Late U.S. teacher’s legacy lives on through Ulsan scholarship
Published: 30 May. 2025, 11:33
![The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education comemmorates the late Sarah Dinnell, who worked as an English teacher at Yeompo Elementary School in Ulsan. [ULSAN METROPOLITAN OFFICE OF EDUCATION]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/30/d1c293ed-76b0-45c0-b984-419d769b7a7f.jpg)
The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education comemmorates the late Sarah Dinnell, who worked as an English teacher at Yeompo Elementary School in Ulsan. [ULSAN METROPOLITAN OFFICE OF EDUCATION]
An English teacher's legacy lives on in a school in Ulsan through her love for Korean students.
The parents of a U.S. teacher who died in a traffic accident in Korea have continued honoring their daughter’s memory by sending scholarship funds to the elementary school where she once worked.
Yeompo Elementary School in Buk District, Ulsan, awarded the “Sarah Dinnell Scholarship” to seven students on Friday, according to the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education on Thursday.
Sarah Dinnell, a native of the United States, began teaching English at Yeompo Elementary in August 2015 as a native-speaking instructor. In November 2016, she died in a tragic car accident at the age of 24.
Since 2018, her parents have donated $1,000 each year to the school’s development fund, pledging to do so annually for 10 years in honor of their daughter’s passion for education and her love for Korean students. This year marks the eighth consecutive donation.
Yeompo Elementary has used the donation to fund a scholarship program that reflects the Dinnell family’s wishes.
The students who received the award wrote letters of appreciation to Sarah’s parents.
One student wrote, “Thank you to Ms. Sarah Dinnell and her parents. I won’t forget the kindness I’ve received, and I hope to share it with others someday.”
Previously, the Dinnell family also donated 295 English books to support language learning at the school.
In recognition, Yeompo Elementary dedicated a section of its library as the “Sarah Dinnell Collection,” creating a space where students can explore the world through English and books, while preserving the memory of their late teacher.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HAN JI-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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