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| A beautiful handmade gift from our new friends |
We're excited about our new partnership with the Casco Bay Japan Exchange Program! CBJE began 23 years ago when the Namioka Junior High School and
Greely Junior High School first began their partnership, which led to this wonderful opportunity for our school.
Ten students and four chaperones from schools in Aomori Prefecture (the north end of the island of Honshu, Japan) are currently participating in the Homestay program, which takes place during the first week of January. Our visitors stay with HMS 7th or 8th grade students. The second part of the program begins at the end of July when Harrison Middle School students and chaperones will visit Namioka.
Eighth grade students Emerson Pardales, Davis Young, Harrison Pendleton, and Annabelle Lowenstein are hosting our visitors from Japan. Our thanks to these students and their families for making this visit possible!
The visiting students and their chaperones arrived on January 5 and will be with us until January 11. Students from Japan will shadow their hosts at school throughout their stay.
HMS held a welcome ceremony on January 6. Our visitors put on a wonderful and exciting presentation, which helped us learn about their country, culture and school. They invited our students and staff to take part in an impromptu, joyful dance-a-thon, which was one of the highlights of the welcome ceremony! The HMS band performed the Japanese anthem under the direction of Mr. C.
Our thanks to Holly Groom and Leslie Livingston from CBJE for their support and guidance!
Special thanks to Stephanie Robison and Meghan Haugevik, HMS Liaisons to CBJE. Steph and Meghan have devoted countless hours to ensure that everything was in place for this partnership and visit.
Huge appreciation to Mr. C. and the HMS band for their beautiful performance of the Japanese anthem.
We're looking forward to many years of partnership with CBJE and the adventures this will bring to our school!
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