Nov 9

JET alum Rob Cornilles wins Republican primary for Oregon Congressional seat

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JET alum Rob Cornilles, a sports business consultant, has won the Republican primary for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Portland-area district.  The primary was part of a special election being held in the wake of the resignation of David Wu (D-Oregon) who resigned earlier this year due to allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior.  Cornilles was also the previous Republican winner and lost to Wu in a close race in the last election.

Cornilles will next face the Democratic primary winner Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon state senator.

Here’s a link to the full article:  http://www.katu.com/news/local/133507753.html

Here’s a link to Rob’s campaign website:  http://www.cornillesforcongress.com/

BTW, if anyone knows Rob’s prefecture and years on JET, please post here or e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.  Yoroshiku!

Suzanne Bonamici (D) (left) and JET alum Rob Cornilles (R) (right)

Nov 9

Summary of JETAA USA Fund disbursements

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, JETAA Chapters, Local Government, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Summary of JETAA USA Fund disbursements

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Thanks to JETAA USA Country Representative (and JETAA USA Fund Committee member) Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken) for the following summary of the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund’s disbursements.  It was originally an e-mail sent to the JETAA USA chapter officers Google Group which has been modified slightly for posting here:

Dear US Chapters,

The fund committee has been hard at work and has finalized the donations for the $76,000+ we have raised so far. I’d like to thank the committee as well as the folks at JETAANY for all of their hard work during the past 8 months, and I’d also like to thank all of you for your amazing fundraising efforts. News of JETAA’s collective, world wide fundraising efforts as JET Alumni is very much on the radar screen in Japan. It is great that we can support the people of Japan and also demonstrate the value of our network and our commitment to Japan at the same time.

To recap the fund committee’s decision, here is where we are allocating the funds raised to date:

1. Hope for Tomorrow – $25,000 (http://hope-tomorrow.jp/)

A major challenge that high school students from the Tohoku region will face is to keep from falling behind students from elsewhere in the country who are studying for their college entrance exams. The students in Tohoku graduating this March had completed their exams by the time of the earthquake, but the ones who will graduate next year are liable to fall behind due to the length of time schools have been shut down, the absence of cram schools and other supplementary educational activities during their senior year, and the trauma and family tragedies that many have to face. On top of this, they need sufficient resources to even take the university exams, which tend to require travel to Tokyo, Sendai or Hokkaido. The exam fees are likely to be waived for many students, but there is no system to support their personal travel, lodging, meals, etc. when they leave their hometowns to take the entrance exams. In many cases, these expenses can easily exceed US$1,000, which will be difficult for families who have lost their homes and businesses to muster.

In response, a group of Tokyo volunteers has launched a new NPO called “Hope for Tomorrow” that plans to help support students by covering these expenses. They have been in touch with the main high schools in Kessennuma and Ishinomaki about this initiative. Kessennnuma had the greatest need, so they have come to an agreement with the high school to start supporting their students, and they hope to expand to other schools, including Ishinomaki’s high school. They are also interested in expanding to Rikuzentakata and open to other suggestions from us about other places. (In May, they tried to speak with the Rikuzentakata authorities as well as those in the neighboring town, Ofunato, where students were attending high school since Rikuzentakata’s high school was badly damaged, but were unable to have discussions due to the overwhelming challenges school officials were facing. However, they hope to try again soon.) In addition to the helping with the exam fees, they also wish to provide mentoring services to the students and other support that can aid them before and after their exams.

Update:  They have expanded to Takata High School (the Rikuzentakata HS, although temporarily being operated in an empty school in Ofunato), because of our funds. Takata High School is delighted, and things are all firmed up now. They are also operating in Kessennuma, and might expand into Ishinomaki or elsewhere if there is additional funding.

2. E.Pa+Ch – $25,000 (http://soup1993.com/epatch.html)

E.Pa+Ch stands for Youth Empowerment Iwate (direct translation:  Empowerment through Participation and Challenge). This group was created by a professor at Iwate Prefectural University (IPU) who has been active in mobilizing college volunteers to work in the disaster zone through a project called “GingaNet.”  The group is planning to launch a major initiative throughout the prefecture to provide tutoring to and study rooms for middle school students who have fallen behind in their studies, with IPU students acting as volunteer tutors. (This may be expanded to high school students taking university entrance exams, in which case professional juku teachers will need to be employed). The board of education expressed support for this, and the IPU professor, Yamamoto-sensei, is going to continue developing the program in consultation with the board. This innovative program was launched on Nov 1, and it possibly will be a model for other programs around Tohoku. CR Jess Wilcox and Fund Committee member Jim Gannon were interviewed regarding our involvement. Read the article here: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111104005277.htm

3. Rikuzentakata Board of Education – $10,000

This direct contribution to the BoE will help alleviate some immediate needs of the schools, possibly including the hiring of a second JET for the area. There is currently a JET in RT who replaced Monty Dickson and the BoE would like to hire a second.

4. Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund – $5,000 (http://www.st.catherines.org/tayloranderson )

Many of you are already familiar with the work that the Anderson Family has been conducting. We have made a $5,000 donation to their fund to demonstrate our collective support.

5. Grants for 2-3 JET-related orgs – $10,000+ (To Be Finalized)

We are working with Paul Yoo of volunteerAKITA and Living Dreams who worked with Mike Maher King (Smile Kids Japan). Our grants will help support their grass roots efforts of volunteering in the area, bringing in needed supplies, and ‘filling in the cracks’ where other NGO’s are unable to assist.

TOTAL = $76,000+

Also, many of you might be aware that the JETAA international meeting was held in Tokyo from Oct 21-22. The meeting was covered and televised by NHK news. We also met with various government ministers who thanked us for our efforts to support Japan and asked us for advice on improving the JET program.

After the meeting we volunteered alongside current JETs in Rikuzentakata. We are doing a write up of that emotional experience and will send it to you in the coming days. Being in Rikuzentakata really drove home how important our efforts are. We have the power to get our funds directly in the hands of the people making decisions on the reconstruction effort.

To that end we would like to encourage JETAA chapters to continue fundraising. We now have connections on the ground and can help deploy funds efficiently and effectively. We have been notified that JETAANY will not be able to host the fund next year due to tax reasons, but we will work to find another nonprofit chapter that can help support us. Thank you again JETAANY for all the extra work you took on this year to make the fund a reality!

Lastly, it is always helpful when the JET alumni community is able to remind others of the ongoing needs in Tohoku and share news of JETAA’s accomplishments with others. I strongly encourage each of you and your chapter members to reach out to local news publications, church newsletters, your college and HS alumni magazines, work newsletters, chapter newsletters, etc. A great deal of information can be found on JETwit and the JETAA USA website.  You can also contact members of the JETAA USA Fund Committee or local chapter officers if you need additional information or an official representative or spokesperson.

Stay tuned for more detailed information to follow.

Nov 6

Daily Yomiuri: Study halls opened in honor of “Monty-sensei” in Rikuzentakata

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, JETs in the News, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on Daily Yomiuri: Study halls opened in honor of “Monty-sensei” in Rikuzentakata

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Update 11/07/11:  The Ministry of Education has apparently been impressed enough by Youth Empowerment for Iwate to send a team to observe them.  And fyi, the group now has a website as well:  http://soup1993.com/epatch.html

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There’s a nice Daily Yomiuri article (“Study halls opened in honor of ‘Monty-sensei‘”) on Monty Dickson and the contribution JETAA USA will be making to the Japanese non-profit Iwate Youth Empowerment (which is translated in the article below with a different name).

Though not quoted in the article, JETAA USA Fund Committee members Jessyca Wilcox and Jim Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94) were both interviewed for background.  Apparently the program launched on November 1 and they were surprised at the level of demand, receiving 100 applicants and 45 students on the first day.

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Study halls opened in honor of ‘Monty-sensei’

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111104005277.htm

Takayuki Fuchigami and Kentaro Sugino / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

RIKUZEN-TAKATA, Iwate–Special study halls providing self-study sessions to primary and middle school students have opened in Rikuzen-Takata to honor an American assistant language teacher who was killed by the March 11 tsunami.

Montgomery Dickson, a native of Alaska, was scheduled to teach English at 16 primary and middle schools in the city for two years until last August.

Dickson, who was called “Monty” by local residents, gave free English classes to children and had a dream of becoming a Japanese-language teacher. At drinking parties with his coworkers, he sometimes performed  manzai comedy and sang enka songs.

Noboru Sato, the owner of a bicycle shop in the city that Dickson bought a mountain bike from, was his close friend. They had dinner and
drank together almost every night.

However, both were killed by the tsunami. Dickson died at the age of 26, while Sato was 69 years old.

Sato’s granddaughter Sayaka, 15, recalled that “Monty was like a member of our family.”

After learning of Dickson’s death, a group of former ALTs (JETwit note:  The “group” is actually the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Committee) decided to use about 20,000 dollars (1.5 million yen) of donations they collected for quake-hit areas for projects to support Rikuzen-Takata.

