Northern Beaches Council’s Sister Cities Programme is providing an exciting opportunity for local high school students to visit Japan as part Council’s annual student exchange programme with Odawara City, located in Japan’s western Kanagawa Prefecture.
Since 1991, the former Manly Council has conducted an annual reciprocal language and cultural Student Exchange Program with the Tokimeki International School in Odawara. Up to 20 participating students, accompanied by two chaperones will depart Sydney for Japan on 25 September, returning on 7 October 2017.
Northern Beaches Council General Manager, Mark Ferguson said the student exchange programme with Odawara City has been very successful and provides a unique opportunity for Northern Beaches students to learn about Japanese culture first-hand.
“These young ambassadors will share each other’s culture and make lasting friendships, whilst enhancing their foreign language skills and benefitting in many ways from the educational content of the busy schedule arranged for them.
“Northern Beaches Council is pleased to offer this opportunity and I invite all students to apply to be part Odawara City exchange program,” Mr Ferguson said.
Participating students must be:
- 14 years or older as at the date of their application,
- be studying Japanese Language at high school,
- hold a current Australian passport or be eligible to apply for a passport,
- be a resident of the Northern Beaches Local Government Area, or
- be enrolled at a secondary school on the Northern Beaches
Parents of participating Northern Beaches students must also agree to host an Odawara student in their home when the reciprocal visit takes place from 23 July to 1 August 2017.
Payment of $2,300.00 covers return airfares, airport transfers, group travel insurance, uniform, accommodation (home-stay), most meals, activities and sightseeing in Japan, and some activities on the itinerary during the return visit.
Students must submit completed application forms to their Japanese teacher at school for final assessment. Teachers will then forward application forms together with assessments to Northern Beaches Council by 7 May, 2017.
Application forms are to be submitted to Northern Beaches Council by 7 April 2017 and will then be assessed by a Selection Panel.
Students will be advised if they have been selected for an interview, to be held on Sunday 7 May 2017.