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Despite the cancellation of the 2009 trip, the Japanese Sister City Committee is planning for a successful trip this summer.
Jeannae Segura Brown said at the Independence City Council meeting Monday that the 2010 exchange is planned for July 12 to Aug. 10.
Created in 1978, the Japanese Sister City program is an exchange with Higashimurayama, Japan. The purpose is to exchange information, ideas and of course, people with Higashimurayama, a suburb of Tokyo.
“Our biggest challenge is recruiting enough student delegates,” Segura Brown said. “Kids are busy and July is a month full of summer camps. But we are taking more measures to recruit kids.”
Segura Brown said after the 2009 trip cancellation due to the H1N1 virus, excitement is building for the 2010 trip. Because of the cancellation, the International Friendship Association in Higashimurayama is subsidizing the cost for the Independence students’ trip to not only Tokyo Disneyland, but also to the Nikki Shrine, which is 1,000 years old.
Another change is moving the trip one month to July and shortening the exchange by one week. Glendale Elementary remains a sister school in the program, but new this year is the addition of Pioneer Ridge Middle School as a sister school.
Segura Brown said the partnership is starting slow, but through activities this summer in Japan, she said she hopes the exchange becomes stronger.
Truman Heritage
Habitat for Humanity
The council also heard an annual report from the Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity. Gina Elkins, executive director of the Habitat for Humanity organization, said work is continuing in the program that focuses solely on serving poor families in the community.
During the organization’s history in Eastern Jackson County, 54 homes have been built. Currently, Truman Heritage is working on a six home a year plan. Elkins said the goal is to increase that to 10 homes a year by 2012.
“We build simple, decent designed houses that help families climb out of poverty,” she said.
“We are successful because so many people are invested in what we do.”
Despite the cancellation of the 2009 trip, the Japanese Sister City Committee is planning for a successful trip this summer.
Jeannae Segura Brown said at the Independence City Council meeting Monday that the 2010 exchange is planned for July 12 to Aug. 10.
Created in 1978, the Japanese Sister City program is an exchange with Higashimurayama, Japan. The purpose is to exchange information, ideas and of course, people with Higashimurayama, a suburb of Tokyo.
“Our biggest challenge is recruiting enough student delegates,” Segura Brown said. “Kids are busy and July is a month full of summer camps. But we are taking more measures to recruit kids.”
Segura Brown said after the 2009 trip cancellation due to the H1N1 virus, excitement is building for the 2010 trip. Because of the cancellation, the International Friendship Association in Higashimurayama is subsidizing the cost for the Independence students’ trip to not only Tokyo Disneyland, but also to the Nikki Shrine, which is 1,000 years old.
Another change is moving the trip one month to July and shortening the exchange by one week. Glendale Elementary remains a sister school in the program, but new this year is the addition of Pioneer Ridge Middle School as a sister school.
Segura Brown said the partnership is starting slow, but through activities this summer in Japan, she said she hopes the exchange becomes stronger.
Truman Heritage
Habitat for Humanity
The council also heard an annual report from the Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity. Gina Elkins, executive director of the Habitat for Humanity organization, said work is continuing in the program that focuses solely on serving poor families in the community.
During the organization’s history in Eastern Jackson County, 54 homes have been built. Currently, Truman Heritage is working on a six home a year plan. Elkins said the goal is to increase that to 10 homes a year by 2012.
“We build simple, decent designed houses that help families climb out of poverty,” she said.
“We are successful because so many people are invested in what we do.”
