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Gazette Januar y 2021
AC A DE M IC E XC E L L E NC E
The Concord Review with Jinyoung Kim In the final stretch of his time at The King’s School, when academic pressures are already at their highest, Year 12 student and School Vice-Captain Jinyoung Kim ambitiously took on another academic endeavour, going above and beyond the King’s curriculum, writing a research essay for The Concord Review. Knowing he would be taking the Extension History class, which requires a research paper for completion, Jinyoung was already thinking critically when he decided to write for The Concord Review. Interested in learning more about Australian history, in particular the disposition of land within indigenous communities, his preliminary research landed him on the 1992 Mabo Case. Jinyoung’s research took on a life of its own, sending him down a rabbit hole of interesting information. Writing from the lens of how public history influenced the Mabo Case legacy, Jinyoung worked tirelessly for nearly three months, concluding with a 13,000 word research paper. The Concord Review, established in 1987, is a unique quarterly review of essays, dedicated to publishing high school level academic research papers, with the mission to recognise exemplary history essays in the English-speaking world. The New York Times in a 2011 article stated that, The Review’s exacting standards have won influential admirers. William R Fitzsimmons, Harvard’s Dean of Admissions, said he keeps a few issues in his Cambridge office to inspire applicants. “Harvard considers it ‘something that’s impressive,’ like winning a national math competition, if an applicant’s essay has appeared in The Review, “ he said. A brief glance at an issue, will find papers from students from all over the globe such as USA, Singapore, Shanghai, and, now, most notably, North Parramatta.
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Jinyoung’s paper, which topped the list of featured articles of the United States Summer 2020 publication of The Concord Review, put a focus on the development of Indigenous Rights in Australia, with a particular emphasis on the reaction to, and implications of, the 1992 High Court ruling in the Mabo v The State of Queensland (No. 2) case and the establishment of the legal concept of Native Title within Australian law. “Jinyoung Kim’s contribution to The Concord Review is a superb achievement with his academic response being recognised on an international level,” says mentor and History teacher, Daniel Nilsson. His selection into The Concord Review is a major feat, as only 3% of entries are published and from there only 1% receive an Emerson Prize – Jinyoung being in that top 1%.
The King’s School, and by extension, the History and Legal Studies Department, has prided itself on its strong and rigorous approach to academics. The Head of the History and Legal Studies Department, Daniel Nilsson stated that, “Jinyoung’s paper on the public perceptions of the Mabo Case was impressive and insightful. The work done by Jinyoung on this paper, and the support provided by his Extension History teacher David Woodgate are a testament to King’s pursuit of academic excellence and Jinyoung is to be congratulated on his outstanding achievement.” Jinyoung thanks his teachers, Mr Woodgate, Mr Nilsson, Mrs Ostini and Mrs Smith for their support and help along this journey, reading drafts, making edits and recommending further research avenues for him to explore. Jinyoung has been accepted to Stanford and will join its Class of 2025. “I am ecstatic and excited to explore a campus environment filled with ambitious, reflective, and creative individuals. I plan to make the most of the opportunity I have received,” says Jinyoung. He hopes to study Philosophy, as well as Law, broadening his intellectual horizons, to one day be able to give back to the community.
Citation from: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/08/ education/08research.html
