The Internationalist Fall/Winter 2021-2022 Vol.67

The Internationalist Nishimachi International School Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

Head of School Karen O'Neill '78 Interim Director of Advancement Mary Margaret Mallat Marketing and Communications Manager Kacie Leviton '95 Managing Editor Mayumi Nakayama ‘90 Editor Anne Papantonio Art Design Akira Tomomitsu (Mashup)

The Internationalist Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

In This Issue...

The Internationalist, Fall/ Winter 2021 Vol. 67, is published by the Advancement Office for alumni, parents, students, faculty, and friends of Nishimachi International School.

Andrew Deane Grade 7 Students Alisha H. Grade 6 Yasunori Haruyama Nancy Hashima '83 Sara I. Grade 6 Yuken I. Grade 9 Yui K. Grade 8 Masako Koga Timmy M. Grade 6 Mari Matsumura Kit Pancoast Nagamura Mayumi Nakayama '90 Riki Ohara '19 Erica S. Grade 6 Mai Shoji '94 Rin U. Grade 7 Luna W. Grade 6 Yuko Yamada '90

Article Contributors

Photography

Geoffrey Katsuhisa '97 Kawasaki Brave Thunders Kacie Leviton '95 Mayumi Nakayama '90 Riki Ohara '19 Mai Shoji '94 Yuko Yamada '90

4

Feature Article

Focus! The Coaching Life of Geoffrey Katsuhisa ‘97 Kit Pancoast Nagamura

Parent of Alumnus

Nishimachi Staff/Faculty

Nishimachi International School Advancement Office 2-14-7 Moto Azabu, Minato-ku Tokyo 106-0046 Japan Tel: 03-3451-5520 Fax: 03-3456-0197 E-mail: development@nishimachi.ac.jp

alumni@nishimachi.ac.jp URL http://www.nishimachi.ac.jp 学校法人 西町インターナショナルスクール 〒 106-0046 東京都港区元麻布 2-14-7 渉外開発室 電話：03-3451-5520 ファックス：03-3456-0197 メール： development@nishimachi.ac.jp ウェブ： http://www.nishimachi.ac.jp

15

Student Article

Middle School Field Trips

23

Outreach Scholarship Walkathon

Table of Contents Professional Golfer-in-Training ........................ 10 Teacher Article - Tokyo 2020 Volunteers ........ 11 Alumnae Announcers ....................................... 18 Nishimachi-Kai 2020 - 2021 ............................. 21 Outreach Scholarship Program ...................... 22 Class of 2018 and 2021 . University and High School Choices ........... 24 Postmarks and In Memory ............................... 25 Yokoso and Bon Voyage ................................... 31

Feature Article

Focus!

The Coaching Life of Geoffrey Katsuhisa

By

Kit Pancoast Nagamura Parent of Alumnus

4

The Internationalist

T

welve years ago, in Osaka, I interviewed both Geoffrey Katsuhisa ‘97, and his younger brother, Michael ’99, for this magazine. At the time, Michael, then a rising basketball pro, described his older brother as his “superhero.” “That’s his nickname,” Michael declared, “because he’s always helping others, and he’s just the nicest guy.” This is how I remember Geoffrey, as a generous, softspoken, and slightly pensive superhero. When his face pops up on the Zoom screen now, he looks nearly the same, but his demeanor holds more gravitas. Of course, the fact that he is accompanied on the Zoom call by a publicist might have something to do with that impression.

Once I get the go-ahead from the publicist, I ask Geoffrey what has happened in his life these past 12 years.

one thinks of Japan, so how is it that the Katsuhisa

brothers both fell in love with hoops?

Part of the reason, Geoffrey divulges, is that Nishimachi International School had the necessary equipment available on campus, proving to some degree the theory that with sports, “if you build it, they will come.”

Boing, Boing!

From what I’ve heard, both Geoffrey and Michael were crazy about basketball from day one at school. Geoffrey nods. “We’d get to school in the

Superhero Daddy “Well,” he says quietly, “the biggest difference is that I have a family now, a wife and two boys. My older son, Kyle, is 6, and my younger one, Sho, just turned five months.” A family presents a range of responsibilities and pressures that alters nearly everyone’s life trajectory, but Geoffrey quickly adds, “I’m lucky. Because my wife, Miya, is super supportive, I can still do what I want to do.” And what Geoffrey wants to do, and has always wanted to do, is coach basketball.

At age 40, Coach Katsuhisa already has an impressive coaching resume. He has assistantcoached for the Chiba Jets (2011 – 2015); head coached the Iwate Big Bulls (2015-2016); assistant-coached then headed the Sunrockers Shibuya (2016-2017); and currently is Assistant Coach for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders team (2019-present). Geoffrey and his brother are still very close, and it’s no surprise to learn that Michael, too, has shifted from pro playing to head-coaching for the Shinshu Brave Warriors.

While basketball might seem one of the lesserknown sports in Japan, its history stretches back to the early 1900s. Japan was instrumental in getting basketball included in the Berlin 1936 Olympics competition. When Japan merged its National Basketball League and Basketball Japan League into one professional unit, this gave rise to the B. League, in 2016. Still, basketball is not the first sport that comes to mind when

Geoffrey (front row, center) with his boys' basketball team members (circa 1996).

morning, before classes,” Geoffrey recalls of his elementary school years, “going through the gates, past the sandbox, and then there was a tiny court, just tucked into the corner, surrounded by the art room and science room that doubled as Sasayama-sensei’s calligraphy room after school. There was a very small hoop that was balanced on a rubber tire, that you could move, and that was a dunking hoop—we weren’t supposed to dunk on it, but we all tried, and once we got older and could do that, it was great. The other hoop was cemented into the ground, and it had chain nets. Our dribbling would Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

5

doing and people really cared about you. Even the teachers who weren’t your homeroom teachers knew you and your family…and your parents knew about everything [that happened at school] instantly.”

On the Radar Of course, young Geoffrey and Michael were particularly “on the radar,” given that their father, Hikojiro Katsuhisa, was headmaster of Nishimachi International School from 1991-1996, when they attended. Their mother, Sherry, was an American from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and this undoubtedly magnified the family’s level of cultural perceptiveness. Geoffrey feels that because he grew up in the Nishimachi community, multiculturalism was for him the norm. “And as a ‘double’ [with parents from two cultures],” he says, “I just always understood that there aren’t single ways of doing things.”.

Geoffrey’s parents, Hikojiro and Sherry Katsuhisa.

echo [in the courtyard] because we used rubber balls…boing, boing. We had a blast.

We’d play in the morning, we’d play during recess, we’d play after school until dark, and then I’d walk home with my friends to the train station, sweat drying, trading magazines, Shonen Jump or Dragonball.”

Aside from a mecca for b-ball, Katsuhisa also describes Nishimachi as “a tightknit multicultural family” which he chalks up in part to the intimate size of the school. “It’s just you and your 15 classmates…I think that’s how many were in my class,” he says.

As a student, Geoffrey recalls enjoying math and geometry, and even English, though he admits he wasn’t a star pupil. “I wasn’t in the advanced class, or anything,” he says, “but I really enjoyed those subjects. The teachers were good, and I was curious. But I wouldn’t say I was the best student. I procrastinated and left stuff to the end.”

