Sister School Visit at Holy Innocents'

Twelve students and two faculty chaperones from Asahigaoka High School in Sapporo, Japan, arrived at the Atlanta airport on Jan. 4, and there to greet them after the long journey were old and new friends from the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (HIES) sister school program.

Begun in 1998, the relationship with Asahigaoka HS is the oldest of HIES’ four sister school programs. (Others are with: Groote Schuur HS in Cape Town, South Africa; Colegio Carmen Arriola de Marín in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Lycée Louis Bertrand in Briey, France.) This marks the 10th time HIES’ Japanese friends have come to Atlanta; Holy Innocens’ students will take part in the 10th such return visit this summer, June 27 – July 11.

The Japanese visitors spent a few days on campus, attending classes and activities, and sharing some of their Japanese heritage with HIES students, including toys, origami, kaleidoscope-making, Kendo, calligraphy, and a tea ceremony. They also got a chance to do some sightseeing in Atlanta and learn about Georgia’s culture and heritage.

In addition, they were able to learn something about life in an American family. “The students and faculty were hosted by 13 warm and wonderful Holy Innocents’ families who opened their homes and hearts for a week of cultural exchange, friendship and memory making,” said program coordinator Robin Gafford.

The group returned to Japan on Jan. 11.

The mission of the HIES sister school program is to promote cultural awareness and sensitivity, as well as to facilitate foreign language study where applicable.