Nov 23

***************** Miyagi AJET has launched a Micro Grant Program in honor of Taylor Anderson intended to “empower JETs with financial support in their efforts to fulfill the goals of the JET Programme in and outside of school.”  Read below for full details: To all Miyagi/Sendai JETs: Employed directly through Boards of Education and embedded in communities, we […]


Nov 23

Japan Foundation new project to promote exchanges with alma maters of Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson

Here’s an article from Asahi.com about a new Japan Foundation project to promote exchanges and closer ties between Japan and the alma matters of Taylor Anderson (Randolph Macon College) and Monty Dickson (University of Alaska at Anchorage), including student and teacher exchange programs with Japan and providing Japan-related books and materials for the schools. http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1120/TKY201111200276.html 震災で犠牲のアンダーソンさんらを記念 日米で交流事業  国際交流基金は、東日本大震災で犠牲になった米国人の英語指導助手、テイラー・アンダーソンさん(当時24歳)とモンゴメリー・ディクソンさん(同26歳)を記念し、両氏の出身校と同基金が中心になって日米理解の促進に関する事業を行う、と発表した。 アンダーソンさんはランドルフ・メーコン・カレッジ(米バージニア州)、ディクソンさんはアラスカ大学アンカレジ校(米アラスカ州)の出身。日米の学生・教員の交流、出身校への日本関連の図書寄贈や講座の充実、日本文化に関する講演会の開催などが計画されている。(ワシントン=伊藤宏)


Oct 8

***************** In a speech on October 7 at the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauded the JET Programme for its vital grassroots relationship building, cited the JET alumni community’s role in raising money for earthquake/tsunami relief and cited Monty Dickson and Taylor Anderson as models of the kind of cross-cultural […]


Sep 7

From the Kahoku Online Network: 震災で犠牲の米国人ALT 志文庫に託す 遺族が絵本寄贈 http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2011/09/20110907t15011.htm 東日本大震災で亡くなった宮城県石巻市の女性外国語指導助手(ALT)テイラー・アンダーソンさん=当時(24)、米国出身=の遺族が6日、アンダーソンさんが子ども時代に読んだ本を「テイラー文庫」として市内の小中学校などに寄贈した。 同市万石浦小で行われた贈呈式には、震災当日に授業を受けた6年生(当時5年生)64人が出席。父親のアンディさん(53)が「本を読んで、夢を持って生きてくれたら幸せです」とあいさつした。授業を受けた阿部萌香さん(12)は「先生は優しかった。本は大切に読みたい」と話した。 寄贈されたのは、アンディさんらが新たに購入した英語の児童文学や絵本など約40冊。東松島市の仮設住宅で暮らす地元の木工作家遠藤伸一さん(42)が製作した本棚に収められている。 遠藤さんは子ども3人を津波で失い、長男と次女の2人が同市渡波小でアンダーソンさんの指導を受けていた。 遠藤さんは「明るく、元気なアンダーソンさんをイメージして作った。この仕事を機に、自分も前を向いて生きていこうと思った」と話した。 アンダーソンさんは2008年に来日し、石巻市では万石浦小のほか、市内の幼稚園1カ所と小中学校計5校で英語を指導。「テイラー文庫」はこれらの幼稚園、小中学校にも寄贈される。 アンダーソンさんは震災当日、万石浦小から近くの万石浦中に児童を避難させた後、自転車で帰宅する途中に津波にのまれたとみられている。 2011年09月07日水曜日 And here’s a very rough summary in English: “American ALT, lost in the disaster, is memorialized in a library; Family donates picture books” The reading corner / library contains copies of books that Taylor read growing up. The dedication ceremony […]


Aug 7

Japanese students from Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson’s towns in to visit U.S. as “envoys”

Thanks to Andy Anderson, father of Taylor Anderson, for forwarding this article from The Mainichi Daily News: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110712p2g00m0dm004000c.html 16 students from quake-hit prefectures to visit U.S. as ‘envoys’ FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Kyodo) — A total of 16 junior and senior high school students from the three prefectures severely affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami […]


May 9

Thanks to JETAA Music City President Terry Vo for sharing this an very moving article (in Japanese) written by Yoshihisa Komori about Taylor Anderson. Komori-san went to visit Taylor’s parents for the interview. Update 05/10/11: Thanks to Jo McCarthy (Shimane-ken, Okuizumo-cho) of the JET Alum Translators/Interpreters group on LinkedIn for providing an English translation. “The […]


Apr 1

Taylor Anderson memorial service in Richmond, VA

The below was sent by JETAA DC to its members via its chapter yahoogroup: We have extended the deadline for messages in Taylor Anderson’s condolence book until Friday, April 1 at 12 pm. It doesn’t matter if your message is long or short, profound or emotional, we encourage you to send it to jetaadc.311relief [at] […]


Mar 24

Taylor Anderson’s high school establishes fund in her honor

St. Catherine’s High School in Richmond, VA has set up a fund in honor of Ishinomaki JET Taylor Anderson who attended St. Catherine’, according to an article in the The Richmond Times-Dispatch. The below is from the fund website (www.st.catherines.org/tayloranderson): “The St. Catherine’s community is mourning the loss of Taylor Lane Anderson ’04. The Anderson […]


Mar 24

NHK TV today showed a video (in Japanese) of Taylor Anderson’s father Andy Anderson visiting Ishinomaki and laying flowers where Taylor’s body was found.  It’s very moving to hear her father say, “Taylor loved Ishinomaki, and we do too.”  And as a JET it’s hard to look at the background scenery in the video and […]


Mar 21

Update:  Here’s a link to an article about Taylor from MSNBC.com. Sad news recently posted to the Sendai Earthquake Family & Friends Link group on Facebook by Taylor’s family: “It is with deep regret that we inform you that earlier this morning we received a call from the US Embassy in Japan that they had […]


Sep 26

************ Thanks to Andy Anderson, father of Taylor Anderson, for sharing this information: NHK coverage:  “Bereaved Parents Bond” – http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/findex_japan.html (Though my computer is telling me “Missing Plug-in” which is preventing me from watching the video.  If you get it to work on your computer, please share any helpful comments.) Translations of various Japanese newspaper articles, […]


Sep 5

Recent Updates from Andy Anderson

The Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund Continues to Contribute to Ishinomaki Here’s a quick update from Andy Anderson on the TAMF’s activities, made possible in part by the generous donations of the JET alumni: “The Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund had its second board meeting in Tokyo in early July and approved four new reading initiatives in […]


May 21

Originally posted on the JETAA USA website: Donated Books from Ambassador Kennedy Translated into Japanese Following Ambassador Kennedy’s donation last November of 110 books to the Taylor Anderson Reading Corner at Mangokuura Elementary School in Ishinomaki, the volunteer group that reads to the students there, Soyokaze no Ohanashi (The Gentle Breeze Talks), joined together with the Miyagi International Association (MIA) and current […]


Mar 16

International Educator magazine article remembers Monty and Taylor

Thanks to JETAA Music City’s Terry Vo (Kumamoto-ken, 2007-09) and JETAA Northern California’s Peter Weber (Saitama-ken, 2004-07) (both of whom work as JET Coordinators at their local Consulates) for sharing this excellent International Educator magazine article (“Overcoming Chaos“)about the various ways the Tohoku disaster affected a variety of international education programs, including the JET Program.  The writer does a […]


Sep 6

*************** Posted to Facebook by AJET Chair Matt Cook (Osaka), who was in attendance: “Ishinomaki city’s mayor presents Taylor Anderson’s family with a certificate of appreciation. To say this memorial was moving doesn’t do it justice.”


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