Building a Bridge for Tomorrow with the Kakehashi Exchange Program
Students from Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute (top) and
Riverdale Collegiate Institute (bottom) pose with Consul General of Japan Eiji Yamamoto
A very special reception was held at the Official Residence of Mr. Eiji Yamamoto, Consul General of Japan in Toronto, on Oct. 3 in honour of 46 students and four teachers from Guelph's Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute and Toronto’s Riverdale Collegiate Institute who are representing Ontario on the Kakehashi (Bridge for Tomorrow) Project, a worldwide student exchange program funded by the Government of Japan.
Students and teachers from Centennial were in Japan from September 18 to 28, experiencing home-stays and exchanges with Midorioka High School of Ibaraki, Japan. They also visited the Shinto shrine Nikko Toshogu, which is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, as well as the facilities of the Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation. They also learned first-hand how to make traditional sandals.
Riverdale students and teachers will be in Japan from Oct. 19 to 29, on exchange with Nara Women’s University Secondary School in Nara, and observing cutting-edge technology at electronics manufacturer Fujitsu and food industry leader Pasona.
In exchange, 50 students from Japan are scheduled to visit Toronto in February and March of next year.
You can see the slides from the presentations given by the Centennial students here (PDF).
You can see photos by Centennial Student, Ms. Lauren Kremer, from her trip to Japan here.
You can see photos by Centennial Student, Ms. Alexandra Madott, from her trip to Japan here.
You can see photos by Centennial Student, Ms. Jordan Buchan, from her trip to Japan here.
You can read the speech by Ms. Patricia Buddo, Centennial's Guidance Counselor who accompanied her students to Japan, here.
You can read the speech by Riverdale students Mr. Christopher Choquette and Ms. Annika Lautens here.
You can follow the adventures of the Riverdale students by following the blog by their Principal, Mr. Kenn Harvey, here.
Consul General Yamamoto welcomes the students.
Centennial students give a presentation on their experiences in Japan.
Christopher Choquette (left) and Annika Lautens represent Riverdale and give a speech..
The students from the two schools take no time in getting to know each other better.
