ISD Students Visit Japan

ISD students are part of a delegation visiting the Independence sister city of Higashimurayama City, Japan this week. ISD students involved are Maclen Johnson and Hannah Newberry from Truman High School, Shannon Kirkman from William Chrisman High School and Karla Roman from Van Horn High School.

While in Higashimurayama for two weeks, students are visiting and interacting with students at Megurita Elementary, Higashimurayama 2nd Jr. High, and Tsudajuku University. They are touring city government services and local civic centers and museums. Students are visiting Japanese cultural sites including Nikko World Heritage Site, Tokyo Disneyland and Meiji Shrine. Throughout their two week stay, students live with host families to get an authentic experience of Japanese life. At the end of their stay, students give a formal speech that reflects upon their experience in Higashimurayama. This special banquet is hosted by Higashimurayama Mayor Watanabe, city councilmen and citizens of Higashimurayama.

August 5 – 19, 2016, Japanese students will visit Independence for two weeks and participate in a similar experience. Japanese students visit and interact with students at Glendale Elementary and one of the ISD high schools. They will tour police and fire stations, the National Frontier Trails Museum and the Truman Library. Japanese students go horseback riding at Big River Ranch in Lexington, visit Worlds and Oceans of Fun and spend a day in Kansas City. Japanese students stay with Independence families and also give a formal speech at the Mayor’s Banquet at the end of their stay.

Independence student delegates become citizen diplomats for Independence. More than 300 students have participated in this program and say this is a life changing opportunity.