Hands On Tokyo Youth Impact Project

 At the 2016 Day of Service on October 23, 2016, the Hands On Tokyo Teen Board, consisitng of representatives from the International Schools of the Kanto Region, provided several game booths for many children to enjoy. The games centered around a petting zoo and several concession stands. The activites attracted many oncomers, offering prizes in exchange for free play! Organizing the booths required monthly Teen Board meetings to plan and select roles for representatives. Members of the Teen Board are also Hands On Tokyo club leaders for their respective schools. Therefore, gathering supplies, volunteers, and thinking of games turned out to be a breeze. Eventually during the montly sessions, it was decided that each Teen Board member would organize their own activity for the Day of Service, which would make it easier for every school to communicate with their Teen Board member and organize amongst themselves. 

On the Day of Service, the Teen Board had mini golf, baseball, target pitching, super ball scooping, bean bag toss, and traditional Japanese toys (Kendama, Daruma-Otoshi, and Koma) activities set up. All in all, the game booths turned out to be a great success. Many children lined up to play and hoped for prizes. The games absolutely added to the overall liveliness of the event. Efficient and Effective, the Hands On Tokyo Teen Board enjoyed being a part of the memorable Day of Service, and the valuable volunteer experience that came along with this day.

In addition to running the game booths, the Teen Board was also responsable for recruiting volunteers from our schools. We hung up posters and talked about the Day of Service event during school assemblies. As a result, there were a lot of high school students who signed up to participate through the Hands On Tokyo website. In general, the Teen Board helps promote a variety of Hands On Tokyo events at our schools. We encourage our classmates to volunteer at events such as the Motor Development Program. It is an ideal opportutunity for students to give back to the community.

The Hands On Tokyo Teen Advisory Board welcomed new members from the Christian Academy in Japan this year. On the Day of Service, we also met Zama American High School who expressed interest in joining the Teen Board. Finally we welcomed new members from the International Schools of the Kanto region to fill in the role of the departing seniors.

Last year, the Teen Advisory Board held our annual charity concert at the International School of Sacred Heart. The concert attracted performers from various schools and over 100 attendees came to the event. From playing the ukelele to singing, our performers showcased a wide range of talents. We hope to continue this project again this year. The concerts the previous two years have proven to be extremely successful. Futhermore the profit made from the charity concert will will be used to fund an end of the year project the Teen Board decides on very soon.

We would like to thank you for your donations this and last year through GlobalGiving. With your support, the Teen Board was able to carry out a children`s home painting project led by the Saint Mary`s School. In addition to painting the locker rooms in preparation for the summer, our volunteers gardened, washed cars, and cleaned the area around the pool. 

This year we would like to continue reaching out to the community and plan projects that will leave a lasting impact. These projects are possible because of your generous donations, and we hope you will continue to be a part of our projects. Again, we thank you for all your help through GlobalGiving that enables us to be change makers in the Tokyo region.