The group talked with the city’s board of education officials about possible ways to use the donations. They agreed to open study rooms called “Manabi no Heya.”

The study halls, operated by the city’s education board and Empowerment through Participation and Challenge (JETwit note:  aka Iwate Youth Empowerment), an Iwate Prefecture-based organization, have been opened at three primary and middle schools.

During sessions at the halls, which are open three times a week in the evening and on weekends, students study on their own and can ask questions to former teachers and cram school instructors. The operators intend to run the sessions for two years.

At the city-run Daiichi Middle School, the first Manabi no Heya study session was held Tuesday. A total of 45 students studied for two hours from 7 p.m. in three classrooms.

Mai Sato, 13, a second-grade student at the school who lives in a temporary housing unit, expressed her appreciation. “I was so depressed by the death of Monty-sensei. But [thanks to him] this study hall was opened. I’m happy,” she said.

Naoko Watanabe, 36, an office worker in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture,
who was engaged to Dickson, expressed her hopes for his legacy.

“I think Monty is happy [to know about the study halls]. I hope Monty lingers in the memory of children in Rikuzen-Takata for a long time,” Watanabe, who once studied in the United States, said.

On the morning of March 11, Dickson was asked by his friend to translate a phrase from the essay “Koan no Taimatsu” (Ogata Koan’s torch), written by historical novelist Ryotaro Shiba (1923-1996) from Japanese into English.

The English translation was left on a piece of paper: “There is nothing as beautiful as dedicating oneself for a cause.”

The translation was given to Shelley Fredrickson, Dickson’s elder sister, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Referring to the phrase, Fredrickson, 45, said, “Monty always made himself available to anyone who needed him.

“I’m so proud of him and all he had accomplished. I’m finding his inspiration is still flowing and continuing to make an impact on people who knew him as well as those that did not.”

(Nov. 5, 2011)

Oct 30

MOFA coverage of JETAA International Conference in Tokyo

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http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/annai/honsho/fuku/yamane/jetaa1110.html

JETAA（元JET参加者の会）国際委員会の山根副大臣表敬（概要）

山根副大臣は10月21日，JETAA（元JET参加者の会）国際委員会に参加するために訪日中の国際委員会メンバーの表敬を受けました。その概要は以下の通りです。
1.        山根隆治外務副大臣は10月21日，ジェームス・ギャノンJETAA国際委員会顧問,シュリー＝クレカーJETAA国際委員会執行委員長及び他15名のJETAA（元JET参加者の会）国際委員会の表敬を受けました。
2.        山根副大臣は，委員会メンバーの訪日を歓迎するとともに，JETAAが震災後，世界各地で活発な草の根復興支援活動を展開していることに深い感謝の意を伝えました。また復興への決意を表明するとともに、委員会のメンバーが日本の現状に関して草の根レベルで情報発信することに期待していると述べました。
3.        JETAAよりは、これまでのJETプログラムやJETAAに対する日本政府の支援に対し感謝が表明され、引き続き復興支援に協力したいとの決意が伝えられました。
（参考）JETAA（元JET参加者の会）
（1）　JET参加者が帰国後に各国・地域で自発的に発足させた同窓会組織（平成元年設立）。日本と母国との友好関係促進のために草の根レベルで様々な活動を実施。東日本大震災後も世界各地で草の根レベルの支援活動の中心的役割を果たす。2011年7月現在，全世界に計51支部あり会員数は約2万3千人。
（2）　国際委員会は，国境を越えたJETAA支部間の横のネットワーク構築を目的に毎年1回開催（2009年はキングストン，2010年はエジンバラで開催）。
（3）　今年はJET創設25周年及び東日本大震災を受けて，10月21日～22日に東京で開催。同会議においては，「日本の復興への貢献：具体例の紹介」「JETプログラムの改善」等について議論。参加者は米国，豪州，NZ，伯，仏，ジャマイカ，英，加，アイルランド，南ア10か国のJETAA各国代表及びJETAA国際委員会の役員等16名。
（4）　10月23日には，現役JET参加者であったモンゴメリー・ディクソン氏が犠牲となった陸前高田市にて，戸羽同市市長を表敬訪問するとともに，ボランティア活動を実施した。また，後日，陸前高田市の教育支援プロジェクトを対象に，全米JETAAが，米国各地での支援活動を通じて集めた「米国JET同窓会震災復興支援基金（米国JETAA基金）」約76，000米ドル（約580万円）の寄付も行う予定。

