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Japanese students to experience curling, maple syrup tapping during visit with CCVI

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
March 19, 2014

GUELPH, Ontario — What’s more Canadian than curling, tapping maple syrup or attending a Guelph Storm home game?

These activities are just part of the “perfect” exchange program that will bring 23 high school students from Japan, reconnecting with 23 Centennial CVI students who visited them last September.

The students are grade 10-11 students from Midorioka High School and grade 11-12 Centennial students. The exchange is funded by the Japanese government as part of the Kakehashi Project. Two schools in Ontario were chosen by the Japanese, who citied the diversity at Centennial and the cleanliness of the school.

“It’s the perfect exchange because the students will stay with the same partners as they did in Japan”, said Cory Lipovschek, a Centennial guidance counsellor and staff advisor. The other advisor who was also in Japan with the Centennial students is teacher Patty Buddo.

“The Kakehashi Project’s purpose is to encourage greater understanding and foster long-term and ongoing interest in one another. Kakehashi means bridge for tomorrow.”

After spending the first four days in Toronto, the Japanese students will meet their Centennial hosts on Thursday in Toronto. After a tour of the new Ripley’s Aquarium, they will be bused to Cambridge for lunch and a tour of the Toyota plant. The bus will then take them back to the Consul General of Japan’s residence for a reception.

The exchange starts at 8:30 on Friday at Centennial, for morning exercises, presentations and then a trip to go curling. After lunch in Centennial’s cafeteria, which will be an experience for the Japanese students, it’s off to classes at the school. Mr. Lipovschek, who is fluent in Japanese, will conduct a school tour after class.

“I may even teach them some homestay survival English,” he said.

A pot luck party and speeches will follow at 5:00 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria.

The students spend their weekend with their homestay partners and families starting off with a Friday night Storm game and a weekend’s worth of activities that could include skating, and climbing at Guelph Grotto, or whatever the Canadian families choose. Monday morning takes the group to Camp Edgewood for maple syrup tapping, then a pancake and locavore lunch.

“Rubber boots are a must out at the camp. It’s likely to be soggy, muddy and wet with melted snow,” said Mr. Liposcheck.

After lunch it’s back to Guelph for the Centennial students as the Midorioka students head back to Toronto for the trip home to Japan.

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For more information:

Maggie McFadzen, Communications Officer
519-822-4420 ext. 725
[email protected]

Mark Weidmark, Administrative Officer – Communications
519-822-4420 ext.544
[email protected]

 

Categories: Media Releases