August 7, 2013
The GIGA Program Summer Camp 2013 for high school students from around the world was held from July 6 to July 9, 2013, at Keio University's Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC). This year, the second time the camp was held, 24 high school students participated from Japan and abroad, including the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia.
At the welcome session on the first day, Saturday, July 6, the high school students introduced themselves with nervous expressions, but they quickly broke the ice after the session and enjoyed visiting research labs and the Tanabata Festival. The Tanabata Festival, an event that combines the Japanese summer tradition of "Tanabata" with a university festival, seemed to be particularly impressive for the students from overseas.
(Photo: Satoru Inoue)
On Sunday, July 7, the high school students split into groups to visit Yokohama and Kamakura, both located near SFC. For many of the students, this was their first visit to Japan, and they all showed great interest as they toured historical buildings such as shrines and temples in Kamakura, and Chinatown, parks, and museums in Yokohama.
On the last two days of the summer camp, Monday, July 8, and Tuesday, July 9, the high school students participated in the "Future of IT Workshop." In the workshop, under the guidance of faculty members and graduate students, they enthusiastically worked on an experiment to build a state-of-the-art sensor system and figure out how to distribute the information obtained from it online. They also analyzed social networking services, deepening their understanding of their practical applications and potential. Through this workshop, the participating students learned about how IT will evolve in the future, and on the final day, they gave presentations in groups in front of the dean, faculty, and staff.
Throughout the program, current Keio University students supported the participating high school students, and they deepened their friendships through activities such as an okonomiyaki dinner, meals at the food court and a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, and tours of Yokohama and Kamakura.
Despite four days of scorching heat, all 24 participating high school students attended the closing ceremony on the final day, Tuesday, July 9, with cheerful smiles, bringing the summer camp to a successful conclusion. The high school students learned a great deal about SFC, Keio, and Japan, and left SFC with many fun and exciting memories.
Posted by: Public Relations, General Affairs Section, Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) Office