Visit of Ikuno Elementary School students

Did you know that our grade 4 students have peers in Ikuno, Asago City, about 100 km away from Kobe? Canadian Academy and Ikuno Elementary School, a local school in Asago, have been working together for a cultural exchange program for about 20 years! This year, we were able to invite the Ikuno students to the school after a couple of years of online cultural exchange because of Covid. 

Our grade 4 students were extremely excited to welcome the Ikuno students and worked hard to ensure an enjoyable visit for the Ikuno friends. “Welcome!” signs greeted the guests, and they were also provided with some instructions written in Japanese. 

The visit started with an introductory meeting. Our grade 4 students delivered welcome speeches in English and Japanese, and introduced themselves in small groups. We were glad to see a lot of good communicators during the meeting; the CA students ensured both English speakers and Japanese speakers were included, and the Ikuno students tried very hard to communicate with their new friends.

The visit was also a happy surprise for an older student, who encountered the Ikuno students in the hallway. He happily said, 'I still remember when we worked with the Ikuno students!' This is the beauty of having a long-term partnership with Ikuno Elementary School!

After participating in activities, including a scavenger hunt and digital creation, the students from the two schools had lunch and played outside together. By the time the Ikuno students had to depart, the CA and Ikuno students had built a strong bond, which made it very hard for them to say goodbye. They promised to meet again - we believe it will come true! Thank you to the Ikuno students and teachers for visiting us.