The National Association for Korean Schools (NAKS)
Mission Statement
The National Association for Korean Schools (NAKS) cultivates the development of strong bonds of friendship among Korean Schools and instruction in Korean language, culture and history. It is an organization operating with the goal of nurturing and educating Korean-American in the U.S. Its objective is to instill pride in Korean-American through a proper knowledge and understanding of Korea, and of its culture, history, and language. Its other objective is to examine and influence the educational policies and practices of the Ministry of Education in Korea and the Department of Education in the U.S. to benefit Korean-American.
Structure and Operation
NAKS was established in 1981 in Washington, D.C. and is currently spread across the fifty states of the U.S. NAKS unites over one thousand Korean schools and is recognized by the Federal Government as a non-profit educational organization(501C-3, EIN #52-1596204). The association is composed of a general assembly, a meeting of officers, a board of directors, and a council of presidents representing NAKS’ fourteen regional chapters that collaborate to achieve its stated objectives. While maintaining a close relationship with the national body, each region implements activities to continually improve and aim for excellence in the education its local Korean schools provide.
NAKS’ Goal
- Young Korean-American Education
Serve regional chapters, local Korean schools, and Korean-American societies
- Training of Teachers both first generation
Equip them with necessary Korean language, history & culture education
- Nurture & Training for the 1.5 and 2nd Generation Teachers
Help them to recognize their heritage and identity as Korean-American and to network with others Korean school teachers: Equip them for other 2nd generation Korean-American Students
NAKS’ Events & Activities
- Intensive Teacher Training Program
- Annual Conference and General Assembly
- Publish a Journal of Research in Korean Education for teachers
- Support NAKS Member Schools- More than 1,000 Regional Korean schools in the U.S.
- Sending the qualified instructors to each regional chapter’s own conference (14 Regional Chapters)
- Support for Regional Chapter’s Teacher Conference
- Develop & Publish Teaching Materials and Assessment/Measurement System
- Annual NAKS Korean Test
- Develop & Publish Hangeul Textbooks (7 books total so far)
- Develop & Publish books for Korean History and Culture
- Develop & Publish NKT Korean Workbook
- Education of 2nd Generation of Korean-American
- Educational Curriculum Contest for Korean Schools
- Speech Contest for the Korean-American Students
- Writing Contest for the Korean-American Students
- Publish Annual White Paper
ORGANIZATION
NAKS is an organization of weekend Korean schools covering 50 states and Samoa. About 1000 schools are organized under 14 regional chapters.
REGIONAL CHAPTERS
New England Chapter: MA, NH, VT, RI, ME
Northeast Chapter: NY, NJ
Mid-Atlantic Chapter: PA
Washington D.C. Chapter: Washington, D.C., MD, VA
South East Chapter: GA, NC, SC, AL, TN
Florida Chapter: FL
Michigan Chapter: MI, Northwest Ohio
Midwest Chapter: IL, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, NE, ND, SD
Midsouth Chapter: IN, OH, KY
Colorado Chapter: CO, WY
Southwest Chapter: TX, OK, AR, MS, LA
Northwest Chapter: WA, OR, ID, MT, AK
Northern California Chapter: Northern CA, UT
Hawaii Chapter: HI, Samoa
NAKS Present & Future
- Develop Textbooks of Korean Language, Culture and History
- Develop Teaching & Training Material for Teachers
- Install the Pride as the 2nd Generation of Korean-American through Proper Knowledge and understanding of Korea and its Culture, History and Hangul, the Korean Language.
- Promote Collaborative Relationships among 1,000 Korean Schools in United States.
Membership Qualifications
- Institutional Member:
Must complete the application form and pay the school membership fee. Can participate and vote in the General Assembly.
- Individual/Private Member:
Must have represented a Korean School for three years, or must have taught in a Korean School for five years, or must have contributed service as an officer in NAKS for two years, or must have devoted himself or herself to Korean education research and Korean studies.
Benefits for Member
- Free subscription of NAKS’ Journal of Research in Korean Education
- Free subscription of annual NAKS Report
- Discount on Korean language textbook series created and published by NAKS
- Discount on registration fees for attending NAKS’ annual conference Subsidized lodging when attending NAKS’ annual conference
- Access to a network of experts in the field of Korean-American education
Executives
- President: Yeasoon Kwon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Vice President: Jungsook Hwang (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Vice President: Jung Hee Shin (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Treasurer: Woojoo Kang (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Editor in Chief: Eunjoo Cho (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Education: Hye Joo Chung (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Press Release: Dongmi Moon Pysh (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
- Web Administrator: Yu kyeong Hwang (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)