Oct 30

JETAA Tokyo collaborates with Tokyo de Volunteer for trip to Miyagi

Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, JETAA Chapters, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Volunteer Comments Off on JETAA Tokyo collaborates with Tokyo de Volunteer for trip to Miyagi

Via JETAA Tokyo:

JETAA Tokyo is pleased to support Tokyo de Volunteer in their “Beauty de Volunteer” volunteer activities. This time, Tokyo de Volunteer is organizing a volunteer trip to Tohoku region to participate continuing relief and recovery effort. Participants will be providing free beauty services (such as haircuts, make-up, etc.) in order to boast morale in Higashimatsushima. If you do not have any beauty or special skills, there will no doubt be other ways to contribute at the volunteer center. Simply visiting the region is meaningful gesture to support their still difficult daily life.

As these trips have received corporate sponsorship, free bus transportation to/from Tokyo will be provided. If you would like to stay longer in Tohoku to travel, you can do so, or join Tokyo de Volunteer at the volunteer site and come back on the bus with the group. You may as well, simply stop by and join the group for a day of volunteering. If you are interested in participating in this activity, please contact tokyo.de.volunteer@gmail.com directly with the date you would like to participate.They will reply with a confirmation with details application and information.

1) Higashimatsushima Trip
Departs: Friday, October 21, 23:30 from in front of the Marunouchi Building at Tokyo Station
Volunteer: Saturday, October 22
Return: Tokyo, October 22, 21:00

For more information about Tokyo de Volunteer and available volunteer opportunities, please click here:  http://tkdv.blogspot.com/

Oct 29

JET Alumni cited in U.S. Deputy Secretary of State’s Speech at Todai

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Thanks a bunch to JETAA Music City Treasurer Jennifer Butler (who also works at the Consulate in Nashville) for passing this along:

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns recently gave a speech at Tokyo University titled, “The Enduring Value of the U.S.-Japan Alliance“ in which he cited the value and contributions of the JET alumni and the JET Programme.

Here are the key excerpts:

“More than 35,000 people have now taken part in exchange programs sponsored by our governments — programs like the Fulbright Scholarship, the Mansfield Fellowship, and the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, or JET. Exchanges between our government officials also play a key role in fostering mutual understanding. ”

“We are reaching out to ensure that younger Japanese business leaders understand the value of employees who know both of our cultures. We are calling on our own American JET alumni network to convince more students to study in America.”

Note:  I know what you U.S. JET alumni are thinking.  You have not yet received your call from the State Department personally asking you to get out there and convince more Japanese students to study in the U.S.  All I can say is hang tight.  And in the meanwhile, I guess we’re all now aware of one Return on JET-vestment thing we can do to help with the future existence of JET.

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Here’s the full text of the speech:

Remarks

Oct 29

Miyagi JET alums organize Hong Kong fundraiser

Article/Journalism, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Miyagi JET alums organize Hong Kong fundraiser

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Thanks to Osaka JET Cailin Arena for letting us know about this:

From Miyagi JET alum Monique Moloney:  “Here is the press release (and photos) for the fundraiser in Hong Kong on April 16. It was a great way to connect with the Japanese community in Hong Kong and to put our energy towards a positive outcome for Miyagi.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former Miyagi Residents Raise Funds Through Hong Kong Event

Hong Kong – 25th April, 2011

Two former residents of Miyagi Prefecture have pooled the creative expertise of five photographers in a silent photographic auction in Hong Kong to raise money for the March 11 earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

The event entitled “Kampai for Sendai” was held on Saturday, April 16 at Shore Restaurant and Bar and was attended by approximately 180 people. The silent auction of distinctly Japanese photographs including 13 original mounts and three canvassed photographs, was the main focus of the evening. Additional funds were raised through the live auction of Simone Legno autographed Tokidoki merchandise and the sale of raffle tickets.

The total amount raised from the event was HK$30697 (US$3950). 100% of these funds were be donated to Peace Winds Japan andShine Humanity, two non-government organisations that have been highly visible in Miyagi Prefecture and are committed to using all designated funds for the Japan relief effort.

The event organizers, Monique Moloney and Matt Jones, both Australian nationals living in Hong Kong, were Assistant Language Teachers on the JET Programme in Miyagi Prefecture between 2003-2006. Having maintained strong connections with their former home, they were deeply affected by the devastation and suffering in communities where they’d often visited and fondly remembered. Their reaction was to organise an event that could raise awareness and funds in a meaningful way.

