School: Ming-Dao High School
    Taichung County, Taiwan, Taiwan

5 students, ages 13 - 15 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 12, 2004. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2003

Classes and Teachers: Hsinkuan Lu

E-Mail contact:

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

1. Description of Our Community

Sungho tribe is located at Hopin Town in Taichung County. It is the place where Atayal culture is situated around. Daja River goes through this area and so many suspension bridges over there. They form a special view. In addition, streams of Daja River also bring them rich resources here, such as fruit trees around mountains. This place is fertile, and people are very friendly, just like a dreamland. That is the reason why you should be here!

2. Summary of Our Project

Sungho Tribe was named 'Timburan' originally. It means rich and fertile place in Atayal language. There are not only Atayal but also some other groups in Sungho. They had got well along with one another, and had lived in such a wonderland before 921 Earthquake which was a nightmare for Taiwan. The 921 Earthquake made them live in danger and suffer from mudflows and landslides. In order to rebuild the ruins, our government and charity institutions had helped the inhabitants to join a reconstruction plan. After four years of efforts, Sungho Tribe has returned to its beautiful scenery. They have rebuilt the whole community as a cultural and aboriginal tribe, as well as developed tourist industry to improve the status of economy. “To reveal Timburan” is not only their dream but everyone is.

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:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

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

At school, it is T1 connected to NCHU University, which is the center of Taichung Area Web Net, and then to TANet (Taiwan Acdemic Net). Besides, there are three lines of 512K ADSL connected to Hinet, and one cable line to Hexin System. Those are under control of a load. As to the students and teachers, most of them use 512/64K ADSL by Chunghua Telecom at home.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

(1) Tech Skills -- We divided the whole program into several parts. Each one got the part at which he/she was good because their tech skills on web pages building were disproportionate.

(2) Different Opinions -- Whenever different opinions occurred, we obeyed the majority, and then our teacher made the final decision.

(3) Time -- In order not to hurry our program, we started the project at the end of July last year, and had got the frame ready before school started.

(4) Traffic -- No matter where we wanted to go, “how to get there” was a problem for us. However, the traffic problem was smoothly solved by the parents. They not only drove us to Sungho Tribe but also libraries, museums, culture centers, etc.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

'God helps those who help themselves' was what we got during researching the project. We were impressed especially with the words Mr. Huang Yong-Guang said, 'We would rather try our best to rebuild homelands by ourselves instead of waiting here and doing nothing.' It catches the idea of 'to suit the action to the word' which is our sound bite.

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

(1) To Realize the substance of the Mandatory Education -- The substance of the mandatory education emphasizes 'integration', turning 7 learning areas to 10 basic abilities. This program rightly combined theory and practice. We had the chance to realize what we have learned at school.

(2) To Use Internet Effectually -- We collected some information through internet. It was very convenient and quick for us to communicate one another.

(3) To Comply with Ming-Dao High School’s Activities -- Our school always cares about education of tribes. Therefore, there were many activities held, such as 'to learn from Tribes', 'to bring books for Sungho', and so on. These activities made tribes feel warm because of usefulness and helpfulness. Our program rightly fit this idea of caring for tribes. It shortened the distance between aborigines and us.

(4) To Covey the Meaning of Life Education -- Our Principal, Mr. Wang Dao-Jiu, told us that caring for aborigines is not only the conveyance of love, but also of life education. Caring for human beings is worthy popularizing.

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

(1) Computer -- To build web pages by PC.

(2) Telephone -- To contact teachers, members, tribe, etc.

(3) Recorder -- To record and play interviews and some summaries.

(4) Camera, Digital Camera, V8 -- To record what we met, saw and did.

(5) Television -- To watch news, powerpoint, and some documentary films.

(6) Scanner -- To scan paper information and pictures that we needed.

(7) Computer Software -- Word 2000 - To make documents FrontPage 2000 - To build web pages and frams MS-Notepad - To build web pages Dreamweaver 4.0 - To arrange web pages. MS-Paint - To paint Photo Impact 7.0 - To arrange pictures and photos Gift Animator - To make animations ACDSee32 - To browse pictures WS-FTP95LE - To send and receive files MS-IE 6.0 - To collect information on net and examine results MS-Outlook Express - To keep in touch with teammates and teachers

(8) Libraries, Culture Centers, Museums -- To collect information, pictures and documents that we needed.

(9) Books, Newspapers, Magazines -- To gather and check up information, as well as supplement relative issues.

(10) Oral Interviews -- To know people’s experience and their daily lives

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

(1) A Volunteer -- Though we did not joint the tribe’s reconstruction in the past, we could devote ourselves to their future development . We expected to be the volunteers to promote the purity, virtuousness and beauty of the tribe. We enjoyed the happiness of devoting to the community.

(2) A Planter -- Our school will help to set a web site to popularize the information education in the tribe. We hope the seeds of information education will grow up in the near future. We would like to be the planters and continuously care about the seeds.

(3) A Pupil -- We kept learning wider and wider as pupils from the local aborigines in tribes. They were nice, and helped us a lot. Their faces radiated confidence and joy.

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

(1) To Participate in the Community -- The project helped us to find a way to participate in the community. We introduced the tribe to the public. It has made lots of feedbacks. Now, Sungho Tribe is a common name to people, and has drawn more attention than ever before.

(2) To Shorten the Distance from the Community -- Our school location is far from Sungho Tribe. However, we were getting closer after touching with them through the project. The distance between our school and the community has been shortened.

(3) To Change the Life Philosophy -- The people in Sungho Tribe looked optimistic even they had faced great hardships. They never complained any terrible blow. We have learned the gratefulness and independence from them. (4) To Learn the Concept of Living Union -- We have experienced the aboriginal culture in Sungho Tribe, and have learned to respect it. The project helped us to experience multiple cultures.

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

1. We got a lot of treasure information from the elders in the Sungho Tribe. They did helpe us a lot!

2. The Sungho News has been reporting series of news about reconstruction after the 921 Earthquake from the first issue. The tribe offered complete issues of the Sungho News to us. They were the most useful materials for our project to understand the process of rebuilding. 3. We informed the local media to report our project in order to introduce Sungho Tribe to the public. Fortunately, the Central Daily News and Min Sheng Daily, two of the leading newspapers, reported our project substantially on February 25 and March 8, 2004.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

(1) The Discovery of Warmness Everywhere -- We were greatly touched by what we had heard that so many groups gave a helping hand to Sungho Tribe after the 921 Earthquake. We believed everyone loves this land, and cares about rebuilding. It is to be wished that the Sungho Tribe would recover their prosperities in the near future.

(2) The Lesson of “No Pains, No Gains” -- From the rebirth of Sungho Tribe, we have learned the lesson of “no pains, no gains” during progressing the project.

(3) The surprise of what we pick -- “The more you pick, the more you count” is the best saying to explain our shock during visiting Sungho Tribe. We were surprised at their rich cultures, ecological environments and sincere manners. What an amazing trip to the wonderful place! The project researching would be an unforgettable memory for us in our lives.