When pressed to discuss what he found unique about Nishimachi International School, Geoffrey says, “You knew what every other person was

6

The Internationalist

“What impressed me,” he remarks, thoughtfully, “was when [former students] came back, they told us ‘you don’t realize what you have here.’

That made me think,” Geoffrey says.

When Geoffrey graduated from Nishimachi, he and his family moved to Bellevue, Washington, where he encountered added dimensions to his understanding of cultural identity.

“In Bellevue,” he elaborates, “the thing that made me different was that I was from Japan, and I spoke Japanese. There were a lot of Nisei [second-generation Japanese] who didn’t speak Japanese there. I wasn’t used to that. If they had a Japanese last name, I just assumed that I could have a conversation with them in Japanese. But that wasn’t the case. That was just my own ignorance.”

Half-Court Press Geoffrey recounts a scenario that used to play out repeatedly with his mom, Sherry. “She was a blue-eyed blonde working in a middle school office, in a Seattle suburb. Her colleague had black hair, brown eyes, and was from Hawaii, with a western last name. My mom, of course, had her Japanese last name. People used to call over the phone, and talk to my mom in

Japanese, and then come in person, to speak to Mrs. Katsuhisa. They’d always start talking to my mom’s colleague, and do a double-take when they realized who Mrs. Katsuhisa was.” I nod, because Japanese-speaking foreigners run into versions of this scenario still today.

Geoffrey graduated from Bellevue High School, attended Santa Clara University near San Jose, then upon graduation returned to Seattle to work for a few years as a paraeducator, providing specialized assistance to students. “I would assist a student for half a day in private individual classes, then would assist that student in regular classes, too,” Geoffrey recalls. The altruistic nature of his job choice was admirable, I remark, but he holds up a hand. “To be completely transparent, the teaching job was exhausting,” he admits, “so I’d come home and just collapse.

I thought I was doing good work, but I was also coaching junior high level teams as part of a high school feeder program on the side at night.

Teaching, sharing what I love, building teamwork, and things like that, I began to realize I like those things.”

Courtship One day, while playing a pick-up game at a Bellevue athletic club, a guy Geoffrey only knew from court play asked to talk to him. “When you play pick-up with other guys,” Geoffrey explains to me, “it’s like, ‘I know you, but I don’t really know you.’ But this guy came up to me and offered me a job. He turned out to be the president of a mortgage company. He told me he made a lot of hires from among people he played sports with, because he knew what they were like, and what they valued.”

company was running in Hawaii; he flew there for three weeks, and so impressed the company that they hired him.

Pivot The year that I first interviewed Geoffrey, in 2009, he was on the verge of shifting out of sports marketing, but shortly after landed a job as team manager and translator for Tokyo Apache, an up-and-rising Shibuya-based basketball team. In the midst of his first season on the job, however, everything changed. “The 2011 earthquake hit, and the ownership group decided to pull out of the basketball business in Japan. So the team dissolved.”

One thing I admire about Geoffrey is his ability to take a hard situation and rebound from it.

The dissolution of Tokyo Apache was abrupt and shocking, but Geoffrey knew he wasn’t the only person suffering, so he didn’t wallow in self-pity. Still, “It was a ‘next day, I don’t have a job’ kind of thing,” he says, “But that’s when I learned a different team, the Chiba Jets, who were just starting out, were looking for staff. They interviewed me for the team manager position, but I said what I really wanted to get into was coaching, and I asked to be interviewed for that position instead. So that’s how I got my start.”

After this court-side interview, Katsuhisa found himself, at 23 years-old, working in mortgage banking, which he found exciting and stimulating, but “not something I wanted to continue for the rest of my life,” he said. He lasted at the job for two years, before Japan began to call him back.

By the time Katsuhisa was 26, he had returned to Tokyo, where he supported himself with English teaching jobs until landing an internship with a sports marketing company. His first assignment was to assist with a golf tournament the Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

7

The Other Kind of Courtship Shortly after meeting his soon-to-be wife, Miya Inui, at a fundraiser for the documentary film, Hafu, by Megumi Nishikura ’95, he signed with the Chiba Jets in 2011. The feature-length film explores the experience of being of mixed race in Japan, and when I learn that Miya also has a Japanese father and US-born mom, and was a former Nishimachi International School kindergarten assistant, I assume their similar backgrounds gave them all they needed to start a lively conversation.

“You know what,” Geoffrey says suddenly.

“Actually, that was thanks to you.” I’m perplexed for a moment. Say what? “Miya saw the Internationalist magazine in the Matsukata House,” he explains, “and she happened to read your article, and remembered me from that piece! She felt a connection there, and that’s how we started talking.”

Writers rarely get to hear such heartwarming stories, so I bask in the moment, before asking for the rest of the love story. “I got her number,” Geoffrey says, glancing off stage right, where I suspect Miya must be, “and we started dating…”

He blushes a bit, and his voice fades away, like an air ball sailing off the court with no hope of return, so I quickly switch the topic, and ask instead what his coaching life entails.

Geoffrey’s day begins between 5 and 6:00 a.m., when his boys are still asleep. He has breakfast, and then walks 25 minutes to work. The walk,

which he loves, provides him with precious quiet time to prepare for his work. “I think about the state of the team, a certain phase that we’re in or a need that we have,” he says, “or I might consider how I can help a certain player improve from a psychological or technical viewpoint, or how to prepare for an opponent that we’re about to play.”

Then, he begins morning practice at the team gym. He changes clothes in the team clubhouse, goes over the day’s practice plan in the staff room, and commences practice on the court.

Court work requires Geoffrey to hustle. “It depends on the day, but I’m pretty active in the practice,” he says, “so I have to be healthy. I’m running up and down the court sometimes, and sometimes I’m in a drill, simulating a game situation, or playing mock defense, or refereeing.”

I ask Geoffrey to give me a sample of directions or phrases he might shout on the court. “I could be shouting something like ‘Be ready!’” he replies, sotto voce. That’s a whisper, I point out.

“It sometimes helps to just whisper,” he replies, “because if you’re shouting all the time, the players will tune it out.”

Coaching Voice I ask for his real on-court voice. Geoffrey laughs.

I suggest that if he stands up, it might help get him into character. He stands up, then sits down.

“This feels so unnatural, Kit,” he says, looking around his apartment. There’s an awkward silence, and we laugh, and I get a sense of how powerful the dynamic flow of Geoffrey’s working world must be; it doesn’t fit at all in his peaceful home. Finally, Geoffrey kindly warns Miya to head to another room, because he fears he might alarm little Sho. Once the coast is clear, he delivers an impressive, booming single word: “FOCUS!” It’s so strong, even my computer mic trembles, but there’s nothing cruel in his voice, just firm authority. When Miya brings Sho back into the room, the baby coos happily in the background, like a budding assistant coach.

