Head of School’s Message

The redeeming power of human connection is foremost in my mind this spring.

After months of hybrid learning, we once again have all students back on campus. Mask wearing and social distancing are reminders that not all is normal, but seeing (and participating in!) impromptu conversations with old friends, and making new friends, are welcome indications that progress is being made.

After the painful cancellation of last year’s spring musical, we were delighted to see our student performing artists recently return to the ASIJ Theater. True, the virtual audience could only watch through Broadway On Demand, but this also meant that family and friends experienced the same palpable energy of all three performances regardless of where they were in the world.

The same thing can be said of our athletics program this spring: the stellar growth in support of our Annual Fund this year means that the school is much more confident in our ability to respond to opportunities as they arise. The installation of our first Pixellot video system is allowing not just local fans to watch, but interested viewers all over the planet. Please read more about this improvement and how our Annual Fund allows us to make such enhancements on page 32.

In March our community was able to come together on the sports field to mark the tenth anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake. The program of events put together by our Japan Center and long-term faculty member David Neale deeply moved all of us, and reminded us of the lasting significance of this event for ASIJ and our community. In addition, several ASIJ alumni joined us for a webinar panel discussion about their experience as students during the earthquake and their ongoing work associated with it. Hearing these stories only adds to my great pride in being a Mustang. You can read more about these events on pages 6–11.

As preparations for the Olympic Games continue, we were treated to a visit by one of the official Olympic Relay Torches. Passing the torch from hand to hand — with a disinfecting wipe in between! — was a wonderful way to connect each of us. You can learn more about how students engaged with the Tokyo 2020 torch on page 18.

Many of our alumni reading this will know that ASIJ is a proud member school of Global Online Academy, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. On pages 24–28 we hear from alumni on the lasting impact the program has had on their further studies and careers, and from current students on the ongoing appeal of these online courses.

No matter the ups and downs, we know that each day brings us closer to the moment when we will finally emerge from the pandemic. I hope to see you all back on our campuses soon. Until then, stay safe and stay connected to your fellow Mustangs wherever they may be.

With warm regards,

Jim Hardin

Head of School