By Andy Anderson | Project Leader
Seven Ishinomaki Junior High School students and two chaperones from the Tokyo YMCA visited Washington, DC and Richmond, VA July 30th to August 6th, 2012. In Washington they toured Madame Tussaud’s, visited the State Department for a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary James Zumwalt, toured the Capitol, had dinner with American High School students and visited Ambassador Fujisaki at his Embassy residence. Ambassador Fujisaki gave them a quiz on American Culture and rewarded the two who scored 100% with his Ambassador coins. He then gave his coins to the other five as well. They stayed in a traditional bed and breakfast in Washington.
The group took Amtrak to Richmond where they were met at the station by their homestay families from St. Catherine’s School. They enjoyed YMCA day camp at Camp Thunderbird for two days where they made new friends while participating in a number of activities including canoeing and zip lining. They performed a “so-ran-bushi” dance to over 200 campers at Camp Thunderbird and made friends who wished they could come another day. They attended the St. Catherine’s Family Festival and performed and taught the “so-ran-bushi” dance. The Japan Virginia Society hosted a picnic dinner for the students at Bogey’s Sports Park with batting cages and miniature golf. The next day they spent at Water Country USA with their host families. They spent their final day shopping and playing games before a farewell dinner hosted by the Anderson’s.
Once returning home they strove to build on what they learned from their experiences in the U.S. as you can see in the "thank you messages" written by one of their Tokyo YMCA chaperones. One of students reported her experience as her English Speech Competition topic and won first place for Ishinomaki. Her speech was entitled “My Mission” and she concluded, “I want to continue what Taylor started, by being a bridge between Japan and America. I want to learn English much more. I will join some activities as a volunteer myself. I will make an effort to be a good person as the bridge. This is my mission.” Her full speech is attached as well as a report by one of the English Teachers attending the competition.
The students were well loved wherever they went and were a joy to host!
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