Geoffrey is particularly adept at creating team harmony between his team’s 3 foreign players, one naturalized foreigner player, and Japanese players. “Establishing roles, and respecting each

8

The Internationalist

Olympics rules curb most participants from going into great detail about their experiences, but it’s clear from his expression how impactful he found it to be participating in the games. “When I entered the Olympic village and saw all these While I began this interview with a sense that athletes who have dedicated their lives to trying b-ball doesn’t get top billing as a sport in Japan, to be great at something, making sacrifices, and Geoffrey is optimistic about its future. “I think all in one place…it was an amazing feeling, it was coverage is growing, and the B. League is doing humbling. Representing Japan for the Olympics, a good job of marketing the game. More and I was really lucky, because it could have been more coaches and players from overseas see anyone else, really. I got there in my own way, Japan as an attractive place to work, for the but when basketball, but also for the national the culture. We have anthem was great coaches from playing, and I different parts of the saw the flag, I world that help raise was there with the level of basketball the team and in Japan.”

I felt grateful and humbled.

Getting TV exposure, I wished it had in arenas such as the been a packed Olympics, also helps arena, but immeasurably. “Take [nonetheless] I what the women’s thought it was national team did really cool. in the Olympics,” Geoffrey (bottom left) with his wife Miya (top right), Nishimachi gave me a Geoffrey points out, together with his brother, Michael (bottom right) and his wife Ayumi (top left), and both of their 2 children. love for the game, so referring to the silver I’m grateful.” medal won by Japan’s women’s team this year, “doing as well as they At 40, Geoffrey is the rare man who knows did is amazing, and will help promote the game.” where his passion lies, has had that tested, and nonetheless came back stronger. I wonder, This reminds me that Geoffrey is one the though, if he sees coaching as a job that will take chosen few who knows what it’s like to sleep him all the way through life. on a cardboard bed frame, to mingle with the greatest athletes of the world, and to experience “I had to think about things long and hard when the world’s greatest sports stage, as Japan’s I was fired from my coaching job at Shibuya,” Olympic basketball team’s Support Coach. This Geoffrey says. “I had to ask myself if this is really opportunity came, I learn, right after Geoffrey what I want to continue doing. And I decided it is. was fired from his coaching job with the First of all, I love basketball, and I’ve always loved Sunrockers Shibuya. it. It’s an amazing sport. It’s the perfect number of people, the court is the perfect size, and the Key Moves possibilities are endless. This amazing beautiful game… I want people to feel it and be moved “I was in the right place at the right time,” he by it, and I want my players to enjoy the game says, pointing out that being out of work actually as much as I did, and to be able to say one day, cleared his schedule to take on other positions. “I ‘basketball gave me so much.’” This is what it helped out with the national team training camp, comes down to.” His answer has the feel of a and worked for the women’s younger player’s winning swish shot. team. One thing just led to another. I try to make the most of things, not always knowing what it could lead to.” other’s roles is important, and we work toward each player’s strengths. It’s a process to get there,” Geoffrey admits.

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

9

Alumni Article

Professional Golfer-in-Training

Reflections from Riki Ohara '19

N

ishimachi was the very beginning of my golf career. I started playing golf at around the age of ten after trying out many sports—basketball, fencing, soccer, skiing, and more. While the others have become a blur in my memory, I remember my first practice vividly.

My father suggested that I take up the sport, but I was dubious about the idea of playing an old man’s sport. At the very first practice, I wanted to immediately quit because I couldn’t even hit the ball. But I continued to practice because I didn’t want to disappoint my father. As time passed, I became addicted to the cycle of progress and frustration. I started to pour most of my time into golf. My friends at Nishimachi were understanding and supported me, and I’m still friends with many of them to this day. Before I realized it, my life revolved around golf and I was aiming to build a professional career.

After a few years of serious practice, I was given the opportunity to play abroad at IMG Academy and compete against the world’s top student athletes. After serious consideration, I made the decision to spend my eighth grade year in Florida. IMG Academy was the ideal place for me to create a foundation for my game; their facilities had everything you could imagine, from 300yard driving ranges to a training facility designed for professional athletes. Every day at IMG from lunch ‘til sunset, I could practice and improve. I needed more experience on and off the course, until, like the pros, I developed an instinctive feel for distance.

10

The Internationalist

Riki from his recent golf competition, Nikkan National Newspaper tournament, which he won.

However, things took a dramatic turn when I was notified by my mother that I was going to be transferring to ‘Iolani School in Hawaii for ninth grade, which had the perfect balance of academics and golf. Feeling a little bit excited but mostly intimidated, I was on my way to start a new chapter of my career. I met many great people there and learned so many new things about the game, especially playing in harsh weather conditions. My coaches taught me to become friends with the wind.

But many things are unexpected: COVID-19 hit, so I returned to Japan. As soon as I returned, I went back to my long-time coach with the progress I had made while I was away. Because of an inefficient swing, I’d been in a slump, but together, we worked on some adjustments that greatly improved my overall consistency.

To this day, I continue to practice and improve on my game so that I can be better than I was yesterday. I have been slowly playing better, placing tied-fifth in the Japanese National High School Tournament, shooting eight under par in two days. Also at the Nikkan National Newspaper tournament, I was able to shoot seven under par, winning the competition. I intend to continue to work hard and improve my consistency so that, someday, I can play at the highest professional level.

From left, Hisami Shirai, father of Renge Shirai '18; Riki; Gary Kellenberger, IT Director; and Yasunori Haruyama, ES Japanese teacher

Teacher Articles

Volunteer, Masako Koga Assistant to ES and MS Principals

M

asako Koga, assistant to the elementary and middle school principals, volunteered at Yoyogi Gymnasium for both the Olympic (handball) and Paralympic Games (wheelchair rugby and badminton). She says there is nothing to compare with watching the games up close

and being able to share the exhilaration of athletes when they win their medals. After the awards ceremony, the athletes would come out to the gymnasium and take photos, letting Mako and other volunteers take photos with them and touch and hold the medals.

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

11

Volunteer, Yasunori Haruyama ES Japanese

E

lementary school Japanese teacher Yasunori Haruyama volunteered for the men’s and women’s basketball competitions at the Saitama Super Arena as a member of the competition management team. Preparation beforehand included workshops on the history and meaning of the Olympics, fittings for his uniform, and online meetings about team members’ responsibilities.

He regards as highlights of this special experience getting to know volunteers from all over Japan, catching a behind-the-scenes view of the athletes as they arrived at the stadium and prepared for their events, and hearing excited shouts from the changing room after a win. A

12

The Internationalist

particularly moving moment was standing on the podium during a rehearsal of the medal ceremony to listen to the national anthem.

Another occurred after the men’s final, when the winning American team players returned to their locker room and said “Thank you” in Japanese to the volunteers.

In appreciation for his work, Haruyama-sensei received a copper pin-badge (as a volunteer for three days), a silver pin-badge (as a volunteer for five days), a gold pin-badge (as a volunteer for seven days), and a Tokyo Olympics special edition wristwatch (as a volunteer for ten days) from the Tokyo Olympics Committee.

