Asia University News: The Department of Early Childhood Education at Asia University Wins the Best Creative Award in the "National Soil and Water Conservation Drama Volunteer Selection" Event | Welcome to Asia University, Taiwan Global Information Network

The image shows the "Azawu Soil and Water Guardians" team from the Department of Early Childhood Education at Asia University, presenting the picture book The Itchy Tree in a theatrical format in an engaging and creative way.

Nine students from the Department of Early Childhood Education formed the "Azawu Soil and Water Guardians" team to participate in the "National Soil and Water Conservation Drama Volunteer Selection" organized by the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau. They brought the picture book The Itchy Tree to life through drama, anthropomorphizing the voices of plants and animals in the forest, humorously expressing the importance of soil and water conservation in a way that is easy to understand and relatable. Their performance won the Best Creative Award.

The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau stated that there are many ways to spread knowledge of soil and water conservation, and dramatic performances are the best medium to bring this knowledge closer to the public. The performances satisfy both visual and auditory enjoyment, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the context and understand soil conservation, slope disaster prevention, and rural regeneration. Through their performances, they spread the seed of soil and water conservation throughout Taiwan.

Wu Junru, a student from Asia University’s Department of Early Childhood Education, served as the team leader of the "Azawu Soil and Water Guardians." She led fellow students Xu Lingrong, Li Xinlian, Qiu Junying, Li Yanlin, Hu Yuyuan, Hong Yuchun, You Yicheng, and Chen Yuxin to create the team. They used the picture book The Itchy Tree as the script, which focuses on soil and water conservation and environmental issues, and applied their expertise in early childhood education to design a simple, child-friendly play that conveys scientific knowledge about soil and water conservation.

The image shows the "Azawu Soil and Water Guardians" team from the Department of Early Childhood Education at Asia University, who won the Best Creative Award in the "National Soil and Water Conservation Drama Volunteer Selection" event hosted by the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau.

The script for The Itchy Tree features the nine-knuckle tree (九芎) as the main character. Due to its hard wood, small branches, and smooth bark, the tree shakes slightly when its trunk is scratched, resembling a tree that is sensitive to itching. Because of this, it is called The Itchy Tree. The tree, initially teased and laughed at by the small animals of the forest due to its "itchy" weakness, loses its confidence. However, when faced with slope disasters, the Itchy Tree transforms into a "soil and water conservation hero," saving the forest.

Wu, a student, shared that they approached the expression of The Itchy Tree from a child’s perspective. The team members played various animals and plants, and through their dialogues with The Itchy Tree, they conveyed the importance of soil and water conservation to the environment. Other students mentioned that at the beginning of the rehearsals, they focused on their individual roles, but after repeated practice, they realized the importance of teamwork. They paid more attention to the overall performance, expression management, and dramatic effects, noticing more details in the performance. Additionally, they gained a deeper understanding of soil conservation issues, applying the professional knowledge they learned in class to the children's play.

After the preliminary round, the Azawu Soil and Water Guardians team, along with teams such as the Taipei City Library Teacher Lin’s Storytelling Children’s Theater, Yilan Green Picture Book Story Theater, and Tzu Hsin Strings, were selected. The Azawu Soil and Water Guardians team from Asia University stood out and won the Best Creative Award.

The guiding teachers from the Department of Early Childhood Education, Chen Lijian and Zheng Yafeng, expressed pride in seeing their students actively pursue self-development and showcase their professional expertise in early childhood education. This work not only demonstrated the spirit of the Azawu Soil and Water Guardians but also participated in the practice of global sustainable development issues, refining their professional competence in early childhood education.

The department’s director, Chen Shengfei, stated that the students’ journey—from initially struggling with their roles to finally showcasing their teamwork and cooperation on stage—deeply impressed the teachers. This process demonstrated that each student should believe in their potential for self-breakthroughs and continuously embrace challenges and improve themselves. The successful drama performance of The Itchy Tree is a testament to the students’ display of their early childhood education expertise.