Toshiba Youth Club Asia (TYCA) 2015: Report from Keio Shonan Fujisawa Senior High School

TYCA is a program sponsored by the Toshiba International Foundation. Twelve high school students from six ASEAN countries (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines) who passed the strict screening including an essay contest, and four of our students who belong to the Environmental Project got together and stayed at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center located in Yoyogi, Tokyo, for an international exchange experience based on the following objectives:

1. To raise young people’s interest and passion for Japan.
2. To encourage students to develop their information analysis and communication skills.
3. To create an Asian network of young leaders for Peace and Harmony.

The eight-day program was held from the 23rd to the 30th of March, and the program on the 25th of March was held throughout the day at Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School.

The Environmental Project, which the four Keio senior high school students belong to, is a volunteer organization that hosts the High School Environmental Forum and is a central member of the High School Environmental Federation. By starting from their immediate surroundings, the students are trying to raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues within society. The Environmental Project also engages in a broad range of activities such as visiting elementary schools to teach children about ecology, high school-university collaboration for university seminars, as well as industry-academia cooperation.

On the day of the program at our school, other members of the project prepared posters with the word “welcome” written in different languages to welcome the guests. The senior high school student council president gave a welcome address in English, and the school was introduced through a video clip. Students began preparing several weeks in advance for this new experience, and they gave a warm welcome to their counterparts from high schools in other Asian countries.

After that, the guests were given a tour around the different club activities, and at the tea ceremony club they stopped to experience a Japanese tea ceremony. The main activity was to play the board game “Logy & Nomy,” (derived from the words “ecology” and “economy”) which is used as a tool for environmental education. For the game, participants are split into four teams, each representing either one of the four following nations: “industrial nation,” “resource-rich nation,” “forest-rich nation,” and “asset-rich nation.” The goal is to find a balance between your nation’s economic growth and the natural environment, but what is really important is seeking a sustainable world by cooperating with other nations rather than only pursuing your own nation’s interests. The game was developed by a research group at the Fukuzawa Bunmeijuku, and the English version was made by the Keio Shonan Fujisawa Senior High School’s Environmental Project team. The room was filled with a vibrant exchange of views in English, and students were enlightened on the circumstances of different countries.

During the break, snacks such as mitarashi dango (dumplings covered with sweet soy-based paste) were served by the Cooking Club, and the students were able to relax and enjoy themselves.

The planning abilities of our students as well as their warm hospitality received high praise from the organizers of the program.