東京オリンピック2020での ボランティア体験について 松村 麻里 司書教諭

私

が東京オリンピックのボランティアに応募した のは2018年のことで、その後、新型コロナウ ィルスの世界的拡大を受けてオリンピック／パ ラリンピックが延期になり、直前まで本当にオ リンピックは開催されるのか？と不安になることも多々あり ました。 2021年5月、ようやくボランティアのユニフォームが支給さ れることになり、六本木の今は使われていないホテルの旧館に 向かいました。まずボランティア活動中肌身離さず持つことに なるIDカードを支給され、次々に部屋を回りながら自分のサ イズに合ったシャツ、パンツ、ジャケット、シューズ、バッ グ、帽子、マスク等を受け取りました。”TOKYO2020”とい うロゴの付いた大きな袋がユニフォーム一式でいっぱいにな り、ようやく本当にオリンピックが始まるんだ！という実感 が湧いてきました。 私の担当は晴海に作られた選手村で、端から端まで歩くと15 分近くかかる広大な敷地にいくつもの居住棟が並んでいまし た。ボランティア初日には、まだ数カ国の選手団スタッフが入 村しているだけでしたが、居住棟のバルコニーには各国の国旗 が張られていて、これからどんどん国旗の種類が増えていくの を想像するとワクワクした気持ちになりました。 私の担当国はバルカン半島にあるアルバニア共和国で、選手、 コーチ、スタッフ総勢で20人ほどの小さな選手団でした。主 な仕事は、選手団団長（Chef de Mission)の通訳兼ナビゲー ションで、彼のお供で空港、埼玉スーパーアリーナ（バスケッ ト）、オリンピックスタジアム（陸上競技）などの競技会場に 行くこともできました。選手団団長は日本社会に強い関心があ り、移動の車の中でいろんなことを質問されました。女性に とって日本は働きやすい国なのか？アルバニアも日本も鎖国 を経験した国として、どんな共通点があるのか、そしてどう やってここまでの経済発展を遂げたのか？日本がこんなに安 全で「おもてなし」の心が行き渡っているのはなぜか？など など。私の知識と経験でわかる範囲の返答はしましたが、異 文化コミュニケーションには語学力だけではなく、自分の国 の社会、政治、文化への理解を深めることもとても重要だと 改めて感じました。 アルバニア選手団との一番の思い出は射撃選手の荷物トラブル で、来日時の飛行機に積み込まれておらず一日遅れで荷物だけ が成田空港に到着することになりました。普通なら空港担当者 が選手村に転送してくれるところですが、荷物の中身が「銃火 器」ということで、どうしても本人が空港に行って係員や警察 立ち合いのもと中身の確認と書類の提出をしなければなりませ んでした。しかも、その日は開会式当日で、彼女が開会式に着 るスーツも荷物の中でした。飛行機の到着予定は 17:20 他の 選手やスタッフは18:00には選手村を出発し、開会式スタート

は20:00、アルバニアの入場行進は11番目… まさにMission Impossibleのように思えましたが、車両担当ボランティア、 エアライン職員、空港職員等、様々な関係者の連携プレー で、厳重な交通規制もかいくぐり、なんとか彼女は開会式の 入場行進に間に合いました！ 今回、選手村ボランティアという形でオリンピックに参加し て初めて理解できたことが数多くありました。世界最大のス ポーツイベントの開催は、外から見ただけでは想像もできな いくらい多種多様な分野の方たちが何年もの歳月をかけてい ろんな準備を積み重ねてようやく実現できること（We are creative, We take ownership)、現場のスタッフは、開催期 間中に起こる様々な問題に臨機応変に対応し、アスリートた ちに持てる力を最大限に発揮してもらう環境を整え るために毎日試行錯誤しながら懸命に働いているこ と(We act ethically, We pursue challenges）、 そしてそこに集うアスリートたちはこれまでの努力 の成果を世界中の人たちに観てもらう機会が持てた ことに感謝し、そこでの出会いや経験を心から楽し んでいること（We make connections)。 西町の日常生活でも、オリンピックの現場でも、人 と人が理解しあって共に活動するために大切なこと Mari Matsumura は同じなのだと実感しました。 English Version

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

13

In the second week of October, the entire middle school had an opportunity to leave campus for a variety of off-site learning experiences. We hope you enjoy reading these student submitted articles, in their own words.

Student Articles

Grade 6 Trip to Showa Kinen Koen

T

he trip to Showa Kinen Koen was very fun. We went biking, boating, to a bouncing dome, and climbed on big nets. The bouncing dome was a huge structure with hills that you can bounce on. It was an incredible experience. I enjoyed biking, because we got to travel fast around the park. The nets were strange, but fun to play tag on.

Boating was an adventure. We were in pairs sailing around. We started to try to bump into the other boats. We even got stuck in a wall of high grass. Overall, it was very enjoyable and at the end we got ice cream and cold drinks.

-Timmy M We went to Showa Kinen Koen and went paddling, bouncing on the marshmallow-white trampoline hills, and biking through the ichou trees. While paddling, we (I) had a feeling of freshness and freedom, while having fun racing with the kōi and the ducks. Next, we went

14

The Internationalist

to bounce on the “bouncing dome,” a marshmallow-like trampoline hill. We played tag, and it was the best.

Even one of our chaperones joined in. After we ate lunch, we started cycling. One of our chaperones helped the people who were not the best at cycling.

Although we got lost finding the way back, it was the funniest day I can ever remember.

-Erica S About a month ago we went on a field trip to Showa Kinen Koen. The whole sixth grade fit in one bus, and we had three groups of fifteen.

Each group rotated with biking, swan boats, and a big trampoline. Right after we got to the park, we had a snack near the entrance. It was very, very hot even though it was the middle of October. My group first went biking around the park.

It was peaceful, and it was nice to feel the breeze. Then we went on the swan boats and, lastly, the marshmallow-like trampolines.

Overall, it was one of my favorite school field trips so far.

-Alisha H

I loved this field trip because all of the sixth grade was outside in nature and doing outside things like boating, biking, and even walking. I loved the boating because we could see ducks, and I love water. I loved biking because we did it as a group, and we got lost at one point, but, honestly, it was kind of fun because we discussed our situation with each other and actually tried getting back instead of goofing around. Overall, this field trip was very fun and exciting.

-Luna W I made many new memories on the field trip, funny ones and happy ones, but a memory I would want to focus on was how we acted ethically, which is one of the NLEs. Almost everyone in

our group tried not to jump on the trampoline when a toddler came by, and some of us even tried to find his mom. I have another good memory from when all of us said thank you to the staff when they helped us paddle the paddle boat to the right place. I would want to keep doing this for all of the field trips in the future, so that we can make more and more great memories.

-Sara I

Grade 7 Trip to Mt. Takao

By Grade 7 Students

T

he seventh graders’ first field trip was to scenic Mount Takao, a mountain and famous tourist attraction near Tokyo. The seventh graders were assigned groups and given cameras with which to capture the natural beauty of the peaks they were on; they then teamed up to edit and finalize the photos. We saw people ascending the mountain at many different paces, similar to the way we learn at Nishimachi, where students are encouraged to learn at their own speed.

KPASS MS Drama Festival (Grs. 6 & 7)

By Rin U. Grade 7

O

n November 5, some Nishimachi sixth and seventh graders attended the KPASS MS Drama Festival, held at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center and hosted by the British School in Tokyo. Six other international schools from Tokyo and Yokohama also attended this event. The overall theme was collaboration, which was difficult as COVID restrictions meant we couldn’t have direct contact with students from other schools. As a result, each school worked in its own bubble.

