NEWS
Summer Service-Activities in the Local Community with International Students
Update: August 25, 2023
The Japan Summer Service-Learning Program (JSSL) was held for three weeks from July 5 (Wed.) to July 25 (Tue.) in collaboration with Middlebury College in the United States.
This time, a total of 15 students --two from Union Christian College in India, two from Lady Doak College in India, two from Silliman University in the Philippines, four from Middlebury College, and five ICU students participated in the service-activities in the Mitaka-City area and Tenryu Village in Nagano Prefecture. This is the first time in four years, since AY2019, that international students have participated in this program face-to-face.
In the Mitaka-City area, the group participated in recreational activities with the children at Higashi Elementary School in Koganei City to support their English classes. They also participated in greening work at Shinkawa Maruike Park. They discussed "the Role and Maintenance Utilization of ICU greenery in urban areas." They also had an opportunity to visit the "Mitaka City Osawa no Sato Kominka" to learn about the history of Osawa.
During their five-day stay in Tenryu Village, Nagano Prefecture, the participants had the opportunity to meet local people and interact with children from Tenryu Elementary School. Through group interviews with the local residents, the participants learned about the history of war and festival traditions.
At the final presentation, the students reported what they had learned about urban and rural life in Japan through their activities to the university staff and local community members who had helped them. The audience included members of the Higashi Elementary School District After School Children's Class "Chi-Q-Jin" who cooperated with this program, and the people of Tenryu Village also participated online.
Organizations and offices that cooperated in this program:
Sports and Culture Department Lifelong Learning Promotion Section, Mitaka City
NPO Flowers and Greenery Town Mitaka Creation Association
Higashi Elementary School District After-School Children's Room "Chi-Q-Jin"
Tenryu Village Office Regional Development Division