Through online groups, Monique found photographers who were willing to contribute their work to the cause. She also connected with other former JET participants who were living in Hong Kong. These people helped promote the event and attended to show their support.

“We may have moved on but we haven’t forgotten our friends in Miyagi Prefecture. It was our turn to give back for the kindness and good will we were shown during our time there.”

For more information, please contact Monique Moloney at mnqmlny@gmail.com or phone +852 90300243

Oct 27

JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster

Earthquake Tsunami, Film, Notable JET Alums, Photography, Return on JET-vestment, Video Comments Off on JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster

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Here’s a unique and compelling short documentary–an academic non-profit venture–by JET alum Janak Bhimani (who has been studying at the Keio Graduate School of Media Design after hosting an online Japanese TV show in New York a few years ago) made with some of his Keio classmates. The film is about Tohoku post 3.11 from the point of view of the people who took photographs and was shown at a special session of the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival.  It was originally shown in 4K (which was part of Janak’s research).

Here’s the link:  http://vimeo.com/31093347

lenses + landscapes from KMD 4KNarrative on Vimeo.

Janak says feel free to share with others as they’d like to get it shown in more places in Japan and elsewhere.

Oct 24

Return to Tohoku: Update 10.24.11

Article/Journalism, Blogs, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Writers Comments Off on Return to Tohoku: Update 10.24.11

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Here are updates from a few more of the 20 Tohoku region JET alumni selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to return to their town to both engage in volunteer efforts and also help document and share what’s going on there.

• “Back to Iwate“ by Alan Mockridge (Iwate-ken, Ohtsuchi, 1992)  – http://alanmockridge.com/  (Lots of excellent photos.)
• Here’s a schedule of Alan’s trip:

Visit schedule

19 Sep (Mon) Depart San Francisco

20 Sep (Tue) Arrive Tokyo

21 Sep (Wed) Briefing at Min. Foreign Affairs. Bullet train to Iwate

22 Sep (Thur) Hiraizumi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Morioka

23 Sep (Fri) To Kamaishi via Miyako, Yamada & coast road

24 Sep (Sat) Kamaishi

25 Sep (Sun) Ohtsuchi

26 Sep (Mon) Ohtsuchi High School (cultural exchange)

27 Sep (Tue) Kamaishi to Narita. Depart Japan

Oct 21

Video: NHK covers JETAA International Conference in Tokyo and JETAA fundraising efforts

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Video, Volunteer Comments Off on Video: NHK covers JETAA International Conference in Tokyo and JETAA fundraising efforts

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Here’s a link to a 1.5 minute NHK news story (video) about the JETAA International Conference just held in Tokyo.  The story also references the approximately $500,000 raised for earthquake relief by JET Alumni Association chapters around the world.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20111021/t10013420671000.html

The video includes a brief interview with Akita JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruitree Project, who attended the conference.  Also visible in some of the shots are JETAA International Chair Shree Kurlekar (Shiga-ken) and JETAA USA Country Reps Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken) and Jessyca Wilcox (Hokkaido).  (Those are the people I recognized.  If you recognize others, please post in the comments section.)

The JETAA International Conference attendees are also scheduled to participate in a JET-led volunteer trip to Rikuzentakata this weekend.

Here’s the NHK article that accompanies the video:

外国語指導助手ら 被災地支援強化

10月21日 15時37分

Oct 20

JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund announces recipients

Article/Journalism, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, JETAA Chapters, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund announces recipients

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Below is the official press release (in English and Japanese) announcing the recipients for JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund to the media in Japan.

FYI, a lot of hard work has gone into this process, using our JET contacts, bilingual and bi-cultural abilities to identify appropriate and worthy uses for the approximately $75,000 raised by the JETAA chapters in the U.S.

JETs and JET alumni should be extremely proud of the ways we’ve been able to support Japan in the wake of the 3/11 crisis. Many larger organizations have faced significant challenges in finding appropriate grantees, due in a large part to a very different and smaller Japanese non-profit sector that continues to grow and evolve in new ways. Our quasi-Japanese expat community of 55,000+ JET alumni spread around Japan and the world has been uniquely positioned to help meet these challenges.

Also worth noting is that the JETAA International meeting is taking place this week in Tokyo. JETAA representatives from each country are attending and will be participating in a JET-led volunteer effort in Rikuzentakata with the help of JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruitree Project. JETAA International Chair Shree Kurlekar (former JETAA New York Vice-President) and other representatives will also be speaking with the Japanese media.

Thank you to JETs, JET alumni and Friends of JET everywhere who have contributed to the fund, volunteered their time, volunteered their translation and other skills and supported Japan in many other ways as well.

