Acknowledging Yo Han's legacy

It goes without saying that Yo Han’s death two years ago, at the end of his sophomore year, left a big hole in his class.  The 25 of them have spent countless hours together both in and out of school.  Like Yo Han, a number of his classmates arrived at Logos in first grade, the first year Logos existed.  His class was especially unified in grades 9 and 10, thanks largely to Yo Han and his mixture of goofiness, warmth, and sincerity.  Junior year, his absence was glaringly obvious.  Like the whole Logos community, his peers have needed time to grieve and heal.

Valentine's Day serenades by Yo Han (with the guitar) and his 9th grade peers

I’m proud of those kids.  In his class and the classes above and below it, quite a few students took his brief life as an inspiration to live well.  The YOLO trend was just hitting our school when he died, but Carpe Diem had been a favorite expression of his all year.  Seize the day, and yet live with eternity in mind – he’d been determined to do both.  His death moved many of his peers to re-evaluate their priorities, and I can easily think of five who have been visibly changed in the past two years, changes they credit him for.  They’re deeper, more loving, more serious.  

One student who was already serious about his faith realized that he hadn’t made enough room for other people.  He started visiting the preschool lunch tables (since Logos preschool and high school lunchtimes overlap) to give kids high fives and smiles.  Another has been reading the Bible more consistently and was baptized last month.  In his testimony at the baptism, he mentioned Yo Han as a critical impetus in his spiritual journey.  At least another two re-dedicated their lives to God because of Yo Han.  Their class didn’t magically switch back to their united, happy selves, but individuals helped each other grapple with questions and come out stronger.  Last year in the yearbook, their class verse honored him: John 12:24.  “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  Their class has truly illustrated that verse. 

Yo Han's picture is shown on the left, next to the verse

At the same time, I don’t think they’ve glorified him into a saint.  Kids argue about whether he was the one hogging the pizza at the 8^th grade class party, smile when they see his old class projects in samples I pass out, laugh about his dozens of trips to the principal’s office in grade 6.  I'm glad.

His 9th grade English textbook: condition issued = "OMG!"

As his class prepared to leave Logos, students found ways to honor Yo Han within school traditions.  At the banquet organized by juniors, seniors all received class rings.  The ring store happened to throw in an extra for free, which the juniors decided to present to Dae Han in memory of Yo Han.  The new senior class mural out by the soccer field includes his favorite phrase, “Carpe Diem.”  

CARPE DIEM
pages are flipping like summer days
it's the new chapter I'm being chased

He wasn't forgotten at graduation, either.  They all went to visit his grave together after graduation practice.  The salutatorian, Stephen Roberts, basically dedicated his graduation speech this weekend to crediting Yo Han for his inspirational example.  Yo Han was probably Stephen’s best friend, and while it wasn’t all due to Yo Han, Stephen didn’t exaggerate how much he’s grown in the last couple years.  Here’s a clip from it:

While I'd been apprehensive about graduation, it wasn't heartwrenching like I'd feared.  There were touching moments: my eyes certainly welled up as we sang “Ten Thousand Reasons,” but overall it felt joyful and affirming.  We were celebrating what these students have learned and accomplished, and Yo Han’s role in that was overall positive.  I know they miss him and they’ll never forget him, but I’m so glad they were able to celebrate wholeheartedly as a community.