The title of the collaborative piece was “The Story of Jo.” We were given the topic on the spot and asked to think about Jo’s

life. This included making up milestone events in his life and the family structure for this imagined character. Each school performed its self-chosen event in Jo’s life in chronological order. Ours was Jo’s moving out of his family home for the first time. During the workshop, we thought about the scenes that we were going to

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

15

include, which were limited to a total of five minutes.

Then, little by little, we started to build the ideas into a unified performance. In our first scene Jo tells his mother about moving in with his partner. The next takes place at a family picnic, where Jo tells the family his intention to move out. In the last scene other family members remember what Jo was like, following the move.

Mr. Thomas and Ms. Rutherford*

Grade 9 Visit to Matsukata Graves

By Grade 9 Students

O

n October 11, grade 9 visited Aoyama Cemetery, where our founder, Tané Matsukata, and her grandfather, the fourth and sixth prime minister of Japan, Prince Masayoshi Matsukata, are buried.

This experience provided an opportunity for us to learn about the traditional Japanese ways of o-haka-mairi (visiting graves), as well as to plan out a short excursion in preparation for our trip to Hiroshima/Nara/Kyoto. The o-haka-mairi experience allowed us to clean the graves of Ms. Matsukata and Prince Matsukata and arrange flowers to show our appreciation of and respect towards the Matsukata family. We used short excerpts from school history reference materials,

16

The Internationalist

which summarize Nishimachi’s journey to becoming the school we all love today. We then got to experience Japanese culture by enjoying a traditional o-bento lunch box and then visiting other graves in the cemetery such as

directed us as we rehearsed our piece, giving us advice and comments. The advice given was very helpful and precise, and as we went through the piece, I could see that everyone’s performance skills were improving. This was a very special experience, because we were able to see how the other schools did. We were very pleased with our final performance. It was interesting to collaborate with other students from Nishimachi whom I wouldn’t normally interact with, and I would love to have an experience like this again. *Jordan Thomas, Nishimachi performing arts teacher. Kathryn Rutherford, Nishimachi MS humanities teacher.

that of Hachiko (the famous dog known for his faithfulness and loyalty to his owner), Toshimichi Okubo, and many others.

In Humanities class, we are learning that an individual’s upbringing essentially determines what they value. Visiting these graves allowed us to gain an understanding of how the Matsukata family values were passed down to Tané Matsukata and, in turn, became part of our school mission and values.

Grade 8 Trip to TreeCross Adventure

By Yui K.

O

n November 4, the eighth graders went on a field trip to TreeCross Adventure in Atsugi, Nanasawa. In the park, there are six obstacle courses which you do up in the treetops! Before we got to do the activities, we got training from our instructors, such as how to use our harness and how to zipline safely. At first it was scary for me to get through the

obstacles, since we were up in trees that were up to 15 meters high, but after a while I started to enjoy them. My favorite part of the course was the last one, where we flew over a 30 meter deep valley on a 173 meter zipline. It was very thrilling and fun, and the view was amazing. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience, and I would definitely go again.

Yuken I.

い人物が作った学校に通っているので す。この思いを、あと残り数ヶ月となっ た西町での貴重な学校生活に生かしたい と強く思いました。

令

和3年、10月11日、僕た ち9年生は、たくさんの 偉人が眠る青山霊園に足 を運びました。青山霊園 では、第4代総理大臣であり、松方種子 先生の祖父でもある松方正義のお墓があ り、その隣には、西町インターナショナ ルスクールの創立者である松方種子先生 が眠っていらっしゃいます。まずお墓に お参りをし、お花をお供えしました。西 町のグローバルな教育に大きく影響を与 えた松方家のお墓の前では、参考資料か らいくつかの部分を抜粋して読み上げ、 改めて西町への理解を深めるとともに西 町の創立に関わった人たちに敬意を表し ました。 僕は、この経験を経て、西町という学校 に通っていることの意味を再確認できた 気がします。僕たちは、時代を変え、日 本を近代へと導き、「グローバル」な教 育の先陣を切ったといっても過言ではな

その後は、生徒たちが自ら興味を持つ人 物のお墓を見学しました。青山墓地に は、日本に大きな影響をもたらした偉人 たちが眠っています。僕たちのグループ は、明治維新の元勲であり、維新の三傑 の一人である大久保利通、「近代日本医 学の親」とも称され、現在コロナ収束に 向け尽力している北里病院の創立者であ る北里柴三郎、「日露戦争でのエピソー ド」で知られていて、戦争前には軍神と も呼ばれていた広瀬武夫、それから渋谷 に銅像を構える有名な忠犬ハチ公のお墓 を見学しました。各々興味を持つ人物に ついて調べ、お墓の前で短いスピーチを することにより学びを深めました。 僕にとって一番印象的だったお墓は大久 保利通でした。利通の墓は、青山霊園で も随一の大きさを誇るサイズでした。入 り口には鳥居が設けられていて、お墓の 前には​​利通の功績などが綴られている碑

文もありました。利通の墓には、その財 力を示すかのように亀の形をした亀趺と 呼ばれる台座が設置されており、もっと も印象に残ったのは、墓石に囲碁が置 いてあったことでした。大久保利通は、 幼い頃から囲碁に親しみ、極め、囲碁で 出世したとの逸話を残すほどの腕前でし た。そのためか、墓石が置かれている石 の上には、埃を被った囲碁の駒が置いて あり、定期的に囲碁が指されている痕跡 もありました。 この体験は、昔の人物を学ぶことはもち ろん、各々が自分との共通点に気づき （We make connections)、それに応 じて行動する（We act ethically) こと の大切さも学んだと思います。歴史的に は、今Japanese Social Studies で学習 しているような幕末に関連する人物も多 く眠っており、どれほどの影響を日本に 与えたのかを墓石の大きさなどから再確 認することができました。僕たち9年生 は、この経験を通して、改めて自分自身 の価値を見つめ直し、これからの進路選 択に勇気を持って挑んでいけるような気 持ちにさせられました。

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

17

Alumnae Announcers

Most Well Known Voice Is Nishimachi Alumna!

Interview with Mai Shoji ‘94 When were you first offered the job as English announcer for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics?

A casting staff directly emailed me through my official website a few years back. I was suspicious at first, but I had worked with them for the Aomori Asian Winter Games, FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, and other various world competitions. Slowly it started to sink in, and I thought, “Whoa!” I still remember that mixed feeling of surprised confusion.

Other than for the opening and closing ceremonies, what other commentary did you provide for this year’s Olympics? Any athletic events? If so, which ones?

I was hired to do the announcements for the opening and closing ceremonies, which was a great honor because they’re considered to be the pinnacle of all the events. They require days of rehearsals while the games are being held, so I wasn’t able to work for the athletic events.

How did you feel about your voice being broadcast, live, to the whole entire world?

Broadcasting live to the world is not new to me, as I’ve presented on NHK World TV every day for five years and had opportunities to emcee at countless world events. But I am aware that the magnitude and importance of the Olympics eclipses the number of ears my voice may reach the number of ears my voice will reach. I also know that announcing for the opening and closing ceremonies is what everyone in my field hungers for. So, I carried their ambition with me and made sure I did my best for them too.

18

The Internationalist

The opening and closing ceremonies were quite long. How do you handle getting a drink of water or even going to the bathroom?

