One of the highlights of the American School in Japan’s (ASIJ) sixth grade is the extended campus trip, KEEP (Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project).
Kiyosato is located in Yamanashi Prefecture, about a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride from the school. The area is a high-altitude recreation complex set in dairy farming land, among the majestic backdrop of the southern Japanese Alps, including Mount Fuji. This Middle School extended campus program continues to provide opportunities for student growth and success.
Students explore this natural environment with the support of the park rangers and work together in nature hiking, milking cows, nature craft with items collected in the adjacent fields and forest, and butter making. Skill building and cooperative games are features of the schedule. The night activities, led by teachers, allow for several hours of programs that develop public speaking, dancing, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
This year the school was fortunate to have beautiful weather for three consecutive days, experiencing the best sunshine and views in 22 years! Staff were pleased to note that this year’s group formed friendships during their time away in the mountains. As a community, ASIJ values these constructive connections and the positive energy shared among the sixth grade students.
At other times in the year the other grade levels in Middle and High School also go on extended campus trips to explore Japan, visiting areas as diverse as Okinawa, Nagano, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. — MAKI USHIGOME