Ganbarou Nippon!

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PRESS RELEASE – ENGLISH VERSION

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JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund

In its 25-year history, more than 55,000 people from 60 countries have participated in the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program, developing strong ties with communities around Japan. Thanks to the years they spend in Japan, it is fair to say that JET participants come to view Japan as their second home, and most continue to maintain active connections with Japan after leaving the program. The most common way for JET alumni to stay connected is through the 50+ chapters of JET Alumni Association (JETAA) worldwide, which bring alumni together to share their experiences and to promote ties with Japan in their home countries.

Even JET alumni who did not have friends and family in the Tohoku region were deeply moved by the tragedy that unfolded there. In response, all 19 chapters of JETAA USA came together in March 2011 to launch the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund to support educational needs of communities in the disaster zone. Since March 11, the fund has raised $76,000 (5.8 million yen) from the U.S. JET alumni community.

Rikuzentakata and Ishinomaki have special significance for JET alumni since two of their colleagues lost their lives while teaching and living in these communities. Therefore, JETAA USA has decided to donate funds to programs in these two areas, with a primary focus on educational initiatives in Rikuzentakata. The aim is to improve the prospects of students who have been affected by the disaster, carry on the spirit of the JET Program and give back to the country that found its way into the hearts of JET alumni. Grants are being made for the following initiatives:

Hope for Tomorrow support for university applicants from Rikuzentakata ($25,000)– The costs of university entrance exams are a heavy burden for Japanese families and can be especially formidable for families affected by the disaster. Hope for Tomorrow, a new nonprofit organization, will defray exam fees and/ or associated travel and lodging costs in order to support Takata High School (located in Rikuzentakata) students applying to university. JETAA USA will financially support this program in Rikuzentakata.

Rikuzentakata tutoring project ($20,000) – Students in Rikuzentakata have been through traumatic experiences and lost considerable class time. The nonprofit organization Youth Empowerment Iwate, in cooperation with other groups, is launching a new initiative through which university students will provide extracurricular tutoring for middle school students while also using these sessions to lend a sympathetic ear to students who may feel intimidated discussing their concerns with older adults.

Rikuzentakata City education project ($10,000) – A special grant is being made to support JET-related activities and English teaching in the town.

Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund ($5,000)– The Taylor Anderson Fund is supporting a range of innovative programs in Ishinomaki, where JET Taylor Anderson taught and lived, including the exchange programs for local students and “reading corners” at elementary schools.

JETAA USA supporting JET participants ($10,000)– JET-run organizations and programs such as volunteerAKITA (which has been mobilizing JET participants to provide disaster aid since mid-March 2011) have responded to the disaster and recovery efforts. Individual grants are being made to help them sustain their disaster-related activities.

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PRESS RELEASE – JAPANESE VERSION

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米国JET同窓会（JETAA・USA）日本震災復興支援基金

平成23年10月21日

JETプログラムは、今年で25周年を迎え、これまで50カ国以上から5万5000人以上の外国青年の参加を得てきた。彼らの多くは、日本全国の地域コミュニティに深くとけ込み、その貴重な経験から、帰国後も日本を第二の故郷と考え、日本との関係を保ち続けている。JET同窓会（JETAA）は全世界に50以上の支部を持ち、多くの元JET参加者がJETAAを通じて、日本の経験を共有し、日本と母国の絆を深める活動を展開している。

今般の東日本大震災は、元JET参加者に大きな衝撃と悲しみをもたらし、元JETの間では支援の輪が直ちに広がった。米国では、JETAAの全19支部が協力し、3月中に米国JET同窓会震災復興支援基金（以下「米国JETAA基金」）が立ち上げられた。同基金は、被災地の教育支援に充てられることとなっており、これまでに約76，000米ドル（約580万円）の支援金が集められた。

今回の震災で犠牲になった現役JET二名が在住していた陸前高田市と石巻市は、元JET参加者にとっても特別な意味を持つ。米国JETAAは、支援にあたって同2市に重点を置き、特に陸前高田市の教育関係への支援を優先的に実施することとした。（石巻では、テーラー・アンダーソン追悼基金が数々の支援を行っている。）米国JETAAではこの支援を通じて、被災地の子供たちの将来への可能性を広げ、JETプログラムの精神を引き継ぎ、元JET参加者が心から大切に思う日本という国に恩返しをしたいと考えている。下記の事業へ寄付が行われる予定である。