That’s a question I asked myself when I first saw my script. We had a couple of staggered rehearsals and then three dress rehearsals, so we carefully planned bathroom breaks during the long entertainment segments. Water intake was sometimes hard when there were fewer participating athletes from a certain country because then we had to announce country names back-to-back.

What tips do you have for not losing your voice over such long periods of time?

I was reading out more than 200 countries for both the Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies and that alone took about two and a half hours nonstop. I don’t do much in the way of voice exercise or training, but somehow, I never lose it. I’ve been in this business for almost twenty years so I guess abdominal breathing comes naturally.

How did you learn how to pronounce all the names of the countries and flag bearers? How much practice time was allocated?

I had a couple of meetings with IOC members prior to the ceremonies, so I was able to run the names by them. There were last-minute changes involving a few names I wasn’t exactly sure how to pronounce, and in this case, they trusted my judgment. On some occasions, pronunciation depends on specific event organizers.

What were the COVID precautions in the announcers’ booth?

All countermeasures were the same inside and outside the stadium. We also had to take weekly PCR tests before and during the games so you can imagine how careful we were all throughout. One difference was that announcers couldn’t wear masks while announcing (because our voices would sound muffled on the mic) so there were clear panels installed between each of us.

I hope so! Things have been quite slow due to cancellations of big-scale events but I’m positive they will return one day.

Which countries are you interested in visiting for the first time, or again?

I want to visit Spain and the U.K. It seems hard to believe for some people when I tell them I’ve never been to either. My dream now is to take my parents to Paris. My mom has never been, and I can’t wait to take her, hopefully soon.

If you were an Olympian, which sport would you be playing?

Are there any more upcoming sporting events where we can hear you doing the announcing?

I would love to be competing in equestrian.

1990年同窓生、 山田侑子へのインタビュー 東京オリンピックのアナウンスのお話をオファーされたのはい つ頃でしたか？どの種目のアナウンスをしましたか？東京以外 の場所に遠征しましたか？ オリンピックの最初のお問い合わせを頂いたのは2019年の2 月でした。オリンピックではサッカーのスタジアム・アナウン スをさせて頂き、各所スタジアムで平行して試合がある中、私 は札幌ドームでの10試合を担当させて頂きました。 今回、サッカーにご縁があったのは、2014年に初めてKirin Challenge Cup(KCC)のお仕事をさせて頂いたのがきっかけ だったのかもしれません。80頁以上の台本打合せをしていて もディレクションをくださる方の言葉が全く頭に入らず真っ白 に…本当に緊張すると、末端に血が通わなくなるみたいでカフ （自分の声を音声に通すスイッチやレバー）を上げる手が震え ていたのを思いだします。その後、FIFAからの問い合わせが 来たと事務所から連絡があり、ワールドカップの仕事もさせて 頂くようになりました。それからはU-23国際試合、なでしこ 戦、その他冠イベントなど、国内の様々なスタジアムでのお仕 事をさせて頂く機会に恵まれました。 そんな流れがあり、2019年の2月にTokyo2020でのMC(アナ ウンス進行)のお話につながりました。

世界に自分の声がアナウンス される、しかも生中継で、とは どんな気持ちでしたか？ 実をいうと私が今まで関わって きているスタジアム アナウンス は日本語と英語の両方のアナウ ンサーがいて、基本的に国内試 合では日本語がメインで、英語 アナウンスの私はその後にテレ コ（交互にアナウンス）でつい ていく、というのが流れです。 選手紹介や国歌斉唱、ゴール、 選手交代なども全て日本語リー ド。つまりかなり気持ち的にも楽なんです。それが、今回は オリンピックという国際イベントで英語アナウンスがメインで リードだと知った時のショックといったら（笑）もう動揺もい いところで、またまた数年ぶりにカフを上げる手が震える体験 が待っていました。 でも今回一番うれしかったのは、アナウンス最終日終了後に FIFAのオフィシャルの方達から、ご挨拶をしたいとピッチ まで呼んで頂き「Was that you？We were talking from the rehearsal that this venue’s got a foreign announcer.

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

19

Wow, what a surprise!」と興奮して 話してくださったことでした。あんな にリハーサルからバタバタだった事や 通常の代表戦とは全く違う段取りで、 全員が張りつめていた事も吹き飛ん だ瞬間でした。その時に「This is a small gift for you.」と言ってオリン ピックの試合で選手が蹴ったボールを くださったんです。そのボールには今 でも芝の緑色の跡があり青臭い土の薫 りがします。 種目によってはかなりの長丁場になり ますが、どのタイミングで水を飲んだ り、トイレに行ったりするんですか？例えば、トイレ休憩に行 って、次のアナウンスに間に合わない！っていう事あはありま したか？ アハハハ！！よくこんな質問を思いつきましたね。実は本当に あるんです、そういう状況。私は緊張するとお手洗いに行きた くなっちゃう性分なので、サッカーの時は頂いた台本に「GO PEE!」って自分で打ち込んでいます。こんな話初めてするの で恥ずかしいんですが、私の書き込んでいる台本を理解してく ださっているディレクターさんは「ＹＵＫ Ｏさん、 PEE TIME!」って数分のブレイ クにも指示を出してくださいます。 長い種目などで、どうやって声を枯らし たりしないのですか？何かおすすめな事 はありますか？ すみません、そこだけは分からず、です。 先輩方にはプロポリス(注1)の高級な飴を プレゼントしてくださった方や、プロポリ スの甘い喉スプレーをくださった方もいら っしゃいますがどうも私は繊細な声の持ち 主ではないようです。

(注1)プロポリスは、ミツバチが木の芽や 樹液、あるいはその他の植物源から集めた 樹脂製混合物である。プロポリスは健康食品（サプリメント） や飲料としての利用が拡大し続けており、抗菌・抗ウイルス・ 抗炎症・抗腫瘍作用等を期待した病気予防・治療目的での服用 が行われている。（Wikipediaから抜粋） 選手の名前の言い方をどうやって覚えるのですか？今回はど れくらいの時間を選手の名前の下準備に費やしましたか？ これだけはハッキリ言って大変です。本当にお国によって選手 名の発音も違います。英語圏の代表選手だからと言って読みや すい選手名だけでなく帰化されている方もいます。アルファベ ット読みでは全く太刀打ちできない、例えばウクライナ、ホン ジュラス、サウジアラビアなどの選手もいます。 ちなみに準備時間は殆どありません。選手名リストが 上がってくるのも2日前だったり、実際に現場に入っ てから試合直前に届くスタメンリストの選手名や背番 号が事前に頂いたものと変わっていたりすることも珍

Yuko Yamada ‘90 English Version

20

The Internationalist

しくないので、いつもギリギリまで発音も調べています。もち ろんそれは互いに戦略でもあるのでギリギリまで出せない情報 だということは重々理解していますが、とは言えアナウンスブ ースは戦場になります。 アナウンスブースでのコロナ対策はどんなものがありました か？ コロナが始まってからは、オリンピックの試合に限らずアナウ ンサーや映像関係と選手との動線は完全に分けられていまし た。オリンピックの時、私達はPCR検査を現場で数日に一度 受けていました。スタジアムに入る前に毎朝検査が行われ、顔 認証と自分の写真入りパスとを画面にかざし、同時に自動検温 されていました。アルコールの除菌液は小さなスプレーボトル に入れていつも持ち歩いていましたね。 変な話ですが、私も日本語アナウンスのパートナーも、プロデ ューサーも毎晩（レストラン等には行かず）コンビニ食で頑張 りました。もちろん、気を付けた上で少人数で短い時間であれ ば問題なく出られたんですが、どうしても万が一を考えると自 分が運営側の皆さまにご迷惑をかけてはならない、という意識 が働いたのは事実です。お陰で普段はあまりお世話にならない セブンイレブン、ファミリーマートや、AEONのコンビニ食や お惣菜、どこにタンパク質の多いおかずが あるかにもすっかり詳しくなりました。

