New Trier Japanese Students Headed to National Japan Bowl

Submitted by New Trier High School

Three New Trier High School students are headed to the National Japan Bowl in Washington, D.C. next month after winning Illinois’ first-ever Japan Bowl on March 7 at North Central College in Naperville.

Miya Jia, John Murphy and Tara Smart beat out 15 other high school teams from Japanese programs across the state in an academic competition that tested mastery of Japanese language, culture, history, geography, arts, and current events. The teams consisted of two to three members each, and each high school could send as many as five teams. High schools represented included five teams from Northside College Preparatory High School, two teams from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and three teams from Glenbrook South High School.

Jia, Murphy, and Smart comprised the only team from New Trier and made the most of the opportunity. All three are top-performing students in the New Trier Japanese program and members of New Trier’s popular Japanese Culture Club that meets each Wednesday after class. In addition to their everyday studies and Japanese Club, the three New Trier students sought extra help from their sensei (“teacher” in Japanese), Naomi Suzuki, who leads the Japanese program at New Trier. The three students and Suzuki met on several occasions after school and on weekends to prepare for the competition.

Now the three students are preparing for the National Japan Bowl Competition in Washington, D.C. on April 9 and 10, which takes place during Washington’s annual Japanese National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Mazda Foundation is covering the expenses of the three students and Suzuki.