative ways. Clean, pure qualities can be found as a realistic representation of themselves in their creation. They are like little stars that shine on their own – full of energy and rotating at their own pace.

The five 15-meter handscrolls, the 70 3D little dinosaurs, and even the hundreds of poems made up this yearlong exhibition. Artist Cheng-Liang Li made use of recycled iron plates and created a one-person space capsule. Displays of artistic creation from 14 children with autism were arranged by month. One visitor was allowed each time, to sit on the 360-degree rotating chair and explore “the 14 stars and the universe”. There were no fixed fees, nor fixed ways to appreciate the works of art. Every donation was recognition, a tribute to the strength of children with autism.

AEF wishes to increase awareness of children with autism and help more of them to find success in life. Like most of us, children with autism long to be seen, to be respected and to be understood. Please give more understanding, more smiles and more hugs when seeing children with autism.

Sponsored Gaorong Social Care Association