Hope for Tomorrow進学支援プログラム（＄25,000）：高校生の大学受験費用は一般家庭でも大きな負担となっているが、被災した家庭にとっては背負いきれないほどの負担となる。Hope for Tomorrowは新しく立ち上げられたNPOで、高田高校の学生を対象に大学受験にかかる旅費や宿泊費などの諸費用を支援する活動を行う。

陸前高田学習支援プロジェクト（＄20,000）：壊滅的な被害を受けた陸前高田では、多くの学生が精神的なダメージを受けた上、学習の時間も大幅に失った。NPO「子どものエンパワメントいわて」は、他の恊働団体と共に大学生ボランティアによる中学生を対象とした学習支援活動を行う。本プロジェクトでは学力向上だけでなく、被害を受けた子どもたちのケアを重視し、勉強の合間に子ども達が自然と話したくなったことを傾聴し、対話しながら学習支援を行う。

陸前高田市内教育プロジェクト（＄10,000）： JET関連の活動と英語教育を支援するための特別寄付を行う。

テーラー・アンダーソン追悼基金（＄5,000）：同基金では、テーラー・アンダーソンさんが英語を教えていた石巻において、地元学生の交流プログラムや小学校での「読書コーナー」設置など、幅広い分野で革新的な事業を支援している。

JETのボランティア活動支援（約＄10,000）：現役のJETや元JET参加者が運営する複数の団体が被災地の支援活動を行っている。これらの団体が活動を継続できるよう支援を行う。

米国JETAA基金は様々な活動を通じて集められた。

（募金活動例）

JETAA北部カリフォルニア支部（本部サンフランシスコ市）：募金イベント“Japan Relief Fundraiser”を、ホテル・カブキのO（オー）居酒屋ラウンジにて実施。150人以上の参加があり、寄付と抽選が行われ、地元紙にも取り上げられた。

JETAAミネソタ支部：募金イベント“Japan Benefit Party”を、居酒屋・基（Moto-i）（海外初の店内で醸造した日本酒を提供する店）で実施。DJ、ライブ音楽で会場を盛り上げ、サイレント・オークションが行われた。

JETAAワシントンDC支部所属の元JET2名が7月に結婚した際、招待客からの贈り物を辞退し、その代わりに寄付をするよう呼びかけた。

JETAAニューヨーク支部：300人以上が参加する大規模募金イベントを実施、日米双方のテレビ及び主要紙に取り上げられ、ニューヨーク在住元JETからの応援メッセージがメディアを通じて日本に届けられた。

米国JETAA基金は、元JET参加者による支援活動のほんの一部に過ぎない。JETAAの全米各支部は、この他にも様々な募金活動をしており、同基金とその他の活動による募金を合わせると全米JETAAによる支援金総額は31万3000米ドル（約2440万円）に上る。支部によっては、既に日本赤十字、ジャパン・プラットフォーム、ピースウィンズ・ジャパン等の日本の団体に直接寄付を行っている。また、一部の支部は、日米協会等米国の現地団体の募金イベントに協力し、積極的な役割を果たしてきた。

米国JET同窓会（JETAA・USA）

Oct 19

New idea: Permanent JET email addresses?

Local Government, Return on JET-vestment Add Comment (2)

It’s not an entirely new idea.  I remember it being vaguely discussed at a JETAA International Conference about 5 or so years ago.

But what if everyone who goes on JET were to be given a name@JET.Prefecture.com email address that could be forwarded to whatever email you want?  Basically the same way that universities offer name@alumni.university.edu addresses to everyone.  And what if alumni could go online and sign up for an address as well?

In addition to giving everyone a lifelong way to stay connected with JET, it would also give the prefectures and local governments a lifelong way to stay connected with JETs who worked in their prefecture as well as an easy way to identify everyone by prefecture or locality.  This notion is important to the future of JET because prefectures and local governments currently do not have a good way to reach their JET alumni for the sake of “Return on JET-vestment” which is in turn needed to encourage prefectures to choose JETs over alternative ALT options.

(Actually, prefectures can reach their alumni through the 47 JET alum prefecture groups on LinkedIn.  Though as of yet these groups still only represent a fraction of the total alumni out there.)

From a JET perspective, it might also be nice to list one’s JET address on your resume and be able to use it for other Japan-related communications.

I’m sure there are logistical issues that would need to be addressed.  But I just wanted to put the idea out there as something to consider for the future.

Oct 17

NHK coverage of JETAA Heartland film festival fundraiser from March 2011

Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Film, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on NHK coverage of JETAA Heartland film festival fundraiser from March 2011

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Here’s a link to coverage (including video) of JETAA Heartland’s Japanese Film Festival fundraiser for Japan earthquake/tsunami relief back in March 2011.  The video features an interview with JETAA Heartland President Warren McAllen!