今後は何か違うスポーツイベントで侑子さん の声を聞く機会はありますか？ すみません、そもそもスポーツに明るく なく、現在声の仕事で関わっているスポ ーツはサッカーくらいですね。ちなみに FIBA2019年（バスケットボール）の開催 国発表式のMCはさせて頂きましたが、ま さかテレビ放映されているとは知らず、娘 のベビーシッターさんのご両親がフィリピ ンから送ってくださったＴＶ映像に自分が 映っていたのは衝撃でした。 ご縁があってラジオやイベントＭＣもさせ て頂き、年明けからはまたサッカー日本代表戦のスタジアム・ アナウンスが待っていますが、正直言うと「ナマ物」はとても 苦手です。ラジオやイベントＭＣなど、スクリプトにない想定 外の事が起きた時に臨機応変にトークをすることや、カメラの 前で顔出しをするのもとても苦手です。ナレーターであれば そういう事がないと思い始めたんですけどね。スポットライト を浴びて人前でトークができる方たちには本当に尊敬です！！ 今回のこのインタビューのお話しを受けたのは、自分が西町の 同窓生であったことの誇りと、松方先生への感謝の気持ちを表 したかったからです。私が2年生の頃、母に連れられ日本の小 学校へ転入試験を受けた際、西町での教育を続けるように両親 を説得してくださったのは他でもない松方先生でした。「これ からの日本を生きる未来の人たちはもっと国際色豊かにならな いといけません。」と言ってくださったそうです。そのお陰で 今こうしてサッカーのスタジアムアナウンス、キャノンやネス プレッソのようなTV広告の日英ナレーション、そして日本語 のみのAXNやNissanなどでレギュラーのナレーションを依頼 して頂けていることに感謝しています。今後も声のお仕事で関 わっていきたいです♪

Nishimachi-Kai Articles

Nishimachi-Kai 2020 - 2021 A Year In Review The Nishimachi-Kai Board of Directors hosted the annual alumni reunion on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Due to the pandemic, the annual courtyard BBQ had to be canceled for the second year in a row. If we wanted to hold a reunion this year, we knew we would have to find a safe and fun way for everyone to get together and decided to host a worldwide reunion by Zoom. The current circumstances gave us the rare opportunity to welcome alumni outside of Japan to our annual get-together for the very first time. More than fifty individuals from Japan and abroad (alumni from every decade starting from the 1950s, alumni parents, and former faculty and staff) joined us.

Participants were able to meet old friends and make new ones during the free talk session. This reunion reminded us once again that, regardless of how much time has passed since any one of us was a student at Nishimachi, fond memories remain, and the school spirit lives on in the alumni community. Despite not seeing each other for decades, we were able to pick up right where we left off, sharing memories and reminiscing about old times. It was wonderful to see many familiar faces.

During the session, Nishimachi’s head of school, Karen O’Neill ‘78, gave us an update on the Matsukata House campaign, a review of the academic year, and a preview of the upcoming school year via video message. The Nishimachi-Kai board also gave an update to the group. Fourteen new graduates are now members of the Nishimachi-Kai. Ten of them spent all ten years at Nishimachi, and so another ten-year veteran, Mai Shoji ’94, was asked to speak at the graduation ceremony and delivered a heartfelt message on behalf of Nishimachi-Kai. We further announced that the digitalization of the Ayumi is currently underway.

Following the lead of our treasurer, Yhu Kuni ’94, the Nishimachi-Kai board is working towards the school’s plan to showcase the digitalized version in the newly renovated Matsukata House.

Finally, we made an announcement concerning upcoming changes to Nishimachi-Kai’s board. I thanked everyone and informed them that I was completing my tenure as chair and passing the baton to Ryoji Kubo ’90. Eisuke Nakajima ’99 is taking over as secretary from Ryoji.

I was pleased that this new reunion format was well received by participants and glad to have had the opportunity to be part of such a memorable event as chair. I hope that many more alumni can join us next time. Thank you to all who participated and to everyone who made this reunion happen.

My gratitude also goes to all those who supported me and Nishimachi-Kai over the years through various events and school activities. I would appreciate your continued support for Nishimachi-Kai. Sincerely, Nancy Hashima Chair (2011-2021)

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

21

Outreach Walkathon 2021 Mayumi Nakayama ‘90

Advancement Officer and Alumni Officer

T

he Nishimachi Outreach Walkathon 2021 was blessed with wonderful weather. Twenty-four alumni, eight alumni parents, and four former faculty/staff members took part in this event, which supports the school’s Outreach Scholarship program.

This year, we saw a record number of Nishimachi-Kai participants. (For a full report on the 2021 walkathon, please see p.23.) Just as in previous years, the mothers of Issei Iida ’13 and Reona Yamaguchi ’13 hoisted the START banner up high, and our student walkers passed beneath it to lead off the event.

Last year we held a virtual walkathon and were only able to see participants as faces on a screen. What a joy it was to see everyone in person this year!

Registrants Alumni Reina (Punjabi) Boaz ‘96 Lalaka (Ogawa) Fukuma ‘90 Eriko Fukuyama ‘96 Leo G. ‘27 Shin H. ‘22 Nancy Hashima ‘83 Chika Hayashi ‘91 Rika Hayashi ‘92 Kiki Jiang-Yamaguchi ‘87 Ryoji Kubo ‘90 Kacie (Rosenberg) Leviton ‘95

Nishimachi-Kai members (from left): Yoko Nakayama (mother of Mayumi ’90); Tokuya Sano ’86; Nancy Hashima ’83; Junko Sumiya ’83 (hiding behind Nancy H.); Mary (Inoue) Tamiya SP; Lalaka (Ogawa) Fukuma ’90; Rika Hayashi ’92 with her daughter, Juna; Reina (Punjabi) Boaz ’96 with her daughter, Saya; Chika Hayashi ’91; Lina Sato ’73 and her grandson; Eriko (Sakamoto) Fukuyama ’96; Kacie (Rosenberg) Leviton ’95; Mayumi Nakayama ’90; and Karen (Mass) O’Neill ‘78

Kurumi M. ‘25 Mayumi Nakayama ‘90 Karen O’Neill ‘78 Meadow S. ‘24 Tokuya Sano ‘86 Lina Sato ‘73 Mari Sekine ‘00 Mai Shoji ‘94 Mary (Inoue) Tamiya SP Former Staff/Faculty Philippe Eymard Tazuko Shibusawa ‘69 Hiromi Tanabe ‘70 Ming-Yi Teh Parents of Alumni Cora Hayashi Noriko Igarashi Naomi Kabira Yukari Kamibayashi Yoko Nakayama Fumie Watanabe Overseas Jackson Malory ‘26 Jacob Malory ‘27 Joseph and Laura Malory

SAVE THE DATE

Not pictured: Leo G. ’27; Kiki Jiang-Yamaguchi ’87; Ryoji Kubo ’90; Kurumi M ’25; Meadow S. ’24; Hiromi Tanabe ’70; former faculty member, Ming-Yi Teh; and alumni parents, Noriko Igarashi; Ikuko Iida; Naomi Kabira; Yukari Kamibayashi; Fumie Watanabe; and Saori Yamaguchi.

