Japanese students visit VASJ

Twelve students from Hachinohe St. Ursula High School in Japan are visiting Villa Angela St. Joseph High School through March 25, 2012. They arrived on March 9.

The Ursuline tradition is very strong in the VASJ community and the addition of the Japanese students over this two-week period will only strengthen that bond internationally.

The 12 Japanese students are being hosted by 11 VASJ students and their families with one VASJ student having the assignment of two Japanese students.

While here in Cleveland, the Japanese students will have the opportunity to meet with Mayor Frank Jackson on Friday, March 23 at 9 a.m. In addition to visiting Mayor Jackson, the students will also be visiting John Carroll University. The host families will also play a big part in their visitation as they plan interesting trips and activities with the students from Hachinohe St. Ursula High School.

“It dovetails the mission of who we are,” said Richard Osborne, president of Villa Angela St. Joseph High School. “It brings yet another culture to our community.”

Family spirit, community bondedness and adaptation and change are very important core values of the VASJ community, and this visitation from our brothers and sisters from Japan highlights these core values. This is not the first time VASJ has hosted visitors from Japan, with the most recent visitation coming in April 2009.

Sister Kathleen Padden, OSU, an Ursuline Sister from Toledo, Ohio, contacted Sister Margaret Ann Kelly, OSU, president of Beaumont High School, to ask if Beaumont would be willing to host students from St. Ursula in Hachinohe, Japan, for a visit in March 1993. Since that time there have been five visits to Cleveland.

We are excited to host the Japanese students. Learning, sharing, and growing, is integral to this experience for the VASJ and Ursuline community. Meeting mayor Frank Jackson March 23 will be special for all in attendance.