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/lifestyle/japanese-film-festival-at-johnson-county-cc-to-raise-money-for-victims-of-earthquake-and-tsunami

Here’s the video and article:

By: Beth Vaughn

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – Two and a half weeks have passed since an earthquake struck Japan, triggering a huge tusnami that has killed more than 10,000 people. Another estimated 18,000 people are still missing.

Though time has passed, the disaster is still at the forefront of many minds in the Heartland.

All proceeds from the Greater Kansas City Japanese Film Festival Sunday afternoon at Johnson County Community College went directly to agencies working in the Japanese relief effort.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association and the Heart of America Japan-America Society are putting on the event.

The film festival was planned even before the quake shook Japan. The original purpose was to promote Japanese flims in the Heartland and to grow a greater understanding of Japanese culture.

This year’s films include Chocolate Underground, Harimaya Bridge and Red Beard.

JETAA also plans to send volunteers to Japan in the coming months to help rebuild areas that now face devastation.

Oct 15

Return to Tohoku: Alma Jennings goes back to Iwaki City in Fukushima

Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Japan Society Round-up, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Volunteer, Writers Comments Off on Return to Tohoku: Alma Jennings goes back to Iwaki City in Fukushima

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Thanks to JET alum Christy Jones of the Japan Society in New York for letting JETwit know about fellow JET alum and Japan Society colleague Alma Jennings (Fukushima-ken, Iwaki-shi) who has written about her return to Iwaki City in Fukushima where she went to volunteer and reconnect with old friends and colleagues.

Here’s a link to Alma’s writing on the Japan Society website:  http://www.japansociety.org/page/earthquake/updates_from_japan

Here’s the intro from the Japan Society website:

“Like many young Americans interested in Japan, Alma Jennings, a Development Assistant at Japan Society, participated in the JET Programme and lived and taught English in Iwaki City on the southern coast of Fukushima Prefecture between 2008 and 2010. In September 2011, Alma returned to Iwaki City to visit her friends, former colleagues and students. She also went to the Iwaki City Volunteer Center to volunteer. Here is the first-part of a three-part series on her experience.

CLICK HERE to read more Return to Tohoku posts by other JET alums.

Oct 14

Important: The official need for JET alum groups by prefecture

Local Government, Networking, Return on JET-vestment, Translating/Interpreting Comments Off on Important: The official need for JET alum groups by prefecture

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It’s official. Soumusho (Ministry of Internal Affairs) sees great value in the JET alumni community being organized and identifiable by prefecture and would like to see such groups formed and put to better use. This according to an announcement that came through the official bureaucratic news source (iJAMP). (See very unofficial translation summary below.)

Why do they care so much about this idea? Because the local governments (i.e., the prefectures) need to see the long term benefits of JET to really make it worth it for them to continue to hire JETs and to contribute funding and resources to the program. They need to see that JET alumni are supporting and contributing to longer term economic benefits in various ways. This is the concept of Local Return on JET-vestment.

Fortunately, JET alum groups by prefecture have existed for the past year thanks to LinkedIn. And many have already joined. If you have not joined one yet, I strongly encourage you to do so now. (It also couldn’t hurt to join any of the various professional JET alum LinkedIn groups as well. Or start a new one yourself if you see a field not covered.)

Here’s the unofficial translation summaries of the official communication:

Soumusho has called on the prefectures to promote the creation of JET OB networks as a resource in their internationalization and overseas business initiatives.

To encourage this, Soumusho is allowing prefectures from this year to fund travel and other expenses for alumni out of their local allocation tax revenues, and is asking prefectures to work with municipal governments.

It is further hoped that these alumni will be a source of accurate information on Japan. And there have been many instances where alumni have gotten involved in fundraising and other support for the affected areas through their deep connections to their communities in Japan.

While there have been many groups formed by alumni according to their countries of origin, schools they taught at or years on the Program, there are few instances of groups formed by prefecture and it is difficult to really say that alumni are a resource to these areas. The importance of prefecture alumni groups was pointed out at the 25th anniversary symposium, leading to the call to form prefecture-level networks.

The notice mentioned Tottori as a good example of a prefecture making the best use of its JETs, having its CIRs act as “Tottori Hometown Ambassadors”, submitting policy proposals and contributing articles to its informational magazine. It also uses its “World Tottori Fan Club” to send out information to its ALT alumni.