The Outreach Scholarship Golf Tournament is back!

Saturday, May 28, 2022

22

Details to come in spring of 2022.

Please stay tuned!

The Internationalist

Outreach Scholarship Program

On Stride Again!

Andrew Deane

Outreach Walkathon Co-Chair Grade 9 Advisor, MS Humanities

A

fter a pandemic-enforced hiatus last year, the Outreach Scholarship Walkathon was held once more in person at our familiar site—the Meiji Jingu Gaien loop. Masked and maintaining social distance, 509 participants, including twentyone marshals and organizers and twenty-four alumni, gathered before the spectacular dome of the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery and marched around the 1.3 kilometer loop in solidarity for our Outreach Scholarship program. Our highest number of people ever, this is a testament not only to the esteem in which we hold the values that drive our Outreach Scholarship program but also to our desire to congregate once more as a coherent learning community. Indeed, together we raised ¥895,000. Thank you, everyone!

The towering trees turned brilliant crimson and gold by crisp sunny weather, the clean expanse of the newly bricked Meiji Jingu Gaien Plaza, and a spectacular Olympic Stadium made this an event to remember. Our head of school addressed us, and our very own exercise guru, Dan Williams, led us through stretching. And then it was off, knowing that we were in the safe hands of our volunteer marshals and our school nurse, Sayuri Fujita-Imazu, a first-time participant!

An event this size does not materialize without the energy and leadership of our Advancement Office and the time and enthusiasm of our volunteers. Hours of organization and planning

put in by Mary Margaret Mallat and Mayumi Nakayama ensured a smooth and safe event.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our five corporate sponsors, who donated generously to this event: MercedesBenz Japan, NIKE Japan, Asian Tigers, One WORLD International Hair Salon, and Cookietime. We cannot stage such large-scale events without the help of our friends. Thank you so much!

And then there were the numerous students who gave up their Saturday morning to walk in support of the scholarship program. In particular, I single out the incredible spirit of Jennifer Toyoshima’s grade 2 class, which fielded a record-breaking 94.4% of the class! In middle school, grade 9 (Hiromi Narita and Andrew Deane) led, with 50% of the class enrolled.

Our Nishimachi Global Citizenship statement reads in part, “being a global citizen means understanding ourselves, embracing diversity and taking action to create a peaceful and sustainable world.” In a fractured and fragmented world threatened by pandemic and climate change, we continue to stand—and stride— proudly in support of inclusion and diversity in our school and around the world.

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

23

24

Class of 2018 Universities Attending

Class of 2021 High Schools Attending

Barnard College, USA Boston University, USA California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA Claremont McKenna College, USA Columbia University, USA Cornell University, USA Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland Georgetown University, USA Hosei University (法政大学), Japan Indiana University, USA International Christian University, Japan Keio Gijuku University (慶應義塾大学), Japan Konkuk University, South Korea Loyola Marymount University, USA New York University, USA Northeastern University, USA Occidental College, USA Ohio University, USA Pitzer College, USA Stanford University, USA Tilburg University, Netherlands University College, Ireland University College of London, UK University of Amsterdam, Netherlands University of British Columbia, Canada University of California, Berkeley, USA University of California, Davis, USA University of California, Los Angeles, USA University of California, Santa Barbara, USA University of Miami, USA University of New England, Australia University of Oxford, Oxford, UK University of Southern California, USA University of St Andrews, Scotland University of the Arts London, Computing Institute, UK University of Tokyo (東京大学), Japan University of Toronto, Canada University of Utah, USA University of Virginia, USA University of Wisconsin at Madison, USA Vassar College, USA Villanova University, USA Waseda University (早稲田大学), Japan Wellesley College, USA Yale University, USA

ACS Hillingdon International School, U.K. Aoba Japan International School, Japan Archbishop Mitty High School, CA, USA The American School In Japan, Japan Baylor School, TN, USA Bellarmine College Prepatory High School, CA, USA Brisbane Grammar School, Australia British School in Tokyo, Japan California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley, USA Cate School, Carpinteria, CA, USA Central Bucks West High School, PA, USA Concord Academy, MA, USA Dulwich College International School, China Highland Park High School, TX, USA Hiroo Gakuen (広尾学園), Tokyo, USA ICU High School, Tokyo, Japan International School of The Sacred Hearts, Japan Jackson Hole High School, WY, USA KAIS International School, Japan The Lawrenceville School Los Alamitos High School, CA, USA Monte Vista High School, CA, USA Mount Kiara International School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Ojai Valley School, CA, USA Park City High School, UT, USA Pine View High School, UT, USA Seisen International School, Japan Singapore American School, Singapore Southbank American International School, U.K. St. Mary’s International School, Japan Stella Maris College, Australia Taft School, USA Taipei American School, Taiwan Tohoku Gakuin High School (東北学院高校), Japan Toin Gakuen (桐蔭学園), Japan Trevor School, NY, USA Trinity Grammer School, Melbourne, Australia The Urban School of San Francisco, USA UWC ISAK, Japan Walnut Grove Secondary School, Canada Yokohama International School, Japan

Please accept our apologies if we overlooked your child’s school name in compiling the high school and university listings (this list was compiled with help from the class reps, students, and parents).

The Internationalist

P

O

S

T

M

A

R

K

S

We have removed the Postmarks section from the online version for privacy reasons. If you are a Nishimachi-Kai member, please sign-up at www.nishimachi.ac.jp/address to receive the hard copy in mail.

Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

25

Congratulations Class of 2021!

Yokoso - Welcome to the Nishimachi Family

Kathleen Bowin MS Principal

Joshua Chan MS Math

Kyle Deck Grade 5

Christina Fogle

Joanne Gauthier

Marie Herrera

Mary Margaret Mallat

Satoko Saito

Adam Spangler

MS Art

Interim Director of Advancement

Grade K

MS Japanese

Sayonara 2020 - 2021 Departures Good luck with your future endeavors. We’ll miss you!

Grade 5

Grade 1

Stephanie del Rosario Lim

Mariko Endo

Heather Kreuze

Rebekah Lopata

Learning Support

Grade 1

Jordan Thomas Performing Arts

MS Japanese

MS Science

Akemi Uno

Grade K Assistant

Yvonne Cawley, Sharan Dhami, Stephanie Hanamura, Alexander Hughes, Meredith Lawson, Leah Lindsey, Radim Sinkora, Stephen Skelton, Motohiro Sugiyama, Ming-Yi Teh, Sherif Watson, Kristen Bennett, Alex Colina Fall/Winter 2021 Vol. 67

31

YOUR GIFT HELPS US TO MATCH POTENTIAL WITH OPPORTUNITY. www.nishimachi.ac.jp/giving