School: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
    taoyuan, taiwan, taoyuan

9 students, ages 10-12 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 10, 2007. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2005

Classes and Teachers: HSIU CHUAN YANG

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://www.tdes.tyc.edu.tw

1. Description of Our Community

We chose Namchow as our topic because its headquarter is located in Taoyuan. There are also factories in Kueishan and Zhongli, which are not far from Taoyuan City. So it's not very difficult for us to go each place to do any interviews. Our 3 teachers help us to get the outcome of the interviews. Kueishan Factory makes soaps; Zhongli Factory makes food. There is also a ramen(noodles) restaurant, Honbaryu, inside Kueishan Factory. We got great harvest in Kueishan Factory.

2. Summary of Our Project

Namchow has been established for more than 50 years. It's a rare case in Taiwan because most of the enterprises just got lives around ten years. Namchow is the agency to sell Crystal Soaps, Happy Soaps, Yang Yang Shampoo, Care & Free Sanitary Napkins, Ponds Cream, O'smile Cookies, Head & Shoulders, Little Cook Instant Noodles, Drayer's Ice Cream, Haagen Dazs, Sarnugi frozen cooked noodles. Recently, President Chen has terminated the contracts with O'smile, Drayer's and Haagen-Daz.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:2-3

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:2-3

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

There are 2 computer classrooms in our school,where we can use the internet to register into Cyberfair 2006 and browse other sites on the cross-review stage.Every team member has computers at home so that everyone can post the assigned reports or journals at home. With the prior experience of the participation of last year's cyberfair, we have been very familiar with the procedures to post our work. Each of us would post our work on time unless the connection failure of either home computers or cyberfair site.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

We met a lot of difficulties last year, no matter in web-page or in interviews. It turns to be easier to work this time since we are experienced.The major problems are making erviews.It's rare that a company would accept an interview at first time without thinking twice or checking the upper management level.It's common to be refused.It's not possible to go on any topic if one feels frustrated and give up at the first time when he is refused.Our teachers contribute more efforts than any of us. They need to well-prepare and face the occasion when they are rejected coldly for an interview.This is the circumstance we may not well handle.The next difficulty is our turn to face!

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Some gave us suggestion after viewing our web-page. Some praised our hard working, some comments upon our words. Thanks for their comments. We collected all the information about Namchow on the Internet. Then we arranged for the visit to the works, to see the process of soap making, and to eat ramen noodles at Honbaryu. We did a lot of interviews with their president, business manager, and chef. We recorded them. We also took many pictures. We even did a lot of surveys later and make more people know the crystal soaps.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

1.The association between information and science technology: Thru the correspondent interface of Cyberfair, students know learning happens everywhere and every time. There's no spacious limit for communication. Everything can be done effectively once upon they learn to make good use of Internet. 2.The association between art and humanity: It requires creativity to set up a web page full of creations, to make the unique candy house, and to carve exquisite soap stamps. The lessons of aesthetics are being preceded simultaneously. 3.Language Art: We applied the right tone to write about Namchow. It requires the techniques of note-taking, planning, and organization to come out the articles. We practice all the writing skills and make our articles better and better. 4.The training of self-expression: Speaking is an very important learning. We usually have not much chance to practice although a lot of theories and skills are taught in the classroom. The research helps to practice these skills since we do a lot of interviews in the research.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

We use telephone, TV, recroding pens, digital cameras, Internet, books, newspaper, survey forms, and interviews. We know the interviewees and the place to visit in the phone. TV and books made our articles more abundant and deepening. Digital cameras and recording pens help to record the interviews. The surveys help us to get the data we need about the fame and favor the public give toward Namchow. All these made our articles more convincing.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

We collected all the information about Namchow on the Internet. Then we arranged for the visit to the works, to see the process of soap making, and to eat ramen noodles at Honbaryu. We did a lot of interviews with their president, business manager, and chef. We recorded them. We also took many pictures. We even did a lot of surveys later and make more people know the crystal soaps.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

After the launch of crystal soaps in the market, people had been very familiar with the slogan ' smear light, more bubbles, fast cleaning and wash well '. Namchow stresses the high quality of soaps. They sell natural detergents for people to care about their families and appreciate the Nature. Honbaryu provides delicious ramens with the high-quality frozen cooked noodles. The restaurant provides an elegant dinning environment and value-added service for people to have their meals to elevate the new Taiwanese noodle culture. Namchow, which used to be the biggest detergent company in Taiwan, has been established for almost 50 years. Its crystal soaps plays a leading role in Taiwan's detergent market. Namchow was also famous for its Happy Soap. Recently, to pursue the growing profit, Namchow began to invest on food market and built its oil/cream works in China. The scale of the plan is 4,500,000,000 within 5 years. President Chen watches the steps of shifting his enterprise very carefully. According to his words, it's very important to understand the customers' needs. Daily necessity products and foods are very similar despite of different cultures in different nations. It's the way to win to meet customers' needs during the time of depression when the incomes are reduced.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Local people can learn a lot about Namchow from our web-page. They can know Namchow started its business from soaps, they can also know Honbaryu runs very well. The noodles and soup there are very good.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

I'd never heard about Namchow when Yi Chen, one of our cyberfair members, told me the topic was Namchow. We got the chance to go to the noodle restaurant. I thought Namchow is a noodle restaurant. Then I know Namchow is so versatile in their business. Namchow sells not only noodles and soap, but also ice-cream, frozen cooked noodles, and cooked rice. My impression upon Namchow changed a lot.Besides, I found Namchow is a highly friendly and society-caring company. They donates for refugees without making it public. They publish The Bridge unperiodically to build their everlasting managing culture. They open their works for people to visit in order to advocate the idea of earth-loving and environmental protection. All these made me think Namchow is a very good company. I am quite surprised that they just earn one dollar from the consumers for a soap, which is made under the strictly quality- control process. From the several interviews, I know the success of an enterprise requires the hard work and creation from a group of people ( no matter employers or employees ). The operators in the production lines are the indispensable screws for the enterprise. I got a further understanding upon the sentence ' There is no royalty among occupations. Only profession counts.