Little Tor Elementary Reaches Out to Sister School in Japan

Little Tor Elementary School fifth graders devoted part of Wednesday morning to working on different projects showing their concern and support for their sister school in Tokyo.

Almost 55 students gathered in Julie Upton’s music class and rehearsed a song in Japanese. They had learned “Wa ni natte Odoro” as part of their Japanese Language & Culture Program and had sung it last Friday during International Day at Clarkstown North High School.

After a few practice sessions, Upton videotaped them singing, smiling and moving their hands back and forth in unison. The recorded song will be one part of a video message the school is preparing to send to Yahata Kita, a first through sixth grade elementary school. Upton told them, “We are going to send this to the students so they have a little cheer in their day.”

She explained the song is about caring, coming together and overcoming adversity.

Little Tor Principal Mi Jung An has been in contact with her counterpart at the Tokyo school. She found out the students were in class when Japan was hit by a massive earthquake — fortunately, no-one was hurt at the school. She said their classes resumed on Monday.

An said the connection between the two schools began when she visited Japan in 2009 on an Educator’s Tour. She found out the school was teaching English to its students and wanted to establish contact with an American school. The partnership was formed. The schools began corresponding regularly and in January 2009 Principal Hiro Gotoh visited Little Tor.

When Little Tor students heard about the earthquake and the tsunami they wanted to do something to help. “We’ve been brainstorming with parents and students,” said An. “We are very much impacted by it.”      

The video message will contain images of Little Tor students holding and reading white boards with messages expressing their concerns and hopes for their fellow students. They wrote reassuring thoughts individually and in groups.

“I want you to know that we will try our hardest to support you and make our smiles into yours. Always remember peace, love and happiness,” wrote Sarah Alvarez, 11.

“Please don’t lose hope! Help is on the way! Our school really wants to help!” wrote 10-year-old Jessica Manning.

In the art classroom other fifth graders worked on folding origami cranes from brightly-colored red, orange, purple and blue paper squares under the direction of Library Media Specialist Kristen McInerney. An explained according to Japanese legend folding 1,000 paper cranes can make a person’s wish come true. Cranes are very important in Japanese culture and have been considered images of good fortune and more recently as symbols of hope and healing.

The students followed a 26-step direction sheet with reminders that the folds needed to be crisp. Upton walked around the room taping the students at work as part of the video message. An hopes to edit the tape for the video message and send it before the end of the week. “This is going to be a message of hope and encouragement,” she said. “We want to send them something quickly.”

The video message is just the beginning of the outreach effort. The students hope to have 1,000 cranes ready for a benefit concert tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 29. “A lot of kids have been coming to me during lunch and asking if they can fold one,” said McInerney. An said the concert stage will be decorated with the origami cranes and wish tags written by the students. 

“We’ve been brainstorming with parents and students,” said An. “During the course of this week we have been brainstorming in the classes. There has been an outpouring of concern and sympathy. Because of the connections our students have we wanted to have something for them to contribute to.”

Staying in touch

Following the disasters in Japan, Little Tor Elementary School Principal Mi Jung An was able to contact the principal of their sister school in Japan to find out how the school community had been affected. She shared her correspondence with the parents of her students and posted it on her blog. This is the full text of that communication.

Japan Update

It was a chilling scene to watch the news over the weekend and to see the devastation that struck Japan. This news has a personal connection to many of us in the Little Tor community as a school that has been learning about Japan and corresponding with a school in Japan.

I contacted Hiro Gotoh, principal of our sister school in Japan, to find out how things were at Yahata Kita. This was his response:

“Hi, Mi Jung.

Thank you for your concern about the damage. All children and teachers are fine.
Friday, 14:46, It came a great earthquake. The students were in the classroom. After the earthquake, the students took refuge in the schoolyard. The building was not damaged. But it was repeated earthquakes, the children could not return to the building.  Put a call to the parents of the children, I instructed to come and meet the children. And our gym has become a haven for citizens. Emergency food to cook, I ate with citizens. The teachers and city officials spent the night at school.

The earthquake has now settled. But the aftershock will come again and again. Saitama Prefecture has had one dead, the dead were not citizens of Soka. Currently, they are confused by train and bus, the road to traffic. Monday is going to open a school on schedule.

Thank you very much to worry about the kids.

Your friend,
Hirofumi Goto.”

I asked him if they needed anything; this was his response:

“Thank you for your kind words. f possible, please send a message to Yahatakita children from Little Tor children with few their smiling picture by E-mail.
I’ll show to our children and I hope, the children learn to warm the human heart. And they will know that it is important friend.

Thank you again for your kindness.

Your friend,
Hiro”