Every morning, President Chung-Yuan stands at the entrance of the Parents' Association office next to the auditorium, and greets every student entering the Lao-Song Campus by name and with a warm, cheerful smile. In the minds of Taipei Lao-Song Elementary School students, he is the man who always has a smile on his face, and who is always willing to bend down to the students' level to hear what's on their minds.
President Chung-Yuan graduated from Lao-Song in 1982, one of three generations in his family to attend. His uncle has been the Director of Student Affairs at the school for many years. That's why President Chung-Yuan frequently says, "Everything that happens at Lao-Song is my business, and it's my honor to help my alma mater, its teachers, and its students."
His gratitude, dedication, and positive feedback is evident in his devotion to serving as a volunteer for the Lao-song Parents' Association. Over the years he has served as the Association's Vice-President, Standing Committee member, and Chief of Volunteer Activities and Volunteer Programs. He knows the business of the Association inside and out. Toward the end of the epidemic he came into contact with parents of children at all grade levels, with backgrounds in horticulture, health care, guidance counseling, academic counseling, and books and reading, and promoted the educational philosophy of self-initiative, interaction, and the common good. The goal: to actively assist children in exploring and learning.
President Chung-Yuan has always been willing to share one of his most valuable resources: time. To help Lao-Song students, teachers, and volunteers with the transition back to in-class learning after the COVID-19 pandemic, he selflessly took on the task of sitting in the Parents' Association office every day, encouraging those around him with his energy, positive attitude, and skill at brainstorming creative ideas. Showing his care for the lives and efforts of Lao-Song students, he helped reorganize the Parents' Association to assist in all school affairs, especially educational work.
Mr. Hsiao, a former police officer assigned to Lao-Song who now serves as a security guard, often points his finger at President Chung-Yuan and says, "President, you are really great! You're at the school all day long, holding meetings and caring for teachers and students. In other schools the PA office is usually locked and only used for meetings and events. There's a big difference between the two!"
In addition to contributing his valuable time, President Chung-Yuan oversees parent-child development, parenting seminars, volunteer development, Thanksgiving meals, day trips, and other PA-sponsored activities with the same rigor that university professors dedicate to their research. From preparation to implementation, he takes great pain to review all activity details with his fellow volunteers, deal with surprises, and come up with remedies for problems. He often tells his teammates, "When organizing an event, we must make it lively and meaningful, so that everyone who participates can feel the full benefits, and return home with a sense of fulfillment."
Whether in person or in online discussion groups, parents have given President Chung-Yuan countless compliments for the way he deals with them and others. Some example comments include, "Lao-Song Elementary is blessed to have President Chung-Yuan"; "President Chung-Yuan is full of empathy, with no sense of separating differences, and can be trusted to achieve peace of mind"; "he is the most sincere, serious, and personally involved president"; "there has never been a relationship between the PA president and parents like the one we have right now"; and "we thank him for the wonderful changes he has brought about."
Rome was not built in a day, and the parents of Lao-Song students clearly appreciate President Chung-Yuan's long-term commitment to the school, in addition to his personal qualities. After spending time with him and observing him firsthand, some of his fellow volunteers described him as "humble and courteous, contributing without asking for anything in return"; "willing to listen, willing to communicate, responds immediately, explains in detail, is eager to help"; "puts his heart and soul into his work, leads by good example"; and "a skilled communicator who connects parents with teachers and school employees." He cheerfully describes himself in public as the Number One Duty Officer assigned by Lao-Song parents to serve teachers and students at the school, and a reliable partner for both parents and teachers.
In the minds of some parents, President Chung-Yuan acts like a wise elder who listens and responds with the goal of reducing suffering. He understands that students in post-pandemic classrooms are recovering academically at different rates, with a significant number of children feeling stuck. He also understands that the parents of such students need help from the school, and maybe from other sources. As a university educator for over 20 years, he thinks in terms of the learning needs of students. He willfully takes the time to reply to the questions of parents in detail, as well as assist them in navigating the various offices of school authorities. He helps parents convey their concerns and key points to school administrators, and provides assistance to staff members if they request it.
As a trusted parent advocate and duty officer, President Chung-Yuan is a skilled marketer of school policies and programs. To promote consistency between the needs of parents and the educational philosophy of Lao-Song, he is committed to serving as a safe bridge between teachers and students, assisting school officials with the task of explaining their policies to parents in detail, using appropriate communication channels that respect the needs of all parties. He is especially concerned about supporting the success of new initiatives such as bilingual education and international exchanges, explaining their objectives and possible impacts. In addition, he goes out of his way to keep parents informed of progress and the fruitful results of programs and policies, both old and new, thus promoting parent-teacher cooperation for the common good of all in the Lao-Song community.
Creating positive educational environments requires cooperation among all concerned partners, as well as the presence of role models to guide forward progress. Outside of teachers and staff, President Chung-Yuan has been the most active and contributing agent to the positive development of Lao-Song Elementary. Therefore we, the teachers and students of Lao-Song, enthusiastically endorse his participation in this year's Taipei Honored Contributors to Education Selection. Both the education sector and Lao-Song Elementary will benefit from his involvement.
▲ To the children of Lao-Song Elementary, President Chung-Yuan is their Santa Claus—bringing joy, spreading laughter, and leaving behind memories that linger long after the moment has passed.
▲ President Chung-Yuan contributed both time and resources with wholehearted dedication, ensuring that every event for teachers, students, and volunteers was carried out with care, creativity, and purpose.
▲ Through the generous time and boundless care of President Chung-Yuan, the Lao-Song community—teachers, parents, and students alike—came together in harmony, working hand in hand toward shared growth and collective flourishing.
▲ With a warm and ever-present smile, President Chung-Yuan connects effortlessly with every child at Lao-Song—from kindergarteners to upper-grade students—creating bonds built on kindness, trust, and joy.
